bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boot Camps for Young Offenders
Authors: REID-MacNEVIN SUSAN A.
Published: March 2007

Penal boot camps, shock incarceration programs, or more recently, strict discipline programs have received considerable popular and government support as an alternative to solving the perceived problem of youth crime. Through a multiplicity of objectives, these programs are intended to reduce prison crowding, correctional costs, and recidivism rates; however, it can be shown that the development and implementation of boot camps are nothing more than a politically acceptable alternative to do something about the perceived youth crime problem. To effectively meet the often conflicting demands of the public's right to be protected from those who commit serious offenses and the need to provide the most suitable form of correctional intervention to meet the needs of the young person entrenched in the youth justice system, it is necessary to have a clearer picture regarding what we know in the correctional intervention literature about what works with young offenders.
Economic Reform, the Floating Population, and Crime
Authors: CURRAN DANIEL J.
Published: March 2007

Since the 1950s, China has structured social relationships by limiting the population's mobility and separating the urban and rural populations. In the 1980s and 1990s, changes in China's economic strategy and its system of household registration contributed to the growth of a large transient “floating” population. This article argues that rising crime is linked to the floating population and that the traditional system of social control cannot resolve this problem. Although legislative measures have been enacted to address the resultant problems, the basic contradiction remains: The plan that has improved the nation's economy has also created the floating population that threatens progress. Highly publicized campaigns and the extensive use of administrative detention and capital punishment call attention to the government's efforts to curtail crime and, thus, legitimate the state, but they do not resolve the basic contradiction that China's new economy cannot provide employment for the people.
Small Town Surveys
Authors: BENEDICT WM. REED , BOWER DOUGLAS J. , BROWN BEN , CUNNINGHAM ROGER
Published: March 2007

Tailoring a community policing program to meet the needs of the community necessitates that the police first determine what the needs of the community are. A survey of the residents of a small, rural town in eastern Illinois was conducted to help the local police department learn what the residents are concerned about and develop community oriented programs that the residents will both appreciate and support. The survey revealed that residents favor proactive policing, but are unaware of the proactive tactics used by the police department. Respondents also indicated that they would like to interact with officers in a friendly fashion and that they support the community services provided by the police. Finally, residents with children indicated concerns about their children being exposed to drugs and gangs. The police department is currently using this information in refining its existing programs and developing new ones.
When all the Evils Come Together
Authors: DREYFUS PABLO G.
Published: March 2007

This article addresses the problem of the interaction between guerrilla groups, coca-growing peasants, drug traffickers in Peru's Upper Huallaga Valley (UHV), and the strategies used by the military to defeat the guerrillas. It also warns about the dangers of involving the armed forces in drug law enforcement. The article shows that waging counterinsurgency operations and drug law enforcement are two very different matters that have to be treated separately. It shows that involving the armed forces in drug law enforcement only worsens the problem by facilitating the spread of corruption in the armed forces.
Use of Robustness Constraints in the Optimum Design of Space Structures
Authors: Khot N.S. , Veley D.E.
Published: March 2007

This paper describes an optimization procedure to design a minimum weight structure and optimum control system with constraints on the eigenvalues and robustness parameter for structured uncertainties in the closed-loop plant matrix. The design variables are the cross-sectional areas of the members and the elements of the state and control weighting matrices. The optimization problem was solved by using a nonlinear mathematical optimization technique based on the interior penalty functions. The numeri cal results are presented for the ACOSS-FOUR structure. This example illustrates how the use of optimization techniques can reduce the weight of the nominal structure, make the control system more robust and Improve the response due to the external disturbance.
End Effector with Pseudomuscular Actuators: Simulation, Control and Realization
Authors: Solari M. , Recagno V. , Roseo A. , Sacone S. , Tacchino R.
Published: March 2007

Pseudomuscular actuators modeling and control have been developed to project and realize a new kind of robot end effector. Actuators are made of polyelectrolytic gel fibers, characterized by low weight/power ratio and by chemically driven swell-contraction behaviors. Actuators chemical -mechanical behavior has been studied in a first phase, which has introduced the dynamic model determination. As a further result a first manipulator has been built. Then, starting from the mechanical-chemical model, a V.S.S. control technique has been applied by computer sim ulation on this manipulator, analyzing its behavior.
Vibration Control of a Laminated Plate with Piezoelectric Sensor/Actuator: Finite Element Formulation and Modal Analysis
Authors: Hwang Woo-Seok , Hyun Chul Park  , Hwang Woonbong
Published: March 2007

The combined effects of passive and active control on the vibration control of a com posite laminated plate with piezoelectric sensors/actuators are investigated. Finite element formula tion and modal analysis are presented. Classical laminated plate theory with the induced strain ac tuation and Hamilton's principle are used to formulate the equation of motion of the system. The total charge developed on the sensor layer is calculated from the direct piezoelectric equation. The equa tions of motion and the total charge are discretized with 4-node, 12-degree of freedom quadrilateral plate bending elements. The stiffness and damping property changes of composite structures by varying the layer angles are used as a passive control method. Piezoelectric sensors/actuators with negative velocity feedback control are used as an active control method. By numerical simulation, the effects of stiffness and damping property changes of composite structures and the effects of sen sor/actuator division on the response of the structure and the performance of the vibration control are investigated. Since active control and passive control affect each other, the active control and the passive control should be considered simultaneously in designing the efficient adaptive structures.
Monitoring Adhesive Joints Using Piezoelectric Polymer Film
Authors: Anderson Gregory L. , Mommaerts Joseph , Tang Shiu L. , Duke John C. , Dillard David A.
Published: March 2007

Adhesive joint monitoring techniques employing poly(vmylidene fluoride) piezoelectric film are discussed. Adhe sive cure monitoring and void/porosity detection were performed ultrasonically using the film. Cyclic bond-normal stresses were quantified by imbedding film sensors into the adhesive bondline and measuring the electrical voltages produced in the sensors by the stresses.
Computational Methods for Identification and Feedback Control in Structures with Piezoceramic Actuators and Sensors
Authors: Banks H.T. , Ito K. , Wang Y.
Published: March 2007

In this article we present fundamental existence, uniqueness, and continuous de pendence results (well-posedness) for a variational formulation of a class of damped second order partial differential equations with unbounded input or control coefficients. Included as special cases in this class are structures with piezoceramic actuators. We then consider approximation techniques leading to computational methods in the context of both parameter estimation and feedback control problems for these systems. Rigorous convergence results for parameter estimates and feedback gains are presented along with computational examples illustrating these methods.
Cohesion
Authors: Carron Albert V. , Brawley Lawrence R.
Published: March 2007

The constitutive and operational definitions of group cohesion have varied across various disciplines in group dynamics. Recently, it has been suggested that a conceptualization of cohesion proposed by Carron, Widmeyer, and Brawley could have broad research applicability for different types of groups. However, results from a few studies have raised questions about the validity of this suggestion. One reason that these studies did not support the suggestion is that they failed to take into account the varied nature of groups and group cohesiveness. To clarify issues associated with measuring cohesion and testing various research questions, this article provides a general definition of cohesiveness, a discussion of the theoretical implications of that definition, and some suggestions for the conditions and procedures necessary to examine the structure of group cohesion in a variety of group contexts.
The Role of the Group in Acquiring Self-Defense Skills
Authors: Fraser Kari L. , Russell Glenda M.
Published: March 2007

Using an interpretive approach to qualitative data analysis, the authors examined the importance of the group in women’s acquisition of skills during a Model Mugging (MM) self-defense course. Data were gathered during semistructured interviews with 59 female MM graduates. Interviews were analyzed using a consensus coding technique. Results indicated that the group context was instrumental in helping women to acquire self-defense skills and develop feelings of empowerment. Aspects of the group experience that were critical to course effectiveness included cohesiveness, altruism, emotional containment, witnessing, modeling, exploration of boundaries, and new relationships with other women. By integrating participants’ observations with theoretical and empirical reports of small group dynamics, these findings enable group leaders to monitor the functioning of small groups more sensitively and accurately.
Cancer Self-Help Groups in China
Authors: Mok Bong-Ho
Published: March 2007

In spite of the rapid growth of cancer self-help groups in China, it is not known whether these groups are beneficial to cancer patients. This study, the first of its kind in China, attempted to assess cancer self-help group effectiveness from the members’ perspective. The findings show that an overwhelming majority reported positive changes in their coping behaviors, attitudes toward self, and interpersonal relationships after joining the group. This study also found that the great majority had obtained all the listed benefits. Furthermore, although some agreed that their groups should affect social policies, many were not sure if that was possible. It can be envisaged that Chinese cancer self-help groups will continue to promote individual gains and self-empowerment among their members. Political activism or collective empowerment is not an alternative direction, at least for the time being.
Problem-Solving Team Behaviors
Authors: Taggar Simon , Brown Travor C.
Published: March 2007

This is among the first studies to develop a typology of performance-relevant team member behaviors from actual observations of intact teams (N = 94) completing a variety of problem-solving tasks. Through a critical incident analysis, behavioral observation scales (BOS) were developed using confirmatory factor analysis. The correlation between BOS and team performance was significant. The typology supports and adds to previous typologies of teamwork behavior. Subsequent cross-validation of the BOS involving 176 team members provided further support for the BOS developed. Next, we used our data to psychometrically evaluate Stevens and Campion’s hierarchical factor structure. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis provided support for Stevens and Campion’s model.
The Impact of Experts on Information Sharing During Group Discussion
Authors: Franz Timothy M. , Larson James R.
Published: March 2007

Experts were predicted to impact information sharing during discussion in two ways. First, expert members were expected to contribute more information themselves during discussion; and second, they were expected to cause nonexpert members to contribute more. Furthermore, it was predicted that identification of the expert and the task type would accentuate these differences. These predictions were tested in a study where one third of the groups had an identified expert, one third had an unidentified expert, and one third had no expert. Half the groups were asked to identify a correct answer, whereas the other half were asked to give their opinion. Results provided support for experts’contributing more information to group discussion; however, no support was found for their increasing other members’ contributions. Identification of expertise and task type both accentuated information sharing by experts. These results are discussed in terms of implications of experts on information sampling and decision-making groups.
A Critical Test of the Sherifs' Robber's Cave Experiments
Authors: Tyerman Andrew , Spencer Christopher
Published: March 2007

Shertf and Sherif's hypotheses on intergroup competition and cooperation are tested in a natural setting, involving scout troops in a camping situation, for well-acquainted subjects rather than for previously unacquainted subjects. In-group solidarity showed no increase during camps, as would have been predicted by the Sherifs; indeed, a decrease was found. Intergroup differences in composition and motivation were reflected in results for intergroup relations, cooperation, and performance. The Sherifs' hypotheses on ego involvement and individual responsiveness to appeals for intergroup cooperation were substantially supported.
A Matrix Model of the Small Group
Authors: Boyd Robert D.
Published: March 2007

This article constitutes the second part of a report on the matrix model for the study of small groups. It considers implications of the model and its translation into operational terms, and provides theoretical foundations for empirical categorization of group process manifest in personalty, social, subsystems, and cultural subsystems. Primary group tasks addressed are identity formation, modes of relating, and reality adaptation. The works of Erik son, Bion, Jung, and Piaget provide theoretical starting points
Conceptualizing Small Group Process
Authors: Fuhriman Addie , Drescher Stuart , Burlingame Gary
Published: March 2007

This article is the prelude to a four-article sequence that will define, illustrate, and critique a multidimensional approach for measuring and understanding small group process. Problems associated with process analysis are presented with a specific focus on definitional and methodological concerns. The need for a comprehensive system that will help researchers to separate and comprehend the individual parts of a group and their relationship to the whole group is articulated. (The second in the series also appears in this issue of SGB).
The Relationship of Group Process and Group Task Accomplishment To Group Member Satisfaction
Authors: Hartung Hagen Beverly J. , Burch Genevieve
Published: March 2007

The development of both group process and group task accomplishment is an in tegral part of the function of most groups. This study examines both process and task factors, exploring their relationship to group member satisfaction. The authors also suggest implications for practice indicated by the findings.
Self-Help Groups and Professional Helpers
Authors: Balgopal Pallassana R. , Ephross Paul H. , Vassil Thomas V.
Published: March 2007

In recent years the self-help group movement has grown by leaps and bounds. The relationships between these groups and professional helpers has been a tenuous one. Although now there is a greater receptivity toward professionals by these groups, there is still considerable skepticism about their respective roles. This article suggests innovative solutions for mutual benefits for these groups and the professionals. Through a derivative paradigm the role of the professional helper within self-help groups is presented.
Learning From Trainer Interventions in Small Groups
Authors: Babad Elisha Y. , Kuriloff Peter J.
Published: March 2007

Members of two unstructured small groups, serving as participants in one group and as observers in the other, rated all interventions by the trainer for contribution to their learning. Interventions were then grouped into conceptual dimensions and clusters according to a model developed by Kuriloff et al. (1984). Participants and observers had a similar learning profile, stressing the significance of the trainer as a teacher connecting conceptually ongoing group events to larger social and cultural phe nomena. Differences between the learning of participants and observers were found for clusters of interventions emphasizing trainer's authority, members'responsibility, and members' abstract (existential) versus concrete anxiety (about personal inade quacy and interpersonal intimacy). The unique contribution of the observational component in small group learning was particularly evident for highly "engaged" subjects, whose experience as participants was emotionally intense, inhibiting some potential learning attained by less engaged participants.
Persuasion in a Self-Help Group
Authors: Jurik Nancy C.
Published: March 2007

This research utilizes observational and interview data to examine the techniques of persuasion utilized m a self-help organization for persons with mental problems. Successful affiliation with the group is conceptualized as a type of conversion process. The interplay between recruit background and group interactional dynamics convinces recruits to accept the group's ideology and define its method as a necessary treatment for their mental problems. A member's conversion has important long-run implications. In particular, although acceptance of the organizational ideology may facilitate the "recovery" of the individual, it simultaneously reinforces an understanding of mental problems as caused by individual inadequacies. The social structural context of such individual problems is then largely ignored.
Anticipated Consequences of Communicating Corrective Feedback During Early Counseling Group Development
Authors: Robison Floyd F. , Stockton Rex A. , Morran D.Keith , Uhl-Wagner Angela N.
Published: March 2007

This study categorizes types of consequences associated with corrective behavioral feed back messages anticipated by members during the first meeting of counseling groups. Group members (N = 286) were asked to write corrective feedback messages that they would be unwilling to communicate in their groups. This was done at the conclusion of the groups' first meetings. Subjects then completed a form containing statements describing potential consequences of communicating corrective feedback. Subjects indicated their levels of agreement with the consequence statements, as the statements applied to the messages they had written. Factor analysis of responses resulted in seven categories of anticipated conse quences of communicating corrective behavioral feedback Categories were moderately in tercorrelated and exhibited moderate to substantial reliabilities. Potential uses of the categories in group practice and future research on the relationship of feedback to group development are discussed.
Self-Monitoring and Leader Emergence
Authors: Ellis Robert J. , Cronshaw Steven F.
Published: March 2007

The present research seeks to further understanding of the relationship between self-monitoring and leader emergence in groups. It does so by focusing on two proposed moderators of this relationship: sex of the group members and nature of the task confronting the group. On the basis of previous research, it was hypothesized that high self-monitoring would be related to leader emergence for males, but not for females, in mixed-sex groups. Further, the relationship between self-monitoring and leader emergence was hypothesized to be stronger for a task providing minimal feedback on the task competence of group members. These hypotheses were tested in a long-term study of natural mixed-sex groups. The sex-moderator hypothesis was supported, but the task-moderator hypothesis was not. Post hoc analyses suggested that high self-monitors emerge as group leaders because they are more adaptive in their behavior than low self-monitors. Both theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Group Versus Individual Decision Making
Authors: Kroon Marceline B. R. , Van Kreveld David , Rabbie Jacob M.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the effect of accountability and gender on the development of group-think In addition, group decision making is contrasted with individual decision making. For groups, individual and collective accountabilityaredistinguished. It is argued that structures of accountability, by counteracting two important antecedent conditions of groupthink, can reduce groupthink tendencies. The results confirm this prediction but do not support the hypothesis that individual accountability will be more effective than collective accountability. As expected, male groups are more affected by accountability than female groups are. Differences between group and individual task performance were only found for men. Imnplications forfuture research on groupthink andfor practice are discussed
The Experience and Effects of Conflict in Continuing Work Groups
Authors: O'Connor Kathleen M. , Gruenfeld Deborah H , Mcgrath Joseph E.
Published: March 2007

The study described in this article deals with antecedents and consequences of experienced conflict in continuing work groups. Three variables affect the level of conflict that group members experience. (a) The type of task a group is working on affects the level of experienced conflict, with mixed-motive tasks yielding the most conflict and collaborative tasks yielding the least conflict. (b) A major change in the group's communication medium leads to increased conflict. (c) In contrast, a major change in group membership (one member leaves, and another member joins the group) results in decreased conflict. Overall, conflict reduces task performance effectiveness and is accompanied by less positive affect toward the group. But groups with consistently high levels of conflict perform better than low-conflict groups on mixed-motive tasks in which high levels of conflict are inherent.
The Effects of Variations in Gdss Capabilities on Decision-Making Processes in Groups
Authors: Sambamurthy V. , Poole Marshall Scott , Kelly Janet
Published: March 2007

Group Decision Support Systems (GDSSs) provide mechanisms for reducing equivocality and facilitating consensus on interpretations by decision-making groups. Whereas much previous research compares groups with GDSS support to nonsupported groups, less research has been conducted which varies the type ofsupportprovided in a GDSS. This study addresses two questions: What are the impacts of variations in the level of sophistication of a GDSS on group decision-making processes? What is the significance of these process impacts on group outcomes? Two different GDSS designs that delivered varying levels of decision-making support were employed in the study. The conceptual model identifies six specific process impacts. The results indicate that variations in GDSS capabilities have an impact on elements of the group decision-making process, such as the ability to develop procedural insight or ideational connection and use formal evaluation. Further, the process impacts were found to be significantly related to the group outcomes. 7he ideas presented in the article are expected to offer a foundation for developing finer-grained theories of GDSS effects on group decision making.
Training an Interdisciplinary Team in Communication and Decision-Making Skills
Authors: Cooley Elizabeth
Published: March 2007

The use of interdisciplinary teams to address human service delivery issues is becoming increasingly common. Complicated problems require the expertise of a variety of specialists from different disciplines, and increased specialization brings with it a heightened needfor interdisciplinary collaboration. While team meetings are expected to serve as the vehicle for successful collaboration among professionals, three barriers often stand in the way of effective team interactions: disorganization, misunderstandings, and problem-solving difficulties. These problems suggest a need for interventions aimed at improving team communication and decision-making processes, as well as a need for methods to observe and evaluate the effects of such interventions on a team's functioning. The purpose of this research was twofold: First, we sought to investigate the effects of an intervention that differentially targeted and trained three sets of group communication and decision-making skills aimed at addressing the three barriers mentioned above. A second goal was to develop new methods of observation that would overcome several serious limitations which have characterized the bulk of existing team intervention research. An interdisciplinary rehabilitation clinic's staff served as the subject of the study. Using a multiple baseline design across categories of behaviors, the effects of a three-part intervention on the team's day-to-day meeting behavior was assessed. While there was substantial variability and overlap in much of the data, videotaped observations revealed that following each training session, there were modest increases in the average frequency of use of most targeted behaviors. Social validation data indicated that team members found the training to be both useful and enjoyable. Implications forfuture research are discussed.
The Naturalistic Paradigm
Authors: Frey Lawrence R.
Published: March 2007

This article advocates the need to balance group research by rejecting the dominant paradigm that drives research-positivism--and adopting an alternative paradigm-the naturalistic paradigm. After critiquing positivistic group research, the philosophical assumptions and methodological practices of the naturalistic paradigm as they apply to small group research-the research setting, type of natural group, research foci, methodological procedures, and researchers' relationship with members of natural groups-are described. The author 's research program on creating and sustaining community in an AIDS residential facility is used to illustrate the conduct of naturalistic group research and the rich insights that can be obtained about group process. The article concludes that the naturalistic paradigm and its practices potentially can infuse group research with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency.
Organizational Meetings
Authors: Volkema Roger J. , Niederman Fred
Published: March 2007

Managers spend a great deal of time in meetings and the results of those meetings (decisions, shared understandings, action plans) are critical to organizational success. Despite this investment, organizational meetings remain understudied in structure and function. The purpose of this study is to provide additional knowledge regarding how groups use information in the course of meetings employing differentforinats. Based on observations of meetings within 35 different organizations: (a)forum meetings represented the most common meeting format,followedby round-robin and announcements meetings, (b) the use offormal mechanisms for storing and distributing information (agendas, supporting documents) wasfound to vary by meeting format, and (c) the availability and use of meeting technologies was limited. Implications for systems development andfuture research are discussed.
Leadership and Listening
Authors: Bechler Curt , Johnson Scott D.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the perceptions of members of 23 task-oriented classroom small groups regarding the variables of leadership and listening. Following the completion of a long-term class assignment, groups were divided in half Half of each group completed a leadership assessment instrument while the other half completed a listening assessment instrument. Spearman correlations were computed on the data gathered. Results indicate a significant positive correlation between member rankings of leadership behavior and member rankings of listening effectiveness.
Emergent Leadership in the Group Goal-Setting Process
Authors: de Souza Gita , Klein Howard J.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the relationships between group goal setting and the emergence of leadership. Specifically, groups were assigned either group goals, individual goals, or both group and individual goals to determine how the type of goal relates to the frequency of leadership emergence. In addition, other antecedents and the consequences of emergent leadership were tested. A sample of 468 college students performed an interdependent word-building task in groups offour. Results indicated that the nature of the assigned goal did not influence leader emergence. Emergence was, however, related to individual task ability and commitment to the assigned group goal. Groups in which leaders emerged outperformed groups without emergent leaders, but perceptions of free riding were not affected. Finally, the emergent leader's personal goalfor the group strongly influenced the group 's chosen goal for the group. The implications and limitations of these findings and suggestions forfuture research are discussed.
Ethnic Diversity and Creativity in Small Groups
Authors: McLeod Poppy Lauretta , Lobel Sharon Alisa , Cox Taylor H.
Published: March 2007

There is a growing belief among managers that ethnic diversity, when well managed, can provide organizations with certain competitive advantages. But the belief in this value-inl diversity hypothesis rests largely on anecdotal rather than empirical evidence. Results are reported ofa controlled experimental study that compares the performance on a brainstorm ing task between groups composed of all Anglo-Americans with groups composed ofAnglo-, Asian, African, and Hispanic Americans. The particular brainstorming task used-The Tourist Problem-was chosenfor its relevancefordiversity along the dimension of ethnicity. The ideas produced by the ethnically diverse groups were judged to be of higher quality-more effective andfeasible-than the ideas produced by the homogeneous groups. Members of homogeneous groups reported marginally more attraction to their groups than did members of diverse oroups. Directions for future research with respect to the degree of diversity, the nature of the task, and group process are discussed.
Information Utilization in Small Group Decision Making
Authors: Propp Kathleen M.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors, both communicative and noncommunicative, that lead to the utilization of information in a decision-making group. The study posited that the evaluative interaction model could explain a group 's acceptance or rejection of information. Three primary variables incorporated in the model were the focus of this study: (a) prediscussion preference structure, (b) information redundancy, and (c) valence of information items. The results of statistical analyses supported hypothesized relationships between the variables and infonmation acceptance. First, groups with conflicting prediscussion preference structures accepted significantly more information than consensus groups. Second, higher levels of redundancy increased the likelihood of information acceptance. Third, the best predictor by far was an item of information 's valence, accounting for almost 40% of the variance in acceptance. Finally, the full evaluative interaction model was able to accountfor almost 50% of the variance in information acceptance.
Girls' Assertiveness in the Presence of Boys
Authors: Benenson Joyce F. , Aikins-Ford Shari , Apostoleris Nicholas H.
Published: March 2007

The study was designed to examine 4and 6-year-old girls 'physical and verbal assertiveness in the presence of varying numbers of boys. Two girls from each of 12 classes were asked to play in three types ofplay groups: all girls, majority girls, and minority girls. Thefrequencies of physical and verbal assertion of the two target girls were compared across the three play groups. Girls' levels of physical and verbal assertiveness were unrelated to the percentage of boys in their play groups. Results suggest that girls'expression of assertiveness is highly dependent on the social context.
The Restaurant Game
Authors: Brozik Dallas , Zapalska Alina
Published: March 2007

The RESTAURANT GAME is a single-period simulation that provides students with the opportunity to plan and implement a strategy in a competitive environment. The game includes an auction in which players bid for raw materials. This auction can result in players’ making tactical changes to planned strategies in response to conditions created by the auction. After the players have obtained their necessary raw materials, they create meal menus that are the source of company profits. During the allocation process, integer programming is applied, and the instructor can demonstrate how mathematical modeling leads to optimal solutions. The RESTAURANT GAME provides a rich environment that can be explored in a single period or multiple periods according to the instructor’s goals.
Using Computer-Assisted Simulations and Avoiding Computer-Hindered Simulations
Authors: Jones Ken
Published: March 2007

The concept of computer-aided simulations is simple in theory, but in practice, unforeseen difficulties tend to arise. Examples are given of problems caused by previous experiential learning, muddled methodology, and self-contradictory materials.
Using Interactive Planning in the Entrepreneurial Class: A Live Fieldwork-Based Case and Simulation Exercise
Authors: Robbins Lee
Published: March 2007

Interactive planning is a technique used by large corporations to plan and implement innovative changes in strategy. This article prepares the instructor to teach students the technique for entrepreneurial and small businesses. The process used to teach interactive planning is an experiential simulation based on "live case" principles using small groups. Students learn to work with actual entrepreneurs and existing businesses. They learn the need for question asking as well as question answering and how to handle choices about which data to select. They directly experience the messiness and ambiguity of the entrepreneur's world. Concepts of strategic planning, problem framing, and stakeholders are introduced and the relationship between interactive planning and the traditional business plan can be examined. At the end of the simulation, both the entrepreneur or small business owner and the instructor contribute to debriefing.
Should Business Simulation Designers be Constrained by Conventional Economic Wisdom? A Reply to Gold and Pray
Authors: Carvalho Gerard F.
Published: March 2007

This article is a reply to a critique by Gold and Pray (1995, this issue) of the previous article wherein a new proof process and a new market demand function were presented. Gold and Pray's critique suggests that simulation designers ought to be bound by "conventional economic wisdom" when designing computerized business simulations. Several issues of importance to simulation designers and users are discussed.
Getting Personal
Authors: Jones Ken
Published: March 2007

The author's profession was journalism and his involvement in designing and writing about simulations and games occurred by chance. Perhaps what mattered to him most was the interesting people he met along the way-Garry Shirts, Cathy Greenblat and many others. He does not start with an aim but with an idea that interests him. However, he feels he does not seem to get good ideas. Rather, he gets muddled or bad ideas and the design process is the attempt to clarify, simplify and improve. Perhaps the author's major contribution to theory is the concept of an ambivalent event, an event in which incompatible methodologies are in operation simultaneously, usually with the participants and facilitator being aware that something has gone wrong but not being sure of the cause and tending to blame people's personalities.
Activity-Driven Time in Computerized Gaming Simulations
Authors: Thavikulwat Precha
Published: March 2007

Pedagogically and administratively critical to computerized gaming simulations, the treatment of time can differ along three dimensions: scale, synchronization, and drive. Time can be fixed or flexibly scaled, synchronized or unsynchronized among participants, and driven either by the administrator, the participants, the clock, or the level of activity. Fixed scaling is more easily programmed; flexible scaling gives participants more freedom. Synchronization coerces participants unnaturally, but assures that mindless activity is not rewarded. Administrator-driven time is administratively burdensome, participant-driven time is difficult to code when decisions among participants are interdependent, and clock-driven time is inherently inadaptable to an irregular schedule. Activity-driven time can involve counting either decisions or accesses. Counting decisions encourages the churning of decisions; counting accesses encourages revolving access and collusive access, and can give rise to in adaptive pacing. Solutions to these problems and an application are discussed. Activity-driven time can enable gaming simulations to run for many periods without imposing excessive demands on either administrators or participants, and without engendering boredom. A symbiotic relationship may develop between gaming simulations and the study of temporal issues in management.
Simulation/Gaming as an Essential Enabler of Organizational Change
Authors: Tsuchiya Shigehisa
Published: March 2007

To cope with drastic changes and ambiguity, many companies are now trying toflatten their organizational structures, because aflat organization can sense its customers'needs and respond quickly to changes in the markets. To flatten its organizational structure, a company has to loosen its couplings, giving its subsystems autonomy, and let them make their own decisions. However, autonomy without a clear central direction will only result in chaos. Commensurability provides central direction indispensable to a loosely coupled organization. Simulating/gaming can facilitate organizational change by improving the commensurability of interpretative frameworks.
Measuring the Accuracy of Prediction in a Simulated Environment
Authors: Mailles Stéphanie , Batatia Hadj
Published: March 2007

Prediction is an important cognitive activity in any decision-making process. For dynamic process control tasks, this activity is crucial, but studying it in a real-life environment is difficult. This article describes how a computerized simulation was used to study prediction in a complex environment. Using the simulation, the effects of many factors on the accuracy of prediction were successfully measured. These factors are mainly the nature of the task the method of presentation of the information, the number of repetitions of a specific task, and the length of the time taken for prediction. Three different tasks and four distinct interfaces were used in the simulation. Prediction was found to be significantly affected by all of the factors except the number of repetitions. Surprisingly, no learning effect was observed throughout the accomplishment of the various tasks.
Toward a Multilingual, Experiential Environment for Learning Decision Technology
Authors: Yeo Gee Kin , Tan Seng Teen
Published: March 2007

Simulation games have been used for both educational training and research studies. The capability of the Internet in transporting rich multimedia content and allowing interactivity across space and time has opened up many opportunities for the growth of simulation games in many directions over the global network. This article describes the authors’ work on the Internet in expanding a simulation game that has been used in supporting a course in decision technology. The discussion focuses on two directions: multilingual support for cross-cultural decision studies and process support in a Web-enhanced multiuser domain (MUD) learning environment.
Simulation and Gaming in Water Management in the Czech Republic
Authors: Kos Zdenek , Prenosilova Eva
Published: March 2007

Simulations have come to play a major role in water management in the Czech Republic during the past three decades. This article briefly traces the history of simulation and gaming in water management. Some special attention is paid to the authors’ involvement in the Master Water Plan and to the beginnings of simulation and gaming in water management.
The Short-Term Effects of Relocation on the Intellectually Disabled
Authors: Barber James G. , Cooper Brian K. , Owen Lloyd
Published: March 2007

This social work study reports on the immediate effects of relocation on a small group of intellectually disabled clients. Results revealed an increase in the short term on clients' overall level of activity and their skills in relation to recreation and leisure. Most importantly, clients reported being happier in the community. On the other hand, there was no evidence of improvement on a standardized measure of quality of life, although this finding must be treated with caution given the small sample size and large amount of within-group variance Another area of concern was the short-term decline in appropriate social behaviors. This finding underscores the importance of transitional social skills training and rehearsal as clients move from institutions to the community.
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Perfectionism: Initial Evaluation Studies
Authors: Ferguson Kirsten L. , Rodway Margaret R.
Published: March 2007

This article describes an exploratory social work study that examined the efficacy of cognitive- behavioral treatment of perfectionism. A single-system design was used to analyze change due to the intervention. Three instruments, two standardized and one self-anchored, were used to collect data across the phases of the ABA design. The study was replicated with nine clients. Analysis of the data indicated that the clients experienced a considerable reduction in their levels of perfectionism as a result of the cognitive-behavioral intervention. The results also indicated that several issues were associated with perfectionism, including issues such as self-criticism, difficulty in dealing with feedback, procrastination, and unrealistic goal setting. Consideration was given to the limitations of the study as well as its applications to social work practice and research.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Family Preservation Services for the Families of Drug-Exposed Infants: A Pilot Study
Authors: Potocky Miriam , McDonald Thomas P.
Published: March 2007

Twenty-seven families of drug-exposed infants were followed during their participation in a community-based program designed to enhance child well-being and prevent out-of-home placement. The program consisted of multiple components including social work home visits, nursing services, early childhood education, support groups, and parent/child interaction groups. Results indicated that the program was partially successful. In particular, participation in the support groups and the parent/child interaction groups was associated with successful child placement outcome. The implications for social work practice are discussed in light of the parents' own perceptions of the program.
Measuring Staff Empowerment: Development of a Worker Empowerment Scale
Authors: Leslie Donald R. , Holzhalb Carol M. , Holland Thomas P.
Published: March 2007

Growing interest in the empowerment of workers is evident in for-profit organizations as well as nonprofits. Empowerment is understood as a result of better matches between worker characteristics and organizational needs, and it is believed to result in increased satisfaction and productivity. Whether such assumptions are empirically supported remains to be demon strated. A key requisite for such studies is a valid and reliable scale for measuring empowerment. This article descnbes the development and field testing of such an instrument, followed by discussion of its strengths, limitations, and applications in further research on this topic, particularly in the area of staff empowerment m social service organizations.
Evaluating Treatment Issues in a Military Drug and Alcohol T)reatment Program
Authors: Westhuis David J. , Hayashi Reiko , Hart Laurel , Cousert David , Spinks Martha
Published: March 2007

The objectives of this study were to determine if there is a requirement for gender-specific substance abuse treatment approaches for men and women, if women and men can be effica ccously treated in an integrated gender nonspecific program, and what the predictors of success in an Employee Assistance Program are. The study used a quasi-experimental pre-post design and had a sample size of 120,775 soldiers treated in the U.S. Army's drug and alcohol program. The results indicated that women were more successful in the program than men; that treatment combinations using group, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and an educational focus were the most successful for both men and women; and that length of time in treatment had no impact on treatment success for women and only minimal impact for men. Men and women also differed on various other demographic and treatment variables and their effect on success. For men and women to be successfully treated in a gender-nonspecific program, the recommended treatments for men and women should have a group and educational focus, but clinicians must remain cognizant of gender-related differences when assessing and treating the two groups.
The Effects of Aggression Replacement Training on Antisocial Behavior in a Runaway Shelter
Authors: Nugent William R. , Bruley Charlene , Allen Patricia
Published: March 2007

Afield study was conducted to investigate the effects of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) on the antisocial behavior of adolescents in a runaway shelter. An interrupted time series design was used. The case records of 522 adolescents who lived in the shelter for more than 519 days were reviewed. Data were obtained on the adolescents'antisocial behavior spanning from more than 310 days prior to and more than 209 days after the start of the ART program. The results suggested that the commencement of the ART program was associated with a 20% decrease in the rate of antisocial behavior and a 17% decrease in the daily number of antisocial behavior incidents. Thus, the ART program may be a valuable part of a comprehensive treatment package for social workers to use with antisocial adolescents in short-term residential facilities.
Being in Control: The Process of Caring for a Relative With Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Willoughby Jayne , Keating Norah
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to understand the process of caregiving from the perspective of a group of family caregivers of relatives suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Grounded theory was used to elicit caregiver's experiences. Multiple unstructured interviews were conducted with 10 family caregivers who had placed their relative in an institutional setting. The findings yielded a five-stage model of gaining and relinquishing control of caregiving. Shifts in the understanding of the process delineated each stage. Properties of each stage and practice implications are discussed.