bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Size Selectivity of Trap Nets using a Gill-Net Selectivity Experiment: Method Development and Application to Lake Whitefish in Lake Huron
Authors: Zhao Yingming , Morbey Yolanda E.
Published: November 2017

Fisheries management requires information about the size selectivity of the fishing gears, but often the experimental data to estimate size selectivity are absent. We developed a two-stage method to use data from an experimental survey for one type of gear (gill nets) to estimate the size selectivity of another type of gear (trap nets) based on the commercial catch data from both gear types, and we applied this method to Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Lake Huron. In stage I, an information-theoretic approach (Akaike's information criterion) was used to select among five candidate models for the size selectivity of experimental gill nets. A double logistic function (a dome-shaped curve skewed to the right) was chosen as the best model to describe the size selectivity of gill nets targeting Lake Whitefish. In stage II, we estimated the size selectivity of trap nets by applying the model of size selectivity from experimental gill nets to commercial catch data from trap-net and gill-net fisheries operating in a similar region and temporal period. Trap-net selectivity was fitted by using a symmetric logistic equation. This two-stage method predicted that 513-mm FL Lake Whitefish are fully selected by gill nets with a mesh size of 114 mm, whereas ≥615-mm FL fish are fully selected by commercial trap nets.

Received April 12, 2017; accepted September 8, 2017 Published online November 9, 2017
Explaining the Third Reich: Swedish students' causal reasoning about the Nazi seizure of power in Germany
Authors: Wendell Joakim
Published: November 2017

The topic of this study is how Swedish students aged 15–16 use causal reasoning in history when given a high‐stakes task about explaining a historically significant event, the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany. The study is based on student texts from the Swedish national test in history. The student texts are mainly analysed with regards to how many, and what kinds of, causal factors are used by the students. The study finds that while most students are able to combine agents and situational factors in their explanations, the explanations show a recurring theme of combining a generic sense of economic crisis with Hitler and the German people as the important agents, to the detriment of other causes that could open up for different interpretations of why the Nazi regime came to power. To counteract this, the study suggests increased emphasis on some contextual factors in teaching practices.
Higher education policy in Canada and Germany: Assessing multi-level and multi-actor coordination bodies for policy-making in federal systems
Authors: Jungblut Jens , Rexe Deanna
Published: November 2017

Modern governments are increasingly faced with problems of policy coordination. However, coordination does not come naturally to organizations as it demands overcoming institutionalized working modes. Thus, countries have to find ways to tackle these problems to ensure efficient provision of public services. This contribution focuses on a specific and complex case, namely policy coordination for higher education policy in federal systems. The main research interest is to analyse the way in which coordination bodies responsible for higher education policy in two federal countries, Canada and Germany, organize their activities. Through this the study contributes to the understanding of the relevance of policy coordination in multi-level and multi-actor policy-making environments as well as the particular institutions that are dedicated to this task. Both coordination bodies are found to have many commonalities. However, the persisting differences, which can be traced to constitutional surroundings, also stress the importance of local conditions.
Higher education governance and policy: an introduction to multi-issue, multi-level and multi-actor dynamics
Authors: Chou Meng-Hsuan , Jungblut Jens , Ravinet Pauline , Vukasovic Martina
Published: November 2017

This thematic issue introduces the multifaceted nature of contemporary public policy – its multi-level, multi-actor and multi-issue features – using the case of higher education policies from around the world. To do so, this introduction first describes how higher education as a policy sector should be garnering far more attention from scholars interested in political, economic and social transformation. A framework for identifying and accounting for how the ‘multi-s’ characteristics configure and re-configure public policy is then introduced. Next, this thematic issue’s contributions are summarized with highlights of how they bring to life the different ‘multi-s’ features. This introduction concludes with a discussion of what the proposed framework of the ‘multi-s’ offers to studies of higher education policy coordination. In so doing, the objectives of this thematic issue are to highlight what the case of higher education policy coordination offers to studies of public policy and to initiate a dialogue between all social scientists and practitioners interested in the increased complexity of governing, producing and using knowledge today.
Higher education governance and policy in China: managing decentralization and transnationalism
Authors: Mok Ka Ho , Han Xiao
Published: November 2017

China has experienced significant social, economic and political transformations since its economic reform started in the late 1970s. Considerable changes in its policy-making and implementation approaches have also emerged. Confronted with the intensified tension between the call for efficiency and strong pressure to improve social welfare, the Chinese government had no choice but to become instrumentally pragmatic in adopting different governance strategies to address the increasingly complex social, economic and political developments. Thus, neoliberal tenets were introduced. This article sets out to examine, against the wider policy context, how neoliberal tenets, particularly its emphasis on market principles, have been injected in higher education governance. This article aims to explore how the multi-faceted dynamics shaped the development of transnational higher education and influenced the governance of Sino-foreign cooperation universities.
The irony of epistemic learning: epistemic communities, policy learning and the case of Europe’s hormones saga
Authors: Dunlop Claire A
Published: November 2017

Epistemic communities are at their most powerful in novel and technically complex policy issues when decision-makers’ and stakeholders’ understandings are rudimentary. A successful epistemic community reduces uncertainty through policy learning. These lessons enable policy actors to recognize their preferences thus making such issues more tractable. However, policy learning is dynamic and has various modes. Where an epistemic community’s advice points in unfavourable policy directions, rival lessons may be crafted by policy actors thus threatening an epistemic community’s place as principal teacher on an issue. What happens to the influence of epistemic communities that do not attend to these alternative interpretations? Can epistemic communities teach in the ‘wrong’ mode? Using the empirical case of the long-running hormone growth promoters saga in the European Union (EU) we show how, even in complex technical issues, learning in the epistemic mode may not dominate for long. Specifically, we identify a key barrier to epistemic communities’ influence neglected in the literature: the ‘irony of epistemic learning’. In setting the foundational knowledge on novel issues, epistemic communities provide non-specialist governance actors with the resources to oppose the very knowledge these experts have created thereby curtailing their influence. We conclude with a discussion about whether epistemic communities can and should overcome this irony.
The limitations of policy learning: a constructivist perspective on expertise and policy dynamics in Dutch migrant integration policies
Authors: Scholten Peter
Published: November 2017

This article zooms in on the role of policy learning in non-incremental policy change. Can policy learning contribute to ‘policy punctuations’ or ‘paradigmatic change’? This question is addressed from a constructivist angle. Within the constructivist approach debate rages on whether, and if so under what conditions, there could be a relationship between policy learning and policy change. The discourse coalition framework renounces the cognitivist concept of policy learning, whereas the critical frame analysis framework claims that critical reflection at the level of policy frames can lead to fundamental ‘frame shifts’. This article reviews these two constructivist frameworks for policy analysis in terms of how they conceptualize and theorize the relation between policy learning and policy change. Besides offering a discussion of the theoretical assumptions of the two constructivist approaches that have been selected, this article offers an empirical congruence analysis of learning and change. This congruence analysis will be applied to one specific case: migrant integration policy-making in the Netherlands (2000–2015). This involves a clear case study where various non-incremental policy changes have taken place, from an integrationist to an assimilationist approach, which makes it a revelatory case for an in-depth study of policy learning and policy change.
Ruling out learning and change? Lessons from urban flood mitigation
Authors: Witting Antje
Published: November 2017

This article shows how particular rule configurations can create conditions for learning from experimentation on an operation level. It does so by using the IAD framework in a diagnostic analysis of decisions to fund the development of drainage in the Denver Metropolitan Area before and after the 2013 Colorado Flood. The discussion first synthesizes recent developments in this research area. Then, it demonstrates how formal institutional analysis can be used to address existing gaps. To conclude, recommendations for further research to develop our understanding of the link between learning and change are presented.
Wicked tendencies in policy problems: rethinking the distinction between social and technical problems
Authors: Newman Joshua , Head Brian W
Published: November 2017

Complex or intractable policy problems, often called ‘wicked’ problems, have been a feature of public policy research since the early 1970s. Observers have generally assumed that these wicked problems constitute a distinct category of policy problems, based on the notion that some problems – those characterised as substantially technical or scientific in nature – lend themselves to traditional linear problem-solving methods, whereas other problems that are social in nature tend to be wicked. By examining three cases where scientific knowledge is central to the debate – climate change, genetically modified foods and hydraulic fracturing – we argue that all policy problems can exhibit wicked tendencies, regardless of the amount of scientific information available to decision-makers. Therefore, the reliance on increased information in resolving wicked problems is unlikely to be sufficient or effective.
When, why and how institutional change takes place: a systematic review and a future research agenda on the importance of policy entrepreneurship in macroeconomic bureaucracies
Authors: Bakir Caner , Gunduz K Aydin
Published: November 2017

Political science and public policy scholars have long emphasised the importance of understanding institutional change and policy entrepreneurship. This review article is a response to this call in the context of reform in macroeconomic bureaucracies. Adopting a ‘systematic’ approach to reviewing the literature, this paper investigates when, why and how institutional reform in key monetary and fiscal macroeconomic bureaucracies (i.e. central banks, treasuries, and ministries of finance) takes place. It reviews 29 selected articles on reforms in these bureaucracies published in Thomson & Reuters Web of Knowledge’s Social Science Citation Index, JSTOR, Sage and Wiley databases from 1980 to 2015. It shows that the current state of knowledge about institutional change in key macroeconomic bureaucracies is characterised by a lack of sufficient bridge-building among variants of institutional approaches as well as between institutional theory and public policy theory, resulting in persistent knowledge gaps. Against this background, the present review contributes to the body of knowledge on this topic in two main areas. First, it reviews the literature systematically to provide an overview of the key theoretical and empirical characteristics of when, how and why institutional reform takes place in these bureaucracies. Second, it identifies gaps and future avenues of research to stimulate progress in this important area of study.
For safety’s sake: the strategies of institutional entrepreneurs and bureaucratic reforms in Swedish crisis management, 2001–2009
Authors: Petridou Evangelia , Sparf Jörgen
Published: November 2017

This study focuses on the bureaucratic reforms in Sweden which resulted in the creation of the Secretariat for Crisis Management and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. We investigate the mechanisms that lead to divergent change through the critical juncture analytical approach. The study’s findings suggest that the bureaucratic reforms were the result of the critical juncture between 2001 and 2009, which included, inter alia, the release of a commission of inquiry report, a major political crisis and a national election. Moreover, we situate entrepreneurial agency in this analysis while we contribute to the theorization of institutional entrepreneurship by focusing on the implementation stage of institutional change. In order to overcome the institutional resistance stemming from an attempt to preserve the existing power structures, institutional entrepreneurs use the following three strategies: (i) the strategy of listening; (ii) the strategy of advertising early success and (iii) the strategy of picking up the phone.
Research on application model of blockchain technology in distributed electricity market
Authors: Cheng S , Zeng B , Huang Y Z
Published: November 2017

In the context of current energy Internet, the emergence of a large number of energy productive consumers will create a new business model. In the decentralized electricity market, the cost of traditional centralized solution construction, management and maintenance is too high, and it is difficult to support the collection, transmission, reception, storage and analysis of massive data. To provide a solution to this phenomenon, we apply the blockchain technology to this distributed electricity market to achieve peer to peer transactions in the power systems. The blockchain technology which is very popular nowadays will be used in power system to establish a credible direct transaction between devices. At first, this article analyzes the future direction of the development of power systems, studies the characteristics of decentralized power systems and summarizes the main issues in the development process. Then, we analyze the basic characteristics of blockchain and put forward a new transaction framework in consideration of problems existing in current energy market. The transaction framework is based on the blockchain technology in the distributed electricity market and includes the pricing method, the power transaction system architecture, various modules of the trading system and the details of the whole transaction system runtime. This framework provides a viable solution for increasingly complex energy transactions.
Modelling the behaviour of fishers and fishes
Authors: Clark Colin W
Published: November 2017

I describe my personal evolution as a modeller of behaviour, both human and (non-human) animal behaviour, using dynamic state-variable models. At first I worked in renewable resource Economics, especially the economics of marine fisheries where I collaborated extensively with Gordon R. Munro. Subsequently, in collaboration with Marc Mangel (and many field biologists) I worked in Behavioural Ecology. Mathematical models have played a major role in both of these subjects, but until recently mostly static models were used, on the grounds that dynamic (not to mention stochastic) models were too difficult to work with. I express the hope that our use of relatively simple (but not too simple) dynamic models has established the fact that such models can be extremely helpful, perhaps essential, in understanding many aspects of behaviour.
Mayo Clinic Medical Neurosciences
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

This text is intended to serve as an effective foundation on which to build knowledge in the classroom and at the bedside. Chapters have been ordered to improve the integration of neurochemistry and neuropharmacology with our understanding of the nervous system and to facilitate student grasp of the large sections of knowledge. Major sections are devoted to gross anatomy. The format of each chapter consists of Objectives, Introduction, Overview, and text. Clinical problems have been integrated into the text for self assessment. Detailed additional information has been identified in each chapter for those with a desire to go beyond general knowledge. The need to present the vast array of current knowledge of the nervous system required diagrams of anatomy and histology, including magnetic resonance and computed tomographic images to correlate with basic anatomy. Many concepts are clarified further with figures and the abundant use of color throughout. Sections address the neurologic examination and common disorders for systems and levels, including immunologic and genetic neurologic disorders.
Anatomical Localization
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

The diagnosis of neurologic disorders is a skill that requires the application of basic scientific information to a clinical problem. As knowledge about the nervous system increases, more complicated neurologic problems can be solved in more sophisticated ways; however, the basic approach to the solution of all neurologic problems remains unchanged.
Neurocytology and Pathologic Reactions of the Nervous System
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

Anatomical localization is but one part of the diagnosis of neurologic disorders, however, because it is also necessary to determine the pathologic features of the lesion involved. Identification of the pathologic condition requires knowledge of the cellular elements of the nervous system (neurocytology), the molecular and biochemical bases of their function, and the ways in which these cells react to noxious stimuli (pathologic reactions).
Neurophysiology
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

The temporal profile that has not been considered is the transient, or rapidly reversible, abnormality. Many diseases that produce signs or symptoms of brief duration may not produce destructive changes in cells and may occur without demonstrable histologic abnormality of the involved structures. To understand transient manifestations of disease, it is necessary to understand the physiology of the cells of the nervous system and the mechanism by which they process information. Cells in the nervous system and muscle communicate by electrical signals. Neurons have the ability to generate, conduct, transmit, and respond to electrical activity. Information is transmitted between cells by neurochemical agents that convey the signals from cell to cell. Information is integrated by the interaction of electrical activity in single cells and in groups of cells.
Emotion System
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

Chapter Abstract (Approx 50-100 words): The emotion system includes several interacting circuits that also form part of the sensory, motor, and autonomic systems. Emotion is an ancestral brain state that is critical for survival. Emotion is both a psychological and physical reaction, experienced as a strong feeling associated with physiologic changes that prepare the body for immediate action. Disorders of the emotion system underlie a wide range of neurologic, psychiatric, and medical conditions. These include chronic pain disorders, drug addiction, anxiety, depression, and metabolic syndrome.
Consciousness System
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

Consciousness is the state of awareness of self and the environment and involves 2 main functions: arousal (level of consciousness) and awareness (content of consciousness). These functions involve a group of brainstem and forebrain areas that form the consciousness system and include the reticular formation of the brainstem, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, thalamus, and cerebral cortex. The aims of this chapter are to describe the anatomy of the consciousness system, physiologic basis of cortical operations, regulation of wakefulness and sleep, mechanism of attention, and pathologic states of altered consciousness.
Ventricular and Cerebrospinal Fluid System
Authors: Benarroch Eduardo E. , Cutsforth-Gregory Jeremy K. , Flemming Kelly D.
Published: November 2017

The meninges, ventricular system, subarachnoid space, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) constitute a functionally unique system that has an important role in maintaining a stable environment within which the central nervous system can function. The membranes that constitute the meninges serve as supportive and protective structures for neural tissue. The CSF itself provides a cushioning effect during rapid movement of the head and mechanical buoyancy to the brain. In addition to providing a pathway for the removal of brain metabolites, it functions as a chemical reservoir that protects the local environment of the brain from changes that may occur in the blood, thus ensuring the brain’s continued undisturbed performance. The CSF system is present at the supratentorial, posterior fossa, and spinal levels. Because of this extensive anatomical distribution and function, pathologic alterations of the CSF system can occur in many neurologic disorders.
Historical Aspects of Electroencephalography
Authors: Sutter Raoul , Kaplan Peter W. , Schomer Donald L.
Published: November 2017

Electroencephalography (EEG), a dynamic real-time recording of electrical neocortical brain activity, began in the 1600s with the discovery of electrical phenomena and the concept of an “action current.” The galvanometer was introduced in the 1800s and the first bioelectrical observations of human brain signals were made in the 1900s. Certain EEG patterns were associated with brain disorders, increasing the clinical and scientific use of EEG. In the 1980s, technical advances allowed EEGs to be digitized and linked with videotape recording. In the 1990s, digital data storage increased and computer networking enabled remote real-time EEG reading, which made possible continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring. Manual cEEG analysis became increasingly labor-intensive, calling for methods to assist this process. In the 2000s, complex algorithms enabling quantitative EEG analyses were introduced, with a new focus on shared activity between rhythms, including phase and magnitude synchrony. The automation of spectral analysis enabled studies of spectral content.
Dynamics of EEGs as Signals of Neuronal Populations
Authors: Wendling Fabrice , Lopes da Silva Fernando H.
Published: November 2017

This chapter gives an overview of approaches used to understand the generation of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals using computational models. The basic concept is that appropriate modeling of neuronal networks, based on relevant anatomical and physiological data, allows researchers to test hypotheses about the nature of EEG signals. Here these models are considered at different levels of complexity. The first level is based on single cell biophysical properties anchored in classic Hodgkin-Huxley theory. The second level emphasizes on detailed neuronal networks and their role in generating different kinds of EEG oscillations. At the third level are models derived from the Wilson-Cowan approach, which constitutes the backbone of neural mass models. Another part of the chapter is dedicated to models of epileptiform activities. Finally, the themes of nonlinear dynamic systems and topological models in EEG generation are discussed.
Artifacts of Recording and Common Errors in Interpretation
Authors: Tatum William O. , Reinsberger Claus , Dworetzky Barbara A.
Published: November 2017

This chapter examines the fundamental neurophysiological principles involved in determining electroencephalographic (EEG) artifact and provides general instructions for minimizing the risk of error during clinical interpretation. Examples from EEG recordings are given to illustrate common artifacts that may be challenging to the reader because they mimic epileptiform pattern associated to people with epilepsy. Emerging techniques used to detect and reduce artifact without altering the electrocerebral signal are being developed to limit the contamination. While many artifacts are easy to recognize, more complex waveforms may confuse even the most experienced reader. Constant vigilance and a team effort to minimize artifact will help to ensure a proper interpretation of the EEG for optimal patient care.
EEG in Inflammatory Disorders, Cerebrovascular Diseases, Trauma, and Migraine
Authors: Galovic Marian , Schmitz Bettina , Tettenborn Barbara
Published: November 2017

This chapter describes electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities in inflammatory and cerebrovascular diseases, traumatic brain injury, and headache. It focuses on a practical and clinical approach and covers the most important diseases from this extensive field. Particular attention has been paid to viral and autoimmune encephalitis, prion disease, ischemic stroke, posttraumatic coma, and migraine. Several signature patterns are discussed that facilitate early and accurate diagnosis. The use of EEG in guiding treatment decisions and predicting prognosis is reviewed.
Psychological Models of Suicide
Authors: Barzilay Shira , Cohen Abbie
Published: November 2017

A comprehensive model of suicidal processes and behavior is essential for the assessment of imminent risk for suicide and for the design of informed interventions. This chapter provides descriptions of the three generations of the most influential theories of suicidal behavior as well as an assessment of their strengths and limitations. First-generation models were based on clinicians’ individual experiences and, more recently, on consensus opinion and clinical judgment. Second-generation prognostic models hypothesized that suicide risk was determined by measurable long-term biological, clinical, or demographic risk factors. Third-generation models of suicidal behavior focused on dynamic risk elements, which appear later in life, change over time, and are operational immediately proximal to suicide. This chapter provides a historical perspective on the evolution of the theoretical approaches to the understanding of psychological processes that make suicide possible.
Anatomy, neurophysiology, and pharmacological control mechanisms of the bladder
Authors: Daly Donna , Chapple Christopher
Published: November 2017

The lower urinary tract has two main functions; the collection and low pressure storage of urine and periodical controlled elimination of urine at an appropriate time. In order to achieve continence during bladder filling and storage and produce efficient and effective bladder emptying, there is accurate coordination between opening and closing of the urethral sphincters and contraction of the detrusor smooth muscle. The process of micturition has two phases: the storage/filling phase and the voiding phase. The analogy for the transition between these two phases has been described as an on-off circuit, rather akin to flicking a light switch, between synchronous bladder contraction and urethral outlet relaxation, and vice versa. These phases are regulated by a complex, integration of somatic and autonomic efferent and afferent mechanisms that coordinate the activity of the bladder and urethra. This chapter provides an overview of our current understanding of these complex mechanisms.
Pathology of bladder and upper urinary tract tumours
Authors: Bertz Simone , Hartmann Arndt
Published: November 2017

Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumour of the urinary tract, with approximately 386,000 new cases worldwide per year, and is the fifth most common cancer in humans. Mortality rates range between 1.1 per 100,000 for women to 4 per 100,000 in men. Most bladder and urinary tract cancers are urothelial carcinoma. The remainder are squamous cell carcinoma (5%), adenocarcinoma (<5%) and other rare tumours (<1%). Around 5–10% of urothelial carcinoma are found in the upper urinary tract. Unlike the majority of malignant tumours in other anatomical sites, most urothelial carcinoma have a favourable prognosis. In patients with these tumours, long-term follow-up is crucial but costly (making bladder cancer one of the most expensive to manage). The current WHO classification system of 2004 reflects these molecular and clinical features by the definition of distinct categories for low and high-grade flat or papillary lesions.
Remote sensing appraisal of Lake Chad shrinkage connotes severe impacts on green economics and socio-economics of the catchment area
Authors: Onamuti Olapeju Y. , Okogbue Emmanuel C. , Orimoloye Israel R.
Published: November 2017

Lake Chad commonly serves as a major hub of fertile economic activities for the border communities and contributes immensely to the national growth of all the countries that form its boundaries. However, incessant and multi-decadal drying via climate change pose greater threats to this transnational water resource, and adverse effects on ecological sustainability and socio-economic status of the catchment area. Therefore, this study assessed the extent of shrinkage of Lake Chad using remote sensing. Landsat imageries of the lake and its surroundings between 1987 and 2005 were retrieved from Global Land Cover Facility website and analysed using Integrated Land and Water Information System version 3.3 (ILWIS 3.3). Supervised classification of area around the lake was performed into various land use/land cover classes, and the shrunk part of its environs was assessed based on the land cover changes. The shrinkage trend within the study period was also analysed. The lake water size reduced from 1339.018 to 130.686 km
2
(4.08–3.39%) in 1987–2005. The supervised classification of the Landsat imageries revealed an increase in portion of the lake covered by bare ground and sandy soil within the reference years (13 490.8–17 503.10 km
2
) with 4.98% total range of increase. The lake portion intersected with vegetated ground and soil also reduced within the period (11 046.44–10 078.82 km
2
) with 5.40% (967.62 km
2
) total decrease. The shrunk part of the lake covered singly with vegetation increased by 2.74% from 1987 to 2005. The shrunk part of the lake reduced to sand and turbid water showed 5.62% total decrease from 1987 to 2005 and a total decrease of 1805.942 km
2
in area. The study disclosed an appalling rate of shrinkage and damaging influences on the hydrologic potential, eco-sustainability and socio-economics of the drainage area as revealed using ILWIS 3.3.
A preliminary study on music as a tool of nationalistic education
Authors: Leung Chi Cheung
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss nationalistic education in Hong Kong from a cultural perspective. It highlights the challenges faced by the Hong Kong Government and the growing antagonism and mistrust between the young generation and the government. The paper reviews the cultural policies adopted by the Western Zhou, Han and Tang dynasties in ancient China.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a historical approach by reviewing the policies in music and culture in the Chinese history and argues for the adoption of a soft approach to nationalistic education in Hong Kong.

Findings

Results show that being inclusive toward diverse cultures, trusting and valuing people’s voices and accepting differences of opinion are effective policies that were adopted by the respective dynasties. The results shed light on the possibility of nurturing nationalism through education in music and culture.

Research limitations/implications

The historical examples mentioned in this paper are only selected periods of the Chinese history. Thus, the survey could not be taken as a comprehensive review.

Practical implications

This paper reviews the policies concerning music and culture in ancient China and argues for transferring the soft approach of predecessors toward these subjects as part of the nationalistic education of Hong Kong.

Social implications

The results shown should be considered seriously by the Hong Kong Government as an effective substitute policy for the past stringent approach of implementing national education in Hong Kong. Nationalistic education focusing on music and culture is a common root for all Chinese and should be used in future to build up trust and common values between China and Hong Kong.

Originality/value

The originality of this research lies in its dealing with nationalism and national education, recommending a soft approach to education viewed through the prisms of music and culture.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at 20
Authors: Summers Tim
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the two decades since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty, assessing developments against the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, the international agreement under which Hong Kong was transferred from British to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997, and which first set out China’s “basic policies” toward Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper’s analysis of developments focuses particularly on areas of controversy, from the extent to which Hong Kong has enjoyed a “high degree of autonomy” to basic rights and freedoms and the legal and judicial systems.

Findings

It argues that on the whole, the policies set out in the Joint Declaration have been well implemented: Hong Kong has retained its separate systems since 1997, including rule of law and an independent judiciary, basic rights and freedoms, and separate government and social systems. However, especially since the “occupy” movement of 2014, questions about the sustainability of the “one country, two systems” arrangement have come to the surface.

Originality/value

The paper is distinctive in its assessment of developments against the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Democratizing higher education through internationalization: the case of HKU SPACE
Authors: Tang Hei-hang Hayes , Tsui Chak-pong Gordon
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the way in which higher education participation is democratized in the entrepreneurial city of Hong Kong by the policy innovation that encompasses internationalization. There is a dearth of empirical studies about transnational education in Hong Kong, except for a few which examine students’ perceptions of transnational education from a user perspective, situated in marketized conditions (Leung and Waters, 2013; Waters and Leung, 2013a, b). The minimal volume of existing research has ignored the innovative aspects of democratizing higher learning by internationalization, namely, the operation of international degrees by overseas universities on offshore campuses. This policy innovation by transnational institutions is significant in an era of the globalization of higher education, as access to higher education cannot be otherwise realized given the local education policies.

Design/methodology/approach

Employing documentary research, this paper presents and assesses the growth of community college international education at The University of Hong Kong and its unique facets, juxtaposing it with the marketized context of East Asian higher education. It engages in specific reviews surrounding the operational mode and academic collaborations of the international educational programs and practices at the Hong Kong University’s School of Professional and Continuing Education.

Findings

This documentary research finds that the internationalized academic profession of partner universities enables curriculum design, pedagogy, teaching ideas and assessment methods to be informed by a diversity of international academic cultures and indigenous knowledge. Through this policy innovation, international education is institutionalized in such a way that it takes Hong Kong students beyond the community college context, which is relatively localized. It also illuminates the way in which the “ideoscape” of American community colleges and international partnerships with Australian and British universities have been manifested in the Hong Kong education hub for transnational student flows and intellectual exchanges across the Asian region.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the academic literature of higher education studies, particularly in the areas of massification and democratization, as well as their connection with internationalization and policy innovation. It also delineates various forces that are propelling the development of higher education’s internationalization and massification.
The role of training in building employee commitment: the mediating effect of job satisfaction
Authors: Ocen Edward , Francis Kasekende , Angundaru Gladies
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish the role of training in building employee commitment and the task of job satisfaction in the association between training and employee commitment in the banking sector in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used correlation, regression and MedGraph to investigate the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings revealed that there is a positive relationships between training and employee commitment (r= 0.507**,p< 0.01), a positive relationship between training and job satisfaction (r= 0.744**,p< 0.01) and a positive relationship between job satisfaction and employee commitment (r= 0.519**,p< 0.01). The regression model showed that the predictor variables explain at least 29.7 per cent of the variance in employee commitment (adjustedR2= 0.297). MedGraph results revealed a partial type of mediation because the correlation between training (independent variable) and employee commitment (dependent variable) decreased from 0.507*** to 0.271*** by inclusion of job satisfaction (mediating variable).

Originality/value

This study is one of the pioneers to extend the employee commitment debate to Ugandan banking sector. It provides an explanation with empirical evidence by demonstrating that training extends direct positive effect on employee commitment in the banking sector in Ugandan situation. The study also demonstrates that, in the banking sector in Uganda, job satisfaction helps to partially transmit the effect of training on employee commitment. This study further builds a model that will help researchers and practitioners in investigating and explaining employee commitment in the banking sector in Ugandan situation.
The performance of US-based emerging market mutual funds
Authors: Kiymaz Halil , Simsek Koray D.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of US mutual funds that invest primarily in emerging market equities and bonds.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the Morningstar classification of mutual funds and uses the Lipper US Mutual Fund Database through FactSet to obtain monthly returns and various metrics for emerging market equity and bond mutual funds covering the period from January 2000 to May 2017. Several descriptive statistics for these funds are reported as well as various risk-adjusted performance measures. Alphas are computed for different sub-periods using different factor models to mitigate potential biases.

Findings

The results show that diversified emerging market funds generate some significant alphas for their investors during the study period. Emerging market bond funds, on the other hand, do not provide any significant positive alphas; mostly alphas are negative. An analysis of sub-period performance suggests that these funds do not consistently provide excess returns, showing great variations from one period to another.

Originality/value

The emerging market funds provide US investors with an alternative source of exposure for their portfolios. Emerging markets differ from developed markets on a wide range of market and economic characteristics, including size, liquidity, and regulation. This study contributes to the scarce literature on these types of funds and provides a comprehensive performance assessment against various benchmarks during a period that encompasses significant bear and bull markets across the world.
Leveling the playing field for less-sophisticated non-professional investors
Authors: Taylor Eileen , Riley Jennifer
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how non-professional investors (NPIs) with varying levels of financial sophistication interpret and perceive corporate disclosures and management credibility, specifically risk factors, when those disclosures are presented in readable and less-readable formats.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses an online experiment to test hypotheses related to the effects of financial sophistication (measured) and readability (manipulated) on NPIs’ equity valuations and perceptions of management credibility (competence and trustworthiness).

Findings

Increased readability appears to counteract less-sophisticated NPIs’ conservatism in equity valuations, such that they are not statistically significantly different from more-sophisticated NPIs’ equity valuations. Further, less-sophisticated NPIs judge management as less competent when disclosures are less readable, while more-sophisticated NPIs judge management as more competent when disclosures are less readable.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has important implications for the SEC’s regulations related to plain English requirements for risk factor and other corporate disclosures. Financial sophistication varies among NPIs, and readability appears to influence these individuals in different ways.

Practical implications

The SEC’s Concept Release (April 13, 2016) acknowledges the need to update and improve risk factor disclosure regulations. This study provides evidence that contributes to those decisions.

Originality/value

The paper extends the research on processing fluency, by examining readability of disclosures with a consistent tone (negative). The NPIs surveyed are directly representative of the population of interest for risk factor disclosure regulations.
Statistical studies of financial reports and stock markets
Authors: Sunder Shyam
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the usefulness of statistical studies of financial reports and stock market data for improving corporate financial reports.

Design/methodology/approach

Analytical writing.

Findings

It is often claimed that statistical studies of co-variation between financial and stock market data can help set better financial reporting policy. Such co-variation, even when it can be estimated, tells us little about which financial reports help to make better financial decisions. A case in support of such claims remains to be made.

Practical implications

The readers are advised to be extremely careful in drawing inferences from studies of co-variation between accounting and stock market data for financial reporting policy.

Social implications

Inference from accounting empirical studies to policy needs better rationale to avoid bad policy consequences.

Originality/value

This paper raises original questions about policy inferences from a large class of empirical research in accounting.
Spatial taste formation as a place marketing tool: the case of live music consumption
Authors: Skandalis Alexandros , Byrom John , Banister Emma
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore how spatial taste formation and the interrelationships between place and taste can inform the development of contemporary place marketing and/or place management strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on previous research conducted within the context of live music consumption and, in particular, within live musical spaces such as festivals and concert halls.

Findings

This paper illustrates how spatial taste formation can inform the development of topographies of taste which focus on the creation of field-specific experiences. It also offers insights for understanding the phenomenological uniqueness of various places and the role of place users and other stakeholders in the creation of place marketing and branding value.

Originality value

The paper elaborates upon the potential usefulness of spatial taste formation for place management and marketing research practice and draws out implications for future research. It advances a holistic and phenomenological understanding of place which illustrates how users’ perceptions of place are shaped by their experiences in various places and by the interplay of these experiences with their individual tastes and vice versa.
Does the cost of development scale allometrically with offspring size?
Authors: Pettersen Amanda K. , White Craig R. , Bryson‐Richardson Robert J. , Marshall Dustin J.
Published: November 2017

Within many species, larger offspring have higher fitness. While the presence of an offspring size–fitness relationship is canonical in life‐history theory, the mechanisms that determine why this relationship exists are unclear.

Linking metabolic theory to life‐history theory could provide a general explanation for why larger offspring often perform better than smaller offspring. In many species, energy reserves at the completion of development drive differences in offspring fitness. Development is costly, so any factor that decreases energy expenditure during development should result in higher energy reserves and thus subsequently offspring fitness.

Metabolic theory predicts that larger offspring should have relatively lower metabolic rates and thus emerge with a higher level of energy reserves (assuming developmental times are constant). The increased efficiency of development in larger offspring may therefore be an underlying driver of the relationship between offspring size and offspring fitness, but this has not been tested within species.

To determine how the costs of development scale with offspring size, we measured energy expenditure throughout development in the model organism Danio rerio across a range of natural offspring sizes. We also measured how offspring size affects the length of the developmental period. We then examined how hatchling size and condition scale with offspring size.

We find that larger offspring have lower mass‐specific metabolic rates during development, but develop at the same rate as smaller offspring. Larger offspring also hatch relatively heavier and in better condition than smaller offspring. That the relative costs of development decrease with offspring size may provide a widely applicable explanation for why larger offspring often perform better than smaller offspring.

A plain language summary is available for this article.