bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cash transfers and multiplier effect: lessons from the grain subsidy program in China
Authors: Yi Fujin , Lu Wuyi , Zhou Yingheng 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the multiplier effects of the grain subsidy program in China, which is a large food self-sufficiency project that is implemented as a cash transfer program. Income multiplier effects have not been empirically examined in the evaluation of the grain subsidy program although increasing the income of farmers is the original goal of this project.

Design/methodology/approach
– A large number of household-level observations are employed to measure the program’s income multiplier. An unrestricted model was first employed to measure the multipliers in a period of two years, and the difference was evaluated. Then, the income promotion effects of grain subsidy on various income sources for each specific subset of the population, such as liquidity conditions and household characteristics, were estimated.

Findings
– The results show that the grain subsidy program has a high income multiplier, and the income promotion effect of the transferred subsidies is from agricultural production derived by intensifying input for each unit of land. The multiplier effect of the grain subsidy program as a cash transfer program can be interpreted as the shadow value of relaxing liquidity constraints and could be particularly utilized by households with more farming land and farmers in less developed regions in China. Hence, to maximize the income multiplier effect, the grain subsidy distribution method should consider these criteria instead of retaining the prevalent standard that is based on contracted land areas.

Originality/value
– This study addresses the gap that the effect of China’s grain subsidy program on income increment has not been empirically examined in nation wide.
Off-farm employments and land rental behavior: evidence from rural China
Authors: Che Yi 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of off-farm labor employments on household land rental behavior in rural China.Design/methodology/approach– IV-Probit and IV-Tobit model are used to identify the estimate of interest.Findings– The results indicate that households with more members participating in either migration or local off-farm work are more/less likely to rent out/in land. Moreover, the effect of migration on household land rental behavior is much larger than the effect of local off-farm work.Practical implications– These results suggest that ensuring benefits of migrants in urban cities can automatically promote household land rental behavior in rural China.Originality/value– The authors provide a rigorous and careful empirical analysis on the effect of off-farm employment on household land rental behavior and pay special attention to the endogeneity issue tackled using separable instruments.
Applying Lean Six Sigma to improve medication management
Authors: Nayar Preethy , Ojha Diptee , Fetrick Ann , Nguyen Anh T 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– A significant proportion of veterans use dual care or health care services within and outside the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). In this study conducted at a VHA medical center in the USA, the authors used Lean Six Sigma principles to develop recommendations to eliminate wasteful processes and implement a more efficient and effective process to manage medications for dual care veteran patients. The purpose of this study is to: assess compliance with the VHA’s dual care policy; collect data and describe the current process for co-management of dual care veterans’ medications; and draft recommendations to improve the current process for dual care medications co-management.

Design/methodology/approach
– Input was obtained from the VHA patient care team members to draw a process map to describe the current process for filling a non-VHA prescription at a VHA facility. Data were collected through surveys and direct observation to measure the current process and to develop recommendations to redesign and improve the process.

Findings
– A key bottleneck in the process that was identified was the receipt of the non-VHA medical record which resulted in delays in filling prescriptions. The recommendations of this project focus on the four domains of: documentation of dual care; veteran education; process redesign; and outreach to community providers.

Research limitations/implications
– This case study describes the application of Lean Six Sigma principles in one urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in the Mid-Western USA to solve a specific organizational quality problem. Therefore, the findings may not be generalizable to other organizations.

Practical implications
– The Lean Six Sigma general principles applied in this project to develop recommendations to improve medication management for dual care veterans are applicable to any process improvement or redesign project and has valuable lessons for other VAMCs seeking to improve care for their dual care veteran patients.

Originality/value
– The findings of this project will be of value to VA providers and policy makers and health care managers who plan to apply Lean Six Sigma techniques in their organizations to improve the quality of care for their patients.
Hospital menu interventions: a systematic review of research
Authors: Ottrey Ella , Porter Judi 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– Most patients in developed countries solely depend on the hospital menu to order their food. The provision of menu choices to patients differs between facilities. The purpose of this paper is to determine which strategies that provide menu choices to patients are effective in improving clinical and non-clinical outcomes in hospital.Design/methodology/approach– Five databases were searched to identify relevant publications. Prospective research published in English with the menu as the primary intervention was included. Study eligibility was determined and risk of bias assessed. Outcome data were combined narratively due to absence of homogeneous study design and outcomes.Findings– Of the 2,201 records screened, six studies met inclusion criteria. Standardised menu formatting and the spoken menu system were found to improve meal tray accuracy. The spoken menu and computerised interactive menu selector system enhanced aspects of patient satisfaction without cost increases. Descriptive menus may increase food consumption. Branding food items was not well supported by patients. One study rated positively for study quality with the remaining five studies receiving neutral quality ratings.Research limitations/implications– The small number of studies conducted on each intervention and the quality of the evidence made it difficult to establish a solid evidence base around providing menu choices to patients. Further research is needed on menu ordering systems, including spoken and visual menus, to determine their impact on outcomes in hospital.Originality/value– This review is first to examine the effectiveness of menu interventions in hospital. Hospital foodservice departments should consider these findings when reviewing local systems.
The market’s reaction to unexpected, catastrophic events
Authors: Humphrey Phillip , Carter David A. , Simkins Betty 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the stock market reaction to the Gulf oil spill and determine if the markets exhibited rational pricing. On April 20, 2010, the US Coast Guard received a report of an explosion and fire aboard Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig. The resulting spill exceeded the Exxon Valdez oil spill as the worst in US history. With the total cost of the disaster reaching almost $54 billion for British Petroleum, clearly the spill had far-reaching effects on its market value. However, the more interesting question is what valuation effects might exist for other oil and gas firms, due to an increase in perceived risk for all offshore drilling and/or the likelihood of an increase in the regulation of the industry.

Design/methodology/approach
– Because the new information was released piecemeal over time and has the potential to affect a number of firms simultaneously, Gibbon’s (1980) multivariate regression model methodology (MVRM) was used to examine share price reactions of firms in the oil and gas industry in the aftermath of the oil spill. This methodology allows one to test whether significant abnormal returns occur on days where new information is released. Further, one is able to test whether the market reaction was the same for each firm or whether the market differentiated between firms.

Findings
– Evidence of abnormal returns was found for the majority of the information dates in our investigation. Further, the results reject the notion that the market reaction was the same for all oil and gas firms, leading to the conclusion that the market did differentiate between firms.

Originality/value
– This research is important because the results support rational pricing of the US stock markets following this unexpected and catastrophic event. The market was examined over the period following the oil spill on multiple dates when important new information is provided. This study contributes to financial and economic research on market efficiency and reactions to major risk events.
Supporting strategic success through enterprise-wide reputation risk management
Authors: Gatzert Nadine , Schmit Joan 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to present a coherent and effective enterprise risk management (ERM) framework that includes necessary steps and processes for integrating reputation risk management into an organization’s overall ERM approach which is intended to support corporate strategic success. In particular, reputation creation, enhancement, and protection are critical to an organization’s success, yet highly challenging given the wide ranging and somewhat opaque nature of the concept. These qualities call for a strong ERM approach to reputation that is holistic and integrative, yet existing knowledge of how to do so is limited.Design/methodology/approach– The paper evaluates and synthesizes existing reputation literature in developing an enterprise-wide reputation risk management framework incorporating necessary steps, processes, and considerations. We address risk strategy, risk assessment, risk governance, and risk culture as key elements of ERM and conclude with suggestions for future research.Findings– The results suggest several important ideas which are of great relevance when integrating reputation risk management into an ERM framework. Among these are the importance of: identifying and understanding the purpose of key stakeholders, appreciating the multidimensional and layered effect of events on organizational reputation and monitoring the influence of technological advances.Originality/value– The authors contribute to the literature by developing a framework for enterprise-wide reputation risk management that applies across industries. In contrast to previous work, the authors offer a broader perspective on the underlying causes and consequences of reputation damage based on empirical evidence and insight from the academic literature and provide additional detail in identification of reputation determinants, antecedents, and drivers. While much of this information exists in various places in the literature, it has not been organized into a cohesive framework nor used in developing an ERM strategy.
Exploring senior nurses’ experiences of leading organizational change
Authors: Boyal Amunpreet , Hewison Alistair 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The aim of this paper is to explore Senior nurses’ experiences of leading organizational change. There is a substantial literature reporting middle-level nurse managers’ experiences of change; however, there is less evidence concerning senior nurses’ perspectives. In view of this, interview data collected from senior nurses, as part of a study of major organizational change, were analysed to redress this imbalance.

Design/methodology/approach
– In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 14) were conducted with senior nurses (between 2009 and 2012).

Findings
– Senior nurses’ activity centred on leadership and workforce issues, internal influences and external pressures. In periods of change, appropriate leadership was vital, and “weak” leaders were considered to have an adverse effect on teams. Concerns were expressed about financial strictures and their impact on patient care and service provision. The senior nurses were striving to provide the best quality of service delivery with the limited resources available. Concentration on operational matters was necessary to maintain stability in periods of change. However, this prevented senior nurses from influencing strategic decision-making in their organizations.

Practical implications
– If senior nurses are to realise their potential to operate at a strategic level, they need to be given time and support to lead, rather than just react to change. This research emphasises the importance of a “nursing voice” to inform board-level decisions and maintain a focus on patient care.

Originality/value
– This research sheds light on the work of a key group of staff in health-care organizations. Understanding senior nurses’ experience of and contribution to change is a useful contribution to health services research.
Organizing principles and management climate in high-performing municipal elderly care
Authors: Kajonius Petri , Kazemi Ali , Tengblad Stefan 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– Previous research has shown that user-oriented care predicts older persons’ satisfaction with care. What is yet to be researched is how senior management facilitates the implementation of user-oriented care. The purpose of this study is to investigate the organizing principles and management climate characterizing successful elderly care.Design/methodology/approach– The department in one highly ranked municipality was selected and compared with a more average municipality. On-site in-depth semi-structured interviews with department managers and participatory observations at managers’ meetings were conducted in both municipalities.Findings– Results revealed three key principles for successful elderly care: organizing care from the viewpoint of the older person; recruiting and training competent and autonomous employees; instilling a vision for the mission that guides operations at all levels in the organization. Furthermore, using climate theory to interpret the empirical material, in the highly successful municipality the management climate was characterized by affective support and cognitive autonomy, in contrast to a more instrumental work climate primarily focusing on organizational structure and doing the right things characterizing the more average municipality.Originality/value– The authors suggest that guiding organizing principles are intertwined with management climate and that there are multiple perspectives that must be considered by the management, that is, the views of the older persons, the co-workers and the mission. These results can guide future care quality developments, and increase the understanding of the importance of organizational climate at the senior management level.
Management and leadership competence in hospitals: a systematic literature review
Authors: Pihlainen Vuokko , Kivinen Tuula , Lammintakanen Johanna 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of management and leadership competence of health-care leaders and managers, especially in the hospital environment. Health-care leaders and managers in this study were both nursing and physician managers. Competence was assessed by evaluating the knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities that enable management and leadership tasks.

Design/methodology/approach
– A systematic literature review was performed to find articles that identify and describe the characteristics of management and leadership competence. Searches of electronic databases were conducted using set criteria for article selection. Altogether, 13 papers underwent an inductive content analysis.

Findings
– The characteristics of management and leadership competence were categorized into the following groups: health-care-context-related, operational and general.

Research limitations/implications
– One limitation of the study is that only 13 articles were found in the literature regarding the characteristics of management and leadership competence. However, the search terms were relevant, and the search process was endorsed by an information specialist. The study findings imply the need to shift away from the individual approach to leadership and management competence. Management and leadership need to be assessed more frequently from a holistic perspective, and not merely on the basis of position in the organizational hierarchy or of profession in health care.

Originality/value
– The authors’ evaluation of the characteristics of management and leadership competence without a concentrated profession-based approach is original.
Revisiting the ideological congruence controversy
Authors: FERLAND BENJAMIN 
Published: January 2016

AbstractOne of the limits of previous studies using respondents’ self‐placements and subjective party placements to examine levels of citizen‐government congruence is that they were limited to the post‐1995 period. This article extends the number of elections where it is possible to examine levels of citizen‐government ideological congruence with a survey‐based approach. In particular, a unique dataset has been collected that combines data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and several national election studies. The results confirm recent studies that show that levels of citizen‐government ideological congruence are similar under majoritarian and proportional representation (PR) systems. Such studies, however, did not provide evidence that congruence is maintained over the course of a government's mandate. This article introduces, therefore, two measures of citizen‐government congruence that address this issue and that may revive the debate about which electoral systems strengthen the citizen‐government connection: citizen‐government congruence at the end of government mandates and change in congruence between elections. The results indicate that governments stay closer to the median citizens between elections under PR systems than under majoritarian systems. It is found, however, that this decrease in congruence in majoritarian systems is not detrimental to the point of observing smaller levels of congruence at the end of government mandates under majoritarian systems than under PR systems.
Interleukin‐21 administration to aged mice rejuvenates their peripheral T‐cell pool by triggering de novo thymopoiesis
Authors: Al‐Chami E. , Tormo A. , Pasquin S. , Kanjarawi R. , Ziouani S. , Rafei M. 
Published: January 2016

SummaryThe vaccination efficacy in the elderly is significantly reduced compared to younger populations due to thymic involution and age‐related intrinsic changes affecting their naïve T‐cell compartment. Interleukin (IL)‐21 was recently shown to display thymostimulatory properties. Therefore, we hypothesized that its administration to ageing hosts may improve T‐cell output and thus restore a competent peripheral T‐cell compartment. Indeed, an increase in the production of recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) attributable to intrathymic expansion of early thymic progenitors (ETPs), double‐negative (DN), and double‐positive (DP) thymocytes as well as thymic epithelial cell (TEC) was observed in recombinant (r)IL‐21‐treated aged mice. In sharp contrast, no alterations in the frequency of bone marrow (BM)‐derived progenitors were detected following rIL‐21 administration. Enhanced production of naïve T cells improved the T‐cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity and re‐established a pool of T cells exhibiting higher levels of miR‐181a and diminished amounts of the TCR‐inhibiting phosphatases SHP‐2 and DUSP5/6. As a result, stimulation of T cells derived from rIL‐21‐treated aged mice displayed enhanced activation of Lck, ZAP‐70, and ERK, which ultimately boosted their IL‐2 production, CD25 expression, and proliferation capabilities in comparison with T cells derived from control aged mice. Consequently, aged rIL‐21‐treated mice vaccinated using a tyrosinase‐related protein 2 (Trp2)‐derived peptide exhibited a substantial delay in B16 tumor growth and improved survival. The results of this study highlight the immunorestorative function of rIL‐21 paving its use as a strategy for the re‐establishment of effective immunity in the elderly.
Aneuploidy shortens replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Sunshine Anna B. , Ong Giang T. , Nickerson Daniel P. , Carr Daniel , Murakami Christopher J. , Wasko Brian M. , Shemorry Anna , Merz Alexey J. , Kaeberlein Matt , Dunham Maitreya J. 
Published: January 2016

SummaryAneuploidy and aging are correlated; however, a causal link between these two phenomena has remained elusive. Here, we show that yeast disomic for a single native yeast chromosome generally have a decreased replicative lifespan. In addition, the extent of this lifespan deficit correlates with the size of the extra chromosome. We identified a mutation in BUL1 that rescues both the lifespan deficit and a protein trafficking defect in yeast disomic for chromosome 5. Bul1 is an E4 ubiquitin ligase adaptor involved in a protein quality control pathway that targets membrane proteins for endocytosis and destruction in the lysosomal vacuole, thereby maintaining protein homeostasis. Concurrent suppression of the aging and trafficking phenotypes suggests that disrupted membrane protein homeostasis in aneuploid yeast may contribute to their accelerated aging. The data reported here demonstrate that aneuploidy can impair protein homeostasis, shorten lifespan, and may contribute to age‐associated phenotypes.
Mitochondrial DNA variation of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Kenya
Authors: Resende Adriana , Gonçalves Joana , Muigai Anne W. T. , Pereira Filipe 
Published: January 2016

SummaryThe history of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Africa remains largely unknown. After being first introduced from the Near East, sheep gradually spread through the African continent with pastoral societies. The eastern part of Africa was important either for the first diffusion of sheep southward or for putative secondary introductions from the Arabian Peninsula or southern Asia. We analysed mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of 91 domestic sheep from Kenya and found a high diversity of matrilines from the widespread haplogroup B, whereas only a single individual from haplogroup A was detected. Our phylogeography analyses of more than 500 available mitochondrial DNA sequences also identified ancestral haplotypes that were probably first introduced in Africa and are now widely distributed. Moreover, we found no evidence of an admixture between East and West African sheep. The presence of shared haplotypes in eastern and ancient southern African sheep suggests the possible southward movement of sheep along the eastern part of Africa. Finally, we found no evidence of an extensive introduction of sheep from southern Asia into Africa via the Indian Ocean trade. The overall findings on the phylogeography of East African domestic sheep set the grounds for understanding the origin and subsequent movements of sheep in Africa. The richness of maternal lineages in Kenyan breeds is of prime importance for future conservation and breeding programmes.