Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

High School Peer Networks And College Success: Lessons From Texas, Jason Fletcher, Marta Tienda

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

This paper uses administrative data from the University of Texas-Austin to examine whether high school peer networks at college entry influence college achievement, measured by grade point average (GPA) and persistence. For each freshman cohort from 1993 through 2003 we calculate the number and ethnic makeup of college freshmen from each Texas high school, which we use as a proxy for freshmen “peer network.” Empirical specifications include high school fixed effects to control for unobservable differences across schools that influence both college enrollment behavior and academic performance. Using an IV/fixed effects strategy that exploits the introduction and expansion of the …

A Study Of Anti-Social Behaviour On Dublin Bus Routes, Kevin Scott

Dissertations

The area under investigation was the phenomenon of criminological behaviour occurring on Dublin Bus Routes. Research questions were based around: 1) what anti-social behaviour is occurring on buses, 2) when is this behaviour occurring, 3) who is perpetrating this behaviour and 4) how is anti-social behaviour on buses being tackled? Two problematic bus routes and one control route were selected based on geographic spread and the comparative ratio of criminal incidents involved (the 78A, 77 and the control case: 46A). A statistical analysis of existing information from Dublin Bus surrounding anti-social behaviour on these routes was conducted. The researcher then …

Cervical Screening A Study On The Prevalence Of The Risk-Factors For Developing Cervical Cancer Among Young Women, Jennifer Cann

Dissertations

This study had three aims: to determine the prevalence of the risk-factors for contracting HPV (the Human Papillomavirus) and developing cervical cancer among young women; to establish if there are any links between the presence of these risk-factors, attendance for cervical screening and abnormal cervical screening results; and to ascertain the key barriers to the prevention of cervical cancer. The risk-factors were identified from literature as being sexually active at a young age, having increasing numbers of sexual partners for females and their partners, having had a sexually transmitted infection/disease (STI), smoking and long-term use of the oral contraceptive pill. …

Service Learning E-News - September 2008, Parkland College

Service Learning Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Spawning Salmon Disrupt Trophic Coupling Between Wolves And Ungulate Prey In Coastal British Columbia, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet, Thomas E. Reimchen

Nonindigenous Pests and Biological Invasions Collection

Background: As a cross-boundary resource subsidy, spawning salmon can strongly affect consumer and ecosystem ecology. Here we examine whether this marine resource can influence a terrestrial wolf-deer (Canis lupus-Odocoileus hemionus) predator-prey system in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Data on resource availability and resource use among eight wolf groups for three seasons over four years allow us to evaluate competing hypotheses that describe salmon as either an alternate resource, consumed in areas where deer are scarce, or as a targeted resource, consumed as a positive function of its availability. Faecal (n = 2203 wolf scats) and isotopic analyses (n = 60 …

The Untold Story Of Welfare Fraud, Richelle S. Swan, Linda L. Shaw, Sharon Cullity, Joni Halpern, Juliana Humphrey, Wendy M. Limbert, Mary Roche

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The experiences of women who have been charged with welfare fraud in the years following the passage of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act cast a shadow over the claim that welfare reform has been an unequivocal success. This article addresses this under-explored issue by considering the face of welfare fraud in San Diego, California after the change to federal welfare law. After a brief discussion of the socio-historical context of welfare fraud prosecution and a summary of the scholarly findings related to welfare fraud post-PRWORA, the aiticle details a new "poverty knowledge" about welfare fraud drawn …

Long-Term Tanf Participants And Barriers To Employment: A Qualitative Study In Maine, Sandra S. Butler, Janine Corbett, Crystal Bond, Chris Hastedt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although welfare rolls have declined dramatically since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996, many of those parents still receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) face multiple barriers to employment. In response to a proposed state bill increasing work requirements and imposing stricter time limits, the authors conducted focus groups and interviews in order to learn about the experiences of long-term recipients of TANF in Maine. Domestic violence, children's disabilities, and health issues for the mother emerged as key obstacles to meeting TANF work requirements for the 28 women participating in the …

Wmu International News September 2008, Haenicke Institute For Global Education

WMU International News

In this issue:

Greek alumnus of paper science to receive Distinguished Alumni Award

WMU international student enrollment jumps 15 percent

Former WMU engineering dean takes the provost’s reins

WMU promotes internships abroad for academic credit

ISORP welcomes 350-plus overseas students to campus

Study and Work Abroad Fair Today

Multi-lingual, multi-tasker Melanie coordinates CELCIS activities

WMU transnational education and exchange programs draws 85 new students

Michigan’s fall harvest offers good things to eat and drink

Logistics And Supply Chain Job Placement: The 2007 Perspective, Cook Lorin Robert, Brian J. Gibson, Zachary Williams

Journal of Transportation Management

The development of an effective recruitment strategy that attracts and secures entry-level logistics talent is essential to maintain corporate performance. A critical aspect of job placement involves understanding the preferences of students and employers. This research presents results of parallel surveys of U.S. undergraduate logistics, transportation and supply chain student and employer preferences and perceptions regarding employment. Results provided include a demographic respondent profile, their organization /functional area preferences and their perspectives on selected entry-level employment issues. These research results are intended to provide employers, educators and students with information that can be used to improve job placement success.

Profit Contribution Information’S Impact On Internal Integration, Scott J. Grawe, Haozhe Chen, Daniel D. Mattioda, Patricia J. Daugherty

Journal of Transportation Management

An exploratory quantitative study on the relationship between profit contribution information and firm-wide internal integration is presented. Specifically, the authors examine how profit contribution information availability impacts firm-wide internal integration and, subsequently, logistics performance. This study provides greater insight into the area; only a few studies have empirically examined the impact of profit contribution information within a firm. The primary implication is that firms should utilize specific types of information, i.e. profit contribution information, for making more informed operational and strategic decisions. The paper also underscores the managerial value of using profit contribution information in decision making and planning.

Moving Towards A Resilient Supply Chain, John Mascaritolo, Mary C. Holcomb

Journal of Transportation Management

The nature of supply chain management—global in scope, the existence of interdependent activities in the various processes, the need for collaborative relationships between members, and the uncertainty that is inherent in both supply and demand - makes it vulnerable to unexpected events that have the potential to disrupt operations as planned. Disruptions to the supply chain can have a profound effect on the firm ranging from loss of revenue to increased costs when operations don’t proceed as planned. Firms realized that it was critical to their business interests to proactively manage, and even mitigate, the risks that are inherent in …

Safety Attitudes And Behavioral Intentions Of Municipal Waste Disposal Drivers, Swartz M. Stephen, Matthew A. Douglas

Journal of Transportation Management

The Theory of Planned Behavior was used to study factors useful for predicting Behavioral Intentions to commit unsafe acts while driving for commercial drivers working for municipal waste management operations centers. The Theory of Planned Behavior was found to be moderately effective in predicting behavioral intentions, particularly through the constructs of Attitude and Perceived Control. Driver perceptions of safety climate, self-assessed personal safety performance, risk aversion, and attitudes toward behavioral factors associated with engaging in risky behaviors while operating motor vehicles were studied. Risk aversion and driver perception of their own safety performance were also useful predictors of intention.

The Effects Of Interdepartmental Customer Orientation On Distribution Center Performance, Nancy M. Scott, M Douglas Voss, Scott B. Keller, Matt Schlosser

Journal of Transportation Management

Firms have begun to look internally for ways to increase external service quality. ANOVA is used to examine the effect of interdepartmental customer orientation on time, inventory, and customer service-based performance variables in distribution centers. Findings indicate that high interdepartmental customer orientation positively affects distribution center performance in terms of time-based performance measures and customer satisfaction. Interdepartmental customer orientation was found to have only a marginal affect on inventory performance. Implications of the current research for distribution centers and transportation managers are discussed along with limitations and opportunities for future research.

The Timing Of Movie Releases: Evidence From The Home Video Industry, Lesley Chiou

Lesley Chiou

In the movie industry, an intriguing question is why studios cluster their big theatrical hits during the Memorial Day or July 4th weekends in the early summer as opposed to the fall. This paper examines the home video industry to provide more evidence on whether booms in theatrical revenues are supply- or demand-driven. First, I find no evidence of segmentation within the home video market by genre or newness of videos. Secondly, my estimates of the seasonality within the home video market suggest that Memorial Day and July 4th may be more favorable for a theatrical release than Labor Day.

Elite Network And Conflicts In Niger Delta Region, Ozy B. Orluwene Jp

Dr Ozy B.Orluwene,JP

ABSTRACT Our work on Elite Networks and conflicts in Niger Delta region of Nigeria is desired primarily to examine the role of elites in the Niger Delta Conflicts. It explains why volatile conflicts have come to engulf majority of the states in the region. The people and the environment once reputed for its tranquility and warmth has in the past years acquired the notoriety that has extended to all creeks and hinterland of the region. The famed Niger Delta region has become the epicenter of youth restiveness, hostage taking, cult war, and associated vices. It is hoped that clear identification …

Mexican Academics At The Turn Of The Twenty-First Century: Who Are They And How Do They Perceive Their Work, Institutions And Public Policies (A Preliminary Analysis), Jesús F. Galaz-Fontes, Laura E. Padilla-González, Manuel Gil-Antón, Juan J. Sevilla-García, José L. Arcos-Vega, Jorge G. Martínez-Stack, Sergio Martínez-Romo, Gabriel A. Sánchez-De-Aparicio-Y-Benítez, Leonardo Jiménez-Loza, María E. Barrera-Bustillos

Jesús Francisco Galaz Fontes

Based on a first cut of nearly 826 Mexican full-time faculty, data is presented in relation to their socio-demographic profile, working conditions, and opinions regarding their institution. Results, although preliminary, are discussed in the context of the changes Mexican higher education has gone through the last four decades.

The Ethical Trade In Cultural Property: Ethics And Law In The Antiquity Auction Industry, Kimberly L. Alderman

Kimberly L. Alderman

This article considers from an ethical perspective the role that auction houses play as facilitators of the illicit antiquity trade. It reviews the laws that regulate the antiquity auction industry and explains why they fail to prevent the trade in illegally excavated and exported cultural property. The article argues that auction houses should develop policies focused on ethics instead of regulatory compliance, explains why this would better further cultural preservation interests and protect creator cultures, and looks at potential business benefits of an ethical model.

The Association Between Government Expenditure And Economic Growth: Granger Causality Test Of Us Data, 1947~2002, Chi-Hung Louis Liu, Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Wagner’s Law and Keynesian’s theory are two widely accepted yet contrasting propositions. This paper employs Granger causality test on US federal government data, from 1947 to 2002. We used aggregate data as well as disaggregate data with the sub-categories of five federal expenditures, including: national defense, human resources expenditure, physical resources expenditure, net interest payment, and other expenditure. The results of our study suggest that total federal government expenditure is more consistent with Keynesian’s theory while there are diversified causal relationships among five sub-category of federal expenditure. The policy recommendation generated from this paper is the US federal government should …

Remittance Flows In The Transition Economies: Levels, Trends, And Determinants, Robert C. Shelburne, Jose Palacin

Robert C. Shelburne

Migrant remittances are an increasingly important source of income for the transition economies. For many of these economies, remittances are the largest type of international financial inflow and are larger than either capital inflows or official development assistance. These remittance inflows have allowed domestic consumption and investment to be substantially higher than what would have been possible otherwise and have contributed significantly to the developmental prospects of the transition economies. In addition, the outflow of labor from these economies has helped to relieve chronically high unemployment which has characterized many of them since the transition process began in the early …

The Impact Of Political Decisions On The Roles Of Scientific Experts: A Case Study Of The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository Project, Raymond E. Keeler Ph.D.

Raymond E. Keeler, Ph.D.

The public tends to be skeptical of scientists if they appear to be advocating a particular policy decision rather than staying neutral. Small changes in public policy can force the scientist’s role away from honest assessments of policy alternatives towards advocating a particular policy. This shift may not be intentional, or affect the quality of the science, but may nevertheless increase public skepticism. Changes to the United States Nuclear Waste Policy Act resulted in a shift towards issue advocacy that undermined scientific credibility and associated public support because the public no longer perceives the scientific experts as neutral.

Axiomatic Theory Of Equilibrium Selection In Signaling Games With Generic Payoffs, Robert B. Wilson, Srihari Govindan

Robert B Wilson

Three axioms from decision theory select sets of Nash equilibria of signaling games in extensive form with generic payoffs. The axioms require undominated strategies (admissibility), inclusion of a sequential equilibrium (backward induction), and dependence only on the game's normal form even when embedded in a larger game with redundant strategies or irrelevant players (small worlds). The axioms are satisfied by a set that is stable (Mertens, 1989) and conversely the axioms imply that each selected set is stable and thus an essential component of admissible equilibria with the same outcome.

The Dtv Coupon Program: A Boon To Retailers, Not Consumers, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

Where Is Michelle: Case Of Murdered Mother Whose Body Has Never Been Found., Terry J. Goldsworthy

Terry Goldsworthy

The story of a domestic homicide where the body of the victim was never located.

Retailing In India: Assessing The Investment Climate, Mohammad Amin

Mohammad Amin

An overview of the business climate for the retail sector in India is provided using micro data on retail stores collected by the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys.

Asymmetric Dynamic Pricing In A Local Gasoline Retail Market, Felipe Balmaceda Assoc Prof., Paula Soruco

Felipe Balmaceda

Asymmetric-price adjustment is a common phenomenon in many markets around the world, particularly in retail gasoline markets. This paper studies the existence of this phenomenon in the retail gasoline market in the city of Santiago, Chile, using a data set of weekly gas station prices that covers a period of almost four years. We found that prices adjust asymmetrically, and the asymmetry is different for branded gas stations and unbranded stations. In addition, we found that the asymmetry for high-margin stations is statistically equivalent to that for low-margin stations. This evidence is suggestive of collusion as a rationale for the …

Auctioning Long-Term Gas Contracts In Colombia, Peter Cramton

Peter Cramton

This paper presents an approach to auctioning long-term gas contracts in Colombia. I propose an annual auction for long-term firm gas contracts. The auction would assign and price all firm gas contracts, with the exception of gas from the Guajira field, which is assigned administratively at a regulated price. The proposal is a partial market design in that it does not address the transportation of gas from producer to consumer.

The goal of the approach is to improve the transparency and efficiency of the gas market with a coordinated auction for long-term gas contracts. Currently, gas contracts are sold in …

A Review Of The L-Band Auction, Peter Cramton

Peter Cramton

In May 2008, Ofcom’s L-band auction concluded. This was Ofcom’s second combinatorial clock auction. The auction used an innovative format intended to encourage an efficient assignment of the 17 lots. Eight bidders competed for the lots. In sharp contrast to the first combinatorial clock auction, the 10-40 GHz auction, in which each of the ten bidders won spectrum, in the L-band auction there was a single winner—Qualcomm won all the lots. This note briefly reviews the auction.

A Troubled Asset Reverse Auction, Peter Cramton, Lawrence M. Ausubel

Peter Cramton

The US Treasury has proposed purchasing $700 billion of troubled assets to restore liquidity and solve the current financial crisis, using market mechanisms such as reverse auctions where appropriate. This paper presents a high-level design for a troubled asset reverse auction and discusses the auction design issues. We assume that the key objectives of the auction are to: 1) provide a quick and effective means to purchase troubled assets and increase liquidity; 2) protect the taxpayer by yielding a price for assets related to their value; and 3) offer a transparent rules-based process that minimizes discretion and favoritism. We propose …

The Quadratic Core-Selecting Payment Rule For Combinatorial Auctions, Peter Cramton, Robert Day

Peter Cramton

We report on the use of a quadratic programming technique in recent and upcoming spectrum auctions in Europe, and proposed for use in the FAA’s landing-slot auctions in the United States. Specifically, we compute a unique point “in the core” that minimizes the sum of squared deviations from the Vickrey-Clarke-Groves payments. Analyzing the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions, we demonstrate that the resulting payments can be decomposed into a series of economically meaningful and equitable penalties, adding to the perceived “fairness” of this payment rule. Further, we discuss the many benefits of this combinatorial auction paradigm.

A Review Of The 10-40 Ghz Auction, Peter Cramton

Peter Cramton

In February 2008, Ofcom’s 10-40 GHz auction concluded. This was Ofcom’s first combinatorial clock auction. The auction used an innovative format intended to encourage an efficient assignment of the 27 lots. Each of the ten bidders won one or more lots. All 27 lots were assigned. This note briefly reviews the auction.