A weighting approach to making inference with probabilistically linked data

Record linkage is the act of bringing together records from two files that are believed to belong to the same unit (e.g., a person or business). It is a low‐cost way of increasing the set of variables available for analysis. Errors may arise in the linking process if an error‐free unit identifier is not available. Two types of linking errors include an incorrect link (records belonging to two different units are linked) and a missed record (an unlinked record for which a correct link exists). Naively ignoring linkage errors may mean that analysis of the linked file is biased. This paper outlines a “weighting approach” to making correct inference about regression coefficients and population totals in the presence of such linkage errors. This approach is designed for analysts who do not have the expertise or time to use specialist software required by other approaches but who are comfortable using weights in inference. The performance of the estimator is demonstrated in a simulation study.     

Bootstrap inference using estimating equations and data that are linked with complex probabilistic algorithms

Probabilistic record linkage is the act of bringing together records that are believed to belong to the same unit (e.g., person or business) from two or more files. It is a common way to enhance dimensions such as time and breadth or depth of detail. Probabilistic record linkage is not an error-free process and link records that do not belong to the same unit. Naively treating such a linked file as if it is linked without errors can lead to biased inferences. This paper develops a method of making inference with estimating equations when records are linked using algorithms that are widely used in practice. Previous methods for dealing with this problem cannot accommodate such linking algorithms. This paper develops a parametric bootstrap approach to inference in which each bootstrap replicate involves applying the said linking algorithm. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the method in simulations and in real applications.     

Domestic Violence and Football in Glasgow: Are Reference Points Relevant?

A growing body of evidence suggests that people exhibit loss aversion – the displeasure from suffering a loss is larger than the pleasure enjoyed from an equivalent‐sized gain – and that expectations are important in determining what is perceived as a loss. Recent research suggests that disappointing results in sporting fixtures relative to prematch expectations play an important role in triggering domestic violence (Card and Dahl, 2011), consistent with the idea of loss aversion around expectations‐based reference points. This paper seeks to investigate whether such behaviour is exhibited by football fans in Glasgow by looking at the relationship between match outcomes relative to expectations and levels of domestic violence using a data set that contains every domestic violence incident in Glasgow over a period of more than eight years. Whilst we find that when the ‘Old‐Firm’ Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers play there are large increases in domestic violence (regardless of the outcome of the match), in other matches disappointing results relative to expectations are not linked to increased domestic violence, except when those matches occur at the very end of the season where the title is still being contended.     

Accountability and Role Effects in Balanced Scorecard Performance Evaluations When Strategy Timeline Is Specified

Abstract

This study experimentally examines if fixation on lagging financial measures (relative to leading non-financial measures) as reported in prior balanced scorecard literature is mitigated when evaluators are provided with a strategy implementation timeline (a non-manipulated variable). The experiment manipulates whether or not evaluators are subject to process accountability as well as the role to which evaluators are assigned (i.e. supervisor or subordinate). We predict and find that, in general, the provision of an implementation timeline results in evaluators placing more weight on strategically linked, leading non-financial measures within a subordinate's time span of control compared to strategically linked, lagged financial measures beyond the subordinate's controllable time horizon. However, we also find that evaluators in the role of a supervisor differentiate less between strategically linked non-financial measures that fall within the subordinate's control and strategically linked financial measures beyond the subordinate's control when held accountable compared to supervisors not held accountable. On the other hand, participants in the role of a subordinate were able to differentiate appropriately between these measures when held accountable. Our results extend prior research by considering how linking a timeline to strategy implementation may assist evaluators when assessing performance in the presence of both leading and lagging strategic measures. Further, reference to an implementation timeline may influence role and accountability effects. Implications for future research in multidimensional strategic performance evaluation are discussed.     

Examining the link between flexible working arrangement bundles and employee work effort

Empirical evidence regarding the link between flexible working arrangements (FWAs) and work effort is mixed, with the literature showing that some practices are linked to more while others to less work effort. In this study, we argue that this discrepancy may be due to the existence of different types of FWA bundles with potentially distinct effects on work effort. Using Understanding Society, a British national survey, and building on theories related to social exchange, the study examines the link between employee‐centered and employer‐centered FWA bundles, and work effort. This study further tests whether these relationships differ depending on employees' family responsibilities. Based on a sample of 13,834 employees, results show that both employee‐centered and employer‐centered FWA bundles are negatively associated with work effort, and findings for the latter bundle are more pronounced. These negative associations are somewhat stronger for employees with fewer family responsibilities. We infer that employees appear to use employee‐centered FWAs for their intended purpose, that is, to balance life and job demands, while they might perceive employer‐centered FWAs as unfair, resulting in less work effort in an attempt to restore fairness.     

Link analysis: Hyperlink patterns and social structure on politicians’ Web sites in South Korea

This paper presents results of an investigation into political communication expressed by links connecting politicians’ web sites with the sites of other political actors in South Korea. Additionally, this study examines whether a set of socio-demographic variables for web site producers is associated with linking behavior. Both traditional methods and social network analytical techniques are employed to investigate linking patterns between sites. Perhaps unsurprisingly, members of the South Korean National Assembly linked most to party web sites, and linking patterns did not change between 2003 and 2004. Out of a range of demographic variables investigated, the only ones that related significantly to linking practices were party affiliations and friendship networks.     

Firms’ linkages with public research organisations in Argentina: Drivers, perceptions and behaviours

This paper analyses firms’ drivers for linking to public research organisations (PRO) (first goal) and compares perceptions and behaviours of linked vs. unlinked firms (second goal). We used an original firm database constructed from a representative survey with information for linked and unlinked firms for year 2005 in Argentina. Drivers were estimated using a Probit model, while differences in perceptions and behaviours between linked and unlinked firms were assessed with propensity score matching techniques. For our first goal we found that (i) firms’ knowledge bases were not drivers for linking to PRO and (ii) networking capabilities matter but there is a substitution effect between interacting with PRO and interacting with other economic agents in the market when firms aim at exchanging information rather than doing joint research. These findings may imply that current linkages are not exploiting properly their knowledge potential; it may be worth designing a division of labour among PRO in their functions in PRO-industry interactions. For our second goal: we found that (i) linked firms invest more in innovative activities; (ii) they are more prone to patenting; (iii) both groups of firms value similarly PRO research outputs available at arm length (i.e. without direct linking). Given the asymmetric development on appropriability tools between PRO and firms and the fact that all firms benefit from PRO research outputs, the higher predisposition of linked firms towards patenting, suggests that special attention should be placed at analysing the risks of a private appropriation of publicly created knowledge.     

浅谈文件材料收集中存在的问题及对策

文件材料的收集是指依据一定的收集范围,通过一定的方法将单位和个人手中有价值的文件集中起来,以供归档整理、工作利用的过程。归档文件是否齐全完整,取决于文件材料的收集是否齐全。只有及时地、有针对性地收集各类文件材料,才能保证归档文件的齐全,才能真实、全面地反映单位的历史全貌和活动规律。本文根据平时工作实践,就本单位文件材料收集工作中存在的问题加以分析,并提出相应对策。     

The effect of environmental regulation on environmental innovation

Environmental expenditure estimates resulting from US environmental policy are based on current technology which may overstate policy's true costs. Existing evidence shows that ex ante cost estimates are greater than realized costs due to unexpected technological progress. This research programme asks whether innovation is a response to environmental regulation or whether the true regulatory compliance costs are overestimated ex ante when technological advancement is ignored? The author conducts an empirical study of the US manufacturing industry's environmental patent activities and environmental regulation as measured by pollution abatement and control expenditure (PACE) data. She finds a statistically significant positive relationship between environmental regulation and innovation when estimated by ordinary least squares (OLS). However, the OLS coefficient of pollution abatement costs is inconsistent because of a correlation between the explanatory variable and unobservable variables. Two-staged least squares addresses the inconsistency problem, resulting in positive and significant PACE coefficients. Thus, there is evidence that innovation is a response to environmental regulation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Outsourcing business services and the role of central administrative offices

In this paper, I study whether there is any evidence that the market scale surrounding a central administrative office (CAO) has any relation to a firm's cost-effectiveness in procuring business services. By linking plant-level data from the 1992 Annual Survey of Manufactures with CAO information from the Survey of Auxiliary Establishments, I examine manufacturing plants' practice of outsourcing services in relation to the size of the local service market surrounding the plant and that surrounding the plant's CAO. I found evidence which suggests that the greater the size of local market surrounding a CAO, the higher the plant's probability of relying on the CAO for outsourcing advertising, bookkeeping and accounting, and legal services.     

档案信息化建设的探索与思考

电子档案丰富了档案工作的内容与方法，旧的文书档案已经不适应办公自动化的要求，必须予以调整，推行档案管理信息化，才能与应用计算机管理档案和电子文件的产生相适应。在这种模式的转变过程中，有许多新问题需要我们探索与思考。     

双层PDF技术在档案管理中的应用

档案管理的数字化,是指在国家档案建设管理部门的统一规划和组织下,在档案管理的活动中全面应用现代信息技术,对档案信息资源进行数字化管理和提供利用。双层PDF技术可以将档案馆现有的纸质档案转化为数字档案,方便档案存储和用户查找。     

Little Firms and Big Patents: A Model of Small‐Firm Patent Signaling

Patent strategies of small technology‐intensive firms are difficult to explain with standard incentive arguments based on intellectual property rights. This paper develops a rationale for patent filing as a disclosure strategy. We develop a two‐sender signaling game to study patenting incentives of two technology start‐ups to file in a large‐scale patent system with the goal to attract a user firm. Both start‐ups may decide to invest in costly modification of their patent application before filing. The paper identifies a separating equilibrium in which the high‐quality inventor files and so separates from its technology competitor. Of particular interest is the study of pooling and semi‐separating equilibria, as well as the impact of subsidies. We find that a higher quality of a country's inventions, reflected in the possible innovative steps and thus in higher expected profits for foreign user firms, may increase the chance of the relatively lower‐quality inventor to enter international technology markets.     

Matching managers to strategies: Point and counterpoint

In recent years, an emerging and increasingly popular theme in the strategic management literature has been that the selection of general managers should be tied directly to the strategies of business units they will oversee. Because different strategies imply different priorities and the need for different skills, such a proposition has obvious intuitive appeal. Beyond intuitive appeal and supporting conceptual arguments, recent empirical research on whether matching general managers to strategies “pays off” in terms of more effective strategy implementation has also yielded positive results. Despite this evidence, several arguments exist for why it may not always be feasible, necessary, or desirable to match general managers to strategies. Thus, there is need for a point-counterpoint “debate” on the subject of matching general managers to strategies. Based on a review of the relvant literature, logical reasoning, as well as some case evidence, this paper is intended to be such a debate undertaken by the author with himself. It is hoped that such a dialectical analysis will open up new avenues for productive research and also enable corporate executives to make better “managerial selection” decisions.     

干部档案管理过程中的问题及对策

干部档案是人才信息的重要载体,是人才的主要信息源,是开发人才资源、选贤任举的重要手段之一。随着我国人事制度改革力度的不断加大,尤其是事业单位,那么在改革的过程中,档案的作用和地位显得尤为突出和重要,但现有的档案管理过程中,还存在不少的问题,急需改善和提高,只有提高档案的管理水平,才能真正的做到人尽其用。     

浅谈提升档案保护工作的策略与措施

档案是历史的真实记录,档案既具有历史性,又具有真实性,它的历史性和真实性是在人们实践活动中自然形成的,同时也是人们实践活动的凭证。档案的历史性和档案的真实性,都是通过一定的物质材料体现出来的,如果这些物质材料老化了,那么档案的历史性和真实性以及它的凭证作用也就不存在了。因此,必须要对档案特别是那些珍贵的和已经有褪化迹象的档案进行安全保护。     

浅谈水利工程建设中的档案管理

水利工程建设中的档案收集与管理工作具有十分重要的意义,档案管理人员要充分认识到工程档案管理的重要性,确保工程建设过程中档案的完整性和及时性,使工程档案更好的为工程建设服务。本文结合秦皇岛市引青济秦工程东西线对接工程建设实际,就如何做好水利工程建设中的档案管理工作进行阐述。     

如何加强人事档案管理措施浅析

人事档案对于单位和个人均有着的重要的作用,它不仅与个人的工资待遇、社会劳动保障、组织关系紧密挂钩,且具有法律效用,更是记载人生轨迹的重要依据,是个人身份、经历、学历、资历、技术职称、社会关系、奖惩等方面的重要证据。因此,探讨当前形势下的人事档案管理工作具有十分重要的现实意义。     

An Empirical Assessment of Alternative Conceptualizations of the Psychological Contract Construct: Meaningful Differences or “Much to do about Nothing”?

The reported study helps move the literature beyond conceptual arguments that have been made and repeated in the literature by investigating the equivalence of three psychological contract (PC) measures that were based on alternative conceptualizations of the PC construct. Employees from a wide range of organizations (n = 1054) were randomly assigned to complete either an expectation, obligation, or promise based measure of their PCs. The equivalence of the PC measures was assessed by comparing factor structures across the three forms, and examining the observed pattern of correlations between the PC measures and external criteria (e.g., trust, equity sensitivity, work centrality, education level). The results indicate that while the three PC measures evoke the same general mental framework in the minds of respondents, and behave similarly for some purposes, depending on the specific relationships being investigated, the measures may yield significantly different results (i.e., they are not fully interchangeable). Implications for theorizing and future research regarding the PC construct are discussed. Also reported is new evidence linking individual differences (e.g., work centrality, equity sensitivity) to perceived responsibilities and rights in the employment relationship.     

CORRUPTION'S DIRECT EFFECTS ON PER‐CAPITA INCOME GROWTH: A META‐ANALYSIS

Corruption is a symptom of weak institutional quality and could have potentially adverse effects on economic growth. However, heterogeneity in reported findings makes it difficult to synthesize the evidence base with a view to test competing hypotheses and/or support evidence‐based policy and practice. To address this issue, we have extracted 327 estimates of corruption's direct effect on per‐capita GDP growth from 29 primary studies, following a peer‐reviewed and pre‐published systematic review protocol. Precision‐effect and funnel asymmetry tests indicate that corruption has a negative effect on per‐capita GDP growth after controlling for publication selection bias and within‐study dependence. However, multivariate meta‐regression analysis results indicate that the overall effect is not robust to inclusion of moderating variables through a general‐to‐specific procedure for model specification. We report that the marginal effect of corruption on per‐capita GDP growth is more adverse when the primary study estimates relate to long‐run growth, are based on low‐income‐country data only, and extracted from journal papers. The effect is less adverse in studies that use the International Country Risk Guide corruption perceptions index and in those reporting estimates from two‐stage least‐squares estimations.