The Performance Effect of Feedback Frequency and Detail: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Customer Satisfaction

This paper presents the results from a field experiment that examines the effects of nonfinancial performance feedback on the behavior of professionals working for an insurance repair company. We vary the frequency (weekly and monthly) and the level of detail of the feedback that the 800 professionals receive. Contrary to what we would expect if these professionals conformed to the model of the Bayesian decision maker, more (and more frequent) information does not always help improve performance. In fact, we find that professionals achieve the best outcomes when they receive detailed but infrequent (monthly) feedback. The treatment groups with frequent feedback, regardless of how detailed it is, perform no better than the control group (with monthly and aggregate information). The results are consistent with the information in the latest feedback report being most salient and professionals in the weekly treatments overweighting their most recent performance, hampering their ability to learn.     

民办院校有机化学实验多元化教学模式探索

民办院校把有机化学实验作为有机化学教学的重要组成部分,多元化教学模式主要从教学方法与手段、教学内容、学习方式、考评体系等方面进行多元化教学模式探索。建立以微课视频、翻转课堂、问题引导,依托基础性实验、综合型实验和创新型实验,依托多元化信息化的教学手段雨课堂、虚拟仿真情景模拟实验、超星尔雅平台,融合多种教学方法,结合“线下”翻转课堂,建立多元化教学模式。这种多元化教学模式能有效提高学生的学习主动性和创新能力。     

File sharing as conditional cooperation: evidence from a framed field experiment

In this project, we investigate downloading and sharing behaviour in a novel ‘piracy game’ modelled after standard public good games. We find that willingness to share correlates positively with the sharing by others. By contrast, actual behaviour in the ‘piracy game’ is not correlated with self-reported behaviour.     

基于Fluent的波节管内流体流动与传热特性研究

为了深入研究影响波节管传热效果的主要因素,应用CFD软件Fluent对波节管内流体的流动和传热特性进行数值模拟,分别研究了不同入口流速v(0.3,0.5,0.7和0.9 m/s)、波峰直径D_1(28,30,32,34和36 mm)、弧形段长S_1(34,23,17,13和10 mm)下波节管内流体的流动与传热特性。结果表明,不同型号波节管的努塞尔数(Nu)、流体压力损失以及综合性能随着入口流速的增加而增加;随着波峰直径D_1(弧形段长S_1)的增大,波节管的Nu先增大后减小,最后趋于一个相对稳定的值。当波节管的波峰直径D_1=34 mm时,波节管的传热性能最好,流体压力损失最大,综合性能最好;弧形段长S_1=23 mm时,波节管的换热性能最佳,流体压力损失最大,综合性能最好。通过参数正交分析可知,影响波节管传热效果的因素由强到弱依次为入口流速v、波峰直径D_1、弧形段长S_1。研究成果可为工程实际中提高波节管传热性能提供理论指导。     

深部沿空掘巷窄煤柱合理宽度数值模拟分析

合理的煤柱宽度能够保证工作面巷道的稳定性,改善沿空掘巷维护状况,降低由于矿山压力造成的巷道变形,煤柱宽度的确定对于提高煤柱回收率、保障安全高效的生产起到积极作用。本文针对煤矿沿空掘巷具体生产地质条件,采用数值计算及现场试验相结合的方法,研究了沿空掘巷窄煤柱的合理的煤柱宽度,得到S2105瓦斯排放巷和S2106回风巷之间合理煤柱宽度为8 m,为该矿地质条件下煤柱留设的合理宽度确定提供了理论依据。     

基于DEFORM微型齿轮模具入模角分析及选用

对微型齿轮模具入模角挤压成形的影响进行有限元模拟,利用DEFORM软件模拟其成形过程中的金属流动充填规律和变形中应力应变、载荷特征,揭示了其微成形过程的变形机理,选择合理入模角实验,挤出形状良好的微型齿轮。     

Temporal stability of preferences and willingness to pay for natural areas in choice experiments: A test–retest

The main objective of this paper is to test the temporal stability of stated preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) values from a Choice Experiment (CE) in a test–retest. The same group of participants was asked the same choice tasks in an internet-based CE, conducted twice with a time interval of one year without interviewer interference. We examine choice consistency at individual choice task level and transferability of the underlying indirect utility function and associated WTP values. The results show that choices are consistent in 57 percent of the choice occasions. Comparison of the choice models over time shows that the estimated preference and scale parameters are significantly different, suggesting that choice behaviour changed between the two surveys. Differences between marginal WTP estimates for individual choice attributes are statistically significant only at the 10 percent level. However, we show that this can result in significantly different WTP values for policy scenarios. The instability of estimated mean WTP values for different policy scenarios asks for caution when including WTP values in cost-benefit analysis.     

Numerical Maximisation of Likelihood: A Neglected Alternative to EM?

There is by now a long tradition of using the EM algorithm to find maximum‐likelihood estimates (MLEs) when the data are incomplete in any of a wide range of ways, even when the observed‐data likelihood can easily be evaluated and numerical maximisation of that likelihood is available as a conceptually simple route to the MLEs. It is rare in the literature to see numerical maximisation employed if EM is possible. But with excellent general‐purpose numerical optimisers now available free, there is no longer any reason, as a matter of course, to avoid direct numerical maximisation of likelihood. In this tutorial, I present seven examples of models in which numerical maximisation of likelihood appears to have some advantages over the use of EM as a route to MLEs. The mathematical and coding effort is minimal, as there is no need to derive and code the E and M steps, only a likelihood evaluator. In all the examples, the unconstrained optimiser nlm available in R is used, and transformations are used to impose constraints on parameters. I suggest therefore that the following question be asked of proposed new applications of EM: Can the MLEs be found more simply and directly by using a general‐purpose numerical optimiser?     

The tug-of-war in the laboratory

The tug-of-war is a multi-battle contest often used to describe extended interactions in economics, operations management, political science, and other disciplines. While there has been some theoretical work, to the best of our knowledge, this paper provides the first experimental study of the tug-of-war. The results show notable deviations of behavior from theory derived under standard assumptions. In the first battle of the tug-of-war, subjects often bid less, while in the follow-up battles, they bid more than predicted. Also, contrary to the prediction, bids tend to increase in the duration of the tug-of-war. Finally, extending the margin necessary to win the tug-of-war causes a greater reduction in bidding than either a decrease in the prize or greater impatience despite all three having the same predicted effect. These findings have implications both for theorists and practitioners.     

The effect of a tax training program on tax compliance and business outcomes of starting entrepreneurs: Evidence from a field experiment

This paper estimates the long-term impact of a short, partly personalized, mandatory tax training program on tax compliance and business outcomes of first-time entrepreneurs. To this end, we combine survey data, audit data and unique register data from the Netherlands' Tax and Customs Administration with a three year long randomized experiment. The results show that the training affects specific domains of tax compliant behavior. Moreover, it has no impact on business survival, but treated entrepreneurs have significantly higher profits compared to the control group due to lower business costs. These outcomes are partially supportive of our hypotheses developed from theories on tax compliance and mental accounting.