Reciprocity in Ranked Relationships: Does Social Structure Influence Social Reasoning?

Many economic and evolutionary theories have modeled cooperation as the evolutionary outcome of decisions made by autonomous, self-interested agents operating in a social vacuum. In this paper we consider the implications for cooperative interactions when prior social structures and corresponding social norms exist. In particular we investigate the influence of social rank/status on perceptions of fairness and tolerance of cheating. We review evidence from a series of experiments employing the Wason selection task (a test of conditional reasoning) and the ledger task (a decision making task) suggesting that people cued to adopt a perspective of high social rank are more tolerant of cheating and simultaneously believe that they have been more fairly treated (even when cheated) than people cued to adopt a perspective of low social rank. However, the evidence also suggests interesting cross-cultural differences in perceptions of fairness and tolerance of cheating in ranked relationships. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat: an example of weighing the pros and cons of food stuffs

A Committee of the Health Council of the Netherlands advised on deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin occurring in cereals. TDIs of 1.0 and 0.5?µg.kg_{body weight} ^?1.day^?1 have been based on mice and pig studies in which DON reduced growth. In 1999, the 50^th and 95^th percentiles of DON intake by 1‐4‐year‐old children were, respectively, 1.3 and 2.4?µg.kg_{body weight} ^?1.day^?1. The Committee considered: (i) TDI contains safety factors, (ii) a slightly reduced weight gain is not necessarily harmful, (iii) when growth rate is highest, children consume little or no wheat, and (iv) in real life, exposure varies, causing the effect to be smaller. The Committee concluded that an exposure that only incidentally exceeds—up to about five times—0.5?µg.kg_{body weight} ^?1.day^?1 very unlikely inhibits weight gain. More severe effects on immunity, fertility and the foetus may occur at intakes higher than 2.5µg.kg_{body weight} ^?1.day^?1. Nonetheless, toxin exposure should be kept as low as possible. The Committee advised to agriculturally reduce DON content; second one may exclude wheat with high DON content for human consumption. Limits of 500 and 100?µg/kg_wheat prevent exposure exceeding 1.5 and 0.5?µg.kg_{body weight} ^?1.day^?1, respectively. As wheat products are good sources of nutrients, the Committee advised against discouraging their consumption.     

论文化差异对中美商务谈判的影响

全球化已经成功地把世界上各个国家紧密连接成为一个动态的整体。中美两国间的经贸往来飞速发展,双方商务谈判越来越频繁,因此,两国谈判者了解中美文化的差异就显得十分重要。中国与美国之间的文化差异对商务谈判的影响很大,必须正确处理商务谈判过程中出现的文化差异问题。     

中国旅游业发展的省区差异及变化

科学审视省区旅游业发展的差异,是实现中国旅游业科学发展的基本前提.文章通过选取国内旅游人数、入境旅游人数、国内旅游收入、旅游外汇收入、旅游总收入相当于GDP百分比、旅游业就业人数占社会总就业人数的百分比等表征旅游业发展水平的6大统计指标,运用多元统计分析方法,评估了中国2000年与2010年旅游化指数的省区差异,发现近10年来中国旅游业发展仍然呈现出显著的区域非均衡性,一些中西部后发优势的省区旅游化程度在明显上升.其中,区位与资源禀赋、经济发展水平、政府政策、基础设施、节庆事件等是导致各地旅游化程度差异及其变化的主导因素.     

Managerial Problem-Solving Styles: A Cross-Cultural Study

ABSTRACT

The literature suggests that North American business-people differ from their Latin American counterparts with respect to specific behavioral traits. Our particular interest is in problem solving and in effecting changes in behavior to achieve better problem-solving capability. The purpose of the present study is to assess whether there are differences in problem-solving styles between two culturally different groups of managers registered in MBA Programs: Anglo American and Latin American. Using Kolb's (1984 2006) Learning Style Inventory, it was found that Anglo American managers tended to be relatively action-oriented, “Convergers” (they emphasize decision-making and use deductive reasoning), while Latin American managers tended to be reflection-oriented, “Assimilators” (they emphasize planning and like to create models in their analyses) in their problem-solving styles. The positive and negative aspects of each style are discussed and suggestions for improved decision-making are offered.

RESUMEN. La literatura sugiere que los empresarios norteamericanos difieren de sus contrapartes latinoamericanos, en lo que atañe a ciertos trazos comportamentales específicos. Nuestro interés particular se orienta a la solución de problemas e implementación de cambios comportamentales, con el propósito de adquirir habilidades específicas para la solución de problemas. El propósito de este estudio es evaluar si existen diferencias entre los estilos empleados para solucionar problemas entre diferentes grupos culturales de gerentes matriculados en Programas MBA angloamericanos y latinoamericanos. Usando el sistema de estilos de Kolb (1984 2006) denominado Learning Style Inventory, descubrimos que los gerentes angloamericanos tienden a orientarse con bastante frecuencia en la acción, los llamados ‘Convergentes’ (que hacen hincapié en la toma de decisiones y el uso del razonamiento deductivo), mientras que los gerentes latinoamericanos tienden a volcarse a la reflexión, los llamados ‘Asimiladores’ (que hacen hincapié enplanear y les gusta crear modelos en sus análisis), como característica de sus estilos para solucionar problemas. Discutimos los aspectos positivo y negativo de cada estilo, y hacemos sugerencias para mejorar la toma de decisión.

RESUMO. A literatura sugere que os homens de negócios norte-americanos diferem de seus colegas latino-americanos em traços comportamentais específicos. Nosso interesse particular recai sobre a resolução de problemas e a introdução de mudanças de comportamento para obter uma melhor capacidade de resolução de problemas. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar se existem diferenças nos estilos de resolução de problemas de dois grupos culturalmente diferentes de gerentes matriculados em cursos de MBA: anglo-americanos e latino-americanos. Utilizando o inventário LSI (learning style inventory) de Kolb (1984 2006), constatou-se que os gerentes anglo-americanos tendiam a ser relativamente orientados para a ação, “convergentes” (eles enfatizam a tomada de decisões e o raciocínio dedutivo), enquanto os gerentes latinoamericanos tendiam a ser orientados para a reflexão, “assimiladores” (eles enfatizam o planejamento e gostam de criar modelos em suas análises) em seus estilos de resolução de problemas. Os aspectos positivos e negativos de cada estilo são discutidos, e sugestões para melhorar a tomada de decisões são oferecidas.     

我国民族地区学校教育的社会支持力分析

教育是一种社会活动,教育事业必须必需得到社会支持才能顺利开展。在我国由于民族众多,每个民族所处自然环境和社会环境不尽相同,因此在国家统一的教育体制中下,各民族对教育的社会支持力也各有差异。尤其在自然环境差异和民族语言差异方面,其教育经费的扩大化,制约了社会对学校教育的支持力,严重地影响着民族地区的教育发展。这就需要对民族地区的教育体制进行改革与创新,使我国的民族教育获得长足的发展,以推进少数民族地区的社会经济发展。     

双差数列的几个性质

讨论了双差数列与周期双差数列的通项公式以及求和公式。     

省军区系统对过境部队军交运输保障方法浅探

分析了过境部队军交运输保障目前存在的问题，提出省军区系统应在军交运输保障指挥体系建设、建立健全运输保障体系网络和拓宽保障渠道等方面提高对过境部队军交运输的综合保障能力。     

环境保护水平的地区差异及对策研究——基于山东省17地市的实证分析

环境既在一定意义上构成经济增长的前提和基础,又是经济增长的主要目的,甚至环境本身就被当作资源禀赋和财富。近年来,山东省环境保护水平有了明显提高,但地区差异较大。本文采用因子分析和聚类分析法,对山东省17地市的环境保护水平进行了综合性评价,以期为环境保护水平的提高提供理论依据和对策建议。