Disciplinary homogeneity in university departments following the Gelmini law: an exploratory analysis through social networks

Quality & Quantity - The aim of this work is to evaluate the implementation of the Gelmini law; a law that has reorganized the universities into departments in order to create homogeneous...     

英汉禁忌语比较

禁忌语是世界各国各民族文化中普遍存在的一种语言文化现象,它规范并约束着人们的言语行为和社会交际。中西文化的巨大差异直接导致了英汉禁忌语的迥异。本文试从粗俗猥亵语、生老病死、体态语禁忌等几方面对英汉禁忌语进行对比分析,使人们在跨文化交际中避免误用。     

A note on testing demand homogeneity

In this note we establish the relationship among the three test statistics for testing demand homogeneity and comment on the relative merits of these statistics.     

On estimation of some abbreviated social welfare measures

Point and interval estimations of two abbreviated social welfare functions are studied based on Schutz and Gini coefficients. The limit distributions of the estimators are derived in terms of sample L-moments and mean absolute deviation. A simulation study is performed to assess the bias in the estimators and the coverage probability of the confidence intervals. Unlike the previous studies our results do not require the grouping of population into a fixed number of quantiles. The proposed methods use distribution-free unbiased estimators and exact sample L-moment variances. An application is given that illustrates the benefits of the proposed methods.     

A comparative analysis of certification in human resource management

This comparative analysis explores the certification process in three leading organizations in the USA, Canada and the UK. The findings show considerable similarity across countries concerning the major stakeholders and certification criteria. Conversely, they reveal major differences with respect to the basic assumptions underlying the programmes, the standards and qualifications, the programmes' complexity and the programmes' integration with the government, industry and academia. Dissimilarity also exists in the certification process. Hence, certification programme models for each organization are advanced to illustrate the process. Moreover, an overall strategic programme framework is developed for all the agencies collectively. Finally, suggestions for future research are provided.     

Vertical integration: A comparative analysis of performance and risk

Hofer's (1973) argument for strategy analysis by matched pairs forms a central methodological feature in this examination of vertical integration. With twenty matched pairs of companies we have sought to eliminate the major extraneous factors that have precluded consensus among previous research findings. Our results show that vertical integration (via whole ownership) is performance and risk-neutral. Support is generated for the fundamental notion that successful strategy selection, and subsequent performance, is a function of firm-specific competencies and opportunities. Consequently, we urge that research on vertical integration move forward to consider ex ante conditions of fit rather than continuing to pursue ex post rationalizations of performance and risk.     

Chaos theory and social science: A methodological analysis

This article investigates the relevance of chaos theory for social science. The application of chaos models in the analysis of social phenomena is accompanied by some important scientific problems. First, whether observations of social phenomena are generated by nonlinear dynamics cannot be ascertained beyond considerable doubt, especially when these observations contain measurement errors; i.e., there is a problem of external validity. Secondly, and more important, as a theory of irregular cyclical social behaviour is lacking, inductive-statistical theoryformation about such behaviour, which is based on fitting a mathematical model of chaos to observations of social phenomena, is impossible unless additional information is used concerning the context and circumstances wherein the social phenomena occur; i.e., the internal validity of any theoretical explanation that is derived from only a fitted mathematical model (of chaos) cannot be assessed. So, research into the suggestion derived from mathematical chaos theory that irregular cycles may be present in the development of social phenomena over time requires theory-formation about irregular cyclical social behaviour on the basis of established theoretical insights and empirical evidence instead of fitting sophisticated mathematical models of chaos to observations of social phenomena.     

中外资银行个人理财业务比较分析

本文对国内银行个人理财业务发展概况及存在不足以及外资银行争夺我国个人理财业务市场的经营战略及竞争优势进行了比较分析 ;提出了中资银行要进一步拓展个人理财业务 ,使之真正成为新的利润增长点 ,应当通过业务创新、培育理财客户市场、重视理财营销策略、运用先进技术、培养专业人才等对策和建议。     

Structural investigation of supply networks: A social network analysis approach

A system of interconnected buyers and suppliers is better modeled as a network than as a linear chain. In this paper we demonstrate how to use social network analysis to investigate the structural characteristics of supply networks. Our theoretical framework relates key social network analysis metrics to supply network constructs. We apply this framework to the three automotive supply networks reported in Choi and Hong (2002). Each of the supply networks is analyzed in terms of both materials flow and contractual relationships. We compare the social network analysis results with the case-based interpretations in Choi and Hong (2002) and conclude that our framework can both supplement and complement case-based analysis of supply networks.     

Boolean comparative analysis of qualitative data

This paper explores the use of Boolean logic in the analysis of qualitative data, especially on the basis of so-called process theories. Process theories treat independent variables as necessary conditions which are binary rather than variable in nature, while the dependent variable is a final cause. In this respect, Boolean comparison appears to be a rigorous method for testing process theories on the basis of qualitative evidence, for example, from case studies. It is argued that Boolean logic may compensate for some of the weaknesses of the conventional approach to process studies — going back to Stuart Mill's (1843) system of logic — by systematically comparing observations without forsaking complexity too much. In addition, Boolean logic systematically structures the kind of interpretive dialogue between theory and evidence typically found in qualitative research. Finally, a procedure for using Boolean analysis is outlined. This procedure involves systematic attempts to falsify and identify hypotheses on the basis of truth tables constructed from qualitative data.     

A comparative analysis of moonlighting in Great Britain and the USA*

There has been recent considerable interest in Britain and other countries in the practice of holding two paid jobs. This article provides the first comparative analysis of the nature and extent of ‘moonlighting’ in Britain and the USA.