Relevance and advantages of using the item response theory

The item response theory (IRT) also known as latent trait theory, is used for the development, evaluation and administration of standardized measurements; it is widely used in the areas of psychology and education. This theory was developed and expanded for over 50 years and has contributed to the development of measurement scales of latent traits. This paper presents the basic and fundamental concepts of this IRT and a practical example of the construction of scales is proposed to illustrate the feasibility, advantages and validity of IRT through a known measurement, the height. The results obtained with the practical application of IRT confirm its effectiveness in the evaluation of latent traits.     

A qualitative integration of self-determination theory and expectation-confirmation theory using physical education as an example

This study proposes a conceptual model based on both self-determination theory (SDT) and expectation-confirmation theory (ECT) using physical education as an example. It is important to try integrating SDT and ECT together given that satisfaction is a common core in both theories. In the proposed model, need support confirmation is influenced by support expectation and perceived support, while need satisfaction is influenced by support expectation and need support confirmation. Accordingly, being influenced by need satisfaction, self-determined motivation has a positive influence on students’ participation intention in optional PE courses. Finally, the discussion and limitation about the proposed model are also provided.     

Key factors affecting the hospital performance: a qualitative study using fuzzy logic

Identifying the key factors affecting the hospital performance helps better planning for hospital high performance. The purpose of this study is to provide a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the hospital performance. In the qualitative section of this study, factors associated with hospital performance were detected using literature review, interviews, and expert panels. The findings analyzed by one sample t test and categorized by framework analysis method. In the quantitative section of this study, both direct and indirect relationships between factors were measured by using fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique to detect influencing and influenced factors. Finally the key factors affecting the hospital performance were detected.     

On estimating the proportion of a qualitative sensitive character using randomized response sampling

In this paper, we present results pertaining to investigations concerning randomized response sampling. We consider a simple generalization for some existing investigations, and then provide the suitable choices for design parameters. It is also demonstrated the superiority of the proposed procedure over Warner (1965) procedure.     

Evaluating the forecasting performance of econometric models of air passenger traffic flows using multiple error measures

Airline traffic forecasting is important to airlines and regulatory authorities. This paper examines a number of approaches to forecasting short- to medium-term air traffic flows. It contributes as a rare replication, testing a variety of alternative modelling approaches. The econometric models employed include autoregressive distributed lag (ADL) models, time-varying parameter (TVP) models and an automatic method for econometric model specification. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model and various univariate alternatives are also included to deliver unconditional forecast comparisons. Various approaches for taking into account interactions between contemporaneous air traffic flows are examined, including pooled ADL models and the enhanced models with the addition of a “world trade” variable. Based on the analysis of a number of forecasting error measures, it is concluded that pooled ADL models that include the “world trade” variable outperform the alternatives, and in particular univariate methods; and, second, that automatic modelling procedures are enhanced through judgmental intervention. In contrast to earlier results, the TVP models do not improve accuracy. Depending on the preferred error measure, the difference in accuracy may be substantial.     

A qualitative response analysis of UK firms' employment and output decisions

This paper investigates firms' employment and output decisions and presents some empirical evidence concerning the rationality of firms' expectations. The dymanic model is based on the assumptions of convex adjustment costs and monopolistic competition in the product market. The results are obtained using categorical information on individual firms contained in business surveys collected by the Confederation of British Industry. Ordered probit models are used to estimate the employment and output equations. We find that expected demand is a critical determinant of firms' decisions, the effect of changes in cost conditions is not as well determined, and the data are not consistent with the rational expectations hypothesis.     

Integrating qualitative and quantitative data: index creation using fuzzy-set QCA

This paper demonstrates the use of fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) for index creation. It uses the example of economic, including development, policy towards Latin America in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom as an example of how fsQCA can be deployed in order to integrate qualitative and numerical evidence into a coherent, comparable framework. Moreover, it shows the usefulness of an index based on fsQCA in the comparison of cases that have strong national idiosyncrasies, making them difficult to compare. FsQCA therefore increases the researcher’s ability to combine different types of data from various backgrounds, making it a useful indexing tool for small to medium-N research in the social sciences.     

Editorial introduction: HRM and performance: confronting theory and reality

This editorial introduction has twin purposes. The first is to make a wide audience aware of the new Dutch HRM Network. The second is to introduce a set of papers which make a contribution to the connections between HR policies/strategies and organizational performance. These purposes are linked by the fact that the papers come from the inaugural conference of the Network that was held in the Rotterdam School of Economics at Erasmus University at the end of 1999.     

Dynamics and tipping point of issue attention in newspapers: quantitative and qualitative content analysis at sentence level in a longitudinal study using supervised machine learning and big data

Quality & Quantity - This study aims to provide a more sensitive understanding of the dynamics and tipping points of issue attention in news media by combining the strengths of quantitative and...     

Evaluating environmental and social performance of large Portuguese companies: a balanced scorecard approach

A thematic balanced scorecard format was used to address environmental and social performance evaluation of 13 large companies operating in Portugal. Financial aspects of environmental and social company activities are also included. Companies were categorized as to their actual performance status using a predefined performance framework. Three categories were found: compliance with the law while emphasizing pollution control, pollution prevention and eco‐efficiency. Management tools and procedural matters were found to be most relevant for categorization. Often, reported information did not allow for quantitative evaluation of environmental burden reduction. Use of the thematic balanced scorecard format was useful to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of links between objectives and measurements, initiatives and achievements. Improvement as to environmental performance was found to be paralleled by increased social performance, suggesting that a multi‐level ‘sustainability’ performance categorization of these Portuguese companies is feasible. Driving forces for environmental management initiatives were found to differ by category of performance. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Evaluating corporate image and reputation using fuzzy MCDM approach in airline market

In today’s highly competitive airline market, preferable corporate image is acknowledged as having high potential to impact customer loyalty. Corporate image provides a powerful way of differentiating a company from its competitors and stimulating purchases. In the past, corporate image has been a vague concept and has been difficult to measure quantitatively. A fuzzy MCDM (Multi Criteria Decision Making) model is thus proposed. It can quantify corporate image and reputation so that management can fully comprehend the relative positioning of company in the markets to make informed judgments and marketing strategies. A study of international airlines serving in Taiwan is conducted for verification. The results indicate that safety record and service emerge as the critical factors of the air transport market while the incentives seem to have little attraction for customers.     

Consumer demand theory,goods and characteristics: Breathing empirical content into the Lancastrian approach

To begin with, it is argued that consumer demand theory has resulted in narrowly econometric more than broadly managerial applications. Further, Lancaster's recognition of the intrinsic attributes of goods has not been adequately exploited. Lancaster is summarized and appraised and empirical work to date reviewed. Finally a test of the characteristics hypothesis is given, using survey data on beer consumption. Subjectivity of choice is explicitly recognized and factor analysis is used to evaluate the components of demand of which quality and price variables appear to dominate. With the matching of the people-characteristics features (demand) and the technical goods-characteristics attributes (supply) a method of predicting demand is derived. This methodology may be used for a wide range of consumer goods.     

Modeling IT product recall intention based on the theory of reasoned action and information asymmetry: a qualitative aspect

This study proposes an ethical model of IT product recall intention based on the theory of reasoned action considering information asymmetry. This study is one of the first to consider information asymmetry in the formation of IT ethical intention. In the proposed model, nine propositions are provided for understanding the formation of the ethical intention of IT providers. More specifically, IT product recall intention is negatively influenced by information hiding and opportunism practicing, while opportunism practicing is positively influenced by information hiding. Furthermore, both information hiding and opportunism practicing are positively influenced by information asymmetry and negatively influenced by ethical attitude and subjective ethical norm. Last, the implications and limitations are provided.     

A qualitative investigation of the intersection of leisure and identity among high school students: application of grounded theory

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine leisure as a context for identity formation among the high school students in Shiraz, Iran. Twenty male students (3rd grade of secondary school) from different high schools participated in this study. Data analysis using qualitative grounded theory methodology yielded eight categories and a core category. The categories led to the conclusion that post-traditional context and resource of leisure time culminated in reflexivity in the participants’ identity.     

Item response theory and the measurement of deprivation: evidence from Luxembourg data

Item response theory (IRT) has recently been proposed as a framework to measure deprivation. It allows a latent measure of deprivation to be derived from a set of dichotomous items indicating deprivation, and the determinants of deprivation to be analysed. We investigate further the use of IRT models in the field of deprivation measurement. First, the paper emphasises the importance of item selection and the Mokken Scale Procedure is applied to select the items to be included in the scale of deprivation. Second, we apply the one- and the two-parameter probit IRT models for dichotomous items to two different sets of items, in order to highlight different empirical results. Finally, we introduce a graphical tool, the Item Characteristic Curve (ICC), and analyse the determinants of deprivation in Luxembourg. The empirical illustration is based on the fourth wave of the “Liewen zu Lëtzebuerg” Luxembourg socioeconomic panel (PSELL-3).     

Evaluating the comparative performance of countries of the Middle East and North Africa: A DEA application

Over the past few decades, countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have achieved varying levels of economic development. In this paper, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is employed to study the comparative performance of selected MENA countries. For 1999, our DEA identified four of the 18 countries studied as the most efficient: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. All are from the Middle East, with three being members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Yemen was rated as the least efficient of all countries considered in the analysis. A regression analysis showed that the efficiency scores have a significant relationship with the richness of the countries (in terms of GNP per capita) but do not have a significant relationship with the size of the countries (in terms of population). Further, a time-series analysis using the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) indicated that the MENA countries achieved higher values of desirable attributes, and lower values of undesirable attributes, in 1999 compared to 1998. During 1998-1999, technology change contributed more to the improvement of MPI than did technical efficiency change.     

The disaster response performance of hospitals in Taiwan: evaluation and classification

Hospitals need disaster response plannings and temporary shelters to rescue victims in disasters. In Taiwan, there are 82 emergency medical service (EMS) hospitals are requested to possess guildlines of preparedness and responses to mitigation the damage and recovery the pre-event status in a disaster. A measurement chart including three major factors??facility, manpower, and disaster plan and drill mode??was created to evaluate the performance of disaster management of these EMS hospitals. Based on the expert opinions, some hospitals were selected as a reference set prior to the accreditation. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is applied to classify each of the remaining hospitals into qualified or unqualified classes. Then, each unqualified hospital was recommended to improve its practice of disaster preparedness and responses into the qualified level. We also find that, on average, private hospitals perform better than public hospitals and medical centers perform better than the regional hospitals. But, the differences are not statistically significant.     

Innovation performance and the role of clustering at the local enterprise level: a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis approach

ABSTRACT

This study, utilizes an innovative methodological approach, fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), investigating the drivers of heterogeneous geographies characterizing English Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs). The fsQCA technique offers a novel configurational alternative to regression-based approaches investigating the effects of clustering in conjunction with firm-level innovation, university third-sector activity (TSA) and entrepreneurship, on LEPs innovation performance. The findings, offer contributions to the theories of industrial clusters and innovation, regional innovation systems, knowledge spillovers and entrepreneurial university innovation within LEPs. First, supporting fsQCAs, no individual variable generates either a positive/negative innovation outcome. Second, while all positive innovation recipes include presence of the cluster variable, for negative innovation recipes, only one does not identify absence of clustering as relevant. Given that the cluster variable does not appear in any recipes without at least one of the other variables suggests activity concentration does not exist in isolation to generate innovation outcomes without other localized conditions existing, e.g. firm-level innovation. Third, there is evidence for the non-cluster-based aspects of knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship with respect to university activity and the entrepreneurial university concept. Instead, roles of entrepreneurship and university TSA, while important, appear to be more peripheral and geographically context specific.     

Corporate responsibility activities and economic performance: a theory of why and how they are connected

Whether a firm undertakes corporate responsibility (CR) activities for strategic or altruistic reasons, it is important to understand the relationship between such activities and economic performance. CR activities may be distinguished based on which combination of three possible outputs – learning, reputation and CR outcomes – they produce. This distinction matters not only for the ultimate environmental and social sustainability but also for the relationship between CR activities and economic performance. Taking advantage of this distinction, an integrative synthesis of knowledge of the relationship between CR activities and economic performance can be developed that presents the relationship in terms of a dynamic, case‐specific, inverted U‐shaped efficiency frontier and the vertical distance from this frontier. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.