Horizontal inequality as an outcome

A considerable body of research suggests that horizontal inequality between ethnic groups has major socioeconomic implications, in particular for peace and economic development. Much of this work focuses on horizontal inequality as an independent causal variable, rather than an outcome of various processes. We offer conceptual, theoretical, and empirical reasons for treating horizontal inequality as an outcome and challenging assumptions of fixity. We first consider explanations for variation drawing on the literature on horizontal inequality, as well as on ethnicity more broadly. We then explore how horizontal inequality can be measured using survey and census data, and present analysis based on two datasets providing information on inequality in terms of educational attainment (HI-E) for the 1960s to 2000s. These data suggest both a general trend toward decline in HI-E over time and considerable regional variation. This article serves also to introduce and frame the contributions to this special section.     

Hegemony,Technological Innovation and Corporate Identities: 50 Years of Agricultural Revolutions in Argentina

The technological changes that have occurred since the mid‐1960s in Argentine agriculture – first the Green Revolution and then the Agribusiness Paradigm – have been conceptualized as revolutionary not only with regard to their productivity improvements but also because they brought with them a change of mentality. Based on two different business conceptions, during each period an agrarian elite led the ‘revolutionary’ process, offering a technological response as the means of guaranteeing agriculture's ‘survival’ after various crises. For each period, we can identify a correspondence between the status given to technology, the conception of business and the type of government regulation. This paper analyses how the proposition of a ‘technological revolution’ corresponds to the construction of the ideological leadership through which the agrarian bourgeoisie managed to orientate agrarian development.     

Psychiatric inpatient cost of care before and after admission at a residential subacute step-up/step-down mental health facility

Background: Residential step-up/step-down services provide transitional care and reintegration into the community for individuals experiencing episodes of subacute mental illness. This study aims to examine psychiatric inpatient admissions, length of stay, and per capita cost of care following the establishment of a step-up/step-down Prevention And Recovery Care (PARC) facility in regional Australia.

Methods: This was a pragmatic before and after study set within a participatory action research methodology. The target sample comprised patients at a PARC facility over 15?months. Six-month individual level data prior to study entry, during, and over 6-months from study exit were examined using patient activity records. Costs were expressed in 2015–2016AU$.

Results: An audit included 192 people experiencing 243 episodes of care represented by males (58%), mean age?=?39.3 years (SD?=?12.7), primarily diagnosed with schizophrenia (48%) or mood disorders (30%). The cost of 1?day in a psychiatric inpatient unit was found to be comparable to an average of 5 treatment days in PARC; the mean cost difference per-bed day (AU$1,167) was associated with fewer and shorter inpatient stays. Reduced use of inpatient facility translated into an opportunity cost of improved patient flow equivalent to AU$12,555 per resident (bootstrapped 95% CI?=?$5,680–$19,280). More noticeable outcomes were observed among those who stayed in PARC for longer during index admission (r_s = 0.16, p?=?0.024), who have had more and lengthy inpatient stays (r_s = 0.52, p?r_s = 0.69, p?p?Conclusion: Efforts should be directed toward the adoption of cost-effective alternatives to psychiatric inpatient facilities that provide comparable or improved patient outcomes.     

The urgent need for figures of merit in order to evaluate the performance of teaching and learning methodologies: constructive criticism from a scientific metrological discipline

An objective criterion for an a priori identification of which methodologies are more appropriate for dealing with the problem of teaching or learning science at a determined school level, in the case of education, are very lax or missed. Today it is difficult to objectively differentiate which is the best strategy for dealing with a determined teaching/learning problem. Objectivity can be achieved through modern logic taken from the formal sciences, such as statistics. In the case of metrological discipline such analytical chemistry, where as in education, there is a continuous development of new methodologies and the performance are always evaluated through which analytical chemist call “figures of merit”. In this article, we establish a guide for future research in education to develop objective parameters (figures of merit) to evaluate and compare different teaching and learning strategies following the example of other disciplines such as analytical chemistry.     

Cause-related marketing influence on consumer responses: The moderating effect of cause–brand fit

The traditional focus on the study of cause–brand fit in cause-related marketing (CrM) is that it is a mediator variable between consumer perceptions and subsequent responses. However, the literature is not conclusive on this point. This study adopts a new perspective, considering cause–brand fit as a moderator variable rather than a direct antecedent to consumer evaluations of CrM. Thus, the main objective of this research is to examine the moderator role of cause–brand fit in the influence of two corporate associations elicited in CrM (corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate ability (CA) associations) on brand attitude and two behavioural consumer responses (purchase intent and support to non-profit organisation (NPO)). For this, a theoretical model is proposed, and it is estimated with a sample of 595 Spanish consumers of insurance and personal hygiene and toiletries products. Results show that when consumers perceive high social cause–brand fit, the positive influence of CSR associations on the formation of brand attitude is amplified. However, when cause–brand fit is low, brand attitude is formed via CA associations. Finally, consumer behavioural responses in favour of the brand (i.e. purchase intent) and social cause (i.e. support to NPO) are reinforced in a context of high cause–brand perceived fit.     

The contribution of yoga to the entrepreneurial potential of university students: a SEM approach

The literature suggests that all entrepreneurs share certain psychological and cognitive characteristics. Yoga is currently experiencing a surge in popularity due to both the physical and psychological benefits gained by yogi (practitioners of yoga). Irrespective of its more philosophical dimension, changes attributable to yoga have been identified in individuals’ psychological and behavioural patterns. It is in this context that this study analyses the characteristics associated both with entrepreneurs and yogis, seeking to specifically understand the respective personal attributes or the psychological and cognitive predispositions of both groups. The results of this study demonstrate that students who do engage in yoga show a propensity towards or strengthening of the psychological and cognitive attributes that are commonly associated with an entrepreneurial profile. Thus the study suggests that if entrepreneurial behaviour is a priority, then yoga should be integrated as a compulsory subject into general education from the primary school onwards.     

Network pictures as a research device: Developing a tool to capture actors' perceptions in organizational networks

In business networks, strategic actions are believed to be guided by actors' subjective views or perceptions of their surroundings. Researchers thus consider these perceptions as important for understanding network related phenomena. Despite their recognized importance, there has not been much research aimed at developing a way to systematically capture these perceptions. The purpose of this paper is to show how actors' subjective views of the business network can be analyzed using the research device of network pictures. This is accomplished by developing an empirically derived dimensional model for capturing different aspects of an actor's subjective view. We exemplify how the developed device can be applied, and illustrate how there seem to be ‘types’ of ways of perceiving the business network. This paper therefore represents a methodological contribution through the development of a tool that may change researchers' practices in understanding business networks.     

Firm’s tax evasion in a principal-agent model with self-protection

Gatekeepers have an increasing role in taxation and regulation. Whereas burdening them with legal liability for misconducts that benefit those who resort to their services actually discourages wrongdoings—as will be clarified in the article—an alienation effect can also arise. The gatekeeper might become more interested in covering up the illegal behavior. This article studies the problem with respect to tax evasion by firms in a principal-agent framework. It highlights the role of legal rules pertaining to liability for tax evasion in shaping the choices of the parties, as concealment costs vary according to whether the risk-neutral principal or the riskaverse agent is held responsible when tax evasion is detected. The main result of the analysis is that there is a simple ex post test that can be carried out to infer whether harnessing the agent was socially beneficial.     

Omnichannel approach: Factors affecting consumer acceptance

Abstract

The omnichannel approach is a new commercial opportunity that aims to offer consumers a unique and satisfying experience through any touch point. This research aims to understand the factors that might lead consumers to accept and use this new approach. The conceptual model was tested empirically using primary data collected from 210 Portuguese participants. The results reported suggest that perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, and compatibility have a positive effect on brand experience, which strongly affects the behavioral intention to use. Additionally, a moderation analysis, using user status as a moderator, shows that while usefulness is important to uniquely explain use intention for low frequency, ease of use is only a good predictor of use intention for high-frequency users. This research provides useful insights for academic research by shedding light on this new phenomenon, and simultaneously for businesses by deriving some implications for defining their omnichannel strategies.