From public to private: Has employment practice changed in Bulgarian hotels?

This study finds a clear shift towards the importance of HRM strategy and the need for change towards service quality [Vachkova, E., Gaidarov, M. (2001). Management of Human Resources in the Global Society, Banki Investicii Pari, 1. Sofia, Bulgaria, pp. 29–35] in Bulgarian hotels 15 years into the post-socialist era. This is not matched by a significant change in improved employment flexibility, more effective career development, improved communications and management style and, most problematic of all, improved training and development. Although managerial statements about the importance of HRM may be rhetorical, the balance of evidence suggests that the legacy of cultural and institutional effects in Bulgaria remains strong and may have created a vacuum that prevents managers from developing the ability and know-how to initiate change, and by implication, improve firms’ performance.     

The multi-state latent factor intensity model for credit rating transitions

A new empirical reduced-form model for credit rating transitions is introduced. It is a parametric intensity-based duration model with multiple states and driven by exogenous covariates and latent dynamic factors. The model has a generalized semi-Markov structure designed to accommodate many of the stylized facts of credit rating migrations. Parameter estimation is based on Monte Carlo maximum likelihood methods for which the details are discussed in this paper. A simulation experiment is carried out to show the effectiveness of the estimation procedure. An empirical application is presented for transitions in a 7 grade rating system. The model includes a common dynamic component that can be interpreted as the credit cycle. Asymmetric effects of this cycle across rating grades and additional semi-Markov dynamics are found to be statistically significant. Finally, we investigate whether the common factor model suffices to capture systematic risk in rating transition data by introducing multiple factors in the model.     

The effects of the minimum wage in Brazil on the distribution of family incomes: 1996–2001

The Brazilian economy has long relied on the minimum wage, having first implemented a minimum in 1940. Shortly after taking office in 2003, Brazil's President raised the minimum wage by 20% and promised to double the value of the minimum wage before his term ends in 2006. The usual rationale for minimum wage increases is to bring about beneficial changes in the income distribution, by raising incomes of poor and low-income families. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy of the minimum wage in Brazil in bringing about these changes in the income distribution. We examine data drawn from Brazil's major metropolitan areas, studying the years after Brazil's hyper-inflation ended. The estimates provide no evidence that minimum wages in Brazil lift family incomes at the lower points of the income distribution; if anything some of the evidence points to adverse effects on lower-income families.     

A systematic mapping study of process mining

This study systematically assesses the process mining scenario from 2005 to 2014. The analysis of 705 papers evidenced ‘discovery’ (71%) as the main type of process mining addressed and ‘categorical prediction’ (25%) as the main mining task solved. The most applied traditional technique is the ‘graph structure-based’ ones (38%). Specifically concerning computational intelligence and machine learning techniques, we concluded that little relevance has been given to them. The most applied are ‘evolutionary computation’ (9%) and ‘decision tree’ (6%), respectively. Process mining challenges, such as balancing among robustness, simplicity, accuracy and generalization, could benefit from a larger use of such techniques.     

Reducing laundering frequency to prolong the life of denim jeans

The use and disposal phase in a garment's life cycle is highly dependent on the choices made by the consumer. Maintenance procedures such as laundering and drying require energy and water use. Garment disposal increases waste in landfill sites, unless incinerated, which can take a toll on the environment through greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, encouraging consumers to launder less frequently and finding ways to extend the useful life of clothing are two ways of increasing sustainability within the clothing industry. Denim jeans are one of the most popular items of clothing worldwide. Changing habits such as reducing the frequency with which a person washes their denim jeans could have a positive impact on the environment through less water and energy use. However, environmental knowledge about what is detrimental to the environment may not necessarily lead to pro‐environmental behaviour. In denim jeans fibre loss results in thinning and loss in colour due to use. Laundering in particular can degrade clothing due to the abrasive forces applied to the surface of wet fibres. Therefore, this study highlights the effect that frequent laundering can have on the degradation of jeans with the aim to provide additional motivation to encourage change in consumers’ laundering habits. Consumers wore jeans for the equivalent of 60 days and either washed their jeans after approximately 2 days of wear or after approximately every 20 days of wear. The findings confirmed that frequent laundering reduced mass, increased colour loss, and reduced tensile strength in the warp direction of the fabric. Although washing is a major contributor to the degradation of jeans, the process of wearing denim jeans also naturally degrades the denim as the thigh region of the jeans showed greater colour loss and reduction in tensile strength than the shin region, which is typically less prone to abrasion through wear. The findings from this study provide compelling evidence to encourage consumers to reconsider their laundering habits in terms of wash frequency as both a means to behave in a more environmentally sustainable way, and to preserve their favourite garments.     

Probing the basis for differential pay practices of younger workers in low paying hospitality firms

Understanding the basis for differential pay practices by age is an important policy issue now that claims for pay discrimination on grounds of age may be mounted. Difficulties in determining the relative job worth and personal worth of workers in particular age groups are highlighted. We identify a need to develop a practical mechanism for assessing the validity of age‐related pay differences in keeping with contemporary notions of jobs and skills that will provide a basis for employers to demonstrate objective justification that their employment practices are not discriminatory. More comprehensive and wide‐ranging research is necessary to differentiate age‐related pay practices and develop further theoretical insights.     

An Empirical Validation of Perceived Importance and Behavior Intention in IT Ethics

Robin et al. (1996) suggested a new construct when studying ethical behavioral intention which they entitled PIE (perceived importance). They empirically tested the PIE construct and found it to significantly impact both ethical judgment and behavioral intention. The present study extends and validates Robin et al.s work on PIE using a different context, different scenarios and a different sample. The findings indicate strong support for the validity of Robin et al.s PIE instrument and show PIE to significantly influence ethical judgment (attitude) and behavioral intention. This study also indicates the sex of the individual affects the individuals perception of importance and is a significant influence of ethical judgment and behavioral intention. Future ethical models and studies should include PIE as a possible influence on behavioral intention.Timothy Paul Cronan is Professor of Information Systems and M.D. Matthews Lecturer in Business at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Dr. Cronan received his D.B.A. from Louisiana Tech University and is an active member of the Decision Sciences Institute and The Association for Computing Machinery. He has served as Regional Vice President and on the Board of Directors of the Decision Sciences Institute and as President of the Southwest Region of the Institute. In addition, he has served as Associate Editor MIS Quarterly. His research interests include ethics in computing, local area networks, downsizing, expert systems, performance analysis and effectiveness, and end-user computing. His publications have appeared in Decision Sciences, MIS Quarterly, OMEGA The International Journal of Management Science, The Journal of Management Information Systems, Communications of the ACM, Journal of End User Computing, Database, Journal of Research on Computing in Education, Journal of Financial Research, as well as in other journals, and Proceedings of various Conferences. Lori N. K. Leonard is an Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems at the University of Tulsa. Dr. Leonard received her Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas and is an active member of the Decision Sciences Institute. Her research interests include electronic commerce, electronic data interchange, ethics in computing, simulation, and data warehousing. Her publications have appeared in Journal of Computer Information Systems, Information & Management, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, Journal of End User Computing, as well as in other journals, and Proceedings of various Conferences. Jennifer Kreie is Associate Professor in Business Computer Systems at New Mexico State University. Dr. Kreie received the Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas. Her research interests include ethics in computing, end-user computing, systems development, and computer-aided instruction. She is an active member of the Decision Sciences Institute, the Association of Computing Machinery and the Association of Information Technology Professionals. Her publications have appeared in Communications of the ACM, Decision Support Systems, Journal of End User Computing, Journal of Accountancy, and the National Accountant as well as Proceedings of several Conferences.     

CHILD POVERTY IN CANADA

The evolution of measured poverty may reflect socio-economic developments, particular measurement choices or the effect (or lack of effect) of policy initiatives. We report a "case study" of child poverty in Canada between 1986 and 2000, a period when the elimination of child poverty was a stated policy goal, but reported child poverty rates did not change significantly. We find that the apparent persistence of child poverty in Canada is remarkably robust to measurement choices, and cannot easily be explained by socioeconomic developments.     

Optimal demand policies against stagflation

Zusammenfassung Optimale Nachfragepolitik zur Bek?mpfung der Stagflation. — Der Aufsatz besch?ftigt sich mit der Wahl einer optimalen Gesamtnachfrage-Politik als Antwort auf einen inflation?ren Schock — optimal in dem Sinne, da\ die Volkswirtschaft zur Vollbesch?ftigung und Preisstabilit?t auf einen Pfad zurückgeführt wird, der die sozialen Kosten minimiert. Es wird die Ansicht vertreten, da\ die Kosten eines gegebenen Stabilisierungspfades proportional sind zu den über die Zeit aufsummierten Abweichungen der Inflationsrate und der Arbeitslosenquote von den langfristigen Zielwerten. Auf der Grundlage einer sehr allgemeinen Formulierung der Phillips-Kurve wird die optimale wirtschaftspolitische Antwort auf einen Inflationsschock analysiert und gezeigt, da\ sie gew?hnliche ?Turnpike?-Eigenschaften besitzt. Dieser Ansatz wird veranschaulicht, indem er auf die USA für den Zeitraum 1971–1975 angewandt wird, wobei die Sensitivit?t des optimalen Pfades in bezug auf alternative Wohlfahrts-Bewertungen und Ansichten hinsichtlich der Natur des Trade-off untersucht wird.

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Résumé Les politiques de demande optimum contre la stagflation. — Cet article a pour sujet la selection d’une politique de demande agrégée optimum en réponse à un choc — optimum de manière qu’elle reconduit l’économie au plein emploi et à la stabilité de prix le long d’un sentier d’inflation-ch?mage minimisant des frais sociaux de ?welfare?. Nous arguons que les frais du chaque sentier donné de stabilisation peuvent être pris comme proportioneis à l’excès d’inflation et de ch?mage au-dessus du but à long terme, cumulé sur le sentier. En se fiant à une expression très générale de la ?courbe de Phillips? l’article analyse et démontre la réponse de politique optimum à un choc inflationniste pour exhiber des simples ?barrières? propriétés. L’approche est illustrée par l’application sur les E. U. pour la période de 1971 à 1975. Elle explore la sensibilité du sentier optimum aux évaluations alternatives de ?welfare? et aux vues de la nature du ?trade-off?.

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Resumen Políticas óptimas de demanda contra la estagflación. — Este artículo se ocupa de la selección de una política de demanda agregada óptima en respuesta a un ?shock? óptimo inflacionario en el sentido que devuelve el pleno empleo y la estabilidad de precios a la economía a través de una trayectoria de inflación-desempleo minimizando los costos sociales de bienestar. Se argumenta que el costo de cualquier trayectoria de estabilización dada puede tomarse como proporcional al exceso de inflación y desempleo por sobre la meta de largo plazo, acumulado a través de la trayectoria. Basándose sobre una formulación muy general de la ?curva de Phillips? se analiza la respuesta de política óptima a un ?shock? inflacionario y se muestra que exhibe propiedades simples de Camino de portazgo. El enfoque se ilustra aplicándolo a los EEUU para el período 1971–75, investigando la sensibilidad de la trayectoria óptima con respecto a evaluaciones de bienestar alternativas y apreciaciones sobre la naturaleza del ?trade-off?.