Heterogeneous effects of peer tutoring: Evidence from rural Chinese middle schools

Peer tutoring is a well-known type of peer-assisted learning, which has proven to be a cost-effective intervention. We designed a peer tutoring program that matches high-performing students as tutors to their low-performing classmates and provides non-monetary incentives for them to study together and improve the pair’s academic performance. We implemented the program and tested the effects in rural Chinese middle schools. The program significantly improved the tutors’ math scores and produced other benefits regarding study attitude and social behaviors. However, the program did not improve the tutees’ math scores and instead augmented their learning stress. The most compelling explanation is that the set-up of the program brought to light the tutees’ standing, by design, in the bottom half of their class.     

Leadership Development in the Context of a University Consolidation: An Initial Evaluation of the Authentic Leadership Pipeline Program

University mergers and consolidations are on the rise, and the trend is likely to continue in the near term future. Such a trend is significant, as a university consolidations are inherently challenging and require strong and well‐developed leadership to be successful. In the current paper, a low‐cost leadership development program (the Authentic Leadership Pipeline program) that was initiated and developed to meet the leadership needs of Augusta University, the institutional result of the consolidation of Georgia Health Sciences University and Augusta State University is described. In addition, an initial pilot evaluation of the program that examined reactions and subjective perceptions of learning and behavior change is described. The findings were promising and suggest a high level of satisfaction, significant learning, and new behavior. Implications, applications, and future directions are discussed.     

Evolución de la capacidad tecnológica en México. Aplicación del análisis estadístico multivariante de cluster

This paper conducts an analysis on the existence of state clusters related with technological capabilities in Mexico. An empirical study was conducted using the technique of multivariate statistical cluster analysis, based on the set of indicators proposed by Cepal (2007), collecting data from various public sources country for 2006 and 2012 in order to study the time evolution of such clusters, trying to see what states have been moving to a cluster located in positions more which have advanced and retreated over the period. The results show the existence of 7 groups of states characterized by different technological capabilities, plus states are identified in decline and progress, both in terms of absorptive capacity and innovation, and in relation to the technological infrastructure capabilities.     

Scope of improvement in water usage efficiency in manual dishwashing: A multicountry study by questionnaire survey

Over recent decades, water conservation have become increasingly an utmost important issue for debate, and this includes the domestic sector. Reducing demand water by improving the efficiency of water use in domestic sector requires an understanding of how water is used and in what ways water savings can be realized. The focus of this global, web‐based, consumer questionnaire survey was to analyze individual consumer attitudes towards using water in manual dishwashing and understand the likelihood of a prospect of changing the daily manual dishwashing method resulting to a more efficient domestic usage of water. This study was designed to investigate the manual dishwashing technique used in the 5249 households of nine different countries ‐ China, Germany, Italy, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, India, South Africa and Argentina. Besides socio‐demographics, technical questions like cleaning steps, hygiene questions motivational question, environmental awareness questions, questions on payment for water and electricity, questions on information sources about household work were included in the study. It was found that the awareness to conserve water was common among the Asian participants but it necessarily was not practiced in the households as individual washing of dishes was found to be quite high. Among the many outcomes, important one was that ‘running tap method’ was found to be most prevalent (86%) among Russian participants, complimenting their detached approach towards conserving domestic water usage. In South American countries like Brazil (66%) and Argentina (51%), high occurrence of ‘running tap rinse’ was found to be a common practice, confirming the lack of conscious use of water in manual dishwashing in the subcontinent. Based on the overall responses, awareness of a new and efficient technique of manual dishwashing could be propagated through the most voted mediums of Internet (81%) and TV (69%).     

Propuesta de un modelo de medición de la competitividad mediante análisis factorial

This article presents a proposal of a model to measure competitiveness at the three geographical levels simultaneously: country, states, and municipalities by using a multivariate factor analysis resulting in the identification of five factors, seven subfactors and thirty variables used to measure and to present the results of an empirical study of several entities: the country, the state of Sonora and nine municipalities that represent 80% of the population and 80% of its Total Gross Production (PBT). The results show that the municipality of Hermosillo was the most competitive in 2010.     

Information Consequences of Accounting Conservatism

Abstract

We study the information consequences of conservatism in accounting. Prior research shows that information asymmetries in capital markets lead to firm-level increases in conservatism. In this paper, we further argue that increases in conservatism improve the firm information environment and lead to subsequent decreases in information asymmetries between firm insiders and outsiders. We predict and test if this decrease in information asymmetries manifests itself through: (a) a decrease in the bid–ask spread and in stock-returns volatility, and (b) an improved information environment for financial analysts, leading to more precise and less dispersed forecasts, and to more analysts following the firm. Using a large US sample for the period 1977–2007 and several proxies for conservatism we find robust evidence consistent with our expectations. Our results are in line with conservatism being useful not only for debt-holders, but also for equity-holders.     

Global consumer study to identify water wastage in the usage of automatic dishwashers

In dishcleaning automatic dishwashers do clearly win over manual cleaning when it comes to efficiency: Resources can be saved without compromising on hygiene. But mistakes in the usage behaviour can equalize saving advantages. Consumers in nine countries, covering different regions of the world, were asked about their dishcleaning behaviour to identify if this household work is done in a resource saving way. By analysing mistakes in the current behaviour, the potential of water savings shall be estimated.