Preference for safety under the Choquet model: in search of a characterization

Victor prefers safety more than Ursula if whenever Ursula prefers a constant to an uncertain act, so does Victor. This paradigm, whose expected utility (EU) version is Arrow and Pratt’s more risk aversion concept, will be studied in the Choquet expected utility (CEU) model. Necessary condition Pointwise inequality between a function of the utility functions and another of the capacities is necessary and sufficient for the preference by Victor of safety over a dichotomous act whenever such is the preference of Ursula. However, increased preference for safety versus dichotomous acts does not imply preference by Victor of safety over a general act whenever such is the preference of Ursula. A counterexample will be provided, via the casino theory of Dubins and Savage. Sufficient condition Separation of the two functions by some convex function is sufficient for Victor to prefer safety more than Ursula, over general acts. Furthermore, a condition on the capacities will be presented for simplicity seeking, the preference by Victor over any act for some dichotomous act that leaves Ursula indifferent. This condition is met in particular if Victor’s capacity is a convex function of Ursula’s capacity. For these cases, the pointwise inequality (necessary) condition is a characterization of greater preference for safety, extending the Arrow–Pratt notion from EU to CEU and rank-dependent utility (RDU). These inequalities preserve the flavor of the “more pessimism than greediness” characterization of monotone risk aversion by Chateauneuf, Cohen and Meilijson in the RDU model and its extension by Grant and Quiggin to CEU. Preferences between safety and dichotomous acts are at the core of the biseparable preferences model of Ghirardato and Marinacci.     

The Relationship between Individualism,Collectivism, the Perception of Justice,Demographic Characteristics and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour

This study examines the relationship between individualism, collectivism, the perception of justice, and demographic variables and organisational citizenship behaviour. The research design is based on survey data acquired from questionnaires distributed to 241 certified nurses and their superiors in 20 units of one of the hospitals in northern Israel. The findings showed that collectivist employees tended to display OCB more frequently than individualistic employees. Positive relationships were found between justice variables and OCB. Of the demographic variables, married employees tended to display OCB more than unmarried workers. In addition, more experienced employees exhibited fewer organisational citizenship behaviours than did their less experienced colleagues. The findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.     

Predicting Counterproductive Work Behavior from Guilt Proneness

We investigated the relationship between guilt proneness and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) using a diverse sample of employed adults working in a variety of different industries at various levels in their organizations. CWB refers to behaviors that harm or are intended to harm organizations or people in organizations. Guilt proneness is a personality trait characterized by a predisposition to experience negative feelings about personal wrongdoing. CWB was engaged in less frequently by individuals high in guilt proneness compared to those low in guilt proneness, controlling for other known correlates of CWB. CWB was also predicted by gender, age, intention to turnover, interpersonal conflict at work, and negative affect at work. Given the detrimental impact of CWB on people and organizations, it may be wise for employers to consider guilt proneness when making hiring decisions.     

Social Licence in Design: Constructive technology assessment within a mineral research and development institution

Technological innovation in the minerals industry must be driven by the need to improve performance according to social, as well as environmental, safety, efficiency and production criteria. This paper outlines the possibilities and rationale for incorporating constructive technology assessment (CTA) into technology research and development within the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship (MDU). MDU represents an $80 million per year investment in transformational mineral technology. The paper reports on the development of a process called Social Licence in Design to address the future social challenges and opportunities of the technologies that may arise during implementation. Social Licence in Design utilises social research techniques to account for the perspectives and values of decision makers and likely stakeholders. Interviews with senior technologists and social scientists within MDU reveal the institutional context into which the Social Licence in Design process is to be situated and highlight key factors that may inhibit or enhance its uptake. Despite the long history of CTA the paper is the first to report on the incorporation of a CTA process to address the social implications of technology development within a mineral R&D institution.     

The impact of brand selection on price competition - a double-edged sword

Brand selection - the number of alternative brands of a particular product - is a double-edged sword in that on the one hand it increases rivalry and so stimulates price competition but on the other hand it causes consumers to be poorly informed and thus vulnerable to exploitation and so dampens price competition. This phenomenon is demonstrated analytically and empirically, with analytical work based on Hotelling's unit market line. Using price dispersion as a measure of the state of price competition, it is shown that a widening in price dispersion, that is, a lessening of price competition, arises from an increase in brand selection. Any increase in the number of alternative brands on offer (brand selection) causes an increase in ‘DIF-ness’ (Distortion in Information Function) which in turn causes an increase in price dispersion (a lessening of price competition). The phenomenon is demonstrated empirically through a small survey of household beverages.     

The use of advertising activities to meet earnings benchmarks: evidence from monthly data

Using a unique database of monthly media advertising spending, we examine whether managers engage in real earnings management to meet quarterly financial reporting benchmarks. We extend prior literature by (1) separately analyzing advertising activities, allowing us to explore the possibility that managers could reduce or boost advertising to meet benchmarks; (2) analyzing actual activities as opposed to inferring them from reported expenses, which are also subject to accrual choices; (3) investigating the timing, within a quarter, of altered advertising spending; and (4) examining quarterly earnings benchmarks. We find that managers, on average, reduce advertising spending to avoid losses and earnings decreases. However, we also report that firms in the late stages of their life cycle increase advertising to meet earnings benchmarks. Finally, we find some evidence that firms increase advertising in the third month of a fiscal quarter and in the fourth quarter to beat prior year’s earnings.     

Why Are Health Care Managers Biased Against Hiring Service Providers With Tattoos?

Although health care managers often prefer to hire employees without tattoos, the source of this bias is unclear. One explanation is that tattoos are associated with being less responsible. An alternative explanation is that managers are concerned tattoos will hurt their organization's image. A sample of 187 dentists were shown a picture of a dental hygienist either with no tattoo, a small tattoo, or a large tattoo, and then asked about the hygienist. Results show that dentists do not associate tattoos with irresponsibility but are concerned about the fit of tattoos with the image of the practice. This means that dentists make hiring decisions based on stereotypes about customer stereotypes.     

The SHRM learning system—A brief history

This article presents an historical overview of the HR Learning System of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the origins of the Learning System, and its ties to the process of certification by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). The evolution of the Learning System is described, as well as how content is developed. The growth of the Learning System in its many platforms will be utilized in 1999 by over 14,000 individuals—many, as mentioned above, for purposes of certification and an equal number for purposes of general professional development in human resource management. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.