Who’s Who in Global Value Chains? A Weighted Network Approach

This paper represents global value chains (GVCs) as weighted networks of foreign value added in exports, which allows for the identification of the specific roles of countries and for the quantification of their relative importance over time. A major structural change occurred in the beginning of the century as GVCs steadily turned into global networks, amid an unprecedented growth of value-added flows and the rise of China as a major player. First-order network metrics highlight the vital but also distinct roles of Germany, the US, China and Japan in the international organisation of production. Germany is very relevant both as a user and as a supplier of foreign inputs, whilst the US acts mostly as a supplier of value added to other countries. Second-order properties of networks shed light on the complex architecture of GVCs, notably in terms of cyclical triangular relationships. Germany’s GVCs mostly root in direct relationships, whilst Japanese ones typically involve more than two countries.     

Lógica difusa y el riesgo financiero. Una propuesta de clasificación de riesgo financiero al sector cooperativo

Apply fuzzy logic in financial indicators is a proposal not widespread in the accounting field. This methodology allows us to observe the results of financial ratios with a broader perspective, showing not completely true nor completely false results, because they can take an indeterminate truth value within a set of values, applying the theory of fuzzy logic. The aim of this paper is to present the reader with the application of fuzzy logic in indicators of financial risk, using ratios of the cooperatives segment each Ecuador, and thus validate the level of relevance that has this indicator to compared with the standard meta model and CAMEL ratings. To apply these theory linguistic variables were used, which were valued at scales ranges from 0 to 1. It is determined that the diffuse methodologist applied to financial risks presented a higher level of membership to good credit rating by ensuring a level of low risk and very good solvency. However, in periods of low economic activity it would stagnate at this level for the increased risk.     

Fuzzy logic and financial risk. A proposed classification of financial risk to the cooperative sector

Applying fuzzy logic to financial indicators is not a well disseminated proposal in the accounting field. This methodology allows observing the results of financial ratios with a broader perspective, showing neither completely true nor completely false results, since they can take an undetermined truthfulness value within a set of values, applying the fuzzy logic theory. The objective of this work is to introduce the reader to the application of fuzzy logic on financial risk indicators, using the ratios of one of the sector one cooperatives of Ecuador, and thus validate the level of relevance of this indicator when compared to the standardized objective of the CAMEL model and its risk rating. To apply this theory, linguistic variables were used, the ranges of which were evaluated in 0–1 scales. It was determined that the fuzzy methodology, applied to financial risks, presents a greater level of relevance toward a good credit rating, ensuring a low level of risk and a very good solvency. However, in periods of low economic activity it would stagnate in this level due to the increased risk.     

Developing public servants for the future

ABSTRACT

The majority of UK civil servants are ‘developed’ within a particular service or profession and there is frequently very little movement into other service areas. Many current leaders therefore have limited experiences in services and organizations other than their own. This paper presents a new graduate programme for the training and development of future public leaders in Wales. The programme is a leadership and development programme for civil and public servants, exposing them to a range of services. The intention is that, through these experiences, future leaders will approach problems from a multi-service perspective, will be better networked and ready to deal with complexity. Areas of good practice are highlighted, together with some of the challenges of developing leaders in this way.     

Product Innovation Processes in Small Firms: Combining Entrepreneurial Effectuation and Managerial Causation

This article reports a multimethod study of product innovation processes in small manufacturing firms. Prior studies found that small firms do not deploy the formalized processes identified as best practice for the management of new product development (NPD) in large firms. To explicate small firms' product innovation, this study uses effectuation theory, which emerged from entrepreneurship research. Effectuation theory discerns two logics of decision‐making: causation, assuming that means are selected to attain goals; and effectuation, assuming that goals are created based upon available means. The study used a process research approach, investigating product innovation trajectories in five small firms across 352 total events. Quantitative analyses revealed early effectuation logic, which increasingly turned toward causation logic over time. Further qualitative analyses confirmed the use of both logics, with effectual logic rendering product innovation resource‐driven, stepwise, and open‐ended, and with causal logic used especially in later stages to set objectives and to plan activities and invest resources to attain objectives. Because the application of effectuation logic differentiates the small firm approaches from mainstream NPD best practices, this study examined how small firms' product innovation processes deployed effectuation logic in further detail. The small firms: (1) made creative use of existing resources; (2) scoped innovations to be realizable with available resources; (3) used external resources whenever and wherever these became available; (4) prioritized existing business over product innovation projects; (5) used loose project planning; (6) worked in steps toward tangible outcomes; (7) iterated the generation, selection, and modification of goals and ideas; and (8) relied on their own customer knowledge and market probing, rather than early market research. Using effectuation theory thus helps us understand how small firm product innovation both resembles and differs from NPD best practices observed in larger firms. Because the combination of effectual and causal principles leverages small firm characteristics and resources, this article concludes that product innovation research should more explicitly differentiate between firms of different sizes, rather than prescribing large firm best practices to small firms.     

Injury incidence,risk perception and product-related safety behavior among 18- and 45-year-olds

Abstract

Adolescents generally have twice the injury incidence of adults. This increased risk of injury may partly be a consequence of the types of activities performed, the level of exposure to products and the safety behavior. The purpose of this paper was to identify possible predictors for the increased injury risk of adolescents compared to adults. To this end, all 18- and 45-year-olds in a major city in Norway received a questionnaire asking for information on injury experience, level of use and risk perceptions concerning 14 specific products, and the adoption of safety measures; 686 18-year-olds and 81 o 45-year-olds answered the questionnaire. The adolescents reported a higher injury incidence as compared to adults for all the listed products. The difference was significant even after controlling for level of use. Adolescents also had higher levels of risk perception and decreased adoption of safety measures as compared to adults. Females reported less injuries but higher levels of risk perception than males. Females also adopted more safety measures. An important finding from this study was that adolescents, as compared to adults, also expose themselves to increased risk levels when ‘ordinary’ products are concerned, and not only in terms of well-known high-risk activities (driving fast, skiing downhill, etc.). This tends to support the idea that more general factors or dimensions of risk-related behaviors may exist which should be accounted for in the planning of injury prevention activities.     

Hygienic quality of cleaning cloths used in professional cleaning of private domestic homes

The objective of this laboratory study was to obtain general background information concerning professional cleaning in private domestic homes. The specific aim was to examine the effect of storage and washing of dirty cloths on their hygienic status. The effect of storage on the number of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in cleaning cloths was examined using current or potential materials for professional cleaning in private homes. The bacterial content increased in microfibre cloths in some cases during a normal working day (8 h storage), and more clearly after 16 h or 48 h of storage. Disposable fibre cloths did not promote the growth of microbes as well as microfibre cloths. The effect of detergents on the hygienic status of cleaning cloths was unclear: some cleaning agents appeared to enhance the growth of bacteria, while others did not. In many cases, organic substances, i.e. protein added to the cloths, enhanced the growth of microbes. Washing of microfibre cloths at 60°C reduced the numbers of bacteria on the cloths but did not remove them entirely. Storage of dirty cloths before washing will probably cause difficulties in the proper washing of the cloths, and thus negatively affect their capacity for hygienic results in cleaning surfaces, as well as presenting a risk to the safety of the worker. Cleaning cloths should be washed as soon as possible after use: washing after each working day, at the latest, is recommended. Furthermore, cleaning cloths should be selected for professional use to allow washing at hot temperatures. The findings of this study could be used for training in professional home cleaning. They also provide valuable information for other branches of cleaning, including consumer use in households.     

The statistical evolution of prices on the Istanbul stock exchange

This study documents the statistical properties of the stock returns on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) for the January 1988 to December 1999 period and tries to assess the evolution of the underlying stochastic structure over this time period. It also investigates empirically the relative efficiency of the ISE to test whether the rapid development of this market over the last decade caused it to become a relatively more efficient market. This is accomplished through a number of parametric and non-parametric tests of the random walk hypothesis using daily, weekly and monthly observations of the value-weighted ISE-100 index series. The emphasis is more on the evolution of the price process than on static tests of a random walk model as such. The findings indicate that the price mechanism in the ISE has evolved into a more informationally efficient process in little more than a decade of existence.     

The Importance of Bureaucratic Hierarchy: Conflicting Preferences,Incomplete Control,and Policy Outcomes

Existing theories of legislative delegation feature spatial models in which a principal chooses a single agent to whom to delegate authority. In the canonical model, the ally principle holds – the principal picks the ideologically closest agent. However, elected politicians typically decide whether to delegate not to an individual but to an institution, which consists of many individuals with differing preferences. To improve on existing work, we model delegation with bureaucratic hierarchy. Our results show that hierarchy is sufficient to undercut the ally principle. Indeed, capturing the logic of delegation and its results requires incorporating agency structure, especially the costs of an agency head controlling her subordinates resulting in incomplete control, as different structures are associated with different policy outcomes even when the same people constitute a bureaucracy. We also demonstrate that integrating hierarchy has important implications for a wide range of considerations, such as agency structural choice and the measurement of agency ideal points.     

The Oldest Boundary in Europe? A Critical Approach to the Spanish-Portuguese Border: The Raia Between Galicia and Portugal

The boundary between Spain and Portugal is supposed to be one of the most – if not the most – fixed and stable borders in the world, with some authors stating that it has a history of almost a thousand years. However, this paper demonstrates that this is not the case by arguing that it has a mobile nature. After formulating a theoretical framework on borders and border studies, this contribution focuses on the raia between Galicia and Portugal as a specific section of the international Spanish-Portuguese border; several questions elucidating the mobile nature of the raia are answered, embracing historic, geographic, social, cultural, linguistic and economic issues. The paper finishes by considering the effects of the new period of European integration and by providing some concluding remarks.