Goals-delphis for urban planning: Concepts in their design

An algorithm for the use of the Delphi technique in developing goal hierarchies for urban systems planning is outlined. Some of the major psychological forces operating in the Delphi process, particularly the influence of group pressure, are discussed, and the implications of these in terms of alternative internal designs are described. Goals-Delphis may be considered to involve value judgments, and as such are subject to certain restrictions. They have organizational implications beyond the deliberate goal setting effort, and may be adapted for use as change agents through administrative experiments. The possibility of the use of Delphi for improving the efficiency of multidisciplinary research teams is explored.     

Software engineering standards: the 'formal methods debate' in the uk

This paper traces the evolution of two standards, Def Stan 00-55 and 00-56, regualtin the identification and productin of safety-critical software for defence applications, issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as interim standards in 1991. The standards—00-55, in particular—have become an important forum for articulating the interests of those who work in the UK safety-critical software engineering field; a debate which has largely revolved around the intergral role 00-55 demands for formal methods of sofware development for safety-critical functions or components. In recounting the stor of their gestation within the MoD during the early 1980s; their controversial release in draft form in 1989; and their subsequent second release as interim standards in 1991, the aim has been to illuminate some of the current 'politics' of formal methods of software production, and to consider how the standards are reshaping the discipline of software engineering.     

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACTS AND JOB SATISFACTION: CLUSTERING ANALYSIS USING EVIDENTIAL C‐MEANS AND COMPARISON WITH OTHER TECHNIQUES

The psychological contract refers to an individual employee's belief in mutual obligations between them and their employer. Psychological contracts are a key management concern, as they can impact employees' attitudes and behaviors in ways that influence organizational efficiency and effectiveness. In this paper, we analyse the relationship between the psychological contract and facets of job satisfaction among non‐profit sector employees, using the nascent non‐hierarchical evidential c‐means (ECM) clustering technique. To date, this technique has been theoretically discussed but not widely applied. Based on the Dempster–Shafer theory of evidence, ECM is novel in facilitating the assignment of objects, not only to single clusters, but to sets of clusters, and no clusters (outliers). The paper compares the theoretical underpinnings and findings from ECM with those of three other well‐known clustering techniques, namely (1) the hierarchical Ward's method, (2) the non‐hierarchical crisp k‐means and (3) the non‐hierarchical fuzzy c‐means approaches. We present and interpret the cluster solutions from each clustering technique. We establish three clusters differentiated by the content of the employees' psychological contracts. These clusters are validated by considering their relationship with facets of job satisfaction, to ensure the clusters are theoretically meaningful. Comparisons of the findings from each technique: (1) provide insights into the relationship between the psychological contract and job satisfaction; (2) reveal what ECM encompasses, relative to other clustering techniques; (3) inform the selection of an appropriate clustering technique for a specific research problem; and (4) demonstrate potential future directions in the development of cluster analysis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mexican national cross-border shopping: Exploration of retail tourism

This exploration of cross-border shopping by Mexican national shoppers at a regional discount outlet mall studies the: (1) economic impacts of their expenditures on the local and regional economies, and (2) activities they engage in while at the outlet malls and benefits received from shopping there. Spending by cross-border shoppers varied by accommodation type; hotels or motels/friends and family spent approximately $800 (U.S.) on clothing daily and condominiums/day visitors between $400 and $475 (U.S.). The multiplier for cross-border spending at the local level ranged from 1.27 to 1.45. Top cross-border shopper activities were shopping and buying, followed by eating, and visiting.     

Research and development target‐setting difficulties addressed through the emergent method: technology forecasting using data envelopment analysis

The aim of this study is to provide a foundation for researchers and managers to discuss and resolve difficulties associated with research and development (R&D) target‐setting. While multiple studies mention the difficulty of R&D target‐setting, few have compiled reasons for these difficulties or addressed this issue in detail. This paper provides one of the first studies outlining reasons for R&D target‐setting difficulties through a literature review. It also provides an initial set of analyses and results after applying an emerging quantitative method, Technology Forecasting Using Data Envelopment Analysis (TFDEA), to illustrate these difficulties step‐by‐step to commercial airplanes. Results include determining the state of art in commercial airplane technology and technological rate‐of‐change variants in setting R&D targets.     

Characteristics and Information Value of Credit Watches

We analyze credit watch and rating actions to better understand the role of credit watches in the credit rating process. We find that watch actions are more frequently prompted by specific, publicly known events than are rating actions. The likelihood that a watch action precedes a rating action varies systematically with proxies for investor demand for credit quality information and the adverse consequences of issuing a rating change prematurely. Credit watches occur more often in response to deterioration in credit quality, and issuers make concerted efforts to address the concerns that prompted down watches. Down watches are less likely than up watches to indicate the direction of the subsequent rating change. Watch announcements are associated with abnormal stock returns, indicating that credit watch actions are significant information events. Our results suggest that credit watches are informative and facilitate the stability of ratings by allowing firms to correct deficiencies and prevent downgrades.     

Extreme jobs: the dangerous allure of the 70-hour workweek

Today's overachieving professionals labor longer, take on more responsibility, and earn more than the workaholics of yore. They hold what Hewlett and Luce call "extreme jobs", which entail workweeks of 60 or more hours and have at least five often characteristics-such as tight deadlines and lots of travel--culled from the authors' research on this work model. A project of the Hidden Brain Drain Task Force, a private-sector initiative, this research consists of two large surveys (one of high earners across various professions in the United States and the other of high-earning managers in large multinational corporations) that map the shape and scope of such jobs, as well as focus groups and in-depth interviews that get at extreme workers' attitudes and motivations. In this article, Hewlett and Luce consider their data in relation to increasing competitive pressures, vastly improved communication technology, cultural shifts, and other sweeping changes that have made high-stakes employment more prominent. What emerges is a complex picture of the all-consuming career-rewarding in many ways, but not without danger to individuals and to society. By and large, extreme professionals don't feel exploited; they feel exalted. A strong majority of them in the United States-66%-say they love their jobs, and in the global companies survey, this figure rises to 76%. The authors' research suggests, however, that women are at a disadvantage. Although they don't shirk the pressure or responsibility of extreme work, they are not matching the hours logged by their male colleagues. This constitutes a barrier for ambitious women, but it also means that employers face a real opportunity: They can find better ways to tap the talents of women who will commit to hard work and responsibility but cannot put in over-long days.