Simulating economic values of a genetic improvement program for Australian farmed saltwater crocodiles*

In genetic improvement programs, candidates for breeders are ranked by the profitability of their offspring, expressed as a weighted sum of the genetic gain from selection. In this paper, we estimate the economic values of a genetic improvement program for Australian farmed saltwater crocodiles. A bioeconomic profit function for a representative breeding pair is used to determine the optimal slaughter age following genetic improvement in each selection objective. The results indicate that estimated farm profitability increases by nearly $A111 for a 1‐week reduction in juvenile slaughter age, $A78 for a 1 per cent increase in the proportion of first‐grade skins produced, and $A33 for an increase in the number of viable hatchlings per clutch. The implications of the analysis for the Australian crocodile industry and the limitations of the research are explored.     

College students’ and Mechanical Turk workers’ environmental factors while completing online surveys

Few studies have investigated the environmental factors of participants completing online self-report surveys, such as the presence of others and engagement in multitasking. The current study examined the environmental factors of 1023 participants drawn from two popular convenience populations—college students (n?=?512) and Mechanical Turk workers (n?=?511). All participants completed online measures of computer self-efficacy, the five-factor model of personality, and social desirability, as well as a questionnaire about their environment and activities when completing the measures. The two samples differed in terms of environmental factors, with college students significantly more likely to report: (1) being in a location other than their place of residence, (2) interacting with others, (3) being interrupted, (4) engaging in multitasking, (5) being under the influence of alcohol or other substances, and (6) completing the study using a laptop computer. The presence of others interacted with sample to predict personality and social desirability scores. Additionally, both presence of others and engaging in multitasking predicted longer completion time.

     

‘It’s not something I’m proud of but it’s … just how I feel’: local surfer perspectives of localism

This article focuses on a defining concept of modern surfing: localism. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach, the data for this study were collected using participant observation, field notes and interviews between 2008 and 2009 with a significant population of local surfers in a village location in Cornwall, South West of England, UK. Developing Bennett’s definition of localism, data suggested a benign form of localism and in conveying this, we make a number of associated observations. Our analysis considers how a process of Othering led to the construction of Established Insiders based primarily on location, rather than gender. These Established Insiders saw the need to protect their community and its way of life from Outsiders. The focal point for protection was the liminal space/phase that opened up on ‘their’ local waves, as it was through temporal space that communitas was generated and thus community sustained. We illustrate how benign localism was exacerbated by overcrowding and how local surfers’ experiences of localism made them aware of their becoming Outsiders in other surfing localities, modifying their behaviour accordingly. The paper also suggests that debates about localism need to view the concept as a continuum of attitudes and behaviours ranging from the benign to the heavy, and that attention needs paying to how localism varies between contexts and the ways in which localism may share social antecedents. Lastly, we highlight the utility of viewing the beach and wave as liminal spaces that give rise to communitas for those who surf it together regularly.     

Explosive Asset Price Bubble Detection with Unknown Bubble Length and Initial Condition

Recent research has proposed a method of detecting explosive processes that is based on forward recursions of OLS, right‐tailed, Dickey–Fuller [DF] unit root tests. In this paper, an alternative approach using GLS DF test statistics is considered. We derive limiting distributions for both mean‐invariant and trend‐invariant versions of OLS and GLS‐based Phillips, Wu and Yu (2011, International Economic Review 52, 201–226) [PWY] test statistics under a temporary, locally explosive alternative. These limits are shown to be dependent on both the value of the initial condition and the start and end points of the temporary explosive regime. Local asymptotic power simulations show that a GLS version of the PWY statistic offers superior power when a large proportion of the data is explosive, but that the OLS approach is preferred for explosive periods of short duration as a proportion of the total sample. These power differences are magnified by the presence of an asymptotically non‐negligible initial condition. We propose a union of rejections procedure that capitalizes on the respective power advantages of both OLS and GLS‐based approaches. This procedure achieves power close to the effective envelope provided by the two individual PWY tests across all settings of the initial condition and length of the explosive period considered in this paper. These results are shown to be robust to the point in the sample at which the temporary explosive regime occurs. An application of the union procedure to NASDAQ prices confirms the empirical value of this testing strategy.     

Destination attractiveness and travel intention: the case of Chinese and Indian students in Queensland,Australia

Destination attractiveness is an important stream of literature. Australia has been recognized as one of the world’s most attractive destinations. This study looked into international students’ perceptions of Australia as an attractive international tourism destination as well as their travel intention. A sample of 252 Chinese and Indian international students participated in the study. Students’ perceived destination attractiveness and how it influenced their travel intention, pleasure of travel and place attachment were investigated. The study also looked into perception differences between Chinese and Indian students using t-test and hierarchical regressions.     

Enhancing Competitiveness Through Guests’ Experiences: A Typology of Customer Experiences in Upscale Hotels

This study sought to develop a marketing model that can enhance the competitiveness of four- and five-star hotels in Kenya. The main factors generating guests’ expectations and delight were investigated after focusing on managers’ and customers’ opinions since these perspectives have generally been underexplored. The voices and viewpoints of these stakeholders were therefore incorporated and analyzed in determining an appropriate marketing model, which was based on the experiences of guests in hotels after examining what they considered important.     

Measuring Heterogeneous Preferences for Cattle Traits among Cattle-Keeping Households in East Africa

This study employs mixed logit and latent class models to examine preferences for cattle traits with a focus on heterogeneity among cattle keepers, using choice experiment data of 506 cattle-keeping households in Kenya and Ethiopia. The findings indicate the existence of preference heterogeneity based on cattle production systems. Highly valued cattle traits for the cropping systems include traction fitness and trypanotolerance, while traits associated with herd increase are considered important in pastoral systems. Considering heterogeneity within population segments provides a framework for adapting breeding policy interventions to specific producer segments, by integrating preferred traits in a breed improvement program.     

Inflatable rescue boat-related injuries in Queensland surf lifesavers: the epidemiology - biomechanics interface

The objective was to describe the relationship between epidemiological and biomechanical factors in the causal pathway of inflatable rescue boat (IRB)-related injuries in Australian surf lifesavers; to develop epidemiological and biomechanical methodologies and measurement instruments that identify and measure the risk factors, for use in future epidemiological studies. Epidemiological and biomechanical models of injury causation were combined. Host, agent and environmental factors that influenced total available force for transfer to host were specified. Measurement instruments for each of the specified risk factors were developed. Instruments were piloted in a volunteer sample of surf lifesavers. Participant characteristics were recorded using demographic questionnaires; IRB operating techniques were recorded using a custom-made on-board camera (Grand RF-Guard) and images of operating techniques were coded by two independent observers. Ground reaction forces transmitted to the host through the lifesaver's feet at the time of wave impact were measured using a custom-built piezoelectric force platform. The demographic questionnaire was found practical; the on-board camera functioned successfully within the target environment. Agreement between independent coders of IRB operating technique images was significant (p < 0.001) with Kappa values ranging from 0.5 to 0.7. Biomechanical instruments performed successfully in the target environment. Peak biomechanical forces were 415.6N (left foot) and 252.9N (right foot). This study defines the relationship between epidemiological and biomechanical factors in modifying the risk of IRB-related injury in a population of surf lifesavers. Preliminary feasibility of combining epidemiological and biomechanical information has been demonstrated. Further testing of the proposed model and measurement instruments is required.