The effects of salary and human resource accounting disclosures on small group relations and performance

When human resource accounting type information and salary data were disclosed in the experimental setting of a business game, it was determined that disclosure of salary data had no significant effect on group relations yet the HRA information disclosure tended to produce negative effects on both performance and group relations.     

Diastolic dysfunction

Diastolic dysfunction of the heart is characterized by normal left ventricular contractility and normal ejection fraction, however ventricular relaxation is impaired. In systolic dysfunction, ventricular contractility and ejection fraction are reduced, in addition to impaired relaxation. The prevalence of diastolic dysfunction is increased in the elderly, especially those who have had inadequately treated hypertension. Both diastolic and systolic dysfunction may result in similar clinical signs and symptoms. Therefore, echocardiography is needed to make the distinction. Left atrial (LA) enlargement, assessed by left atrial volume indexed to body surface area, appears to be the best measure to assess diastolic function. LA enlargement is likely when indexed LA volume is > or = 34-40 mL/m2. B-type natriuretic protein appears to be useful for the diagnosis, assessment and prognosis of heart failure, but it does not distinguish between the two types of dysfunctions. Several drug treatments that have effects on the mechanism of diastolic dysfunction are under investigation.     

Differentiation Among US Colleges and Universities

Colleges and universities in the US differ markedly in their access to economic resources. National data are used here to describe the resulting hierarchy that's reflected in schools' spending on their students, the prices those students pay, and the subsidies they get in consequence. Both historical data and projections based on recent institutional saving suggest that economic disparities among institutions and their students are increasing. In a final section, the paper asks what to make of this: what we can say about the right degree of institutional disparity – whether we have too much, too little, or about the right amount of differentiation.     

Lysine and Price Fixing: How Long? How Severe?

In October 1996 the Archer Daniels Midland Company(ADM) pleaded guilty to criminal price fixing withrespect to sales of lysine and agreed to pay a $70million fine. Earlier, in August 1996 two Japaneseproducers and a Korean producer of lysine had agreedto plead guilty to criminal price fixing charges. Andearlier still, in July 1996 ADM and the two Japanesecompanies settled the civil suits filed by some harmedbuyers by agreeing to pay a sum of $45 million.It is this last event that serves as the focus forthis paper. The adequacy of the settlement amount wasa major area of dispute. Connor (1996, 1997, 1998)has claimed that the trebled damages to lysinepurchasers were an order of magnitude larger. Crucialto Connor's conclusions are his assumptions as to thetime period during which the conspiracy had an effecton prices and the but for price that otherwise wouldhave prevailed in the absence of the conspiracy. Thispaper will argue that Connor substantiallyover-estimated the period of the conspiracy andunder-estimated the but-for price.     

Capitalism's growth imperative

A capitalist firm operating in a competitive market is subjectto a growth imperative, because uncertainty about the profitrate under a no-growth policy makes the firm's prospects highlyunattractive in finite time and bankruptcy practically certainin the long run. A no-growth policy determines consumption andinvestment so that they and capital would remain constant overtime if the latter's expected return were realised with certainty.Simulation is used to arrive at the probability of bankruptcyby the end of t periods and the expected values of capital andmoney, for relevant combinations of time and uncertainty undersuccessively more realistic models of a no-growth firm in acompetitive market. The sensitivity of the results to variationin the parameters in each of the models is evaluated. Finally,we establish that a plausible growth policy may achieve growth,but the problem of bankruptcy is not resolved.     

Agriculture in the EEC taking stock

The focus of this assessment is the European Community's ‘Stocktaking of the Common Agricultural Policy’. While the CAP has attracted considerable scrutiny and controversy, the Stocktaking represents the most authoritative review of agricultural policy from within the EEC bureaucracy. The authors evaluate first the extent to which the Stocktaking's own analysis is a fair reflection of achievements under the objectives which the CAP has set for itself. Second, they ask whether the proposals for policy reform advocated in the Stocktaking are appropriate. They conclude that the Stocktaking's proposals — and their subsequent interpretation within the EEC — are not adequate to tackle the problems facing EEC agriculture.     

Attitudes toward Use of Advertising and Various Media Practices by Physicians

Advertising by physicians is a relatively recent phenomenon. The purposes of this study were to determine (a) consumers’ attitudes toward advertising by physicians; (b) whether certain potential consumer demographic variables account for any significant difference in attitudes toward physicians who advertise; and (c) which media consumers feel are appropriate for physicians’ advertising. The intent was to discover information that would be useful to physicians in planning promotional strategies and improving the quality of their advertising. The study seems to confirm the belief of many professionals that advertising and promotion clearly have a place in the future of health care services.