Problem-solving in teaching/learning packages for Technology

In the project Technology in Secondary Education: Problem-solving in Teaching/learning Packages, two experiments regarding a construction problem and an explanation problem were conducted, in which two variants of a teching/learning package (strongly structuredvs. weakly structured) were compared. Only with the strongly structured instructional variant of the package for the explanation problem did the pupils come to a quick solution of the problem. In both experiments, the factors that influenced the problem-solving processes of the pupils were investigated. The results are of importance for curriculum developers and the authors of teaching/learning packages for Technology but further research into the factors influencing the problem solving process of pupils is necessary.     

Household migration in the Southern Cone: the case of Paraguay

This study of migration from Paraguay to Argentina focuses on urban to urban migration and uses about 1300 interviews collected during September 1983 to May 1984 for constructing a profile of the migrants. Paraguayan migration to Argentina has historical roots. The first flows were in 1936 and 1947 and were due to war. Migrants tended to settle in Formosa and Misiones provinces in the northern region. The second waves that occurred during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were to Buenos Aires. Most migration during the more recent years was motivated by economics. It is likely that the key factors were push factors in Paraguay. Migration policies in sending and receiving countries are lax. Half of the interviews were conducted among families in Gran Buenos Aires, and half were conducted among families in Asuncion, Paraguay. 33% of migrants in Argentina reported Asuncion as their last residence. Many migrants were from departments bordering on Argentina. Only 222 of the 543 heads of household who had been employed prior to departure reported that farm work had been their employment. Migration is precipitated by both economic and noneconomic factors. Logistic model findings indicate that urban migrant heads of households tended to be younger and less educated than nonmigrants. Migrants tended to be single heads of households with relatively few children. Rural migrants were less likely to be female and were more likely to have a larger family size than urban migrants. Heads of household with fewer continuous years of employment were more likely to migrate. Findings from data at the time of the interview suggest that higher relative wages were a pull force, when age, sex, education, marital status, size of business, and job seniority were controlled for. The recent democratization in Paraquay is like to attract return migrants, if urban employment opportunities are available.     

When an executive defects

The news that one of the company's senior managers is leaving comes as a complete surprise to Paul Simmonds, CEO of Kinsington Textiles, Inc. Ned Carpenter, KTI's vice president of operations for three years, writes in his resignation letter than he is leaving for a better opportunity. Simmonds soon learns that Carpenter's new job is at Daltex, one of KTI's main rivals in the intensely competitive carpet industry. Hiring Carpenter had helped Simmonds establish his reputation as a topnotch manager. Carpenter came to KTI with lots of ideas and put his enthusiasm to good use. Three years into a five-year change program, Carpenter had turned KTI's operations from one of the worst in the industry to one of the best. He also had helped develop and plan the upcoming launch of a new fiber coating--KTI's first breakthrough in years. In this fictitious case study, Simmonds, along with the company's counsel and vice president of human resources, must figure out how much and what sort of damage control they need. What are they going to tell the company's employees and the media? Should they immediately replace Carpenter with John Brady, the second-in-command of operations? What if Carpenter is taking KTI employees--and strategic information--with him to Daltex? Should Simmonds ask all his managers to sign noncompete agreements-something Carpenter was never asked to do? Should KTI sue Carpenter? Five experts offer advice about communicating with KTI's employees, the media, and Carpenter himself, and about protecting the company's confidential information.     

China''''s Cooperative Exploration of Oil and Gas and Its Taxation System

China' s foreign-oriented oil taxation system has, from the beginning, been based upon the positive experiences of other oil-producing countries and has incorporated common international practices. The system has been perfected over decades. It of fers more incentives than other oil-producing countries in the following four aspects: (1) Income tax has a "wide tax base and low tax rate"; (2) VAT levies a low tax rate on ma-     

Inventory accuracy in 60 days!

Despite great advances in manufacturing technology and management science, thousands of organizations still don't have a handle on basic inventory accuracy. Many companies don't even measure it properly, or at all, and lack corrective action programs to improve it. This article offers an approach that has proven successful a number of times, when companies were quite serious about making improvements. Not only can it be implemented, but also it can likely be implemented within 60 days per area, if properly managed. The hardest part is selling people on the need to improve and then keeping them motivated. The net cost of such a program? Probably less than nothing, since the benefits gained usually far exceed the costs. Improved inventory accuracy can aid in enhancing customer service, determining purchasing and manufacturing priorities, reducing operating costs, and increasing the accuracy of financial records. This article also addresses the gap in contemporary literature regarding accuracy program features for repetitive, JIT, cellular, and process- and project-oriented environments.     

The market for surrogate motherhood contracts

Surrogate motherhood is a controversial subject, and has not previously been formally modelled by economists. In this paper, a neoclassical model of the market for surrogate motherhood contracts is developed, based on the utility maximizing decisions of potential surrogate mothers and commissioning parties. The presence of both altruistic and self-interested behaviour generates unusual market outcomes.