The Role of Total Factor Productivity Growth in Middle-Income Countries

We examine the importance of total factor productivity (TFP) growth in middle-income countries (MICs) based on cross-country panel data for the period of 1975–2014. We find that TFP growth contributed significantly to a country’s upward transition from middle-income to high-income country group. The TFP growth model reveals that the catch-up effect, human capital, smaller population, weak currency, and research and development growth are significant sources of TFP growth. We do not find a systematic difference in the TFP growth models for MICs. In analyzing the role of factors influencing TFP growth at different income stages, strengthening innovative activities and building innovative capacities are important in overcoming the challenges that MICs face when transitioning to the high-income group. Governments of upper MICs need to initiate reform to motivate innovation by optimizing national R&D systems, and redesigning the educational system to target promoting innovation.     

Creating compassion: How volunteering websites encourage prosocial behaviour

Organisations increasingly use websites to promote prosocial behaviour such as volunteering, philanthropy, and activism. However, these websites often fail to encourage prosocial behaviours effectively. To address the lack of relevant research, we develop, then refine, a design model that identifies the user experience factors that create intention to engage in prosocial behaviour on websites. We test an initial model developed from the literature, by interviewing forty participants, each of whom visited and compared six volunteering websites. Our analysis of the participants' user experience reveals eighteen elements that interplay to create intention to engage in prosocial behaviour. Our refined design model comprises ten website features (interaction, factual, anecdata, external recognition, organisational expression, value suggestion, explanatory content, visual media, written media and, website design), seven perceptions (ease of use, aesthetics, information quality, trust, negative affect, positive affect, and argument strength), and one motivation (egoism). These findings provide novel insights into how to design Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to encourage prosocial behaviour.     

Conducting Mode 2 research in HRM: A phase‐based framework

Recent studies in the field of human resource management (HRM) have highlighted that current research is mostly performed and consumed by academics, and is driven by theoretical and disciplinary concerns rather than practical ones. This debate has invoked the need to produce more Mode 2 research in the HRM field, that is, research driven by practical problems that integrate collaborative efforts by academics and practitioners. Yet, guidelines on how academics and practitioners may implement Mode 2 research remain disjointed and incomplete. Our study provides a phase‐based collaborative‐based framework for the implementation of Mode 2 research in the HRM field, in ways that both academic rigor and practical relevance are achieved. Our framework is informed by a comprehensive review of previous Mode 2 research, within and outside the HRM field. The proposed framework details four macro‐phases: the codevelopment of research questions with practitioners; the design of collaborative spaces and mechanisms; the design and management of double‐loop iterative research processes; and finally the academic and practice legitimization of Mode 2 outcomes. Our framework has the objective to support HRM researchers and practitioners, as well as relevant institutions and gatekeepers in the design, implementation, education, and assessment of Mode 2 research.     

高职院校教师工作压力源研究综述

通过对CNKI数据库中涉及高职院校教师工作压力源文献的统计分析表明：高职院校教师承担的工作压力源多达24项，其中主要包括工作负荷大、学生学习成绩差、教师职业发展受限、学校组织管理科学性不高、工资待遇低、科研论著要求高和社会支持较少等。从实施主体来看，缓解高职院校教师工作压力的对策可分为政府、学校和教师个体三类主体。现有研究在以下领域还需加强：提高对高职教师工作压力源的关注度，把握高职教育的办学特点，重视对缓解工作压力措施的可行性研究。     

模块式小型反应堆研发现状及前景分析

目前的核电站大多数为装机容量较大的反应堆,有些甚至达到了175万千瓦的单机容量,大型堆核电站一次性投入成本高、建造周期长,且难以适应小型电网的需求,而小型反应堆恰好可以解决这一问题,全球掀起了模块式小型核电机组的开发热潮。文章主要介绍了模块式小型反应堆的研发现状、用途,并分析了小型堆与常规堆的优劣势及其发展前景。     

曲面响应法预测砂浆性能的试验研究

本试验以砂浆性能为研究对象,采用Box-Behnken的中心组合实验设计及响应面分析方法对腻子粘结强度进行预测研究。试验选用三因素三水平的响应曲面分析法,建立了粘结强度的二次多项数学模型,并以粘结强度为响应值作响应面和等高线,考察了水粉比、灰粉比和胶粉比对粘结强度的影响,并根据实际选择响应曲面方程,利用最小二乘法估计相应的系数,剔除最不显著因素,建立最终的数学方程。结果表明:该预测模型能很好地描述粘结强度与水粉比、灰粉比和胶粉比之间的关系,可以对腻子粘结强度进行分析和预测,为砂浆性能研究提供一种新方法。     

The future of the chef occupation and the food and beverage sector after the COVID-19 outbreak: Opinions of Turkish chefs

The aim of the present study is to reveal the opinions of the chefs who working as a manager in the kitchen department within the food and beverage sector about what changes might have occurred in their occupation and food and beverage sector after the COVID-19 outbreak. The data were collected through online interview forms and content analysis was used as a data analysis method. The findings reveal three main categories: general opinions after the COVID-19 outbreak, changes that could occur in the food and beverage sector after COVID-19 outbreak, and thoughts for the future of the chef occupation after the COVID-19 outbreak. Since this paper is the first to reveal the opinions of the chefs about what changes might have occurred in their occupation and food and beverage sector after the COVID-19 outbreak, and no similar study could be found in the existing literature, these findings are original.     

A NOTE ON PRICING OF PRODUCT QUALITY FOR STATUS CONCERNS

The paper analyses the optimal pricing of the product quality scheme when concerns for relative standing exist among consumers. We demonstrate that if the proportion of high‐value consumers is over (respectively, under) 1/2 of the total consumers, a firm has an incentive to select a large (respectively, small) quality gap among products. Therefore, there exists a cut‐off level for status concerns, which eliminates quality differences, and the firm assigns the same quality to all the consumers. These results indicate that consumers’ qualities will reflect distortions at the top and bottom. Accordingly, the firm's profit depends on which consumer category is larger.     

言用的跨学科概念平台—信用的基本问题研究系列之一

各学科的信用研究一直没能实现很好的进展。一个重要根源是，传统的信用解释不能为各学科的信用研究提供一个统一的概念平台，以促成各个学科的研究形成合力。通过对信用本身特性的分析可以发现，信用的本质性规定可重新界定为“信用即信任之效用”。这一新界定能够使多学科的信用概念找到一个统一的基础，能够消解传统信用概念使用中的矛盾，能够很好地理顺信用与其他相关概念的关系，从而可以成为多学科信用研究的概念平台。