Authentication as Institutional Maintenance Work

Institutional maintenance work refers to actors’ deliberate effort to maintain an institution. This paper examines how actors use authentication, i.e., the relational constitution of an artefact as original or as a genuine expression of a particular type, style or person, to accomplish institutional maintenance work. We investigated contemporary adjustments to six listed buildings. These works were undertaken to keep these buildings functional while at the same time protecting their listing; by doing so they contributed to maintain the institution of Architectural Heritage. Our analysis identifies three forms of authentication: material consolidation, crafts mobilization and character enhancement. We elaborate on each of them and explain their institutional underpinnings and outcomes. The paper concludes with an articulation of authentication as a potent form of institutional maintenance work. Taking its starting point in materiality, authentication is a relational practice that helps maintain institutions relying on irreplaceable artefacts for their maintenance.     

The impact of traffic sign deficit on road traffic accidents in Nigeria

This study assesses the impact of traffic sign deficit on road traffic accidents in Nigeria. The participants were 720 commercial vehicle drivers. While simple random sampling was used to select 6 out of 137 federal highways, stratified random sampling was used to select six categories of commercial vehicle drivers. The study used qual-dominant mixed methods approach comprising key informant interviews; group interviews; field observation; policy appraisal and secondary literature on traffic signs. Result shows that the failure of government to provide and maintain traffic signs in order to guide road users through the numerous accident black spots on the highways is the major cause of road accidents in Nigeria. The study argues that provision and maintenance of traffic signs present opportunity to promoting safety on the highways and achieving the sustainable development goals.     

Violations of Service Fairness and Legal Ramifications: The Case of the Managed Care Industry

Adapted from Chan's (2000) model depicting success of litigation, this paper argues that with the application of various legislation, health maintenance organizations' (HMOs') violations of service fairness to each group: enrollees, physicians, and hospitals give rise to each group's lawsuits against the HMOs. Various authors (Bowen et al., 1999; Seiders and Berry, 1998) indicate that justice concepts such as distributive, procedural, and interactional justice can be applied to the area of service fairness. The violation of these underlying justice principles with HMOs' service unfairness to enrollees, physicians, and hospitals is examined. A general synopsis of the ethical issues in the managed care industry is provided. The various lawsuits launched by each group: enrollees, physicians, and hospitals together with the key statutes used are discussed. This paper also highlights the provisions and ramifications of the 11 April 2000 landmark agreement that Aetna made with Texas Attorney General John Cornyn to settle the 1998 lawsuit brought against the company. Lastly, the current ethical issues in the managed care industry are further discussed. The value of this paper can be adapted to the study of organizations' service fairness violations in other industries or in the educational, governmental, and not-for-profit sectors both nationally and internationally.     

Road infrastructure and economic development in the periphery: the case of A55 improvements in North Wales

This paper examines the impact of a major road improvement programme on the economic development of North Wales. The paper identifies the economic impacts of the road on a selection of firms and organisations in North Wales, and provides a modelling framework to examine the static and dynamic effects of road improvements. Road improvements across North Wales are found to be a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for economic development in this peripheral area.     

建立计算机管理系统 提高机车检修质量

山海关机务段针对传统质量管理手段和机车检修方法存在管理方法落后、检测手段落后和考核机制滞后等弊端,建立机车检修质量计算机管理系统。该系统具有收集处理检修质量信息,提供质量分析、定责、考核依据,强化配件检修质量及检修质量控制等功能,促进了机车质量稳步提高,为旅客列车安全正点运行提供了有力保障,为运输畅通和增运增收发挥了重要作用。     

LABOUR SUPPLY ESTIMATION AND PUBLIC POLICY

Abstract. Economists devote considerable energies towards refining their econometric techniques to overcome difficulties connected with conducting empirical research. Despite advances in technique. it is not clear whether further refinement in this direction is worthwhile for policy purposes. It may be that no further amount of statistical adjustment of inadequate data will increase understanding, and that better data is simply necessary to add to our knowledge. But rarely is sufficient credit paid to new forms of data. In short, econometric technique is emphasized to the neglect of data innovation, as if new data were merely lying about waiting for an ingenious suggestion for use. This paper surveys advances of the last twenty five years in estimating labour supply for policy purposes with a view towards appreciating the relative contribution of both improvements in econometric technique as well as developments of new data.
After briefly detailing the key parameters which economists have sought to estimate, we describe the early 'first generation' research (circa 1970), which is plagued by problems of unobservable variables, measurement errors, truncation and selectivity bias, and non linear budget constraints. 'Second generation' research constitute attempts to resolve one or more of these difficulties, and the respective contribution of econometric technique and new data is acknowledged and assessed, including the contribution of data generated by large scale social experiments in which participants are randomly assigned to different guaranteed income plans and their labour supply behaviour measured.     

对改革供电企业变电检修现行管理模式的探讨

提出了重组专业化的变电检修总公司的战略思路,对电网企业与总公司之间发展新型关系进行了探讨,指出以战略思维构筑战略联盟,保持合作联盟,实现共赢与发展.分析虽是对检修体制改革,同时也是对安全生产管理体制的变革,有利于供电企业的安全生产管理.     

湿地公路与农田水利建设关系分析

湿地因其特殊的自然状况，公路交通建设投资大，成绩显著，但农田水利设施损失严重，正确处理好湿地公路建设与农田水利建设的矛盾，有利于发展交通建设和解决三农问题。文章从公路交通与农田水利现状分析出发，试图找到湿地交通发展与农田水利建设的平衡点，形成公路建设，农田水利建设共同发展的良好循环。     

道路货运企业贯彻ISO9001:2000标准的有关问题研究

对我国道路货运企业贯彻ISO9001:2000标准存在的问题划为三种类型进行剖析,对其质量管理体系运作的机理和实施的方法进行阐述,针对我国道路货运企业质量管理体系建立过程的具体情况,依据ISO9000体系八项原则的要求,提出了一系列具体的对策,研究结论对运输型物流企业同样适用。     

重载交通柔性路面结构设计研究与应用

车辆超载是一个普遍存在的问题,对道路路面的正常使用具有很大影响,是道路路面使用初期产生严重破坏的主要原因.结合深南路的路面修缮工程,分析重载交通柔性路面结构修缮所面临的实际问题.