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Growing Consensus (growing + consensus)
Selected AbstractsFrom the Theory of Aid Effectiveness to the Practice: The European Commission's Governance Incentive TrancheDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5 2009Nadia Molenaers Around the turn of the millennium a growing consensus emerged on the dos and don'ts of development assistance, based on lessons drawn from failed aid. Donors now increasingly see aid as a leverage to induce or support governance reforms in recipient countries. The EC, which considers itself to be a forerunner of the new aid approach, has recently launched a new instrument to incentivise such reforms: the ,Governance Incentive Tranche'. However, the evidence presented in this article suggests that, in design and practice, the incentive tranche is surprisingly similar to some of the unsuccessful aid modalities of the past. [source] Inhibitory functioning across ADHD subtypes: Recent findings, clinical implications, and future directionsDEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 4 2008Zachary W. Adams Abstract Although growing consensus supports the role of deficient behavioral inhibition as a central feature of the combined subtype of ADHD (ADHD/C; Barkley 1997 Psychol Bull 121:65,94; Nigg 2001 Psychol Bull 127:571,598), little research has focused on how this finding generalizes to the primarily inattentive subtype (ADHD/I). This question holds particular relevance in light of recent work suggesting that ADHD/I might be better characterized as a disorder separate from ADHD/C (Diamond 2005 Dev Psychopathol 17:807,825; Milich et al. 2001 Clin Psychol Sci Pract 8:463,488). This article describes major findings in the area of inhibitory performance in ADHD and highlights recent research suggesting important areas of divergence between the subtypes. In particular, preliminary findings point to potential differences between the subtypes with respect to how children process important contextual information from the environment, such as preparatory cues that precede responses and rewarding or punishing feedback following behavior. These suggestive findings are discussed in the context of treatment implications, which could involve differential intervention approaches for each subtype targeted to the specific deficit profiles that characterize each group of children. Future research avenues aimed toward building a sound theoretical model of ADHD/I and a better understanding of its relation to ADHD/C are also presented. Specifically, investigators are encouraged to continue studying the complex interplay between inhibitory and attentional processes, as this area seems particularly promising in its ability to improve our understanding of the potentially distinct pathologies underlying the ADHD subtypes. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2008;14:268,275. [source] REFORM OF THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIAECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 4 2005Jeff Pope This paper examines the case for reform of Australia's Personal Income Tax (PIT), argues that it is outdated, and demonstrates a growing consensus for reform. The importance of tax avoidance, particularly the use of trusts, in the Australian PIT system, and arguably its abrogation of modern-day criteria of what constitutes a ,good tax', is emphasised. Three possible ,reform' options are identified: the ,tinkering and tokenism' approach of current Government policy; moderate reform and a proposed ,significant reform option' costing around $22 billion. Essentially this comprises company and top PIT rate equalisation and a doubling of the tax-free threshold. But funding this is problematical. Two key arguments of the paper are that: (real) simplification i.e. lower compliance costs, is an important yet usually down-played objective in reform proposals; savings from reform denying PIT deductions such as work expenses are insufficient to achieve significant PIT reform. An increase in the rate of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 10% to 15% (with a compensation package) is therefore advocated in a revenue-neutral analysis ignoring current Government budget surpluses. The overall outcome would be a simplified, more equitable and incentive-driven PIT system that would move Australia closer to the PIT and GST policies of other OECD countries. But the political difficulties of reform mean that the Government's ,tinkering' approach is likely to continue. [source] A taxometric study of alcohol abuse and dependence in a general population sample: evidence of dimensional latent structure and implications for DSM-VADDICTION, Issue 5 2009Tim Slade ABSTRACT Aims To explore, with the aid of taxometric analysis, whether alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are each conceptualized most effectively as single latent dimensions or distinct latent categories. Design Data were taken from a nationally representative cross-sectional epidemiological survey of psychiatric and substance use disorders. Setting General population of Australia. Participants A subsample of all respondents who had consumed at least 12 drinks in the year prior to the survey and who had consumed at least three drinks on at least one single day (n = 4920 of a possible 10 641). Measurements DSM-IV criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, version 2.1. Two independent taxometric procedures, MAXimum EIGenvalue (MAXEIG) and mean above minus below a cut (MAMBAC), together with analysis of simulated dimensional and categorical data sets, were carried out. Findings Consistent evidence was found for a single latent dimension underlying the symptoms of alcohol dependence. Less consistent evidence of dimensionality was found for the symptoms of alcohol abuse. Conclusions These findings support the growing consensus regarding the need for continuous measures of alcohol use disorders to complement the traditional categorical representations in upcoming versions of the major psychiatric classification systems. [source] Assessing human germ-cell mutagenesis in the Postgenome Era: A celebration of the legacy of William Lawson (Bill) Russell,ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 2 2007Andrew J. Wyrobek Abstract Birth defects, de novo genetic diseases, and chromosomal abnormality syndromes occur in ,5% of all live births, and affected children suffer from a broad range of lifelong health consequences. Despite the social and medical impact of these defects, and the 8 decades of research in animal systems that have identified numerous germ-cell mutagens, no human germ-cell mutagen has been confirmed to date. There is now a growing consensus that the inability to detect human germ-cell mutagens is due to technological limitations in the detection of random mutations rather than biological differences between animal and human susceptibility. A multidisciplinary workshop responding to this challenge convened at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. The purpose of the workshop was to assess the applicability of an emerging repertoire of genomic technologies to studies of human germ-cell mutagenesis. Workshop participants recommended large-scale human germ-cell mutation studies be conducted using samples from donors with high-dose exposures, such as cancer survivors. Within this high-risk cohort, parents and children could be evaluated for heritable changes in (a) DNA sequence and chromosomal structure, (b) repeat sequences and minisatellites, and (c) global gene expression profiles and pathways. Participants also advocated the establishment of a bio-bank of human tissue samples from donors with well-characterized exposure, including medical and reproductive histories. This mutational resource could support large-scale, multiple-endpoint studies. Additional studies could involve the examination of transgenerational effects associated with changes in imprinting and methylation patterns, nucleotide repeats, and mitochondrial DNA mutations. The further development of animal models and the integration of these with human studies are necessary to provide molecular insights into the mechanisms of germ-cell mutations and to identify prevention strategies. Furthermore, scientific specialty groups should be convened to review and prioritize the evidence for germ-cell mutagenicity from common environmental, occupational, medical, and lifestyle exposures. Workshop attendees agreed on the need for a full-scale assault to address key fundamental questions in human germ-cell environmental mutagenesis. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Do human germ-cell mutagens exist? What are the risks to future generations? Are some parents at higher risk than others for acquiring and transmitting germ-cell mutations? Obtaining answers to these, and other critical questions, will require strong support from relevant funding agencies, in addition to the engagement of scientists outside the fields of genomics and germ-cell mutagenesis. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] How socially responsible engagement can change your business model: The radical experience of Armor LuxGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 1 2008Virginie Vial Despite a growing consensus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues relevant to companies, there is no one-size-fits-all way to structure and organize CSR. The lack of clarity and transparency in the structure leads stakeholders, rightly or wrongly, to accuse companies of "greenwashing strategies." The author analyzes the case of a small French textile company that has radically turned its business model toward CSR in order to survive. It provides a good example of real social engagement and how it transforms the business model. It also raises the question of whether sustainable development issues, scarcity of resources, and deindustrialization of developed countries will move other manufacturers to consider services and intangible assets as part of their business model. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] A THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE EQUITY RISK PREMIUM,JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SURVEYS, Issue 2 2008Roelof SalomonsArticle first published online: 10 MAR 200 Abstract In historical perspective, equity returns have been higher than interest rates but have also varied a good deal more. However, the average excess return has been larger than what could be expected based on classical equilibrium theory: the equity risk premium (ERP) puzzle. This paper has two objectives. First, the paper presents a comprehensive overview of the vast literature developed aimed at adjusting theory and testing the robustness of the puzzle. Here we will show that the failure of theory to link asset prices to economics is mostly quantitative by nature and not qualitative (anymore). Second, beyond providing a survey of theory, we aim for a relevant practical angle as well. Our main contribution is that we spend time on why returns have been higher than investors reasonably could have expected. We present evidence that forecasts of equity returns can be enhanced by valuation models: low valuation levels (low price-to-earnings ratios) portend high subsequent returns. While conventional wisdom (several years ago) was to use historical returns to forecast future returns, a growing consensus now recognizes that the predictive power of valuation ratios is preferred. Finally we provide some practical implications based on this predictability. While the ERP is essentially a long-term issue, the likelihood of a lower risk premium increases risk for many and means that short-term volatility might not be neglected. [source] The Stepparent Relationship Index: Development, validation, and associations with stepchildren's perceptions of stepparent communication competence and closenessPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, Issue 2 2006PAUL SCHRODT There is a growing consensus among family researchers that many of the challenges facing members of stepfamilies revolve around the role of the stepparent. Using schema theory, this study extends recent research on the stepparent role by developing an empirically reliable measure for the primary dimensions that stepchildren identify as part of their stepparent relationship schemas. Participants included 522 young adult stepchildren from 4 different states who completed an inventory assessing key dimensions of the stepparent-stepchild relationship, as well as stepchildren's perceptions of stepparents' communication competence and closeness. The results produced a new multidimensional measure, the Stepparent Relationship Index, as three dimensions of the stepparent-stepchild relationship emerged from factor analytic techniques: positive regard, (step)parental authority, and affective certainty. Each subscale produced acceptable reliability estimates, and initial evidence of concurrent validity was obtained. [source] Further Evidence on the Performance of Funds of Funds: The Case of Real Estate Mutual FundsREAL ESTATE ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2008Kevin C.H. Chiang Funds of funds (FOFs) are created when investment companies invest in other investment companies. Although the additional layer of fees incurred by FOFs has a negative effect on returns, there is empirical evidence that real estate FOFs generate superior performance net of fees and risk adjustments. The evidence is inconsistent with a growing consensus that most actively managed mutual funds do not, on average, generate excess returns after adjusting for fees and risk. This study explains this apparent contradiction and finds that most real estate FOFs do not outperform their benchmarks under alternative risk adjustment specifications. [source] Language out of Music: The Four Dimensions of Vocal LearningTHE AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Nicholas Bannan A growing consensus drawing on research in a wide variety of disciplines has, over the last fifteen years or so, argued the need to revisit Darwin's conjecture of 1871 that language may be descended from an existing, musical medium of communication that developed from animal calls. This paper seeks to examine, in an extension of Hockett's analysis of the design features required for linguistic communication, the nature of the acoustic information produced and perceived in human vocalisation, and to consider the anatomical and neural mechanisms on which these depend. An attempt is made to sketch an evolutionary chronology for key prerequisites of human orality. Cross-species comparisons are employed to illuminate the role of four acoustic variables (pitch, duration, amplitude and timbre), viewing the potential for human vocal productivity from the perspective of animal communication. Although humans are the only species to combine entrainment to pulse with attunement to precisely-tracked pitches, we also depend both for musical interaction and the production and perception of vowel sounds on precise and conscious control of the property of timbre. Drawing on, amongst others, Scherer's analyses of emotionally triggered sounds in a variety of species, and Fernald's presentation of the similarities of infant cries and adult production of infant-directed speech in a variety of cultures and languages, a case is made for the instinctive components of human communication being more music-like than language-like. In conclusion, historical and comparative data are employed to outline the adaptive and exaptive sequence by which human vocal communication evolved. The roles of selective pressures that conform to different adaptive models are compared,natural selection, sexual selection, group selection,leading to the proposal that all of these must have played their part at different stages in the process in a ,mosaic' model consistent with the development of other human traits. [source] Approaching archetypes: reconsidering innatenessTHE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Erik Goodwyn Abstract:, The question of innateness has hounded Jungian psychology since Jung originally postulated the archetype as an a priori structure within the psyche. During his life and after his death he was continually accused of Lamarckianism and criticized for his theory that the archetypes existed as prior structures. More recently, with the advent of genetic research and the human genome project, the idea that psychological structures can be innate has come under even harsher criticism even within Jungian thought. There appears to be a growing consensus that Jung's idea of innate psychological structures was misguided, and that perhaps the archetype-as-such should be abandoned for more developmental and ,emergent' theories of the psyche. The purpose of this essay is to question this conclusion, and introduce some literature on psychological innateness that appears relevant to this discussion. Translations of Abstract La question de l'innéité a talonné la psychologie jungienne dès le moment où Jung postula que l'archétype était une structure a priori contenue dans la psyché. Tout au long de sa vie et après sa mort, il fut constamment accusé de lamarckisme et critiqué pour sa théorie de l'existence des archétypes comme structures a priori. Plus récemment, avec l'avènement des recherches en génétique et le projet du génome humain, l'idée que les structures psychologiques pourraient être innées a suscité les foudres de la critique, y compris au sein même de la pensée jungienne. Il semblerait qu'il y ait un consensus croissant quant au caractère erroné de la théorie de Jung de l'existence de structures psychologiques innées, ainsi qu'une tendance générale à considérer que l'archétype-en-soi devrait être abandonné au profit de théories psychiques plus développementales et «émergentes ». Le but de cet essai est d'interroger une telle conclusion et d'introduire un peu de littérature sur l'innéité psychologique afin d'alimenter la discussion. Die Frage nach dem Angeborenen hat die jungianische Psychologie umgetrieben seit Jung den Archetyp als eine a priori in der Psyche vorhandene Struktur postulierte. Während seines Lebens und nach seinem Tode wurde er fortwährend des Lamarckismusses beschuldigt und für seine Theorie kritisiert, nach der die Archetypen als a-priori-Strukturen vorhanden sein sollen. Unlängst, mit dem Aufblühen der genetischen Forschung und dem Projekt der Entschlüsselung des menschlichen Genoms, erntete die Idee, daß psychische Strukturen angeboren sein könnten, selbst im jungianischen Denken noch harschere Kritik. Es scheint einen wachsenden Konsens darüber zu geben, daß Jungs Idee der angeborenen psychischen Strukturen irreführend sei und daß vielleicht der Archetyp-an-sich aufgegeben werden sollte zugunsten von entwicklungspsychologischen und ,emergenten' Theorien des Seelischen. Der Zweck dieses Essays ist es, diesen Schluß in Frage zu stellen und einige Literatur zum psychisch Angeborenen vorzustellen, die für diese Diskussion relevant zu sein scheint. La questione dell' innato ha perseguitatola psicologia junghiana da quando originariamente Jung considerò l'archetipo come una struttura a priori all'interno della psiche. Durante la vita e anche dopo la morte venne continuamente accusato di Lamarchismo e criticato per la sua teoria degli archetipi come struttura a priori. Più recentemente, con l'avvento della ricerca genetica e del progetto del genoma umano, l'idea che strutture psicologiche possano essere innate è stata criticata ancora più duramente anche all'interno del pensiero junghiano. Sembra esserci un crescente consenso al fatto che l'idea junghiana di strutture psicologiche innate sia sviante e che forse l'archetipo in quanto tale debba essere abbandonato in favore di teorie della psiche più evolutive e ,emergenti'. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è di mettere in discussione tale conclusione, e porta della letteratura su aspetti psicologici innati rilevante per questa discussione. La pregunta sobre lo innato ha acosado a la psicología Jungiana desde que Jung postuló originalmente el arquetipo como una estructura a priori dentro de la psique. Durante su vida y después su muerte fue acusado continuamente de Lamarckianismo y criticado para su teoría de que los arquetipos existieron como a priori. Más recientemente, con el advenimiento de investigación genética y el proyecto genoma humano, la idea que las estructuras psicológicas puedan ser innatas, ha surgido una crítica más dura aún dentro del pensamiento Jungiano. Allí parece haber un consenso creciente en relación a que la idea de Jung de estructuras psicológicas innatas fue confusa, y que quizás la idea del arquetipo como-tal, debe ser abandonada y dar cabida a teorías más desarrolladas y ,actualizadas' de la psique. El propósito de este ensayo es de cuestionar esta conclusión, e introducir alguna literatura sobre lo innato psicológico, la cual pereciera pertinente en esta discusión. [source] Shareholder Primacy and the Distribution of WealthTHE MODERN LAW REVIEW, Issue 1 2005Paddy Ireland In recent years a growing consensus has emerged in favour of the shareholder-oriented model of the corporation. Increasingly, this model is justified not on the basis of shareholder ownership rights but on efficiency grounds: whoever the immediate and direct beneficiaries of shareholder-orientation, it is argued, it ultimately indirectly benefits everyone by ensuring the maximization of aggregate social wealth. The prevalence of this view has caused the distributional dimensions of corporate governance to be neglected. This paper examines the distribution of share ownership and financial wealth in the US and the UK. Although share ownership has become more widely spread, it argues, it remains very heavily concentrated with the result that shareholder primacy is in reality the primacy of a small privileged elite. After an exploration of the contradictions of working class shareholding and the impact of greater shareholder-orientation on the distribution of wealth, the paper concludes by re-evaluating Hansmann and Kraakman's ,end of corporate history' thesis, arguing that recent developments represent a triumph not for efficiency but for the growing power of the shareholder class. [source] One Hundred Years of British Minimum Wage LegislationBRITISH JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 2 2009Simon Deakin The Trade Boards Act 1909 was a landmark in the development of minimum wage regulation in Britain and around the world. Although their powers were limited, the trade boards had immediate and tangible effects in terms of raising living standards, and over time they became a core part of the system of state support for collective wage determination. While influential overseas, the wages councils (as the trade boards became after 1945) were eventually seen as providing only a partial solution to the problem of low pay. In the 1980s, their powers were reduced under the influence of deregulatory labour market policies, prior to their abolition in 1993. The British national minimum wage (,NMW'), which was introduced in 1998, despite appearances, is not a universal national minimum of the kind which the Webbs and other Fabian writers argued for a century ago. Notwithstanding a growing consensus that the supposed negative economic effects of the minimum wage have not been borne out by the experience of the NMW, public policy has yet to take fully on board its potential benefits, including the reduction of social costs and the promotion of social partnership. [source] How warm is the corporate response to climate change?BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 1 2008Evidence from Pakistan, the UK Abstract In response to growing consensus among scientists and governments to act fast to avoid dangerous impacts of climate change, many industries have started to prepare for a carbon-constrained world. However, this response is far from being uniform. Often action is predicated on economic, technological, organizational and institutional drivers and barriers, which vary between countries and across industrial sectors. In order to understand the effectiveness of industry response, it is therefore important to analyse corporate response across different sectors in different countries. Focusing on the nine most energy-intensive and greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting industrial sectors, this paper compares corporate responses to climate change in Pakistan and the UK. By analysing the divergence of strategies adopted by industries across different sectors in two countries, the paper examines the key factors influencing corporate adoption and implementation of GHG reduction and energy-efficiency strategies in Pakistan and the UK. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] | ||||||||||||||||