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Performance Measures (performance + measure)
Kinds of Performance Measures Selected AbstractsTaxable Income as a Performance Measure: The Effects of Tax Planning and Earnings Quality,CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Benjamin C. Ayers First page of article [source] Randomized controlled trial of physiotherapy in 56 children with cerebral palsy followed for 18 monthsDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2001E Bower PhD MCSP Senior Research Fellow This study aimed to determine whether motor function and performance is better enhanced by intensive physiotherapy or collaborative goal-setting in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants were a convenience sample of 56 children with bilateral CP classified at level III or below on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), aged between 3 and 12 years. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to compare the effects of routine amounts of physiotherapy with intensive amounts, and to compare the use of generalized aims set by the child's physiotherapist with the use of specific, measurable goals negotiated by the child's physiotherapist with each child, carer, and teacher. Following the six-month treatment period there was a further six-month period of observation. Changes in motor function and performance were assessed by a masked assessor using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and the Gross Motor Performance Measure (GMPM) at three-month intervals. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores achieved between intensive and routine amounts of therapy or between aim-directed and goal-directed therapy in either function or performance. Inclusion of additional covariates of age and severity levels showed a trend towards a statistically significant difference in children receiving intensive therapy during the treatment period. This advantage declined over the subsequent six months during which therapy had reverted to its usual amount. Differences in goal-setting procedures did not produce any detectable effect on the acquisition of gross motor function or performance. [source] The utility of the Dutch Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 for assessing health status in individuals with haemophilia: a pilot studyHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 6 2000N. L. U. Van Meeteren The aim of this pilot study was to examine the usefulness of the Dutch version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (D-AIMS2)in assessing the health status of Dutch individuals with haemophilia. Sixty-eight individuals with mild, moderate, and severe haemophilia attending our clinic for their annual check-up participated. They first completed the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). The D-AIMS2 was filled in afterwards at home. With the COPM, individuals rated their specific problematic activities of daily life (ADL), as well as the severity and importance of each problem. The D-AIMS2 is a comprehensive, self-administered questionnaire that evaluates functional health status. Fifty-seven individuals completed and returned the D-AIMS2. Reliability analysis demonstrated good internal consistency for the scales (Cronbach's ,=0.76,1.00), as well as for the components (,=0.80,0.88), except for the component ,social interaction' (,=0.44). Criterion validity of the D-AIMS2 was assessed by comparison with COPM outcomes; 80% of the problematic ADLs were included in the questionnaire, 20% were missing. Correlations between the D-AIMS2 components ,physical health' and ,symptoms' with predicted scores of those individuals by a highly experienced physiotherapist (r=0.63 and 0.53, respectively) substantiated its concurrent validity. Based on these results we concluded that the D-AIMS2, with minor adjustments, can be an appropriate tool for assessing the health status of Dutch haemophilia patients. [source] Reliability and validity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for clients with psychiatric disorders in TaiwanOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2003Dr Ay-Woan Pan Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) in Taiwanese clients with psychiatric disorders. The COPM was translated into Mandarin and tested on 141 Taiwanese clients. The average age of the clients was 35.6 years; 94% were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The results of the study showed that the test,retest reliability of the COPM was r=0.842. The COPM identified occupational performance problems that included self-care (37%), productivity (25%), and leisure occupations (20%). Fifty percent of the therapists were receptive in adapting the client-centred approach and applying the COPM in their clinical practice. It was concluded that the COPM can be applied reliably to Taiwanese clients. Furthermore, the COPM was valuable in identifying information related to occupational performance that could not be identified elsewhere. Since 50% of the therapists felt reluctant about the appropriateness of the client-centred approach in their culture, it was important to examine the gap between clients' judgements and actual performance, as well as to evaluate the feasibility of the client-centred concept in clinical practice. Finally, the concept of the client-centred approach needs to be disseminated and communicated to the occupational therapy profession in order that the COPM can be adequately applied in mental health practice. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Routine administration of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: Effect on functional outcomeAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2010Heather Colquhoun Background/aim:,Routinely using outcome measures as an integral component of practice has been encouraged for decades yet has not been widely adopted. There are many reasons to measure outcomes yet any positive effect of measurement on our programs or clients has not been substantiated. If the time-consuming nature of outcome measurement is to be encouraged, we need to begin addressing larger questions of the value of outcome measurement on care and outcomes. This cohort study evaluated the impact of routinely administering the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure on client outcomes on a geriatric rehabilitation unit. Methods:,Changes in Functional Independence MeasureÔ scores between an experimental group (n = 45) that received the routine use of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for evaluation/planning versus a historical comparison group (n = 58) that received ,usual' care were analysed using generalised linear modeling. Results:,Both groups had significant changes in Functional Independence MeasureÔ scores over time. Results for differences between groups were inconclusive with a significantly underpowered analysis; however, results suggest that a medium to large effect of this intervention cannot be expected. Conclusions:,Results are significant for the field of routine outcome measurement, suggesting that when adding the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to routine assessment within an inpatient rehabilitation setting, substantially improved Functional Independence MeasureÔ score outcomes should not be expected. The value of routine outcome measurement on client outcomes remains largely unexplored. Routinely, using outcome measures requires additional research to determine the specific benefits to our programs and client outcomes. [source] The Tree Theme Method as an intervention in psychosocial occupational therapy: Client acceptability and outcomesAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009A. Birgitta Gunnarsson Background/aim:,The Tree Theme Method (TTM) is an intervention in which the client paints trees representing certain periods in his/her life. The intervention comprises five sessions, using trees as a starting point to tell one's life story. This study, which is part of an implementation project, aimed to examine the therapeutic alliance and client satisfaction, in relation to perceptions of everyday occupations and health-related factors, with clients going through a TTM intervention. Methods:,Nine occupational therapists recruited 35 clients, at general outpatient mental health care units, for the TTM intervention. Self-rating instruments, targeting therapeutic alliance (HAq-II), different aspects of daily occupations (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Satisfaction with Daily Occupations), health-related factors (Sense of Coherence measure, Mastery Scale, Symptom Checklist-90-R) and client satisfaction (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire), were administrated before and after the intervention. Results:,A good initial therapeutic alliance, experienced by both therapists and clients, was correlated to increased changes regarding occupational performance and self-mastery. According to the therapists' ratings, a good initial therapeutic alliance was correlated to increased sense of coherence and a decreased level of psychiatric symptoms. The results showed positive significant changes in occupational performance and health-related factors. High ratings of the therapeutic alliance by the therapists were also related to high client satisfaction. Conclusions:,The TTM seemed to function well in psychosocial occupational therapy, but there is a need for further implementation studies to deepen our understanding of the treatment process, comprising both technique and formation of the therapeutic alliance. [source] Accuracy of Relative Weights on Multiple Leading Performance Measures: Effects on Managerial Performance and Knowledge,CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 2 2010KHIM KELLY First page of article [source] Performance Measures for Selection of Metamodels to be Used in Simulation OptimizationDECISION SCIENCES, Issue 1 2002Anthony C. Keys ABSTRACT This paper points out the need for performance measures in the context of simulation optimization and suggests six such measures. Two of the measures are indications of absolute performance, whereas the other four are useful in assessing the relative performance of various candidate metamodels. The measures assess performance on three fronts: accuracy of placing optima in the correct location, fit to the response, and fit to the character of the surface (expressed in terms of the number of optima). Examples are given providing evidence of the measures' utility,one in a limited scenario deciding which of two competing metamodels to use as simulation optimization response surfaces vary, and the other in a scenario of a researcher developing a new, sequential optimization search procedure. [source] The Relationship between Health Plan Performance Measures and Physician Network Overlap: Implications for Measuring Plan QualityHEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 4 2010Daniel D. Maeng Objective. To examine the extent to which health plan quality measures capture physician practice patterns rather than plan characteristics. Data Source. We gathered and merged secondary data from the following four sources: a private firm that collected information on individual physicians and their health plan affiliations, The National Committee for Quality Assurance, InterStudy, and the Dartmouth Atlas. Study Design. We constructed two measures of physician network overlap for all health plans in our sample and linked them to selected measures of plan performance. Two linear regression models were estimated to assess the relationship between the measures of physician network overlap and the plan performance measures. Principal Findings. The results indicate that in the presence of a higher degree of provider network overlap, plan performance measures tend to converge to a lower level of quality. Conclusions. Standard health plan performance measures reflect physician practice patterns rather than plans' effort to improve quality. This implies that more provider-oriented measurement, such as would be possible with accountable care organizations or medical homes, may facilitate patient decision making and provide further incentives to improve performance. [source] Case-Mix Adjusting Performance Measures in a Veteran Population: Pharmacy- and Diagnosis-Based ApproachesHEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 5 2003Chuan-Fen Liu Objective. To compare the rankings for health care utilization performance measures at the facility level in a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care delivery network using pharmacy- and diagnosis-based case-mix adjustment measures. Data Sources/Study Setting. The study included veterans who used inpatient or outpatient services in Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 during fiscal year 1998 (October 1997 to September 1998; N=126,076). Utilization and pharmacy data were extracted from VHA national databases and the VISN 20 data warehouse. Study Design. We estimated concurrent regression models using pharmacy or diagnosis information in the base year (FY1998) to predict health service utilization in the same year. Utilization measures included bed days of care for inpatient care and provider visits for outpatient care. Principal Findings. Rankings of predicted utilization measures across facilities vary by case-mix adjustment measure. There is greater consistency within the diagnosis-based models than between the diagnosis- and pharmacy-based models. The eight facilities were ranked differently by the diagnosis- and pharmacy-based models. Conclusions. Choice of case-mix adjustment measure affects rankings of facilities on performance measures, raising concerns about the validity of profiling practices. Differences in rankings may reflect differences in comparability of data capture across facilities between pharmacy and diagnosis data sources, and unstable estimates due to small numbers of patients in a facility. [source] Interview with a Quality Leader: Dale W. Bratzler, DO, MPH on Performance MeasuresJOURNAL FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY, Issue 2 2010Jason Trevor Fogg Abstract: Dale Bratzler, DO, MPH, currently serves as the President and CEO of the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality (OFMQ). In addition, he provides support as the Medical Director of the Patient Safety Quality Improvement Organization Support Center at OFMQ. In these roles, he provides clinical and technical support for local and national hospital quality improvement initiatives. He is a Past President of the American Health Quality Association and a recent member of the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Dr. Bratzler has published extensively and frequently presents locally and nationally on topics related to healthcare quality, particularly associated with improving care for pneumonia, increasing vaccination rates, and reducing surgical complications. He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and his Master of Public Health degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Public Health. Dr. Bratzler is board certified in internal medicine. [source] Nonfinancial Performance Measures and Promotion-Based IncentivesJOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008DENNIS CAMPBELL ABSTRACT In this paper, I examine the sensitivity of promotion and demotion decisions for lower-level managers to financial and nonfinancial measures of their performance and investigate the extent to which the behavior of lower-level managers reflects promotion-based incentives. Additionally, I test for learning versus effort-allocation effects of promotion-based incentives. I find that promotion and demotion decisions for store managers of a major U.S.-based fast-food retailer (QSR) are sensitive to nonfinancial performance measures of service quality and employee retention after controlling for financial performance. The likelihood of demotion in this organization is also sensitive to nonfinancial performance on the dimension of service quality, while the probability of exit is primarily sensitive to financial performance measures rather than nonfinancial performance measures. I also find evidence that the behavior of lower-level managers is consistent with the incentives created by the weighting of nonfinancial performance measures in promotion decisions. Managers in locations where there is a higher ex ante probability of promotion and a higher potential reward upon promotion demonstrate significantly higher levels and rates of performance improvement in service quality. Finally, consistent with promotion-based incentives inducing both effort-allocation and learning effects, I find that performance-improvement rates for service quality: (1) are higher in prepromotion periods in markets where promotions occur, (2) decrease immediately after the occurrence of a promotion in the same market area, and (3) remain higher than in markets where promotions do not occur. These findings provide some of the first empirical evidence on an alternative to the explicit weighting of nonfinancial metrics in compensation contracts as a mechanism for generating improvements in nonfinancial dimensions of performance. [source] Meaningful Change and Responsiveness in Common Physical Performance Measures in Older AdultsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 5 2006Subashan Perera PhD OBJECTIVES: To estimate the magnitude of small meaningful and substantial individual change in physical performance measures and evaluate their responsiveness. DESIGN: Secondary data analyses using distribution- and anchor-based methods to determine meaningful change. SETTING: Secondary analysis of data from an observational study and clinical trials of community-dwelling older people and subacute stroke survivors. PARTICIPANTS: Older adults with mobility disabilities in a strength training trial (n=100), subacute stroke survivors in an intervention trial (n=100), and a prospective cohort of community-dwelling older people (n=492). MEASUREMENTS: Gait speed, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 6-minute-walk distance (6MWD), and self-reported mobility. RESULTS: Most small meaningful change estimates ranged from 0.04 to 0.06 m/s for gait speed, 0.27 to 0.55 points for SPPB, and 19 to 22 m for 6MWD. Most substantial change estimates ranged from 0.08 to 0.14 m/s for gait speed, 0.99 to 1.34 points for SPPB, and 47 to 49 m for 6MWD. Based on responsiveness indices, per-group sample sizes for clinical trials ranged from 13 to 42 for substantial change and 71 to 161 for small meaningful change. CONCLUSION: Best initial estimates of small meaningful change are near 0.05 m/s for gait speed, 0.5 points for SPPB, and 20 m for 6MWD and of substantial change are near 0.10 m/s for gait speed, 1.0 point for SPPB, and 50 m for 6MWD. For clinical use, substantial change in these measures and small change in gait speed and 6MWD, but not SPPB, are detectable. For research use, these measures yield feasible sample sizes for detecting meaningful change. [source] Practical Seakeeping Performance Measures for High Speed Displacement VesselsNAVAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2006Dr. Kadir Sariöz The seakeeping performance of high-speed displacement vessels is generally assessed, in a probabilistic manner, by using criteria-based measures of merit. Given a set of seakeeping criteria, these measures, such as the Percentage Time of Operation (PTO) and the Seakeeping Performance Index (SPI), could provide an assessment of the operability of the vessel in a specified sea area. The criteria-based measures are based upon the probability of exceeding specified ship motions in a sea environment particular to the vessel's mission. Given the operational area of the vessel, the percentage of time the vessel operates in a particular sea state can be determined by comparing the predicted motions to the motion limiting criteria. However, because the seakeeping criteria are used in a pass/fail manner, the criteria-based procedures give no credit for reducing motions that do not exceed criteria. This may result in misleading conclusions when the relative seakeeping performance of alternative design concepts is compared. It is shown that criteria-free measures, based upon a normalized summation of critical ship responses for a range of ship speeds and wave headings in a specified sea area, may produce more reliable results when the seakeeping performance of alternative designs are compared. This approach also has the clear advantage of not requiring a set of seakeeping criteria, which is subjective in nature. To demonstrate the effect of typical measures of merit on seakeeping performance assessment, six typical high-speed displacement vessel forms are considered in a comparative analysis. Both the criteria-free and criteria-based measures of merit are employed to compare the seakeeping performance of selected vessels. The results indicate that the choice of seakeeping performance measure of merit depends on the nature of seakeeping analysis and criteria-free measures offer a simple, practical, and realistic assessment in comparative seakeeeping studies. [source] Better than Raw: A Guide to Measuring Organizational Performance with Adjusted Performance MeasuresPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 5 2003Ross Rubenstein Like oysters on the half shell, some things are better when they're raw. In evaluating the performance of organizations and providing guidance for improving performance, however, raw performance measures, such as test scores or success rates, are often inferior to performance measures adjusted for client and environmental characteristics, or adjusted performance measures (APMs). Using examples from a variety of public services and data on public schools in Georgia, we compare the performance data generated by raw scores and by APMs. We conclude with guidance for constructing and using adjusted performance measures. [source] Reinventing Reforms: How to Improve Program Management Using Performance Measures.PUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE, Issue 3 2010Really This paper looks at the design and use of incentivized performance measures to motivate managerial efficiency and promote greater program effectiveness. It starts off by looking at recent reforms like the Government Performance and Results Act to understand why they were largely unsuccessful in altering the decision-making process of government agencies. One problem was that performance measures have been both numerous and complicated, thereby making their role in management and oversight difficult. Equally important, no external incentives were attached to program accomplishments. The paper then examines what elements would be needed to build a management system that encourages both more efficient and more effective agency behavior. The goal of performance budgeting is to develop performance measures that display the progress of a program toward its stated objectives. Assessments based on these measures may then call for rewards or punishments. As such, it also may encourage program managers toward improved performance. The paper examines the pitfalls and complexities dealt with by Congress and Office of Management and Budget in the process. For example, a performance system must distinguish between funding program needs, as warranted by sectoral indicators, and management concerns. It must also unambiguously tie incentives to performance measures to motivate agencies, while building in commitment devices for the principals. Incentivized performance measures may not be appropriate in all conditions, but may be helpful for motivating managers and improving program performance in particular circumstances. [source] Performance measures in times of changeEMPLOYMENT RELATIONS TODAY, Issue 1 2005Carol Blanchar First page of article [source] Towards case-based performance measures: uncovering deficiencies in applied medical careJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2001Simon Hoelzer MD Abstract Measures are designed to evaluate the processes and outcomes of care associated with the delivery of clinical (and non-clinical) services. They allow for intra- and interorganizational comparison to be used continuously to improve patient health outcomes. The use of performance measures always means to abstract the complex reality (medical scenarios and procedures) in order to provide an understandable and comparable output. Measures can focus on global performance. The more detailed data are available the more specific judgements with respect to the appropriateness of clinical decision-making and implementation of evidence are feasible. Externally reported measures are intended both to inform and lead to action. By providing this information, deficiencies in patient care and unnecessary variations in the care process can be uncovered. Such variations have contributed to disparities in morbidity and mortality. The developments in information technology, especially world-wide interconnectivity, standards for electronic data exchange and facilities to store and manage large amounts of data, offer the opportunity to analyse health-relevant information in order to make the delivery of healthcare services more transparent for consumers and providers. Global performance measures, such as the overall life expectancy (mortality) in a country, can give a rough orientation of how well health systems perform but they do not offer general solutions nor spe-cific insights into care processes that have to be improved. In contrast to population-based measures, case-based performance measures use a defined group of patients depending on specific patient characteristics and features of disease. By means of these measures we are able to compare the number of patients that receive a necessary medical procedure against those patients who do not. The use of case-based measures is a bottom-up approach to improve the overall performance in the long run. They are not only a tool for global orientation but can offer a straightforward link to the areas of deficient care and the underlying procedures. Performance measures are relevant to providers as well as consumers, from their own individual perspective. Cased-based measures focus on the management of individual patient. This approach to performance measurement can inform physicians in a meaningful and constructive way by monitoring their individual performance and by pointing out possible areas of improvement. [source] Vasilius: The design of an autonomous ground robotic vehicleJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 9 2004Jarrod M. Snider This paper presents the design and provides a partial analysis of the performance of an autonomous ground robotic vehicle called Vasilius. Applications for Vasilius include autonomous navigation on a somewhat marked path with obstacles, leader following, and waypoint navigation. The paper focuses on three aspects of Vasilius: the design, the performance, and a technique for filtering, mapping, and learning. The design of Vasilius embodies a novel idea of modeling an autonomous vehicle after human senses and the human decision-making process. For instance, Vasilius integrates information from seven types of independent sensors, and categorizes them into either short-range reaction sensors and/or long-range planning sensors, analogous to what the human brain does. The paper also analyzes the performance of Vasilius, relating theoretical predictions to actual behavior. Some of these analyses, especially for the filtering, mapping, and learning, are still in progress. Performance measures that have been measured include speed, ramp climbing, turn reaction time, battery life, stop reaction time, object detection, and waypoint accuracy. Finally, the paper discusses Vasilius' use of a new approach to filtering, mapping, and learning to enhance its performance. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Performance measures in Friedreich ataxia: Potential utility as clinical outcome toolsMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 7 2005David R. Lynch MD Abstract Although several neuroprotective agents have been proposed as potential therapies in Friedreich ataxia (FA), clinical trials of their efficacy are limited by a lack of sensitive outcome measures. We assessed whether performance measures (nine-hole peg test, the timed 25-foot walk, and low-contrast letter acuity) provide valid measures of disease status in FA. Scores for each measure correlated significantly with neurologic disability and disease duration. Rank correlations between scores for performance measures were moderate in magnitude, suggesting that the each test captures separate yet related dimensions of neurological function in FA. Linear regression models demonstrated that scores from the nine-hole peg test and the timed 25-foot walk (after reciprocal transformation) were predicted by age and triplet repeat length in patients with FA. In addition, comparison of the temporal courses of change for each performance measure demonstrated that scores from the timed 25-foot walk change early in the course of FA, nine-hole peg test scores change slowly over the full course of the disorder, and low-contrast letter acuity scores change in the later stages of the disease. Thus, a composite scale derived from these performance measures may provide the best overall measure for assessing disease progression throughout the illness. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society [source] Discriminating tastes: self-selection of macronutrients in two populations of grasshoppersPHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2008DENNIS J. FIELDING Abstract The capacity to self-select an optimal balance of macronutrients (protein and carbohydrate) is studied in two populations of Melanoplus sanguinipes F. (Orthoptera: Acrididae). One population derives from the subarctic (interior of Alaska) and the other from the temperate zone (Idaho, U.S.A.). Over the duration of the fourth and fifth stadia, Alaskan grasshoppers consistently self-select a diet centred on a 0.90 ratio of protein : carbohydrate, whereas protein and carbohydrate intake by the Idaho grasshoppers is contingent on the particular food choices presented to them. When restricted to imbalanced diets, the Alaskan grasshoppers develop more rapidly than the Idaho grasshoppers, regardless of diet composition. The Idaho grasshoppers also have a greater amount of lipid than the Alaskan grasshoppers across all diets. Performance measures (body mass, survival, developmental times) are more sensitive to dietary imbalances in the Alaskan grasshoppers than in the Idaho grasshoppers. When fed diets with low, but balanced, proportions of protein and carbohydrate, grasshoppers of both populations are able to increase consumption to compensate for the low concentration of nutrients. The results suggest that demographic responses of insects to changes in host plant quality, such as may result from climate change, may differ among populations within a species. [source] Culturally competent school assessment: Performance measures of personalityPSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 3 2007Richard Dana Performance measures of personality,narratives, Rorschach, and drawing techniques,provide continuing comprehensive assessment resources for school psychologists. These measures are examined for assets, limitations, and applications consistent with a new practice model for culturally competent school-based services. Cultural competency is informed by a generic training model and illustrated by contents of a public sector California training program. Expanding cultural competency training opportunities in all school psychology programs can integrate assessment, intervention, and outcome evaluations using performance measures within a context of guidelines and ethical responsibilities. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 229,241, 2007. [source] Performance measures in tax administration: Chile as a case studyPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2005Pablo Serra Abstract The article proposes a set of tax administration performance measures and contrasts them with measures actually used by the Chilean tax administration agency. The goals assumed for the tax administration agency (TA) are to maximize tax revenue collection and provide quality services to taxpayers. Ideal performance measures (PMs) would measure the deviation of actual outcome from a best-practice standard, given the value of all variables affecting organisation performance that are outside management control. The key challenge is to build and calculate these best-practice outcomes. In Chile the PM in use, for the first goal, is the ratio of actual to potential tax revenue collection. This PM does adjust revenue collection for variations in the tax structure and rate, but it fails to control other variables that affect performance such as the TA budget and per capita income. The PM in use, for the second goal, is taxpayer satisfaction measured through sample surveys. This seems the appropriate PM, as quality of taxpayer services depends directly on the TA efforts to improve them. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Course of Functional Decline in Older People with Persistently Elevated Depressive Symptoms: Longitudinal Findings from the Cardiovascular Health StudyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2005Eric J. Lenze MD Objectives: To examine the relationship between persistently high depressive symptoms and long-term changes in functional disability in elderly persons. Design: A community-based, prospective, observational study. Setting: Participant data from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Participants: From the overall sample of 5,888 subjects, three types of participants were identified for this study: (1) persistently depressed individuals, who experienced an onset of depressive symptoms that persisted over 4 years (n=119); (2) temporarily depressed individuals, who experienced an onset of depressive symptoms that resolved over time (n=259); and (3) nondepressed individuals, with persistently low depressive symptoms throughout the follow-up period who were matched on baseline activity of daily living (ADL) scores, sex, and age to the previous two groups combined (n=378). Measurements: Four consecutive years of data were assessed: validated measures of depression (10-item CES-D), functional disability (10-item ADL/instrumental ADL measure), physical performance, medical illness, and cognition. Results: The persistently depressed group showed a greater linear increase in functional disability ratings than the temporarily depressed and nondepressed groups. This association between persistent depression and functional disability was robust even when controlling for baseline demographic and clinical/performance measures, including cognition. The persistently depressed group had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 5.27 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.03,9.16) for increased functional disability compared with the nondepressed group over 3 years of follow-up, whereas the temporarily depressed group had an adjusted OR of 2.39 (95% CI=1.55,3.69) compared with the nondepressed group. Conclusion: Persistently elevated depressive symptoms in elderly persons are associated with a steep trajectory of worsening functional disability, generating the hypothesis that treatments for late-life depression need to be assessed on their efficacy in maintaining long-term functional status as well as remission of depressive symptoms. These results also demonstrate the need for studies to differentiate between persistent and temporary depressive symptoms when examining their relationship to disability. [source] Morphological and physiological sexual selection targets in a territorial damselflyECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 6 2009INE SWILLEN Abstract. 1Several morphological and physiological traits may shape fitness through the same performance measure. In such cases, differentiating between a scenario of many-to-one mapping, where phenotypic traits independently shape fitness leading to functional redundancy, and a scenario where traits strongly covary among each other and fitness, is needed. 2A multivariate approach was used, including morphological and physiological traits related to flight ability, a crucial performance measure in flying insects, to identify independent correlates of short-term mating success (mated versus unmated males) in the territorial damselfly Lestes viridis. 3Males with higher flight muscle mass, higher relative thorax mass, and more symmetrical hindwings, all traits presumably linked to manoeuvrability, were more likely to be mated. Unexpectedly, although relative thorax mass is often used as a proxy for flight muscle mass, both traits were selected for independently. Mated males had a higher thorax fat content than unmated males, possibly because of enhanced flight endurance. 4The finding of several independent targets of sexual selection linked to flight ability is consistent with a scenario of many-to-one mapping between phenotype and performance. Identifying such a scenario is important, because it may clarify situations where animals may show suboptimal values for some phenotypic traits shaping a performance measure, while still having high performance and fitness. We argue in the discussion that the functional approach of sexual selection provides a potent tool for examining unresolved issues in both sexual selection theory, as well as life-history theory. [source] E-model based comparison of multiple description coding and layered coding in packet networksEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Issue 7 2007Yugang Zhou We examine the performance of multiple description coding (MDC) with and without the use of automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocols for packet network communication, in comparison with layered coding (LC). The rate-distortion lower bound of MDC and LC are incorporated into an E-model based performance measure, which accounts for the additional costs of excess rates and delay incurred from using ARQ. The results show that the relative merits of the schemes depend on the values of the packet loss rates and round-trip-time (RTT). LC is superior for small RTT and unaided MDC is superior for large RTT. For moderate RTT, LC is preferred for small packet loss rates and MDC aided by ARQ is preferred for large packet loss rates. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Signal representation and approximation,fundamental limitsEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Issue 5 2007Holger Boche The expansion of functions in orthonormal bases is an important analytical and practical instrument in many different areas such as in signal processing, in system and information theory and in communications. However, the selection of an optimal basis is a non-trivial task in general and depends strongly on the performance measure of the concrete problem. This paper considers the basis selection problem for three different applications, starting with a problem from system theory, looking on entropy based methods from information theory, and finally it investigates the peak-to-average power ratio problem in communication systems. In particular, it is investigated under which conditions the problems are solvable, that is under which conditions there exists an appropriate basis. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Functional magnetic resonance imaging response to increased verbal working memory demands among patients with multiple sclerosisHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 1 2006Lawrence H. Sweet Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients frequently experience impaired verbal working memory (VWM). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may help identify neural mechanisms underlying these deficits. Neuroimaging studies of healthy adults have characterized responses associated with increased VWM demands during the n-Back task, suggesting that this experimental paradigm could help identify neural correlates of VWM deficits among MS patients. Fifteen MS patients and 15 matched control participants completed the n-Back during whole-brain fMRI. Mean signal during adjacent 0-Back blocks was subtracted, on a voxel-wise basis, from mean signal observed during n-Back blocks. Resulting difference scores for 1-, 2-, and 3-Back were compared across groups and difficulty levels. Signal intensity was positively related to difficulty level in anterior regions, including premotor, supplementary motor, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. MS patients exhibited significantly greater intensity in these areas compared to controls during the 1-Back, while portions of the left superior frontal gyrus, cingulate, and parahippocampal gyri were relatively less intense at more difficult levels. MS group responses were slower during the 1-Back and tended to be slower during the 3-Back; however, accuracy did not differ at any level. Lesion load was positively related to only 1-Back activity and unrelated to any performance measure. Results suggest that compensatory activity occurs among MS patients matched on performance accuracy. Furthermore, compensatory activity occurs predominantly in regions associated with VWM, and this may decline relative to controls as task demands increase. These findings may help to explain why MS patient performance decreases as a function of effort on neuropsychological tests. Hum Brain Mapp, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Performance Measure Properties and Incentive System DesignINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 2 2009MICHAEL J. GIBBS We analyze effects of performance measure properties (controllable and uncontrollable risk, distortion, and manipulation) on incentive plan design, using data from auto dealership manager incentive systems. Dealerships put the most weight on measures that are "better" with respect to these properties. Additional measures are more likely to be used for a second or third bonus if they can mitigate distortion or manipulation in the first performance measure. Implicit incentives are used to provide ex post evaluation, to motivate the employee to use controllable risk on behalf of the firm, and to deter manipulation of performance measures. Overall, our results indicate that firms use incentive systems of multiple performance measures, incentive instruments, and implicit evaluation and rewards as a response to weaknesses in available performance measures. [source] Multiple model adaptive control with safe switchingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADAPTIVE CONTROL AND SIGNAL PROCESSING, Issue 5 2001Brian D. O. Anderson Abstract The purpose of this paper is to marry the two concepts of multiple model adaptive control and safe adaptive control. In its simplest form, multiple model adaptive control involves a supervisor switching among one of a finite number of controllers as more is learnt about the plant, until one of the controllers is finally selected and remains unchanged. Safe adaptive control is concerned with ensuring that when the controller is changed in an adaptive control algorithm, the frozen plant,controller combination is never (closed-loop) unstable. This is a non-trivial task since by definition of an adaptive control problem, the plant is not fully known. The proposed solution method involves a frequency-dependent performance measure and employs the Vinnicombe metric. The resulting safe switching guarantees depend on the extent to which a closed-loop transfer function can be accurately identified. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||