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Little Empirical Evidence (little + empirical_evidence)
Selected AbstractsThe Effect of Community Gardens on Neighboring Property ValuesREAL ESTATE ECONOMICS, Issue 2 2008Ioan Voicu Cities across the United States that have considerable vacant land are debating whether to foster community gardens on that land, while cities with land shortages are debating when to replace gardens with other uses. Meanwhile, many cities are looking for new ways to finance green spaces. Little empirical evidence about the neighborhood impacts of community gardens is available, however, to inform the debate or to help cities design financing schemes. This article estimates the impact of community gardens on neighborhood property values, using rich data for New York City and a difference-in-difference specification of a hedonic regression model. We find that gardens have significant positive effects, especially in the poorest neighborhoods. Higher-quality gardens have the greatest positive impact. [source] Intertemporal Substitution of Effort: Some Empirical EvidenceECONOMICA, Issue 280 2003John G. Treble The labour economics literature refers often to effort, but there is little empirical evidence as to how productivity and effort respond to wage rate variations. An unusual natural experiment in which wage rates suffered an exogenous change of two weeks' duration gives some insight into the magnitude of this effect. For a group of workers in Victorian County Durham, the effort response, measured as the impact of a temporary wage rate change on output per shift, dominates the response of attendance. Comparison of the estimates presented here with those in Treble (Journal of Economic History, 61, 414,38, 2001) suggests that the effects are short lived. [source] Training as a vehicle to empower carers in the community: more than a question of information sharingHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 2 2001MSc (Econ), Nicholas Clarke BSc MSc Abstract Much confusion still surrounds the concept of empowerment and how it is to be translated into practice within the context of community care for service users and carers. A major limitation has been the tendency to treat empowerment as synonymous with participation in decision-making with little attention given to the ,ecological' model of empowerment where linkages have been found between community participation and measures of psychological empowerment. Training has been suggested as a means through which carers might become empowered, yet to date little empirical evidence has appeared within the literature to support this proposition. This study investigated whether attendance on a training programme to empower carers resulted in improvements in carers' levels of perceived control, self-efficacy and self-esteem as partial measures of psychological empowerment. The findings demonstrated that whereas carers' knowledge of services and participation increased as a result of the programme, no changes were found in measures of carer empowerment. The failure to consider how training needs to be designed in order to achieve changes in individual competence and self-agency are suggested as the most likely explanation for the lack of change observed in carers' psychological empowerment. It is suggested that community care agencies should focus greater energies in determining how the policy objectives of empowerment are to be achieved through training, and in so doing make far more explicit the supposed linkages between training content, design, and its posited impact on individual behaviour or self-agency. [source] The Prevalence of Lying in America: Three Studies of Self-Reported LiesHUMAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010Kim B. Serota This study addresses the frequency and the distribution of reported lying in the adult population. A national survey asked 1,000 U.S. adults to report the number of lies told in a 24-hour period. Sixty percent of subjects report telling no lies at all, and almost half of all lies are told by only 5% of subjects; thus, prevalence varies widely and most reported lies are told by a few prolific liars. The pattern is replicated in a reanalysis of previously published research and with a student sample. Substantial individual differences in lying behavior have implications for the generality of truth,lie base rates in deception detection experiments. Explanations concerning the nature of lying and methods for detecting lies need to account for this variation. L'importance du mensonge aux États-Unis : trois études de mensonges auto-déclarés Kim B. Serota, Timothy R. Levine, Franklin J. Boster Cette étude aborde la fréquence et la distribution des mensonges déclarés par la population adulte. Un sondage national a demandéŕ 1 000 adultes américains de déclarer le nombre de mensonges racontés dans une période de 24 heures. 60 % des sujets ont rapporté ne pas avoir dit de mensonge du tout et prčs de la moitié de ces mensonges sont racontés par 5 % des sujets. L'importance des mensonges varie donc largement et la plupart des mensonges déclarés sont formulés par un petit nombre de menteurs prolifiques. Cette tendance se retrouve également dans une nouvelle analyse de recherches déjŕ publiées et dans l'échantillon étudiant. Des différences individuelles importantes dans les comportements mensongers ont également des conséquences pour la généralité d'un taux de référence vérité,mensonge dans les expériences de détection de la tromperie. Les explications concernant la nature du mensonge et les méthodes de détection de mensonges doivent prendre en compte cette variation. Mots clés : tromperie, mensonge, différences individuelles The Prevalence of Lying in America: Three Studies of Self-Reported Lies Research Question: This study addresses the frequency and the distribution of reported lying in the adult population. Significance: In the deception literature, consensus is that most people lie on a daily basis. Yet this view is founded on very little empirical evidence. This research tests the question of lying prevalence. Method: Survey research techniques and descriptive analysis are used to establish base rates and frequency distributions for reported lying behavior. Data source: A national survey asked 1,000 U.S. adults to report the number of lies told in a 24 hour period. Cross-validation is provided by re-analysis of previously reported diary and experimental data and by replication using a sample of 225 students. Findings: The oft-repeated average (arithmetic mean) of one to two lies per day is replicated but the study finds the distribution is highly skewed. On a typical day, 60% of subjects report telling no lies at all, and almost half or all lies are told by only 5% of subjects; thus, prevalence varies widely and most reported lies are told by a few prolific liars. The pattern is replicated in the re-analysis of previously published research and with the student sample. Implications: The findings of a highly skewed distribution render the average number of lies per day misleading. Substantial individual differences in lying behavior also have implications for the generality of truth-lie base-rates in deception detection experiments. Explanations concerning the nature of lying and methods for detecting lies need to account for this variation. Keywords: deception, lies, lying, communication, individual differences Die Prävalenz von Lügen in Amerika. Drei Studien zu selbstberichteten Lügen Forschungsfrage: Diese Studie untersucht die Häufigkeit und Verteilung von Lügen in der erwachsenen Bevölkerung. Zentralität: In der Literatur zu Täuschung besteht Konsens darüber, dass Menschen täglich Lügen. Allerdings basiert diese Feststellung auf wenigen empirischen Daten. Diese Untersuchung testet die Frage nach der Prävalenz von Lügen. Methode: Umfrage und beschreibende Analyse wurden angewandt, um eine Basisrate und Häufigkeitsdistribution für selbstberichtetes Lügenverhalten zu gewinnen. Datenquelle: In einer nationalen Umfrage wurden 1.000 US-amerikanische Erwachsene zur Zahl der Lügen befragt, die sie in 24 Stunden erzählten. Validiert wurden diese Aussagen durch eine erneute Analyse von bereits dokumentierten Tagebuchdaten und Experimentaldaten und durch die Replikation mit einer Stichprobe von 225 Studierenden. Ergebnisse: Der oft wiederholte Durchschnitt (arithmetische Mittel) von ein bis zwei Lügen pro Tag wurde in der Studie repliziert, allerdings zeigte sich auch, dass diese Verteilung schief ist. 60% der Befragten gaben an, an einem typischen Tag keine Lügen zu erzählen, fast die Hälfte aller Lügen wird von nur 5% der Befragten erzählt; die Prävalenz variiert stark und die meisten der berichteten Lügen werden durch wenige produktive Lügner erzählt. Dieses Muster wurde bei einer erneuten Analyse von vorher publizierten Daten und in der Studentenstichprobe repliziert. Implikationen: Die Ergebnisse dieser stark schiefen Verteilung zeigen, dass die durchschnittliche Zahl von Lügen pro Tag irreführend ist. Substantielle individuelle Unterschiede im Lügenverhalten haben Implikationen für die Verallgemeinerbarkeit von Wahrheit-Lüge-Basisraten in Täuschungserfassungs-Experimenten. Erklärungen zur Natur von Lügen und Methoden zur Erfassung von Lügen müssen diese Variation bedenken. Schlüsselworte: Täuschung, Lüge, Lügen, Kommunikation, individuelle Unterschiede La Prevalencia de la Mentira en América: Tres Estudios de Auto-reportes de Mentiras Kim B. Serota, Timothy R. Levine, Franklin J. Boster Michigan State University The authors thank Deborah Kashy Resumen Este estudio trata sobre la frecuencia y la distribución de los reportes de las mentiras de la población adulta. Una encuesta nacional preguntó a 1,000 adultos Estadounidenses que reporten el número de mentiras contadas en un período de 24-horas. 60% de los sujetos reportaron que no dicen mentiras para nada, y casi la mitad son contadas por solo un 5% de los sujetos; así, la prevalencia varía enormemente y muchos reportaron que las mentiras son contadas por pocos mentirosos prolíficos. La pauta es replicada en el re-análisis de investigación previamente publicada y con una muestra de estudiantes. Las diferencias individuales sustanciales en el comportamiento mentiroso tienen implicaciones también para la generalidad del índice basado en la verdad-mentira en los experimentos de detección de decepción. Las explicaciones concernientes a la naturaleza de la mentira y los métodos de detección de mentiras necesitan responder a esta variación. Palabras Claves: decepción, mentiras, mentir, comunicación, diferencias individuales [source] In Search of the Audit Society: Some Evidence from Health Care, Police and SchoolsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDITING, Issue 1 2000Mary Bowerman Claims that we are moving towards an ,audit society' (Power 1994, 1997) are fuelled by the emergence of a wealth of audit and other performance monitoring initiatives. To date, however, very little empirical evidence has been gathered on the precise nature, role and scope of this ,society'. This paper draws on academic literature, official and unofficial reports and interviews with auditors, inspectors and auditees across three major public service organisations. The paper argues that audit is just one aspect of a broader, but rapidly evolving, ,performance measurement society'; other important elements of which include the growth of inspection and self-assessment. Public sector audit emerges as an increasingly questionable function. The remainder of the paper dismantles some of the myths associated with its practice, particularly regarding its public visibility and contribution in terms of enhancing processes of public service delivery, management and accountability. [source] Stakeholder perspectives on the European Union tourism policy framework and their preferences on the type of involvementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 3 2008Constantia Anastasiadou Abstract Despite a growing body of literature on regional trading agreements and tourism, little empirical evidence exists on how tourism policy is formulated at the supranational level. The study focuses on the European Union and employs stakeholder interviews to construct the institutional environment for tourism and to identify potential areas for involvement in tourism. Four different approaches are identified ranging from maintaining the status quo to a common tourism policy. It is concluded that because of the complexities of the institutional environment for tourism and the diversity of opinion among stakeholders, a significant change in the status quo is unlikely to happen. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The role of economics in irrigation water management,,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 2 2006Petra J. G. J. Hellegers allocation optimale de l'eau; fonction de satisfaction sociale; instruments économiques Abstract Economic literature and international conferences have extensively discussed the importance of treating irrigation water as an economic good, but there is still confusion about the role of economics in irrigation water management. Economics provides us with two contributions: analytical tools that help predict and interpret implications of various allocation procedures, and economic instruments that can assist in guiding users towards socially desirable outcomes. In this article the potential role of both contributions to improved irrigation water management is discussed, which is an extension of conventional work in this field. It becomes clear that, at this point in time, there is little empirical evidence of the effectiveness of economic instruments in irrigation water management. Economics mainly plays a role in understanding the implications of different procedures for allocating water, and guiding policymakers in defining appropriate allocation rules. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. La littérature économique et les conférences internationales ont débattu en détail de l'importance de traiter l'eau d'irrigation comme un bien économique, mais il rčgne encore une certaine confusion sur le rôle de l'économie dans la gestion de l'eau en irrigation. La science économique nous fournit deux contributions: des outils analytiques qui aident ŕ prévoir et ŕ interpréter les implications de diverses procédures d'allocation, et des instruments économiques qui peuvent aider ŕ guider les usagers vers des effets socialement souhaitables. Dans cet article le rôle potentiel de ces deux apports dans l'amélioration de la gestion de l'eau en irrigation est examiné, ce qui va plus loin que l'approche traditionnelle dans ce domaine. Il devient clair que, ŕ ce jour, il existe peu de preuves empiriques de l'effectivité des instruments économiques dans la gestion de l'eau en irrigation. L'économie joue surtout un rôle dans la compréhension des implications des différentes procédures d'allocation de l'eau, et dans la définition des rčgles d'allocation appropriées. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Trade Credit Terms Offered by Small Firms: Survey Evidence and Empirical AnalysisJOURNAL OF BUSINESS FINANCE & ACCOUNTING, Issue 3-4 2002Nicholas Wilson Trade credit has been shown to be an important source of short-term finance for smaller firms but small firms are also suppliers of trade credit. There is little empirical evidence on the credit granting decisions of small firms. Previous empirical work (Petersen and Rajan, 1997; and Ng, Smith and Smith, 1999) has focused on credit granting and investment in accounts receivable in larger firms. In this paper we look at the influences on credit granting for the smallest firms, using a sample of firms with an average of 10 employees. As in previous studies we find that product and demand characteristics influence credit terms. Moreover, we find evidence that firm size affects credit extension choices directly by setting limits on the possibilities for economies of scale, but it also impacts indirectly by affecting the firm's access to finance and its bargaining strength vis-ŕ-vis suppliers. The dominant position of larger customers in bargaining with small suppliers constrains the impact of other factors on the firm's choice of credit terms. Small firms are also under pressure to conform to industry norms, although lack of resources can be a limiting factor. Constrained firms may make use of two-part terms in an attempt to improve their cashflow. [source] Considering a multisite study?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002How to take the leap, have a soft landing Although most policymakers agree that a fundamental goal of the mental health system is to provide integrated community-based services, there is little empirical evidence with which to plan such a system. Studies in the community mental health literature have not used a standard set of evaluation methods. One way of addressing this gap is through a multisite program evaluation in which multiple sites and programs evaluate the same outcomes using the same instruments and time frame. The proposition of introducing the same study design in different settings and programs is deceptively straightforward. The difficulty is not in the conceptualization but in the implementation. This article examines the factors that act as implementation barriers, how are they magnified in a multisite study design, and how they can be successfully addressed. In discussing the issue of study design, this article considers processes used to address six major types of barriers to conducting collaborative studies identified by Lancaster or Lancaster's six Cs,contribution, communication, compatibility, consensus, credit, and commitment. A case study approach is used to examine implementation of a multisite community mental health evaluation of services and supports (case management, self-help initiatives, crisis interventions) represented by six independent evaluations of 15 community health programs. A principal finding was that one of the main vehicles to a successful multisite project is participation. It is only through participation that Lancaster's six Cs can be addressed. Key factors in large, geographically dispersed, and diverse groups include the use of advisory committees, explicit criteria and opportunities for participation, reliance on all modes of communication, and valuing informal interactions. The article concludes that whereas modern technology has assisted in making complicated research designs feasible, the operationalization of timeless virtues such as mutual respect and trust, flexibility, and commitment make them successful. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Risk reduction and real estate portfolio sizeMANAGERIAL AND DECISION ECONOMICS, Issue 7 2001Peter J. Byrne There is remarkably little empirical evidence of the advantages of increased size on risk levels in real estate portfolios based on actual portfolios. This paper improves this by examining the portfolio risk of a large sample of actual real estate data in the UK over the period from 1981 to 1996. The results show that real estate portfolios of larger sizes tend, on average, to have lower risks than smaller sized portfolios and, more importantly, that portfolios with only a few assets can have very high or very low risk. For fund managers to be confident that their portfolio will have a risk level like the average, they need to hold portfolios of a considerably greater size than they might expect, or can sensibly acquire. Previous studies suggesting that only 20,40 properties are needed to reduce the risk of a property portfolio down to the market level are a significant underestimate. The actual figure is likely to be 400,500 properties, well above that of even the largest fund in the UK. Size alone does not necessarily lead to a reduction in portfolio risk. Other factors are of greater importance. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] COMPETITIVE PRIORITIES: INVESTIGATING THE NEED FOR TRADE-OFFS IN OPERATIONS STRATEGYPRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2002KENNETH K. BOYER A heated debate continues over the need for trade-offs in operations strategy. Some researchers call for plants to focus on a single manufacturing capability and devote their limited resources accordingly, while others claim that advanced manufacturing technology (amt) enables concurrent improvements in quality, cost, flexibility, and delivery. Yet there is little empirical evidence for or against the trade-off model. In response, this study addresses the question: "To what extent do manufacturing plants view competitive priorities as trade-offs?" We employ survey data collected from managers and operators in 110 plants that have recently implemented AMT. Our findings suggest that trade-offs remain. However, perceived differences in competitive priorities are subtle and may vary across levels of the plant hierarchy. [source] Reputation for Product Innovation: Its Impact on Consumers,THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2010David H. Henard Just as firms compete for customers, they also vie for reputational status across their relevant constituent groups. To many firms, a reputation as an innovative company is something that is both prized and actively sought after. Despite an abundance of anecdotal evidence pointing to several firms' active pursuit of an innovative reputation, there is little empirical evidence to evaluate the soundness of this pursuit. On a general level, this research recognizes that firms compete for competitive advantage via their tangible and intangible resources. Much of the innovation literature centers on the tangible impact that new product development initiatives have on outcomes of innovation. Yet research investigations of the less tangible facets of innovation, such as a reputation, remain relatively uninvestigated despite their promise as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. This study investigates the effects of a corporate reputation for product innovation (RPI) and its impact on consumers. Consumer involvement levels are proposed to mediate the relationship between RPI and consumer outcomes. Empirical results indicate that a high consumer perceived RPI, via the involvement construct, leads to excitement toward and heightened loyalty to the innovative firm. A more positive overall corporate image and tolerance for occasional product failures are also positive outcomes noted in the results. Contrary to expectations, a high perceived RPI does not lead to a consumer propensity to pay price premiums. [source] Stream salinization is associated with reduced taxonomic, but not functional diversity in a riparian plant communityAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006ROBERT G. DOUPÉ Abstract Dryland salinity presents an overwhelming threat to terrestrial and aquatic habitats in Australia, and yet there remains very little empirical evidence of the impacts of secondary salinization on the biodiversity of riparian communities. Here we describe the response of a riparian plant community to stream and soil salinization, 25 years after the experimental clearing of a catchment in south-western Australia. Riparian plant species diversity was inversely related to soil salinity, and plant species composition was significantly altered by increased soil salinity. Despite the evidence for an impact of salinization on the taxonomic diversity and composition of the riparian plant community, there was little evidence for any effect of salinization on functional group diversity, or on ecological functioning, as measured by the percentage of above-ground plant cover. [source] What Makes an Aboriginal Council Successful?AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 4 2009Case Studies of Aboriginal Community Government Performance in Far North Queensland Indigenous community governments are at the frontline of current efforts to ,close the gap' between Indigenous and non-Indigenous living standards. Yet there is little empirical evidence about successful performance by these organisations and considerable scepticism about whether introduced Western governance models can ever be viable in Indigenous communities. To identify the governance attributes that contribute to successful performance, case studies were conducted at three Aboriginal councils in far north Queensland. The untested assumptions in current notions of ,good governance' were examined. Currently accepted good governance principles and practices were investigated to ascertain their actual causal relationship with council performance. The research further identified key contextual, historical and cultural factors that are important in shaping successful or unsuccessful governance. Practical strategies are suggested for policy-makers and Indigenous leaders to build the performance of Indigenous community governments. [source] Occupational therapists' perception of their practice: A phenomenological studyAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Liv Grethe Kinn Background:,International literature seems consistent in reporting that occupational therapists value their methods. However, little empirical evidence has been generated supporting the basic system of belief for occupational therapy. Few studies have explored the nature of the occupational therapists' experiences and thoughts about their use of occupation as means and ends, and which strategies they use to implement their tools in their current practice. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore how occupational therapists understood and presented their practice and interventions. Methods:,A sample of six occupational therapists graduated in different decades, from diverse client populations and health-care settings was selected to participate in a semistructured interview. Results:,Three main themes were developed: ,To make the client's potentials visible', ,reaching a position one values' and ,looking with other eyes'. Whatever their specialities, the participants were unanimous in the way they described their role. Their common focus was ,activities of daily living'. However, they had problems describing their therapeutic tools, and were not able to clearly articulate the ,common sense aspects' of their own methods. The participants were engaged in constructing their professional identities, and stressed the need to construct professional boundaries relevant to their particular work. Conclusion:,The occupational therapists perceived their practice and interventions as distinctly different from other team members, thus, they provided a ,counterpoint'. The participants used various ways of marketing their perspectives. While the novices tended to go along with the team, the experienced therapists tended to assert their own special contribution. [source] Capacity to consent to research in schizophrenia: the expanding evidence base,BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW, Issue 4 2006Laura B. Dunn M.D. Capacity to consent to research, fundamental to informed consent and thus vital to the ethical conduct of research, may be impaired among a variety of research populations. Until recently, relatively little empirical evidence has been available to inform discussion and policy-making regarding whose capacity should be assessed, what should be measured, and how it should be measured. Capacity to consent to research has emerged as a central topic in the field of "empirical ethics," an important area of biomedical research devoted to bringing evidence-based methods to the study of ethically salient issues in biomedical and biopsychosocial research. In this paper, empirical studies of capacity to consent to research are reviewed, with a particular focus on studies involving people with schizophrenia. These studies provide intriguing data regarding the nature, correlates, and modifiability of decisional abilities among potentially vulnerable research populations, including individuals with serious neuropsychiatric illnesses. Areas in need of further empirical ethics research are highlighted. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Good, the Poor and the Wealthy: who Responds Most to College Financial Aid?BULLETIN OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2002Larry D. Singell Jnr. Financial aid programmes for students in the United States focus increasingly on academic merit, rather than financial need. There is little empirical evidence, however, on the distributional effects of merit,based aid , who benefits or responds most. We develop a bivariate probit model of the enrolment process estimated using data for a large public university over several years. Results show that merit,based aid increases enrolment for all students, but that financially,able students respond disproportionately, even with academic merit held constant. Thus, increased emphasis on merit in financial aid may exacerbate the trend toward greater income inequality in the US, even among students of equal academic merit. [source] Are the dysfunctional beliefs that predict worry different from those that predict obsessions?CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 6 2007Amparo Belloch Chronic worry present in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and obsessions characteristic of the Obsessive,Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are cognitive phenomena that share some features, but they also differ on others. Based on current cognitive approaches, dysfunctional meta-cognitive beliefs underlie the development and/or maintenance of both GAD and OCD. However, to date, there has been little empirical evidence about the differences between the beliefs that predict the occurrence of obsessions and those that predict worry. This study focuses on the search for these differences and examines to what extent worry and obsessions are associated with a similar or different pattern of dysfunctional cognitive contents. One hundred and seventy-five community subjects completed measures of worry and obsessional intrusive thoughts, as well as questionnaires assessing obsession-related and worry-related meta-cognitive beliefs. Results showed that beliefs about uncontrollability and danger, as well as cognitive self-consciousness, play a central role in predicting worry, whereas the beliefs concerning the importance of thoughts and Thought,Action Fusion probability are relevant in accounting for the frequency of obsessive intrusive thoughts.,Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||