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Main Issues (main + issues)
Selected AbstractsMain Issues for Achieving Blood Pressure GoalsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 11 2006Julián Segura MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] The 2006 Review of Energy Policy: the Main IssuesTHE POLITICAL QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2006NICK HARTLEY First page of article [source] Development of a conceptual tool for the implementation of kangaroo mother careACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 6 2003A-M Bergh Aim: To develop a conceptual tool to assist healthcare workers and management in the implementation of a kangaroo mother care programme. Methods: A qualitative research approach was followed and methods included on-site observations and informal conversational interviews, as well as unstructured, in-depth interviews with senior managers, doctors and nurses at two large training hospitals in the north of South Africa. A consultative process was used to refine the tool. Results: The patterns that emerged from the data were captured in a diagram, entitled: "Main issues in the establishment of kangaroo mother care". In addition, a set of core questions was developed to assist in decision-making at institutional level. Conclusion: The diagram and questions contain concepts that could be adapted and used by a healthcare facility's multidisciplinary team in planning the implementation of kangaroo mother care and in reviewing the progress made in the implementation and the quality of the kangaroo mother care provided. [source] The Italian experience in social reporting: an empirical analysisCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2006Davide Secchi Abstract This analysis tries to discover an empirical validation to back up the hypothesis that the Italian phenomenon of social reporting has changed with regard to the past and is growing in importance. After considering the evolution of Italian literature on the issue, the paper tries to find connections between this literature and social reporting practices. Empirical findings are based on 62 Italian social reports. The paper tries to answer three questions: (a) what kind of organization publishes social reports; (b) what are the main differences, if any, between different reports belonging to diverse organizations; (c) which are the leading models. Social reports have been sorted according to three main issues: report objectives, emerging models and stakeholder mapping. Collected data suggest that there is a common ground for organizations in socially responsible behaviour, but also that this common ground fits the need of every single organization. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Ethical problems in cytologyCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2004. Znidar Great advances in medical science have raised a number of ethical issues, many of which affect cytopathology. Some of the main issues addressed in this paper relate to the organization of a cytology laboratory: internal and external quality control, adequate staffing levels and staff education, cytopathology reporting format and contents, confidentiality issues, relationship with the clinicians and involvement of cytopathologists in clinical management teams. Quality control has to be provided within cytology departments but external quality assurance is also essential, with national monitoring. New technologies should be used according to the best scientific methods, following cytological analysis. Scientific work in cytology has to respect the general principles of scientific ethics. The patient's interest has to be the main reason for such work. [source] Review of Policies and Guidelines on Infant Feeding in Emergencies: Common Ground and GapsDISASTERS, Issue 2 2001Andrew Seal Recent crises in regions where exclusive breastfeeding is not the norm have highlighted the importance of effective policies and guidelines on infant feeding in emergencies. In 1993, UNICEF compiled a collection of policy and guideline documents relating to the feeding of infants in emergency situations. In June 2000 Save the Children, UK, UNICEF and the Institute of Child Health undertook a review of those documents, updating the list and identifying the common ground that exists among the different policies. The review also analysed the consistency of the policy framework, and highlighted important areas where guidelines are missing or unclear. This article is an attempt to share more widely the main issues arising from this review. The key conclusions were that, in general, there is consensus on what constitutes best practice in infant feeding, however, the lack of clarity in the respective responsibilities of key UN agencies (in particular UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP) over issues relating to co-ordination of activities which affect infant-feeding interventions constrains the implementation of systems to support best practice. Furthermore, the weak evidence base on effective and appropriate intervention strategies for supporting optimal infant feeding in emergencies means that there is poor understanding of the practical tasks needed to support mothers and minimise infant morbidity and mortality. We, therefore, have two key recommendations: first that the operational UN agencies, primarily UNICEF, examine the options for improving co-ordination on a range of activities to uphold best practice of infant feeding in emergencies; second, that urgent attention be given to developing and supporting operational research on the promotion of optimal infant-feeding interventions. [source] SURVEYING UNIVERSITY STUDENT STANDARDS IN ECONOMICSECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 2 2005Peter Abelson In late 2003 and early 2004 the Economic Society of Australia surveyed the Heads of Economics Departments in Australia to determine their views on three main issues: student standards; major factors affecting these standards; and policy implications. This paper describes the main results of the survey, reviews the conduct and value of this kind of survey, and discusses policy implications for economics in universities. Most respondents considered that student standards have declined and that the main causes include lower entry standards, high student/staff ratios, and a declining culture of study. However, some respondents argued that standards are multi-dimensional and that people may properly attach different weights to different attributes. Strong precautions assuring anonymity to respondents minimised strategic responses, but may not have eliminated them entirely. However, the respondents' views were based largely on experience rather than evidence and a major finding of this paper is the need for more evidence on standards and on the factors that influence them. Most respondents favoured a decentralised university-based approach to dealing with these issues, contending that centralised accreditation is inappropriate and that market forces would promote quality issues. In the writer's view, externally set and assessed exams as part of university examination procedures would lift standards and send out improved market signals. [source] Single cell manipulation, analytics, and label-free protein detection in microfluidic devices for systems nanobiologyELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 19 2005Wibke Hellmich Abstract Single cell analytics for proteomic analysis is considered a key method in the framework of systems nanobiology which allows a novel proteomics without being subjected to ensemble-averaging, cell-cycle, or cell-population effects. We are currently developing a single cell analytical method for protein fingerprinting combining a structured microfluidic device with latest optical laser technology for single cell manipulation (trapping and steering), free-solution electrophoretical protein separation, and (label-free) protein detection. In this paper we report on first results of this novel analytical device focusing on three main issues. First, single biological cells were trapped, injected, steered, and deposited by means of optical tweezers in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic device and consecutively lysed with SDS at a predefined position. Second, separation and detection of fluorescent dyes, amino acids, and proteins were achieved with LIF detection in the visible (VIS) (488,nm) as well as in the deep UV (266,nm) spectral range for label-free, native protein detection. Minute concentrations of 100,fM injected fluorescein could be detected in the VIS and a first protein separation and label-free detection could be achieved in the UV spectral range. Third, first analytical experiments with single Sf9 insect cells (Spodoptera frugiperda) in a tailored microfluidic device exhibiting distinct electropherograms of a green fluorescent protein-construct proved the validity of the concept. Thus, the presented microfluidic concept allows novel and fascinating single cell experiments for systems nanobiology in the future. [source] An Assessment of the Recast of Community Equality LawsEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 2 2007Noreen Burrows It examines the meaning and significance of the recast technique itself and considers the rationale for applying the recast to certain, but not all, of the equality Directives. The article attempts a first-level analysis of the main issues arising from the recast in terms of the substance of Community gender discrimination law. It is also argued that the recast has the potential to improve Community equality law and not just in terms of readability. [source] The Politics of a European Civil CodeEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 6 2004Martijn W. Hesselink That plan forms an important step towards a European Civil Code. In its Plan, the Commission tries to depoliticise the codification process by asking a group of academic experts to prepare what it calls a ,common frame of reference'. This paper argues that drafting a European Civil Code involves making many choices that are essentially political. It further argues that the technocratic approach which the Commission has adopted in the Action Plan effectively excludes most stakeholders from having their say during the stage when the real choices are made. Therefore, before the drafting of the CFR/ECC starts, the Commission should submit a list of policy questions regarding the main issues of European private law to the European Parliament and the other stakeholders. Such an alternative procedure would repoliticise the process. It would increase the democratic basis for a European Civil Code and thus its legitimacy. [source] The design process of expert systems development: some concernsEXPERT SYSTEMS, Issue 2 2006Mehdi Sagheb-Tehrani Abstract: A discussion is presented of why some expert systems that organizations have developed are not successful. The concept of design process plays a very significant role at the outset of the expert system development process. This concept has not been the subject of much debate and attention in expert systems development. From the author's point of view, one of the main issues is how the designer (knowledge engineer) thinks about the design process. In general, the designer's process is influenced by the knowledge engineer's conception. This paper endeavors to disclose some of the main factors related to the knowledge engineer's conception of the design process and an attempt is made to put forward a conceptual model of the expert system design process. This conceptual model is an initial step towards a successful implementation of expert system projects. [source] Fiscal Forecasting: Lessons from the Literature and Challenges,FISCAL STUDIES, Issue 3 2008Teresa Leal H6; E62; C53 Abstract. While fiscal forecasting and monitoring has its roots in the accountability of governments for the use of public funds in democracies, the Stability and Growth Pact has significantly increased interest in budgetary forecasts in Europe, where they play a key role in EU multilateral budgetary surveillance. In view of the increased prominence and sensitivity of budgetary forecasts, which may lead to them being influenced by strategic and political factors, this paper discusses the main issues and challenges in the field of fiscal forecasting from a practitioner's perspective and places them in the context of the related literature. [source] Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis as Hydrogen Generator: Issues, State of the Art and Applicability Upstream from a Fuel CellFUEL CELLS, Issue 3 2010U. B. Demirci Abstract Today there is a consensus regarding the potential of NaBH4 as a good candidate for hydrogen storage and release via hydrolysis reaction, especially for mobile, portable and niche applications. However as gone through in the present paper two main issues, which are the most investigated throughout the open literature, still avoid NaBH4 to be competitive. The first one is water handling. The second one is the catalytic material used to accelerate the hydrolysis reaction. Both issues are objects of great attentions as it can be noticed throughout the open literature. This review presents and discusses the various strategies which were considered until now by many studies to manage water and to improve catalysts performances (reactivity and durability). Published studies show real improvements and much more efforts might lead to significant overhangs. Nevertheless, the results show that we are still far from envisaging short-term commercialisation. [source] Effects of Annealing on the Nanomorphology and Performance of Poly(alkylthiophene):Fullerene Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 7 2007H. Nguyen Abstract The evolution of nanomorphology within thin solid-state films of poly(3-alkylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3AT:PCBM) blends during the film formation and subsequent thermal annealing is reported. In detail, the influence of the P3AT's alkyl side chain length on the polymer/fullerene phase separation is discussed. Butyl, hexyl, octyl, decyl, and dodecyl side groups are investigated. All of the P3ATs used were regioregular. To elucidate the nanomorphology, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction, and optical spectroscopy are applied. Furthermore, photovoltaic devices of each of the different P3ATs have been constructed, characterized, and correlated with the nanostructure of the blends. It is proposed that the thermal-annealing step, commonly applied to these P3AT:PCBM blend films, controls two main issues at the same time: a),the crystallization of P3AT and b),the phase separation and diffusion of PCBM. The results show that PCBM diffusion is the main limiting process for reaching high device performances. [source] Multichannel surface electromyography in ergonomics: Potentialities and limitsHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 4 2010Marco Gazzoni Abstract The prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is one of the main goals in ergonomics. Among others, surface electromyography (sEMG) is an important tool for the evaluation of risks related to work activity. Three main issues have been approached in ergonomics via sEMG: 1) the analysis of muscle activation, 2) the analysis of exerted forces and torques, and 3) the analysis of muscle fatigue. Many studies have been carried out in static conditions. In ergonomics, however, it is more relevant to study muscle activity and fatigue during real tasks that are, in general, dynamic. From isometric to dynamic contractions, the complexity of the interpretation of sEMG signals increases considerably. Changes in sEMG signals are related to the continuous modifications in force output, muscle fiber length, and relative position of surface electrodes and sources. To increase the reliability of the information extracted from sEMG, multichannel detection systems have been applied, showing the possibility of overcoming some limits of the standard technique. Some illustrative laboratory and field studies are reported in this work to illustrate the potentialities and the open problems in the use of multichannel sEMG in ergonomics. Case 1 is a laboratory study investigating the myoelectric manifestations of fatigue in the biceps brachii (BB) during dynamic elbow flexion/extension. Case 2 is a laboratory study investigating the myoelectric manifestations of fatigue during a repetitive lifting task. Case 3 is a field study, carried out in an automotive plant, investigating muscle activation during the welding of a car door. Many factors play a leading role in the correct interpretation of information provided by sEMG. Even though multichannel sEMG provides information able to improve the estimation of force and/or fatigue during working tasks, many problems related to the signal acquisition and interpretation are still open. Further improvements are necessary to develop multichannel sEMG into an effective tool supporting other methodologies for the evaluation of work-related risks. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Tidal Barrages and BirdsIBIS, Issue 2006NIGEL A. CLARK This paper reviews the main effects that building tidal power barrages would have on the bird populations using Britain's estuaries. The changes in the tidal prism that would occur after a tidal power barrage is built are discussed in the context of their effect on the ecology of the estuary. Three main issues are discussed; the effect of changes in size and nature of the intertidal areas of the estuary, effects on saltmarshes, and the displacement of birds at closure. Recently, tidal stream technologies have been developed which are individually likely to have small effects on birds. However the cumulative effects of large scale tidal stream arrays need to be investigated. Finally, the effects of tidal barrages are put in the context of Britain's energy policy and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Should tidal power barrages be considered in the future, there will be a need for strategic assessments to be used to select sites that maximize the energy produced while minimizing the impacts on bird populations. [source] Body size structure of Pleistocene mammalian communities: what support is there for the "island rule"?INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2009Maria R. PALOMBO Abstract Islands are often regarded by scientists as living laboratories of evolution and an optimal context for the study of forces influencing evolution and diversification. Two main issues have been attentively scrutinized and debated: the loss of biodiversity and the peculiar changes undergone by island settlers, primarily changes in size of endemic vertebrates. Over time, several hypotheses have been formulated to explain the causal mechanism of body size modification. Faunas of those islands where mainland taxa migrate more than once provide the most interesting data to answer the question of whether or not trends of insular taxa result from a predictable response to differences in competition and availability of niches between insular and mainland environments. To contribute to the debate, the body size structure of the Pleistocene mammalian faunas from two Mediterranean islands, Sicily and Crete, were analyzed and compared with the structure of coeval mainland faunas. The results obtained suggest that: (i) size of endemic species does not directly depend on the area of islands; (ii) evolution and size of endemic species seems somewhat affected by the degree of isolation (constraining colonization from mainland) and physiography (sometimes permitting adaptive radiation); (iii) in unbalanced insular communities, the shift in size of non-carnivorous species largely depends on the nature of competing species; and (iv) body size of carnivorous species mainly depends on the size of the most available prey. Consequently, it is rational to suppose that the body size of insular mammals mainly results from the peculiar biological dynamics that characterizes unbalanced insular communities. Ecological interaction, particularly the intraguild competition, is the major driver behind the evolution of insular communities, leading towards an optimization of energy balance through a change in body size of endemic settlers. [source] Discussion of Accounting Discretion in Fair Value Estimates: An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill ImpairmentsJOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006DANIEL A. BENS ABSTRACT Beatty and Weber examine an accounting choice that managers made upon adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 142: whether to record a goodwill asset impairment as a cumulative effect of an accounting change at the time of adoption or delay the recognition of such an impairment to the future (perhaps indefinitely) when they would be recorded as expenses in earnings from continuing operations. The authors consider several factors that might influence management's reporting of transition effects, including contracting, equity market incentives, and regulatory forces. Participants at the 2005 Journal of Accounting Research Conference questioned whether such a complex accounting decision can be captured with simple linear models and noisy proxy variables, while also speculating upon whether the results would generalize to other settings. In this discussion, I summarize Beatty and Weber's research, highlight its contribution to the accounting literature, and provide a record of the main issues raised by the conference participants. [source] Cultural Property, Restitution and ValueJOURNAL OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY, Issue 3 2003Janna Thompson abstract,Demands for restitution of cultural artefacts and relics raise four main issues: 1) how claims to cultural property can be justified; 2) whether and under what conditions demands for restitution of cultural property are valid , especially when they are made long after the artefacts were taken away; 3) whether there are values, aesthetic, scholarly and educational, which can override restitution claims, even when these claims are legitimate; and 4) how these values bear on the question of whether artefacts should be returned to their place of origin. I argue that a proper conception of cultural property emphasises the role that artefacts play in the practices and traditions of a collectivity. On the basis of this conception, some restitution claims can be defended as legitimate. However, many demands for restitution are not justified (including the Greek claim to the Parthenon Marbles). Moreover, a case for restitution can be more or less strong, and other considerations sometimes prevail over rights of cultural property. [source] The contribution of cohort studies to prescribing researchJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2 2002J. A. Simpson PhD This paper highlights the main issues in the design, analysis and interpretation of cohort studies used in prescribing research. [source] Context in action: Implications for the study of children and adolescentsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 9 2006Christopher C. Henrich Action theories acknowledge the reciprocal nature of the relationship between individual action and social context. In this article, the author discusses various ways that the social context and the individual's actions can interact in childhood and adolescence. From an ecological perspective, emphasis is placed on two main issues: Children and adolescents develop within an interactive web of social contexts, and the examination of some contexts without taking into account others can lead to an incomplete and inaccurate accounting of the role of the social environment. Social contexts are frequently dynamic systems that fluctuate over time, and the extent to which children and adolescents can exert effortful control over changes in contexts varies. Implications of the ecological perspective for action-oriented research are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 62: 1083,1096, 2006. [source] Making sense of male rape: constructions of gender, sexuality and experience of rape victimsJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Kathy Doherty Abstract This study reports a preliminary investigation into accounting practices for male rape in conversation. Thirty men and women, in dyads, were asked to discuss an incident of male rape presented to them in a vignette. The findings showed that two main issues were discussed: the experience of the rape act and societal responses to male victims. In addition, participants established a ,hierarchy of suffering', where rape was judged to be worse for ,heterosexual' men than it is for ,women' or ,gay' men. Hegemonic, phallocentric representations of heterosexuality were mobilized to argue that acts of rape and consensual intercourse are the same for ,gay' men and ,women' and therefore less traumatic than for ,heterosexual' men. This obscures the violence of rape for gay men and women and exonerates perpetrators by minimizing injury sustained. Participants also argued that heterosexual victims are likely to experience ridicule for having departed from hegemonic masculinity. Arguments were constructed to avoid charges of being dismissive towards women and gay men and of victim blaming in relation to heterosexual men. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] On Utopias and Dystopias: Toward an Understanding of the Discourse Surrounding the InternetJOURNAL OF COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION, Issue 2 2001Dana R. Fisher It is clear that the Internet has the capacity to change how individuals interact with others as well as increase access to information. Whether either one of these factors affects the social landscape has yet to be determined. This fact has not kept many from anticipating the effects of the technology on society. In this paper, we contextualize some of the main issues of discussion regarding the Internet, describing these positions in terms of utopian and dystopian perspectives. By resurrecting William Ogburn's theory of the cultural lag (1964), we present a framework for understanding the extreme responses to the technology. The lag suggests that the effects of a technology will not be apparent to social actors for some time after it is introduced to a society. As such, much of the discourse concerning the Internet is ideologically charged, filled as much with the hopes and fears of individual authors as with the reality of the medium's effects. [source] MPEG-7 in practice: Analysis of a television news retrieval applicationJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2007Nastaran Fatemi This article provides an overview of our experiments in using MPEG-7 in a television news retrieval application. Our study is based on a survey of professional users in the Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR) television news production environment. We present here two main issues. First, we describe the way the generic and voluminous MPEG-7 Schema can be exploited in the context of a specific application domain. Second, we discuss the problem of how to search MPEG-7 descriptions, which are detailed and complex by nature, via a high-level user-oriented retrieval model. [source] THE GEOGRAPHY OF INSECURITY: SPATIAL CHANGE AND THE FLEXIBILIZATION OF LABOR IN METRO MANILAJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 4 2009GAVIN SHATKIN ABSTRACT:,There has been considerable attention in the urban studies literature to the implications of spatial change associated with globalization for the urban poor in advanced economies, but much less so in developing countries despite the fact that this is where most urbanization is occurring. This article attempts to address this issue in the context of Metro Manila, a globalizing city of 10.7 million that sits in a larger mega-urban region of some 17 million. It does so through an analysis of data collected through two methods: a sample survey of six low-income settlements in the Metro Manila region that collected information about housing conditions, income, and employment of household members, commuting, and household heads',opinions regarding spatial change; and in-depth interviews with a subset of respondents that were intended to generate narratives and stories that would elucidate the experience of households with spatial change. The study identifies three main issues confronting the surveyed households: the social impacts of the flexibilization of labor in the Metro Manila region, gender and age differences in access to employment, and the prevalence of extremely long commutes on the urban fringe. The article concludes that the issues faced by Metro Manila households are in many ways quite distinct from those in cities in advanced economies. It further argues that these differences have important implications both for urban policy and practice in addressing equity issues, and for theories of globalization and issues of spatial change and social equity in cities. [source] Stanislas Dehaene's Les neurones de la lectureMIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION, Issue 4 2008Antonio M. Battro ABSTRACT, Stanislas Dehaene has published a remarkable book on the neurons of reading. It is a comprehensive description of the main issues related to the "paradox of reading": how humans process linguistic information using the visual brain path while the brain has not evolved in the short period of time since the invention of writing. The article presents a powerful "neuronal recycling" hypothesis to explain the remarkable properties of our cultural neuroplasticity. Scientists and educators will find a trove of information and deep discussions regarding the universal challenge of teaching and learning to read. [source] Rodent models for dystonia research: Characteristics, evaluation, and utilityMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 3 2005H.A. Jinnah MD Abstract A large number of different genetic and acquired disorders of the nervous system may be associated with dystonia. To elucidate its pathogenesis and to facilitate the discovery of potential novel treatments, there has been a growing interest in the development of animal models and particularly rodent models. Multiple animal models for dystonia have now been developed and partially characterized. The results obtained from studies of these models often lead in very different directions, in part because the different models target different aspects of a very heterogeneous disorder. A recent workshop addressed four main issues affecting those who conduct dystonia research with animal models, including the different ways in which dystonic disorders can be modeled in rodents, key features that constitute a useful model, methods used in the evaluation of these models, and recommendations for future research. This review summarizes the main outcomes of this conference. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society [source] Developing An HLA-Based Naval Maneuvering SimulationNAVAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL, Issue 1 2005Okan Topçu This paper discusses the main issues involved in developing a high level architecture (HLA)-based distributed simulation while presenting an application called Naval Surface Tactical Maneuvering Simulation System (NSTMSS), which is intended to serve as a testbed for HLA and distributed interactive simulation (DIS) research. NSTMSS provides a networked virtual environment (NVE) for naval surface actions in which new formations can be evaluated and tested and present ones can be practiced and analyzed. This paper also describes a development lifecycle for HLA-based distributed interactive simulations and reflects best practices. [source] When to commit in a serial supply chain with forecast updatingNAVAL RESEARCH LOGISTICS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 8 2003Mark E. Ferguson Abstract Negotiations between an end product manufacturer and a parts supplier often revolve around two main issues: the supplier's price and the length of time the manufacturer is contractually held to its order quantity, commonly termed the "commitment time frame." Because actual demand is unknown, the specification of the commitment time frame determines how the demand risk is shared among the members of the supply chain. Casual observation indicates that most manufacturers prefer to delay commitments as long as possible while suppliers prefer early commitments. In this paper, we investigate whether these goals are always in the firm's best interest. In particular, we find that the manufacturer may sometimes be better off with a contract that requires an early commitment to its order quantity, before the supplier commits resources and the supplier may sometimes be better off with a delayed commitment. We also find that the preferred commitment time frame depends upon which member of the supply chain has the power to set their exchange price. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2003 [source] Fiscal Sociology: What For?AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Jurgen Backhaus In discussing the question, Fiscal sociology: What for? we shall first give a short sketch of the history of thought of the field. We will next identify main issues. In discussing the concept of the tax state, we emphasize issues in constitutional public finance. One of the fields in which fiscal sociology has been most important is taxation, and notably income taxation. In citing applications and issues, we identify an entire alphabet of fiscal sociological issues. We conclude by discussing the future of the field in both instruction and research. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||