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Kinds of Owners Selected AbstractsFEDERAL WETLANDS REGULATION: RESTRICTIONS ON THE NATIONWIDE PERMIT PROGRAM AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERSAMERICAN BUSINESS LAW JOURNAL, Issue 2 2000RANDALL S. GUTTERY First page of article [source] EMPLOYEES THAT THINK AND ACT LIKE OWNERS: EFFECTS OF OWNERSHIP BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESSPERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2003STEPHEN H. WAGNER A model of the psychological experience of employee ownership in work groups was developed to investigate antecedents (participation in a 401 (k) program and a climate of self-determination) and consequences (employee attitudes and financial performance) of psychological ownership. Based on data from a large retail organization, results showed that working in a climate supporting self-determination and 401(k) participation were positively related to the level of ownership beliefs in the 204 work groups studied. Ownership beliefs were positively related to ownership behaviors and employees' attitudes toward the organization, whereas ownership behaviors were positively related to financial performance. Implications of psychological ownership for organizational behavior and performance are discussed. [source] Characteristics of Australia's community pharmacies: National Pharmacy Database ProjectINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 4 2007Mr Constantine G Berbatis lecturer Objective To report the characteristics of community pharmacies in Australia and analyse them for their association with pharmacists' consultation time. Setting A large representative sample of community pharmacies in Australia in 2002. Method Questionnaires were mailed by an independent survey group to managers and owners in a national sample of pharmacies stratified into six zones. Questionnaires were returned by 1131 of 1532 pharmacies contacted (73.8%). The data were analysed using the general linear model (GLM) for univariate analysis. Key findings: Male pharmacists comprised 76.3% of pharmacy owners and 39.5% were aged = 51 years. Most pharmacies (81.1%) had one or two pharmacist owners, and 51.3% of pharmacies were members of marketing groups. Medicines accounted for approximately 75% of annual sales and occupied a minority of the average total area of 187.2 m2. Pharmacies opened for an average of 55.5 h per week. Pharmacists spent 18.8% of their time on patient consultation. This was significantly related to pharmacies with forward pharmacy dispensing areas (P < 0.001), which were owner or partner operated (P < 0.002) and had high numbers of customers (P < 0.004). Holding national accreditation status and belonging to a banner group may be additional factors. Conclusions Ownership of community pharmacies in Australia is dominated by pharmacists in contrast to the minority pharmacist ownership in the USA and England. Owners and managers of pharmacies were mainly male and older than other staff. Pharmacists working in pharmacies with a forward dispensing area, designed to facilitate patient consultation, were significantly more likely to provide increased consultation time for patients. Owner- or partner-operated pharmacies, and pharmacies with high numbers of customers were also significantly associated with patient consultation time. The strength of association between membership of marketing groups and national accreditation with consultation time requires more evidence. [source] Small Business Borrowing and the Owner,Manager Agency Costs: Evidence on Finnish DataJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2010Mervi Niskanen This study investigates the impact that managerial ownership has on loan availability and credit terms. We find that managerial ownership is common in a sample of small and medium-sized Finnish firms. Our results suggest that an increase in managerial ownership decreases loan availability. The results on loan interest rates suggest that though an increase in managerial ownership initially increases interest rates, the effect is reversed at higher levels of ownership. Collateral requirements increase monotonically with managerial ownership. Overall, the results suggest that banks view that there are agency costs involved with managerial ownership even in small and medium-sized firms and that this is taken into account when lending to these firms. [source] Uncertainty and Information Search Activities: A Study of Owner,Managers of Small High-Technology Manufacturing FirmsJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003Jeffrey E. McGee This study examines the relationship among perceived strategic uncertainty (PSU), environmental scanning, and the information sources used by owner,managers of a sample of 153 small high-technology manufacturing firms. The results suggest that increased scanning activities are associated with high levels of PSU. Perhaps most importantly, the results also suggest that owner,managers of younger firms respond to uncertainty differently than their counterparts in more mature firms. Specifically, owner,managers of younger firms appear to respond to higher PSU by relying more heavily on personal and external information sources. Owner,managers of older firms, on the other hand, rely more heavily on internal and impersonal information sources to address environmental uncertainty. [source] Universal Owners: challenges and opportunitiesCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2007James Hawley This special issue of Corporate Governance is devoted to the concept of "universal ownership" (UO) and grows out of a conference of universal owners, institutional investors, investment professionals and academics held in April 2006 at Saint Mary's College of California, under the sponsorship of the Center for the Study of Fiduciary Capitalism (A report of the conference is available at http://www.fidcap.org). Four of the seven articles in this issue are based on papers presented at the conference, while an additional three (by Lydenberg, Syse and Gjessing, and Lippman et al.) were written specifically for this issue. The conference purposefully developed a practitioners' perspective on universal ownership and these articles reflect this orientation, although each article in its own way breaks new ground which academics, policy researchers and practitioners can and should develop. [source] Original Article: Epidemiological features and association with crib-biting in horses with neurological disease associated with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (1991,2008)EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION, Issue 9 2010N. S. Grenager Summary A retrospective study of 43 cases of temporohyoid osteoarthropathy was performed to evaluate the epidemiological features and a possible association with crib-biting. Data collected from records included case details, what diagnostics were utilised, whether medical or surgical treatment was administered, and outcome. Owners were contacted via telephone and asked whether the horse had displayed crib-biting behaviour. Forty-three horses were diagnosed with neurological disease associated with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy, 62.8% of which were Quarter Horse-types. Median age at presentation was 10 years and median duration of neurological signs prior to presentation was 3 days. Skull radiographs and guttural pouch endoscopy were used to definitively diagnose temporohyoid osteoarthropathy in 72% of the cases. Of 43 horses, 21 received medical treatment and 15 surgical treatment, with an overall survival rate of 55.8%. Crib-biting was observed in 31.3% of cases and there was a significant association between being afflicted with THO and likelihood of possessing the behaviour. Horses with neurological disease associated with THO were 8 times more likely to be crib-biters compared to the general population. [source] An epidemiological study of myopathies in Warmblood horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008L. M. HUNT Summary Reasons for performing study: There are few detailed reports describing muscular disorders in Warmblood horses. Objectives: To determine the types of muscular disorders that occur in Warmblood horses, along with presenting clinical signs, associated risk factors and response to diet and exercise recommendations, and to compare these characteristics between horses diagnosed with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), those diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder other than PSSM (non-PSSM) and control horses. Methods: Subject details, muscle biopsy diagnosis and clinical history were compiled for Warmblood horses identified from records of biopsy submissions to the University of Minnesota Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory. A standardised questionnaire was answered by owners at least 6 months after receiving the muscle biopsy report for an affected and a control horse. Results: Polysaccharide storage myopathy (72/132 horses) was the most common myopathy identified followed by recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) (7/132), neurogenic or myogenic atrophy (7/132), and nonspecific myopathic changes (14/132). Thirty-two biopsies were normal. Gait abnormality, ,tying-up', Shivers, muscle fasciculations and atrophy were common presenting clinical signs. Forty-five owners completed questionnaires. There were no differences in sex, age, breed, history or management between control, PSSM and non-PSSM horses. Owners that provided the recommended low starch fat supplemented diet and regular daily exercise reported improvement in clinical signs in 68% (19/28) of horses with a biopsy submission and 71% of horses diagnosed with PSSM (15/21). Conclusions: Muscle biopsy evaluation was a valuable tool to identify a variety of myopathies in Warmblood breeds including PSSM and RER. These myopathies often presented as gait abnormalities or overt exertional rhabdomyolysis and both a low starch fat supplemented diet and regular exercise appeared to be important in their successful management. Potential relevance: Warmbloods are affected by a variety of muscle disorders, which, following muscle biopsy diagnosis can be improved through changes in diet and exercise regimes. [source] Profiling a New Generation of Female Small Business Owners in New Zealand: Networking, Mentoring and GrowthGENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 4 2002Judy McGregor The contribution of female small business owners to economic development in Western developed countries such as New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, is generally under,researched and traditionally grounded in male norms. Increasingly policy,makers acknowledge that in countries like New Zealand where 85% of business employs five or less people, small business offers the greatest employment potential. Not enough is known, though, about the growth orientation and characteristics of female small business owners. This article reports findings from the largest empirical study of small business undertaken in New Zealand and provides inter,gender comparison between male and female small business owners and for intra,gender contrast between networked female small business owners and women who did not belong to a business network. The results showed that the networked women, who were in the main better educated and more affiliative by nature, were more expansionist than both other female small business owners and men. The networked women were also more likely to have a business mentor. The findings confound earlier research suggesting women are less growth,orientated and wish only to satisfy intrinsic needs from their businesses. The article concludes by discussing the need to acknowledge the heterogeneity of female small business and what this means for policy,makers when assessing their socio,economic potential. [source] Regulating labour management in small firmsHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, Issue 3 2002Susan Marlow There is a relative paucity of evidence on the management of labour in smaller firms. Research that has been undertaken, while recognising the heterogeneity of the sector, does note the prevalence of informality regarding employee relations. Such informality could be challenged by the increasing regulation of the employment relationship following the election of successive Labour governments since 1997. To illuminate this discussion further, evidence drawn from a study of employment regulation is offered. A number of smaller firm owners and their employees were interviewed to ascertain their views on the impact of regulation on the employment relationship. Owners were largely resistant to it but felt they could accommodate changes with relatively little disruption to their existing approach to labour management. Meanwhile, most employees felt the effect of regulation would be muted due to their position as smaller firm labour. [source] Characteristics of Australia's community pharmacies: National Pharmacy Database ProjectINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 4 2007Mr Constantine G Berbatis lecturer Objective To report the characteristics of community pharmacies in Australia and analyse them for their association with pharmacists' consultation time. Setting A large representative sample of community pharmacies in Australia in 2002. Method Questionnaires were mailed by an independent survey group to managers and owners in a national sample of pharmacies stratified into six zones. Questionnaires were returned by 1131 of 1532 pharmacies contacted (73.8%). The data were analysed using the general linear model (GLM) for univariate analysis. Key findings: Male pharmacists comprised 76.3% of pharmacy owners and 39.5% were aged = 51 years. Most pharmacies (81.1%) had one or two pharmacist owners, and 51.3% of pharmacies were members of marketing groups. Medicines accounted for approximately 75% of annual sales and occupied a minority of the average total area of 187.2 m2. Pharmacies opened for an average of 55.5 h per week. Pharmacists spent 18.8% of their time on patient consultation. This was significantly related to pharmacies with forward pharmacy dispensing areas (P < 0.001), which were owner or partner operated (P < 0.002) and had high numbers of customers (P < 0.004). Holding national accreditation status and belonging to a banner group may be additional factors. Conclusions Ownership of community pharmacies in Australia is dominated by pharmacists in contrast to the minority pharmacist ownership in the USA and England. Owners and managers of pharmacies were mainly male and older than other staff. Pharmacists working in pharmacies with a forward dispensing area, designed to facilitate patient consultation, were significantly more likely to provide increased consultation time for patients. Owner- or partner-operated pharmacies, and pharmacies with high numbers of customers were also significantly associated with patient consultation time. The strength of association between membership of marketing groups and national accreditation with consultation time requires more evidence. [source] Security Zones and New York City's Shrinking Public SpaceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010JEREMY NÉMETH Abstract Urban scholars lament the loss of public space due to heightened security and behavioral controls borne of economic priorities and anti-terror concerns after September 11th 2001. Owners and managers of government buildings, banks and courthouses have closed streets and fitted the surrounding space with concrete barriers, bollards and moat-like structures to prevent potential terror attacks. These are reasonable protections in emergency situations, but, as threat levels fall, these zones fail to incorporate a diversity of users, privatizing the space for those with security clearance. The ubiquity of these zones encourages us to consider them as a new type of land use. To test this statement, we describe the results of site visits to two high-profile New York City neighborhoods (one with numerous civic buildings, the other populated with corporate headquarters). Using a simple tool we developed, we find that 27% of aggregate non-building area in the two districts is now in a security zone. Interestingly, the percentage of space within each district that can be classed as a security zone is reasonably similar, providing insight into the way in which terror targets are internally and externally defined and justified. We argue that this new type of land use is an important and permanent feature of twenty-first century global cities. Résumé Les chercheurs en sciences urbaines regrettent la perte d'espace public, incriminant souvent les contrôles accrus de sécurité et de comportement suscités par des priorités économiques ou des préoccupations anti-terroristes depuis le 11 septembre 2001. Propriétaires et gestionnaires de bâtiments publics, banques et tribunaux ont fermé des rues et équipé l'espace environnant d'obstacles en béton, de plots et de quasi-fossés afin de parer aux attaques terroristes potentielles. Ces protections sont normales en situations d'urgence, mais lorsque la menace décroît, les zones concernées ne parviennent pas à diversifier leurs usagers, l'espace étant réservé aux détenteurs de droits d'accès. L'ubiquité de ces zones pousse à les considérer comme un nouveau type d'occupation des sols. Pour vérifier cette affirmation, nous présentons les résultats de visites dans deux quartiers éminents de New York, l'un regroupant de nombreux bâtiments publics, l'autre une multitude de sièges sociaux. Au moyen d'un outil simple développé par nos soins, nous constatons que 27% de la surface cumulée non bâtie dans les deux secteurs sont désormais dans une zone sécurisée. Il faut noter que, dans chaque secteur, la proportion de l'espace qui peut être classé en zone sécurisée est relativement similaire, donnant un éclairage sur la façon dont les cibles terroristes sont définies et justifiées sur les plans intérieur et extérieur. Selon nous, ce nouveau type d'occupation des sols constitue un caractère important et permanent des villes planétaires du xxie siècle. [source] Feeding Practices of Dog and Cat Owners Reflect Attitudes Toward Pet FoodsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 11-12 2005K. N. Willoughby The PET DINER study was a telephone survey conducted to better understand why pet owners make certain nutritional decisions for their pets. Both dog and cat owners were included, which allowed us to differentiate the way people feed pet cats vs. pet dogs and how that might reflect owners' attitudes about pet foods. Prospective survey respondents were selected from local telephone books using a randomized process. A total of 18,194 calls were made from the five study sites between May and August, 2004. 1074 people (6%) representing 619 dogs and 455 cats completed the survey. Detailed information about feeding practices was collected. Pet owners' perceptions were assessed based on agreement/disagreement with statements regarding pet foods and the pet food industry. The Mann,Whitney Rank Sum test was used to detect differences between dog and cat owners and the Kruskal,Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks was used to evaluate differences among pet owners based on both type of pet and feeding practices (,75% commercial vs. ,50% home-prepared diets). More cats than dogs ate commercial pet food as ,75% of their main diet (96% vs. 87%, respectively; p < 0.001), and more dogs than cats ate a home-prepared food as ,50% of their main diet (6% vs. 3%, respectively; p < 0.009). For five of the statements, a difference in the attitudes of cat vs. dog owners was detected (p < 0.05). In general, this reflected more positive attitudes regarding commercial foods and less positive attitudes regarding home-prepared foods on the part of cat vs. dog owners. Analysis based on both type of pet and feeding practices identified significant differences among groups for 18/26 statements. However, when the Dunn's Method for pairwise multiple comparisons was applied, significant differences were due to feeding practices rather than type of pet for 17/18 statements. Only differences in attitudes about the statement ,raw bones can be safely fed to pets' remained significant for cat vs. dog owners feeding commercial foods. In conclusion, more cat owners than dog owners feed ,75% commercial foods to their pets and this is reflected in different attitudes about the nutritional soundness of commercial pet foods. [source] Why Do Some Owners Allow Their Dogs to Foul the Pavement?JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 7 2000The Social Psychology of a Minor Rule Infraction This study combines observational, attitudinal, and self-report measures, and compares a group of irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs to foul with a control group of responsible owners who clean up after their dogs. The owners are compared on a variety of attitudinal and personal orientation measures. We observed 101 instances of dog fouling in both park and pavement, and 87 respondents subsequently returned questionnaires. The majority (59%) of people observed cleaned up after their dogs. The irresponsible owners were significantly more tolerant of fouling (dog feces were seen as natural waste and biodegradable) and were more likely to agree that the laws were illegitimate and restrictive. [source] Methods and mortality results of a health survey of purebred dogs in the UKJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 10 2010V. J. Adams Objectives: To collect information on the cause of death and longevity of dogs owned by members of the numerically largest breed clubs of 169 UK Kennel Club-recognised breeds. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out. Approximately 58,363 questionnaires were sent out to breed club members in 2004 (nine clubs failed to report the exact number of questionnaires sent out). Owners reported age at death and cause(s) of death for all dogs that had died within the previous 10 years. Results: A total of 13,741 questionnaires (24% response rate) containing information on 15,881 deaths were included in the analysis. Breed-specific response rates ranged from 64·7 to 4·5%. The median age at death was 11 years and 3 months (minimum=2 months, maximum=23 years and 5 months) and it varied by breed. The most common causes of death were cancer (n=4282, 27%), "old age" (n=2830, 18%) and cardiac conditions (n=1770, 11%). Clinical Significance: This survey shows breed differences in lifespan and causes of death, and the results support previous evidence that smaller breeds tend to have longer lifespan compared with larger breeds. Although many of the breeds in the study may not be representative of the general pedigree dog population in the UK, the results do contribute to the limited information currently available. [source] An epidemiological study of environmental factors associated with canine obesityJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 7 2010E. A. Courcier Objectives: To assess the relationships between socioeconomic and other environmental factors with canine obesity. Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study of dog owners attending five primary veterinary practices in the UK. Owners were asked about dog age, neuter status, feeding habits, dog exercise, household income and owner age. The body condition score of the dogs was also assessed. Factors hypothesised to be associated with obesity were investigated. Results: In total, data from 696 questionnaires were evaluated. Out of those data evaluated, 35·3% of dogs (n=246) were classed as an ideal body shape, 38·9% (n=271) were overweight, 20·4% (n=142) were obese and 5·3% (n=37) were underweight. Identified risk factors associated with obesity included owner age, hours of weekly exercise, frequency of snacks/treats and personal income. Clinical Significance: Environmental risk factors associated with canine obesity are multifactorial and include personal income, owner age, frequency of snacks/treats and amount of exercise the dog receives. Awareness about health risks associated with obesity in dogs is significantly less in people in lower income brackets. This phenomenon is recognised in human obesity. [source] Financing Small Technology-Based Companies: The Relationship between Familiarity with Capital and Ability to Price and Negotiate InvestmentJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2001Howard E. Van Auken This study examines the financing of small technology-based firms. Specifically, the study investigates the familiarity of owners of small technology-based firms with alternative forms of capital by stage of development and in comparison with their ability to price and negotiate external equity and debt investment. The results indicate that owners are most familiar with traditional sources of capital, somewhat less familiar with capital commonly used to fund growth, and least familiar with government funding initiatives. Owners believe that they are better able to negotiate than to price equity and debt. The perceived ability to negotiate and price externally funded investments increases as the firm matures through the various stages of development. [source] Evaluation of a Quality-of-Life Tool for Cats with Diabetes MellitusJOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010S.J.M. Niessen Background: Success in management of diabetes mellitus (DM) is defined as improvement of blood glucose concentrations and clinical signs. However, the psychological and social impact of DM and its daily treatment regimen on quality of life (QoL) of both animal and owner is uncertain. Hypothesis/Objectives: To design, validate, and apply a diabetic pet and owner-centered, individualized measure of impact of DM (DIAQoL-pet). Animals/Subjects: Two hundred and twenty-one owners of insulin-treated diabetic cats were recruited to complete the DIAQoL-pet. Methods: Discussions and pilot surveys with clinicians and owners of diabetic cats led to the design of 29 specific DM-associated QoL questions. Owners of diabetic cats completed the finalized survey. Each item was scored according to impact frequency and perceived importance. An item-weighted impact score (IWIS) for each item was calculated, as was an average-weighted impact score (AWIS) by averaging all IWISs. Principal component analysis and Cronbach's , calculation assessed the measure's reliability. Two overview questions measured overall QoL and diabetes-dependent QoL. Results: The DIAQoL-pet showed high reliability (Cronbach , 0.83). The AWIS was ,1.76 ± 2.4 (mean ± SD). Areas reported as most negatively impacting QoL included: "boarding difficulties" (IWIS ± SD: ,4.67 ± 5.3), "owner wanting more control" (,4.34 ± 4.7), "difficulties leaving cat with friends or family" (,4.21 ± 4.7), "worry" (,4.10 ± 3.9), "worry hypo" (,3.67 ± 3.5), "social life" (,3.48 ± 3.9), "costs" (,3.04 ± 3.8), and "work life" (,3.03 ± 3.7). Forty-one percent of owners believed their cat's life would be "a little better" without DM. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The DIAQoL-pet proved robust and identified specific areas most negatively impacting on diabetic cats and their owners' QoL. This tool warrants further investigation for use in clinical or research settings. [source] Practices and Outcome of Artificial Cardiac Pacing in 154 DogsJOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2001Mark A. Oyama Artificial pacing (AP) is a treatment for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias unresponsive to medical therapy. This retrospective study was designed to define the practices and outcome of AP in dogs at 7 referral institutions participating in the Companion Animal Pacemaker Registry and Repository (CANPACERS). The indications, implantation techniques, complications, long-term outcome, and owner satisfaction were examined. One hundred fifty-four dogs were identified as undergoing AP from January 1, 1991, to January 1, 1996. Third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block (n = 91; 59%) and sinus node dysfunction (n = 45; 29%) were the most common indications for AP. Transvenous endocardial AP systems were implanted in 136 dogs (88%), and epicardial systems were implanted in 18 (12%). Complications associated with AP were reported in 84 dogs (55%). Major complications occurred in 51 dogs (33%), including dislodgement of the pacing lead (n = 15; 10%), generator failure (n = 10; 6%), cardiac arrest during implantation (n = 9; 6%), and infection (n = 7; 5%). Minor complications occurred in 47 dogs (31%), including seroma formation (n = 18; 12%), muscle twitch (n = 17; 11%), and inconsequential arrhythmias (n = 15; 10%). Fourteen dogs (9%) experienced both major and minor complications. Survival analysis revealed 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 70, 57, and 45%, respectively. Age and presence of preexisting congestive heart failure (CHF) had a negative effect on survival (P= .001). Sixty percent of dogs with preexisting CHF died within 1 year of implantation, whereas 25% of dogs without heart failure died during the same period. Owners rated their satisfaction with the procedure as high in 80% of the dogs. [source] Delegation and strategic incentives for managers in contestsMANAGERIAL AND DECISION ECONOMICS, Issue 8 2002Matthias Kräkel Owners usually want their managers to maximize profits. As the literature on strategic delegation has shown it may be beneficial to owners to put a positive weight on sales in the optimal linear incentive scheme for managers to make them behave more aggressively in the market. This paper shows that if the competition between the managers can be characterized as a contest, owners may induce their managers to maximize sales. Moreover, there is a first-mover advantage for owners when choosing their incentive schemes. If delegation is endogenous the type of contest will determine whether all owners delegate their decisions to managers or not. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Support for Bereaved Owners of PetsPERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE, Issue 2 2003Paul T. Clements PhD TOPIC. The bond that exists between people and their pets and its impact on physical and mental health. PURPOSE. To review the current literature and explore the clinical implications of bereavement related to pets. SOURCES. A comprehensive review of the bereavement, veterinarian, and agricultural literature related to attitudes and response patterns to pet and animal death. CONCLUSIONS. The death or loss of a beloved pet can be a life-changing event. [source] Delegating management to expertsTHE RAND JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2006Chifeng Dai Owners of property and assets frequently delegate decisions about operating and maintaining their property to managers who are better informed about local market conditions. We analyze how owners optimally contract with managers who vary in their expertise at prescribing service. We show that the most expert managers offer the greatest variation in operating recommendations. Owners benefit from dealing with experts provided they contract sequentially, whereby terms are negotiated gradually as the manager acquires information. [source] Ownership, incentives, and the hold-up problemTHE RAND JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, Issue 2 2006Tim Baldenius Vertical integration is often proposed as a way to resolve hold-up problems. This ignores the empirical fact that division managers tend to maximize divisional (not firmwide) profit when investing. I develop a model with asymmetric information at the bargaining stage and investment returns taking the form of cash and "empire benefits." Owners of a vertically integrated firm will then provide division managers with low-powered incentives to induce them to bargain more cooperatively, resulting in higher investments and overall profit as compared with nonintegration. Vertical integration therefore mitigates hold-up problems even without profit sharing. [source] Environmental behaviour in Chicago automotive repair micro-enterprises (MEPs)BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 3 2008Debby F. Mir Abstract This study analyzes the relationship between internal and external factors that influence environmental behaviour in traditional service micro-enterprises, focusing on Chicago motor vehicle repair (MVR) firms five years after the Clean Break amnesty program and subsequent inspections of MVR firms. The survey explored the influence of firm and manager characteristics, government intervention, and market and social pressures and opportunities on environmental awareness and action. Environmental action was significantly higher in older firms (more experienced owners) and in auto-refinishing firms practicing spray painting. While awareness levels were mixed for dealerships and franchises (contracted to larger organizations), environmental action was good for six out of the seven firms, which may reflect expectations for higher professional rather than environmental standards. However, environmental awareness and behaviour levels were mixed for trade association members. Owners obtain most environmental information from suppliers and government agencies, but confuse government responsibilities and attribute greater authority to non-environmental agencies. Finally, micro-enterprises avoid voluntary environmental compliance programs and prefer targeted enforcement and insurance requirements that promote a level playing field. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility: a comparative analysis of the UK and the US,CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2006Ruth V. Aguilera This paper argues that key differences between the UK and the US in the importance ascribed to a company's social responsibilities (CSR) reflect differences in the corporate governance arrangements in these two countries. Specifically, we analyse the role of a salient type of owner in the UK and the US, institutional investors, in emphasising firm-level CSR actions. We explore differences between institutional investors in the UK and the US concerning CSR, and draw on a model of instrumental, relational and moral motives to explore why institutional investors in the UK are becoming concerned with firms' social and environmental actions. We conclude with some suggestions for future research in this area. [source] Agency Relations within the Family Business System: an exploratory approachCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2003L.A.A. Van den Berghe Researchers use various definitions to describe the family firm. The characteristics of family firms that are stressed in each of these definitions are somehow related to family control. All characteristics together reflect a spectrum of family firm types along one core dimension: family involvement in the firm. However, it is more helpful to distinguish among family firms by using their precise type. Each particular family firm type is characterised by a set of agency relations within and between the family system, ownership system and the business system. This paper is a first attempt to apply the insights from agency theory on a highly simplified (reference) family firm situation where the father is full owner and the daughter manager of the family firm. Agency theory establishes the foundation for the optimal contract conditions between father and daughter. While real life is often characterised by bounded rationality and incomplete information, future research should help identify the "optimal contract" be-tween the family/shareholders and management in various family firm types under these circumstances. [source] The Role of the Venture Capitalist as Monitor of the Company: a corporate governance perspectiveCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2002L.A.A. Van den Berghe The monitoring and stewardship role of the owner is an important corporate governance issue that deserves far more attention. Our analysis focuses on the role of the venture capitalist (VC) as monitor of high,tech venture,backed companies. We provide evidence from the literature as well as a qualitative descriptive view of the experiences of Belgian VCs. The position of the VC sheds more light on the plenitude of roles an active owner can play. Furthermore, our findings highlight the need for a better understanding of the governance structure and processes of high,tech companies. [source] Return to work following unilateral enucleation in 34 horses (2000,2008)EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2010M. E. UTTER Summary Reasons for study: The effect of unilateral enucleation on vision and potential loss of performance in horses has received little study. Objective: To evaluate the likelihood of return to prior discipline following unilateral enucleation in horses, assessing the role of age at enucleation, equine discipline, reason for enucleation, time to vision loss and eye enucleated. Hypothesis: Unilateral enucleation has no significant effect on likelihood of return to work in horses, for both right and left eyes, across age and discipline. Method: A retrospective review of medical records identified 92 horses that underwent unilateral enucleation at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center from April 2000,April 2008. Case variables determined from the medical record included breed and sex of horse, age at enucleation, which eye was enucleated, reason for enucleation and onset of vision loss. Pre- and post operative occupations were determined by telephone interview with the owner or trainer of each horse. Results: Based on hospital surgery logs, 92 enucleations were performed over the 8 year period and 77 records were available for review, with follow-up information available for 34 horses. Of these, 29/34 (85%) horses returned to work in pleasure or trail riding (11/13), flat racing (7/10), hunter/jumpers (4/4), dressage (3/3), group lessons (1/1), eventing (1/1), steeplechase (1/1) and as a broodmare (1/1). Four of 5 horses (4/34, or 12% sample) that did not return to work (2 pleasure and 2 racing) were retired due to anticipated or perceived decrease in performance or behaviour change following unilateral enucleation, with the remaining horse retired from racing for lameness issues unrelated to enucleation. Twenty-two of 25 horses (88%) with acute vision loss and 7/9 horses (78%) with gradual vision loss returned to their previous discipline. Conclusions: Horses are able to return to a variety of occupations after unilateral enucleation. [source] Caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve: A novel surgical technique for treatment of idiopathic headshaking and assessment of its efficacy in 24 horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009V. L. H. ROBERTS Summary Reasons for designing and reporting technique: Idiopathic headshaking has remarkable similarities to human neuropathic facial pain syndromes associated with post herpetic and trigeminal neuralgia. These derive from abnormal sensory function within the peripheral or central pathways of the trigeminal nerve (TgN). Limiting input from the TgN can be helpful in controlling the perception of pain. Rhizotomy of the infraorbital branch of the TgN as it emerges from the infraorbital canal has been reported but has a poor efficacy. A novel technique involves compression of the nerve at a more caudal location within the infraorbital canal and the technique requires validation. Hypothesis: Caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve with platinum coils, performed in horses diagnosed with idiopathic headshaking, results in a decrease in clinical signs. Methods: Caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve, using platinum embolisation coils, was performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Clinical records of 24 idiopathic headshakers that had undergone this procedure were reviewed. Follow-up information was obtained by telephone questionnaire with the owner or referring veterinary surgeon. Results: All 24 horses had at least one surgical procedure. Median follow-up time was 6 months. There were 2 horses which had surgery 2 weeks before follow-up and these were excluded from the analysis of outcome. Following one surgery, 13/22 horses (59.0%) had a successful outcome. Of the 9 horses that did not improve, surgery was repeated in 6 cases. Two of these horses had a successful outcome. Overall, a successful outcome was obtained in 16/19 horses (84.2%). Conclusions: This surgical technique is likely to prevent input from the TgN at a more caudal location then the previously described infraorbital neurectomy. The technique requires refinement. [source] A region on equine chromosome 13 is linked to recurrent airway obstruction in horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2007U. JOST Summary Reasons for study: Equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is probably dependent on a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors and shares many characteristic features with human asthma. Interleukin 4 receptor , chain (IL4RA) is a candidate gene because of its role in the development of human asthma, confirmation of this association is therefore required. Methods: The equine BAC clone containing the IL4RA gene was localised to ECA13q13 by the FISH method. Microsatellite markers in this region were investigated for possible association and linkage with RAO in 2 large Warmblood halfsib families. Based on a history of clinical signs (coughing, nasal discharge, abnormal breathing and poor performance), horses were classified in a horse owner assessed respiratory signs index (HOARSI 1,4: from healthy, mild, moderate to severe signs). Four microsatellite markers (AHT133, LEX041, VHL47, ASB037) were analysed in the offspring of Sire 1 (48 unaffected HOARSI 1 vs. 59 affected HOARSI 2,4) and Sire 2 (35 HOARSI 1 vs. 50 HOARSI 2,4), age ,7 years. Results: For both sires haplotypes could be established in the order AHT133-LEX047-VHL47-ASB37. The distances in this order were estimated to be 2.9, 0.9 and 2.3 centiMorgans, respectively. Haplotype association with mild to severe clinical signs of chronic lower airway disease (HOARSI 2,4) was significant in the offspring of Sire 1 (P = 0.026) but not significant for the offspring of Sire 2 (P = 0.32). Linkage analysis showed the ECA13q13 region containing IL4RA to be linked to equine chronic lower airway disease in one family (P<0.01), but not in the second family. Conclusions: This supports a genetic background for equine RAO and indicates that IL4RA is a candidate gene with possible locus heterogeneity for this disease. Potential relevance: Identification of major genes for RAO may provide a basis for breeding and individual prevention for this important disease. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||