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Model averaging for global Fréchet regression
No full textNon-Euclidean complex data analysis becomes increasingly popular in various fields of data science. In a seminal paper, Petersen and Müller (2019) generalized the notion of regression analysis to non-Euclidean response objects. Meanwhile, in the conventional regression analysis, model averaging has a long history and is widely applied in statistics literature. This paper studies the problem of optimal prediction for non-Euclidean objects by extending the method of model averaging. In particular, we generalize the notion of model averaging for global Fréchet regressions and establish an optimal property of the cross-validation to select the averaging weights in terms of the final prediction error. A simulation study illustrates excellent out-of-sample predictions of the proposed method
An unreasonable assumption: a reply to Strudler
No full textAlan Strudler’s “Lying about Reservation Prices in Business Negotiation: A Qualified Defense” challenges a number of claims I make in a prior essay, “A Lie Is a Lie: The Ethics of Lying in Business Negotiations.” Here, I examine Strudler’s critique and seek to refute his various arguments—in particular, those based on assumption of risk and the signalling value of reservation price lies
The information organization: on changes in information technology and organizational design
No full textIn this monograph, we adopt the perspective of organizations as processors of knowledge that collect, create, combine and/or analyze data through information technology (IT) to locate and coordinate decisions, improve performance evaluations, and enhance interest alignment. We distinguish between information communication and information processing technologies. Pivotal to our framework is whether IT improves coordination or improves incentives, and thereby the extent of (de)centralization. We document that evidence on IT’s effect on (de)centralization is ambiguous, but reconcile how advanced IT may improve decisions and lower agency costs. Complementarities thus feature strongly in our rendering of IT’s effects on organizational design. We end with some suggestions, such as the need to consider the lifecycle of IT effects, acknowledging the slow and complex, though pervasive, nature of technology adoption in organizations
Employment status: the death throes of the tests of mutuality of obligation and control
No full textThe UK Supreme Court in HMRC v Professional Game Match Officials Ltd answered two contentious issues about the identification of contracts of employment for the purpose of tax law. The first rejected the claim that ‘mutuality of obligation’ is a necessary feature of contracts of employment unless it is interpreted to mean the same as ‘consideration’, an essential requirement for all legally binding contracts. The second interpreted the meaning of the necessary requirement of control exercised by the employer to require no more than authority granted by a contractual framework backed up with the possibility of imposing sanctions for poor performance. Although the case concerned a question of tax law, the Supreme Court intermingled case law from employment law as well, so that the case is the leading authority on mutuality of obligation and control for employment law as well
De-tracking at the margin: how alternative secondary education pathways affect student attainment
No full textThis paper estimates how marginal increases in the flexibility of between-school tracking affect student attainment by exploiting the addition of non-selective ‘comprehensive schools’ and hybrid ‘vocational high schools’ to Germany's tracked school system. These schools opened up alternative pathways to the university-entrance certificate, which traditionally could only be obtained at academic-track schools. We use administrative records to compile a county-level panel of school supply and attainment for 13 cohorts between 1995 and 2007. Cross-sectionally, the supplies of all three school types awarding the university-entrance certificate correlate positively with its attainment. However, for academic-track and comprehensive schools this association is not robust to the inclusion of regional controls, suggesting that it reflects regional differences in educational demand rather than supply-side effects. For vocational high schools, in contrast, we find robust evidence for positive attainment effects not only in cross-sectional and two-way fixed-effects panel regressions, but also in an event-study design that exploits the quasi-random timing of new school openings. Likely reasons for their success are that they lower the (perceived) costs of educational upgrading for late-bloomers, and their hybrid curriculum, which may retain students in general schooling who would otherwise enter vocational training
Resisting epistemic violence in global mental health: listening to local understandings of mental health and emotional distress among victims and ex-guerrilla members in Southern Colombia
No full textBackground: While there is consensus that local knowledge is important to build better mental health responses, integration of this knowledge into mental health services remains a work in progress. In this paper, we explore local understandings of mental health, mental illness, well-being and emotional distress building dialogical spaces that enable community perspectives to inform academic knowledge and health systems. Methods: We identified local understandings of mental health, emotional distress, and wellbeing among two conflict-affected communities in Southern Colombia, including victims of the conflict and FARC ex-combatants. We conducted focus groups in Florencia (n = 8) and La Montañita (n = 7) (N = 99). Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results: We found a lay theory of mind emphasising the mind-body-context relationship as central for health and wellbeing. Mental health and mental illness are explained through biomedical categories underpinned by social representations of ‘madness’ and the stigma associated with the conflict and using services in Colombia. Wellbeing and emotional distress are determined by relational, political and economic factors, and understood in relation to culture, sociability, religiosity, nature and physical health. Discussion: Accounting for local knowledge allows working with community members to identify how their experiences, values, beliefs, and the context they live in can support or hinder their emotional wellbeing. Central to this effort is to open hegemonic biomedical models to transformational dialogues that integrate the perspective and needs of the communities we work with. Our study provides actionable insights relevant for community-based mental health and primary care services, as well as those services across sectors that can contribute to the mental health of this population
How WeChat official account marketing activities enhance brand loyalty among yoga consumers: the role of consumer trust and shopping motivations
No full textPurpose The purpose of this research is to investigate how WeChat official account marketing activities influence consumer brand loyalty through instrument- and emotion-based paths (i.e. cognitive and affective brand trust) and how these paths operate depending on consumer shopping motivation. Design/methodology/approach We tested hypotheses using structural equation modeling with a three-wave online survey of two-week intervals administered to 179 individuals who follow the WeChat official account of a yoga gym brand. Findings WeChat official account marketing activities are positively related to cognitive and affective brand trust. Affective trust mediated the relationship between WeChat official account marketing activities and brand loyalty, and hedonic motivation moderated this relationship. Originality/value Our research extends the current knowledge by articulating that the influence of WeChat official account marketing activities on brand loyalty is mediated by affective brand trust, and hedonic motivation as a key contingency affects this mediation effect
HEalth professionals Responding to MEn for Safety (HERMES) mixed methods evaluation of a pilot sexual health intervention for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men experiencing domestic violence and abuse
No full textBackground Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a violation of human rights that damages the health and well-being of—gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). Sexual health services provide a unique opportunity to assess for DVA and provide support. This study explores the feasibility and acceptability of Healthcare Responding to Men for Safety (HERMES), a pilot intervention aimed to improve the identification and referral of gbMSM experiencing DVA in a London NHS Trust. Methods The before and after mixed method evaluation of the intervention included semi-structured interviews with 21 sexual health practitioners, 20 matched pre-post questionnaires, and an audit of 533 patient records to assess identification and referral of gbMSM experiencing DVA. Results HERMES increased practitioners’ self-reported preparedness and confidence in enquiring, identifying and responding to gbMSM experiencing DVA. HERMES increased staff awareness of DVA among these patients, which led to higher identification practices in their work. There was a significant increase in the identification and reporting practices of trained staff (0% to 30%), with 6 (5%) DVA cases identified. However, as far as we could determine, none of these patients contacted the support agency. Conclusions HERMES proved successful in raising staff awareness, provided tools that increased identification and a referral pathway to an external specialist DVA service for the LGBT community. However, the poor uptake of the referral service indicates a need for further exploration of the help-seeking behaviour of gbMSM experiencing DVA and whether they would prefer to receive support within a sexual health service. Reinforcement training and clinical supervision is needed to sustain positive changes in practice over time and address potential challenges posed by staff turnover. Initial training should be conducted through face-to-face sessions with a combination of in-person and e-learning materials and followed by in-person and online reinforcement activities
Reforming football: what the EU can do
No full textThe numerous scandals that have marred the world of football suggest that reform is badly needed. As governing bodies like FIFA and UEFA fail to make meaningful improvements, calls for public regulation are gaining ground. This article explores what the European Union (EU) could do to effect change. Although long hailed as a powerful sports regulator, there is a widespread feeling that the EU’s regulatory potential remains unfulfilled. The article argues that the Union is in a unique position to leave a positive mark on football governance if it decides to regulate the sport more extensively. Three options are outlined: increasing the intensity of scrutiny exercised under the internal market rules, changing the approach towards cooperation with football stakeholders, or enacting a European Sports Act. After examining the benefits and drawbacks of each route, it will be claimed that, on balance, the most promising avenue is EU legislation which sets out minimum governance standards as well as substantive requirements, including on human rights, gender equality, and athlete welfare. The conclusion will offer some reflections on what would need to happen for the proposal to materialize, discussing the role of advocacy coalitions and crises in bringing about regulatory change
Yield drifts when issuance comes before macro news
No full textUK government bond yields tend to drift upwards before scheduled news such as monetary policy announcements and labour market data releases. This effect is particularly pronounced during periods of UK bond issuance and is linked to higher term premia. Financial intermediary constraints play a role as dealers avoid accumulating inventory in pre-news windows following issuance. The composition of liquidity providers also shifts: hedge funds buy a large share of the bond issuance outside pre-news windows, but more passive investors – such as foreign central banks and pension funds – provide liquidity in pre-news windows. We outline a simple model to rationalize these findings