130,735 research outputs found
The age of austerity: contesting the ethical basis and financial sustainability of welfare reform in Europe
No full textThis paper examines the policy of austerity in three European welfare regimes with differing levels of social spending and fiscal balance: Italy; Sweden; and the UK. In spite of significant material differences between the three countries, the paper begins by illustrating that there is ultimately convergence in their responses to the economic crisis. These welfare regimes have justified the terms of austerity by suggesting that economic and welfare reforms address questions of ‘need’, ‘fairness’ and ‘sustainability’. Contrary to dominant political and policy rationale, the paper demonstrates that austerity measures in each country fail to meet policy objectives given their own conceptions of social and distributive justice. The three welfare regimes lack cogent strategies to safeguard their financial sustainability and this results in a neo-liberal paradigm that compromises the ethical and internal coherence of austerity
The role of small and large businesses in economic development
No full textIncreasingly, economic development experts are abandoning traditional approaches to economic development that rely on recruiting large enterprises with tax breaks, financial incentives, and other inducements. Instead, they are relying on building businesses from the ground up and supporting the growth of existing enterprises. This approach has two complementary features. The first is to develop and support entrepreneurs and small businesses. The second is to expand and improve infrastructure and to develop or recruit a highly skilled and educated workforce. Both efforts depend in large part on improving the quality of life in the community and creating an attractive business climate. ; Edmiston explores whether promoting entrepreneurship and small businesses makes sense as an economic development strategy. He concludes that it probably does, but with some caveats. Small businesses are potent job creators, but so are large businesses. The attribution of the bulk of net job creation to small businesses arises largely from relatively large job losses at large firms, not to especially robust job creation by small firms. More important, data show that, on average, large businesses offer better jobs than small businesses, both in terms of compensation and stability. Further, there is little convincing evidence to suggest that small businesses have an edge over larger businesses in innovation. More research is needed to properly evaluate the case for a small business strategy, and indeed, to determine whether or not public engagement in economic development itself is a cost-effective and worthwhile pursuit.Small business
Nostima negramaculata Edmiston & Mathis, 2007, sp. nov.
No full text<i>Nostima negramaculata,</i> sp. nov. <p>(Figs. 9–14, 17, 20–21)</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis</b>.This species is distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of characters: crossveins r-m and dm-cu brown surrounded with dark spots; dark spots variable: 1–4 across r1 cell, 3–4 across r2+3 cell, 4–5 in r4+5 cell, 2–3 distad to dm-cu, 2–3 in cua1; thorax with dense silvery gray microtomentum on postpronotum; tergites completely covered with dense silvery bluish gray microtomentum.</p> <p> <b>Description</b>. Adults, small shore flies, body length 1.04–1.36 mm; yellowish brown to brown with silvery gray and yellowish silver microtomentum.</p> <p> <i>Head</i>. Frons yellowish brown with silvery gray microtomentum, anterior semicircle with yellowish silver microtomentum. Occiput yellowish brown silvery gray microtomentum. Lateral vertical seta 3/4 length of medial vertical seta; paravertical seta absent. Scape brown; basal flagellomere brown; arista filamentose. Facial background yellowish brown with yellowish silver microtomentum; band of silvery gray microtomentum along eye margin from antennal bases, along parafacial, and extending to the gena. Gena and postgena covered with silvery gray microtomentum; postgena ventrally shiny, brown. Maxillary palpus dark yellowish brown; prementum brown.</p> <p> <i>Thorax</i>. (Fig. 17). Scutal length 0.36–0.47 mm; scutellar length 0.16–0.21. Mesonotum yellowish-brown with yellowish silver and silvery bluish gray microtomentum, silvery gray vittae medially and along dorsocentral line; silvery gray microtomentose vitta along dorsocentral line with silvery gray microtomentum sparse between dorsocentral setae and dense posteriorly and anteriorly of dorsocentral setae covering postpronotum and postalar region; scutellum yellowish-brown with yellowish silver microtomentum, laterally with dense silvery gray microtomentum contiguous with silvery gray dorsocentral vitta on mesonotum; anepisternum brown with bluish silvery gray microtomentum; katepisternum brown with silvery bluish gray microtomentum; anatergite brown silvery gray microtomentum. Chaetotaxy: anterior dorsocentral seta 3/4 length of posterior seta; anterior notopleural seta 3/4 length of posterior seta; lateral scutellar seta 3/4 length of apical seta, apical setae convergent and on some specimens crossed. Wing (Fig. 20–21): length 0.94–1.23 mm; width 0.48–0.63 mm; costa-vein ratio 0.38–0.42; M-vein ration 0.19–0.31; background amber, maculate with brown spots, veins brown to dark brown; crossveins r-m and dm-cu brown surrounded with dark spots; dark spots variable: 1 to 4 across r1 cell, 3 or 4 across r2+3 cell, 4 or 5 in r4+5 cell, 2 or 3 in distally to dm-cu, 2 or 3 in cua1. Halter yellowish white. Legs brown with silvery bluish gray microtomentum</p> <p> <i>Abdomen</i>. (Figs. 10–11). Background brown; tergites covered with silvery bluish gray microtomentum. <i>Male terminalia</i>. (Figs. 12–14). Epandrium-cerci-surstyli complex fused; epandrium a narrow U-shaped dorsal band; cercus crescent-shaped and bearing several long setulae, separated dorsally from epandrium by narrow V-shaped space; surstylus fused dorsally with epandrium, with long posteroventral setae on a broadly rounded ventral projection; phallapodeme triangular in lateral view, posterior projection spatulate, anterior projections broadly rounded; aedeagus heavily sclerotized with anterior oval-shaped opening, small posteroventral indentation, broad anterodorsal projection and rounded anteroventral projection; gonite and hypandrium broadly fused anteriorly, with broadly rounded posteroventral projection with small pit-shaped structure, prominent ventromedial setula, and broadly rounded ventral projection; hypandrium rounded anteriorly.</p> <p> <b>Type specimen.</b> The holotype male is labeled “ NEW ZEALAND. SL: TeWaewae Lagoon (46°12.3'S, 167°38.1'E) 19 Jan 2004, W.N. Mathis [white]/ USNM ENT 0 0 0 26912 [white with barcode mounted upside down on pin]/HOLOYPE ɗ <i>Nostima negramaculata</i> Edmiston & Mathis NZAC [red].” The holotype is double mounted with the minuten through the center of the right thorax (minuten in a small rectangular block of silicone), is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the NZAC.</p> <p> <b>Other specimens examined. NEW ZEALAND. NORTH ISLAND. AK:</b> Auckland, Mt. Albert, Mt. Albert Road (36°53.6'S, 174°43.2'E), 29 Feb 1976, T. K. Crosby (1Ψ; NZAC). <b>ND:</b> Sandy Bay (35°33.4'S, 174°28.5'E; beach), 6 Oct 2002, D. and W. N. Mathis (2ɗ, 1Ψ; USNM); Whananaki South (mangrove and beach; 35°31.1'S, 174°27.2'E), 6–8 Oct 2002, D. and W. N. Mathis (1Ψ; USNM); <b>TO:</b> Tokaanu (37°58.2'S, 175°46.2'E), 3–5 Jan 2004, W. N. Mathis (2ɗ; USNM).</p> <p> <b>SOUTH ISLAND. FD:</b> Monowai (45°46.5'S, 167°37'E; 120 m), 20 Jan 2004, W. N. Mathis (1ɗ, 3Ψ; USNM). <b>NC:</b> Arthur's Pass, Andrews stream (42°58.7'S, 171°47.9'E), 30 Nov 1977, E. Schlinger (1ɗ, 1Ψ; NZAC). <b>SL:</b> TeWaewae Lagoon (46°12.3'S, 167°38.1'E), 19 Jan 2004, W. N. Mathis (26ɗ, 19Ψ; USNM).</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> (Fig. 9). Australasian/Oceanian: New Zealand (AK, FD, NC, ND, SL, TO).</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The species epithet is derived from a description of the black spots on the wing, especially the black spots over the crossveins.</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Variation in the wing maculation patterns can be seen even on the same specimen between the left and right wings.</p>Published as part of <i>Edmiston, James F. & Mathis, Wayne N., 2007, New Zealand species of the shore-fly genus Nostima Coquillett (Diptera: Ephydridae), pp. 1-16 in Zootaxa 1661</i> on pages 9-13, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/179956">10.5281/zenodo.179956</a>
MeSH term explosion and author rank improve expert recommendations
No full textInformation overload is an often-cited phenomenon that reduces the productivity, efficiency and efficacy of scientists. One challenge for scientists is to find appropriate collaborators in their research. The literature describes various solutions to the problem of expertise location, but most current approaches do not appear to be very suitable for expert recommendations in biomedical research. In this study, we present the development and initial evaluation of a vector space model-based algorithm to calculate researcher similarity using four inputs: 1) MeSH terms of publications; 2) MeSH terms and author rank; 3) exploded MeSH terms; and 4) exploded MeSH terms and author rank. We developed and evaluated the algorithm using a data set of 17,525 authors and their 22,542 papers. On average, our algorithms correctly predicted 2.5 of the top 5/10 coauthors of individual scientists. Exploded MeSH and author rank outperformed all other algorithms in accuracy, followed closely by MeSH and author rank. Our results show that the accuracy of MeSH term-based matching can be enhanced with other metadata such as author rank
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
"Closing the R&D Gap, Evaluating the Sources of R&D Spending"
No full textBoth spending and tax policies have been implemented in the United States with the goal of stimulating private sector research and development (R&D). Karier questions whether current R&D policy, especially the research and experimentation tax credit, can contribute to closing the gap between nondefense expenditures on R&D in the United States and such expenditures in other countries, such as Japan and Germany. He also explores possible changes to our current R&D policy to make it more effective.
Could restrictions on payday lending hurt consumers?
No full textThe payday loan, or more generally, the deferred deposit loan, is among the most contentious forms of credit. It typically signifies a small-dollar, short-term, unsecured loan to a high-risk borrower, often resulting in an effective annual percentage rate of 390 percent a rate well in excess of usury limits set by many states. Consumer advocates argue that payday loans take advantage of vulnerable, uninformed borrowers and often create “debt spirals.” Debt spirals arise from repeated payday borrowing, using new loans to pay off old ones, and often paying many times the original loan amount in interest. ; In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, many policymakers are considering strengthening consumer protections on payday lending. Yet few studies have focused on any unintended consequences of restricting such lending. Thus, the question arises: Could restrictions on payday lending have adverse effects? ; Edmiston examines payday lending and provides new empirical evidence on how restrictions could affect consumers. His analysis shows that restrictions could deny some consumers access to credit, limit their ability to maintain formal credit standing, or force them to seek more costly credit alternatives. Thus, any policy decisions to restrict payday lending should weigh these potential costs against the potential benefits.
A new perspective on rising nonbusiness bankruptcy filing rates : analyzing the regional factors
No full textNonbusiness bankruptcy filing rates have increased almost five-fold since 1980. This alarming growth was largely the impetus for the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. The intent of the new law, which went into effect in October, 2005, was to eliminate alleged abuses of the bankruptcy system and to reduce filing rates. ; In deliberations on the new law, Congress expressed concern about the underlying causes of bankruptcy. The tools currently available for analysis leave serious gaps in understanding bankruptcy behavior. While many studies have sought to discover the causes of the rising filing rates, they have largely focused on aggregated data over time. This approach is logical—but ignores the considerable variation in filing rates across regions. Only by examining the regional differences in rates can we gain meaningful insight into their causes. ; Edmiston describes a new model of county bankruptcy filing rates. The model contributes to the current understanding by improving on some of the approaches already used in other studies and by including a number of determinants not previously considered. He concludes that homestead exemptions and wage garnishments can be effective policy levers in managing rising bankruptcy filing rates. He also finds that social issues—stigma, gambling, and health insurance, among others—are critical regional factors that may help explain the rising bankruptcy filing rates. Finally, he shows that higher levels of self-employment, another regional characteristic, are associated with lower bankruptcy filing rates.Bankruptcy
Characteristics of high foreclosure neighborhoods in the Tenth District
No full textThe foreclosure crisis that began in earnest in 2006 continues to shrink the once valuable assets of homeowners, communities, and investors. In the last three years, more than three million households have lost their homes, and as many as 5 million more could lose their homes in the next three years. ; A striking feature of the crisis is the variation in its severity across both time and space. Initially, the foreclosure crisis hit low-income neighborhoods disproportionately. Foreclosures remain concentrated in these neighborhoods. But in recent months, the foreclosure epidemic has spread more deeply into higher-income neighborhoods. What accounts for the evolving pattern of foreclosure rates across neighborhoods, and where might concentrations of foreclosures occur in the future? ; Edmiston analyzes the seven states of the Tenth Federal Reserve District to help shed light on the foreclosure rate pattern and to explore where foreclosure trends are likely to head. His analysis confirms that foreclosure rates have been high in low-income neighborhoods--but only to the extent that subprime mortgages penetrated those neighborhoods. He also finds that the foreclosure crisis is seeping into higher-income neighborhoods--due primarily to unfavorable conditions in local economies and residential real estate markets.
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