Technology policy and defense conversion in Israel, 1967–1995

Technology policies and their effect on technology transfer from defense to civilian industries in Israel from 1967 to 1995 are explored. Defense technology policy is found to drive the growth of the defense industry and to limit defense conversion to commercialization initiatives developed primarily through intra-organizational technology transfer. The case of the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is presented. Also the development of national technology policy in Israel is traced and found wanting. Civilian and defense technology policies are found to be uncoordinated with each other and together are incapable of producing interorganizational technology transfer so as to significantly effect defense conversion on a wide number of economic actors particularly small firms. To achieve a socially effective defense conversion process (in which technologies are transferred from defense firms to many economic actors), the analysis suggests that a national technology policy should be designed and implemented under Prime Minister's leadership.     

Evaluating quality or lowest price: consequences for small and medium-sized enterprises in public procurement

This study investigates the effect of evaluating the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) in public procurement rather than lowest price. According to the European Union (EU), evaluations based on MEAT, rather than lowest price, give an advantage to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in winning public procurement contracts because such firms are viewed as sources of innovation. Thus, MEAT as an evaluation criterion is recommended throughout the EU. Using procurement data from Sweden, I find no significant effect on SME participation in procurement calls for tender as a result of the use of MEAT in firm evaluations. However, large firms significantly increase their participation when MEAT is evaluated. Even more importantly, micro, small and medium-sized firms’ probability of winning procurement contracts significantly decreases when MEAT rather than lowest price is used as an evaluative criterion. Thus, evaluation in terms of MEAT increases large firms’ bids and success rates; hence, this policy is counterproductive. The reasons SMEs are disadvantaged as a result of evaluations based on MEAT are, however, not examined in this paper and require further research.     

The uneasy case for rehabilitating small firms under the 1997-reorganization law in Belgium: evidence from reorganization plans

Using a sample of small Belgian firms that reorganized under the 1997 Law on Judicial Composition, I empirically review the law??s effectiveness to rehabilitate distressed debtors. The econometric findings show that firms with less pre-bankruptcy operational losses and a better cash position are more likely to successfully execute their reorganization plan and that certain debt restructuring measures can contribute to firm rescue. Despite these positive findings, many firms still failed to reorganise under the 1997-reorganization law, which resulted in constant criticism on its effectiveness leading up to its recent replacement in 2009. My data also shows that within the former reorganization procedure the Belgian debtor was faced with high debt instalment payments compared to international practice and that successful plan execution relied too much on the uncertain realization of the operational cash flow projections. In discussing the legal framework of the new Law on Corporate Continuity enacted in 2009??replacing the 1997-law??I argue that this new law is a more effective legislation to save distressed businesses.     

证券民事赔偿案件诉讼程序若干问题分析

为了维护投资人的合法权益,应当扩大人民法院受理因证券欺诈引发的民事纠纷案件的范围,降低此类案件的受理门槛;坚持既维护投资人合法权益又防止其滥用诉权的原则,对程序当事人和正当当事人分别进行规范;适用人数不确定的代表人诉讼方式解决证券民事赔偿纠纷,并以因果关系推定和过错推定为基础分配证明责任。     

Generic drug maker wins right to sue for anti-competitive practices

In December 2000, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the right of generic drug manufacturer Apotex Inc to sue three name-brand pharmaceutical companies for allegedly anti-competitive practices. Apotex's claim had been struck out by a lower court, but the appellate court overturned this judgment and allowed the suit to proceed. The facts alleged by Apotex, if eventually proved true, could support a court finding that the name-brand companies were in fact liable.     

Assessing child-safe culture and practices in organisational settings: a validation and refinement of Kaufman's Organisational Safety Climate Survey

ABSTRACT

Using an Australian sample of employees (n?=?1068) we assessed the psychometric properties of Kaufman’s Organisational Safety Climate Survey and its practical utility for measuring child-safe culture within organisations. The 60-item survey was found to have adequate psychometric properties. Initial factor analyses indicated a unidimensional factor structure, despite the survey being originally conceptualised into four subscales. Cronbach’s α coefficients were .95 for the full survey, with subscales ranging from .65–.94. However, qualitative feedback from respondents indicated that the survey was somewhat laborious and repetitive, with some item ambiguity noted. Refinements to the survey resulted in a 24-item short-form survey. The psychometric properties of the short-form survey were re-assessed. Factor analyses indicated a three-factor solution. Despite a significant reduction in items, internal consistency of the scale was not compromised; reliability of subscales also improved. Validation of this short-form survey as an alternative, time-efficient measure to maximise employee participation and contribution, is recommended.     

How firms organize for successful innovation in a hostile environment

Managers in a business environment marked by rapid technological change face major challenges when making strategic decisions. A risk-averse, conservative strategy may be a safe route, but might lead to missing marketplace opportunities. This paper investigates whether a hostile business environment adversely affects either a firm's rate of technological innovation or its rate of success with new product launches. It also examines what successful innovating firms do, in terms of strategic posture and organizational structure, to adapt to hostile conditions. A model depicting relationships between environmental conditions, firm responses, innovation rates, and new product success was constructed and tested in an empirical study of 142 U.S. firms involved in technological innovation. The final section discusses managerial implications of the findings.     

女精神病人的性防卫能力鉴定

目的　研究女性精神病人性防卫能力的特点和司法鉴定中应该注意的问题 ;方法　对过去 1 0年间鉴定过的 64例案例进行回顾总结 ;结果　性防卫能力丧失最常见于年轻的衰退期青春型精神分裂症病人、中度以上精神发育迟滞病人、首次发病的年轻轻型躁狂症病人 ,而其他类型的精神病人不容易发生性防卫能力丧失。结论　严重的智能障碍和情感障碍对于精神病人的性防卫能力的丧失有决定性作用 ;而且 ,病人对性行为的控制能力障碍对精神病人性防卫能力丧失有重要影响作用     

女精神病人的性防卫能力鉴定

目的 研究女性精神病人性防卫能力的特点和司法鉴定中应该注意的问题;方法 对过去１０年间鉴定过的６４例案例进行回顾总结;结果 性防卫能力丧失最常见于年轻的衰退期青春型精神分裂症病人、中度以上精神发育迟滞病人、首发发病的年轻轻型躁狂症病人,而其他类型的精神病人不容易发生性防卫能力丧失。结论 严重的智能障碍和情感障碍对于精神病人的性防卫能力的丧失有决定性作用;而且,病人对性行为的控制能力障碍对精神病人性     

Socially optimal liability rules for firms with natural monopoly in contestable markets

This article considers the problem of socially efficient liability rules for firms in contestable markets where natural monopoly prevails due to decreasing average cost. If the fixed cost that pushes the entry-limiting price above marginal cost is large relative to the level of external harm of firms, the negligence regime is socially superior to the strict liability regime. In the opposite case, the strict liability rule may be socially superior.     

Assessing competency to waiveMiranda rights in defendants with mental retardation

Criminal defendants with mental retardation face special problems in the process of interrogation and confession, particularly with regard to the knowing, intelligent, and voluntary waiver ofMiranda rights. Despite this, little attention has been paid to empirical measurement of this form of competency in mentally retarded adults. The present research uses scales originally developed by Grisso (1981) to measure competency to waive such rights in juveniles. Two samples of mentally retarded adults, one in a sheltered workshop setting and the other composed of current probationers, were tested. Both samples scored substantially lower on measures ofMiranda comprehension than Grisso's samples of juveniles and adults. There were also differences between the samples that appear attributable to differential levels of criminal justice experience. It is concluded that the Grisso scales may be helpful in determining competency to waiveMiranda rights in defendants with mental retardation. In addition, the present data raise strong concerns about the ability of many such defendants to make intelligentMiranda waivers. Policy recommendations are discussed.     

Using Profile Analysis for Assessing Need in Domestic Violence Courts

This study utilizes profile analysis to evaluate the social and economic justice impacts of domestic violence court processes. Data were gathered from all cases involved in a Domestic Violence Unified Family Court in one Florida county from January 1 through December 31, 2003. Findings suggest domestic violence courts are not responding equitably to victims (petitioners), which means that some petitioners may be revictimized by the system. Furthermore, in cases involving criminal behavior, the court system’s focus on criminality may not be having an impact on reducing the recurrence of domestic violence.     

Assessing programs designed to improve outcomes for children exposed to violence: Results from nine randomized controlled trials

Objectives

The study tests whether participation in interventions offered by a subset of sites from the National Safe Start Promising Approaches for Children Exposed to Violence initiative improved outcomes for children relative to controls.

Methods

The study pools data from the nine Safe Start sites that randomized families to intervention and control groups, using a within-site block randomization strategy based on child age at baseline. Caregiver-reported outcomes, assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months, included caregiver personal problems, caregiver resource problems, parenting stress, child and caregiver victimization, child trauma symptoms, child behavior problems, and social-emotional competence.

Results

Results revealed no measurable intervention impact in intent-to-treat analyses at either 6- or 12-month post-baseline. In 6-month as-treated analyses, a medium to high intervention dose was associated with improvement on two measures of child social-emotional competence: cooperation and assertion. Overall, there is no reliable evidence of significant site-to-site effect variability, even in the two cases of significant intervention effect.

Conclusions

Since families in both the intervention and control groups received some degree of case management and both groups improved over time, it may be advantageous to explore the potential impacts of crisis and case management separately from mental health interventions. It may be that, on average, children in families whose basic needs are being attended to improve substantially on their own.     

Forensic psychiatric units in Italy from the 1960s to the present

This article addresses the long-standing continuities in the history of the Italian forensic psychiatric units and views them as the result of conflicting forces, interests, mentalities and strategies at the cross-road of forensic psychiatry, psychiatry, prison and health services. It focuses on the period from the 1960s to the present and deals with, among other issues, the long-term impact of the anti-asylum movements and the on-going debate on the ‘phasing out’ of the forensic psychiatric units.     

Assessing Functional Impairment in ADHD: Concerns for Validity of Self-Report

Comprehensive diagnostic assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should include consideration of degree of impairment, and documentation of impairment is necessary to make service and accommodation determinations. While there has been increasing use of self-report as a way to document impairment, self-reported impairment could be just as vulnerable to invalid report as self-reported symptoms. We examined the influence of invalid self-report and invalid performance on report of functional impairment in a sample of 49 adults referred for evaluation for ADHD and/or learning disorder concerns. Overall, 26–59% of participants referred for evaluation endorsed at least moderate levels of impairment in the domains of understanding and communicating, household, and school/work. Individuals with evidence of invalid self-report of ADHD symptoms endorsed significantly higher levels of disability/impairment on the WHODAS, particularly in the domains of understanding and communicating, household, school/work, and participation in society. Further, individuals who failed a measure of performance validity reported significantly higher levels of impairment/disability, particularly in the domains of understanding and communicating, school/work, and participation in society. Results emphasize the need to assess for validity of self-report and performance in ADHD assessment. Since self-report of impairment may be suspect, clinicians should include data such as school records, past performance on high-stakes standardized testing, evidence of prior accommodations, and collateral reports before making diagnoses and/or recommendations regarding treatment or academic/workplace accommodations.     

The journey: moving racial diversification forward from mere commitment to shared value in elite law firms

This article draws on institutional theory to analyze racial diversification in elite law firms in the United States, and to suggest ways of moving racial diversity forward beyond mere commitment to a shared value among firm members. Using published diversity reports, interviews, and American Lawyer Media demographic data spanning 13 years, this article argues that elite law firms are committed to maintaining racial diversity as a corporate identity – outward presentation to clients – because their clients have come to rely on this commitment. Conversely, racial diversity is not yet an organizational identity, or a shared value among elite law firm members. This article suggests that a commitment to racial diversity can become a shared value among law firm members through the work of diversity champions and by incorporating ‘intentional diversity.’     

Human rights fine a small price to pay for large royalty snatch

The failure of the UK government to deal expeditiously withan application to recover copyright royalties to which a formerstate employee turned spy was entitled constituted a violationof the human right to be tried in a reasonable time-frame.     

Long-term marriage patterns in the United States from colonial times to the present

Marriage in colonial North America was notable for being early (for women) and market by low percentages never marrying. This was different from the distinctive northwest European pattern of late marriage and high proportions never married late in life. But the underlying neolocal family formation behavior was the same in both colonial North America and the areas of origin of this population. Thus, Malthus was correct. Abundant resources rather than basic behavioral differences made early and extensive marriage possible in the colonies. Between 1800 and the present there have been long cycles in nuptiality. Since about 1800, female age at first marriage rose from relatively low levels to a peak around 1900. Thereupon a gradual decline commenced with a trough being reached about 1960 at the height of the baby boom. There then began another, and rapid, upswing in female marriage age. Proportions never married at ages 45–54 replicated these cycles with a lag of about 20–30 years. Since 1880 (when comprehensive census data become available), male nuptiality patterns have generally paralleled those of women. Male marriage ages were higher than those of females with proportions never marrying also usually higher. Considerations of differentials by race and ethnicity are important in looking at the American experience over time. Ages at marriage in the black population have, for example, moved from being lower to being higher than those for whites. More work is needed in the period 1800 to 1880 when we lack comprehensive census data, vital records, and other data sources.