To Give or Not to Give: Modeling Individuals' Contribution Decisions

Employing data from a recent national survey on campaign finance, we examine the contribution behavior of individual citizens in the 2000 election. By disaggregating types of contributions, our model enables us to observe potential heterogeneity in the determinants of giving money to parties and candidates. We find that for both types of contributions, the effects of informational resources and solicitation on the decision to contribute outweigh those of financial resources. In addition, we propose both a theoretical and an empirical distinction between the selection effects of solicitation and the stimulus effects of solicitation. By distinguishing between these dual dimensions of solicitation, our analysis provides new insight into the causal linkages between income, solicitation, and contributions. We find that while solicitation increases the likelihood of contributing through selective targeting or rational prospecting, it also does so through a stimulus mechanism.     

The Time to Give: PAC Motivations and Electoral Timing

There has been much discussion about how members of Congressdesire money early in the campaign season. However, theoreticalmodels of how contributions are allocated during the electoralcycle have been lacking. Our analysis attempts to remedy thisgap by providing and testing a model which specifies how theprocess of bargaining between members of Congress and organizedinterests produces the pattern of donations observed over thecourse of the electoral cycle. Most notably, our results suggestthat strategic incumbents can receive money early in the campaignif they desire but that they are generally unwilling to paythe price of lower aggregate fundraising and greater provisionof access. These findings buttress earlier empirical findingsthat question the instrumental value of early money. In addition,our results highlight that contribution choices are fundamentallyinfluenced by short-term factors, especially electoral conditions,that do not lend themselves to the routinized behavior necessaryfor contributors to invest in incumbents for long-run payoffs.     

Achieving Effective Collaborations to Help Communities Age Well

Effective policy responses to the ageing of the population are a priority area for government and non‐government agencies across Australia, particularly at the community level. This article focuses on the policy goal of ageing well at the local level, and more specifically, the strong principle of collaboration that underpins this goal. Too little is known about how to achieve effective collaboration in the ageing field. This article aims to address this by developing an analytical framework from the broad literature on collaborative processes, and applying this framework to data collected from interviews with stakeholders in ageing across two local communities in Queensland. While participants recognise the importance and strength of working together and provide local examples of how this has been achieved effectively, they also acknowledge the associated challenges and complexity. This all spanned the six factors of the framework: the context of ageing; the characteristics and relationships between partners; the need for adequate procedures; as well as structure and relationships aimed at building capacity; a shared sense of purpose; and access to adequate resources.     

论劳模精神的制度化建构及其发展

劳动模范是社会劳动生产领域的杰出代表和先进典型,劳模精神是劳动模范先进品质、政治品格和阶级精神的集中体现,是社会主义核心价值观的生动诠释.自20世纪30年代起,中国共产党致力于领导和推动劳模运动,劳模精神历经动员式建构、仪式性建构和制度化建构三个发展阶段,已经成为社会主义国家制度的重要组成部分.国家建设、群众路线、政治...     

Moderated Commitment: Members’ Decisions Not to Give to Professional Associations

Abstract

Workers pay membership dues to professional associations, which mark their identification with a particular field. Professional associations invite additional voluntary contributions for new or expanded programs, but most members do not make these additional gifts. We advance and test a conceptual model of the forces that might interrupt an otherwise committed or engaged member’s decision to make such a voluntary contribution. We conclude that giving decisions can be displaced by member beliefs that their dues and fees are sufficient or that their disposable income is committed to other obligations. We also conclude that giving decisions intersect with weak association strategy, such as a failure to solicit gifts in ways that are informative or useful to prospective donors.     

职工互助互济与构建和谐社会

<正>职工互助互济活动是我国社会特有的一种社会保障方式,它是由工会组织倡导,通过宣传发动,组织动员广大职工自愿参加、自筹资金和自我完善的职工互助互济的组织形式;是职工为防范风险,提高自身抵御风险和保障     

The Phony War to “Keep Them in School”

America is currently engaged in an expensive campaign to prevent students from dropping out. Superficial appeal aside, this quest is pure foolishness, ignores elementary economics and what is actually possible. The campaign will not help the students or the nation. If everyone had a high school degree employers would not take it seriously and schools would soon be exposed for just pushing ill-equipped students out the door. Proponents never examine the net benefits of this campaign and just assume that handing out diplomas in and of itself suffice independent of learning. Actually, many youngsters act rationally in jumping ship. Far superior alternatives exist to accomplishing the identical goals. Moreover, data on dropout rates are woefully incomplete and powerful incentives exist for deceit given minimal supervision and monetary incentives to make the numbers. The justifying research is also deeply flawed with one unrealistic assumption after another. This ill-advised campaign is a perfect (and artfully disguised) social welfare scheme—the billions have little value to the ostensible beneficiaries but are a windfall for those administering this crusade. Pushing academically indifferent youngsters to the degree will undermine, not improve American education.