The Frequency of Excess Auto Personal Injury Claims

This study analyzes auto personal injury claims across the statesto estimate the frequency of claims for nonexistent or preexistinginjuries. We develop a series of hypotheses regarding the specificclaiming patterns that would signal the presence of excess claims.We draw on a nationally representative sample of auto-accidentinjury claims closed during 1987 to test these hypotheses. Theresults strongly support the hypotheses. We conclude that approximately42% of reported soft-injury claims in the dollar-threshold andtort states are for nonexistent or preexisting injuries.     

Building a New Democracy in Ukraine: The Unacknowledged Issue of Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity in Public Administration Education and Training

The fall of the Soviet empire and the transition to democracy that has taken place in Central and Eastern Europe (and elsewhere) during the past three decades has focused new attention on both the processes of, and the issues involved in, democratic institution building. These experiences have shown that issues of linguistic and ethnic difference are often key elements in such matters. Ukraine, a country of considerable strategic importance, has struggled with both the transition to democracy and the relative roles of the Ukrainian and Russian languages in the task of nation-state building. This article examines the emergence of linguistic conflicts in Ukrainian government and public policy and explores, through a survey of higher education institutions, its impact on the preparation of the next generation of the nation's public administrators. The article concludes by explaining why the impact of this politically divisive issue has been more modest than might have been expected.     

Review article Note bibliographique OD: An alternative approach to organizational change

Organization Development: Its Nature, Origin and Prospects. By WARREN G. BENNIS. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1969. Pp. 87. 3.65 Organization Development: Strategies and Models. By RICHARD BECK-HARD. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1969, Pp. 119. 3.65 Building A Dynamic Corporation Through Grid Organization Develop ment. By ROBERT G. BLAKE and JANE s. MOUTON. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1969. Pp. 120. 3.65 Developing Organizations: Diagnosis and Action. By PAUL R. LAWRENCE and JAY w. LORSCH. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1969. Pp. 101. 3.65 Process Consultation: Its Role in Organizational Development. By EDGAR H. SCHEIN. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1969. Pp. 147. 3.65 Interpersonal Peacemaking: Confrontations and Third Party Consultation. By RICHARD E. WALTON. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1969. Pp. 151. 3.65     

The impact of Māori cultural values on forensic science practice in New Zealand

Forensic science aims to serve society by advancing justice. It is accepted that some actions taken by the state in the interests of advancing justice, such as postmortem examinations, may impinge on values held by members of groups within society. Such actions have the potential to cause cultural offense. It is important that forensic scientists are aware of these issues and that as a profession we should take actions, where possible, to reduce any potential offense and consequently reduce unnecessary distress. This paper examines the impact of these issues on forensic practice in New Zealand, and, in particular, in relation to the cultural values of Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Interviews and workshops were used to identify forensic practices involving a risk of cultural offense. Particular issues were identified in regard to crime scene attendance and examination, postmortem attendance and sample storage, disposal, and return. This paper describes the response developed by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR) to address these issues, including a cultural awareness training package and reference brochure.