What Difference Does a Robe Make? Comparing Mediators with and without Prior Judicial Experience

This article reports the results of two studies. The first study, based on the responses of attorneys to questions about the reasons for the success of mediators with and without prior judicial experience, shows that the capacity of the mediator to gain the confidence of the disputants was most important for mediators with and without prior judicial experience. Although certain process skills were viewed as important to the success of both former judges and nonjudges, in general, process skills were significantly more important for nonjudges than for former judges. The capacity to provide useful case evaluations, on the other hand, was significantly more important for former judges than for nonjudges. The second study, based upon attorney responses to questions about unsatisfactory mediators, reinforced the conclusions of the first study regarding the importance of confidence-building attributes. For both judges and nonjudges, the mediator's inability to gain the confidence of the parties was a major reason for his or her lack of success.     

Modelling the determinants of electronic tax filing services’ continuance usage intention

The success of electronic filing services largely depends on their continuance usage. This study examines the factors affecting the continuance usage intention of the online tax filing services in Mauritius. An integrated model comprising Trust Theory and Information System Success Model (ISSM) is applied to assess the continuance usage behaviour of e-filing systems. The model has been extended by adding two additional variables: Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Risk. The model was tested using a sample of 315 users of e-filing services in Mauritius. A structural equation modelling technique using partial least square structural equation modelling verified the hypotheses. The results reveal that the continuance usage intention of an electronic tax filing system is influenced by Perceived Usefulness, User Satisfaction, and Service Quality. However, Perceived Risk does not influence the continuance usage intention of e-filing systems since the importance of Perceived Risk diminishes as trust in the e-service provider increases. The theoretical and practical implications derived from the findings of this study are also discussed. This paper makes several contributions to the literature on electronic tax filing systems.     

Mitochondrial DNA amplification success rate as a function of hair morphology

This study examines the amplification success rate of mitochondrial DNA from human head hair with respect to their potential for forensic application. Mitochondrial DNA was isolated using a Chelex-based extraction method and amplified using the LINEAR ARRAY duplex PCR system. The particular focus of this study was to characterize the morphological features of human head hair in order to further the understanding of the factors that influence amplification success rate in hair tissue using the LINEAR ARRAY duplex PCR system. 2554 head hairs from 132 individuals representing four population groups were amplified. The hair samples were characterized as follows: 1251 were identified microscopically as telogen hairs and 1303 were classified as hairs without roots (removed before extraction). Amplification success was assessed as a function of several independent variables: morphological characteristics; telogen root versus no root; donor age; scalp origin; use of cosmetic hair treatments; and race of the donor. The results show that a positive correlation exists between amplification success and the presence of a telogen root. Combining the amplification success with either the original or optimized protocol, telogen hairs result in an overall success rate of 77.5% compared with 65% for hairs with no roots. Controlling for telogen hairs, the findings indicate that the overall success rate is independent of cosmetic hair treatments; medulla structure; shaft length, diameter, and volume; and scalp origin. Conversely, the age of the donor, the race of the donor, and hair pigmentation all contribute to a variation in amplification success rate.     

Women in contemporary Soviet society

What enables democracies to succeed has much in common with what enables other forms of modern rule to succeed: notably the capacity for effective military selfdefence and the reasonably efficient functioning of a domestic economy. When the factors favouring the success of any form of modern regime are broken down, most of them may readily be secured for a time under autocratic rule, and none is strucurally ensured by democratic rule. At present there is good reason to believe that the special advantages of democratic rule - above all the heuristic merits of open and competitive political deliberation - at least offset the inherent disadvantages long ago identified by its enemies. The distinctive preconditions for the success of democratic regimes are furnished, if at all, only by the workings of democracy itself. They are both instances and products of success in learning how to live freely as, and within, a large collectivity. That outcome can be menaced or precluded by the causal properties of ill-conceived institutions. But it can only be brought about by free and practically intelligent political action. This is a task for citizens and career politicians, not a potential gift from the social sciences.     

Participatory budgets in Canoas (Brazil) and Cascais (Portugal). A comparative analysis of the drivers of success

ABSTRACT

This article is a comparative analysis of two internationally awarded cases of Participatory Budgets in Canoas (Brazil) and Cascais (Portugal). Our main argument is that the success of these PBs relies on political/administrative, societal, and geographic drivers. This conceptual model has been adopted to analyse and discuss the success of the two case studies. The provision of an original conceptual model for comparative analysis and the empirical knowledge from the two cities are supported by the review of main literature in this field of study, and aim to contribute, with original findings, to the international debate on participatory budgeting.     

遵义会议和十一届三中全会取得成功的几个重要因素

遵义会议和十一届三中全会,是中国共产党历史上具有重大历史转折意义的两次会议。这两次会议为什么会取得成功,本文从舆论和群众、思想和理论、民主和集中、领袖和领袖集团、策略和方法等重要因素进行了探讨。     

试论“泛吊丝化”折射出的青年价值隐忧及对策

目前，青年群体中出现了令人忧虑的“泛吊丝化”现象，一些在经济上、事业发展上并非处于社会底层的青年以“吊丝”自居，许多青年把成功人士也划归“吊丝”行列。这其中既有青年对成功的理解出现偏差方面的原因，也有社会阶层固化、青年发展焦虑等方面的原因。应从引导青年树立正确的成功观、重视意识形态的引导、营造公平的竞争机制等方面解决问题。     

法医DNA检验技术应用得失探讨

目前,法医DNA检验技术主要是应用刑事案件(命案、强奸、恶性械斗、群死群伤、盗窃等)现场上出现几率较大的生物物证来进行认定或排除,为诉讼提供客观、真实的证据。本文通过作者实际办案经历,来探讨工作实践中如何正确有效应用法医DNA检验技术,更好地服务于公安业务工作。     

抢劫银行:高成功率的职业犯罪

近几年 ,抢劫银行犯罪较为突出 ,数量增多 ,性质恶化。本文通过对最近几年发生的 2 2起抢劫银行案件的研究发现 :抢劫银行犯罪是当前一类高成功率的暴力犯罪 ,原因在于犯罪人日趋职业化 ,涉暴武器的泛滥和银行自身防范不足等。为此 ,笔者认为 ,应采取有效措施对这种犯罪进行防范。     

Can the best interests of young people be met in residential care? An Ireland case study

The search for factors essential to the achievement of congruence in residential youth care services in Ireland led to the discovery of five critical success factors, each of which affects all three organizational levels of such services. These critical factors included: needs-led, not regulation-driven, care; senior managers with workforce responsibility require domain expertise; shared vision and purpose across three organizational levels; practice-led planning and service development; and bureaucratic policies and practices that are congruent with corporate parenting obligations to provide developmental care that serves each child's best interests.