Holding power in sequential games 1

Holding power is simply the ability of a player to stay at one position longer than his opponent, thereby forcing the opponent to make the next move in a sequential game. In this paper, we illustrate the real world relevance of this concept by examining the Berlin crisis of 1948 and showing that only a holding power interpretation provides a satisfying explanation of the eventual resolution. We define holding power formally and find that, when one player has holding power, the outcome of the conflict is determined. We develop a simple procedure for identifying the holding power outcome in every strict ordinal 2×2 game, and draw several interesting conclusions about the nature of this power. We find that a horizon of six moves or less always ensures that the eventual holding power outcome is reached. We also find that holding power outcomes are always Pareto‐superior, except in a Prisoners’ Dilemma game when the initial position of the player without holding power is associated with the noncooperative Nash equilibrium. Finally, we determine that the holding power outcome depends on which player has this power in just 15 of the 78 distinct 2×2 ordinal games. In 9 of these games, holding power is effective in the sense that a player does better when he has holding power. In the remaining 6 cases, though, the possession of holding power is actually a disadvantage—a player prefers that his opponent have holding power rather than himself. We provide an explanation for this occasional phenomenon.     

Mapping foreign policy behavior: An assessment and evaluation of events structures

Employing events indices for cooperation and conflict from the COPDAB data set, the graphic structuring process established by Steven Brams, and several alternative methods of quantifying the resulting event digraphs, this paper examines the utility of the graphic structuring process in efforts at explanation and prediction. Arguing that if the graphic structure represents an underlying structural order in the foreign policy behavior of states, predictability should exist between the graphic portrayal and other behavioral structures around it. Despite face validity in the sociometric qualities of the digraph results, little predictive capability was uncovered. The paper explains the testing process, disc asses the test results, and proposes alternative uses for the structural mapping procedure.     

Evaluating liaison and diversion schemes: an analysis of health,criminal and economic data

Introduction: Liaison and Diversion (L&D) currently serves 50% of the population of England. L&D relies on modified working practices with key delivery partners, especially the police. Service evaluation data is thus presented from both police and health services. Method: A before and after intervention review of 3 months of operational data of L&D in Cornwall focusing on health, criminal and economic outcomes. Results: After L&D intervention individuals’ contact with the police as either victim or perpetrator reduced significantly. Implications: Preliminary findings suggest that L&D enabled reduced use of police and criminal justice resources. National reporting procedures may be unable to demonstrate the multi-agency impact if criminal justice data are not considered within the outcome data-set. Recommendations echo international observations that specifying outcome measures and the consistent definition of L&D services would enable generalisation of findings.     

国际法视野下的单边人道主义干涉

只有在联合国的批准或授权下,或经被干涉国的邀请,国际社会才能对发生于一国的人道主义灾难实施人道主义干涉。而西方大国越来越倾向于擅自以人道主义的名义武力介入他国。这种单边的人道主义干涉多是某些国家实现一己私利的工具,从未成为国际习惯,也违反《联合国宪章》,因此是违反国际法的。而联合国现行的体制无法有效发挥在制止人道主义灾难方面应有的作用,使大国有了擅行干涉的口实。为此,应完善联合国的人道主义干涉体制。     

政府干预与市场调节之间的重新平衡——金融危机责任费的经济法反思与启示

政府救助金融危机容易引发市场主体的道德风险,如何在政府与市场主体之间重新分配责任,以纠正因政府救助所致的政府干预与市场调节之间的失衡,是后金融危机时代法律关注的重点。对大型的金融机构征收金融危机责任费,让其最终承担起政府救助成本有助于恢复政府与市场之间的平衡。金融危机责任费对市场主体权利义务的重新调整与责任的重新分配,突破了传统的法律责任理论,具有明显的社会性和身份性;而金融风险的外部性、大型金融机构与中小金融机构之间的不平等风险地位是金融危机责任费的风险根源。此外,它对于完善我国金融法制建设也具有重要的启示意义。     

高管薪酬规范与法律的有限干预

The determination of corporate executive compensation is a kind of affiliated transactions including special conflicts of interest in the company. The regulation of executive compensation by law is extremely necessary but plays a limited role, and the scope and mode of such role are specific. The due process and information disclosure system in determining executive compensation prescribed in company law and securities law, the policy guidance of the tax legal regime, and the active and prudential judicial review are the three aspects of the regulation of executive compensation by law, the common goal of which is to ensure and enhance the correlation between executive compensation and corporate performance, i.e., the realization of the principle of “performance-based compensation.” Li Jianwei, Ph. D, is an associate professor of law at China University of Political Science and Law, and a visiting scholar at Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Australia. His major research is in corporate law, corporate governance and corporate management system, and his major works include: Corporate Law (RUC Press, 2008), Legal Regulation on Affiliated Transaction (Law Press, 2007), The Role of Law in Corporate Management (People’s Court Press, 2005), A Research on Independent Director System (RUC Press, 2004), A Research on the State-owned Exclusive Company (Law Press, 2002). Moreover, he has more than 30 articles released in core academic journals.     

论有限责任公司债权人权利的回归

The contingent governance theory based on state-contingent ownership has exerted an important impact on economic academia, and its application in the field of company law is also of significant value. The lack of internal restraint mechanism and public supervision of limited liability companies makes it feasible to implement contingent governance. Under the mechanism of contingent governance, creditors of a limited liability company may intervene in its governance. The right of intervention is mainly reflected in three aspects, i.e., (1) mandatory debt-for-equity swap, (2) obligation of the actual controller to creditors when the limited liability company is on the edge of insolvency, and (3) creditor’s right of objection with respect to the decision of corporate substantial business. Ding Guangyu, Ph.D in civil and commercial law, works in the Chinese Institute of Applied Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of China. His publications include Introduction of Chinese Labor Law: Cases and Materials (China Legal Publishing House, 2008), Tracing the right of creditors in LLC: From the perspective of contingent governance theory (Studies in Law and Business, 2008.2), Judicial Discretion and the Rule (Legal Daily, 2007-4-20), Uniform of Legal Application (Legal Daily, 2006-12-9).     

Developing an intervention to overcome procrastination

ABSTRACT

The main goal of this study was the development of a reliable intervention to overcome general procrastination orientated to college students, designed to be used in practical clinical work. The workshops involved six meetings based on behavioral and cognitive techniques, paradox intervention, and psychoeducation. 175 students participated voluntarily. Their procrastination levels were measured in a pretest, post-test, and a 3-month follow-up. After the first interview, the participants were randomly divided into three groups (Intervention A, Intervention B, and a control group with no intervention). There was a significant improvement after the intervention. After 3 months, the average score was still significantly lower than in the pretest, whereas the score of the control group remained unchanged. The participants in Workshop A scored significantly lower in the post-test than the ones in Workshop B. After 3 months, the participants in Workshop B scored significantly lower in the follow up. So both interventions resulted to be effective in reducing procrastination sustainably.     

Terrorist attacks targeting the police: the connection to foreign military presence

Terrorist attacks – suicide attacks in particular – targeting police have increased worldwide over the past decade in both number and relative to other targets. One plausible explanation for this is the presence of a foreign military on a country’s soil, which is theorized to increase terrorism in that country. Terrorist attacks targeting the police may be more likely in these countries because police typically are tasked with assisting the foreign military. The primary research question asks whether there is a relationship between foreign military presence and terrorist attacks on police. This is assessed using a cross-sectional sample of 82 countries, with data drawn from several sources between 1999 and 2008. Because the dependent variables – terrorist attacks targeting the police – are proportions, Tobit and Cragg’s double-hurdle analyses were used. Analyses were confirmed using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models, with the outcomes measured as counts. Foreign military presence significantly increased the proportion of suicide terrorist attacks targeting the police, terrorist attacks using any tactic targeting the police and fatal terrorist attacks targeting the police. Greater economic inequality, involvement in civil war and greater regional terrorism were related to the proportion of attacks targeting police, but each was inconsistent across the outcome measures. To avoid being viewed as an occupying force and, thus, to decrease the proportion and count of terrorist attacks targeting police, administrators and officers alike may wish to reflect on public perception of their image. Future research should expand the dependent variable to include additional target types and a longer time period.     

Key agent and survivor recommendations for intervention in honour-based violence in the UK

This paper concerns recommendations for intervention in honour-based violence (“HBV”) as recommended by individuals who face such violence in their everyday lives. Utilising data extracted from interviews conducted with 30 key agents and 8 South-Asian female survivors in the UK, this paper will argue that UK public agencies are struggling to cope with how to respond to HBV. This is despite the UK government recognising shortcomings in the support for victims in the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee report in 2008. In particular, participants identified that (a) the police, healthcare, and social services are particularly poor at supporting victims; (b) public sector workers require appropriate training and awareness on HBV; (c) education on HBV and forced marriages is absent in schools, colleges, and universities; and (d) more needs to be done to engage and educate communities about HBV and where victims can access support.