A critical cluster analysis of 44 indicators of author-level performance

This paper explores the relationship between author-level bibliometric indicators and the researchers the "measure", exemplified across five academic seniorities and four disciplines. Using cluster methodology, the disciplinary and seniority appropriateness of author-level indicators is examined. Publication and citation data for 741 researchers across Astronomy, Environmental Science, Philosophy and Public Health was collected in Web of Science (WoS). Forty-four indicators of individual performance were computed using the data. A two-step cluster analysis using IBM SPSS version 22 was performed, followed by a risk analysis and ordinal logistic regression to explore cluster membership. Indicator scores were contextualized using the individual researcher's curriculum vitae. Four different clusters based on indicator scores ranked researchers as low, middle, high and extremely high performers. The results show that different indicators were appropriate in demarcating ranked performance in different disciplines. In Astronomy the h2 indicator, sum pp top prop in Environmental Science, Q2 in Philosophy and e-index in Public Health. The regression and odds analysis showed individual level indicator scores were primarily dependent on the number of years since the researcher's first publication registered in WoS, number of publications and number of citations. Seniority classification was secondary therefore no seniority appropriate indicators were confidently identified. Cluster methodology proved useful in identifying disciplinary appropriate indicators providing the preliminary data preparation was thorough but needed to be supplemented by other analyses to validate the results. A general disconnection between the performance of the researcher on their curriculum vitae and the performance of the researcher based on bibliometric indicators was observed.Comment: 28 pages, 7 tables, 2 figures, 2 appendice

Measuring Bubble Expectations and Investor Confidence

This paper presents evidence on attitude changes among investors in the US stock market. Two basic attitudes are explored: bubble expectations and investor confidence. Semiannual time-series indicators of these attitudes are presented for US stock market institutional investors based on questionnaire survey results 1989-1998, from surveys that I have derived in collaboration with Fumiko Kon-Ya and Yoshiro Tsutsui. Five different time-series indicators whether there is among investors an expectation of a speculative bubble, an unstable situation with expectations for increase in the short run only, are produced. Four different time-series indicators whether there is an expectation of a negative speculative bubble are presented. Four different time-series indicators of investor confidence, that nothing can go wrong, are produced. Time-series variation for these indicators is significant, and cross correlations are generally positive. A bubble expectations index, a negative-bubble expectations index, and an investor confidence index are derived from these indicators. Behavior of the indicators and indexes through time is examined, and the indexes are compared with other economic variables. A notable finding is a degree of high-frequency fluctuation, semester to semester, in the indexes.

Sequential Formation of Low-Mass Stars in the BRC 14 Region

We have carried out a deep near-infrared survey of a bright-rimmed molecular cloud, BRC 14 (IC 1848A). The 10 sigma limiting magnitude of the survey is 17.7 mag at the K-band. Seventy-four sources are classified as young stellar object (YSO) candidates based on the near-infrared color-color diagram. The faintest YSO candidates may have masses of an order of tenths of the solar mass, assuming the age of 1 Myr. We examined three values as indicators of star formation; fraction of the YSO candidates, extinctions of all sources, and near-infrared excesses of the YSO candidates. All indicators increase from outside of the rim to the center of the molecular cloud, which suggests that the formation of the low-mass stars in the BRC 14 region proceeds from outside to the center of the cloud.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, PASJ accepte

Predicting Financial Distress And Bankruptcy For Hospitals

Five upstate New York hospitals were examined to identify a common pattern that might portend future financial distress, bankruptcy, or even closure.  A four year period was examined for each of the hospitals selected that had either closed, declared bankruptcy or experienced financial distress during the period.  Various financial variables were studied, including liquidity, leverage, profitability and efficiency. Utilizing previous studies on predicting financial failure and the findings of this study, various models are developed to determine if such prediction was possible for the five hospitals in this study.  This study presents (1) the key indicators that were consistent in rendering the facilities financially distressed, and (2) the four year pattern of financial indicators

Publicness, Organisational Characteristics and Performance

This paper reports an exploratory study utilising a publicness model in which the impact of ownership, funding and mode of control on performance is moderated by organisational characteristics such as goals, structure and management. It describes the testing in 164 English hospital pharmacies of four health sector-relevant characteristics; diffusion of ownership (number of owners), priority of financial goals, congruence of core purpose (goals of sub-unit compared to organisation), and proximity of control (hierarchical levels between sub-unit and top management). Associations between these and four indicators of performance (managerial effectiveness, utilisation of human resources, work quality and employee satisfaction) were examined. Statistically significant relationships were seen between three of the organisational characteristics and some aspect of performance. Priority of financial goals was associated with perceptions of managerial performance, and proximity of control with use of human resources, work quality and employee satisfaction. Further elucidation of such characteristics may be justified.</jats:p

Salient selves in uncertain futures

We examined possible selves during three distinct periods of uncertainty. Cancer survivors (Study 1a) and survivors’ romantic partners (Study 1b) rated the salience of possible selves in which the cancer did (negative possible self; NPS) and did not (positive possible self; PPS) return. Study 2 mapped PPS and NPS salience throughout the four-month wait for bar exam results. Study 3 experimentally primed possible selves among participants awaiting medical test results. PPS salience correlated positively, and NPS negatively, with indicators of health and well-being, and inducing focus on one’s NPS led to greater negative emotion and worry compared to a PPS induction, but not less positive emotion. These results illustrate the well-being implications of possible selves during periods of uncertainty

NORWEGIAN SALMON AQUACULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND INDUSTRY GROWTH

This paper discusses the relationship between industry growth and environmental quality in the context of salmon aquaculture. It is argued that industry growth can reduce pollution by inducing more technological innovations for industry-specific, pollution-reducing inputs. This increases the elasticity of substitution between conventional factors of production on the one hand, and pollution on the other, and therefore enables a greater degree of internalization of environmental problems. Four indicators of pollution are examined for Norwegian salmon aquaculture. The salmon aquaculture industry is one in which growth is associated with reduced environmental problems not only in relative, but also in absolute terms.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Assessing the impact of microfinance programming on children: an evaluation from post-tsunami Aceh

This paper presents an evaluation of the long‐term impact of microfinance programmes on Acehnese children during the post‐tsunami recovery. The study, conducted from June to August 2010, examined the impact of microfinance programming six years after the tsunami. The sample consisted of 185 microfinance participants, with a comparison group of 192 individuals who did not participate in microfinance programmes. All respondents were parents, interviewed through a structured survey. The study used four child protection indicators—diet, health, childcare and education—in contrast to traditional repayment rate indicators. The primary results were insignificant with respect to all four child protection indicators, suggesting that, with respect to these indicators, there was no long‐term difference between the impact of microfinance on beneficiaries' children and non‐beneficiaries' children. These findings signify a need for microfinance actors to move beyond traditional indicators of economic success to evaluate the social changes microfinance programmes are presumed to effect

Predictors and pathways of language and motor development in four prospective cohorts of young children in Ghana, Malawi, and Burkina Faso

BackgroundPrevious reviews have identified 44 risk factors for poor early child development (ECD) in low- and middle-income countries. Further understanding of their relative influence and pathways is needed to inform the design of interventions targeting ECD.MethodsWe conducted path analyses of factors associated with 18-month language and motor development in four prospective cohorts of children who participated in trials conducted as part of the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (iLiNS) Project in Ghana (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;1,023), Malawi (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;675 and 1,385), and Burkina Faso (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;1,122). In two cohorts, women were enrolled during pregnancy. In two cohorts, infants were enrolled at 6 or 9&nbsp;months. In multiple linear regression and structural equation&nbsp;models (SEM), we examined 22 out of 44 factors identified in previous reviews, plus 12 additional factors expected to be associated with ECD.ResultsOut of 42 indicators of the 34 factors examined, 6 were associated with 18-month language and/or motor development in 3 or 4 cohorts: child linear and ponderal growth, variety of play materials, activities with caregivers, dietary diversity, and child hemoglobin/iron status. Factors that were not associated with child development were indicators of maternal Hb/iron status, maternal illness and inflammation during pregnancy, maternal perceived stress and depression, exclusive breastfeeding during 6&nbsp;months postpartum, and child diarrhea, fever, malaria, and acute respiratory infections. Associations between socioeconomic status and language development were consistently mediated to a greater extent by caregiving practices than by maternal or child biomedical conditions, while this pattern for motor development was not consistent across cohorts.ConclusionsKey elements of interventions to ensure quality ECD are likely to be promotion of caregiver activities with children, a variety of play materials, and a diverse diet, and prevention of faltering in linear and ponderal growth and improvement in child hemoglobin/iron status