An Integrative Design? How liberalised modal empiricism fails the integration challenge

The idea that justified modal belief can be accounted for in terms of empirically justified, non-modal belief is enjoying increasing popularity in the epistemology of modality. One alleged reason to prefer modal empiricism over more traditional, rationalist modal epistemologies is that empiricism avoids the problem with the integration challenge that arise for rationalism, assuming that we want to be realists about modal metaphysics. In this paper, I argue that given two very reasonable constraints on what it means to meet the integration challenge for modality, empiricism is currently at best on a par with, but potentially worse off than, rationalist alternatives, with respect to the integration challenge

Towards a Graphene-Based Quantum Impedance Standard

Precision measurements of the quantum Hall resistance with alternating current (ac) in the kHz range were performed on epitaxial graphene in order to assess its suitability as a quantum standard of impedance. The quantum Hall plateaus measured with alternating current were found to be flat within one part in 10^7. This is much better than for plain GaAs quantum Hall devices and shows that the magnetic-flux-dependent capacitive ac losses of the graphene device are less critical. The observed frequency dependence of about -8x10^-8/kHz is comparable in absolute value to the positive frequency dependence of plain GaAs devices, but the negative sign is attributed to stray capacitances which we believe can be minimized by a careful design of the graphene device. Further improvements thus may lead to a simpler and more user-friendly quantum standard for both resistance and impedance

Banking on Nature's Assets: How Multilateral Development Banks Can Strengthen Development by Using Ecosystem Services

Outlines the benefits of integrating the management of ecosystem services and trade-offs into strategies to improve economic development outcomes, mitigate climate change effects, and reduce economic and human costs. Recommends tools and policy options

Collective efficiency strategies: a policy instrument for the competitiveness of low-density territories

This paper motivates the focus of EU cohesion policy at large and the territorial cooperation tools on the economic development of territories featuring impoverishing growth associated to low population density. An innovative policy approach to help solving this problem in many Member States is put forward here. It is based on the economic concept of “collective efficiency”. It should be understood as a proposal to improve EU cohesion policy in the next programming period. As such, the paper suggests actual ideas to be included in the forthcoming Common Strategic Framework and Development and Investment Partnership Contracts.

Late Innovation Strategies in Asian Electronics Industries: A Conceptual Framework and Illustrative Evidence

This paper was published in Oxford Development Studies special issue in honor of the late Professor Linsu Kim. The paper reviews evidence on the evolution of electronics design in Asia's leading electronics exporting countries, to establish what capabilities have been developed, and to shed light on the forces that are driving "late innovation" strategies. It also reviews intellectual sources that can be used to theoretically ground these hypotheses. Using a well-known taxonomy of innovation that distinguishes incremental, modular, architectural and radical innovations, and the concept of "disruptive technologies", I argue that Asian firms may have realistic chances to engage in incremental innovations as well as in architectural innovations. However, to sustain "late innovation" strategies over a longer period, "complex system integration" capabilities are necessary to provide the missing link.

Families and Communities Against Child Sexual Exploitation (FCASE) : final evaluation report

This is the final evaluation report for the Barnardo’s Families and Communities Against Sexual Exploitation project (FCASE), produced by the International Centre, researching Child Sexual Exploitation, Violence and Trafficking at the University of Bedfordshire. The programme was launched in April 2013, funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and concluded in March 2015. The evaluation was undertaken during the same period. The FCASE model has been piloted in three sites, which for the purposes of this report have been anonymised and will be referred to using pseudonyms. It consists of the following elements: a structured programme of six to eight weeks direct work with young people and families where a risk of child sexual exploitation (CSE) has been identified; delivery of CSE training with professionals; and undertaking community awareness raising. The evaluation has been informed by a range of qualitative data. The report identifies the elements that work well and some of the challenges in its implementation. This had been done in order to determine good practice in supporting families and communities and embed more effective practice on protecting children and young people, including those in foster care, from sexual exploitation, harnessing the protective factors within a child’s family and/or foster home. The learning from the project is intended to help other agencies to implement the FCASE model. An on-line learning resource is to be produced in order to facilitate this process

Newsletter / House of Finance, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt 4/09

Editorial: Jens Weidmann : "Central Banks and Monetary Policy after the Crisis" Research Finance: Holger Kraft,Claus Munk : "Optimal Housing, Consumption, and Investment Decisions over the Life Cycle" Research Money/Macro: Ester Faia, Eleni Iliopulos : "Financial Globalization and Monetary Policy" Research Law: Andreas Cahn, D. Schöneberger : "Shareholder Governance in Europe" Policy Platform: Michael Haliassos, Dimitri Vayanos : "Getting Greece Back on Track: How?" Interview: Raimond Maurer, Ralph Rogalla : "Longevity Risk and Capital Markets Solutions

Prison mental health spend in the East Midlands 2007-2009

Prison mental health spend in the East Midlands 2007-200

Medicare Advantage: Options for Standardizing Benefits and Information to Improve Consumer Choice

Describes the complex choices Medicare Advantage enrollees face. Discusses whether providing better information and decision-support tools, limiting out-of-pocket expenses, or standardizing benefits and cost-sharing would lead to better-informed choices

A Field Experiment on Course Bidding at Business Schools

Allocation of course seats to students is a challenging task for registrars' offices in universities. Since demand exceeds supply for many courses, course allocation needs to be done equitably and efficiently. Many schools use bidding systems where student bids are used both to infer preferences over courses and to determine student priorities for courses. However, this dual role of bids can result in course allocations not being market outcomes and unnecessary efficiency loss, which can potentially be avoided with the use of an appropriate market mechanism. We report a field experiment done at the University of Michigan Business School in Spring 2004 comparing its typical course bidding mechanism with the alternate Gale-Shapley Pareto-dominant market mechanism. Our results suggest that using the latter could vastly improve efficiency of course allocation systems while facilitating market outcomes.