The Economics of Limited Liability: An Empirical Study of New York Law Firms

Since the rapid rise in organizational forms for business associations, academics and practitioners have sought to explain the choice of form rationale. Each form contains its own set of default rules that inevitably get factored into this decision, including the extent to which each individual firm owner will be held personally liable for the collective debts and obligations of the firm. The significance of the differences in these default rules continues to be debated. Many commentators have advanced theories, most notably those based on unlimited liability, profit-sharing, and illiquidity, asserting that the partnership form provides efficiency benefits that outweigh any costs. In this article, the authors test these theories empirically by examining the choice of organizational form by New York law firms. Although the evidence indicates a strong shift from the general partnership form to the limited liability partnership form, a significant number of New York law firms remain general partnerships. The authors conclude that the prevailing theories based on unlimited liability, profit-sharing, and illiquidity are insufficient and posit that, in contrast to the beliefs of many commentators, the choice of form decision is quite complex. It depends on a variety of factors, including the behavior of other similarly situated firms that the decision makers consider competitors for prestige and clients. Nonetheless, it is apparent that unlimited liability is generally considered burdensome, and it is the authors’ prediction that, at some point in time, nearly all the firms in their sample will choose to file as limited liability partnerships. The general partnership form, with its unlimited liability, will operate only as a penalty default that punishes parties who fail to sufficiently define their organization, forcing firm members to reveal relevant information to courts and interested third parties

Special Issue Introduction: We Can Do More: Challenges and Opportunities for Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Guest editors Susan Tortolero Emery and Kimberly Johnson Baker introduce Volume 8, Issue 1 of the Journal of Applied Research on Children

Wayfinding Peace: Museums in Conflict Zones

The Ph.D. study Wayfinding Peace: Museums in conflict zones explores the Community Peace Museums Heritage Foundation (CPMHF) in Kenya a collective of 15 rural community peace museums. In 1994, Sultan Somjee a Kenyan ethnographer founded the CPMHF. The goal was to strengthen the cultural foundations that commemorate memories of living in peace even at times of ethnic conflicts. What makes the CPMHF peace museums unique is that they focus on a grassroots approach to “recall collective memories of reconciliation during contemporary conflicts” (Somjee, 2014, p. 8). The museums utilize cultural heritage and historical knowledge as a resource for conflict resolution, social justice, and sustainable development. Conversely, other world peace museums focus on the memorialization of a historical event, such as sites of past wars, or highlight individuals related to social justice issues (Somjee, 2014). This article offers museum and art educators, and scholars the opportunity to consider the ways the CMPHF utilize peace heritage traditions through the arts to reconcile conflict. The interdisciplinary approach of exploring history, anthropology, ethnography, art and international relations provides interesting perspectives and intersections on peacemaking approaches. The first section Community Peace Museums Heritage Foundation offers a brief historical background of the organization. The Research Study Design outlines the framework of the research. Then a discussion on Indigenous Relational Aesthetics through the lens of anthropology and ethnography scholars (Davis, 2009; May-bury Lewis, 1994; Somjee, 2018) provides insight into indigenous peacemaking traditions through cultural artistic practices. In comparison, Western Relational Aesthetics (Bourriaud, 2013) considers the different perspectives and ways relational aesthetics are viewed and how art can be employed in a Western context. Indigenous Peace Practices vs Liberal Peace provides an overview of the challenges of liberal peace ideals and the potential of employing indigenous peace heritage traditions as an alternative to address local issues, concerns, and perspectives. Afterward, three examples of CPMHF exhibitions and projects The Great Beaded Peace Tree (2008), Journeys of Peace (2014), Youth4Peace (2014-2015), Tubonge (2017-2018) illustrate the ways conflicting communities are brought together in peacemaking practices through indigenous relational aesthetics. The conclusion addresses the key lessons museum and art educators and scholars can learn from museums that utilize material culture to promote human rights through active participation in the arts

Perceptions of Educators Regarding Specialized Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities: A Case Study

Learning is a challenge for any child, especially a child with a learning disability. With a focus on best practices and teaching techniques, this qualitative case study will examine the perceptions of individuals at a public charter school dedicated to students with learning disabilities. The study takes place at a public charter school located in Florida. I will gather data by conducting seven interviews of the participants within this study. Participants included four teachers, two support staff, and one administrator at the specific school. I found four themes during the coding process and analysis. These themes include collaborative partnerships, professional development, support, and challenges. The majority of those interviewed feel strongly about collaborative partnerships and professional development. These two themes warrant future collaborative partnerships and professional development opportunities for teachers and support staff at the school. Teachers requested support in teaching techniques and best practices. The constant change of federal and state laws requires support staff and teachers to stay on top of things when educating students in this diverse population. This challenge and having enough time to educate students will always be evident with this population

User Experience as Organizational Ethos Focused on Quality: a Case Study of UX-Receptive and UX-Reluctant Workplace Cultures

User experience (UX) research is a workplace approach to improving the quality of texts and technologies an organization produces to advance its business goals. Across the industry, UX roles, job titles, and responsibilities are widely varied, and the inconsistency is also reflected in the quality of outcomes; successful, effective research depends on complex, interrelated factors, and the influence of workplace culture and context are largely unacknowledged and unexamined across the technical communication (TC) field. Such examination is warranted because UX professionals face unique workplace challenges that impede their ability to conduct effective research that will improve the quality of outcomes that meet user needs. These challenges arise from 1) limited access to necessary resources for research, 2) limited agency over the goals and direction of research, 3) resistance to research findings that challenge or conflict with organizational identity. I conducted an exploratory, qualitative study to investigate the perceptions of UX professionals in working within and against workplace constraints. The study includes four case studies, each focused on a UX professional in an organization that incorporates UX research as a quality-assurance practice. To analyze the data, I used a combination of theoretical lenses, including rhetorical analysis and the cultural approach to organizations. The resulting data indicated that some organizational preferences and norms do not align well with UX methods and practices and may impede UX professionals from fully executing their research, applying findings, and delivering high-quality outcomes. A wide variety of professional relationships also influence the UX research context and shape the conditions for research activities, and responses to research initiatives. This study highlights key implications for Technical Communication (TC) theory, including a need to deepen and broaden the field’s understanding of the rhetorical situation for UX work within organizations, and the intersections of UX and quality. I offer recommendations for UX professionals, including closely observing the workplace with its key relationships and power structures, networking within the organization to build alliances, and framing the goals of UX research to align with strategic organizational and departmental goals. I advocate for TC academic programs to help students understand the complexities of the rhetorical situations within and across organizational boundaries in workplaces, and to help students develop a sense of “organizational literacy.” The TC field benefits from a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between UX research, perceptions of quality and the role of rhetorical context in workplace settings

Perceptions of Educators Regarding Specialized Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities: A Case Study

Learning is a challenge for any child, especially a child with a learning disability. With a focus on best practices and teaching techniques, this qualitative case study will examine the perceptions of individuals at a public charter school dedicated to students with learning disabilities. The study takes place at a public charter school located in Florida. I will gather data by conducting seven interviews of the participants within this study. Participants included four teachers, two support staff, and one administrator at the specific school. I found four themes during the coding process and analysis. These themes include collaborative partnerships, professional development, support, and challenges. The majority of those interviewed feel strongly about collaborative partnerships and professional development. These two themes warrant future collaborative partnerships and professional development opportunities for teachers and support staff at the school. Teachers requested support in teaching techniques and best practices. The constant change of federal and state laws requires support staff and teachers to stay on top of things when educating students in this diverse population. This challenge and having enough time to educate students will always be evident with this population

Microbiological and Quality Characteristics of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Mung Bean (Vigna radiata) Sprouts Grown Using Different Water Sources and Treated Post-Harvest

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that approximately 48 million people become sick from the consumption of food each year in the United States. Additionally, 46% of foodborne illnesses reported between 1998 and 2008 were contributed to the consumption of fresh produce. More specifically between 1996 and 2016, 41 foodborne illnesses have been reported from the consumption of sprouts. Sprouts are most often consumed raw, thus cooking is not used to prevent contamination from pathogens. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 has introduced new regulations for produce and sprout producers under produce safety standards. For sprout producers, these standards include: regulation of soil additives if used, health and hygiene of workers, packaging, temperature monitoring, animal control around produce and irrigation waters, decontamination of seeds before sprouting, testing of spent irrigation water for the presence of Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli), environmental testing for Listeria monocytogenes and prevention of releasing sprouts that test positive for pathogens. Considering these regulations, foodborne illnesses continue to occur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbiological and nutritional quality characteristics of alfalfa and mung bean sprouts grown in different water sources and treated post-harvest. Alfalfa and mung bean sprouts were selected because they are the types of sprouts most frequently consumed. Microbiological characteristics (total aerobic microorganisms, Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms and yeasts and molds) were studied on alfalfa and mung bean sprouts that were grown in either municipal tap water or aquaponics water, harvested on day 7 and treated post-harvest with tap water, chlorine or organic acid. An additional partitioning study was conducted on alfalfa sprouts inoculated on day 1 or day 4 of growth with E. coli to determine the presence of unrecovered E. coli after sterilization and internalization of E. coli into the sprouts. Finally, due to the lack of previous research on the quality characteristics of sprouts, particularly those grown in nutrient-rich aquaponics water, alfalfa and mung bean sprouts were analyzed to determine if the water sources influenced their nutritional quality characteristics at the time of harvest. Under conditions of this study, the data showed that the microbial load of irrigation water could influence the microbial characteristics of harvested sprouts by increasing numbers of total aerobic microorganisms, Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms and yeasts and molds on sprouts. Moreover, post-harvest washes did not prove effective in reducing numbers of microorganisms more than 1 log CFU/g (90%), which alludes to the presence of biofilms on sprouts that are not affected by antimicrobial treatments. Further results of the partitioning study revealed that sprouts have the potential to internalize pathogens, particularly if contamination occurs early in growth when the pathogens have access to the seed. The results of this study also led to the conclusion that the proximate composition of sprouts is not affected by irrigation water source, however, micronutrient composition of sprouts can be influenced by the micronutrient characteristics of irrigation water. Data demonstrates that alfalfa and mung bean sprouts grown under controlled conditions harbor large numbers of microorganisms (\u3e9 log CFU/g) and neither irrigation water nor post-harvest antimicrobial treatments improve the microbiological or nutritional composition of treated sprouts

Leadership Behaviors Used by Principals of Large High Schools Compared to Principals of Small High Schools: A Comparative Multiple-Case Study

The purpose of this multi-case study was to examine if there may be a perceived relationship between the size of the school and the leadership behaviors of the four principals. This purpose was achieved through a qualitative inquiry of principal interviews, principal survey, observation of a principals\u27 leadership team meeting, focus group interview with the principals\u27 leadership team, and analysis of the extant texts: principals\u27 time log for one week, organizational chart, and agenda for a leadership team meeting. The data were reduced through two cycles of coding which then further analyzed resulting in the identification of five major themes. Finding one: All four principals appeared to have six common leadership behaviors that did not appear to be different based on the size of the school. Finding two: All four principals appeared to have six leadership behaviors that looked differently based on the size of the school. Finding three: While all four principals demonstrated their understanding of the need for being visible with students, being visible with teachers, knowing your students, and knowing your staff, they all recognized that these skills would be easier to develop and execute in a small school compared to a large school. Finding four: The additional behaviors that were present in the leadership behavior of organizing in the principals of large schools may have supported additional leadership behaviors in communicating with students, communicating with staff, and developing leaders in the principals of the large schools. Finding five: The two leadership behaviors of seeking input and setting direction/limits appeared to counter-balance each other depending on the size of the school. Synthesis of the findings suggest that while there are common leadership behaviors among these four principals, there were also differences in their leadership behaviors that indicated that there may have been a perceived relationship between the size of the school and the leadership behaviors of the four principals. The descriptions of the leadership behaviors of the four participants in this study lend credibility to the argument that leadership does not take place in a vacuum. How leadership is implemented is dependent upon many factors, including the size of the environment