The role of consumption and the financing of health investment under epidemic shocks

We study the behavior of consumption and health investment resulting from shocks undermining health capital accumulation. We examine the effects on subsequent life cycle of long-lived shocks undermining health with either an acceleration of health capital deterioration, or a decrease in health investment efficiency. We also address the issue of the financing of health investment. We provide new evidence based on nonparametric estimations which show complex non-linear interplay between life expectancy and health expenditure. We then develop a benchmark model where consumption and health capital enter additively in the utility function, featuring independence between the returns from ordinary consumption and health. Then, we depart from this setup by assuming non-additive preferences meaning that ordinary consumption also is crucial for health. We show that a shock undermining health which increases health expenditures and weakens the income base, not only affects savings but also compromises the consumption capacity, the human and physical capital of the economy, and undercuts the process of economic development. We also show that the magnitude of the effects strongly depends on the assumed preferences.consumption, health investments, savings, non-parametric estimation

Technology frontier, labor productivity and economic growth: Evidence from OECD countries

We use 29 OECD countries data spanning over 1960-2000 to study the growth strategy when countries are close to the technology frontier. Relying on a semi-parametric generalized additive model, we estimate labor productivity equations. We find that the number of agents enrolled in higher education is a determinant of growth. Moreover, when a country is sufficiently near the technology frontier thanks to an increasing R&D expenditure, it becomes optimal to invest in fundamental research, since after a short period of efficiency, business R&D can no longer ensure the transition toward the technology frontier, while higher education presents the opposite shape. These findings support the main assertion of Aghion and Cohen (2004) that countries which are near the technology frontier have to invest in higher education while those far away from the frontier make their technology level growing up by investing in primary and secondary schooling.Education, R&D, Labor Productivity, Economic Growth

The Growth economics of epidemics

This paper examines in an endogenous growth theory perspective the mechanisms through which epidemics affect long term growth. Investment in both physical and human capital are key transmission variables in this respect. The paper distinguishes between Spanish flu like epidemics and AIDS like epidemics. Two-sector growth models are shown to better reflect the specific effects of epidemics. The effects of an AIDS like pandemic on savings and education effort are also modelled via life expectancy. The paper is closed by an extension of the celebrated Cuddington-Hancock model to account for the latter features. An application to the South African case is provided. The main finding points at a delayed effect of Aids on economic growth due to the recent sharp drop in llife expectancy in this country.Epidemics, Human capital, Life expectancy, Growth theory, Spanish flu, AIDS

A closer look at the relationship between life expectancy and economic growth

We first provide a nonparametric inference of the relationship between life expectancy and economic growth on an historical data for 18 countries over the period 1820-2005. The obtained shape shows up convexity for low enough values of life expectancy and concavity for large enough values. We then study this relationship on a benchmark model combining "per- petual youth" and learning-by-investing. In such a benchmark, the generated relationship between life expectancy and economic growth is shown to be strictly increasing and concave. We finally examine a model departing from "perpetual youth" by assuming age-dependent survival probabilities. We show that life-cycle behavior combined with age-dependent sur- vival laws can reproduce our empirical finding.Life expectancy, economic growth, perpetual youth, age-dependent mortality, nonparametric estimation

Prácticas de directores en gestión co-curricular

Principal’s disability in managing co-curricular activities effectively and efficiently can affect student achievement. Nowadays it will also affect students’ application to further study at a higher level since it has become a compulsory requirement for the application to be approved. Co-curricular activities management is also often being handed over to the senior assistant, whereas as a school manager, the principal should be able to do their best in managing it. Hence, this qualitative study is conducted with the aim of exploring principals’ practices in managing co-curricular activities. The instrument is interview protocol. The total number of respondents are 7 principals, 4 senior assistants, and 3 senior teachers, from 7 schools selected for the study. The qualitative data from interviews is manually analyzed to obtain an explanation of the principals’ practices in managing co-curricular activities. Overall, this study found that principals did the best practices in terms of management, however, in certain areas such as limited school compound, inadequate equipment, and physical facilities, and unskilled teachers to train students, principals need to find a better strategy. Therefore, principals are encouraged to practice lifelong learning to ensure that their practices in co-curricular are at their best consistently.La discapacidad del director en la gestión efectiva y eficiente de las actividades co-curriculares puede afectar el rendimiento de los estudiantes. Hoy en día también afectará la solicitud de los estudiantes para seguir estudiando en un nivel superior, ya que se ha convertido en un requisito obligatorio para que la solicitud sea aprobada. La gestión de actividades co-curriculares a menudo también se entrega al asistente principal, mientras que, como gerente de la escuela, el director debe ser capaz de hacer lo mejor en su gestión. Por lo tanto, este estudio cualitativo se realiza con el objetivo de explorar las prácticas de los directores en la gestión de actividades co-curriculares. El instrumento es el protocolo de entrevista. El número total de encuestados son 7 directores, 4 asistentes superiores y 3 maestros principales, de 7 escuelas seleccionadas para el estudio. Los datos cualitativos de las entrevistas se analizan manualmente para obtener una explicación de las prácticas de los directores en la gestión de actividades co-curriculares. En general, este estudio encontró que los directores hicieron las mejores prácticas en términos de gestión, sin embargo, en ciertas áreas, como un complejo escolar limitado, equipos e instalaciones físicas inadecuados y maestros no calificados para capacitar a los estudiantes, los directores deben encontrar una mejor estrategia. Por lo tanto, se alienta a los directores a practicar el aprendizaje a lo largo de toda la vida para asegurarse de que sus prácticas en co-curricular estén en su mejor momento de manera consistente

Prácticas de directores en gestión co-curricular

Principal’s disability in managing co-curricular activities effectively and efficiently can affect student achievement. Nowadays it will also affect students’ application to further study at a higher level since it has become a compulsory requirement for the application to be approved. Co-curricular activities management is also often being handed over to the senior assistant, whereas as a school manager, the principal should be able to do their best in managing it. Hence, this qualitative study is conducted with the aim of exploring principals’ practices in managing co-curricular activities. The instrument is interview protocol. The total number of respondents are 7 principals, 4 senior assistants, and 3 senior teachers, from 7 schools selected for the study. The qualitative data from interviews is manually analyzed to obtain an explanation of the principals’ practices in managing co-curricular activities. Overall, this study found that principals did the best practices in terms of management, however, in certain areas such as limited school compound, inadequate equipment, and physical facilities, and unskilled teachers to train students, principals need to find a better strategy. Therefore, principals are encouraged to practice lifelong learning to ensure that their practices in co-curricular are at their best consistently.La discapacidad del director en la gestión efectiva y eficiente de las actividades co-curriculares puede afectar el rendimiento de los estudiantes. Hoy en día también afectará la solicitud de los estudiantes para seguir estudiando en un nivel superior, ya que se ha convertido en un requisito obligatorio para que la solicitud sea aprobada. La gestión de actividades co-curriculares a menudo también se entrega al asistente principal, mientras que, como gerente de la escuela, el director debe ser capaz de hacer lo mejor en su gestión. Por lo tanto, este estudio cualitativo se realiza con el objetivo de explorar las prácticas de los directores en la gestión de actividades co-curriculares. El instrumento es el protocolo de entrevista. El número total de encuestados son 7 directores, 4 asistentes superiores y 3 maestros principales, de 7 escuelas seleccionadas para el estudio. Los datos cualitativos de las entrevistas se analizan manualmente para obtener una explicación de las prácticas de los directores en la gestión de actividades co-curriculares. En general, este estudio encontró que los directores hicieron las mejores prácticas en términos de gestión, sin embargo, en ciertas áreas, como un complejo escolar limitado, equipos e instalaciones físicas inadecuados y maestros no calificados para capacitar a los estudiantes, los directores deben encontrar una mejor estrategia. Por lo tanto, se alienta a los directores a practicar el aprendizaje a lo largo de toda la vida para asegurarse de que sus prácticas en co-curricular estén en su mejor momento de manera consistente

The validity and reliability of professional learning community instruments in small schools peninsular Malaysia

A professional learning community (PLC) instrument was developed to determine the level of PLC practice in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia. This study was conducted in Perak and Negeri Sembilan to determine the instrument's reliability and validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item reliability analysis were used to determine the questionnaire’s reliability and validity. Next, the average congruence percentage (ACP) is used to determine the reliability test between expert assessors. Experts approved the validity and reliability of the instrument before the EFA test was conducted. All five constructs have high-reliability index values between 0.86–0.95. Next, the EFA analysis shows five dimensions in the PLC instrument with factor loadings ranging from 0.61–0.84. The findings also show that the variance explained in the data is 68.99% with an Eigenvalue greater than 1. This result indicates that all items are received with high approval. In addition, a very high-reliability coefficient value, α=0.96. The results prove that this PLC instrument has high validity and reliability and can measure the level of PLC implementation practices in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia

Prácticas genéricas académicas: nivel de integridad

Previous studies show that there are still issues of integrity among academics. Therefore, the focus of this study is to identify academics’ level of integrity in practicing their generic tasks. Based on the data collected via questionnaires, 164 academics evaluated themselves at a high level of integrity in their generic task with the mean score of 9.45 over 10.0. Academics also evaluated themselves as at a high level for all integrity values with the mean score of 9.41 to 9.54 that are for prudent, sincerity, accountability, credibility, self-discipline, and trustworthy. The implication is that, academics need no training to upgrade their integrity. However, from time to time, it is good to have a reminder of good deeds specially to ensure integrity becomes a culture among academics.Estudios previos muestran que todavía hay problemas de integridad entre los académicos. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio es identificar el nivel de integridad de los académicos al practicar sus tareas genéricas. Sobre la base de los datos recopilados a través de cuestionarios, 164 académicos se evaluaron a sí mismos con un alto nivel de integridad en su tarea genérica con un puntaje promedio de 9.45 sobre 10.0. Los académicos también se evaluaron a sí mismos como de alto nivel para todos los valores de integridad con un puntaje promedio de 9.41 a 9.54 que son prudentes, sinceridad, responsabilidad, credibilidad, autodisciplina y confianza. La implicación es que los académicos no necesitan capacitación para mejorar su integridad. Sin embargo, de vez en cuando, es bueno tener un recordatorio de las buenas acciones, especialmente para garantizar que la integridad se convierta en una cultura entre los académicos

Prácticas de directores en gestión co-curricular

Principal’s disability in managing co-curricular activities effectively and efficiently can affect student achievement. Nowadays it will also affect students’ application to further study at a higher level since it has become a compulsory requirement for the application to be approved. Co-curricular activities management is also often being handed over to the senior assistant, whereas as a school manager, the principal should be able to do their best in managing it. Hence, this qualitative study is conducted with the aim of exploring principals’ practices in managing co-curricular activities. The instrument is interview protocol. The total number of respondents are 7 principals, 4 senior assistants, and 3 senior teachers, from 7 schools selected for the study. The qualitative data from interviews is manually analyzed to obtain an explanation of the principals’ practices in managing co-curricular activities. Overall, this study found that principals did the best practices in terms of management, however, in certain areas such as limited school compound, inadequate equipment, and physical facilities, and unskilled teachers to train students, principals need to find a better strategy. Therefore, principals are encouraged to practice lifelong learning to ensure that their practices in co-curricular are at their best consistently.La discapacidad del director en la gestión efectiva y eficiente de las actividades co-curriculares puede afectar el rendimiento de los estudiantes. Hoy en día también afectará la solicitud de los estudiantes para seguir estudiando en un nivel superior, ya que se ha convertido en un requisito obligatorio para que la solicitud sea aprobada. La gestión de actividades co-curriculares a menudo también se entrega al asistente principal, mientras que, como gerente de la escuela, el director debe ser capaz de hacer lo mejor en su gestión. Por lo tanto, este estudio cualitativo se realiza con el objetivo de explorar las prácticas de los directores en la gestión de actividades co-curriculares. El instrumento es el protocolo de entrevista. El número total de encuestados son 7 directores, 4 asistentes superiores y 3 maestros principales, de 7 escuelas seleccionadas para el estudio. Los datos cualitativos de las entrevistas se analizan manualmente para obtener una explicación de las prácticas de los directores en la gestión de actividades co-curriculares. En general, este estudio encontró que los directores hicieron las mejores prácticas en términos de gestión, sin embargo, en ciertas áreas, como un complejo escolar limitado, equipos e instalaciones físicas inadecuados y maestros no calificados para capacitar a los estudiantes, los directores deben encontrar una mejor estrategia. Por lo tanto, se alienta a los directores a practicar el aprendizaje a lo largo de toda la vida para asegurarse de que sus prácticas en co-curricular estén en su mejor momento de manera consistente

The validity and reliability of culturally responsive leadership practice instruments in small schools peninsular Malaysia

A culturally responsive leadership instrument was developed to determine the level of culturally responsive leadership practice of headmasters in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia. This study was conducted in Perak and Negeri Sembilan to determine the instrument’s reliability and validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item reliability analysis were used to determine the questionnaire’s reliability and validity. Next, the average congruence percentage (ACP) is used to determine the reliability test between expert assessors. Experts approved the validity and reliability of the instrument before the EFA test was conducted. All four constructs have high-reliability index values between 0.88–0.93. Next, the EFA analysis shows four dimensions in the culturally responsive leadership instrument with factor loadings ranging from 0.62–0.88. The findings also show that the variance explained in the data is 65.16% with an eigenvalue greater than 1. This result showed that all items are received with high approval. In addition, the reliability coefficient α=0.93 is very high. The results prove that this culturally responsive leadership instrument has high validity and reliability and can measure the level of culturally responsive leadership implementation practices in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia