The Co-evolution of Institutions and Technology

We propose a model of growth driven by the co-evolution of institutions and technology. To be consistent with Douglass North (1990, 1991, 1994), institutions are defined as a type of collective knowledge about a specific environment that can prescribe how to adapt general technology before the latter can be actually used. Institutions, then, are treated as a factor in the innovation process, and as such can be purposely accumulated. The simultaneous accumulation of institutions and technology are modeled as an evolutionary game whereby boundedly-rational .rms choose how much to allocate to ‘institutional spending’ vis-a-vis research expenditures, in anticipation of changes in monopoly pro.ts from technological innovation. Using Taylor and Jonker’s (1978) Replicator Dynamics to describe the evolution of such strategies, we are able to show how this transition process converges to the steady state model of Romer (1990)

The Use of Physician Assistants for Health and Wellness in Aging Populations

The Use of Physician Assistants for Health and Wellness in Aging Populations Desiree Longmire, Depts. of Kinesiology and Health Science, Biology, & Chemistry, with Dr. Christine Booker, Dept. of Kinesiology and Health Science I conducted a study to expand my research on the demographics of Physician Assistant (PA) programs and how the programs can benefit from having Gerontology in their curriculum. I was able to record data on an excel spreadsheet on the demographics and pass rate scores of PA program graduates. This data was used to assess if PA programs have Gerontology in their curriculum as separate courses. Also, the data was used to determine if there is a correlation of pass rates of PA programs with more diverse students in specific geographical regions that serve aging populations. This information helps fill the gap in the literature by ascertaining the significance of the use of more diverse PA’s in the health care industry and their ability to impact care for the health and wellness of the aging population.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1345/thumbnail.jp

below the neck, above the knees

My thesis explores the act of violation in the context of trauma and healing through the use of personal narratives and experimental film. My research allows personal storytelling to transform into a larger and more universal theme of generational trauma and dysfunction. Through a feminist lens, I challenge social norms of body autonomy for the sick and abused, capitalism’s social effects on the poor, and passed down maternal lessons from the women who are doing the best that they can with the lives and opportunities that they have been given. This work is created in spite of the labels my mother, the women before her, and I may hold. It is an act of resistance to who and what is allowed to be seen or heard. It is my confession, but it is not my confession alone

Falling Through the Cracks: Homeless Youth Need Natural Mentors

The current Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which contains the most recent reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Act (M-V), places a focus on homeless youth that is intended to facilitate access to K-12 education, higher education and eliminate barriers in-between the two. Through each reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Act since its enactment in 1987, homeless youth have gained more and more access to key school personnel and academic support. Yet homeless youth still face barriers to accessing education and postsecondary success. Currently homeless liaisons, specially designated people in K-12 settings, work daily to assist youth who are homeless with issues surrounding barriers to housing, transportation, public education and higher education access. This paper examines homeless liaisons along with other school personnel as natural mentors with practices found in the McKinney Vento Act to support this vulnerable, invisible population with appropriate steps to eliminate the youth homeless to adult homeless pipeline.Educatio

Mindfulness as an Effective Strategy for Anxiety Relief in Adolescent Patients

Anxiety disorders affect 6.8 million adults over the age of 18 in the United States, and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health illness in children. Risk Factors for anxiety disorders in young adults include the following: -Shyness, or behavioral inhibition, in childhood -Being of the female sex -Having few economic resources -Exposure to stressful life events in childhood -Anxiety disorders in close biological relatives -Parental history of mental disorders -Elevated afternoon cortisol levels in the saliva Teens and young adults increasingly suffer from anxiety disorders with the CDC reporting the rate of anxiety disorders among 3 to 17 year olds in the range of 3% with current symptoms to 4.7% having ever reported having anxiety. Mindfulness or the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overwhelmed by what’s going on around us, can be effective means to manage stress and anxiety symptoms. Primary care physicians can introduce and practice mindfulness strategies within patient visits in addition to or replacement for management with medications.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1349/thumbnail.jp

Partial peace rebel groups inside and outside civil war settlements

Previous research proposes that peace is more likely to become durable if all rebel groups are included in the settlement reached. The argument implies that if actors are excluded and continue to pursue the military course, this could have a destabilizing effect on the actors that have signed an agreement. This article argues that all-inclusive peace deals - signed by the government and all rebel groups - are not the panacea for peace that many seem to believe. Given that the parties are strategic actors who are forward-looking when making their decisions, the signatories should anticipate that the excluded parties may continue to fight. Therefore, the risk of violent challenges from outside actors is likely to already be factored into the decision-making calculus when the signatories decide to reach a deal, and so does not affect their commitment to peace. Implications from this theoretical argument are tested using unique data on the conflict behavior of the government and each of the rebel groups in internal armed conflicts during the post-Cold War period. The results are well in line with the theoretical expectations and show that whether an agreement leaves out some actor does not affect whether the signatories stick to peace. The results demonstrate that even when excluded rebel groups engage in conflict, this does not affect the signatories'commitment to peace. Hence, the findings suggest that partial peace is possible.Post Conflict Reconstruction,Post Conflict Reintegration,Peace&Peacekeeping,International Affairs,Social Conflict and Violence

What are Some Best HR Practices in Response to Natural Disasters in Terms of Training and Communication?

Today’s world is defined by, among other characteristics, borderless and unconventional threats, global challenges, and fast-paced change. HR has not been initially designed to organize or oversee crisis management. However HR’s role in training and development can contribute to an organization’s overall crisis management capacity, as well as to effective crisis communication in particular. Studies show that crisis-prepared companies have fewer crises to grapple with, stay in business longer and fare better in financial terms

When Developing a Career Path, What are the Key Elements to Include?

Question: When developing a career path from scratch, what are the key elements to include in the design process and what factors lead to a successful implementation