Non-Fundamental Expectations and Economic Fluctuations: Evidence from Professional Forecasts

It is theoretically possible that non-fundamental idiosyncratic shocks to agents’ rational expectations are a source of economic fluctuations. Studies using data on consumer and investor sentiment suggest that this is indeed a significant source of fluctuations. We present the results of a study that uses forecasts from professional forecasters to extract non-fundamental shocks to expectations. In contrast to previous studies, we show that non-fundamental expectations are not a significant source of output fluctuations.Non-fundamental expectations; Sunspots; Economic fluctuations; Survey of Professional Forecasters; Vector autoregressions

The effect of external forces on discrete motion within holographic optical tweezers

Holographic optical tweezers is a widely used technique to manipulate the individual positions of optically trapped micron-sized particles in a sample. The trap positions are changed by updating the holographic image displayed on a spatial light modulator. The updating process takes a finite time, resulting in a temporary decrease of the intensity, and thus the stiffness, of the optical trap. We have investigated this change in trap stiffness during the updating process by studying the motion of an optically trapped particle in a fluid flow. We found a highly nonlinear behavior of the change in trap stiffness vs. changes in step size. For step sizes up to approximately 300 nm the trap stiffness is decreasing. Above 300 nm the change in trap stiffness remains constant for all step sizes up to one particle radius. This information is crucial for optical force measurements using holographic optical tweezers

Differences in hair significance among black and white women: an exploratory study on black hair

In Western culture, standards of beauty are often based on European characteristics that Black women are inherently unable to meet. African American history and anecdotal accounts suggest that hair in particular can have a significant impact on the perception and body image of Black women, though whether that impact is positive or negative is not clear. The current study takes a quantitative approach to examining women’s relationship with their hair. Black women (n = 146) and White women (n = 1,116) participated in an anonymous online survey regarding time devoted to hair maintenance, money spent on hair upkeep, activities hindered by hair choices, overall happiness with hair, and perceived social attitudes. Black women generally took more time to achieve their most worn hair style and spent more money on hair products than did White women, but did not report a higher level of perceived lifestyle or monetary burden. Black women were also happier with their hair than White women despite reportedly feeling that others judged Black hair more negatively. Black women with non-straight/low maintenance hairstyles (e.g., an afro or braids) were both happier and experienced fewer lifestyle and monetary burdens than those with straight/high maintenance hairstyles (e.g., straightened with heat or weaved). Results suggest that Black women who fall further from the European beauty ideals surrounding hair are less affected by those ideals

Full Costing of the WINNN Programme: Operations Research and Impact Evaluation

This report presents the findings of the ORIE economic evaluation on the costs of the WINNN programme. The aim of the work is to assess the costs of delivering the WINNN outputs over the programme duration (2011–2017). The level at which the output is focused determines the scope and the perspective of the costing. All outputs are costed from a programme perspective, which considers the expenditure of the WINNN programme.UK Department for International Developmen

Full Costing of the WINNN Programme - Summary Report: Operations Research and Impact Evaluation

This report summarises the findings of the ORIE economic evaluation on the costs of the WINNN programme. The aim of the work is to assess the costs of delivering the WINNN outputs over the programme duration (2011–2017). The level at which the output is focused determines the scope and the perspective of the costing. All outputs are costed from a programme perspective, which considers the expenditure of the WINNN programme.UK Department for International Developmen

Activating Knowledge Through Electronic Collaboration: Vanquishing The Knowledge Paradox

Electronic collaboration has become a driver for productivity as organizations develop linkages for the planning, sourcing and execution of goods and services. These organizations require mechanisms to harness the diverse and personalized intellectual resources that are distributed across the world. While electronic collaboration technologies have made it possible to harness intellectual resources across space and time, knowledge management is locked in a paradox of perception – the more valuable a knowledge resource is seen to be the less it is shared. This paper develops framework for the activation of knowledge that relies on a view of knowledge-as-identity. The analysis of a case study reveals “activation effects” that delineate processes in which electronic collaboration technologies can be most effective. This has implications for the creation of collaborative work environments that enhance activation in organizations

Emergence of long-range order in BaTiO3 from local symmetry-breaking distortions

By using a symmetry motivated basis to evaluate local distortions against pair distribution function data (PDF), we show without prior bias, that the off-centre Ti displacements in the archetypal ferroelectric BaTiO3 are zone centred and rhombohedral-like in nature across its known ferroelectric and paraelectric phases. With our newly-gained insight we construct a simple Monte Carlo (MC) model which captures our main experimental findings and demonstrate how the rich crystallographic phase diagram of BaTiO3 emerges from correlations of local symmetry-breaking distortions alone. Our results strongly support the order-disorder picture for these phase transitions, but can also be reconciled with the soft-mode theory of BaTiO3 that is supported by some spectroscopic techniques.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure