Incentives for Sabotage in Vertically Related Industries

We show that the incentives a vertically integrated supplier may have to disadvantage or "sabotage" the activities of downstream rivals vary with both the type of sabotage and the nature of downstream competition. Cost-increasing sabotage is typically profitable under both Cournot and Bertrand competition. In contrast, demand-reducing sabotage is often profitable under Cournot competition, but unprofitable under Bertrand competition. Incentives for sabotage can vary non-monotonically with the degree of product differentiation.Regulation, Vertical Integration, Access Pricing, Sabotage

Researching Violence Against Women in Aotearoa/New Zealand

This paper discusses strategies for research with women who have been victimised in their intimate relationships with their partners. I will discuss the specific issues that concern the vulnerability of women victimised by intimate partner violence: experiences of intimate violence, stereotyping, minimisation, sexual violence, protection of children, the meaning of safety. Examples from the accounts of women who whose partners had been prosecuted for violence against them, and those who had sought legal interventions like protection orders, will illustrate how each of these issues needs to be taken into account when conducting research with abused women. Strategies that we have used to deal with these issues in studies conducted in the Domestic Violence Interventions and Services Research Programme will be discussed, with illustrations of the complexities of putting them into practice.Keyword: domestic violence, intimate relationships, victimization, and New Zealand wome

When Do Input Prices Matter For Make-Or-Buy Decisions?

We investigate input pricing regimes that induce efficient make-or-buy decisions by entrants when there is constant returns in the production of the input(s) and simultaneous noncooperative price competition in downstream retail markets. A necessary and sufficient condition for efficient make-or-buy decisions is derived. This condition shows that input prices are relevant for make-or-buy decisions except under restrictive and often unverifiable assumptions on the demand structure, and that the least informationally-demanding way to ensure efficient make-or-buy decisions is to price inputs at marginal cost. The extent to which input prices can depart from marginal cost while still inducing efficient make-or-buy decisions depends on the relative efficiency of the incumbent and the demand displacement ratio, with significant departures possible even for modest efficiency differences when products are nearly homogeneous

Characterization of Wound-Inducible Genes Encoding Enzymes for Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Medicago Truncatula

In addition to having numerous applications as food flavorings and pharmaceuticals, terpenoids are an important class of defensive compounds that can accumulate in plants after pathogen infection or injury by insects. Sequences of DNA encoding putative terpene synthases and an oxidosqualene synthase, isolated from insect-damaged Medicago truncatula leaves, were selected from an expressed sequence tag (EST) database. The eDNA clones were used as radiolabeled probes to analyze gene expression in leaves treated with factors known to trigger a defense response in plants. Transcript levels for all of the genes examined increased in response to artificial wounding, insect herbivory, and methyl jasmonate (meJA) treatments, whereas salicylic acid (SA) and glucose oxidase (GOX) had no measurable effects on transcript levels. Furthermore, the genome of M. truncatula was analyzed via DNA blots for an estimation of the number of copies of enzyme isoforms and indicate that each of the enzymes examined is encoded by a single-copy gene or a small gene family. The results show that M. truncatula can serve as a valuable source for novel terpene synthase clones and potentially for strong wound-inducible regulatory elements

Impacts of expatriates\u27 international experience on self-identity

Expatriation is becoming an attractive career path for many people due to the global economic movement. People experience career transitions due to change of organization, locations, responsibilities, reporting structures, and work groups. Expatriates in particular experience more extreme changes because of challenges they encounter from language differences, geographical distance across countries, culture, habit, and life style. These changes influence people\u27s perspective in seeing things, including their self-identity. The aim of this research was to explore the evolvement of expatriates\u27 self-identity. A qualitative research design using reflexive narrative inquiry was employed. Seven current and former expatriates from Australia, Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States participated in this study. Through an interview process, these individuals reflected upon and shared their international experience retrospectively. Using expatriates\u27 own narrative, an individual identity transformation story was constructed in order to answer the research question of this study: How does international experience influence a person\u27s self-identity? Participants noticed significant and previously unknown changes in their behavior and outlook from their assignments. These varied based upon their motives for accepting the assignment, social interaction, work requirements, and personal attitudes. The study reveals that international assignments help expatriates discover the identity that they may not have recognized previously, and affirms and transitions their already known identity to a different level through new learning and relationships from their experiences. Expatriates\u27 enjoyment of their experience is highly influenced by their social interaction and dialogue with others. One of the drawbacks from expatriation, especially for those who are on long-term international assignments and deep immersion in the local culture, is the losing of their definition of home. As a result of this study, recommendations include an opportunity for organizations to conduct a fit-gap analysis with employees. Results can provide information on employees\u27 level of readiness to take on an international role, and for organizations to better support employees\u27 preparation needs. Onsite coaching and support groups for expatriates can be beneficial to alleviate the stress that occurred during their on-boarding. In addition, expatriates are encouraged to establish their social network in the host country

Characterization of Wound-Inducible Genes Encoding Enzymes for Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Medicago Truncatula

In addition to having numerous applications and pharmaceuticals, terpenoids are an important class of defensive compounds that can accumulate in plants after pathogen infection or injury by insects. Sequences of DNA encoding putative terpene synthases and an oxidosqualene synthase, isolated from insect-damaged Medicago truncatula leaves, were selected from an expressed sequence tag (EST) data base. The cDNA clones were used as radio-labeled probes to analyze gene expression in leaves treated with factors known to trigger a defense response in plants. Transcript levels for all of the genes examined increased in response to artificial wounding, insect herbivory, and methyl jasmonate (meJA) treatments, whereas salicylic acid (SA) and glucose oxidase (GOA) had no measurable effects on transcript levels. Furthermore, the genome of M. truncatula was analyzed via DNA blots for an estimation of the -number of copies of enzyme isoforms and indicate that each of the enzymes examined is encoded by a single-copy gene or a small gene family. The results show that M. truncatula can serve as a valuable source for novel terpene synthase clones and potentially for strong wound-inducible regulatory elements