FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN MANAGEMENT AND FIRM PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM ITALY

Using Total Factor Productivity (TFP) as a measure of corporate performance, this study compares the performance of owner management to that of firms run by professional managers over the period 2004-2006. We consider the influence of owner management for the sample as a whole and for subgroups of firms. The findings demonstrate that family run firms are less productive than firms run by professional managers, but the difference between the two is small. Our results support the idea that in Italy there is not a genuine process of manager selection both for family and no-family firms.TFP, Family firms, Management

The Role of Online Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers in Western Pennsylvania Public School Districts

The purpose of this study was to focus on how school districts are using online opportunities, activities, and programs for teacher professional development. The goal of this study was to identify the key indicators of success from principals and central office staff that implement online professional development opportunities in their public school districts. The research questions investigated how public school district located in Western Pennsylvania are using online professional development opportunities for teacher professional growth. After an initial survey of the 109 public school superintendents in Intermediate Units 1,3,4, and 27, final participants were selected based on varying student and faculty populations, and that have indicated they have been using online professional development opportunities for teachers K-12 for at least one (1) year. Methods of final data collection were face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded and transcribed to allow for content analysis using identify consensus, supported, and individual themes. Key findings of the study indicate that the most important factor of a quality online professional development program was a strong leader in the role of building principal. This study discovered the variety of successful ways in which public school districts located in Western Pennsylvania are using online learning opportunities to meet the professional learning needs of their faculty and creates the opportunity for teachers to share ideas and collaborate with colleagues anywhere and anytime

IL MERCATO DELLE AUTOMOBILI IN ITALIA: EFFETTI DEL REGOLAMENTO CEE 1400/2002

L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è di verificare se l’introduzione del Regolamento CEE n.1400/2002 abbia avuto degli effetti sui margini di profitto dei produttori di automobili in Italia. Essendo le automobili prodotti differenziati, come in diversi studi presenti sull’argomento nella letteratura, si sono considerati nell’analisi svolta distinti sottomercati, i quali, ognuno con caratteristiche proprie, hanno costituito diversi segmenti oggetto d’indagine. Nel periodo che va dal 2003 al 2007, applicando una versione del modello di scelta discreta, abbiamo ottenuto delle stime delle elasticità dirette e incrociate della domanda di automobili per i distinti segmenti. Si è passati, poi, al calcolo dell’indice di Lerner, il quale rappresenta una misura del potere di mercato all’interno di essi. I risultati evidenziano un indice di Lerner che presenta un trend decrescente in prevalenza per i segmenti A (City car) e MP (Monovolume piccole), il che sarebbe indicativo di un possibile aumento del grado di concorrenza nel mercato delle automobili in Italia in tali segmenti. Infatti, nonostante i risultati ottenuti abbiano evidenziato che la concorrenza non è cresciuta nei segmenti medio-alti, bisogna tenere presente che il mercato italiano è concentrato prevalentemente nei segmenti medio-bassi, nei quali maggiore è il potere di mercato della Fiat, unico produttore nazionale, e in questi segmenti la concorrenza appare essere aumentata.Mercato dell’automobile, Stima della domanda, Scelta discreta, Indice di Lerner

Export quality in the machinery sector: Some evidence from main competitors

The paper compares the export quality of Italy, Germany, Japan and China. The empirical analysis is based on export unit value for a sample of machinery products exported to the USA over the decade 1996-2006. The results point to four stylised facts. First, Italy, Germany and Japan are positioned in production with high unit value. Second, some evidence of qualitative upgrading of Italian exports is found in the machinery industry. Third, German exports show the highest quality in all the machinery divisions. Finally, China has dramatically increased its medium-high technology exports in the course of the decade, but these are concentrated in the lowest quality segment of the market. Nevertheless, Chinese unit value of machinery exports are rising over time, suggesting a qualitative catching-up.Export Quality, Machinery Sector, Index Numbers

Science Leadership: Impact of the New Science Coordinators Academy

This article discusses the impact of the New Science Coordinators Academy (NSCA) on two cohorts of participants. The NSCA is one of four components of the Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA), a United States Department of Education (USED) science education reform grant. The NSCA is designed to support new school district science coordinators (with less than five years of experience) and to continue building the state science education infrastructure. Research in education leadership traditionally focuses on teacher leaders, principals, and district office personnel. Interestingly, research on district office personnel rarely distinguishes between the different roles of district personnel. This article seeks to inform the field by sharing the impact of an academy designed for new science coordinators on their learning, and to begin to understand their role and impact in their district. The five-day Academy engaged participants in a variety of experiences designed to facilitate the following: 1) build leadership skills; 2) build a common understanding and vision for hands-on science, inquiry, problem-based learning, and nature of science in the science classroom; 3) investigate data to improve student learning goals; 4) and, develop a science strategic plan. The data indicate that the NSCA was successful at meeting its goals to support the participants and to build a common language among these new coordinators. Initial data also support the variety of responsibilities of these participants and the positive impact of the Academy on their district work

Mechanical and tribological properties of electrospun PA 6(3)T fiber mats

The mechanical and tribological properties of electrospun fiber mats are of paramount importance to their utility as components in a large number of applications. Although some mechanical properties of these mats have been reported previously, reports of their tribological properties are essentially nonexistent. In this work, electrospun nanofiber mats of poly(trimethyl hexamethylene terephthalamide) (PA 6(3)T) with average fiber diameter of 463 ± 64 nm are characterized mechanically and tribologically. Post-spin thermal annealing was used to modify the properties of the fiber mats. Morphological changes, in-plane tensile response, friction coefficient and wear rate were characterized as functions of the annealing temperature. The Young's moduli, yield stresses and toughnesses of the nonwoven mats improved by two- to ten-fold when annealed slightly above the glass transition temperature, but at the expense of mat porosity. The coefficient of friction and the wear rate decrease by factors of two and ten, respectively, under the same conditions. The wear rate correlates with the yield properties of the mat, in accord with a modified Ratner–Lancaster model. The variation in mechanical and tribological properties of the mats with increasing annealing temperature is consistent with the formation of fiber-to-fiber junctions and a mechanism of abrasive wear that involves the breakage of fibers between junctions.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant CMMI-0700414)Masdar Institute of Science and TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (AROW911NF-07-D-0004

Assessing Cardiovascular Risk

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Noise Exposure Assessment among Groundskeepers: A Pilot Study

Presented for World Environmental Health Day, September 26, 2016 in Greenville, North CarolinaPurpose of the Study •To assess and investigate the noise exposure, the associated hearing effects and the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) among groundskeepers at East Carolina University (ECU) •Hypothesis (H0): The 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) noise exposure of ECU groundskeepers does not exceed the OSHA action limit of 85 dBA.Funding for this study was provided by the East Carolina University Start Up Fund