Project Testbed: Argument Mapping and Deliberation Analytics

One key goal of the Catalyst project was to design metrics that could capture and represent aspects of the conversation’s structural quality, to assist harvesters and moderators. Many such metrics, alerts and visualizations were developed in the course of the project, but initial user testing has shown that users find it difficult to interpret abstract signals. Following that, we have both introduced new analytics that we felt could be more directly useful, and improved the representation of existing ones. We evaluated their usefulness in a smaller conversation and in experimental settings

Internet Governance: the State of Play

The Global Forum on Internet Governance held by the UNICT Task Force in New York on 25-26 March concluded that Internet governance issues were many and complex. The Secretary-General's Working Group on Internet Governance will have to map out and navigate this complex terrain as it makes recommendations to the World Summit on an Information Society in 2005. To assist in this process, the Forum recommended, in the words of the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations at the closing session, that a matrix be developed "of all issues of Internet governance addressed by multilateral institutions, including gaps and concerns, to assist the Secretary-General in moving forward the agenda on these issues." This paper takes up the Deputy Secretary-General's challenge. It is an analysis of the state of play in Internet governance in different forums, with a view to showing: (1) what issues are being addressed (2) by whom, (3) what are the types of consideration that these issues receive and (4) what issues are not adequately addressed

Diversification, Organization, and Efficiency: Evidence from Bank Holding Companies

We use a portfolio-simulation technique to estimate the value added from diversification by bank holding companies. Using a sample of 412 multi-bank bank holding companies (MBHCs) from 1990 to 1994, we construct pro forma benchmark portfolios for each MBHC composed of shares of single banks, weighted to correspond to the MBHC's distribution of activities. We then compare the performance and characteristics of the MBHCs to that of their pro forma benchmarks. Diversification through the holding company structure does appear to bring certain benefits: the MBHCs hold less capital and engage in more lending, on average, then their pro forma benchmarks. However, these desirable characteristics do not translate into higher profits, implying some organizational inefficiencies inherent in the holding company structure. This suggests that banks should be allowed to realize the benefits of diversification without limiting them to a particular organizational form.

De un teatro social en Francia

.Las diferentes formas del “teatro social” en Francia. Cuando se habla de teatro se abarca un gran abanico de acciones teatrales para poder luchar contra las exclusiones de los diferentes grupos sociales y, por tanto, de la fractura que puede conllevar a nivel social. En este sentido, el autor nos lleva a una visión nueva del “teatro” y de cómo su desarrollo ha influido enormemente en diferentes corrientes que utilizan la sinergia elaborada durante todo este tiempo para mejorar la calidad de la relación con el otro

A method and a tool for geocoding and record linkage

For many years, researchers have presented the geocoding of postal addresses as a challenge. Several research works have been devoted to achieve the geocoding process. This paper presents theoretical and technical aspects for geolocalization, geocoding, and record linkage. It shows possibilities and limitations of existing methods and commercial software identifying areas for further research. In particular, we present a methodology and a computing tool allowing the correction and the geo-coding of mailing addresses. The paper presents two main steps of the methodology. The first preliminary step is addresses correction (addresses matching), while the second caries geocoding of identified addresses. Additionally, we present some results from the processing of real data sets. Finally, in the discussion, areas for further research are identified.addresses correction; geocodage; matching; data management; record linkage

Organizational Structure and the Diversification Discount: Evidence from Commercial Banking

"Journal of Industrial Economics, forthcoming."Includes bibliographical references."This version: August 6, 2008"This paper provides evidence on organizational structure, geographic diversification, and performance at bank holding companies (BHCs). First, we show that a BHC's member banks benefit from access to the parent organization's internal capital market. Second, we ask if the benefits of internal capital markets are best realized within loosely structured, decentralized organizations or more consolidated, centralized firms. We find that BHCs with many subsidiaries are less profitable and have lower q ratios than similar BHCs with fewer subsidiaries. However, because we study multi-unit firms in a single industry, our results suggest that the valuation discount reported in the diversification literature in empirical corporate finance reflects not only industry diversification, but also organizational structure

Le territoire québécois dans le contexte de la mondialisation

Ce texte porte un regard socio-géographique sur les modalités de structuration contemporaine du territoire. Dans un premier temps, il est démontré que l'approche « centre-périphérie » ne suffit plus à expliquer les inégalités socio-territoriales. Aux rapports centre-périphérie, il faut ajouter la différenciation entre ceux qui profitent de la mondialisation et ceux qui la vivent à leurs dépens. La combinaison de ces deux modèles socio-géographiques explique la mise en place d'une nouvelle configuration géoéconomique construite en réseaux et en noeuds, ou, comme le dit Veltz, en « archipel ». La première section du texte analyse comment le territoire québécois se structure de façon réticulée où tant les réseaux sociaux que les formes institutionnelles cristallisent leurs actions au sein de systèmes productifs sectoriels et territoriaux. La deuxième section explique que le processus de réticularisation de l'économie québécoise se construit au sein d'un espace inséré dans une économie monde exerçant une fonction régulatrice de plus en plus importante sur les territoires locaux et régionaux. Cette réticularité tient compte d'une nécessaire connectivité des réseaux et des institutions locales ou régionales aux réseaux et aux institutions globales. Si le local s'adapte au global, ce dernier doit aussi de plus en plus tenir compte des particularités régionales et locales. Ce double mouvement rend possible une marge de manoeuvre pour les actions collectives dont celles inscrites dans le développement local ou régional. Analyser les changements en cours dans le territoire à partir de l'approche de la réticularité et de la connectivité des actions collectives développementalistes permet de comprendre les particularités du cadre d'action dans lequel émergent les innovations sociales actuelles