INCENTIVE CONTRACTS TO MEET FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS IN WHEAT PURCHASING

Consistency of functional characteristics in hard red spring (HRS) wheat is a concern confronting sellers and buyers. This research analyzes contract incentives for importers with respect to cost and potential risk of acceptance. A principal-agent framework is utilized to examine contract incentives. In the principal-agent contract, the principal offers the contract, the agent rejects or accepts the contract, and then decides how much effort to apply. All this is subject to risk for the agent and moral hazard for the principal. An example is presented, for which equilibrium contract terms are a base price of 454 cents per bushel for low quality wheat and a premium of 36 cents per bushel if high quality is achieved. The premium for high quality is unchanged as the agent's outside option increases, but increases as the probability of conformance with high effort declines or as the agent's cost of high effort increases. Small changes in several of the parameter values (agent's outside option, agent's cost of high/low effort, principal value for high/low effort, and principal's outside options if the contract was not extended or if the agent rejects the contract) result in the principal not offering a contract.Incentive Contact, Functional Characteristic, Wheat, Principal-Agent, Crop Production/Industries,

MARKETING MECHANISMS IN GM GRAINS AND OILSEEDS

A number of challenges exist for genetically modified (GM) crop development at the production level. Contract strategies can resolve these challenges. Contracts can be designed to induce legal adoption of GM wheat by varying technology fees, violation detection, and penalties. The primary objective of this research is to analyze contracting strategies to determine terms to minimize technology agreement violation and to induce legal adoption of GM wheat. A simulation model of a crop budget for Hard Red Spring wheat was developed. Results illustrate that contracts can be designed to induce desired behavior. Technology fee, probability of detection, and the level of non-GM premium were the most notable factors influencing adoption decisions.Producer Decisions, Risk, Genetically Modified, Contract Terms, Wheat, Crop Production/Industries,

The Effects of Metacognitive Treatments on the Academic Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis explores previous research involving metacognitive interventions and the academic performance of students with learning disabilities. From our initial review of over 120 studies, six studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in this study, and moderator variables were explored. Overall, a medium-to-large effect size of 0.79 was found using Cohen’s d for these final selected six research articles. These results provide preliminary support for the use of metacognitive treatments for students with learning disabilities throughout elementary to postsecondary settings

Ethics Education in Australian Preservice Teacher Programs: A Hidden Imperative?

This paper provides a snapshot of the current approach to ethics education in accredited Australian pre-service teacher programs. Methods included a manual calendar search of ethics related subjects required in teacher programs using a sample of 24 Australian universities and a survey of 26 university representatives. Findings show a paucity of required standalone ethics subjects in the pre-service teacher training programs despite recent accreditation requirements by AITSL. When analysed by program type, the prevalence of an ethics related subject requirement in pre-service teacher programs revealed a concerning trend; post graduate programs, as a general rule, had a much lower prevalence of a mandatory ethics-related subject, including those subjects which are traditionally used as vehicles for embedding ethics, such as the Foundations of Education. Notwithstanding, all respondents agreed that the value of ethics in pre-service teacher programs is irrefutable. Implications for further research are discussed

Demographic Considerations and Population Policies in Development Planning: A Survey of Third World Countries With Case Studies of Bangladesh and Pakistan.

This thesis seeks to determine the attention and importance given to population growth in the overall strategy of development planning. The first part of the thesis analyzes the population content of the national development plans of 60 developing countries. The findings indicate a surprising dearth of demographic data in development plans of the Third World. With a few exceptions, the data found in these plans are inadequate and are not presented in forms easily used by planners. The recognition of population problems is substantial: two-thirds of the countries studied mention a wide spectrum of population problems in their plans. Forty- three per cent of the countries studied propose some policy to reduce the rate of population growth. Still, the most important conclusion is that too few plans are preparing to accommodate for the inevitable growth of the population. The second part of the thesis is an investigation of population and development on a national level for the countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The analysis of Pakistan's and Bangladesh's development plans presents a picture of population planning in extremely adverse circumstances. Even though the plans did propose programmes to reduce population growth, implementation was difficult because of little demand for contraceptives, adminstrative and political obstacles and logistical complexities. Four conceptual frameworks incorporating theories of fertility decline, when analyzed for their relevance and utility in Pakistan and Bangladesh, all reveal theoretical or practical flaws. The family planning approach, the policy mainly relied on, has so far not been efficiently administered or demographically effective. A detailed analysis of a planning framework which incorporates population, income distribution and the evaluation of alternative development strategies illustrates the importance of the distributive aspect of development strategy, but reveals that the model lacks both the sophistication and the appropriate data to be analytically useful

Portfolio pointers: Preparing and presenting high quality teaching portfolios

This goal of this project was to develop a set of guidelines for creating teaching portfolios for the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards or for other purposes. It includes key pointers to “getting started”, collecting evidence, interrogating practice, editing, and protecting the unique “voice” of the nominee and their student body. The guidelines consist of general principles and practical examples from both successful academic developers and award recipients and some examples from award-winning portfolios to illustrate good practice

Potential for Controlling the Spread of \u3ci\u3eCentaurea maculosa\u3c/i\u3e with Grass Competition

ABSTRACT.-Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa Lam.) is a major rangeland and roadside weed of the northern Rocky Mountains. It is often found in plant communities dominated by Pseudoroegneria spicatum or Festuca idahoensis, but it rarely invades roadsides dominated by Bromus inerrnis Leyss. Aboveground biomass of the 3 grass species grown in mixture with Centaurea was compared to growth in monoculture at a range of nitrogen input levels. The results suggest that Bromus is capable of suppressing the growth of Centaurea with the degree of suppression increasing with increasing nitrogen levels. The 2 native grasses had no impact on Centaurea under the controlled environment conditions of this study