Source Coding for a Multihop Network

Summary form only given. In this paper, we bound the rate-distortion region for a four-node network. The results are the first known expansion of rate-distortion theory from single-hop networks (every source has a direct connection to each of its destinations), to multihop networks, which allow intermediate nodes. While single-hop network source coding solutions may be applied in multihop networks, such applications require explicit rate allocation for each source-destination pair, and the resulting solutions may be suboptimal. We therefore tackle the multihop network source coding problem directly using a diamond network

Personal Bankruptcy and the Level of Entrepreneurial Activity

The U.S. personal bankruptcy system functions as a bankruptcy system for small businesses as well as consumers, because debts of non-corporate firms are personal liabilities of the firms' owners. If the firm fails, the owner has an incentive to file for bankruptcy, since both business debts and the owner's personal debts will be discharged. In bankruptcy, the owner must give up assets above a fixed exemption level. Because exemption levels are set by the states, they vary widely. We show that higher bankruptcy exemption levels benefit potential entrepreneurs who are risk averse by providing partial wealth insurance and therefore the probability of owning a business increases as the exemption level rises. We test this prediction and find that the probability of households owning businesses is 35% higher if they live in states with unlimited rather than low exemptions. We also find that the probability of starting a business and the probability of owning a corporate rather than non-corporate business are higher for households that live in high exemption states.

Personal Bankruptcy and the Level of Entrepreneurial Activity

The U.S. personal bankruptcy system functions as a bankruptcy system for small businesses as well as for consumers. When firms are non-corporate, debts of the firm are personal liabilities of the entrepreneur/owner. If the firm fails, the entrepreneur has an incentive to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7, since both business debts and the entrepreneur's personal debts will be discharged. The entrepreneur must give up assets above a fixed bankruptcy exemption level for repayment to creditors, but future earnings are entirely exempt. Exemption levels are set by the states and they vary widely. We show that higher bankruptcy exemption levels benefit potential entrepreneurs by providing partial wealth insurance. The predicted relationship between the probability of owning a business and the exemption level is positive at low exemption levels, but may be either positive or negative at high exemption levels, depending on whether higher bankruptcy costs outweigh the gain from additional insurance. We test this prediction and find that the probability of families who are homeowners being self-employed is 35% higher if families live in states with unlimited exemptions rather than low exemptions. We also find evidence that families who are homeowners are more likely to start businesses and to organize their businesses as non-corporate rather than corporate if they live in states with high or unlimited, rather than low, bankruptcy exemptions.

Viticulture Labour Recruitment and Retention Issues

Those involved in the New Zealand wine industry have voiced concerns about increasing labour shortages, wage issues, and working conditions for short-term labourers in the viticulture industry. This research is aimed at clarifying issues related to recruitment and retention of workers in New Zealand vineyards. The research is exploratory in nature and includes a review of recent literature on the extent and nature of the problem and provides survey feedback from individual workers and members of viticulture management on the factors that affect labour recruitment and retention. Key findings from the survey are that wages and. by extension, the cost of accommodation, are critical actors affecting workers’ decisions to return to the industry in subsequent seasons. In addition, viticulture owners and managers report that selection of contractor-supervisors is pivotal in ensuring appropriate worker skills are available during peak production periods

Towards an Operational Definition of Group Network Codes

Group network codes are a generalization of linear codes that have seen several studies over the last decade. When studying network codes, operations performed at internal network nodes called local encoding functions, are of significant interest. While local encoding functions of linear codes are well understood (and of operational significance), no similar operational definition exists for group network codes. To bridge this gap, we study the connections between group network codes and a family of codes called Coordinate-Wise-Linear (CWL) codes. CWL codes generalize linear codes and, in addition, can be defined locally (i.e., operationally). In this work, we study the connection between CWL codes and group codes from both a local and global encoding perspective. We show that Abelian group codes can be expressed as CWL codes and, as a result, they inherit an operational definition

Impact of Supervisory Support on Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role of Burnout and Job Satisfaction in a Longitudinal Study

High rates of provider turnover are problematic for our mental health system. Research indicates that supervisory support could alleviate some turnover intention by decreasing emotional exhaustion (a key component of burnout) as well as by increasing job satisfaction. However, the potential mediation mechanisms have not been rigorously tested. Longitudinal data collected from 195 direct clinical care providers at two community mental health centers identified positive effects of supervisory support on reduced turnover intention through reduced emotional exhaustion. Job satisfaction was not a significant mediator. Supervisory support may help mitigate turnover intention through work-related stress reduction