SMEs and Bank Lending Relationships: the Impact of Mergers

This paper studies the impact of bank mergers on firm-bank lending relationships using information from individual loan contracts in Belgium. We analyse the effects of bank mergers on the probability of borrowers maintaining their lending relationships and on their ability to continue tapping bank credit. The environment reflects a number of interesting features: high banking sector concentration; \u201Cin-market\u201D mergers with large target banks; importance of large banks in providing external finance to SMEs; and low numbers of bank lending relationships maintained by SMEs. We find that bank mergers generate short-term and longer-term effects on borrowers' probability of losing a lending relationship. Mergers also have heterogeneous impacts across borrower types, including borrowers of acquiring and target banks, borrowers of differing size, and borrowers with single versus multiple relationships. Firms borrowing from acquiring banks are less likely to lose their lending relationship, while target bank borrowers are more likely to lose their relationship. Firms borrowing from two of the merging banks are less likely to lose their relationship than firms borrowing from only one of the merging banks or firms borrowing from nonmerging banks.loans, bank mergers, bank relationships, credit register

Staying, dropping, or switching : the impacts of bank mergers on small firms

Assessing the impacts of bank mergers on small firms requires separating borrowers with single versus multiple banking relationships and distinguishing the three alternatives of "staying," "dropping," and "switching" of relationship. Single-relationship borrowers who "switch" to another bank following a merger will be less harmed than those whose relationship is "dropped" and not replaced. Using Belgian data, we find that single-relationship borrowers of target banks are more likely than other borrowers to be dropped. We track post-merger performance and show that many dropped target-bank borrowers are harmed by the merger. Multiple-relationship borrowers are less harmed, as they can better hedge against relationship discontinuationsBank mergers, bank lending relationships, SME loans

How K-3 Classroom Teachers are Dealing with Pupils Coming from One-Parent Homes Due to Separation or Divorce

Kindergarten through third grade classroom teachers need professional training on how to assist pupils coming from one-parent homes due to separation or divorce. The methods that are employed by kindergarten, first, second, and third grade classroom teachers were surveyed using a questionnaire specifically designed for the study. The results of the questionnaire were presented in tables, using the raw scores. The study concludes that teachers are willing to assist pupils in this trying situation, but they feel inadequate to do so. Kindergarten through third grade teachers feel there is a need for professional training to help them be more effective in working with pupils experiencing personal problems

Self-degradation of heat shock proteins

The 70-kDa heat shock protein of Drosophila decays in vivo at a much faster rate than other abundantly labeled proteins. Degradation also occurs in vitro, even during electrophoresis. It appears that this degradation is not mediated by a general protease and that the 70-kDa heat shock protein has a slow proteolytic action upon itself. Heat-induced proteins in CHO cells and a mouse cell line also degrade spontaneously in vitro, as do certain non-heat shock proteins from Drosophila tissues as well as the cell lines

What Happens to Girls When They Are the only Female in a Male Dominated Setting?

Throughout the history of special education and particularly the induction of Public Law 94-142, special educational practices have placed a significantly greater number of boys than girls in classes for children with learning disabilities and emotional/behavioral disorders. As a result, there is often only one girl per class of modified self-contained students -- spending at least three periods per day in a setting set aside for their unique characteristics and needs. The marginalization of this group of females is a cause for concern, especially in times when gender equities are at the forefromt of much of the recent public discussions, scholarly research, and social practices in which females with disabilities are still not paid the attention they deserve and need. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to try to determine what consequences being the only girl in class have on these girls academically and socially. Females with disabilities require additional attention as opposed to their general education peers because they tend to experience a greater sense of alienation, normlessness, and powerlessness along with a lower self-esteem. Consequently, this group of females often suffers a higher rate of depression, more experiences of rejection and failure, lack of self-confidence, and a diminished sense of pride (Shoho & Katims, 1997). Having a disability and being female manifests itself through unemployment, poverty, premature pregnancy placing these young women at greater risks than their peers without disabilities (Rousso & Wehmeyer, 2001). The results of this study assisted in focusing the attention of educators, politicians, and lay citizens on this population and narrowing the substantial gap in current literature on the academic and social effects of being female in male-dominated special education classes most of the school day. It was conducted in a high school in south Fulton County, Georgia, targeting four female students who were interviewed in depth one-on-one and formally observed, which assisted in revealing emerging themes or commonalities among this set of individuals. Females with disabilities have been a neglected group for too many years and deserve to have their stories heard and their challeneges recognized

Sulfur amino acid utilization by growing broilers fed practical and semi-purified diets at two energy levels

A series of six experiments was conducted utilizing either corn-soybeal meal or semi-purified basal diets. All experiments utilized a total of 1807 Hubbard x White Mountain strain chicks with ages ranging from 1 to 49 days posthatching. The objective of these experiments was to determine total sulfur amino acid (methionine + cystine) requirements for growing broilers fed practical and semi-purified diets at two energy levels. Experiment 1 employed a corn-soybean basal diet at two energy levels to establish the sulfur amino acid requirement for maximal feed efficiency of chicks during the period 8 to 22 days posthatching. Five graded levels of DL-methionine (0 to .24% in the presence of .80% and .79% methionine + cystine, for low and high energy basal diets, respectively) were employed in a 2x5 factorial treatment arrangement. There was a marked growth response due to increased energy level. There was no significant gain response due to supplemental DL-methionine. Gain/feed ratio was maximized at .98% methionine + cystine for the low energy diet (2970 kcal ME/kg) and at .91% methionine + cystine for the high energy diet (3232 kcal ME/kg). Experiment 2 was conducted to determine the sulfur amino acid requirement for maximal feed efficiency of chicks during the period 21 to 34 days posthatching. DL-methionine additions were identical to those used in Experiment 1. As with the younger chicks there was a marked growth response to increased energy level and no significant gain response to supplemental DL-methionine. Gain/ feed ratio was maximized at .89% methionine + cystine for the low energy diet (3045 kcal ME/kg) and at .95% methionine + cystine for the high energy diet (3307 kcal ME/kg). Experiment 3 was conducted to confirm results of Experiment 1 and 2 that utilized battery-reared chicks. This trial was con-ducted in a grower house and in a manner more closely resembling those currently employed in the broiler industry. The basal diets were the same as employed for Experiment 2; however, methionine additions were decreased to .05, .10, .15, and .20%. There was a significant methionine effect for both the low and high energy diets. As DL-methionine was incrementally added from 0 to .20% (.91% methionine + cystine) there was a significant improvement in gain/feed ratio for birds on the high energy diet. However, unlike Experiments 1 and 2 there was no marked growth response due to increased energy levels. To further substantiate the re-sults with practical corn soybean diets a semi-purified basal diet was employed for Experiments 4, 5, and 6. In Experiment 4, five graded levels of DL-methionine (0 to .60% in the presence of .59% methionine + cystine were employed in a 2 x 5 factorial treatment arrangement. As with previous experiments, there was a marked growth response in young broiler chicks due to increased energy levels. Gain/feed ratio was maximized at .89% methionine + cystine for the low energy diet (2750 kcal ME/kg) and at 1.04% methionine + cystine for the high energy diet (3200 kcal ME/kg). Based on gain data, the total sulfur amino acid requirement was estimated to be .78 + .227% for the low energy basal diet and .81 + .095% for the high energy diet. Both of these estimates are lower than the recommended .93% methionine + cystine requirement listed by the National Research Council (N.R.C.) for broiler chicks 0 to 3 weeks of age. Experiment 5 was conducted to determine if the same effects of energy level and methionine supplementation would occur in the older chicks (4 to 6 weeks of age). Similar diets and methionine additions were used for the older birds. A marked growth response occurred due to increased energy levels. There was also a significant gain response due to supplemental DL-methionine for both energy levels. Gain/feed ratio was significant over-all levels of supplemental DL-methionine for the high energy diet and was maximized at .90% methionine + cystine for the low energy diet. Based on gain data, the total sulfur amino acid requirement was estimated to be .96 ± .085% for the low energy diet and .75 ± .130% for the high energy diet. These estimates are both higher than the recommended .72% methionine + cystine requirement by the N.R.C. for broiler chicks 3 to 6 weeks of age. In Experiment 6 choline was incrementally added, from 600 to 1800 mg/kg diet, to a semi-purified basal diet containing .803% methionine + cystine, 22.1% crude protein and 3200 kcal ME/kg. Results indicated no significant differences for gain, feed com-sumption, or gain/feed due to choline supplementation

MIDWEST GRAIN PRODUCTS: A CHANGE IN STRATEGY DUE TO TRADE ISSUES

Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,

Exploring the Motivations and Decision-Making of Sustainable Apparel Entrepreneurs

Although the topic of sustainability has been studied extensively, only a few studies exist which examine sustainable apparel entrepreneurs (e.g., Desai, Nassar, & Chertow, 2012; Gam, Cao, Farr, & Heine, 2009; Ho & Choi, 2012; Niinimaki & Hassi, 2011) and none that specifically examine sustainability as a key factor within their business models. In light of these gaps and the increased research interest in the topic of sustainability, the two-fold purpose of this study was to explore the motivations and decision-making of sustainable apparel entrepreneurs and to consider the role of sustainability within their business models