US multinational activity abroad and US jobs: substitutes or complements?

Critics of globalization claim that firms are being driven by the prospects of cheaper labor and lower labor standards to shift employment abroad. Yet the evidence, beyond anecdotes, is slim. This paper reports stylized facts on the activities of U.S. multinationals at home and abroad for the years 1977 to 1999. We focus on firms in manufacturing and services, two sectors that have received extensive media attention for supposedly exporting jobs. Using firm-level data collected by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in Washington, D.C., we report correlations between U.S. multinational employment at home and abroad. Preliminary evidence based on the operations of these multinationals suggests that the sign of the correlation depends on the crucial distinction between affiliates in high-income and low-income countries. For affiliates in high-income countries there is a positive correlation between jobs at home and abroad, suggesting that foreign employment of U.S. multinationals is complementary to domestic employment. For firms that operate in developing countries, employment has been cut in the United States, and affiliate employment has increased. To account for firm size, substitution across firms and entry and exit, we aggregate our data to the industry level. This exercise reveals that the observed “complementarity” between U.S. and foreign jobs has been driven largely by a contraction across all manufacturing sectors. It also reveals that foreign employment in developing countries has substituted for U.S. employment in several highly visible industries, including computers, electronics, and transportation.multinational corporations; offshoring; employment

Shared geriatric mental health care in a rural community

Introduction: A pilot project in shared mental health care was initiated to explore opportunities to increase the capacity of the rural primary care system as a resource for older people with mental health needs. This was done within a framework for the delivery of best practices in geriatric mental health outreach. Methods: Shared-care strategies combining education and clinical consultation between mentor psychiatrists and family physicians were implemented and then evaluated after one year to identify key factors in the success of approaches to shared mental health care for older people in a rural setting. Results: Results provided new insights into shared care between primary care and specialty geriatric mental health services, rural geriatric mental health service delivery, developmental phases in service learning approaches, and building knowledge networks to promote continuing best practices. Conclusion: The results from the project's process evaluation have been integrated into the development of a permanent shared geriatric mental health care service for the rural setting. Preparation for an outcome evaluation that will focus on the impact on patient care has also been initiated

THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRY STRUCTURE ON PRICE: A CASE IN THE BEEF INDUSTRY

This study estimates the influence of concentration and other structural variables on the price of slaughter cattle. Cross-sectional data were used to estimate a single equation model which included, in addition to traditional factor demand variables, packer concentration and a measure of market power exerted by feedlots. Results suggest that packer concentration has had a significant and increasing negative impact on fed cattle prices during the years of analysis, 1972 and 1977.Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries,

Clinically insignificant association between anterior knee pain and patellofemoral lesions which are found incidentally.

Patellofemoral chondral lesions are frequently identified incidentally during the arthroscopic treatment of other knee pathologies. A role has been described for arthroscopic debridement of such lesions when symptoms are known to originate from pathology of the patellofemoral joint. However, it remains unclear how to manage lesions which are found incidentally whilst tackling other pathologies. The purpose of this study was to establish the strength of association between anterior knee pain and patellofemoral lesions identified incidentally in a typical arthroscopic population. A consecutive series of patients undergoing arthroscopy for a range of standard indications formed the basis of this cross section study. We excluded those with patellofemoral conditions in order to identify patellofemoral lesions which were solely incidental. Pre-operative assessments were performed on 64 patients, where anterior knee pain was sought by three methods: an annotated photographic knee pain map (PKPM), patient indication with one finger and by palpated tenderness. A single surgeon, who was blinded to previous recordings, performed standard arthroscopies and recorded patellofemoral lesions. Statistical correlations were performed to identify the association magnitude. Associations were identified between incidental patellofemoral lesions and tenderness palpated on the medial patella (P=0.007, χ2=0.32) and the quadriceps tendon (P=0.029, χ2=0.26), but these associations were at best fair, which could be interpreted as clinically insignificant. In which case incidental patellofemoral lesions are not necessarily associated with anterior knee pain, we suggest that they could be left alone. This recommendation is only applicable to patellofemoral lesions which are found incidentally whilst addressing other pathology

The Influence of Some Factors on Prices in the Phoenix Cotton Market: Quality, Lot Size, Lot Uniformity

This item is part of the Agricultural Experiment Station archive. It was digitized from a physical copy provided by the University Libraries at the University of Arizona. For more information, please email CALS Publications at [email protected]

Élaboration de scénarios sur le professionnalisme pour le continuum éducatif des apprenants au sein d'une communauté de pratique médicale et infirmière

Background: It is challenging to develop professionalism curricula for all members of a medical community of practice. We collected and developed professionalism vignettes for an interactive professionalism curriculum around our institutional professionalism norms following social constructivist learning theory principles. Methods: Medical students, residents, physicians, nurses and research team members provided real-life professionalism vignettes. We collected stories about professionalism framed within the categories of our Faculty’s code of conduct:  honesty; confidentiality; respect; responsibility; and excellence. Altruism was from the Nursing Code of Ethics. Two expert committees anonymously rated and then discussed vignettes on their educational value and degree of unprofessional behaviour. Through consensus, the research team finalized vignette selection. Results: Eighty cases were submitted: 22 from another study; 20 from learners and nurses; and 30 from physicians; and eight from research team members. Two expert committees reviewed 53 and 42 vignettes, respectively. The final 18 were selected based upon: educational value; diversity in professionalism ratings; and representation of the professionalism categories. Conclusion: Realistic and relevant professionalism vignettes can be systematically gathered from a community of practice and their representation of an institutional norm, educational value, and level of professional behaviour can be judged by experts with a high level of consensus.Contexte : Il est difficile de concevoir des programmes d'enseignement sur le professionnalisme pour l'ensemble des membres d'une communauté de pratique médicale. Nous avons recueilli et préparé des scénarios pour un programme interactif sur le professionnalisme, fondé sur les normes de notre établissement en la matière, selon une approche socioconstructiviste de l'apprentissage. Méthodes : Des étudiants en médecine, des résidents, des médecins, des infirmières et des membres de l'équipe de recherche ont proposé des scénarios de situations de la vie réelle sur le sujet du professionnalisme. Nous avons recueilli des témoignages sur le professionnalisme s'inscrivant dans les catégories du code de conduite de notre faculté, à savoir l'honnêteté, la confidentialité, le respect, la responsabilité et l'excellence, auxquelles s'ajoute l'altruisme, tiré du Code de déontologie des soins infirmiers. Deux comités d'experts ont examiné la valeur éducative et le degré de non-professionnalisme décrit, et ils ont évalué de façon anonyme les scénarios. L'équipe de recherche a fait la sélection finale de scénarios par consensus. Résultats : Parmi les 80 cas soumis, 22 provenaient d'une autre étude, 20 ont été proposés par des apprenants et des infirmières, 30 par des médecins et huit par des membres de l'équipe de recherche. Deux comités d'experts ont examiné 53 et 42 scénarios, respectivement. Les 18 scénarios retenus ont été choisis pour leur valeur éducative, la diversité des évaluations du professionnalisme et leur représentativité des diverses catégories de professionnalisme. Conclusion : Des scénarios réalistes et pertinents sur le sujet du professionnalisme peuvent être systématiquement recueillis auprès de communautés de pratique. Des experts peuvent déterminer, avec un degré élevé de consensus, la valeur éducative des scénarios, le niveau du comportement professionnel qu'ils décrivent et dans quelle mesure ils reflètent les normes de l'établissement concerné

Narrative Form and Mediaeval Continuity In The Percy Folio Manuscript: A Study Of Selected Poems

This study examines the continuity of mediaeval literary tradition in selected rhymed narrative verse. These verses were composed for entertainment at various times prior to 1648. At or shortly before this date, they were collected into The Percy Folio: BL. Add. MS. 27,879. Selected texts with an Historical or Romance topic are examined from two points of view: modification of source material and modification of traditional narrative stylistic structure. First, an early historical poem is analysed to establish a possible paradigm of the conventions governing the mediaeval manipulation of fact or source material into a pleasing narrative. Other texts are compared with the result of this analysis and it is found that twenty paradigmatic items appear to summarize early convention as their presence in other poems is consistent — no text agreeing with less than twelve. The second step is the presentation of the results of an analysis of some fifty mediaeval Romances. This was undertaken in order to delineate clearly selected motifemic formulae inherent in the composition of these popular narratives. It is shown that these motifemes, found in the Romances, are also present in the historical texts of The Percy Folio. The findings, derived from both strands of investigation, are that mediaeval continuity exists in the texts studied. The factors which actually comprise this ‘mediaeval continuity’ are isolated: it is then seen that rather than discard tradition as society grew further and further from the early circumstances that gave rise to it, later poets have chosen to contrive modifications designed to fit new requirements as they arise. Such modifications, however, are always within the established conventional framework. In short, no text examined failed to echo tradition, and mediaeval continuity is an important feature of the popular rhymed narrative in 1648 and The Percy Folio

Resilience in Quaking Aspen: Recent Advances and Future Needs

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) sustainability is a topic of intense interest in forest ecology. Reports range from declines to persisting or increasing coverage in some areas. Moreover, there is little agreement on ultimate factors driving changes. Low aspen recruitment has been attributed to climate patterns, past management, herbivore increases, competitive interactions with conifers, predator and beaver extirpation, and livestock grazing. Several of these potential causes result from direct or indirect actions of human agency. On June 27–28, 2012 a group of leading aspen ecologists from diverse backgrounds convened at the High Lonesome Ranch in western Colorado to address the state of aspen science under the title, Resilience in Quaking Aspen: restoring ecosystem processes through applied science. The purposes of this meeting were to: (a) present disciplinary updates on recent developments; (b) focus our collective understanding on determining key research gaps; and, to the extent possible, (c) develop a plan to communicate both advances and science gaps to wider audiences. Presentations and group discussions were framed mainly in the geographic context of the western US. The symposium addressed dual central themes—historical aspen cover change and ungulate herbivory—both of which have important ramifications for future aspen resilience. We also found emergent themes in disturbance, climate work, and genetic innovation. This paper presents a brief review of the state of aspen science and a synopsis of issues and needs identified at the symposium. Detailed treatments of topics mentioned here are found in accompanying articles of this volume. A key recommendation from researchers here is that there are many ‘‘aspen types’’ and novel, landscape- or aspen type-specific, approaches will be required to appropriately address this regional diversity. We further emphasize needed interdisciplinary work addressing changing climates, altered disturbance patterns, intensive herbivory, and human drivers of ecological change

U.S. Multinational Activity Abroad and U.S. Jobs: Substitutes or Complements?

Critics of globalization claim that firms are being driven by the prospects of cheaper labor and lower labor standards to shift employment abroad. Yet the evidence, beyond anecdotes, is slim. This paper reports stylized facts on the activities of U.S. multinationals at home and abroad for the years 1977 to 1999. We focus on firms in manufacturing and services, two sectors that have received extensive media attention for supposedly exporting jobs. Using firm-level data collected by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in Washington, D.C., we report correlations between U.S. multinational employment at home and abroad. Preliminary evidence based on the operations of these multinationals suggests that the sign of the correlation depends on the crucial distinction between affiliates in high-income and low-income countries. For affiliates in high-income countries there is a positive correlation between jobs at home and abroad, suggesting that foreign employment of U.S. multinationals is complementary to domestic employment. For firms that operate in developing countries, employment has been cut in the United States, and affiliate employment has increased. To account for firm size, substitution across firms and entry and exit, we aggregate our data to the industry level. This exercise reveals that the observed “complementarity” between U.S. and foreign jobs has been driven largely by a contraction across all manufacturing sectors. It also reveals that foreign employment in developing countries has substituted for U.S. employment in several highly visible industries, including computers, electronics, and transportation. The fact that there were U.S. jobs lost to foreign affiliates in key sectors, despite broad complementarity in hiring and firing decisions between U.S. parents and their affiliates, helps explain why economists view the impact of globalization on U.S. jobs as benign despite negative news coverage for declining industries