The politics of strategic budgeteering

This paper analyzes how opportunistic governments choose between alternative fiscal policies in order to increases their chances of re-election. To increase the provision of public goods shortly before elections – and thus, to generate a fiscal political business cycles – governments may either increase deficits or redistribute governmental resources from longterm efficient sources to short-term efficient public programs. We argue that incumbents who face highly competed elections principally have an incentive to spend more on public goods even though these investments are not efficient in the long term. In principal, they would do so by increasing the deficits (with re-balancing the budget after the election). However, our model demonstrates that incumbents would even electioneer at the cost of long-term investments if the extent of fiscal transparency does not allow them to finance the provision of public goods with higher deficits. In other words, if elections are close and voters may observe the governmental deficit, then governments tend to increase the provision of public goods – and consequently, their electoral prospects – by a redistribution of budget resources from long-term efficient investment to a short-term provision of public goods. We test the predictions with new data on the composition of government consumption for 17 OECD countries over 35 years. The preliminary findings suggest that governments indeed reshuffle resources from long-term efficient investment to short-term public goods before elections especially if elections are contested

The relationship between masculanity, body image and ego strength in male university students

Student Number : 9901978A - MA research report - School of Human and Community Development - Faculty of HumanitiesThis research explored the relationship between gender identity, body image and ego strength in men. A questionnaire consisting of a demographic section, the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Adonis Complex Questionnaire- Revised, and the Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strength was administered to 74 male students from the School of Actuarial Science and Statistics at the University of the Witwatersrand during lecture time. Correlation analyses were used to infer the relationships between the three variables, while a multiple regression assessed whether particular combinations of gender identity and ego strength could predict higher body image dissatisfaction. The results showed that both masculinity and androgyny had a positive effect on body image satisfaction, as did higher ego strength. The latter was also positively correlated with both femininity and masculinity, though not with androgyny. Body image disturbance did not correlate with any dimension of gender identity or ego strength. With regard to the interaction between the variables, higher ego strength was found to have a moderating effect on body image dissatisfaction in men who endorsed femininity, but not with men who endorsed masculinity. An androgynous orientation further predicted lower body image dissatisfaction irrespective of the degree of ego strength. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed

Using laddering to understand the social media network Google+

This study seeks to explore why Google+ is utilized by its members, by drawing conclusions to their underlying motives and values. The behavior on this growing and influential, albeit very recent platform has not been investigated throughout at this point of time yet. In this context an exploratory study using the means-end approach was applied to a group of identified heavy users, consisting of 17 male and 14 female respondents. Consequently 31 semi-standardized qualitative one-on-one interviews were conducted by using Google+’s text-based online chat. Some of the main findings of this study have been that members of Google+ are utilizing the network first and foremost for social exchange, with the objective of having fun and enjoying oneself, for example by sharing pictures with friends. The most significant attributes are “chat”, “pictures”, “mobile application” as well as “circles” and are very closely linked to values such as “fun”, “well being” or “hedonism”. This approach could make a valuable contribution to business research, as well as help corporations and individuals to improve their social media activities based on the results. The study was the first to successfully apply the laddering technique to the issue of the social media network Google+. Keywords: social media, social networks, expectations, laddering, Google

Monitoring and evaluation of family interventions: information on families supported to March 2010 (Research report DFE-RR044)

"This report updates and builds on the previous research by presenting and analysing FIIS [Family intervention Information system] data provided by family intervention staff up to and including 31 March 2010. The report is primarily based on simple descriptive statistics which provide a summary of the quantitative evidence. In addition statistical modelling (logistic regression) was used to look at the factors associated with successful and unsuccessful outcomes." - Page 14

Monitoring and evaluation of family interventions (Information on families supported to March 2010) RR044

Josie Dixon, Vera Schneider, Cheryl Lloyd, Alice Reeves, Clarissa White, Wojtek Tomaszewski, Rosie Green and Eleanor Irelan

A Extensão Universitária da UFFS - Campus Cerro Largo/RS como Mediadora do Ensino de Desenho Assistido por Computador

Trabalho apresentado no 31º SEURS - Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 04 a 07 de agosto de 2013 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.O projeto de extensão “Desenho assistido por computador com o software AutoCAD- 2D” buscou ampliar, em 2013, o espaço de atuação da UFFS – Campus Cerro Largo/RS na comunidade regional, desenvolvendo suas ações voltadas prioritariamente à qualificação de estudantes e professores do ensino público em nível técnico profissionalizante, no noroeste gaúcho. Ao disponibilizar conhecimentos na área do desenho assistido por computador, oportunizando o aprendizado de um software gráfico como o AutoCAD-2D, objetivou-se instrumentalizar os participantes para atuarem no desenvolvimento, na elaboração e na padronização de projetos técnicos comumente empregados na engenharia (civil, mecânica, elétrica, agrícola, agronômica, entre outras) e no design. A atividade caracteriza-se como um Curso de Extensão na modalidade presencial, contemplando um módulo básico com carga horária de 30horas e vagas para 25 participantes. O curso será ministrado em duas edições ao longo de 2013, no laboratório de informática da Escola Estadual Técnica Guaramano, em Guarani das Missões. A compreensão da linguagem gráfica do desenho assistido por computador ocorre mediante a exposição dialogada, a realização de tutoriais (exercícios guiados) e de atividades práticas que, em aula, podem ter um acompanhamento mais individualizado, monitorado pelos bolsistas do projeto. O participante aprende a manipular uma série de ferramentas e comandos do AutoCAD-2D voltados à criação, modificação e edição de desenhos no plano bidimensional. Tais recursos possibilitam maior exatidão na representação gráfica, agilidade e rapidez no desenvolvimento de ideias e facilidades na execução de projetos técnicos; aspectos importantes à otimização dos recursos disponíveis e ao processo de aprimoramento da qualidade nos processos e serviços. Ações de extensão dessa natureza têm buscado proporcionar, por intermédio do projeto, a valorização profissional e o aperfeiçoamento da formação técnica, viabilizando-se assim, a inclusão social e tecnológica e promovendo-se a democratização do acesso a novas tecnologias, em constante aprimoramento na atualidade

Early education pilot for two year old children : evaluation

This report provides the findings of the evaluation of the early education pilot for disadvantaged two year old children (the pilot). This study aimed to assess the impact of the pilot by looking at: how well the pilot was targeted, parents’ experiences of taking up a pilot place, the quality of the pilot settings, the impact on the children’s behaviour, and parents’ views and experiences of using a pilot place. The pilot provided free early years education to over 13,500 disadvantaged two year olds between 2006 and 2008. The main purpose of the pilot was to improve children’s social and cognitive outcomes, e.g. their social confidence and independence, and their verbal skills and reasoning ability. Additional aims were to have a positive impact on children’s parents and wider family e.g. on the relationship between parents and their children, or on parent’s emotional wellbeing. The funding offered these children 7.5 or in a small number of local authorities 12.5 hours of early years education per week for 38 weeks of the year. The pilot places were available in a variety of early years settings e.g. nurseries, play groups and with childminders, but all were required to operate the Birth to Three Matters curriculum.© National Centre for Social Research 2009. The full text of this report is not available in ORA. You may be able to access the report at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-pilot-for-2-year-old-children-evaluation (URL checked 26 March 2014) or via the publication website link above