Better the Devil You Know: A New Theory of Negotiation in Collaborative Governance and Evidence from Endangered Species Management

While a growing literature in collaborative public management has made progress in our understanding of stakeholder collaboration, it has generally evaluated such efforts on criteria such as inclusiveness and the emergence of consensus. However, this theoretical framework, while not necessarily incorrect, has left us wanting for detailed explanations of individual and group decision-making processes, negotiation strategies, and the differential influence of competing interest groups within collaborative negotiations. How do individuals or groups involved in collaborative governance make decisions when their preferences and values are opposed? How do they reach a unified outcome that all can accept? Who compromises, on what, how much, and why? What role does the technical complexity of the problem play in this decision calculus? These are the key motivating questions behind this dissertation. I provide answers to these theoretical questions first by proposing a decision-making theory that draws from procrastination, obedience, and rational addiction theories in behavioral economics literature. I then show how this theory can be applied to explain why sometimes interest groups involved in long-term negotiations, such as those in collaborative governance arrangements, sometimes make decisions and agree to solutions that, on the surface, seem inconsistent with their preferences. I argue that one of the key elements driving this type of behavior is the technical complexity so frequently involved in these cases. The dissertation then examines this theory empirically through studies of two recent cases of collaborative governance drawn from Habitat Conservation Plans under the Endangered Species Act: the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan and the Charlotte County (Florida) Scrub-Jay Habitat Conservation Plan. The case selection is designed to give maximum variation in technical complexity between the two cases. I employ archival research and in-depth interviews with individuals involved in the negotiation processes over these two cases in order to understand the most important factors affecting individual and group decisions throughout the process. The results are consistent with the predictions drawn from the theory. In the higher complexity case, the interaction of technical and political complexity has resulted in perpetual delay and thus the least effective alternative for preserving the species. In the comparison case, however, negotiations resulted in the most robust conservation alternative that was practicable under the circumstances

Better the Devil You Know: A New Theory of Negotiation in Collaborative Governance and Evidence from Endangered Species Management

While a growing literature in collaborative public management has made progress in our understanding of stakeholder collaboration, it has generally evaluated such efforts on criteria such as inclusiveness and the emergence of consensus. However, this theoretical framework, while not necessarily incorrect, has left us wanting for detailed explanations of individual and group decision-making processes, negotiation strategies, and the differential influence of competing interest groups within collaborative negotiations. How do individuals or groups involved in collaborative governance make decisions when their preferences and values are opposed? How do they reach a unified outcome that all can accept? Who compromises, on what, how much, and why? What role does the technical complexity of the problem play in this decision calculus? These are the key motivating questions behind this dissertation. I provide answers to these theoretical questions first by proposing a decision-making theory that draws from procrastination, obedience, and rational addiction theories in behavioral economics literature. I then show how this theory can be applied to explain why sometimes interest groups involved in long-term negotiations, such as those in collaborative governance arrangements, sometimes make decisions and agree to solutions that, on the surface, seem inconsistent with their preferences. I argue that one of the key elements driving this type of behavior is the technical complexity so frequently involved in these cases. The dissertation then examines this theory empirically through studies of two recent cases of collaborative governance drawn from Habitat Conservation Plans under the Endangered Species Act: the Florida Beaches Habitat Conservation Plan and the Charlotte County (Florida) Scrub-Jay Habitat Conservation Plan. The case selection is designed to give maximum variation in technical complexity between the two cases. I employ archival research and in-depth interviews with individuals involved in the negotiation processes over these two cases in order to understand the most important factors affecting individual and group decisions throughout the process. The results are consistent with the predictions drawn from the theory. In the higher complexity case, the interaction of technical and political complexity has resulted in perpetual delay and thus the least effective alternative for preserving the species. In the comparison case, however, negotiations resulted in the most robust conservation alternative that was practicable under the circumstances

Visual performance with tinted contact lenses

During extensive research of the several tinted contact lenses on the market, a lack of information was noted as to whether or not tinted contact lenses can effect visual acuity under conditions of varying contrast. With this in mind we conducted a study to determine the effect of tinted contact lenses on visual performance under high and low contrast conditions. Using twenty-four research subjects, high and low contrast visual acuities were documented in order to compare performance with tinted to clear contact lenses. Two tints were chosen, royal blue and evergreen, with each person serving as their own control by wearing a pair of clear lenses. Subjects accepted for the study were required to have small refractive errors, + 1.00 to -4.00 diopters with astigmatism less than 0.75 diopters. Acuities were measured using Bailey-Lovie LogMAR contrast acuity charts, and the data analyzed with paired t-tests. The data showed that visual acuity decreased by approximately 1/2 a Snellen line under high and low contrast conditions compared to the clear lens performance. These data suggest that visual performance deficits can occur when tinted lenses are prescribed for cosmetic purposes, particularly under conditions of varying contrast. This may have impact in situations ranging from safety in the workplace to performance in sports or fine visual motor tasks, and it is suggested that patients be informed of possible difficulties when wearing deeply tinted cosmetic lenses

Transitioning Cattle from RAMP\u3csup\u3e®\u3c/sup\u3e to a Finishing Diet on Feed Intake and Ruminal pH

A metabolism trial was conducted where steers were adapted to high grain diets using a traditional approach or one of two RAMP® adaptation programs. RAMP programs adapted cattle to a finishing diet either gradually over 28 days in four steps or switched to a finishing ration without steps. Feed intake and ruminal pH were monitored continuously throughout the trial. Cattle on the 4-STEP treatment spent more time eating compared to other treatments but total feed consumption was similar among treatments. Ruminal pH was greater for cattle on RAMP adaptation programs when compared to traditional grain adaptation. Cattle fed RAMP for 10 days can be transitioned directly to a finishing diet containing 47.5% Sweet Bran®

Reducing Particle Size Enhances Chemical Treatment in Finishing Diets

Three hundred-sixty calf-fed steers were fed either treated or untreated corn stover that was previously ground through a 1-in or 3–in screen. Treated stover diets improved ADG and F:G compared to untreated. Reducing particle size improved ADG and F:G but did not influence DMI. Compared to a control diet with 5% roughage and 15 percentage units more corn, diets with 20% treated corn stover had similar F:G, ADG, DMI, and carcass quality. Up to 15% additional corn can be replaced with treated corn stover when diets contain wet distillers grains, and may be further enhanced by reducing particle size before chemical treatment

Reducing Particle Size Enhances Chemical Treatment in Finishing Diets

Three hundred-sixty calf-fed steers were fed either treated or untreated corn stover that was previously ground through a 1-in or 3–in screen. Treated stover diets improved ADG and F:G compared to untreated. Reducing particle size improved ADG and F:G but did not influence DMI. Compared to a control diet with 5% roughage and 15 percentage units more corn, diets with 20% treated corn stover had similar F:G, ADG, DMI, and carcass quality. Up to 15% additional corn can be replaced with treated corn stover when diets contain wet distillers grains, and may be further enhanced by reducing particle size before chemical treatment

Study of astronaut capabilities to perform extravehicular maintenance and assembly functions in weightless conditions

Analysis of astronaut capabilities to perform extravehicular maintenance and assembly functions under simulated weightlessnes

Repair results of 2-tendon rotator cuff tears utilizing the transosseous equivalent technique

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the healing rate of 2-tendon rotator cuff tears repaired by the use of a transosseous-equivalent (TOE) suture bridge technique. Materials and methods: Forty-three patients with combined supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendon tears underwent arthroscopic repair using TOE technique. Forty of these patients were then evaluated by MRI and clinical exam at a minimum of 1-year follow-up to determine the rate of healing of the repair and clinical outcomes associated with healing. Results: Eighty-three percent of the repairs demonstrated intact rotator cuff repairs at a mean of 16 months post-op. Larger tears (3.5 vs 2.8 cm) were associated with failure (P ¼ .01), as was more advanced fatty infiltration (Goutallier 1.3 vs 0.3, P ¼ .01). Age was not different between intact and nonintact tendons. Strength was the only clinical finding that differed between intact and nonintact tendons. Conclusion: Two-tendon tears of the rotator cuff can heal at a high rate with the use of TOE suture bridge repair technique. Furthermore, tear size and Goutallier grading were negatively correlated with postoperative healing. The incremental improvement in the rate of observed rotator cuff healing still does not translate to statistical differences in the objective shoulder scoring systems. Level of evidence: Level IV, Case Series, Treatment Study

A New Classification System for the Actions of IRS Chemicals Traditionally Used For Malaria Control

Knowledge of how mosquitoes respond to insecticides is of paramount importance in understanding how an insecticide functions to prevent disease transmission. A suite of laboratory assays was used to quantitatively characterize mosquito responses to toxic, contact irritant, and non-contact spatial repellent actions of standard insecticides. Highly replicated tests of these compounds over a range of concentrations proved that all were toxic, some were contact irritants, and even fewer were non-contact repellents. Of many chemicals tested, three were selected for testing in experimental huts to confirm that chemical actions documented in laboratory tests are also expressed in the field. The laboratory tests showed the primary action of DDT is repellent, alphacypermethrin is irritant, and dieldrin is only toxic. These tests were followed with hut studies in Thailand against marked-released populations. DDT exhibited a highly protective level of repellency that kept mosquitoes outside of huts. Alphacypermethrin did not keep mosquitoes out, but its strong irritant action caused them to prematurely exit the treated house. Dieldrin was highly toxic but showed no irritant or repellent action. Based on the combination of laboratory and confirmatory field data, we propose a new paradigm for classifying chemicals used for vector control according to how the chemicals actually function to prevent disease transmission inside houses. The new classification scheme will characterize chemicals on the basis of spatial repellent, contact irritant and toxic actions