Weber and church governance: religious practice and economic activity

The debate about the relationship between religion and economic activity in the wake of Weber has been cast largely in terms of belief and values. This article suggests an alternative focus on practice. It argues that taken for granted practices of church governance formed to-hand resources for the organization of economic activity. The argument is developed through an examination of the historical development of church governance practices in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, with particular emphasis on the way in which theological belief gave rise to practices of accountability and record keeping. In turn such practices contributed to a ‘culture of organization’ which had implications for economic activity. A focus on governance practices can help to illuminate enduring patterns of difference in the organization of economic activity

LWBR Development Program

The principal hydraulic performance features of the Light Water Breeder Reactor are summarized in this report. The calculational models and procedures used for prediction of reactor flow and pressure distributions under steady-state and transient operating conditions are described. Likewise, the analysis models for evaluation of the static and dynamic performance characteristics of the hydraulically-balanced and hydraulically-buffered movable-fuel reactivity-control system are outlined. An extensive test program was conducted for qualification of the subject LWBR hydraulic evaluation models. The projected LWBR hydraulic performance is shown to fulfill design objectives and functional requirements

Comparison of decision learning models using the generalization criterion method

It is a hallmark of a good model to make accurate a priori predictions to new conditions (Busemeyer & Wang, 2000). This study compared 8 decision learning models with respect to their generalizability. Participants performed 2 tasks (the Iowa Gambling Task and the Soochow Gambling Task), and each model made a priori predictions by estimating the parameters for each participant from 1 task and using those same parameters to predict on the other task. Three methods were used to evaluate the models at the individual level of analysis. The first method used a post hoc fit criterion, the second method used a generalization criterion for short-term predictions, and the third method again used a generalization criterion for long-term predictions. The results suggest that the models with the prospect utility function can make generalizable predictions to new conditions, and different learning models are needed for making short- versus long-term predictions on simple gambling tasks

COMPARISON OF HETEROGENEOUSLY AND HOMOGENEOUSLY DOPED POLYPHENYLACETYLENE USING IR AND XPS

Infrared (IR) and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) studies have been made on heterogeneously iodine-doped polyphenylacetylene (PPA) polymer films. Similarities and differences between the doping processes (heterogeneous and homogeneous) are presented. Results point to a surface doping process in the heterogeneously doped films vs. a bulk process in the homogeneously doped materials (doped in solution). The counter anion moiety in the films appears to be the polyiodide I5- ion, as contrasted to the bulk powder (homogeneously doped) polymer in which the species of I2, I3- in the presence of a predominance of I5- ion coexist