The Organizational Evolution of Markets for Wood Products in the Southern United States

This paper represents the first case study attempt to develop a transaction cost conceptual model to describe industry evolution of the paper and lumber industries in the Southern United States around the late 1800s and early 1900s. We use transaction cost theory to explain the co-evolution of markets for wood products noting that variation in the level and type of investments made in physical and human capital assets needed to manage paper and lumber miller operations had a significant influence on the use of wood dealer systems compared to more vertically organized business arrangements. We identify some testable hypotheses and areas of future research.Industry Evolution, Contracting, Property Rights, Vertical Integration, Forest Products, Industrial Organization, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, L14, L24, L73, J24,

Body shape preferences: Associations with rater body shape and sociosexuality

Copyright @ 2013 Price et al.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.There is accumulating evidence of condition-dependent mate choice in many species, that is, individual preferences varying in strength according to the condition of the chooser. In humans, for example, people with more attractive faces/bodies, and who are higher in sociosexuality, exhibit stronger preferences for attractive traits in opposite-sex faces/bodies. However, previous studies have tended to use only relatively simple, isolated measures of rater attractiveness. Here we use 3D body scanning technology to examine associations between strength of rater preferences for attractive traits in opposite-sex bodies, and raters' body shape, self-perceived attractiveness, and sociosexuality. For 118 raters and 80 stimuli models, we used a 3D scanner to extract body measurements associated with attractiveness (male waist-chest ratio [WCR], female waist-hip ratio [WHR], and volume-height index [VHI] in both sexes) and also measured rater self-perceived attractiveness and sociosexuality. As expected, WHR and VHI were important predictors of female body attractiveness, while WCR and VHI were important predictors of male body attractiveness. Results indicated that male rater sociosexuality scores were positively associated with strength of preference for attractive (low) VHI and attractive (low) WHR in female bodies. Moreover, male rater self-perceived attractiveness was positively associated with strength of preference for low VHI in female bodies. The only evidence of condition-dependent preferences in females was a positive association between attractive VHI in female raters and preferences for attractive (low) WCR in male bodies. No other significant associations were observed in either sex between aspects of rater body shape and strength of preferences for attractive opposite-sex body traits. These results suggest that among male raters, rater self-perceived attractiveness and sociosexuality are important predictors of preference strength for attractive opposite-sex body shapes, and that rater body traits -with the exception of VHI in female raters- may not be good predictors of these preferences in either sex.This study is funded by the Brunel University School of Social Sciences and made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund

The Fundamentals of GAAP: Case Studies of Accounting Principles

The following paper consists of solutions to case studies that provide an overview of accounting principles in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principle set forth by the Financial Standards Accounting Board. Each case addresses a different area of financial reporting within a specific company, and demonstrates comprehension and practice of accounting concepts, financial analysis, and preparation of financial statements. These cases were completed under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in fulfillment of the requirements for the University of Mississippi ACCY 420 honors course in the 2016-2017 academic year

Exploratory analysis of high-resolution power interruption data reveals spatial and temporal heterogeneity in electric grid reliability

Modern grid monitoring equipment enables utilities to collect detailed records of power interruptions. These data are aggregated to compute publicly reported metrics describing high-level characteristics of grid performance. The current work explores the depth of insights that can be gained from public data, and the implications of losing visibility into heterogeneity in grid performance through aggregation. We present an exploratory analysis examining three years of high-resolution power interruption data collected by archiving information posted in real-time on the public-facing website of a utility in the Western United States. We report on the size, frequency and duration of individual power interruptions, and on spatio-temporal variability in aggregate reliability metrics. Our results show that metrics of grid performance can vary spatially and temporally by orders of magnitude, revealing heterogeneity that is not evidenced in publicly reported metrics. We show that limited access to granular information presents a substantive barrier to conducting detailed policy analysis, and discuss how more widespread data access could help to answer questions that remain unanswered in the literature to date. Given open questions about whether grid performance is adequate to support societal needs, we recommend establishing pathways to make high-resolution power interruption data available to support policy research.Comment: Journal submission (in review), 22 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl

EXAMINING WORK-LIFE BALANCE OF FEMALE FACULTY IN CHAIR ROLES AT MEDICAL ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

The purpose of this research study was to explore the work-life balance of women in Chair positions within medical academic institutions and to research their ability to balance roles at work and home. The study wanted to investigate the impact of a prestigious leadership position on their lives. The study explored the reason for their success in such a male-dominated position and how they obtained such a position. The women who participated in this study gave accounts for their triumphs and disappointments during the data collection phase of the study. This research was a phenomenological study based on three theoretical literature foundations: Work-Family Border Theory; Role Balance Theory; and Career Compromise Theory. Research and interview questions were developed from these three theories to determine if these women were able to accomplish a work-life balance at any level during their time as a Chair. The study was developed using the determination if children, aging parents, and being married could be a factor in achieving work-life balance. The study was focused on the southern region of the United States with participants of the study being located through the AAMC website. The researcher conducted qualitative interviews with each participant based on their time and availability. This interview approach was conducted so that each participant expressed their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Findings were discovered through the process of transcribing the interviews, coding transcriptions, and having themes revealed for each interview question. Interview questions themes were discussed individually and ending with aggregated themes for each research question. A summary of findings were included for the reader. To conclude, each research question findings were discussed including implications for theory, research, and practice, limitations, and future research opportunities

The Fundamentals of GAAP: Case Studies of Accounting Principles

The following paper consists of solutions to case studies that provide an overview of accounting principles in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principle set forth by the Financial Standards Accounting Board. Each case addresses a different area of financial reporting within a specific company, and demonstrates comprehension and practice of accounting concepts, financial analysis, and preparation of financial statements. These cases were completed under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in fulfillment of the requirements for the University of Mississippi ACCY 420 honors course in the 2016-2017 academic year

The Effect of Animation Versus Live Action and Animal Versus Human Film Depictions on Terror Management Processes

In an effort to expand the scope of Terror Management Theory (TMT), the author proposed that viewing film clips involving death of non-animated and animated humans and animals would lead to an increase in worldview defense. Although worldview defense means were not statistically significantly different between conditions, there was a clear linear trend of increasing worldview defense from commercials to non-animated animals, suggesting that animation had less of an effect than live action and that individuals who watched clips of non-animated animals were most likely to exhibit an increase in worldview defense. The author\u27s findings broaden TMT research by suggesting that worldview defense could potentially be affected by watching death clips of non-animated and animated fictional characters

Issues in the Care of Farm Animals: Current History of the Movement in Selected States

Many animal care practices commonly accepted as a regular part of the agricultural industry are being questioned by organizations advocating for the care of farm and companion animals. The use of gestation crates for pregnant sows, veal crates for veal calves, and battery cages for egg-laying hens are being banned in some states in the United States. While appearing to be a modern phenomenon, animal rights/animal welfare issues actually can be found throughout history. The purpose of the study was to trace the history of the care of farm and companion animals movement in the United States. This included the identification of major events in the movement, as well as legislation that has been enacted to insure the proper care of farm and companion animals. The movement for the care of farm and other domestic animals can be connected to legislation or executive orders in at least seven states. In addition numerous states have begun the reevaluation of the current status, including potential legislation, for the protection of farm and companion animals. Most states that have passed legislation were influenced by out of state animal rights organizations. California received national media attention with the passing of Proposition Two which prohibited the use of gestation crates for pregnant sows, crates for veal calves, and battery cages for egg-laying hens. California was the first state to ban battery cages for egg-laying hens. Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio have also passed state legislation regarding the treatment of animals

The economics of health

This report presents results from the Economics of Health project funded by the East Midlands Development Agency. The work was undertaken between November 2007 and February 2008. The main aim of the project was to examine the relationship between mental and physical health and employability, labour market participation and economic performance, with specific attention given to the direction of causal relationships

Vacuum-UV negative photoion spectroscopy of CH3F, CH3Cl and CH3Br

Using tunable vacuum-UV radiation from a synchrotron, negative ions are detected by quadrupolar mass spectrometry following photoexcitation of three gaseous halogenated methanes CH$_3$X (X = F,Cl,Br). The anions X$^-$, H$^-$, CX$^-$, CHX$^-$ and CH$_2$X$^-$ are observed, and their ion yields recorded in the range 8-35 eV. The anions show a linear dependence of signal with pressure, showing that they arise from unimolecular ion-pair dissociation, generically described as AB + h$v$ $\rightarrow$ A$^-$ + B$^+$ (+ neutrals). Absolute cross sections for ion-pair formation are obtained by calibrating the signal intensities with those of F$^-$ from both SF$_6$ and CF$_4$. The cross sections for formation of X$^-$ + CH$_3$$^+$ are much greater than for formation of CH$_2$X$^-$ + H$^+$. In common with many quadrupoles, the spectra of $m$/$z$ 1 (H$^-$) anions show contributions from all anions, and only for CH$_3$Br is it possible to perform the necessary subtraction to obtain the true H$^-$ spectrum. The anion cross sections are normalised to vacuum-UV absorption cross sections to obtain quantum yields for their production. The appearance energies of X$^-$ and CH$_2$X$^-$ are used to calculate upper limits to 298 K bond dissociation energies for D$^o$ (H$_3$C-X) and D$^o$ (XH$_2$C-H) which are consistent with literature values. The spectra suggest that most of the anions are formed indirectly by crossing of Rydberg states of the parent molecule onto an ion-pair continuum. The one exception is the lowest-energy peak of F$^-$ from CH$_3$F at 13.4 eV, where its width and lack of structure suggest it may correspond to a direct ion-pair transition