Analysis of Self-Reported Walking for Transit in a Sprawling Urban Metropolitan Area in the Western U.S.

Walkability is associated with increased levels of physical activity and improved health and sustainability. The sprawling design of many metropolitan areas of the western U.S., such as Las Vegas, influences their walkability. The purpose of this study was to consider sprawl characteristics along with well-known correlates of walkability to determine what factors influence self-reported minutes of active transportation. Residents from four neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, targeted for their high and low walkability scores, were surveyed for their perceptions of street-connectivity, residential-density, land-use mix, and retail–floor-area ratio and sprawl characteristics including distance between crosswalks, single-entry-communities, high-speed streets, shade, and access to transit. A Poisson model provided the best estimates for minutes of active transportation and explained 11.28% of the variance. The model that included sprawl characteristics resulted in a better estimate of minutes of active transportation compared to the model without them. The results indicate that increasing walkability in urban areas such as Las Vegas requires an explicit consideration of its sprawl characteristics. Not taking such design characteristics into account may result in the underestimation of the influence of sprawl on active transportation and may result in a missed opportunity to increase walking. Understanding the correlates of walkability at the local level is important in successfully promoting walking as a means to increase active transportation and improve community health and sustainability

The Effect of Board Links, Audit Partner Tenure, and Related Party Transactions on Misstatements: Evidence from Chile

Companies restate when material misstatements are identified in previously issued financial statements. Misstatement research in Latin America is sparse, even though they are an important context to study this phenomenon. Chile’s corporate governance regulations are considered exemplars for Latin American countries but its auditing profession is not well developed. Thus, Chile provides an interesting context to study the complementary roles of audit and board governance affecting misstatements. Using a sample of 104 Chilean listed firms over seven years, our study finds that the board links and audit partner tenure negatively affect misstatements. Specifically, given the prevalence of related party transactions (RPTs) in conglomerates, the finding suggests that cross directors monitor high-value RPTs, but that this is not a substitute for auditor expertise. The findings raise questions about the advisability of mandating audit partner rotation to strengthen auditor independence because the results indicate that a short audit partner tenure leads to the auditor not developing client-specific knowledge. The study makes contributions to the corporate governance literature by highlighting that board monitoring is not a good substitute for auditor monitoring of financial reporting integrity, and suggesting the need for having licensing requirements to become an audito

Costos de cambio y su efecto en la retención de los clientes: una aplicación econométrica para una empresa de telecomunicaciones

En la presente investigación a través, de la elaboración y aplicación de un modelo matemático basado en los costos de cambio, se demuestra la importancia estratégica y económica que tienen éstos dentro de una gran empresa de telecomunicaciones en Chile. Los conceptos teóricos asociados a los costos de cambio, revisados en el presente estudio, se integran en un modelo estructural de ecuaciones simultáneas, cuyo objetivo es identificar y relacionar todas aquellas variables o factores que pueden medirse o controlarse para lograr una efectiva retención de los clientes para la compañía, traduciéndose en mejores ingresos futuros. Los resultados destacan la influencia negativa de las retenciones efectivas hechas por la compañía, al ofrecer al cliente un cambio de producto sobre la decisión del consumidor para abandonarla, pero un efecto positivo en su satisfacción, además, se destaca el efecto negativo del tiempo de atención de clientes y de los problemas económicos de los mismos sobre la variable satisfacción.In this research through the development and application of a mathematical model based on the switching costs, to be demonstrate the strategic importance and economic that they have in a large telecommunications company in Chile. The theoretical concepts associated with switching costs reviewed in this study, to be integrate into a structural model of simultaneous equations, whose aim to be identify and link all those variables or factors that can be measured or monitored, in order to achieve an effective retention of customers within the company, resulting in a better future income. The results highlight the negative influence of the effective retention made by the company to offer customers a change production the consumer’s decision to leave the company, but a positive effect on his satisfaction, also, highlights the negative effect of time customer service and economic problems of them, on the variable satisfaction

Análisis de la calidad percibida del servicio prestado por las cooperativas de ahorro y crédito: una aplicación a Oriencoop Limitada basada en modelos de ecuaciones estructurales

115 p.Cada día existen más alternativas financieras, por lo tanto, todas las instituciones de este rubro, deben mantener y atraer al público, asegurando su sustentabilidad y rentabilidad, es decir, estableciendo una cartera consolidada de clientes. Una cartera envejecida puede causar la quiebra de la institución, de aquí se desprende la importancia de enfocar parte de los esfuerzos hacia el público joven. En esta memoria se utiliza la metodología de ecuaciones estructurales, identificando los factores que determinan la calidad percibida por los adultos jóvenes de una cooperativa de ahorro y crédito, de qué manera estos factores producen satisfacción en los clientes y la consecuente lealtad hacia una determinada institución financiera. Los datos se obtienen de un cuestionario aplicado a una muestra aleatoria de clientes, por medio de éste, se identifican los factores relevantes para el mercado de interés y consecuentemente es una línea de acción para tomar decisiones referentes a la mantención de la cartera. Los resultados obtenidos muestran las variables que afectan la calidad percibida en los servicios financieros, los factores de causalidad de la satisfacción y la lealtad de los clientes, entregando una guía de acción para las futuras decisiones de la cooperativa de ahorro y crédito. Palabras Claves: Calidad Percibida, Cooperativa, Lealtad, Satisfacción del Cliente./ABSTRACT: Each day there are more financial alternatives, therefore, all the institutions of this item, should keep and attract to the public, ensuring its sustainability and profitability, that means establishing a portfolio consolidated of customers. A portfolio aging can cause the collapse of the institution, it follows the importance of approaching part of efforts toward young audiences. In this memory is used the methodology of structural equations, identifying factors affecting the perceived quality for young adults of saving and credit cooperative, how these factors produce satisfaction on the clients and the consequent loyalty to a particular financial institution. The data is acquired by a questionnaire applied to a random sample of customers, through this the relevant factors for the market of interest are identified and thus it’s the line of action to make decisions on the maintenance of the portfolio. The results show the variables affecting the perceived quality in financial services, the causation factors of satisfaction and customer loyalty, delivering a guide for action for the future of the cooperative. Key words: perceived quality, cooperative, loyalty, customer satisfaction

Estudio del comportamiento y los habitos de compra de los clientes de una multitienda, mediante el uso de tecnicas de mineria de datos

133 p.La industria del Retail en Chile ha experimentado un significativo crecimiento durante los últimos años, posicionándose en un mercado atractivo y competitivo en donde tiendas por departamento como Multihogar, buscan la diferenciación en Curicó. Para lograr este objetivo, herramientas propias de Minería de Datos son utilizadas para el desarrollo de tres estudios, que en base a información transaccional de los años 2006 y 2007, pretenden la identificación de productos complementarios ofrecidos en la tienda, con el objetivo de reconocer los hábitos de compra de los consumidores. Además, se genera un modelo de migración del cliente con el propósito de detectar de manera anticipada, que clientes son propensos a terminar su relación con la empresa, pronosticándose que un 10,7% de los clientes abandonan la tienda al cabo de 3 meses. Finalmente, se desarrolla un estudio para determinar el Valor de Vida del Cliente, para el cual se establece que los consumidores que visitan la tienda más de dos veces y realizan compras de $ 123.000 mensuales en promedio, corresponden a los clientes más rentables para la empresa. Posteriormente los modelos generados son validados en base a información transaccional del año 2008 para luego presentar conclusiones que permitan a la empresa tomar medidas futuras en base al conocimiento adquirido

The Impact of Pedestrian Crossing Flags on Driver Yielding Behavior in Las Vegas, NV

Walking is the most affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly method of transportation. However, the risk of pedestrian injury or death from motor vehicle crashes is significant, particularly in sprawling metropolitan areas. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pedestrian crossing flags (PCFs) on driver yielding behaviors. Participants crossed a marked, midblock crosswalk on a multilane road in Las Vegas, Nevada, with and without PCFs, to determine if there were differences in driver yielding behaviors (n = 160 crossings). Trained observers recorded (1) the number of vehicles that passed in the nearest lane without yielding while the pedestrian waited at the curb and (2) the number of vehicles that passed through the crosswalk while the pedestrian was in the same half of the roadway. ANOVA revealed that drivers were significantly less likely to pass through the crosswalk with the pedestrian in the roadway when they were carrying a PCF (M = 0.20; M = 0.06); drivers were more likely to yield to the pedestrian waiting to enter the roadway when they were carrying a PCF (M = 1.38; M = 0.95). Pedestrian crossing flags are a low-tech, low-cost intervention that may improve pedestrian safety at marked mid-block crosswalks. Future research should examine driver fade-out effects and more advanced pedestrian safety alternatives

Stochastic analysis of the economic growth of OECD countries

This study examined the determinants of economic development for the 34 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and analysed efficient uses of economic development resource endowments. The methodology included econometric panel data modelling and stochastic frontier analysis, using the Cobb-Douglas production function and trans-logarithmic functional form to analyse data from 2003 to 2012. Economic growth was measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) of each economy. As a result, the determinants of economic development were presented and a ranking of efficiency was obtained for all OECD economies throughout the period of analysis. It was concluded that countries with higher economic growth levels have higher efficiency rankings. For example, countries with higher efficiency rankings were Luxembourg and the U.S.; Chile and Mexico were ranked lower. Finally, there was a positive relationship between growth levels and technical efficiency levels

An Investigation of Geography and Climate Induced Distresses Patterns on Airfield Pavements at US Air Force Installations

This study investigated climate induced distresses patterns on airfield pavements at US Air Force installations. A literature review and surveys of Pavement Condition Index indicated that the predominant factor contributing to the development of pavement distress was climate. Results suggested that, within each type of pavement distress, a geographic pattern exists which is strongly correlated to conventional US climate zones. The US Air Force Roll-Up Database, housing over 50,000 records of pavement distress data, was distilled using a process designed to combine similar distresses while accounting for age and size of samples. The process reduced the data to a format that could be used to perform krig analysis and to develop pavement behavior models for runways built with asphalt cement (AC) and Portland cement concrete (PCC). Regression and krig analyses were conducted for each distress type to understand distress behavior among climate zones. Combined regression and krig analyses provided insight into the overall pavement behavior for AC and PCC runways and illustrated which climate zone was more susceptible to specific pavement distresses. Distress behavior tends to be more severe in the eastern US for AC and in the western US for PCC runway pavements, respectively

Efficiency of the City Councils Using Cross-Sectional Model: Challenges in Times of Change and Political Tension

The efficiency of city councils is a matter of concern in public discussion in Chile, due to the growing political relevance that citizens demand of them for social and economic management, in the face of the effects of the pandemic and recent social unrest. Despite the marked historical centralization of power in the capital city, the efficiency of the Chilean municipalities will be key to improving the quality of life of the communities, especially in times of political tension, greater social needs and discredit toward national institutions, not well the local ones. A cross-sectional econometric regression model was developed to explain the determinants of the efficiency of the municipalities and identify the variables that have the greatest impact on said efficiency. City councils that are regional capitals with more than 50,000 inhabitants were selected for this study