The determinants of economic growth versus genuine progress in South Korea

This paper examines whether the drivers of economic growth are the same as those for genuine progress in the case of South Korea. Using data covering the period 1970–2005, the paper first constructs a Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI). An empirical model is then specified and estimated using growth in GDP per capita and growth in the GPI per capita as dependent variables. Results indicate that while physical capital, research and development, exports, and inflation are all important in determining growth in GDP per capita, only physical capital is a driver of genuine progress. These findings highlight the need for policymakers to identify and target other determinants of genuine progress to improve the well-being of South Koreans, rather than focus attention on traditional sources of economic growth.

Determinants of stock returns: Factors or systematic co-moments? Crisis versus non-crisis periods

In this paper we evaluate the intertemporal pricing performance of stock return determinants over the periods surrounding, and outside of, financial crises. The analysis focuses on the variables of size, book-to-market ratio, momentum, liquidity, and higher-order systematic co-moments. The evidence reveals that over non-crisis periods the market beta plays an important role in determining the cross-section of stock returns. Size, value, momentum, and liquidity also exhibit associations with the cross-section of stock returns. However, over crisis periods most of the variables we examined lose their explanatory power, suggesting that their usefulness is limited for investment purposes when financial markets experience crises. There is some evidence of coskewness pricing surrounding market crashes. Practitioners may consider coskewness over crisis periods.

Determinants of the frequency of contact lens wear

To characterize and discover the determinants of the frequency of wear (FOW) of contact lenses. Survey forms were sent to contact lens fitters in up to 40 countries between January and March every year for 5 consecutive years (2007–2011). Practitioners were asked to record data relating to the first 10 contact lens fits or refits performed after receiving the survey form. Only data for daily wear lens fits were analyzed. Data were collected in relation to 74,510 and 9,014 soft and rigid lens fits, respectively. Overall, FOW was 5.9±1.7 days per week (DPW). When considering the proportion of lenses worn between one to seven DPW, the distribution for rigid lenses is skewed toward full-time wear (7 DPW), whereas the distribution for soft daily disposable lenses is perhaps bimodal, with large and small peaks at seven and two DPW, respectively. There is a significant variation in FOW among nations (P<0.0001), ranging from 6.8±1.0 DPW in Greece to 5.1±2.5 DPW in Kuwait. For soft lenses, FOW increases with decreasing age. Females (6.0±1.6 DPW) wear lenses more frequently than males (5.8±1.7 DPW) (P=0.0002). FOW is greater among those wearing presbyopic corrections (6.1±1.4 DPW) compared with spherical (5.9±1.7 DPW) and toric (5.9±1.6 DPW) designs (P<0.0001). FOW with hydrogel peroxide systems (6.4±1.1 DPW) was greater than that with multipurpose systems (6.2±1.3 DPW) (P<0.0001).

Determinants of the provision of ethylene oxide medical surveillance in Massachusetts hospitals

An in-depth survey of ethylene oxide (EtO) health and safety was conducted in Massachusetts hospitals (n = 92) to investigate the determinants of the provision of medical surveillance for EtO exposure. We have evaluated the relationships between provision of EtO medical surveillance and (1) activating OSHA-specified triggers for providing EtO medical surveillance, (2) worker training on EtO health and safety, and (3) various public policy, organizational, group, and individual characteristics. Among the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) five specified triggers for provision of EtO medical surveillance, only accidental worker exposures were related to provision of surveillance (RR = 2.56, P < 0.001). Exceeding the Action Level for 30 or more days, one of OSHA's EtO triggers that is also used in a number of other standards, was not related to provision of surveillance (RR = 0.84, P = 0.714). Reports of coverage of EtO medical surveillance issues in worker training were also correlated with the provision of EtO medical surveillance (RR = 3.68, P < 0.001), supporting OSHA's premise that worker training plays an important role in medical surveillance implementation. The presence of detailed written EtO medical surveillance policies was positively related to the provision of EtO medical surveillance (RR = 1.81, P < 0.001). The relationships between these potential determinants and provision of medical surveillance were also validated in multivariate analyses. Implications for improvement of OSHA medical surveillance implementation through revised trigger schemes, improved worker training efforts, and other measures are discussed. Findings are relevant to the future development of medical surveillance and exposure monitoring policies and practices in both substance-specific and generic contexts.

Evaluating OSHA's ethylene oxide standard : exposure determinants in Massachusetts hospitals

This study sought to identify determinants of workplace exposures to ethylene oxide to assess the effect of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) 1984 ethylene oxide standard. An in-depth survey of all hospitals in Massachusetts that used ethylene oxide from 1990 through 1992 (96% participation, N = 90) was conducted. Three types of exposure events were modeled with logistic regression: exceeding the 8-hour action level, exceeding the 15-minute excursion limit, and worker exposures during unmeasured accidental releases. Covariates were drawn from data representing an ecologic framework including direct and indirect potential exposure determinants. After adjustment for frequencies of ethylene oxide use and exposure monitoring, a significant inverse relation was observed between exceeding the action level and the use of combined sterilizer-aerators, an engineering control technology developed after the passage of the OSHA standard. Conversely, the use of positive-pressure sterilizers that employ ethylene oxide gas mixtures was strongly related to both exceeding the excursion limit and the occurrence of accidental releases. These findings provide evidence of a positive effect of OSHA's ethylene oxide standard and specific targets for future prevention and control efforts.

CEO tenure and other determinants of bank performance in Nigeria

 In 2010, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced a tenure limit policy for bank CEOs in Nigeria. Designed to evaluate this policy, this thesis found that a longer CEO tenure is actually associated with superior bank performance in Nigeria. It has therefore provided solid research evidence on the debatable policy.

Determinants of school attendance among migrant children: survey evidence from China's Jiangsu province

Across the developing world education is seen as a means of raising levels of everyday wellbeing and is being linked to improved measures of productivity and economic growth. This paper employs a household production function framework to examine the determinants of school attendance among migrant children using a unique dataset collected in China's Jiangsu province. The study finds that the main predictors of school attendance among migrant children in the sample were household income, mother's education, the length of residence of the child's mother in the city and whether both parents were working in the same city. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.