Group theory and quasiprobability integrals of Wigner functions

The integral of the Wigner function of a quantum-mechanical system over a region or its boundary in the classical phase plane, is called a quasiprobability integral. Unlike a true probability integral, its value may lie outside the interval [0, 1]. It is characterized by a corresponding selfadjoint operator, to be called a region or contour operator as appropriate, which is determined by the characteristic function of that region or contour. The spectral problem is studied for commuting families of region and contour operators associated with concentric discs and circles of given radius a. Their respective eigenvalues are determined as functions of a, in terms of the Gauss-Laguerre polynomials. These polynomials provide a basis of vectors in a Hilbert space carrying the positive discrete series representation of the algebra su(1, 1) approximate to so(2, 1). The explicit relation between the spectra of operators associated with discs and circles with proportional radii, is given in terms of the discrete variable Meixner polynomials.

Background risk in generalized expected utility theory

In this paper, it is shown that, for a wide range of risk-averse generalized expected utility preferences, independent risks are complementary, contrary to the results for expected utility preferences satisfying conditions such as proper and standard risk aversion.

IB Theory and the Entry of MNCs in Brazil from 1850 to 2007

This paper analyses the applicability of the main enterprise internationalization theories to the entry of the multinational corporations into Brazil, throughout five phases of Brazilian economy, from 1850 to nowadays. It seeks to verify the explanation power of each theory over the FDI flows in Brazil. It concludes that there is a contingency relation between the theories and the phases of the economy, and. it shows such relationship in a table. In addition, it concludes that the most powerful theory along the researched period was Dunning`s eclectic paradigm, mainly due to the Localization considerations. Theoretical propositions are put forward as a contribution to future research.

Stakeholders Theory and Theory of the Firm: a study on the hierarchy of objective-functions in Brazilian companies

Discussion opposing the Theory of the Firm to the Theory of Stakeholders are contemporaneous and polemical. One focal point of such debates refers to which objective-function companies, should choose, whether that of the shareholders or that of the stakeholders, and whether it is possible to opt for both simultaneously. Several empirical studies. have attempted-to test a possible correlation between both functions, and there has not been any consensus-so far. The objective of the present research is to examine a gap in such discussions: is there (or not) a subordination of the stakeholders` objective-function to that of the shareholders? The research is empirical,and analytical and employs quantitative methods. Hypotheses were tested and data analyzed by using non-parametrical (chi-square test) and parametrical procedures (frequency. correlation `coefficient). Secondary data was collected from he Economitica database and from the Brazilian Institute of Social and-Economic Analyses (IBASE) website, relative to public companies that have published their Social Balance Statements following the IBASE model from 1999 to 2006, whose sample amounted to 65 companies; In order to assess the objective-function of shareholders a proxy was created based on the following three indices: ROE (return on equity), EnterpriseValue and Tobin`s Q. In order to assess the objective-function of stakeholders a proxy was created by employing the following IBASE social balance indices: internal ones (ISI), external ones (ISE), and environmental ones (IAM). The results have shown no evidence of subordination of stakeholders` objective-function to that of the shareholders in analyzed companies, negating initial expectations and calling for deeper investigation of results. Its main conclusion, which states that the attempted subordination does not take place, is limited to the sample herein investigated and calls for ongoing research aiming at improvements which may lead to sample enlargement and, as a consequence, may make feasible the application of other statistical techniques which may yield a more thorough, analysis of the studied phenomehon.

Matching occupation and self: Does matching theory adequately model children's thinking?

The present exploratory-descriptive cross-national study focused on the career development of 11- to 14-yr.-old children, in particular whether they can match their personal characteristics with their occupational aspirations. Further, the study explored whether their matching may be explained in terms of a fit between person and environment using Holland's theory as an example. Participants included 511 South African and 372 Australian children. Findings relate to two items of the Revised Career Awareness Survey that require children to relate personal-social knowledge to their favorite occupation. Data were analyzed in three stages using descriptive statistics, i.e., mean scores, frequencies, and percentage agreement. The study indicated that children perceived their personal characteristics to be related to their occupational aspirations. However, how this matching takes place is not adequately accounted for in terms of a career theory such as that of Holland.

'You can criticise because you care': How attributions affect responses to ingroup and outgroup critics

There are times when people feel compelled to stand up and articulate their group's shortcomings, an act that carries with it enormous social risks. Indeed, a mechanistic reading of social identity theory might lead one to believe that ingroup critics are doomed to face hostility because they are attacking a fundamental part of people's self-concept. But often ingroup critics are doing more than attacking their group — they are trying to incite positive change. Criticism is the cornerstone of protest, and it is difficult to imagine how a group can be reinvigorated, reinvented, or reformed without some process of critical self-reflection. Thus, although the ingroup critic might create tension within the group, it is possible that internal criticism could be seen by other group members as beneficial in terms of promoting positive change and stimulating innovation, creativity, and flexibility in decision making. In this talk I examine the 'identity rules' that ingroup critics need to follow to avoid defensiveness, and look at empirical evidence of how factors such as language, the intergroup context, and choice of audience shape people's attributions regarding criticism and their subsequent evaluations of critics.

Career counseling: Applying the systems theory framework of career development

In recent years, career development and career counseling have increasingly been informed by concepts emanating from the constructivist worldview. For example, the Systems Theory Framework (STF; M. McMahon, 2002; M. McMahon I W. Patton, 1995; W. Patton I M. McMahon, 1997, 1999) of career development has been proposed as a metatheoretical account of career development. Furthermore, its theoretical constructs may be applied to career counseling. Thus, the STF provides a theoretical and practical consistency to career counseling and addresses concerns about a gulf between career theory and practice. This article discusses the practical application of the STF of career development as a guide to career counseling.

Multicultural career counseling: Theoretical applications of the systems theory framework

Increasing recognition of cultural influences on career development requires expanded theoretical and practical perspectives. Theories of career development need to explicate views of culture and provide direction for career counseling with clients who are culturally diverse. The Systems Theory Framework (STF) is a theoretical foundation that accounts for systems of influence on people's career development, including individual, social, and environmental/societal contexts. The discussion provides a rationale for systemic approaches in multicultural career counseling and introduces the central theoretical tenets of the STF. Through applications of the STF, career counselors are challenged to expand their roles and levels of intervention in multicultural career counseling.

On recent developments in the theory of abstract differential equations with fractional derivatives

This note is motivated from some recent papers treating the problem of the existence of a solution for abstract differential equations with fractional derivatives. We show that the existence results in [Agarwal et al. (2009) [1], Belmekki and Benchohra (2010) [2], Darwish et al. (2009) [3], Hu et al. (2009) [4], Mophou and N`Guerekata (2009) [6,7], Mophou (2010) [8,9], Muslim (2009) [10], Pandey et al. (2009) [11], Rashid and El-Qaderi (2009) [12] and Tai and Wang (2009) [13]] are incorrect since the considered variation of constant formulas is not appropriate. In this note, we also consider a different approach to treat a general class of abstract fractional differential equations. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The origin of the metazoan biphasic life cycle: New insights from an ancient phylum

The biphasic life cycle, characterised by metamorphosis from a pelagic larva to a benthic adult, is found throughout the Metazoa. So is sexual reproduction via eggs and sperm. Amidst a tangled web of hypotheses on the origin of metazoan biphasy, current weight of opinion lies with a simple, larva-like holopelagic ancestor that independently settled multiple times to incorporate a benthic phase into the life cycle. This school of thought derives from Haeckel's interpretation of the gastrula as the recapitulation of a gastrean ancestor that evolved via selection on a simple, planktonic hollow ball-of-cells to develop the capacity to feed. We suggest that a paradigm shift is required to accomodate accumulating evidence of the genomic and developmental complexity of the metazoan last common ancestor, which was likely to have already possessed a biphasic lifecycle. Here we incorporate recent evidence from basal metazoans, in particular poriferans, to argue that a more parsimonious theory of the origin of biphasy is as a direct consequence of sexual reproduction in an ancestral benthic adult form. The metazoan embryo can itself be considered the precursor to a biphasic life cycle, wherein the embryo represents one phase and the adult another. Embryos in the water column are subject to natural selection for longeveity and dispersal, which sets them on the evolutionary trajectory towards the crown metazoan planktonic larvae. This alternate view considers the conserved use of regulatory genes in disparate metazoans as a reflection of both the complexity of the LCA and the antiquity of the biphasic life cycle. It does not require that extant embryogenesis, including gastrulation, recapitulates evolution.