Measuring work group diversity of categorical variables

The article presents abstracts of papers for a conference on research methods including "On the Folly of Rewarding A While Hoping for B: A Critical Assessment of Theory Development," "All That Jazz: A Methodological Story of Stories," and "An Accounting of Counting: Universalism, Particularism, and the Counting of Qualitative Data."

24-Karat or fool’s gold? Consequences of real team and co-acting group membership in healthcare organizations

Although theory on team membership is emerging, limited empirical attention has been paid to the effects of different types of team membership on outcomes. We propose that an important but overlooked distinction is that between membership of real teams and membership of co-acting groups, with the former being characterized by members who report that their teams have shared objectives, and structural interdependence and engage in team reflexivity. We hypothesize that real team membership will be associated with more positive individual- and organizational-level outcomes. These predictions were tested in the English National Health Service, using data from 62,733 respondents from 147 acute hospitals. The results revealed that individuals reporting the characteristics of real team membership, in comparison with those reporting the characteristics of co-acting group membership, witnessed fewer errors and incidents, experienced fewer work related injuries and illness, were less likely to be victims of violence and harassment, and were less likely to intend to leave their current employment. At the organizational level, hospitals with higher proportions of staff reporting the characteristics of real team membership had lower levels of patient mortality and sickness absence. The results suggest the need to clearly delineate real team membership in order to advance scientific understanding of the processes and outcomes of organizational teamwork.

Vector Combinatorial Problems in a Space of Combinations with Linear Fractional Functions of Criteria

The paper considers vector discrete optimization problem with linear fractional functions of criteria on a feasible set that has combinatorial properties of combinations. Structural properties of a feasible solution domain and of Pareto–optimal (efficient), weakly efficient, strictly efficient solution sets are examined. A relation between vector optimization problems on a combinatorial set of combinations and on a continuous feasible set is determined. One possible approach is proposed in order to solve a multicriteria combinatorial problem with linear- fractional functions of criteria on a set of combinations.

Sums of a Random Number of Random Variables and their Approximations with ν- Accompanying Infinitely Divisible Laws

* Research supported by NATO GRANT CRG 900 798 and by Humboldt Award for U.S. Scientists.

Effect of processing variables and bulk composition on the surface composition of spray dried powders of a model food system

Abstract The surface compositions of food powders created from spray drying solutions containing various ratios of sodium caseinate, maltodextrin and soya oil have been analysed by Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis. The results show significant enrichment of oil at the surface of particles compared to the bulk phase and, when the non-oil components only are considered, a significant surface enrichment of sodium caseinate also. The degree of surface enrichment of both oil and sodium caseinate was found to increase with decreasing bulk levels of the respective components. Surface enrichment of oil was also affected by processing conditions (emulsion drop size and drying temperature), but surface enrichment of sodium caseinate was relatively insensitive to these. The presence of "pock marks" on the particle surfaces strongly suggests that the surface oil was caused by rupturing of emulsion droplets at the surface as the surrounding matrix contracts and hardens. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring types and functions of questions in police interviews

There is a proliferation of categorization schemes in the scientific literature that have mostly been developed from psychologists’ understanding of the nature of linguistic interactions. This has a led to problems in defining question types used by interviewers. Based on the principle that the overarching purpose of an interview is to elicit information and that questions can function both as actions in their own right and as vehicles for other actions, a Conversational Analysis approach was used to analyse a small number of police interviews. The analysis produced a different categorization of question types and, in particular, the conversational turns fell into two functional types: (i) Topic Initiation Questions and (ii) Topic Facilitation Questions. We argue that forensic interviewing requires a switch of focus from the ‘words’ used by interviewers in question types to the ‘function’ of conversational turns within interviews.

On Arrangements of Real Roots of a Real Polynomial and Its Derivatives

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 12D10.

Approximate Model Checking of Real-Time Systems for Linear Duration Invariants

Real-time systems are usually modelled with timed automata and real-time requirements relating to the state durations of the system are often specifiable using Linear Duration Invariants, which is a decidable subclass of Duration Calculus formulas. Various algorithms have been developed to check timed automata or real-time automata for linear duration invariants, but each needs complicated preprocessing and exponential calculation. To the best of our knowledge, these algorithms have not been implemented. In this paper, we present an approximate model checking technique based on a genetic algorithm to check real-time automata for linear durration invariants in reasonable times. Genetic algorithm is a good optimization method when a problem needs massive computation and it works particularly well in our case because the fitness function which is derived from the linear duration invariant is linear. ACM Computing Classification System (1998): D.2.4, C.3.

Test for Independence of the Variables with Missing Elements in One and the Same Column of the Empirical Correlation Matrix

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 62H15, 62H12.

Taylor Spectrum and Characteristic Functions of Commuting 2-Contractions

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 47A10, 47A13.

Subclasses of Starlike Functions of Complex Order Involving Generalized Hypergeometric Functions

MSC2010: 30C45, 33C45

Endogenous choice of decision variables

In this paper we allow the firms to choose their prices and quantities simultaneously. Quantities are produced in advance and their common sales price is determined by the market. Firms offer their “residual capacities” at their announced prices and the corresponding demand will be served to order. If all firms have small capacities, we obtain the Bertrand solution; while if at least one firm has a sufficiently large capacity, the Cournot outcome and a model of price leadership could emerge.

A geometriai Brown-mozgás feltevésének elfogadhatósága a reálopciók értékelésében (The acceptability of the assumption of geometric brownian motion in the valuation of real options)

A reálopciók a döntési rugalmasság megtestesítőiként jelen vannak a vállalatvezetők mindennapjaiban, és cégtől függően jelentős értéket képviselhetnek. Értékelésük a hagyományos diszkontált pénzáramlás módszerekkel csak korlátozottan lehetséges, ezért alternatívaként felmerül a pénzügyi opcióárazás módszertana, amelynek hagyományos változatai az alaptermék alakulásáról geometriai Brown-mozgást feltételeznek. A cikk ezt a feltevést veszi górcső alá a reálopciókra történő alkalmazás szempontjából, és megmutatja, hogy habár önkényesnek tűnhet, valójában nem pusztán egy matematikai szempontból kényelmes megoldás, hanem pénzügyileg is elfogadható feltétel. _______ Real options represent the fl exibility of decision-making, and are thus part of the everyday work of corporate executives, often having great value. Valuing them with the use of traditional Discounted Cash Flow models has limited relevance, therefore arises the alternative methodology of fi nancial option pricing, the traditional versions of which assume that the price of the underlying asset follows Geometric Brownian Motion. The paper examines this assumption from the aspect of real option valuation and shows that although it might seem arbitrary, it is not only a mathematically convenient choice, but also a fi nancially acceptable one.

Eligibility of real-life patients with COPD for inclusion in trials of inhaled long-acting bronchodilator therapy

Data access and analyses were funded by Boehringer Ingelheim, who played no role in the conduct or reporting of the study.

Supporting the Model-Driven Development of Real-time Embedded Systems with Run-Time Monitoring and Animation via Highly Customizable Code Generation

This paper presents a vision that allows the combined use of model-driven engineering, run-time monitoring, and animation for the development and analysis of components in real-time embedded systems. Key building block in the tool environment supporting this vision is a highly-customizable code generation process. Customization is performed via a configuration specification which describes the ways in which input is provided to the component, the ways in which run-time execution information can be observed, and how these observations drive animation tools. The environment is envisioned to be suitable for different activities ranging from quality assurance to supporting certification, teaching, and outreach and will be built exclusively with open source tools to increase impact. A preliminary prototype implementation is described.