Economic Reforms and Pro-Poor Growth: Lessons for Africa and other Developing Regions and Economies in Transition

The paper discusses the meaning and measurement of pro-poor growth and also reviews evidence of pro-poor growth (or the lack of it) in a large cross-section of countries and time periods. The emerging story is that many episodes of growth are not pro-poor and also that although economic reforms have had positive effects in those countries that have been steadfast in implementing market reforms, the overall impact on growth has been small for many countries and in most cases not pro-poor. I present a general theory of pro-poor growth that includes ten principles that should be incorporated in all economic reforms that seek to generate pro-poor growth. These principles highlight the importance of understanding the poor, their economic activities, capabilities, constraints that impede their participation in markets and also an appreciation of linkages within sectors and regions. It is argued that pro-poor reforms cannot have the intended impact unless there are significant changes in the institutions of governance. Finally, the principles presented underscore the fact that pro-poor growth policies cannot be sustained without workable partnerships between markets and states in the ever changing and complex processes of social and economic development.

Cognitive Comparative Advantage and the Organization of Work: Lessons from Herbert Simon's Vision of the Future

In a marvelous but somewhat neglected paper, 'The Corporation: Will It Be Managed by Machines?' Herbert Simon articulated from the perspective of 1960 his vision of what we now call the New Economy the machine-aided system of production and management of the late twentieth century. Simon's analysis sprang from what I term the principle of cognitive comparative advantage: one has to understand the quite different cognitive structures of humans and machines (including computers) in order to explain and predict the tasks to which each will be most suited. Perhaps unlike Simon's better-known predictions about progress in artificial intelligence research, the predictions of this 1960 article hold up remarkably well and continue to offer important insights. In what follows I attempt to tell a coherent story about the evolution of machines and the division of labor between humans and machines. Although inspired by Simon's 1960 paper, I weave many other strands into the tapestry, from classical discussions of the division of labor to present-day evolutionary psychology. The basic conclusion is that, with growth in the extent of the market, we should see humans 'crowded into' tasks that call for the kinds of cognition for which humans have been equipped by biological evolution. These human cognitive abilities range from the exercise of judgment in situations of ambiguity and surprise to more mundane abilities in spatio-temporal perception and locomotion. Conversely, we should see machines 'crowded into' tasks with a well-defined structure. This conclusion is not based (merely) on a claim that machines, including computers, are specialized idiots-savants today because of the limits (whether temporary or permanent) of artificial intelligence; rather, it rests on a claim that, for what are broadly 'economic' reasons, it will continue to make economic sense to create machines that are idiots-savants.

The Effect of Direct Instruction versus Discovery Learning on the Understanding of Science Lessons by Second Grade Students

This study examined the effectiveness of discovery learning and direct instruction in a diverse second grade classroom. An assessment test and transfer task were given to students to examine which method of instruction enabled the students to grasp the content of a science lesson to a greater extent. Results demonstrated that students in the direct instruction group scored higher on the assessment test and completed the transfer task at a faster pace; however, this was not statistically significant. Results also suggest that a mixture of instructional styles would serve to effectively disseminate information, as well as motivate students to learn.

What Is Known about Testing for Discrimination: Lessons Learned by Comparing across Different Markets

The paper provides a fairly comprehensive examination of recent empirical work on discrimination within economics. The three major analytical approaches considered are traditional regression analysis of outcomes, paired testing or audits, and finally analysis of performance where higher group performance suggests that a group has been treated disfavorably. The review covers research in the labor, credit, and consumption markets, as well as recent studies of discrimination within the legal system. The review suggests that the validity of interpreting observed racial differences as discrimination depends heavily on whether the analysis is based on a sample that is representative of a population of individuals or households or based on a sample of market transactions, as well as the analyst?s ability to control for heterogeneity within that sample. Heterogeneous firm behavior and differentiated products, such as those found in labor and housing markets, also can confound empirical analyses of discrimination by confusing the allocation of individuals across firms or products with disparate treatment or by ignoring disparate impacts that might arise based on that allocation.

Execution der An̄a Maria Karpffin : ihres Alters 28 Jahr, v. Unterdencken gebürtig, welche Zu Dahlhoffen ein Kind jämerl. ermordet und noch ein anders WochenKind gestohlen ...

Thomas Bäck sc. exc.

Vorstellung der scharpffen Execution, wie selbige an 6 Malefitz Personen in der Fürstlichen Statt Wohlau, den 27. April, vnd II July deß 1661. Jahrs, vollzogen worden : Von ihrem abscheulichen Verbrechen, meldet der Text weitläufftig

Original: Text fehlt. Risse u. kleinere Fehlstellen im Kupferstich

Keyserliche Execution vber die Aechter vnd Malefitz Personen in Franckfuhrt am Mayn ergangenn : 1616

Simon Severin Aegemann fecit Anno 1616[?]

Vorstellung der Execution, welche an den beyden Wallachischen Rebellen, Horia und Klotska, zu Karlsburg vollzogen worden

I. D. D. [d.i. wahrscheinl. Johann David Donnhäuser]

Warhaffte Contrafactur und Abbildung, deren ehmals Vornehm-Berühmten drey Ungarischen Grafen : nachmals aber an Ihrer Römischen Kayserl. Mayst. höchst-vergriffenen Rebellen, Nadasti, Serini und Frangipani, mit beygefügter ausführlicher Beschreibung, was massen selbige, dem billich-ergangenem Urtheil gemäß zur Execution gezogen, und den 30. April dieses 1671. Jahrs vom Leben zum Tod gebracht worden

Portr.-Medaillons d. Rebellen u. d. Hinrichtungsszenen

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 641 - "The Lessons of Fascism" (p. IX 20.1-10)

"The Lesson of Facism" (GS 8, S. 9-37); 1. Beitrag zum UNESCO- Projekt "Tensions Affecting International Understanding", Paris, 1948; veröffentlicht in: Hadley Cantril (editor), "Tensions That Cause Wars", Urbana, I 11., 1950, Seite 209-242. a)-d) Typoskripte mit eigenständigen und ,oder handschriftlichen Korrekturen e) deutscher Entwurf, Typsokript ,15 Blatt f) dass., Teilstück, Typoskript, 5 Blatt g) dassselbe, Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 12 Blatt h)-k) deutsche Fassung, übersetzt vom Institut für Sozialforschung, 1961 h) Typoskript mit eigenhändigen und handschriftlichen Korrekturen, mit dem Titel "Die Lehren aus dem Faschismus", 30 Blatt i) Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, mit dem Titel "Lehren des Nationalsozialismus", 30 Blatt; mit 1 eigenhändigen Memorandum von Friedrich Pollock, 1 Blatt k)Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen von Friedrich Pollock, 19 Blatt; 2. Eigenhändige Notizen und Entwürfe, 21 Blatt; 3. Max Horkheimer, Gordon W. Allport, Gilbert Freyre, Georges Gurvitch, Arne Naess, John Rickman, Harry S. Sullivan, Alexandre Szalai: "Statment on Tensions Affecting International Understanding"; Typsokript mit eigenhändigen Unterschriften, 5 Blatt; 4. Biographische und bibliographische Angaben zu den Verfassern von 3. a) 4 Blatt, mit eigenhändigen Notizen von Max Horkheimer b) 9 Blatt; 5. 2 Photos; 6. Max Horkheimer [?]: "An International Social Science Institut"; Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Ergänzungen, 2 Blatt; 7. Cantril, Hadley: "The Human Sciences and World Peace. The Unesco Projekt 'Tensions Affecting International Understanding'" a) Drucksache, 4 Blatt, mit eigenhändigen Notizen von Max Horkheimer b) als Typoskript vervielfältigt 4 Blatt; 8. Einladungen, 4 Blatt; 9. Kehoe, Kathleen, UNESCO: 1 Brief mit Unterschrift an Max Horkheimer, Paris, 18.06.1948, 1 Blatt; 10. Janowitz, Morris: 1 Brief- Kopie an Max Horkheimer, New York, 17.06.1948, 1 Blatt;

Lessons for emerging state Children's Health Insurance Premium Assistance programs: Case study of the Massachusetts Masshealth Family Assistance Program (MHFAP)

Providing health insurance coverage for vulnerable populations such as low-income high-risk children with limited access to health care is a challenge for many states. Over the past decade, higher private insurance premiums and unpredictable labor markets have increased the number of uninsured and underinsured children nationwide. Due to recent economic downfalls, many states such as Texas, have expressed interest in using premium assistance programs to increase enrollment of low income children and families in private coverage through employer sponsored health insurance. Massachusetts has been especially successful in reducing the number of uninsured children through the implementation of MassHealth Family Assistance Program (MHFAP), an employer based premium assistance program. The purpose of this study is to identify key implementation factors of a fully established premium assistance program which may provide lessons and facilitate implementation of emerging premium assistance programs. ^ The case study of the fully established MassHealth Family Assistance Program (MHFAP) has illustrated the ability of states to expand their Medicaid and SCHIP programs in order to provide affordable health coverage to uninsured and underinsured low income children and their families. As demonstrated by MHFAP, the success of a premium assistance program depends on four key factors: (1) determination of participant and employer eligibility; (2) determination of employer benefits meeting benchmark equivalency (Medicaid or State Children's Health Insurance Program); (3) the use of appropriate marketing and outreach strategies; and (4) establishment of adequate monitoring and reporting techniques. Successful implementation strategies, revealed by the case study of the Massachusetts MassHealth Family Assistance Program, may be used by emerging premium assistance programs, such as Texas Children's Health Insurance Premium Assistance Program (CHIP-PA) toward establishment of an effective, efficient, and equitable employer sponsored health program.^

Lessons learned from nationwide vaccine programs: Comparing human papillomavirus, poliomyelitis vaccine, and swine flu

This assessment compares the human papillomavirus (HPV) nationwide vaccine to the poliomyelitis vaccine and the swine flu vaccine with the purpose of finding parallels and lessons in the controversies faced by the development and use of the vaccines. There are a number of great barriers that are facing the HPV vaccine to date. These controversies lie in dealing with the risk involved in taking the vaccine, how much control the government should have in administering the vaccine, how to communicate the risk to the public, and the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine versus treatment for cervical cancer. The lessons for the HPV vaccine that were learned after comparison and assessment of the controversies were: (1) plan ahead of time on how to inform the public if a risk develops from taking the HPV vaccination and it may be better to provide some information while the event is occurring, always being as truthful as possible, and later dispensing more information once all of the facts are known, (2) the human papillomavirus is not something that will become a pandemic in a short amount of time because the virus takes a long time to develop into cervical cancer, so if a major risk begins to show after continuing to develop and administer the vaccine for an amount of time, it may be better to take it off the market for a while and possibly reconfigure it to help eliminate some of the risks, (3) if side reactions and risks do develop and the government assumes liability for these reactions, the cost-effectiveness can be greatly affected, so it is important to be constantly checking to see if all the monetary and health benefits of the vaccine are outweighing any of the negative costs of the vaccine, and lastly, (4) the public must feel that every aspect of the vaccine, both good and bad, has been thought over and the benefits of taking the vaccine prevail over the negatives and that politics and commercial interests have nothing to do with the production and administration of the vaccine. ^

The Elegant Simplicity of Family Preservation Practice Legecies and Lessons

An earlier version of this manuscript was prepared for the Chapin Hall invitational seminar on family preservation, The Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, September 16 & 17, 1999. The author wishes to acknowledge the comments and helpful suggestions of seminar participants-Jacqueline McCroskey, Martha Shirk, Fran Jacobs, John Schuerman, Lee Schorr, Charlotte Booth, Kristi Nelson, Susan Kelly, Frank Farrow, and Susan Notkin. These comments, as indeed many of their prior contributions, have had a seminal effect on my thinking about family preservation services over the years. Clark Peters and other Chapin Hall staff deserve special thanks for creating the conditions necessary to produce a lively and productive discussion. As always, Harold Richman, Executive Director of Chapin Hall, and Hermon Dunlap, Smith Professor at the School of Social Service Administration of the University of Chicago, as seminar convenor combined perfectly the skills of gracious host and incisive critic. We in the child welfare field are in his debt for continually raising the level of discourse in our field. In the end, as it should be, the thoughts and opinions in the following paper are wholly my own.

Effects of ocean acidification and global warming on reef bioerosion-lessons from a clionaid sponge

Coral reefs are under threat, exerted by a number of interacting effects inherent to the present climate change, including ocean acidification and global warming. Bioerosion drives reef degradation by recycling carbonate skeletal material and is an important but understudied factor in this context. Twelve different combinations of pCO2 and temperature were applied to elucidate the consequences of ocean acidification and global warming on the physiological response and bioerosion rates of the zooxanthellate sponge Cliona orientalis-one of the most abundant and effective bioeroders on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Our results confirm a significant amplification of the sponges' bioerosion capacity with increasing pCO2, which is expressed by more carbonate being chemically dissolved by etching. The health of the sponges and their photosymbionts was not affected by changes in pCO2, in contrast to temperature, which had significant negative impacts at higher levels. However, we could not conclusively explain the relationship between temperature and bioerosion rates, which were slightly reduced at both colder as well as warmer temperatures than ambient. The present findings on the effects of ocean acidification on chemical bioerosion, however, will have significant implications for predicting future reef carbonate budgets, as sponges often contribute the lion's share of internal bioerosion on coral reefs.