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In this paper, the authors discuss their experiences with ungrading at a small public university in the U.S. and a large public university in Germany. The courses described are Calculus 1 and a content course for pre-service secondary teachers of mathematics. The professors teach differently: one with lecture, the other with inquiry-based learning, and choose to use elements of ungrading in different ways. In one case, the professor lets students self-evaluate their homework, while in the other the professor uses a mix of specifications grading and ungrading for the final grade. We outline and compare our assessment approaches and discuss student performance and feedback. We also present some patterns relating to gender: in both cases, we observed that women students chose lower self-evaluations than men students. We end this paper with a general reflection on our teaching experience and our plans to use ungrading in the future.

Purpose: This paper aims to discuss the "truism" that learning organizations cannot be large organizations and, conversely, that large organizations cannot be learning organizations. This paper analyzes learning in the German and US armies in the Second World War, based on a four-dimensional model of the learning organization. Design/methodology/approach: The paper entails a secondary analysis of historical and military sources and data. Findings: It is found that the German and US armies differed in learning capacity, which can be plausibly, but not exclusively, related to differences in the battlefield performance between those armies in the Second World War. Research limitations/implications: The research scope of the paper is limited to the analysis of two particular armies in the Second World War. Implications of theory reside in the importance of organizational learning capacity and its dimensions for learning in current organizations. Practical implications: The paper has clear practical implications for large organizations wishing to become effective and responsible learning organizations. Originality/value: This is among the first organizational papers to analyze army learning in the Second World War and to derive lessons from that analysis for current large organizations.

Games have been successfully used in educational settings for many years. Still, it is not known in detail which factors influence the use and effectiveness of educational games. The game environment, its technology, and other game mechanics are factors directly linked to the game itself. The player's experience with the subject of the game and/or games in general, his or her motivation and expectations towards the gaming experience influence the outcome of a game-based learning experience. Some of the personal aspects, like age, were already addressed in earlier research. Cultural and gender differences though, were not a main object of study in educational gaming so far. This study started from certain assumptions about differences in game play, related to players' cultural backgrounds and gender. Literature suggests that gender plays a role when it comes to game performance. This paper introduces outcomes of a study with a so-called Microgame, a brief game used to raise the awareness of interdependent planning operations. It shows that in this game, gender and culture make a difference in relation to the learning experience of the players, measured by game performance.

This paper expands on previous work on charter school typology and presents disparities in standardized test outcomes across models by using standardized Z-Scores weighted by NAEP performance. Analyses indicate that in ELA, Classical schools have the highest relative performance, followed by Montessori and Art schools. In math, Classical schools once again have the highest relative performance, followed by Montessori and STEM schools. For reasons discussed in the paper it is premature to posit causality, so the results should instead be viewed as descriptive. We suggest a more pluralistic testing framework may be appropriate when evaluating the performance of specialized schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the notion of electronic economics by examining financial technology (fintech) firms' performance and corporate governance quality, using data from the United States. The findings support our maintained assumption that due to the economics of electronic platforms perused by financial technology firms, these firms outperform firms from other industries (non-Fintech). The final sample comprises 1,712 company-year observations between 2010 and 2019 (pre-COVID-19). The evidence suggests that our corporate governance quality index, developed from Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (www.oecd.org/corporate/corporate-governance-factbook.htm, 2019) guidelines, accurately captures corporate governance quality in the United States, principally due to the inclusion of an anti-bribery policy indicator, in the index. The results suggest that this evidence is not merely an artefact due to the corporate governance quality index potentially capturing priced risk factors. Our findings reveal that fintech firms have superior corporate governance quality than non-fintech and that fintech firms place more reliance on internal versus external corporate governance mechanisms, vis-a-vis companies in other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to study the performance of crowdfunding REITs with respect to traditional REITs in order to evaluate the differences in the risk–return profile and their usefulness for a diversification strategy within the indirect real estate investments. Design/methodology/approach: The paper considers the crowdfunding REITs introduced after the JOBS act in the United States and evaluates their performance and risk during the time period 2016–2018. Performance achieved by crowdfunding REITs is compared with other types of REITs in order to evaluate their usefulness for constructing an optimal portfolio strategy based on a standard mean variance approach. Findings: Results show that the performance of crowdfunding REITs is more stable over time with respect to other REITs and the lack of correlation with traditional REITs may be exploited for constructing a more efficient diversified portfolio of indirect real estate investments. Practical implications: Crowdfunding REITs have different performance with respect to standard REITs and, especially individual investors, may benefit from including this new investment opportunity in their portfolio. Originality/value: The paper is the first study on the performance of the crowdfunding REITs that is evaluating their usefulness for a diversification strategy within the real estate sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper describes a benchmarking framework applied to medium-sized urban public bus agencies in the United States, which has overcome the challenges of data quality, comparability, and understanding. Design/methodology/approach: The benchmarking methodology described in this paper is based on lessons learned through seven years of development of a fixed-route key performance indicator (KPI) system for the American Bus Benchmarking Group (ABBG). Founded in 2011, the ABBG is a group of public medium-sized urban bus agencies that compare performance and share best practices with peers throughout the United States. The methodology is adapted from the process used within international benchmarking groups facilitated by Imperial College and consists of four main elements: peer selection, KPI system development, processes to achieve high-quality data, and processes to understand relative performance and change. Findings: The four main elements of the ABBG benchmarking methodology consist of 18 subelements, which when applied overcome three main benchmarking challenges: comparability, data quality, and understanding. While serving as examples for the methodology elements, the paper provides specific insights into service characteristics and performance among ABBG agencies. Research limitations/implications: The benchmarking approach described in this paper requires time and commitment and thus is most suitably applied to a concise group of agencies. Practical implications: This methodology provides transit agencies, authorities, and benchmarking practitioners a framework for effective benchmarking. It will lead to high-quality comparable data and a strong understanding of the performance context to serve as a basis for organizational changes, whether for policy, planning, operations, stakeholder communication, or program development. Originality/value: The methodology, while consistent with recommendations from literature, is unique in its scale, in-depth validation and analysis, and holistic and multidimensional approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends the risk-return argument of modern portfolio theory to the institutional typologies with which state-sponsored local government investment pools (LGIPs) operate. By using fixed-effects regression on monthly panel data from 18 LGIPs across seven years, the author found that institutional typologies with which LGIPs operate matter. An LGIP should be structured and managed based on its ability to mitigate risks. The paper contributes to increasing the accountability and fiscal governance over public money and promotes public funds investment laws in the US, UK and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the risk-adjusted performance of US sector portfolios and sector rotation strategy using the alphas from the Fama-French five-factor model. We find that five-factor model fits better the returns of US sector portfolios than the three-factor model, but that significant alphas are still present in all the sectors at some point in time. In the full sample period, 50% of sectors generate significant five-factor alpha. We test whether such alpha signifies a true sector out/underperformance by applying simple long-only and long-short sector rotation strategies. Our long-only sector rotation strategy that buys a sector with a positive five-factor alpha generates four times higher Sharpe ratio than the S&P 500 buy-and-hold. If the strategy is adjusted to switch to the risk-free asset in recessions, the Sharpe ratio achieved is tenfold that of the buy-and-hold. The long-short strategy fares less well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a corporate orientation strategy facilitates the integration of Total Quality Management practices as well as entrepreneurial orientation enables the improvement of corporate social responsibility practices. Finally, whether total quality management improves measures of implemented social responsibility. Design - The research carried out was explanatory and transversal. Methodology/Approach - A 44-item survey on a five-point Likert scale was administered to 155 hotels threestars and above in the United States of America. Results were obtained from the application of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using Adanco software. Findings - The results indicate that entrepreneurial orientation has a positive influence on the establishment of total quality management and social responsibility processes; likewise, there is a very strong connection between these two variables. Originality of the research - The originality of this paper stands out because it simultaneously relates three variables relevant to the hotel sector. These variables are applied in different intensities, so that the results allow visualizing the way in which each of them takes place. Likewise, the study contributes to enhance empirical evidence and verify the different theoretical frameworks developed so far. For management, this means that companies will have to develop methods to measure and qualify each of the processes carried out. The result will enable them to select the processes that contribute most to the establishment of EO, TQM and CSR. In this way, resources will be saved that could be used in other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Understanding the mechanism through which digital economy is significantly impacting all dimensions of global economy has become a rising priority in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical role of digital readiness of economies around the world on the performance of international M&As as one of the major corporate strategies for firms' global expansion. We also study circumstances under which digital readiness of an economy matters to international M&As. Design/methodology/approach: The authors examined how digital readiness superiority (or inferiority) of the United States in comparison with host countries impact capital market reaction to international M&As announced by US public companies. To do this study, analysis was run on a sample of 1,393 IMAs by publicly traded US firms during the 2010–2016 period. Findings: The study reveals that those public US companies that target companies in countries, in which the US has superior digital readiness to them, show better performance in terms of investors' reaction (capital market reaction) to the announcement of international M&As. In fact, markets will look at the superiority of US digital readiness to target country as an opportunity for transferring digital capabilities. Moreover, these patterns are pronounced in those M&A deals in which the acquiring company is from high-tech industry. However, interestingly when US companies already have a profitable growth track record or when acquirer and target are in the same industry, the market reacts negatively to this digital superiority. Originality/value: Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which digitalization of economies impact the performance of multinational enterprises. It adds to the information management literature on corporate global strategy and is one of the first to examine the role of digital readiness on international M&As performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1950s and 1960s, the modern Japanese state employed overseas cultural promotion as a way to maximise its interests and image not only in international contexts but also at home. By juxtaposing the Takarazuka Revue’s performances in the United States and Japan during the postwar period, this paper argues that the overseas promotion of this Japanese theatre troupe both depended upon and reinforced the Japanese populace’s nationalistic pride in its culture. The paper also addresses the ways in which the Japanese government used Takarazuka’s theatrical presentations as a means of pursuing its domestic and diplomatic agendas: improving Japan’s international position by proposing shared aspects of popular culture with the US and increasing its sense of nationalism by propagating cultural pride. In doing so, the paper explicates the ways in which Japanese popular cultural considerations interfaced with political concerns in the shaping of postwar Japan’s national identity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this two-part paper is to explore the current practices being employed in the formal performance appraisal process in a cross-section of US service and manufacturing organizations. In this paper, the authors identify the current trends that emerged from this research study and the improvement opportunities that exist for organizations that currently engage in the practice of formally appraising their personnel. Design/methodology/approach – The formal performance appraisal process, procedure, and rating form from 183 US organizations were reviewed by a three-person review panel and were content analyzed to identify current trends and opportunities for improvement. Findings – This qualitative analysis revealed that the average rating procedure had been in place for 5.5 years, to serve a wide variety of purposes, identified critical gaps in training, made it clear that organizations employ a wide variety of performance criteria in assessing their people. Research limitations/implications – The biggest limitation of this research is the fact that a convenience sample of 183 organizations was employed as the basis for this study. Practical implications – Data on the actual formal performance appraisal process of organizations are rather limited and this research provides critical insight into current practice limiting potential generalizability. Social implications – The social implications of this research suggests that organizations can do a much better job of equipping their leaders/employees to more effectively reap the organizational benefits of this key practice. Originality/value – Research in this area is not prevalent so this is a descriptive research study that both researchers and organizations can use to further their knowledge in formal performance appraisals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose US commercial property is an important investment opportunity for institutional investors. The purpose of this paper is to assess the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of US commercial property (both direct property and REITs) in a mixed-asset portfolio over 1994-2016. The 2009-2016 post-GFC recovery of US commercial property is specifically highlighted.Design/methodology/approach Using quarterly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of US commercial property over 1994-2016 are assessed. Efficient frontier and asset allocation diagrams are used to assess the role of US commercial property in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analysis over 2009-2016 is used to assess the post-GFC recovery of US commercial property.Findings US commercial property delivered mixed results over 1994-2016; direct property gave the best risk-adjusted performance, while US-REITs performance was hampered by high volatility. Since the GFC, both forms of US commercial property have delivered stronger risk-adjusted returns with improved diversification benefits, especially in the context of an inter-property investment strategy. However, US-REITs did not improve their diversification benefits with the stock market over this period. This sees US commercial property as an important component in the US mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC environment, with a much stronger role exhibited by US direct property in the post-GFC mixed-asset portfolio.Practical implications US commercial property emerged from the GFC as a stronger and more robust property investment opportunity, with both the direct property and US-REITs fully recovered to their pre-GFC performance level in 2012. The results highlight the major role of US commercial property in a US mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC context. The superior risk-adjusted performance of US commercial property sees both direct and listed US commercial property contributing significantly to the mixed-asset portfolio throughout the entire risk-return spectrum, particularly direct property. Given the increased capital flows into the US property market since the GFC, this is particularly important as many investors, both local and international, use direct and listed property investment opportunities as conduits for their significant US commercial property exposure.Originality/value This paper is the first published empirical research analysis that specifically assessed the post-GFC performance and role of US commercial property in a mixed-asset portfolio. This research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision making by institutional investors regarding the strategic role of US commercial property in a mixed-asset portfolio in a post-GFC context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping and bibliometric review of swimming articles related to race analysis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to identify relevant studies. Articles on race analysis in swimming published between 1984 and December 31, 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science database. 366 records were screened and a total of 74 articles were retained for analysis. Until 2012, there were some time intervals with no or few publications. From 2012, there was a clear upward trend in publications and citations. This theme was led by the United States of America, Australia, and Spain. Australia and Spain maintain their status as the countries with the most publications. The analysis of author collaborations revealed two clusters with Spanish authors, and the remaining clusters are composed of Portuguese, Swiss, and Australian authors. With this bibliometric review, it has been possible to understand the evolution of the articles published on race analysis in swimming, the countries and the authors that have contributed most to this topic over the years. The prediction model shows that the number of articles and citations on this topic will continue to increase over the next 10 years (until 2034). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of trading partner trust and trading partner power, on supply chain integration, and their impact on business performance in the context of Web-enabled supply chains. In doing so, the authors extend previous studies by exploring this phenomenon by using an integrative theory-driven approach. Design/methodology/approach: This study presents a theoretical model grounded on the resource-based and dynamic capabilities views and the social capital theory. Data collected from 175 firms in the USA are used to test the hypotheses using structural equation modeling. Findings: Results highlight the importance of trust and supply chain integration on business performance, whereas power did not appear to have an effect on supply chain integration in Web-enabled supply chains. The findings are robust to concerns of endogeneity, common method bias and alternative model specification. Practical implications: Companies engaged in Web-enabled supply chains need to focus on increasing their integration efforts, and these efforts must also be accompanied by partnerships built on trust. Trading partners who might be inclined to use coercive strategies to influence other members of the supply chain in Web-enabled environments may be better off using cooperative approaches based on trust to achieve their desired goals. Originality/value: This study integrates the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities view and the social capital theory to explore the dynamic relationships between trading partner trust, trading partner power and supply chain integration in Web-enabled supply chains. In doing so, this paper extends prior studies by examining supply chain integration's impact on business performance and its mediating role, as it relates to trading partner trust and power in Web-enabled supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are currently in what might be termed a "third phase" of ocean enclosures around the world. This phase has involved an unprecedented intensity of map-making that supports an emerging regime of ocean governance where resources are geocoded, multiple and disparate marine uses are weighed against each other, spatial tradeoffs are made, and exclusive rights to spaces and resources are established. The discourse and practice of marine spatial planning inform the contours of this emerging regime. This paper examines the infrastructure of marine spatial planning via two ocean data portals recently created to support marine spatial planning on the East Coast of the United States. Applying theories of ontological politics, critical cartography, and a critical conceptualization of "care," we examine portal performances in order to link their organization and imaging practices with the ideological and ontological work these infrastructures do, particularly in relation to environmental and human community actors. We further examine how ocean ontologies may be made durable through portal use and repetition, but also how such performances can "slip," thereby creating openings for enacting marine spatial planning differently. Our analysis reveals how portal infrastructures assemble, edit, and visualize data, and how it matters to the success of particular performances of marine spatial planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the theory of professional competence in teaching of mathematics developed through a cross-cultural examination of teaching practices of mathematics teachers recommended as competent by their principals in two selected high-achieving high schools of India and the United States. A detailed study of teacher cases from both of the research settings yielded a rich conceptualization of the relationship between teachers' professional knowledge base and professional competence in the teaching of mathematics. The substantive theory explains the processes of both the development and the display of professional competence and enables predictions of the ways teachers would most likely utilize to meet the performance expectations of their work environments. The study makes a unique contribution to the field of teacher education and views professional competence as a dynamic interplay of various components of teachers' professional knowledge base activated in actual teaching situations in the context of the classroom, school, and wider social culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw from data collected as part of the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) and present cases of democratic and heroic leadership from three countries, discussing to what extent successful school principals in each of their research sites (Melbourne, Australia; Umeå, Sweden; Arizona and Texas in the USA) carry old and new perspectives of heroism in their leadership. In particular the paper explores two questions: first, how do school principals describe aspects of heroic and post-heroic leadership in their practices? and second, how do these heroic and post-heroic leadership practices meet contemporary demands such as accountability standards and build inclusive and collaborative school communities in challenging contexts? Design/methodology/approach – Multiple-perspective case studies involving semi-structured individual and group interviews with principals, teachers, students, parents and school board members were used to understand the contribution of principals and other leadership to school success. Findings – The definitions of heroic and post-heroic leadership are inadequate in defining successful principal leadership. The Australian, Swedish and American principals showed characteristics of both heroic and post-heroic leadership. They showed heroic qualities such as: inspiring and motivating others; challenging the status quo; showing integrity in conflicting situations; putting duty before self; taking risks to champion a better way; showing courage to stand up to those in authority; advocating for students in struggling neighbourhoods under the scrutiny of both district and public expectations; and, showing uncommon commitment. Yet our principals showed post-heroic leadership such as involving others in decision making and recognising that school success depended on collective effort, and being sensitive to community needs through a deep respect for the local culture. Originality/value – The research shows that we may need to redefine and recast our images of who school principals are today, and what they do to generate academic success for students. Both heroic and post-heroic images of leadership are needed to explain successful school leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements in technology and infrastructure have greatly improved the capabilities of the natural hazards community to collect robust samples of building performance following hazard events and make them available to the research community for broad reuse purposes. Yet, there lacks standardized, open access data sets that combine reconnaissance data from multiple individual hazard events into unified, living testbeds that can grow through community participation. The objectives of this study are to (1) synthesize and present a unified, multievent windstorm performance data set (WiSPD) and (2) summarize common damage patterns observed in the WiSPD. The WiSPD currently consists of four hurricanes (occurring between 2017 and 2020) and four tornadoes (occurring between 2011 and 2020), all of which struck the United States. Each event's building performance assessments were collected with similar methodologies and contain details such as location, physical address, basic building attributes, estimated 3 s gust wind speed, basic wind speeds, and component-level damage percentage with a precision of ±5%. In combination, the testbed reveals that roof cover damage dominates in windstorms, regardless of the year of construction or building code enforced. Additionally, tornadoes tend to produce higher damage rates than hurricanes, specifically in fenestration and roof structure damage. Fragility functions for hurricanes exhibit a nonmonotonic relationship between wind speed and damage, potentially evidencing the strong influence of other confounding variables. Ultimately, the unified data set promises to be a rich testbed for further knowledge discovery and model validation by the research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategy-by-doing perspective argues that firms operating in highly dynamic environments can benefit from taking strategic actions in lieu of advance planning because such actions have learning effects that help the firm keep pace with changes in the environment. The implicit assumption is that strategy by doing is effective in dynamic environments but likely not in stable environments. This study challenges this notion and expands the purview of the strategy-by-doing perspective. We first argue that strategy by doing is generally an effective strategy due to the organizational learning it facilitates. We next discuss how environmental dynamism is multidimensional, encompassing both market and technological dynamism. The positive effects of strategy by doing on product-market performance are amplified in highly dynamic environments that feature high levels of both market and technological dynamism. We go on to argue that stable environments are also suitable for strategy by doing, where it can facilitate opportunity creation. However, strategy by doing may hinder performance in mixed environments where one form of dynamism is present and the other is not. Focusing on strategy by doing in the form of product changes, our analysis of 4,000 firms over a period of 20 years shows support for our arguments about environmental contingencies affecting the relationship between strategy by doing and performance. We discuss how these findings have implications for theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use a heutagogical approach to determine whether students enrolled in blended courses achieve higher grades relative to those enrolled in completely online courses, in addition to identifying demographic predictors of academic success in college courses involving Web-based modes of instruction.Design/methodology/approach Mixed models regression evaluated predictors of grade in terms of age, gender, instruction mode, graduate vs undergraduate status and full-time vs part-time load across 2,174 students (M = 27.6, SD = 9.54 years) enrolled in Web-based courses for a single term at a mid-sized public university in the northeastern USA.Findings In accordance with expectations, a significant main effect indicated higher grades among students enrolled in blended relative to completely online courses. Other predictors of academic success in Web-based courses included older age, female gender, graduate student status and part-time academic load. An interaction between age and gender on grade indicated the difference in performance between men and women diminished among older compared to younger students. Another interaction between age and instruction mode on successful course completion indicated a higher probability of success in blended courses among older students relative to their younger counterparts.Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its cross-sectional design of large scope, which is incapable of addressing differences in online instructional styles and student motivation factors.Originality/value The current study offers newfound evidence that students enrolled in Web-based college courses may benefit from a blended instructional format, a finding that may be particularly evident among older students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares a firm's innovation and performance with its online Web presence measured through the Web network structure. 489 firms in five different industries listed on the United States and Chinese stock markets are investigated. Using Web link data collected from Bing, blogs, Twitter and Wikipedia, we find positive correlation between betweenness centrality of a firm in the Web network and its innovation capability; and between betweenness centrality and financial performance. In order to get more accurate forecasting results, regression analysis is done for each industry and the combined industries in the United States and China. We also find that Twitter and Wikipedia only predict a firm's performance in the United States, which is not surprising as they are officially blocked in China. Blogs predict better in China than they do in the United States, as it might still be a major social media tool for Chinese firms; while for the US firms, blogs have been supplemented by Twitter and Wikipedia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the impact of the corporate governance, using a plethora of measures, on the performance of the US investment banks over the 2000-2012 period. This time period offers a unique set of information, related to the credit crunch, that we model using a dynamic panel threshold analysis to reveal new insights into the relationship between corporate governance and bank performance. Results show that the board size asserts a negative effect on performance consistent with the ' agency cost' hypothesis, particularly for banks with board size higher than ten members. Threshold analysis reveals that in the post-crisis period most of investment banks opt for boards with less than ten members, aiming to decrease agency conflicts that large boards suffer from. We also find a negative association between the operational complexity and performance. Moreover, the CEO power asserts a positive effect on performance consistent with the ' stewardship' hypothesis. In addition, an increase in the bank ownership held by the board has a negative impact on performance for banks below a certain threshold. On the other hand, for banks with board ownership above the threshold value this effect turns positive, indicating an alignment between shareholders' and managers' incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on minority-owned commercial banks in the USA. Design/methodology/approach -- The authors examine performance differences between African-American (AA) commercial banks and other minority (OM)-owned banks. Also, the authors compare AA bank performance with that of their peer-group banking institutions. Findings -- Employing data both before and after the recessionary period of 2008-2009, the authors find significant performance differences between minority ownership categories. For example, prior to 2008, AA banks held a significant advantage over OM-owned banks in net interest income as a percentage of average assets. This competitive advantage was somewhat offset by relatively weak loan portfolios and failure to contain costs. The 2008 crisis served to exacerbate the negatives of African-American banks while their positive differences essentially disappeared. Originality/value -- The focus is different than the previous studies on minority-owned banks. The authors are especially interested in how AA banks have fared -- relative to banking industry peer institutions, but also, relative to OM-owned banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Methodology for assessing resilience of an airline cargo network. • Updated the existing (generic) analytical model for assessing resilience. • Indicators of performance as Figures-Of-Merit for assessing the network resilience. • New analytical models reflecting interests of the main stakeholders involved. • Application of methodology to assessing resilience of given airline cargo network. This paper presents modeling the resilience of an airline cargo transport network affected by a given (large scale) disruptive event. The airports represent the nodes and the air routes and flights between them the links of the network. Modeling implies synthesizing a methodology consisting of two sets of the analytical models: (a) a generic (existing) analytical model for assessing the resilience of particular airports, routes/links, and the entire network; and (b) the new analytical models of the selected indicators of the network's performance used as the FOMs (Figures-Of-Merit) for assessing the corresponding resilience. These indicators of performance include: (i) the airline flights; (ii) the airline transport work; (iii) the airline profits; (iv) the value of time of transported air cargo shipments; and (v) the inventory cost of air cargo shipments at the network nodes/airports. Such proposed methodology enabling assessment of the resilience of affected network over time, i.e., prior, during, and after the impact of a given disruptive event, has been applied to the real airline cargo network (FedEx Express, U.S.) affected by the large scale disruptive event (extreme snowstorm - the so-called nor'easter) characterized by its duration, intensity, and spatial scale. The results have indicated that the network's resilience has been affected differently regarding the particular indicators of performance as FOMs. It has been the least affected regarding 'value of time' and the most regarding 'inventory cost' of the air cargo shipments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electrical performance of ITER CS prototype joints. • Detailed destructive examination of ITER prototype joints: twin – box and coaxial. • Explanation of the difference in performance based on the destructive examinations. The ITER Magnet System will be the largest and most challenging integrated superconducting magnet system ever built. For the Central Solenoid (CS), cable – in – conduit - conductors (CICCs) of nearly one kilometre length are produced, but still, it will be necessary to connect several lengths together to wind the gigantic 110 tonnes coils. The creation of these superconducting joints is one of the most delicate parts of the assembly. There are three types of ITER CS joints: splice joints, coaxial joints and twin – box joints. US ITER, the ITER Domestic Agency of the USA produced a prototype containing all three types of joints. The goal is to test the performance of the joints in the SULTAN facility of the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC), capable of reproducing close – to – service conditions: high magnetic field (up to 11 T background field), high current (up to 100 kA) and high mass flow rate of supercritical helium for cooling. The paper describes the results of a comprehensive examination campaign aimed at understanding the relation between fabrication and performance of the CS prototype joints. The test campaign combines advanced image analysis for the assessment of the void fraction of the conductors with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to evaluate the quality of the contact between the strands and the sleeve / sole of the joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boomerang employees—previous employees who return to an organization after an absence—offer unique value in the talent pool, representing external employees with internal job experience. Utilizing a sample from a professional services firm in the United States, we draw from the literature on talent management and renegotiated psychological contracts to compare the compensation, satisfaction, commitment, and performance of boomerangs to similar employees who never left the firm. We find that reentry yields improvements in compensation, satisfaction, and organizational commitment for boomerangs relative to matched internal employees. Archival analysis of hours worked reveals that boomerangs spend significantly more hours on extra‐role projects rather than in‐role billable client hours. Boomerang performance is, however, on par with that of matched internal employees who never left the firm. Implications for adopting a boomerang talent management strategy and the renegotiation of disrupted psychological contracts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between supply chain performance and renewable energies has been widely identified as a critical research topic by practitioners, international organizations, and academics. It is essential to explore the articles that have been published by scholars regarding their main concerns, the methodologies used, the renewable energies that have been focused on, and the performance indicators that have been used in the optimization of renewable energies supply chains. This paper delivers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis that provides a better understanding not previously fully evaluated by earlier studies in the field of supply chain performance and renewable energies. The goal of this research is: 1) to recognize the scholarly production; 2) the most productive authors; 3) the most productive journals; 4) the most cited articles; and 5) the most productive countries. The analysis begins by identifying studies published during the period between 2005 and the middle of 2018, which are then reduced in number to those authored by influential investigators. Also discussed are the gaps in knowledge about literature and bibliometric analysis. The findings provide a potential roadmap for researchers who intend to undertake research in this field. • The number of publications in supply chain performance and renewable energies has been increasing, in the last few years. • The topic of supply chain performance and renewable energies has been explored most deeply in the USA, Italy, and the UK. • The most-cited articles are related to the spatial distribution of bioenergy production units and process network. • The renewable energies most focused are bioethanol, biofuels, biomass, bio-oil gasifier. • The Biomass and Bioenergy journal is the most-cited journal in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review the literature related to the influence of revenue diversification on banking sector performance. Further, the determination of the scope and the empirical estimation of the revenue diversification is also the area of investigation to synthesis with future research area. Design/methodology/approach: The systemic literature review process used by Opoku et al. (2015) is applied. In total, 68 Journal articles are studied after applying specified review protocols. The information gathered from the selected articles is presented and summarized in specified tables and charts formats for easy understanding. Findings: The comprehensive literature review showed that much of the work in this area is done in the USA and the Asian region. To explore the impact of revenue diversification on banking performance in developing countries is a literature gap. While going through the existing literature, it is clear that researchers have not reached at any conclusion about the exact impact of revenue diversification on banking performance. It is also found that non-interest income ratio and Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) (revenue) index are the most common proxies of revenue diversification. However, other studies also input the HHI (loans) index, number of ATM's and number of branches as a proxy for diversification. Research limitations: This systematic literature review is based on specific review protocols, and therefore, it might be possible that some of the important work is not included in it due to time restrictions. Originality/value: The banking sector has shown tremendous growth in revenue sources in past two decades. Keeping in view the importance of the banking sector within an economy, the dramatic shift of revenue sources and their impact is important to determine that eventually will help to define the future research area. In past research studies, there exists clear disagreement about the possible impact of revenue diversification on banking performance. This systemic literature review is an attempt to draw conclusions about the exact impact of revenue diversification. Therefore, the outcome of the study will be very valuable for both banking practitioners and academicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Prior studies linking grit-defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals-to performance are beset by contradictory evidence. As a result, commentators have increasingly declared that grit has limited effects. We propose that this inconsistent evidence has occurred because prior research has emphasized perseverance and ignored, both theoretically and empirically, the critical role of passion, which we define as a strong feeling toward a personally important value/preference that motivates intentions and behaviors to express that value/preference. We suggest that combining the grit scale- which only captures perseverance-with a measure that assesses whether individuals attain desired levels of passion will predict performance. We first metaanalyzed 127 studies (n = 45,485) that used the grit scale and assessed performance, and found that effect sizes are larger in studies where participants were more passionate for the performance domain. Second, in a survey of employees matched to supervisor-rated job performance (n = 422), we found that the combination of perseverance, measured through the grit scale, and passion attainment, measured through a new scale, predicted higher performance. A final study measured perseverance and passion attainment in a sample of students (n = 248) and linked these to their grade-point average (GPA), finding that the combination of perseverance and passion attainment predicted higher GPAs in part through increased immersion. The present results help resolve the mixed evidence of grit's relationship with performance by highlighting the important role that passion plays in predicting performance. By adequately measuring both perseverance and passion, the present research uncovers grit's true predictive power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a review of literature published in refereed archival journals, ventilation rates in classrooms often fall far short of the minimum ventilation rates specified in standards. There is compelling evidence, from both cross-sectional and intervention studies, of an association of increased student performance with increased ventilation rates. There is evidence that reduced respiratory health effects and reduced student absence are associated with increased ventilation rates. Increasing ventilation rates in schools imposes energy costs and can increase heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system capital costs. The net annual costs, ranging from a few dollars to about 10 dollars per person, are less than 0.1% of typical public spending on elementary and secondary education in the United States. Such expenditures seem like a small price to pay given the evidence of health and performance benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses an innovative theatre-arts collaboration that was created to provoke public discourse about aging in a community located in the Southeastern United States in which more than one-half of residents are age 50 or older. The development and execution of the documentary theatre production are explicated and the post-performance talk-backs with the audience are shared to illustrate how it facilitated insight and dialogue among its largely older audiences. Experience with this production suggests that academics can collaborate with professional artists to promote the subjective experience of aging as a positive appreciation of self. Consequently, the play holds promise to counter deeply ingrained negative self-beliefs about aging and foster greater acceptance about the experience of others. In addition, the play represents a unique community-based effort to enhance respect and social inclusion, a core domain of livability in the age-friendly community movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the performance of United States (US) and European Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) using the non-oriented version of the base point-slack-based measure (BP-SBM) Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, which allows for handling negative data that can arise in some of the metrics traditionally used in this type of analysis. Our findings show that US efficient ETFs are considered benchmarks more often than European efficient ETFs. Nonetheless, it was possible to conclude that European inefficient ETFs were generally less inefficient than US ETFs. Our findings also show that ETFs' efficiency (particularly for US ETFs) in the short run is more related to risk than to profitability factors. This implies that as the time horizon lengthens, the importance of profitability factors for the ETFs' financial performance grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A reliable and valid tool to measure short-term recall does not exist. Objective: The purpose of this study was o assess the reliability of a novel tool designed to evaluate the immediate recall and performance of prescribed exercises. This reliability study was secondary from a parent randomized controlled trial. Methods: Patients ages 18 to 65 with low back or unilateral knee pain longer than 6 weeks, reporting to a primary care or physical therapy clinic at one large military hospital. Participants were randomized into one of four groups based on number of exercises and type of instruction. The Home Exercise Assessment Tool (HEAT) is scored along an ordinal scale, (zero = low; three = high performance), with 2+ equal to meeting the intent of the exercise. Reliability of testing was assessed using a pool of four raters. Results: The interrater reliability of the HEAT performed on 30 participants (9 females, and 21males, mean age 36.7 (SD = 11.7)) and eight participants during pilot testing demonstrated moderate to good reliability (ICC = 0.66–0.77). Intrarater reliability during pilot testing was excellent (ICC = 0.93–0.96). Conclusion: The HEAT demonstrated moderate to good interrater and excellent intrarater reliability. This tool is unique in that it assesses both recall and adherence, and merits further testing in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is a byproduct of bioethanol industry, and it contains crude protein of 25% to 31% and ether extract of 9% to 13%. DDGS produced from bioethanol industry in United States (US) are predominately low fat (3–5%). Nutritional profile of low-fat DDGS (LF-DDGS) showed that it is suitable feedstuff for livestock including goats and may reduce the production cost. However, there are limited studies on the effect of low-fat DDGS (LF-DDGS) in goats. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding different amounts of LF-DDGS on growth performance, growth efficiency, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of Kiko crossbred wether goats. The study was conducted for 84 days, feeding different amounts of LF-DDGS. The results suggest that up to 30% LF-DDGS can be included in diets of castrated male goats without affecting the growth performance and carcass characteristics. Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) produced in US are predominately low fat, as the economics favor separating as much oil as possible for sale as renewable diesel feedstock and also for use in swine and poultry feed. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding different amounts of low-fat DDGS (LF-DDGS) on growth performance, growth efficiency, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of Kiko crossbred wether goats. Twenty-four goats, 5–6 months of age, were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental diets (n = 6/diet), 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% LF-DDGS on an as-fed basis, and fed for 84 days. Data collected were analyzed using an orthogonal contrast test for equally spaced treatments. Average total gains, average daily gains, and gain-to-feed ratios were similar among the treatments (p > 0.05). Rumen acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations and acetate: propionate ratios were similar (p > 0.05) among treatments. There were no differences (p > 0.05) among treatments for dressing percentage, rib eye area, and backfat thickness. Findings suggest that at least up to 30% LF-DDGS can be included in diets of castrated male goats without affecting production performance and carcass characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarianship is constantly confronted with unexpected and quickly evolving sociotechnical challenges, yet the documents that define the core professional competencies for librarians are infrequently updated. Based upon survey responses collected from 383 working librarians located in the United States, we describe a set of gaps between current competency guidelines and current library realities with regard to practice, management, communication, career development, relations, and personal attributes. We argue that professional library organizations, educators, and policymakers could formulate more relevant and impactful core competency documents by deliberately integrating the on-the-ground insights of librarians’ lived experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permeable Friction Courses (PFC) are asphalt mixtures characterized by high air void contents that are used as surface layers in conventional pavements, principally to achieve safer roads and control noise pollution. This paper summarizes existing information related to the performance of PFC mixtures in the United States (US), including properties of the mixture that determine the durability and functionality of the pavement and mix design methodologies that are currently being used in the US. The objective of this work is not only to analyze this information but also to identify current and future challenges to enhance the performance of PFC mixtures and promote its responsible use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open-graded friction course (OGFC) is a special-purpose surface layer of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavement that is increasingly being used around the world. Owing to its numerous benefits, OGFC is being regularly used as a final riding surface on interstate and high-traffic expressways by different highway agencies in the United States. However, some OGFC sections have experienced premature failure due to ravelling only after 6-8 years of service life. The major problems associated with OGFC can be classified into three categories: design, maintenance and premature failures. Permeability is an important performance measure of OGFC mixtures in design phase. Regression models developed in this research paper will be helpful in getting estimate of permeability values during the design phase of OGFC pavement layer. This estimated permeability values will be helpful in improving the design procedure based on laboratory permeability data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the efficiency of local jails in the United States in 2016 using Data Envelopment Analysis with metafrontiers. Metafrontiers envelop jails that have a similar production technology and yield more accurate efficiency estimates. Using an input-oriented model with variable returns to scale, the results suggest that, on average, jails could reduce or reallocate their inputs by 37% given their output level. For managers, the findings provide evidence that jail managers can improve efficiency by carefully assessing how they allocate and use their resources. For policy makers, the results indicate that opportunities exist for implementing cost-saving approaches to maximize taxpayer dollars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a broadly used non-parametric technique for performance evaluation and data analytics. While conventional single-stage DEA models overlook the internal interactions of decision making units (DMUs), network DEA opens this black box to investigate the internal structure of DMUs. Practically, many network DEA models involve shared performance measures that are not easily divisible among individual components of a network. Based upon a two-stage network DEA model, the current study treats such performance measures as inseparable links, implying that no proportions are optimized and allocated to the two stages of the network. The shared and unsplittable links in the proposed two-stage DEA model manifest integrality while both ends of the link are maximized or minimized simultaneously, and this setting has not been modeled in any existing DEA studies. The shared and unsplittable links in our model can be considered intermediate measures, but they are different from the two existing types of dual-role intermediate measures, which are traditional intermediate measures and feedback measures. Our performance link is a new type of intermediate measure that is minimized or maximized in both stages of the network. The resulting network DEA model is highly non-linear. To address the non-linearity, a parametric linear model is adopted. The proposed approach is construed in four variants, and then illustrated using a set of 100 banks in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a large, longitudinal panel of US start-ups collected between 2004 and 2011, this article shows the extent to which intellectual property (IP) types, for example trademarks, patents, copyrights and outward licensing, enhance multidimensional performance. An ordered probit analysis corrected for sample selection bias, estimates performance to derive the following conclusions. First, trademarks and out-licensing IP types increase a firm's chances of being a high performer, confirming the importance of certain forms of IP protection for start-ups. Second, patenting significantly reduces the chances of being a high performer, suggesting patenting has limited performance benefits for start-ups. Third, few performance synergies exist in the joint use of IP types, suggesting that strong complementarities among IP types are limited. While out-licensing patents and out-licensing copyrights increase performance, out-licensing patents and out-licensing trademarks diminish it. Furthermore, registering more trademarks and out-licensing more trademarks also diminishes performance, suggesting start-up firms should keep trademarks in-house. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct of flow has been associated with a plethora of positive work outcomes such as performance, engagement, and reduced burnout. However, flow is understudied in the domain of work and there is a lack of empirical examinations of flow interventions. Additionally, until recently, the vast majority of research examining flow at work assumes that individuals are passive agents who only experience flow when their working conditions facilitate the state. Therefore, the study tested a 'SMART' goal‐setting nudge intervention for individuals, aimed at increasing flow at work and its positive outcomes. Results of a 5‐day experimental experience sampling study with 65 American MTurk workers (who work full‐time besides MTurk) indicate that those in the goal‐setting condition experienced more flow at work and subsequently experienced less daily stress, as well as higher engagement and subjective performance when compared to the control group. Exploratory analyses revealed that flow decreased later in the week within‐day for participants in the control group, whereas flow remained relatively stable within‐day for those in the goal‐setting condition. Moreover, certain categories of goals, such as mastery goals, resource acquisition goals, and understanding goals, were found to be significant predictors of daily flow. Practitioner points: Flow at work predicted daily stress, daily performance, and work engagement.Self‐determination strategies (Occupat Health Sci, 1, 2017, 47), such as goal setting, can increase the amount of flow experienced at work and its subsequent positive outcomes.Nudges (Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness, Yale University Press, 2008) can provide reminders for individuals to engage in behaviors that help them to experience flow and its positive work outcomes.A proposed model was supported as a framework practitioners can use to better understand flow at work along with its antecedents and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical regions possess distinct sporting cultures that can influence athletic development from a young age. The United States (US) and Austria both produce elite alpine ski racers, yet have distinct sport structures (i.e., funding, skiing prominence). In this exploratory study, we investigated sport outcomes and psychological profiles in adolescent alpine ski racers attending skill development academies in the US (N= 169) and Austria (N= 209). Sport participation and psychological questionnaires (mental toughness, perfectionism, grit, coping, burnout) were administered to athletes. In Austria, athletes participated in fewer extracurricular sports, began competing and training younger, and accumulated less practice hours than athletes in the US. Athletes in the US reported greater burnout than athletes in Austria. Finally, in the US, women accumulated more practice hours and experienced more parental pressure than men, while men accumulated more practice hours in Austria. Austria's skiing-centric sport culture may encourage athletes to fully immerse into the sport, contributing to positive psychological outcomes. Reduced sport opportunities in the US beyond educational institutions may pressure athletes to practice more to ensure continued competitive skiing. Stressors for sport participation will be unique to gender in each country though, given their implicit gender stigmas for sport participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa. However, a lack of epidemiological data remains for this pathology, and the performances of the influenza-like illness (ILI) case definitions used for sentinel surveillance have never been evaluated in Senegal. This study aimed to i) assess the performance of three different ILI case definitions, adopted by the WHO, USA-CDC (CDC) and European-CDC (ECDC) and ii) identify clinical factors associated with a positive diagnosis for Influenza in order to develop an algorithm fitted for the Senegalese context.Methods: All 657 patients with a febrile pathological episode (FPE) between January 2013 and December 2016 were followed in a cohort study in two rural villages in Senegal, accounting for 1653 FPE observations with nasopharyngeal sampling and influenza virus screening by rRT-PCR. For each FPE, general characteristics and clinical signs presented by patients were collected. Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) for the three ILI case definitions were assessed using PCR result as the reference test. Associations between clinical signs and influenza infection were analyzed using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations. Sore throat, arthralgia or myalgia were missing for children under 5 years.Results: WHO, CDC and ECDC case definitions had similar sensitivity (81.0%; 95%CI: 77.0-85.0) and NPV (91.0%; 95%CI: 89.0-93.1) while the WHO and CDC ILI case definitions had the highest specificity (52.0%; 95%CI: 49.1-54.5) and PPV (32.0%; 95%CI: 30.0-35.0). These performances varied by age groups. In children < 5 years, the significant predictors of influenza virus infection were cough and nasal discharge. In patients from 5 years, cough, nasal discharge, sore throat and asthenia grade 3 best predicted influenza infection. The addition of "nasal discharge" as a symptom to the WHO case definition decreased sensitivity but increased specificity, particularly in the pediatric population.Conclusion: In summary, all three definitions studies (WHO, ECDC & CDC) have similar performance, even by age group. The revised WHO ILI definition could be chosen for surveillance purposes for its simplicity. Symptomatic predictors of influenza virus infection vary according the age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' social identities are an integral part of their professional identities. The present study explores Asian American teachers' performances of racial/ethnic identities and pedagogical practices in the classroom. The author uses a performance framework to understand how Asian American teachers both reify and resist stereotypes through the process of identity construction vis-à-vis particular racial encounters in the classroom. Analysis of semi-structured interviews with 25 Asian American teachers from across the United States suggests that Asian American teachers perform identities through three pedagogical practices: (1) by downplaying identities; (2) as cultural role-models; and (3) as resistors of stereotypes. These findings reveal that Asian American teachers play an important role in facilitating cross-cultural classroom interactions, affirming racial/ethnic identities for Asian American students, providing non-stereotypical discourses through which students can understand Asian Americans, and creating inclusive learning spaces for students of all backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore factors that help to determine employee trust in and affective commitment toward the organization. Design/methodology/approach: Data for this study were collected using surveys administered to employees of a company located in the southeastern United States. The final sample included 391 matched supervisor–subordinate dyads. Findings: We found organizational signals of trustworthiness led to affective commitment through increased levels of employee trust. Employees and supervisors who perceived HR professionals to be competent, who felt organizational information distributions were of high quality and who felt the organization disclosed relevant information exhibited higher levels of trust in the organization. Employees showed higher affective commitment when they trusted the organization. We found that supervisor trust directly impacted subordinate affective commitment as well. Originality/value: These findings help extend signaling theory from the attraction of employees to their retention and help researchers and practitioners alike to understand the organizational trust- and commitment-building process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]