scholarly journals Bridging and Bonding: Disentangling Two Mechanisms Underlying the Diversity–Performance Relationship

2020 ◽  
pp. 089976402093965
Author(s):  
Brad R. Fulton
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Social Bonding ◽  
Leadership Team ◽  
National Study ◽  
Social Diversity ◽  
External Resources ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Better Than

Although extensive research has examined whether diversity hinders or improves organizational performance, the aggregate results remain inconclusive. Social bridging theories argue that diverse organizations perform better than homogeneous organizations, while social bonding theories argue that diverse organizations perform worse. When scholars test these competing theories, they often specify bridging and bonding as the inverse of one another. This study instead specifies them as distinct mechanisms and measures them independently using data from a national study of organizations containing information on the race, class, gender, and religion of each organization’s leadership team and the frequency, type, and content of their interactions. The analysis indicates that both bridging and bonding are positively associated with an organization’s performance; however, their respective performance benefits depend on the type of task being performed. The results suggest that social diversity facilitates performance related to accessing external resources and social interaction facilitates performance related to internal coordination.

Disengaging elections? Political interest, number of elections, and turnout in elections to the European Parliament

2021 ◽  
pp. 146511652199845
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Nonnemacher
Keyword(s):  
Political Behavior ◽  
Voting Behavior ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
National Study ◽  
National Elections ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
European Election ◽  
Using Data ◽  
European Parliament Elections ◽  
Cross National Study

Since direct elections to the European Parliament began in 1979, variations in voting behavior in European Parliament elections from national elections have raised interesting questions about political behavior. I add to a growing literature that explores turnout in European Parliament elections by focusing on the count of national elections between European Parliament elections. Through a cross-national study of elections, I find that turnout decreases in the European Parliament contest following cycles with numerous national contests. Then, using data from the European Election Study, I argue that this is the result of frequent elections decreasing turnout particularly among already low interest voters who stay home. My findings have implications for how formal rules of multi-level elections shape political behavior more generally and voter fatigue in particular.

Is Music Teacher Professional Development Becoming More Effective? Evaluating Practice and Policy in the United States, 1993–2012

2020 ◽  
pp. 002242942098252
Author(s):  
Justin J. West
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
United States ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Using Data

The purpose of this study was to evaluate music teacher professional development (PD) practice and policy in the United States between 1993 and 2012. Using data from the nationally representative Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) spanning these 20 years, I examined music teacher PD participation by topic, intensity, relevance, and format; music teachers’ top PD priorities; and the reach of certain PD-supportive policies. I assessed these descriptive results against a set of broadly agreed-on criteria for “effective” PD: content specificity, relevance, voluntariness/autonomy, social interaction, and sustained duration. Findings revealed a mixed record. Commendable improvements in content-specific PD access were undercut by deficiencies in social interaction, voluntariness/autonomy, sustained duration, and relevance. School policy, as reported by teachers, was grossly inadequate, with only one of the nine PD-supportive measures appearing on SASS reaching a majority of teachers in any given survey year. Implications for policy, practice, and scholarship are presented.

Optimising the Transfer Alignment of Weapon INS

2003 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Groves
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Sensor ◽  
Integrated Navigation ◽  
Velocity Measurements ◽  
Transfer Alignment ◽  
Navigation Solution ◽  
Alignment Technique ◽  
Alignment Process ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Design Options ◽  
Better Than

Transfer alignment is the process of initialising and calibrating a weapon INS using data from the host aircraft's navigation system. To determine which transfer alignment technique performs best, different design options have been assessed, supported by simulation work. The dependence of transfer alignment performance on environmental factors, such as manoeuvres, alignment duration, lever arm and inertial sensor quality has also been studied. ‘Rapid’ alignment, using attitude as well as velocity measurements was found to perform better than ‘conventional’ techniques using only velocity. Innovative developments include the estimation of additional acceleration and gyro states and estimation of force dependent relative orientation, which has enabled robust alignment using wing rock manoeuvres, which do not require the pilot to change trajectory. Transfer alignment has been verified in real-time by flight trials on a Tornado aircraft. In addition, techniques have been developed to prevent transients in the aircraft integrated navigation solution following GPS re-acquisition after an outage of several minutes from disrupting the transfer alignment process.

scholarly journals Perceived Social Integration Predicts Engagement and Responsiveness to Positive Events: Test of Age Moderation

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 397-397
Author(s):  
Patrick Klaiber ◽  
David Almeida ◽  
Nancy Sin
Keyword(s):  
Positive Affect ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
National Study ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Social Integration has important implications for health and well-being during adulthood. Being socially integrated might be an important resource that helps people to regularly engage in daily positive events. With older age, this resource might become increasingly important. However, being well socially integrated might also mean that people are certain that they experience more positive events in the future and thus, respond with less positive affect to any given positive event. We examined perceived social integration as a predictor of engagement and responsiveness to positive events using data from the National Study of Daily Experiences 2. 1904 adults (Mean age = 56.25, min = 33, max = 84) reported their daily positive affect and daily positive events during 8 consecutive days of telephone interviews. Perceived social integration was assessed at baseline. Adults higher in social integration experienced daily positive events more frequently (b = 0.01, SE = 0.003, p < .001), but showed less of an increase in positive affect on days with more-than-usual positive events (b = -0.003, SE = 0.001, p = .030). These models controlled for the Big Five personality traits, purpose in life, demographic variables and same-day occurrence of stressors. Age did not moderate the present associations. The present findings imply that social integration might be an important contributor to experiencing more positive events across adulthood. Being better socially integrated might also lead to responding with less positive emotions to any given positive event.

scholarly journals Aerosol optical depth in the European Brewer Network

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier López-Solano ◽  
Alberto Redondas ◽  
Thomas Carlund ◽  
Juan J. Rodriguez-Franco ◽  
Henri Diémoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Aerosol Optical Depth ◽  
Optical Depth ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Input Data ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Ultraviolet Range ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Better Than

Abstract. The high spatial and temporal variability of aerosols make networks capable of measuring their properties in near real time of high scientific interest. In this work we present and discuss results of an aerosol optical depth algorithm to be used in the European Brewer Network, which provides data in near real time of more than 30 spectrophotometers located from Tamanrasset (Algeria) to Kangerlussuaq (Greenland). Using data from the Brewer Intercomparison Campaigns in the years 2013 and 2015, and the period in between, plus comparisons with Cimel sunphotometers and UVPFR instruments, we check the precision, stability, and uncertainty of the Brewer AOD in the ultraviolet range from 300 to 320 nm. Our results show a precision better than 0.01, an uncertainty of less than 0.05, and a stability similar to that of the ozone measurements for well-maintained instruments. We also discuss future improvements to our algorithm with respect to the input data, their processing, and the characterization of the Brewer instruments for the measurement of aerosols.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Inequalities and Obesity in South Africa—A Decomposition Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 9181
Author(s):  
Eva Goetjes ◽  
Milena Pavlova ◽  
Charles Hongoro ◽  
Wim Groot
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Decomposition Analysis ◽  
Socioeconomic Inequalities ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
National Study ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Using Data

Background: Prior evidence shows that inequalities are related to overweight and obesity in South Africa. Using data from a recent national study, we examine the socioeconomic inequalities associated with obesity in South Africa and the factors associated with it. Methods: We use quantitative data from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) carried out in 2012. We estimate the concentration index (CI) to identify inequalities and decompose the CI to explore the determinants of these inequalities. Results: We confirm the existence of pro-rich inequalities associated with obesity in South Africa. The inequalities among males are larger (CI of 0.16) than among women (CI of 0.09), though more women are obese than men. Marriage increases the risk of obesity for women and men, while smoking decreases the risk of obesity among men significantly. Higher education is associated with lower inequalities among females. Conclusions: We recommend policies to focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle, including the individual’s perception of a healthy body size and image, especially among women.

Understanding the Links between Mentoring and Self-Efficacy in the New Generation of Women STEM Scholars

2010 ◽  
pp. 97-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Yost ◽  
Donna M. Handley ◽  
Shelia R. Cotten ◽  
Vicki Winstead
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
National Study ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
New Faculty ◽  
Gender Inequity ◽  
Mentoring Practices ◽  
Using Data ◽  
New Generation ◽  
The Impact

American colleges and universities are in need of innovative approaches to recruit and retain the upcoming generation of new faculty members. Specifically within the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields, there is an additional need to focus on meeting the needs of women in order to begin to address gender inequity within STEM. This chapter examines the impact of mentoring on self-efficacy for female graduate students and post doctoral fellows in STEM fields. Using data from a national study of selected U.S. academic institutions, recommendations are made in order to enhance mentoring practices that will reduce the barriers women face within STEM fields. Quality mentoring programs represent a viable way to enhance institutional change that may result in increased numbers of women in STEM fields.

scholarly journals Specialization and Performance: Evidence from NCAA 4 × 400 m Relay Times

Economies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Candon Johnson ◽  
Robert Schultz ◽  
Joshua C. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measure ◽  
Division I ◽  
Division Iii ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The Difference ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Better Than

This paper investigates the impact of having open 400 meter (400 m) runners on NCAA relay teams. Using data from 2012–2016 containing the top 100 4 × 400 m in each NCAA Division relay times for each year, it is found that more 400 m specialists lead to an increase in the overall performance of the team, measured by a decrease in relay times. The effect is examined across Division I–III NCAA track teams. The results are consistent across each division. We view this as a test of the role of specialization on performance. Using runners who specialize in 400 m races should increase overall team performance as long as specialization does not lead to an inefficient allocation of team human capital. An additional performance measure is used examining the difference between projected and actual relay times. Divisions I and II are found to perform better than projected with an increase in 400 m runners, but there is no effect found in Division III.

Personnel Mobility and Organizational Performance: The Effects of Specialist vs. Generalist Experience and Organizational Work Structure

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1601-1620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Fahrenkopf ◽  
Jerry Guo ◽  
Linda Argote
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
New Members ◽  
Recipient Group ◽  
Organizational Work ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Specialist Groups ◽  
Better Than

This study advances understanding of the conditions under which a new worker improves organizational performance. We argue that the extent to which new group members have experience working as specialists or generalists is a critical factor in explaining performance after the new member joins. We conceptualize specialists as those who concentrate on a particular component of an organization’s task, whereas generalists perform all components of the task. As such, a specialist must coordinate with other group members to complete the group’s task, which makes a specialist more interdependent with other members and in possession of more organization-specific knowledge than a generalist. We predict that (1) groups receiving specialist new members do not perform as well after the new member joins as compared with groups receiving generalist new members and (2) groups with new members whose work experience and recipient group structure are aligned (i.e., generalist movers into generalist groups and specialist movers into specialist groups) perform better than groups with new members whose experience and recipient group structure are not aligned. We test our hypotheses using a laboratory study in which we manipulate the extent to which new members and incumbent members of recipient groups work as specialists or generalists. Participants work as generalists or specialists in three-person groups and receive a new member who acquired experience as a specialist or generalist in another group. We find support for our hypotheses and provide evidence on mechanisms through which potential new members’ backgrounds enable them to contribute significantly to their recipient groups. New members who acquire experience in a structure similar to that of their recipient organizations report that they experience greater fit with their new groups, which enables their recipient groups to perform better than groups where new members’ experience and recipient group structure are not aligned. Additionally, our results suggest generalists may be more likely than specialists to transfer knowledge to their new groups.

The Role of Whiteness in the 2016 Presidential Primaries

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 679-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tehama Lopez Bunyasi
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
National Study ◽  
Donald Trump ◽  
Primary Election ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
White Voters ◽  
Changing Times ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Job Prospects

Donald Trump initiated his run for president by framing the United States as a nation in descent. Adopting the slogan “Make America Great Again,” he set his campaign against a backdrop of loss and declared a mission for reclamation. Numerous analysts claim that his candidacy and rhetoric galvanized white voters who feel left behind by changing times, but few have been able to provide direct evidence of a racialized sense of disadvantage, and most polls were not prepared to ask such specific questions prior to the Iowa Caucus. Using data from the National Study of Color-Blindness and Race-Consciousness—a unique nationally-sampled dataset fielded two weeks before the beginning of the 2016 primary election season—I demonstrate that Trump was not only the most popular candidate among white voters, but that he was especially supported by whites who think that their racial group fares worse in the job market than do black Americans, who feel that being white has been personally detrimental to their job prospects; who believe that there are generally more disadvantages to being white than there are advantages; and who disagree with the notion that systematic racism mainly benefits whites. My analysis argues that how whites think about whiteness mattered for their likelihood to support Donald Trump.

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