Asymmetric Power Research Articles

Abuse of power: An experimental investigation of the effects of power and transparency on centralized punishment

Punishment institutions are a major guarantor of prosocial behavior. At the same time, their asymmetrical power structure may lead to antisocial behavior itself. We investigate power abuse, understood as the use of power for personal gain, of a single punisher in a public-goods game subject to variations in punishment power and contribution transparency. Using a laboratory experiment we find a high amount of abuse across all conditions. More power led to more abuse over time, while transparency could only curb abuse in the high power conditions. These findings highlight the dangers of power centralization but suggest a more complex relation of power and transparency.

Bayesian composite $$L^p$$-quantile regression

Abstract$$L^p$$ L p -quantiles are a class of generalized quantiles defined as minimizers of an asymmetric power function. They include both quantiles, $$p=1$$ p = 1 , and expectiles, $$p=2$$ p = 2 , as special cases. This paper studies composite $$L^p$$ L p -quantile regression, simultaneously extending single $$L^p$$ L p -quantile regression and composite quantile regression. A Bayesian approach is considered, where a novel parameterization of the skewed exponential power distribution is utilized. Further, a Laplace prior on the regression coefficients allows for variable selection. Through a Monte Carlo study and applications to empirical data, the proposed method is shown to outperform Bayesian composite quantile regression in most aspects.

‘Go-No-Go’: Anticommons and Inter-ministerial conflict in India’s Forest and Mineral Governance

India’s forests, particularly in coal and other mineral-bearing regions, have been at the centre of many social and environmental conflicts. Such conflicts will likely remain salient over the next decade as India appears to be moving towards greater use of coal instead of transitioning away from it. The current governance architecture in mineral-bearing forested areas is characterized by fragmentation of rights across different stakeholders and a pluralistic institutional regime – a situation often characterized as ‘anticommons.’ ‘Anticommons’ lead to the resource getting gridlocked and underused. The Indian government undertook a critical and ambitious policy design exercise – the ‘Go-No-Go’ or Inviolate Forest Policy (IFP) policy – to address the resource dilemmas by ‘objectively’ demarcating forests for mining and conservation. This paper traces the conflict around the policy formulation as it manifested in the corridors and ministries of the government. We use a novel data source of government records of formal policy deliberations – obtained through India’s transparency law, Right to Information (RTI) – supported by conversations with senior bureaucrats, policymakers, and expert observers. We find that the quest for ‘objective’ demarcation of ‘pristine’ forests for conservation was marked by inter-ministerial conflict, laden with asymmetric power balances and involving the careful deployment of discursive frames and tactical maneuvers. We argue that the multiplicity of use-values that get valued differently a) by different individuals/groups of individuals and b) at different scales inscribe the possibility of conflict at the heart of any attempt to resolve anticommons, as can be seen in the IFP. In the process, we expose the problems in prioritizing amongst competing resource-uses, using ‘efficiency’-based approaches. Further, our analysis presents an implicit critique of the monolithic understanding of the State in the supply of property rights.

Waiting as sociality – relational waithood in Norwegian activation

ABSTRACT In research on waiting and unemployment, waiting tends to be described as an asymmetrical power relation between those who wait and those who impose waiting within institutional contexts. This paper applies the concepts ‘waiting for’ and ‘waiting on’ to unravel waiting as a specific form of sociality and presence in an employment support context in Norway. Drawing on qualitative interviews with frontline staff and young participants in in-house activity centres, we find that waiting takes different forms; the counsellors not only wait for the participants to comply with the activity requirements, they also wait on them, to interact. Similarly, the young participants wait for ‘something to happen’, like a job opportunity, but they also wait on staff in the centres. Hence, both actors experience waiting in relation to rules, employment etc., but also as subjects with agency. We argue that activation can involve waiting as a form of sociality and presence, a dimension that receives scant attention in the literature on waiting and power.

Improved sliding mode direct power control for low-carbon oriented MMC-HVDC of asymmetric offshore wind power flexible systems

The modular multilevel converter based high voltage direct current (MMC-HVDC) is a dynamic power balancing system. The control system of MMC generally adopts a dual closed-loop vector control strategy based on the traditional instantaneous power model under asymmetric grid state, which has complex control structure and low control accuracy. This paper introduces a flexible instantaneous power model and establishes a general power equation with active power and new reactive power as control objects. Based on this, an improved sliding-mode MMC-HVDC direct power control strategy based on the new instantaneous power model is proposed which combines the flexible instantaneous power model and the improved sliding-mode control method to eliminate the twice grid-frequency ripples in both active and reactive power under asymmetric grid states. Furthermore, it omits the inner-loop controller and power compensation terms while optimizing the control structure. Simulation results show that the proposed method has better dynamic responsiveness, control accuracy and robustness under operating conditions such as asymmetric grid state and parameter perturbation which can better exploit the advantages of the flexible instantaneous power model.

Asymmetric exponential power Bayesian median autoregression with applications

Compared with the widely used mean-based models, the prediction based on median autoregression is often more robust for time series forecasting. Motivated by the asymmetric exponential power working likelihood approach in Bayesian quantile regression, we first apply the asymmetric exponential power error to time series. The new median autoregression we proposed is more robust and can better deal with outliers. An adaptive independent Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is used for the parameter estimation. A novel, simple, and effective approximate forecasting procedure is proposed based on the Watanabe-Akaike information criterion in the framework of Bayesian model averaging. Model assessment, order selection, and out-of-sample predictive accuracy are all discussed. Finally, three examples of macroeconomic data are analyzed to show the superior performance of the proposed model.

Exploring perceptions of gender roles amongst sexually active adolescents in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Traditional gender and social norms reinforce asymmetrical power relations, increase the risk of experiencing gender-based violence and mediate poor engagement with sexual and reproductive health services. This study explored gender norms and expectations amongst cisgender adolescents in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A purposive sample of 29 adolescents aged 16-19 years old were enrolled as part of a longitudinal qualitative study. The current analysis reports on the first round of in-depth interviews, which focused on the role of men and women in their community. A theoretically informed thematic analysis identified three broad themes: 1) Adolescent interpretation and understanding of gender identity, 2) Gendered essentialism and Gender roles (two sub-themes: Young men: Power through providing, and Young women: The domestication process which highlighted that gender roles were defined by being the provider for men, and the successful fulfilment of traditional domestic behaviours amongst women), 3) Gender and fertility highlighted how participants highly valued fertility as affirming of manhood/womanhood. These norms reinforce gender roles that maintain asymmetrical power relations, carrying them over into adulthood. The subtle social pressure to prove fertility could have unintended consequences for driving teenage pregnancy. Structural, gender-based interventions emphasising positive gender-role development in early childhood are needed.

"Older people are weak": perceptions and meanings of ageing and abuse against older people.

This paper addresses the broader issue of elder abuse and seeks to analyse how victims and non-victims of abuse connect and explain the perception of ageing and the phenomenon of violence against older people. A qualitative study was conducted based on evidence gathered through 45 semi-structured interviews with people aged 60 or above who are part of the Portuguese EPIPorto population cohort. The interviews were analysed using grounded theory. The results show that respondents link the ageist narratives that exist in our societies to the prevalence and naturalisation of violence against older people, that the risk of abuse increases with the weakening of family support networks, and that abuse is both a manifestation of asymmetrical power relations between victims and perpetrators and a severe violation of human rights. The findings also highlight the need to broaden the concept of violence against older people to include offences in the public sphere and not just in the context of the family and institutions.

Analysis and prediction of vibro-acoustic characteristics of parallel propulsion systems for large-scale marine ships

The parallel power propulsion system is the preferred option for large-scale ships. The improper configuration of multidimensional power parameters is a significant factor contributing to the vibration and noise generated by the system. This study examines the sensitivity and dependence of the vibro-acoustic characteristics of the system on various power parameters through theoretical and experimental methods, and reveals the evolution mechanism of the dynamic behaviors under the coupling effect of multidimensional power parameters. Firstly, the nonlinear dynamic model considering the lateral–torsional–axial coupling of the propulsion system is established and the effects of different combinations of power parameters on the vibration response and system stability are investigated. Secondly, an experimental platform of the parallel propulsion system is constructed, and the comprehensive description of the effects of multidimensional power parameters on the vibration and noise of the system under asymmetrical input power is further provided. Finally, the radial basis function (RBF) neural network is innovatively employed to predict and approximate the vibro-acoustic characteristics of the system under the combined influence of rotating speed, torque ratio, and drag current. The research results are of significant theoretical and practical importance in breaking through the technical bottleneck related to reducing the vibration and noise of such parallel propulsion systems.

The Red Sea Regional Security Complex: The Implications of the Red Sea Forum for Ethiopian National Security

The Red Sea Forum (RSF), since its foundation in December 2018, has attracted the attention of politicians and scholars near and far. The exclusion of Ethiopia from the forum disappointed the government, though the country is the most populous and anchor state in the Horn of Africa. Many of the objectives set by RSF are apparently unattainable without the direct or indirect participation of Ethiopia. The aim of this study, therefore, is to examine the implications of the Red Sea Forum for the national security of Ethiopia. The study employed a qualitative research method. In doing so, both primary and secondary sources were consulted. Beyond reviewing published and unpublished materials, key informant interviews were conducted with purposively selected experts from the Ethiopian Navy Force, the Maritime Institute of Ethiopia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The study asserted that the Red Sea Region has a complex security terrain where security alignment and realignment with regional and non-regional powers are persistent mechanisms of survival. This is caused by asymmetrical power distribution and security dilemmas among regional states. Among others, neutralising the subversive activities of Egypt, serving as a platform for potential funding and access to energy resources, helping to mitigate the tragic deaths of Ethiopian immigrants crossing the sea, and serving as a source of naval technical know-how and maritime information are some of the potential benefits of being a member of the RSF. Port shutdowns, naval blockades, suffocation of alternative port access, and damage to underwater internet cables in the Red Sea are some of the perceived threats from RSF identified in the study. To enhance the potential benefits and mitigate the perceived threats from RSF, Ethiopia should adopt multilateral diplomacy and military deterrence as a counter strategies.

Bilateral Models of Cross-Licensing for Smart Products

Motivated by the new practice of cross-licensing and price competition in smart products, as well as the lack of cross-licensing literature, this article develops a theoretical framework to investigate the incentive for bilateral cross-licensing between two competing firms with asymmetric bargaining power under price competition in smart products. In this article, one firm possesses quality-improving innovation, and another offers cost-reducing innovation for smart products. We find regardless of cost-reducing innovation scale, when the production cost of a holder of quality-improving technology is high enough, the competing firms have the motivation to cross-licensing; compared with a quantity competition, cross-licensing in price competition draws a higher price and producer surplus, but lower consumer surplus and poorer social welfare. This is an interesting finding for the discussion over whether a Bertrand price competition is more efficient than a Cournot quantity competition; and price competition, plus the stability of tacit collusion in cross-licensing, requires that participants have moderate bargaining power. Our article provides a potential explanation for the use of cross-licensing in the smart product industry with price competition, as well as management insights for decision makers by considering different effects elicited by cross-licensing of the smart products.

Reliability-Oriented Asymmetric Power Device Size Selection of Neutral-Point Clamped Inverter Considering Mission Profiles

Reliability-Oriented Asymmetric Power Device Size Selection of Neutral-Point Clamped Inverter Considering Mission Profiles

Design or Decline? A Decolonial Cease and Desist

This paper critically examines the contemporary relationship between design and decolonization, with a focus on reevaluating our expectations of design as a profession and exploring potential pathways forward. The discussion centers on the stagnant state of design discourse, and the intricate power dynamics within design practices. It underscores the significance of recognizing that designers do not uniformly occupy identical positions, highlighting the asymmetrical power dynamics inherent in design nearshoring and the prioritization of Northern interests. Furthermore, it questions the reliance on exclusive designerly methods for systemic change, the pursuit of the common good, and the realization of the pluriverse. We claim that design, in its current form, often reinforces capitalist and colonial structures rather than dismantling them. The paper criticizes design’s complicity in perpetuating colonial differences while claiming to address them, recognizing the fundamental role of design for the realization of the modern project and as a key enabler of capitalist modes of production and consumption. Through an interdisciplinary lens, this paper scrutinizes the dissonance between design’s self-professed ethical values and the pursuit of capitalistic gains.

Organizar em Ruínas: Contribuições de Abordagens Multiespécies na Administração

ABSTRACT Objective: this essay problematizes destructive organizational practices that produce and perpetuate spaces in ruins. Drawing from the practices of the mining industry in Brazil, exemplified by the rupture of the Fundão dam (MG), we theorize about the contributions of multispecies approaches to Administration. Thesis: we propose, through dialogues between organizational studies and multispecies studies, the concept of a multispecies organizing of space that transcends exclusively human relations. We consider space as both product and process in everyday organizational life, yet we highlight the limitations of the human-centric focus in the literature. We conceptualize spacing as a non-human production of practices entangling humans and actors composing environments and various species of plants, animals, fungi, and other forms of existence. Thus, we challenge a hegemonic view in the field, underscoring the importance of a more inclusive and ethical approach to spatial and organizational practices. Conclusions: we rethink social and organizational dynamics, emphasizing not only mining activity but other corporate practices through a spatialized and more-than-human perspective. The essay contributes ontologically by making visible the agency of other living beings in organizational processes and practices, methodologically by decentering the human in research, and politically by analyzing asymmetric power relations. Such contributions enable the promotion of a broader and more responsible understanding of the complex relations between humans and non-humans in organizational contexts.

A Distributed Framework for Minimizing the Asymmetrical Power Request in Multi-Agent Microgrids With Unbalanced Integration of DERs

A Distributed Framework for Minimizing the Asymmetrical Power Request in Multi-Agent Microgrids With Unbalanced Integration of DERs

GENDER AND POWER IN ITALIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS: A DIACHRONIC PERSPECTIVE

This paper analyses, from the perspective of critical discourse analysis and critical pedagogy, the representation of gender hierarchy in two representative Italian as a foreign language textbooks, published between 2002 and 2019. The aim is to examine whether asymmetric power relations are reproduced or reversed through the representation of professions attributed to male and female characters, in order to obtain meaningful data about the approach adopted by the authors and publishing houses. Specifically, we aim to determine whether a progressive and egalitarian tendency in the perception and representation of women and men in the professional sphere can be identified. The analysis reveals significant differences in the approach adopted in the two textbooks and consequently in how gender hierarchies and roles in the professional sphere are constructed. Due to the absence of a gender-sensitive approach, the Qui Italia textbook reproduces and naturalises asymmetric power relations between women and men in the professional sphere. In contrast, the Dieci A1 textbook emerges as an educational material that challenges traditional gender roles in the professional sphere and offers alternative and egalitarian models. The results suggest that progressive trends regarding gender equality in educational materials have evolved over time and that a gender approach is increasingly implemented and valued.

Green renovation of existing public buildings in China: A synergy mechanism of state-owned enterprises based on evolutionary game theory

The high carbon emissions of public buildings owned by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) pose challenges to achieving carbon peaking and neutrality goals. Hence, the active participation of SOEs in green renovation is crucial. The literature mainly focuses on private enterprises and considers stakeholders' benefits from the perspective of economic incentives while neglecting SOEs, which are heterogeneous from private enterprises. To fill this gap in the literature, we propose a synergy mechanism underlying how the parent company and the operations and construction subsidiaries of a typical SOE cooperate and compete with each other to promote the completion of green renovation projects. We use an evolutionary game model to describe the synergy mechanism by analyzing political, economic, and reputational factors. We make the following conclusions: (1) Under the conditions of asymmetric game power, three equilibrium stable strategies are identified. The behavior of the parent company, which is notably influenced by political factors, is critical for the success of green renovation. (2) Political penalties are the fundamental factor breaking the dilemma of low implementation efficiency in green renovation. This event occurs when political penalties for non-incentive management exceeds the cost of incentive management. (3) Each factor exerts varying impacts on the synergy mechanism, with the impact of political, economic, and reputational factors decreasing sequentially. The government can rely on environmental benefit preference and reputational incentives to drive SOEs to actively participate in green renovation. The parent companies of SOEs can enhance political promotion penalties, increase political preference, and reduce decision-making error costs in green renovation to ensure smooth implementation.

A novel self‐interference cancellation architecture based on asymmetrical power divider and its closed‐loop control

AbstractThe asymmetric radio frequency (RF) self‐interference cancellation (SIC) architecture is studied, and the closed‐loop control of RF SIC based on software radio is realized. This system uses a circulator to isolate the receiving and transmitting chains, and its RF reconstruction chain is composed of a 4‐tap filter with fixed delay and tunable attenuation for each tap. The optimization of tap filter and asymmetric power divider's power allocation ratio is discussed. In the experiment, sensing, calibration, optimization algorithms and hardware control programs were proposed. A closed‐loop gradient descent algorithm for tuning the variable attenuator is implemented on the GNU Radio. From 910 MHz to 930 MHz, the isolation between the receiving and transmitting ports increases 40 dB, achieving an isolation of more than 65 dB and the transmission energy efficiency increases by 60%.

Uncovering power asymmetries in North-South research collaborations – An example from sustainability research in Tanzania

North - South collaboration between scientists and collaborators is increasingly prominent and promoted in research. This study examines power dynamics within a North-South research collaboration project conducted between institutions in Tanzania and Germany. The research design is guided by postcolonial considerations of knowledge production and seeks to amplify underrepresented voices from the South. The analysis reveals power manifestations in project setup, processes, and outcomes, through three perspectives: resources, social relations, and discourses. The study confirms the prevailing impression of the Northern partner as the donor and conceptualizer, directing the research path, while the Southern partner remains in a peripheral position as the local implementor. Both parties benefit from the collaboration, but the Northern partner gains more in terms of academic recognition and reproduction, furthering the asymmetrical power distance. This study concludes that to approach the ideal mutual knowledge co-production, collaborations should reconsider funding structures, question ways of knowing, increase the importance of equal capacity building, and challenge established Western academic knowledge production structures.

Constraints and enablers of regional environmental policy: governance challenges in England and Wales

ABSTRACT It is increasingly recognised that regional environmental policy is important not just for implementing national or international targets but also for policy innovation and leadership. However, international progress is limited by significant variation, with many regions failing to deliver effective environmental governance. In this paper, we argue that one important explanation of this variation is the power dynamics within multi-level governance systems. Specifically, using the UK as a case study, we identify the constraints and enablers of regional environmental policy that emanate from power asymmetries in the wider governance system. Through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, we identify the constraints and enablers faced by three UK regions: the West Midlands, the Humber and the Cardiff Capital Region. We find that while enablers tend to be isolated and region-specific, constraints are consistent across regions and form interlocking webs that significantly limit the effectiveness of regional environmental governance in the UK. This implies that attempts to implement holistic, long-term environmental transitions need to look to more fundamental reforms to the structure of political systems, paying particular attention to the constraining effects of asymmetric power dynamics.