Rational Calculation Research Articles

Emotional Practices and How We Can Trace Them: Diplomats, Emojis, and Multilateral Negotiations at the UNHRC

ABSTRACTThis article suggests a new approach for looking at emotions. In the framework that is developed, emotions are practices that are performed in context and not only felt or had. On the theoretical side, three concepts inspired by Bourdieu's work are introduced: hexis, emotional sense, and emotional performance. On the methodological side, this framework is used to make sense of emojis in digital exchanges. Emojis are the literal display of an emotion “on paper”—or rather, on screen—and constitute a simplified way to read the emotional communication between individuals. They are not epiphenomenal. Given the widespread use of instant messaging applications, they are an accessible and effective means for individuals to perform emotions. In turn, this framework opens up the possibility to analyze better how and why mundane emotions matter in international politics. How diplomats use emojis on WhatsApp during negotiations at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva serves as an illustration. Often perceived as guided by rational calculations, diplomats also master informal and interpersonal skills to persuade, negotiate, and build connections. This fundamental social dimension of diplomatic work puts their (online) emotional practices at the center of their performances.

Daring to Approve Radical Innovation Projects at the Front-End

While innovation decisions are critical for organizations, our understanding of how managers make innovation decisions under high uncertainty is limited. We develop a theory on how goals guiding innovation decisions can vary depending on the level of uncertainty in the process, which increases along a continuum from the front end to launch and from incremental to radical projects. By using analytical or heuristic calculations, managers can assess innovation projects aligned with organizational goals. However, in case of high levels of uncertainties (i.e., front-end of radical proposals), such intendedly rational calculations are impaired by drastic information scarcities, which reduce self-efficacy beliefs pertaining to organizational goals. In such conditions, we posit that decision-makers self-regulate their goals and shift their focal goals from organizational to personal goals. We argue that approval of innovation proposals (i.e., go decisions) is possible under high levels of uncertainty only if the manager has a promotion-oriented focus supported by facilitatory organizational context, but they are not enough. In the absence of any reliable cues about the success of the innovation project, managers need additional impetus, such as provided by impulsiveness or passion for innovation, to dare risk-taking for a highly uncertain innovation project.

Experimental and theoretical study on the flexural behavior of RC beams strengthened with cementitious grout

In this study, we experimentally and theoretically studied the flexural behavior of RC beams that were strengthened with cementitious grout based on the static loading test of beam specimens with two reinforcement positions and three thicknesses of reinforcement layers. We compared and assessed the failure modes, moment–deflection relationship, strain distribution along the height of the cross-section, strain of tensile longitudinal reinforcement, and the cracking behavior of the RC beams. The results showed that the RC beams strengthened with cementitious grout exhibited similar or greater flexural capacity compared to conventional RC beams, as well as a significantly greater ultimate deflection. Therefore, we concluded that the cementitious grout can be used to repair and reinforce existing RC beams with degraded performance, and can effectively restore or improve the bearing capacity of RC beams. Moreover, the reinforcement position and thickness significantly impacted the reinforcement effect of the RC beams. The results of the crack development analysis showed significant differences in the moment–crack width relationship between the RC beams strengthened with cementitious grout and the control beams. Thereafter, we proposed a rational calculation method to predict the flexural bearing capacity and deflection of RC beams strengthened with cementitious grout by considering the reinforcement positions and thicknesses of reinforcement layers. Additionally, the calculated results using the proposed method and the experimental results were found to be in good agreement, which indicates that the proposed method is accurate and can be used in engineering applications.

Information, Uncertainty & Espionage

Intelligence scholars are drawing on behavioural decision theory to improve decision-making under risk and uncertainty in intelligence and counterintelligence. Such an undertaking is essentially lacking without the Austrian school’s concepts of knowledge, discovery, (entrepreneurial) judgement, ignorance, rational calculation and, more generally, its analysis of human action in the face of true uncertainty. Decision theory, both orthodox and behavioural, depicts decision rather narrowly as a prioritisation task undertaken within a delineated problem space where the probabilities “sum to one”. From such a perspective, certain perennial challenges in intelligence and counterintelligence appear resolvable when in fact they are not, at least not when approached from the usual direction. We explain how Austrian concepts can complement efforts to improve intelligence decision-making. We conclude that the future strategic value of intelligence analysis is located beyond information acquisition, however fast and however vast. Intelligence agencies have no price signals to help them determine how much intelligence to produce. And governments have no price signals to moderate their appetites for the intelligence product. Ultimately, those agencies that recognise the implications of intelligence agencies as non-price institutions and adapt their decision-making processes may find that they have the upper hand over their rivals.

Educational Policies Matter: How Schooling Strategies Influence Refugee Adolescents' School Participation in Lower Secondary Education in Germany.

This article investigates the educational participation of refugee adolescents in Germany as a main European destination country of refugee migration. Opportunities and restrictions for school participation vary not only across countries–, but in the case of the Federal Republic of Germany, also within countries. The influence of different regional educational policies on refugees' educational participation and the extent to which they limit or enable individual agency, are however, widely understudied. We thus aim to analyze how different regional educational policies within Germany influence refugee students' educational participation regarding four central indicators: the duration until school enrollment, the type of class attended (newcomer vs. regular class), the type of school attended, and whether they are enrolled in settings appropriate for their age. We rely on a theoretical model which sees educational decisions as the result of rational cost-benefit calculations. The individual educational investments depend on individual motivations and resources within a given opportunity structure. We integrate the legal regulations via the opportunity structures into the theoretical model. Our analyses are based on data from 2,415 adolescents who were interviewed in the “ReGES–Refugees in the German Educational System” study. Our results show significant correlations between different regional educational policies and the four domains of educational participation. These effects remain stable when considering family and individual resources, as well as further control variables that previous research on social and ethnic educational inequality has shown to be relevant. Family and individual resources only partially influence educational participation. This indicates that refugee students and their parents have only limited options for action concerning their educational participation. Thus, our study shows that educational policies in fact matter: the assignment to a federal state plays a significant role in determining the duration until school enrollment, whether one is placed to a grade level age-appropriately, and whether one attends a newcomer class. Most significantly, legal regulations strongly influence refugees' chances of attending a higher school track (Gymnasium). Due to the low permeability of the German education system, this creates path dependencies for the further education and career paths of new immigrant students.

The unsolicited rocket: a story of science, technology, and future wars

ABSTRACT This article investigates the puzzling case of the unsolicited rocket: a Norwegian research establishment successfully developed a weapon system that no one wanted or had asked for that was later widely adopted. We argue that the ‘Terne’ weapon existed not because it was needed based on rational calculations about efficiency, but because of the narratives, coalitions, and competitive dynamics that surrounded it and made it useful. Conventionally, war and technology are often considered distinct ‘things’ with immutable essences, used as variables to explain other phenomena, rather than being examined on their own terms. In this case, we focus empirically on the configuration of sociotechnical imaginaries, and the capacities for action that arise out of it. In foregrounding sociotechnical systems, this is not a case of the ‘militarization’ of civilian society and research in peacetime. Rather, agency lay in competitive networks of narratives and coalitions between technologies, individuals, professions, technological communities, military organizations, and funding bodies, together shaping how ideas and technologies become authoritative and dominant.

Quantification and Determination of Stability of Tylvalosin in Pig Plasma by Ultra-High Liquid Chromatography with Ultraviolet Detection.

Simple SummaryTylvalosin (TV) is a third-generation macrolide antibiotic, registered exclusively for veterinary medicine to treat respiratory and enteric bacterial infections in swine and poultry. In the coming years, the use of this drug will probably be widely studied in different species. However, before its use in each veterinary species, macrolide analytical determination in various biological fluids is a pre-requisite step for the rational dose calculation of TV based on specific pharmacokinetic information. Its quantification is essential to detect and avoid the appearance of residues in animal products intended for human consumption. Therefore, the aim of this proposed method was to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection for TV quantification in pig plasma. According to the food and drug administration (FDA) guidelines, this quick, sensitive, and reproducible validated method produced a good performance. This method can be useful for storing plasma samples for months and for performing routine analysis and pharmacokinetic studies.Tylvalosin (TV) is a macrolide antibiotic that is used for treating respiratory and enteric bacterial infections in swine and in poultry. In the coming years, the use of this drug will probably be widely studied in different species, but before its use in each veterinary species, macrolide analytical determination in various biological fluids is a pre-requisite step for the rational dose calculation of TV based on specific pharmacokinetic information. Its quantification is essential for detecting and avoiding the appearance of residues in animal products intended for human consumption. Therefore, a robust chromatographic method coupled with an ultraviolet detector was fully validated for the quantification of TV in pig plasma. A mixture (78:22) of (A) 0.3% formic acid in water and (B) acetonitrile was used as the mobile phase. TV and enrofloxacin (internal standard) were eluted at 14.1 and 5.9 min, respectively. Calibration curves ranged from 0.1 to 5 μg/mL. The accuracy and precision parameters for the quality controls were always <13.0%. Recovery ranged from 89.66 to 96.92%. The detection and quantification limits were found to be 0.05 μg/mL and 0.1 μg/mL, respectively. This method could be applied to develop pharmacokinetic studies.

Danger from a distance: Executives' social distance and multinationals' responses to host‐country terrorist attacks

AbstractResearch SummaryThis article examines whether and under what conditions multinational enterprises (MNEs) are likely to divest a subsidiary exposed to host‐country terrorist attacks. Drawing on construal level theory from social psychology, we propose that the association between subsidiaries' exposure to host‐country terrorist attacks and MNEs' likelihood of divesting these subsidiaries depends on their executives' social distance from the event host country. Based on a sample of Fortune US 100 MNEs and their foreign subsidiaries from 2003 to 2014, we find that on average, MNEs are more likely to divest their subsidiaries when their exposure to host‐country terrorist attacks increases; however, the effect is only prominent in host countries to which MNE executives are socially proximate.Managerial SummaryMNEs confronting terrorism threats in a host country sometimes respond by divesting subsidiaries exposed to the threats even when the high opportunity costs of divestment render this response irrational. We argue that the MNEs' divestment response may not be driven by rational economic calculations but by their executive’ subjective threat perceptions. We investigate how top executives’ subjective threat perceptions, as a function of their social distance from the event host country, influence MNEs’ divestment decisions. We find that on average, MNEs do tend to divest their subsidiaries when they are exposed to a high terrorism threat in a host country; however, they are much less likely to do so when their top executives are socially distant from the focal host country.

Early American Women, the Novel, and God

Early American Women, the Novel, and God

Comparison of Veterinary Nutrition Exam Results After Classroom or Virtual Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic at a German University

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university teaching had to be kept up in spite of severe contact restrictions. Virtual teaching of animal nutrition was implemented at the Veterinary Faculty of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, Germany, for both lectures and practical courses. Live online classes were held via Zoom®, and recordings were accessible afterwards. Animal nutrition is taught in the 5th and 6th term of the veterinary studies, followed by an oral state exam about subjects from both terms. In this study, the success of classroom vs. virtual teaching in veterinary animal nutrition was evaluated by comparison of exam results. Two exam cohorts (2019, before the pandemic; 2020, with one term of virtual teaching during the pandemic) were evaluated. The results indicated no significant difference of teaching method on the grades. However, there was a significantly higher probability of students not taking or failing the exam in the 2020 exam cohort, suggesting a general effect of the pandemic on the students. Additionally, two surveys were distributed among the students during summer term 2020 and winter term 2020/21, when virtual teaching due to the pandemic had been implemented for the first time. The survey results provide insights into the students' view of benefits and problems of virtual teaching in animal nutrition at the LMU. The majority was in favor of the live online format for lectures and courses in computed-based ration calculation, whilst feedstuff demonstrations were preferred in classroom setting.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: ADAM SMITH’S THEORY OF SENTIMENTAL LAW AND ECONOMICS

For Adam Smith, a crime is not the result of a rational calculation of loss and gain but the consequence of envy and a vain desire to parade wealth to attract the approbation of others, combined with a natural systematic bias in overestimating the probability of success. Similarly, Smith does not conceive of legal sanctions as a rational deterrent but as deriving from the feeling of resentment. While the prevailing approach of the eighteenth century is a rational explanation of crime and a utilitarian use of punishment, Adam Smith instead builds his theory of criminal behavior and legal prosecution consistently on the sentiments. A well-functioning legal system is thus an unintended consequence of our desire to bring justice to the individual person, not the result of a rational calculation to promote the public good, just like a well-functioning economic system is the unintended consequence of our desire to better our own condition, not the result of a rational calculation to promote public good.

Sense and sensibility: How CEOs construct meaning through symbols in organizational change

AbstractThis paper investigates the rational and emotional functions of symbols in organizational change and how collective sensemaking and acceptance of organizational changes are facilitated by the emotional functioning of executive symbolism. Evidence from archived data, news reports, reviews, and case studies are used to support our theoretical analysis. Our opinion is that the CEO can incorporate symbols into not only the rational calculation process to convey the benefits and losses of organizational changes but also the emotional identification process to create new emotional connections and reduce the resistance of the members to organizational changes. We describe why and when the implementation of symbolism will gain the acceptance of members toward organizational change and explain the scenarios that apply for the two functions.

Determination of coal pillar width for gob‐side entry driving in isolated coal face and its control in deep soft‐broken coal seam: A case study

AbstractLarge deformation control of surrounding rock in deep soft‐broken coal roadway has always been a key scientific and technological problem restricting the deep coal resources exploitation. Taking the gob‐side entry driving (GED) in isolated coal face under deep soft‐broken coal as research object, the prominent difficulties of surrounding rock control were clarified. Through numerical simulation, the evolution laws of deviatoric stress and plastic zone of GED under different coal pillar widths were studied. Combined with rational calculation, reasonable coal pillar width was determined to be 7.0 m. The study shows that severe disturbance distance in the front section of the coal face is 22 m, and makes it clear that coal pillar and roof are the key control areas. A subregional asymmetric combined support technology named anchor cable truss in roof and coal pillar + anchor cable in solid coal + single prop reinforced support in 25 m ahead of the coal face was proposed. The field application and ground pressure observation results show that good control effect has been achieved after adopting subregional asymmetric support technology under 7 m coal pillar width. The research results have important reference significance for safe mining in deep coal resources.

ЭСКАЛАЦИЯ ЭТНОПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ КОНФЛИКТОВ: РАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ РАСЧЕТ ЭЛИТ И ЭМОЦИОНАЛЬНАЯ РЕАКЦИЯ МАСС

ЭСКАЛАЦИЯ ЭТНОПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ КОНФЛИКТОВ: РАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ РАСЧЕТ ЭЛИТ И ЭМОЦИОНАЛЬНАЯ РЕАКЦИЯ МАСС

EULER’S POWER CALCULATIONS OF “NATURAL FORCES” TO RAISE WATERS WITH PISTON PUMPS

Introduction: In a 1754 publication, Discussion plus particulière de diverses manières d’elever de l’eau par le moyen des pompes avec le plus grand avantage (Very detailed explanation of the different methods of raising water through pumps with the greatest effectiveness), Leonhard Euler (1707–1783) made extensive use of the concept of mechanical power in estimates of the power needed to raise waters with piston pumps, by means of natural forces such as human and horse force, running waters, and windmills. Purpose of the study: We aimed to revisit this publication to show to the modern reader Euler’s pioneering approach in providing rational calculations of the power of natural forces needed to drive different machines to raise waters with piston pumps. Methods: After a brief historical review on the use of natural forces to drive machines and the evolution of the concept of mechanical power, the method employed was the examination and an annotated reproduction of the main formulation using Euler’s original notation and ways of scientific writing of the time. Discussion: We address the evolution of hydropower and wind power, particularly for the generation of electricity, and also show that despite of its much lower attractiveness, there have been some attempts in the use of human and animal power in developing countries, particularly in applications that do not require large and constant amounts of power inputs.

Using field experiments to analyze changes in electronic data capture adoption decisions

Lacovou presented research results in a framework that describes the role of the determinants of technology, organization, and environment simultaneously influencing the innovation adoption decision-making process. The Lacovou framework is an extension study of the Tornatzky framework. Tornatzky's framework addresses three determinants that influence innovation adoption. Unfortunately, Lacovou did not present how the decision process took place. Decisions can be rational or irrational. Ajzen and several other studies defined rational decisions as decisions based on considered information or for a reason as. Previous research had not revealed empirically the rational calculation process in making innovation adoption decisions. Innovation adoption is someone's choice when he/she perceive the benefit and feel appropriate the innovation and will use or intend to use it. This study intends to reveal how the process of rational calculation in the decision-making adoption of innovations through the field experiment method. This study also reveals whether the decision of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to adopt Electronic Data Capture (EDC) is rational. Research analysis using descriptive analysis method. The results show that the rational calculation process can be observed through the field experiment method. The shift in decisions represented by changes in the data on the number of subjects who make adoption decisions illustrate the rational calculation process. The results show that the decision of SMEs in adopting EDC is mostly rational. The yields of this field experiment- research was confirming Lacovou framework. The research illustrates the simulation of the effect of a combination of perceived benefits, organizational readiness, and environmental factors simultaneously&#x0D;

Is Ghana’s Democracy Counterproductive to Development? Democratic Short-Termism and the Politics of Development Planning in Ghana

Research on the bi-directional relationship between political regimes and economic development has increased tremendously since Lipset’s (1959) seminal examination of the implications of economic development on political regimes. While some scholars oppose modernizationists who tie the prospects for democracy to economic growth, significant bodies of literature have argued that since democracies consistently outperform autocracies in growth and development indexes, democracy rather is a sine qua non for development. Others also highlight the counterproductive effect of democratic politics and judge it to be present-bias and unrepresentative of future interest. This article relooks at the conversation of whether the pursuit of long-term development policies is feasible under democracies, with an empirical focus on Ghana. Aside from its enviable democracy track record, Ghana is touted as the first country in the developing world to roll out a development plan. Using long term planning as a proxy for transformative development, I investigate how elected political elites in Ghana respond to the dilemma of choosing between winning the next election by pursuing voter-pleasing short-term policy goals, and embarking on long-term structural transformation with short-term electoral disadvantages. I argue that competitive elections and associational liberties affect the pursuit of long-term policy planning in Ghana. The incentive to implement or abandon long term plans is shaped by the rational calculations of the country’s political elites in response to the short-term preferences of electorates. Keywords : Democracy, Development planning, Present-bias, Elections, Associational liberties, Ghana DOI: 10.7176/DCS/12-2-01 Publication date: February 28 th 2022

Teorijski i empirijski aspekti odnosa morala i ekonomije

That economics is devoid of any moral, ideological, or theological philosophy is a widespread view among major economists in recent times. In relation to issues of a moral nature, modern economics is focused on key postulates such as rational calculation, scientific neutrality and basic material goals. In connection with the aforementioned gap, which is deepening, the primary goal of the paper is to point out the need to establish a new alliance between economics and morality (ethics) as a specific value criterion, all in order to better understand the complex nature of human reality and contributing to more effective and constructive solutions to economic problems. In doing so, one bears in mind the fact that attempts to portray the economy as morally neutral have largely ended in failure, or with little success.

Expectativas, Incerteza Econômica e Sentimento

ABSTRACT Objective: this article aims to help unravel if and how economic uncertainty interacts with the informational structure of sentiment. Methods: the empirical strategy is based on a non-linear and non-parametric causality test to investigate the interaction between variables as distributions. This article builds primarily on the literature on expectation formation. Results: it was found that uncertainty based on the media (ex-ante) precedes sentiment, at most, until the second moment of its distribution. In addition, sentiment helps predict the informational structure of fundamental uncertainty (ex-post) and higher order moments of ex-ante uncertainty. Conclusion: sentiment can be considered a channel for uncertainty through the tone of expectations and erroneous expectations. Ex-ante uncertainty measures can also help calibrate the rational cost-benefit calculation of attention by acting as a leading indicator of the increasing value of information.

Новое индустриальное будущее для глобального мира

The ideas of a famous American economist John Kenneth Galbraith, which he was developing during the second half of the 20th century, have always attracted the deserved attention. However, even today, in the 21st century, and moreover, in a present-day period of serious turbulence in the world economy and geopolitics, much of his scientific heritage is in demand as a starting point for a deep understanding of modern socioeconomic issues. Firstly, the attention he paid to the impact of technological developments on changes in the socio-economic system of society prompts us now to pay close attention to the fundamental consequences of current technological shifts. Secondly, the views of J.K. Galbraith on the key role of the industrial system in the economy are still up-to-date. It is precisely the shifts that are taking place today in the industrial core of the economy that allow us to talk about the upcoming transition to a second generation New Industrial Society (NIS.2). The opportunities that NIS.2 brings with it, and the technological, global economic, environmental-climatic, biological and geopolitical risks observed today, including those fraught with catastrophic consequences, which in their material form are causedby new technological achievements, realities and possibilities of the modern technological revolution, make it increasingly acute to raise the question of the prospect of moving away from the dominance of rational economic calculation and the prevalence of the interests of global financial capital. There is a need to shift to such a way of satisfying human wants, which would be rational from the point of view of the criteria of reason and culture - to noonomy. The path to noonomy is long and difficult, but the crisis in the global economy, politics and culture strongly dictates the need to take the first concrete steps along this path, including through the establishment of equal economic cooperation between countries and peoples.