Academic literature on the topic 'Behavioral Additionality'

Abstract Despite the increased interest in innovation ecosystems, few studies have assessed the extent to which the proclaimed benefits from participating in such ecosystems also occur, and under which circumstances they do occur. Uniting the literature on organizational interdependence and social exchange theory, we assess the behavioral and output additionality obtained by innovation ecosystem participants. In doing so, we build upon a sample of 473 innovative Finnish companies, of which 312 participated in an innovation ecosystem. We find a significantly positive relationship between organizational interdependence and output additionality, and find that this relationship is mediated by behavioral additionality. Furthermore, we find that the relationship between behavioral additionality and output additionality is particularly strong when firms appoint members from the innovation ecosystem to their board of directors, pointing to the importance of internalizing the ecosystem. We discuss implications for academia and practice.

Government research and development (R&D) subsidies are more important in countries that are latecomers to the biotechnology industry, where venture capital has not been developed, and the ratio of start-ups is high. Previous studies have mostly focused on the additionality of the input and output through government R&D subsidies, such as private R&D investment, technological innovation, and financial performance. In addition, some studies have focused on the behavioral additionality (the change in a firm’s behavior) of firms through government R&D subsidies. However, each study is fragmented and does not provide integrated results and implications. Therefore, this study comprehensively investigated the effects of government R&D subsidies on the multifaceted aspects of input, output, and behavioral additionality based on data from South Korean biotechnology companies. This study used the propensity score matching (PSM) method to prevent selection bias. The results showed that firms benefiting from government R&D subsidies had a markedly higher R&D investment in terms of input additionality, and they produced more technological innovation within a shorter period in terms of output additionality, though financial performance was not determined. Moreover, government R&D subsidies have accelerated strategic alliances and suppressed external financing (debt financing) in terms of behavioral additionality.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of government intervention on a firm's innovation activities. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of previous literature, this paper proposes a framework to explain behavioral changes in the firm resulting from government interventions. Using propensity score matching technique, this research tries to estimate the effect of R&D subsidies on Iranian firms (small and medium-sized enterprises and large-sized firms). Findings This paper identified that R&D subsidies have a significant effect on the innovation process. Furthermore, investigations indicate that behavioral variables (innovation capabilities, collaboration agreements and risk-taking) have been partly changed in both SMEs and large firms after subsidizing. The analysis of innovation outputs showed that although R&D subsidies significantly increase the number of new products/services or patents (especially for SMEs), it could not increase the total sale of the firms. These results show that the effect of R&D subsidies has not interestingly covered all variables influencing innovation activities. Research limitations/implications The work used dynamic capability theory, transaction cost theory and behavioral theory of the firm to explain behavioral changes in the firm resulting from government interventions. Practical implications This paper proposes several policy concerns which can help the policymakers to stimulate the innovation support procedures in Iran. Social implications This paper provides insights for improved policymaking which in turn can aid boosting social welfare. Originality/value This paper re-conceptualized behavioral additionality based on firms’ behavioral theories and evaluated the effects of Iranian R&D subsidies on their measures.

This thesis aims to measure additionality effect of TÜ
BiTAK&rsquo
s Industrial R&
D Projects Funding Programme and try to reveal input, output and behavioral additionality effect of it. A pilot evaluation study is conducted on firms from Ankara operating on software development sector where firms who have received TÜ
BiTAK funding are subject to the analysis. In order to comprehend results of the analysis, first theoretical background on emergence of industrial R&
D funding is explained and the need for evaluation of industrial R&
D funding instruments is discussed. Then, focus is turned to major changes in industrial R&
D policies in Turkey by taking into account of resolutions of Supreme Council of Science and Technology. After summarizing available industrial R&
D funding instruments in Turkey, attention is turned to TÜ
BiTAK&rsquo
s Industrial R&
D Projects Funding Programme and evaluation of the programme is explained in detail. The impact of TÜ
BiTAK funding on firms R&
D expenditures, commercial successes and behavioral changes are discussed and finally the thesis ends with a discussion on the organization of this evaluation practice as well as suggestions for further evaluation studies.

The concept of behavioural additionality, which was originally associated with the question of 'what difference does policy make in the behaviour of the firms it supports?', has increasingly been used by scholars, evaluators and policy-makers not only in the field of evaluation of innovation policies but also within the context of fundamental discussions of policy rationales. A survey of the evaluation literature concludes that the concept lacks a clear definition and theoretical background as it does not have a unit of analysis. An empirical analysis of the current practice of innovation policy evaluation endorses this finding and outlines the uniqueness of behavioural additionality in terms of its evaluation. A survey of policy discussions around the concept reveals that behavioural additionality has been argued as the hallmark of an evolutionary view in respect of innovation policy. However, the thesis suggests that the concept also lacks an appropriate framework of analysis to accomplish this.The thesis argues that behavioural additionality should be redefined by using the concept of organisational routines as the unit of analysis and the evolutionary approach as the framework of analysis. To this end, a theoretical and generic approach that conceives behavioural additionality as the government-influenced evolution of organisational routines at the micro, meso and macro levels is devised. The thesis unfolds how behavioural additionality is created by reinforcing ostensive, performative and artefact aspects of routines within firms. The possibility, rationale and evaluation of behavioural additionality are also discussed. Empirically, the thesis applies a plausibility probe that employs two case studies of Turkish TIDEB and British Collaborative R&D programmes to illustrate the micro level of the approach developed.It is concluded that the proposed approach provides a better theoretical understanding for behavioural additionality, which would increase its impact on policy-making. This new approach also represents a concrete attempt to utilise the framework and unit of analysis of the evolutionary approach in the field of evaluation for the first time.

The changes in the behaviour of the innovating firm that would not have been the case in the absence of the public support, behavioural additionality, is investigated in this thesis. The theoretical foundations of the concept along with the existing evaluation attempts worldwide are analysed. The need for evaluation in Turkey is established. The design of the TÜ
BiTAK-TEYDEB programme in question along with the related policy context is described to form a basis for the evaluation of the behavioural additionality. It is revealed that the need for an evaluation of behavioural additionality for the legitimacy of the programme from the data analysis. Finally, given such inputs, the thesis develops a methodological proposal for a framework to evaluate the behavioural additionality of the public support to private R&
D in Turkey.

After 20 years of development, the concept of behavioural additionality (Buisseret, Cameron and Georghiou, 1995) has achieved important conceptual progress. However, when facing the task of identifying and evaluating the behavioural additionality effect produced by innovation and collaboration policies, three important issues remain: conceptual disagreement, the ‘black-box’ and project fallacy problems, and the need to select a unit of analysis compatible with a holistic perspective on innovation and which does not constrain the type of effects to pre-conditioned behaviours. Motivated by these challenges, this thesis proposes an alternative methodology for evaluating the behavioural additionality dimension of a government-supported policy instrument designed to stimulate and promote collaboration between firms and universities. Thus, in an attempt to close the gap, the thesis explores and merges two complementary frameworks or perspectives: the Case-Based Method (CBM) and the Theory-Based Evaluation (TBE) approach in addition to prior evidence within the evaluation practice of the behavioural additionality effect. The combination of these frameworks results in the proposed methodology, an iterative, three-step evaluation model, where CBM finds its utility as the tool to scope and select the programme focus of analysis, providing an in-depth exploration of the behavioural characteristics of the policy beneficiaries, and TBE helps to develop a programme theory which helps to map the logic of the intervention. In addition to the use of these approaches, another novelty of the approach lies in its incorporation of organisational routines as the unit of analysis (Gök, 2010) and contribution analysis (Mayne, 2012) to attribute policy effects. The methodology is then tested and validated by applying it to six companies (cases) who participated in the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) Scheme, a government-supported policy instrument designed to stimulate and promote collaboration by pairing companies with Higher Education Institutions, which has an extensive track record in the UK. The programme was selected due to its potential for stimulating changes in behaviour. The findings of the case studies provide evidence of modifications in behaviours, either by changing the decision-making process that governs the innovation strategy, or by managing to develop new technological components. This research demonstrates the way in which the CBM and the TBE approaches can each be used as a potential research design for evaluating the behavioural additionality effect. Merging these perspectives produces a systematic approach for understanding organisational behavioural change, leading to an improved decision-making process in designing innovation and collaboration instruments that enact the desired influence upon organisational behaviours.

Interest of STI policies to influence the innovation behaviour of firms has been increased considerably. This gives rise to the notion of behavioural additionality, broadening traditional evaluation concepts of input and output additionality. Though there is empirical work measuring behavioural additionalities, we know little about what role distinct firm characteristics play for their occurrence. The objective is to estimate how distinct firm characteristics influence the realisation of behavioural additionalities. We use survey data on 155 firms, considering the behavioural additionalities stimulated by the Austrian R&D funding scheme in the field of intelligent transport systems in 2006. We focus on three different forms of behavioural additionality project additionality, scale additionality and cooperation additionality and employ binary regression models to address this question. Results indicate that R&D related firm characteristics significantly affect the realisation of behavioural additionality. Firms with a high level of R&D resources are less likely to substantiate behavioural additionalities, while small, young and technologically specialised firms more likely realise behavioural additionalities. From a policy perspective, this indicates that direct R&D promotion of firms with high R&D resources may be misallocated, while attention of public support should be shifted to smaller, technologically specialised firms with lower R&D experience.

Teachers face a number of challenges when educating students. While tasked with providing effective instruction, teachers are also required to manage student behavior. Prevalence of student problem behavior is a strong indicator of failing schools, with problem behavior being correlated with reduced academic achievement, truancy, bullying, and loss of teacher time. Given the increased focus on school and teacher accountability, there also has been an increased demand for intervention programs that may effectively reduce levels of problem behavior in school settings. Though many practices have been found to be effective in modifying behavioral trajectories, researchers have often found that evidence-based practices are underutilized in applied settings. Given that many empirically supported interventions have failed to be widely adopted, this book provides school-based personnel (in training and practice) with a thorough description of the application of behavioral interventions in schools. Interventions are described in terms of a tiered model of service delivery. For intervention strategies described, case examples are provided to illustrate application of the described strategies. Additionally, book chapters have been developed to align with the Behavior Analysis Certification Board Task List (5th ed.). The book walks trainees and practitioners through the entire process of assessment of problem behaviors to intervention and progress monitoring.

In this chapter topics on psychology including experimental and behavioral psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive psychology and social psychology will be reviewed. Additionally, essential topics in sociology including anthropology, culture, ethnicity and race will be reviewed. Other topics that will be reviewed in this chapter include ethology, psychoanalytic theory and spirituality

This book provides a synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature on the financial behavior of major stakeholders, financial services, investment products, and financial markets. It offers a different way of looking at financial and emotional well-being and the processing of beliefs, emotions, and behaviors related to money than provided by traditional academic finance. The book provides important insights into how cognitive and emotional biases influence various financial decision makers, services, products, and markets. Because noted scholars and practitioners write on their areas of expertise, readers can gain an in-depth understanding of multiple topic from experts around the world. In today’s financial setting, the discipline of behavioral finance continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This book familiarizes readers with not only the core topics and issues but also the latest trends, cutting-edge research developments, and real-world situations. Additionally, discussion of cognitive and emotional issues is supported with research in the field. Overall, the book covers a critical topic, from the theoretical to the practical, while offering a useful balance of detailed and user-friendly discussions. Those interested in a broad survey will benefit, as will those seeking in-depth coverage of biases and other aspect of behavioral finance. As the seventh book in the Financial Markets and Investment Series, Financial Behavior: Players, Services, Products, and Markets offers a fresh look at this fascinating area of behavioral finance.

Behavioral economics construes addiction as a pattern of pathological decisions favoring consumption of drugs versus healthy reinforcers. This chapter introduces basic behavioral-economic concepts and reviews results from operant laboratory studies, purchase task studies, and clinical studies that validate the concepts’ utility in addiction research. Research and theory about the economic significance of the delay to receipt of a chosen commodity (delay discounting) is reviewed. Additionally, research bearing on the validity of the competing neurobehavioral decision systems hypothesis, a neuroeconomic theory, is considered by drawing on a diversity of data including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fRMI) and genetic studies. This new theory proposes that addiction is due to hyperactive impulsive and hypoactive executive systems in the brain. Future directions for research and treatment are reviewed.

Working with patients presenting with serious harm to themselves or others is an experience many mental health professionals will have during their careers. The possibility of working with this population might cause some apprehension for treatment providers because of the patient and professional risks involved. In this chapter we review the applicable legal theories of professional negligence and focus on the potential legal and professional ramifications that occur when mental health professionals do not rise to the applicable standard of care when working with suicidal or aggressive patients. Additionally, this chapter provides an outline of the legally imposed duties that treatment providers have to their patients so as to promote effective and ethical treatment of those presenting with the possibility of serious harm to themselves and others.

The RUBI Autism Network has developed and tested a structured parent training manual for children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behaviors. The manual is based on principles of applied behavior analysis and is designed for therapists to use with parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring challenging behaviors, such as tantrums, noncompliance, difficulties with transitions, and aggression. A trained therapist utilizes the manual to guide the parent in applying techniques and tools to help manage the child’s challenging behaviors. The treatment includes 11 Core sessions, 7 Supplemental sessions, a home visit, and follow-up telephone booster sessions. Each of the sessions contains a therapist script, activity sheets, a parent handout, and treatment fidelity checklists. Additionally, accompanying each core session are video vignettes that the therapist uses to demonstrate concepts taught in the session. The videos include 30- to 60-second vignettes demonstrating common parenting mistakes as well as implementation (to varying degrees of success) of the strategies being taught. The treatment manual is designed to be delivered individually to parents in weekly outpatient visits. Parents are given homework assignments between sessions that focus on applying techniques to specific behaviors.

The RUBI Autism Network has developed and tested a structured parent training manual for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and disruptive behaviors. The manual is based on principles of applied behavior analysis and is designed for therapists to use with parents of children with ASD and co-occurring challenging behaviors, such as tantrums, noncompliance, difficulties with transitions, and aggression. A trained therapist utilizes the manual and parent workbook to guide the parent in applying techniques and tools to help manage the child’s challenging behaviors. The treatment includes 11 Core sessions, 7 Supplemental sessions, a home visit, and follow-up telephone booster sessions. Each of the sessions contains a therapist script, activity sheets, a parent handout, and treatment fidelity checklists. Additionally, accompanying each core session are video vignettes that the therapist uses to demonstrate concepts taught in the session. The videos include 30- to 60-second vignettes demonstrating common parenting mistakes as well as implementation (to varying degrees of success) of the strategies being taught. The treatment is designed to be delivered individually to parents in weekly outpatient visits. Parents are given homework assignments between sessions that focus on applying techniques to specific behaviors.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a patient-centered and collaborative approach to clinical care (Miller & Rollnick, 2013). This narrative review describes MI and then concentrates on evidence for its use with patients to help enhance health behaviors in a variety of settings. Because of the proliferation of research in the area, this overview necessarily is selective. This review focuses on some of the most common chronic health behavior problems, such as those associated with obesity, oral hygiene behavior, and chronic disease management. Additionally, motivational interactions (MIACTs), which are spoken and nonverbal communications from health professionals with patients, are proposed as very brief communications that are based on MI spirit and other MI principles. These MIACTs may promote positive interactions between patients and providers, enhance patient satisfaction with healthcare, and help to establish rapport, even when the time available for healthcare interactions does not allow a true implementation of MI.

This chapter provides an overview to The Development of Relational Aggression. It focusses on one type of nonphysical aggression—namely, relational aggression. Relational aggression is defined as behavior that is intended to harm another’s relationships or feelings of inclusion in a group. Unlike physical aggression, the scars of relational aggression are more difficult to see. However, victims (and aggressors) may experience strong and long-lasting consequences, including reduced self-esteem, loneliness, substance use, eating pathology, depression, and anxiety. The field of relational, indirect, and social aggression is introduced in this chapter and the need for research on these topics is delineated. Each chapter in the volume is briefly described and the major points summarized. Additionally, this chapter synthesizes the book as a whole and describes the need to examine these behaviors in a developmental context.

AbstractDemand side management (DSM) is seen as a promising, cost-effective measure to cope with high shares of intermittent renewable energy in the electricity grid system. As the regulatory framework in Europe is changing in favor of opening up new market opportunities for DSM, the question is answered, which potentials are effectively available in the tertiary sector today and in the future. Results in this study are based on empirical data gathered from services companies. The collected data is of high quality and rich in detail and is of utmost importance for relevant model-based analyses. Additionally, the discussed acceptance rates of new technology or behavioral trends have a high impact on the results of the model analyses.

Peer-mediated interventions reduce teacher implementation demand by capitalizing on the abundance of students within school settings who may be trained to function as interventionists. Recent meta-analyses have identified peer-mediated interventions as empirically based for addressing challenging behaviors in students. This chapter describes various types of peer-mediated interventions that may be utilized to address student behavior. Specifically, peer management and peer modeling are introduced and described in order to provide practitioners with alternative behavior intervention options within Tier II of an MTSS framework. Additionally, this chapter provides practitioners with a framework for identifying student interventionists and describes practical and ethical issues that are unique to peer-mediated behavioral interventions.

This chapter seeks to outline the overarching scenario of behavioral approaches to developmental and childhood speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders. By adopting the dichotomy of skill and problem behaviors, the steps or sequence, procedures, and practices of behavioral assessment and interventions are explained. While doing so, the uniquely Indian cultural underpinnings are highlighted with evidence-based empirical supports for the optimal benefits of the affected individuals. Additionally, two separate segments are focused on guidelines for skill training and problem behavior management along with case illustration on the format for their mapping procedures. The concluding section covers a critique of this approach which continues to hold promise for some more explorations in the contemporary circumstances for the optimum habilitation of these affected individuals.

This chapter addresses the processes at work in Confucian cultivation of manners, especially as this bears on our willingness to be polite to some people while reluctant to be polite to others. It focuses on Confucian attention to external behavior as a resource for shaping internal dispositions and attitudes. It likewise attends to the social dynamics of practicing manners, the ways in which civil behaviors can encourage answering like behaviors from others, steering social environments toward greater sociality. The chapter additionally addresses how stereotyping judgments of others can depress efforts to be civil and considers manners as a resource for inculcating greater humility in our evaluations of others and as a behavioral standard that can reduce the effects of stereotyping judgments on others. The Confucian account is coupled throughout with material drawn from contemporary social psychological studies.

With the growing determination to sustain in the competitive market, organizations are focusing more on developing their knowledge management system. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of knowledge sharing intentions (KSI) and affective trust (AT) on knowledge sharing (KS) behavior of employees. Additionally, the mediating influence of affective commitment (AC) of the employees in this relationship is also studied. This study uses data from a sample of 246 managers in Indian private sector firms and employs a structural equation modelling approach to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings of this study show that contrary to the results of prior research, KSI does not affect KS behavior directly. Rather, it acts indirectly through AC, which is necessary for increasing employees' loyalty and willingness to share their knowledge. Moreover, the results indicated that AT has an indirect influence on employees' KS behavior via KSI. Implications and limitations and future scope of the study have also been discussed.

Organizational behavioral analysis has been utilized as a tool to deconstruct the behavior interactions, antecedents, and consequences that impact work productivity and performance across the workplace. Such an analysis has been helpful within the industry at assisting managers, leaders, and workers to measure workplace culture, morale, and productivity. Accordingly, in order for there to be maximum harmony and equilibrium within the workplace, there must also be happiness, contentment, and peace. This chapter synthesizes best practice principles of organizational behavioral analysis (OBM) interwoven within a cultural diversity framework with the functional systems logic so as to enhance workplace management and productivity. Additionally, this chapter elucidates the conceptual framework of positive psychology as a compendium to OBM and cultural diversity in order for worker productivity to become reciprocally fashioned across the workplace.

This chapter examines the implications of behavioral insights for tax design, taxpayers’ decision-making, and tax compliance. With regard to tax design, the chapter discusses policymakers’ own heuristics and biases, and their catering to (or exploitation of) the biased judgments of the public at large. Regarding economic decision-making, the chapter explores the dark and bright sides of tax saliency. With regard to compliance, it explains why people pay taxes, and how this compliance might be further enhanced. Finally, the chapter explains how cognitive factors affect taxpayers’ inclination to challenge tax liability. Additionally, the chapter describes the behavioral contribution to positive and normative analyses of redistribution, by shedding new light on how people form judgments about tax progressivity; the cognitive ramifications of poverty; wealth and subjective well-being; and the choice between methods and objects of redistribution. The chapter also comments on the use of taxes as a means of modifying human behavior.

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder that consists of recurrent binging episodes and inappropriate compensatory behaviors. Binge eating is defined as eating a large amount of food within a discrete time period accompanied by a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode. Examples of inappropriate compensatory behaviors include self-induced vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise, and laxative or diuretic misuse. Additionally, patients with BN experience body image disturbance, where their self-evaluation is unduly affected by weight and body shape concerns. Bulimia nervosa typically begins in late adolescence or young adulthood. Patients either are typically of normal weight or are overweight. Physical examination and laboratory findings are typically normal; however, medical complications can include electrolyte disturbances, cardiac arrhythmia, and dental caries. Fluoxetine and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat BN. A nutritional consultation is another important component of care. Finally, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and family therapy are the psychotherapies of choice.

Current behavioral economics/game theory and social psychology literature have been captivated by the idea of altruism and egoism. In large part, these two disciplines have tried to determine the foundation of selfish and selfless behavior, without much result. The current chapter examines the root issues associated with this inquiry and argues for a shift in attention towards factors associated with cooperation. As such, empirical research from both disciplines is presented to show the advancements in relation to identification of these factors. Additionally, the authors offer a possible solution to the fractured literature in the form Weber, Kopelman, and Messick's (2004) dual process model in an effort to merge findings from both disciplines in an attempt progress this line of research.

Current behavioral economics/game theory and social psychology literature have been captivated by the idea of altruism and egoism. In large part, these two disciplines have tried to determine the foundation of selfish and selfless behavior, without much result. The current chapter examines the root issues associated with this inquiry and argues for a shift in attention towards factors associated with cooperation. As such, empirical research from both disciplines is presented to show the advancements in relation to identification of these factors. Additionally, the authors offer a possible solution to the fractured literature in the form Weber, Kopelman, and Messick's (2004) dual process model in an effort to merge findings from both disciplines in an attempt progress this line of research.

Bio-logging technology is becoming an ever more common tool for persistent monitoring of people and animals in their natural environment. As a result, the volume and type of information collected by these embedded sensing systems continues to increase, making algorithms that can accurately and efficiently classify and parameterize behavior from sensor data essential. How best to extract information from multiple sensors remains an open question. The problem becomes more challenging in cases where only sparse concurrent human observations of the behavioral states are available to train the algorithm. In this work, the authors present a systematic method to perform feature generation, feature selection and state classification from representative data collected from an example species — bottlenose dolphins. This approach includes methods for evaluating window size selection during feature generation and the identification of specific feature sets that maximize classification performance. Additionally, the proposed framework incorporates information about state transition probabilities to further improve classification accuracy. Bio-logging sensor and video data for the analysis are collected from free-swimming dolphins at Dolphin Quest Oahu. The concurrent video data is scored by a human expert to create a set of observed behaviors. Results demonstrate that the algorithm is able to classify behavior with a high level of accuracy (> 90 percent) with 16 features and a window size of 0.6 seconds. Robustness of the proposed approach is evaluated by reducing the training data by 80 percent. The resulting classification accuracy is still above 87 percent. These results serve as the foundation for classification algorithms that can be used with data collected from animals where behavioral states can only be observed sporadically.

Abstract Swarm control strategies allow for decentralized control of many simple robots to perform collective behaviors based on local interactions. We have created a new platform for developing and exploring swarm behaviors, supporting both simulation and experimental verification. The platform, designed entirely in Simulink, provides a simple implementation with satisfactory dynamics to replicate experimental trials on Santa Clara University’s Robotic Systems Laboratory’s Low-Cost Indoor Testbed. The platform allows for seamless transitions from simulation to experimentation on the testbed. The platform is currently equipped with attract, disperse, obstacle avoidance, and go-to behaviors which have been verified both in simulation and on the experimental testbed. Additionally, a composite behavior, flocking, composed of attract and go-to behaviors is presented to demonstrate the flexibility of the simulator. Future work will expand the available behaviors to include swarm adaptive navigation behavior primitives like minima and maxima finding as well as contour and ridge following.

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) plays a crucial role in influencingpurchasing decisions of consumers as it provides them with further assurancein situations governed by asymmetric information. In this context, investorsinteracting in reward-based crowdfunding platforms might modify theirpurchasing intentions according to recommendations of peers and experts.The objective of this paper is to analyze the power of eWOM to shapeconsumers’ initial purchasing intentions by conducting an experimentthrough Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). This online experimental toolallows for an instant access to a large and culturally diverse subject pool,making it easier for researchers to conduct behavioral research requiringlarge amounts of subjects. By recreating a reward-based crowdfundingwebpage and tracking how consumers’ product choice varies due torecommendations of other buyers and experts, current research confirmseWOM power in modifying purchasing decisions as well as prevalence ofother buyers’ recommendations over those of experts. Additionally, it istested AMT as a crowdsourcing platform that enables scholars to carry outonline research related to economics and social sciences.

Most of the techniques available nowadays for crowd simulation are focused on a specific situation, e.g. evacuation inhazardous events. Very few of them consider the cultural and personality aspects present in a society to determine the behavior of agents. Therefore, this work aims to build a framework able to deal with different cultural and personality traits as input, and translate them into a group parametrization, which is going to determine the behavior of groups and crowds in virtual environments. Also, we include in BioCrowds a comfort response for agents, in terms of density and thermal characteristics of the environment. Results indicate that the cultural/psychological mappings seem promising, since agents were able to perform as intended. Additionally, agents were able to react due to thermal and density comfort, improving their ability to react to environmental changes.

This study investigated to what extent group cohesiveness is related to organizational commitment and transformational leadership. In the advent of generational transformation, it is impossible to achieve organizational goals and create win-win partnerships between supervisors and subordinates merely by resorting to organizational discipline or role behavior. This study, based on a quality interview survey, explored the influence of team cohesiveness on organizational commitment with transformational leadership as a moderating variable. Literature related to the real estate agency industry was firstly reviewed and compiled for overall understanding. In-depth onsite expert interviews were conducted for inducing internal and external affecting factors. Actual cases were analyzed. The influence of team behavior and group cohesiveness on organizational commitment was verified. It was found. Additionally, supervisors' positive transformational leadership and supportive behavior could lead to positive organizational cohesiveness. This is regarded as one of the key success factors of management. Transformational leadership behaviors that can boost positive group cohesiveness should be encouraged. Such behaviors can not only boost group cohesiveness but also enable the team to achieve the team goal efficiently.

The Function-based Behavioral Modeling (FBBM) design tool was introduced in prior work as a means of using formal functional modeling as the foundation for creating detailed mathematical models of system behavior. The overall objective of this work is to create a framework for partitioning modeling efforts into functional elements and promoting model storage and re-use through the use of functional models. In prior work, the FBBM method was introduced to model the complete vehicle dynamics of a Formula SAE racecar, highlighting the representation of functionality and the development of behavioral models. The objective of the work presented in the current paper is to demonstrate the ability to incorporate models of varying fidelity within a function-based behavioral model of a complex system. Additionally, the impact of model fidelity on the model’s predictions is addressed. A previously developed model is used as a foundation for developing the necessary new models and illustrating the impact of model fidelity on performance predictions when selecting a tire during early design. The results illustrate that the FBBM framework allows models of varying fidelity to be quickly made and their effect on predicted performance to be measured in order to assist critical early design choices.

An accurate constitutive law for the annulus fibrosus (AF) is critical to modeling the complex loads and deformations of the intervertebral disc. In the healthy disc, the loads applied to the AF are primarily a combination of tension and torsion. Several researchers [1–5] have developed nonlinear strain energy functions to model the AF using the fiber-reinforced composite theory of Spencer [6]. However, a limitation to these previous studies is that they did not include shear data in calculating the model coefficients. Although many of these models have non-physical representations of the stress contribution of the collagen fibers [1, 2, 4], (i.e. collagen fibers only support tensile loads, but in the models they also support compressive axial loads), others have implemented a tension-only restriction for collagen fibers [3, 5]. The objective of this study was to model shear behavior of the AF in addition to previously modeled loading conditions [2]. The currently proposed model includes shear data in determining model coefficients. Additionally, we examined the effect of a tension-only representation of collagen fibers on the model’s fit to the experimental data.

Due to specific requirements in NPP piping different materials are used and connected by dissimilar welds (DM). The fatigue behavior of such welds must be known for design and safety evaluations. The overall fatigue behavior of welds depends on the properties of the different weld sections and their interaction. The welding may influence the fatigue behavior of the base materials in the vicinity of the weld. The investigation deals with the fatigue behavior of DM typical for German NPP: ferritic steel 20MnMoNi5-5 welded to austenitic steel X6CrNiNb18-10 using nickel based alloy for buttering. Fatigue specimens were taken from each region of the weld (ferritic steel near weld, buttering, connection weld, austenitic steel near weld). Additionally specimens were taken containing two adjacent material regions and the respective fusion line. For each position specimens were tested in fully reversed strain controlled conditions at room temperature and total strain amplitude of 0.25%. The results were compared with the best-fit curves for austenitic and ferritic steels.

Metallic Strip Flexible Pipe (MSFP) is regarded as a promising alternative for submarine pipelines. During the operation and service phases, MSFP will inevitably experience significant tension as well as internal and external pressures. In order to ensure the security and reliability of MSFP in the application, the mechanical responses of MSFP subjected to axisymmetric loads should be carefully estimated. In this paper, a theoretical model estimating the tension stiffness under axisymmetric loads is established, which takes the material plasticity into consideration. Additionally, a finite element model is developed by ABAQUS to verify the feasibility of the proposed theoretical model. The results from full-scale tensile tests of MSFP are also adopted to verify the proposed method’s validity in calculating its tension behavior. The coincidence between the results from different methods illustrates the accuracy and reliability of the proposed theoretical model. Based on the parametric study, some interesting conclusions have been obtained which may be useful for the practical application of MSFP.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.

Literacy training for girls and young women can bridge the gap between girls’ low rates of schooling in the Sahel region and their desire for lifelong knowledge and skills. Literacy programs may also help promote community behavioral and attitudinal change by making the benefits of girls’ education visible. Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) has increased literacy training for adolescent girls (AGs) to add to the assets they need to improve health outcomes. As a response to the need to strengthen literacy training components in Safe Spaces, practical lessons from evidence-based programming were compiled. These lessons center the learning experience on AGs and emphasize the need for materials that actively engage participants and thus increase the likelihood of their retaining information. As noted in this brief, within Safe Spaces, literacy training curriculum content should be informed by AG subject matter suggestions to increase relevance to the girls’ lives, regardless of the setting (community spaces or schools). Additionally, instructors need dedicated training using simple instructions and evidence-based curricula. Community involvement may help ensure longterm community support for girls’ education.

As part of a Population Council program of research on unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion in Rajasthan, the Council and Ibtada conducted a qualitative exploration of attitudes and behaviors regarding unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion in Alwar district. The study was intended to lay the groundwork for two quantitative studies on abortion undertaken subsequently in six districts of Rajasthan. The qualitative exploration shows that women, particularly those who are poor, turn to largely untrained community-level providers for abortion services. Additionally, women use home remedies in an often unsuccessful attempt to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Women with greater financial means obtain surgical services from a private gynecologist. The remaining women are left with little choice but to avail of services from informal providers that they often recognize to be unsafe and/or to carry unwanted pregnancies to term. This report encourages innovative means to improve access to legal, safe, and effective abortion services at lower levels of the public health system, and suggests that the feasibility of training certain informal providers to offer safe abortion services, particularly at early gestations, should be explored at the policy, program, and research levels.

From this edition, the Financial Stability Report will have fewer pages with some changes in its structure. The purpose of this change is to present the most relevant facts of the financial system and their implications on the financial stability. This allows displaying the analysis more concisely and clearly, as it will focus on describing the evolution of the variables that have the greatest impact on the performance of the financial system, for estimating then the effect of a possible materialization of these risks on the financial health of the institutions. The changing dynamics of the risks faced by the financial system implies that the content of the Report adopts this new structure; therefore, some analyses and series that were regularly included will not necessarily be in each issue. However, the statistical annex that accompanies the publication of the Report will continue to present the series that were traditionally included, regardless of whether or not they are part of the content of the Report. In this way we expect to contribute in a more comprehensive way to the study and analysis of the stability of the Colombian financial system. Executive Summary During the first half of 2015, the main advanced economies showed a slow recovery on their growth, while emerging economies continued with their slowdown trend. Domestic demand in the United States allowed for stabilization on its average growth for the first half of the year, while other developed economies such as the United Kingdom, the euro zone, and Japan showed a more gradual recovery. On the other hand, the Chinese economy exhibited the lowest growth rate in five years, which has resulted in lower global dynamism. This has led to a fall in prices of the main export goods of some Latin American economies, especially oil, whose price has also responded to a larger global supply. The decrease in the terms of trade of the Latin American economies has had an impact on national income, domestic demand, and growth. This scenario has been reflected in increases in sovereign risk spreads, devaluations of stock indices, and depreciation of the exchange rates of most countries in the region. For Colombia, the fall in oil prices has also led to a decline in the terms of trade, resulting in pressure on the dynamics of national income. Additionally, the lower demand for exports helped to widen the current account deficit. This affected the prospects and economic growth of the country during the first half of 2015. This economic context could have an impact on the payment capacity of debtors and on the valuation of investments, affecting the soundness of the financial system. However, the results of the analysis featured in this edition of the Report show that, facing an adverse scenario, the vulnerability of the financial system in terms of solvency and liquidity is low. The analysis of the current situation of credit institutions (CI) shows that growth of the gross loan portfolio remained relatively stable, as well as the loan portfolio quality indicators, except for microcredit, which showed a decrease in these indicators. Regarding liabilities, traditional sources of funding have lost market share versus non-traditional ones (bonds, money market operations and in the interbank market), but still represent more than 70%. Moreover, the solvency indicator remained relatively stable. As for non-banking financial institutions (NBFI), the slowdown observed during the first six months of 2015 in the real annual growth of the assets total, both in the proprietary and third party position, stands out. The analysis of the main debtors of the financial system shows that indebtedness of the private corporate sector has increased in the last year, mostly driven by an increase in the debt balance with domestic and foreign financial institutions. However, the increase in this latter source of funding has been influenced by the depreciation of the Colombian peso vis-à-vis the US dollar since mid-2014. The financial indicators reflected a favorable behavior with respect to the historical average, except for the profitability indicators; although they were below the average, they have shown improvement in the last year. By economic sector, it is noted that the firms focused on farming, mining and transportation activities recorded the highest levels of risk perception by credit institutions, and the largest increases in default levels with respect to those observed in December 2014. Meanwhile, households have shown an increase in the financial burden, mainly due to growth in the consumer loan portfolio, in which the modalities of credit card, payroll deductible loan, revolving and vehicle loan are those that have reported greater increases in risk indicators. On the side of investments that could be affected by the devaluation in the portfolio of credit institutions and non-banking financial institutions (NBFI), the largest share of public debt securities, variable-yield securities and domestic private debt securities is highlighted. The value of these portfolios fell between February and August 2015, driven by the devaluation in the market of these investments throughout the year. Furthermore, the analysis of the liquidity risk indicator (LRI) shows that all intermediaries showed adequate levels and exhibit a stable behavior. Likewise, the fragility analysis of the financial system associated with the increase in the use of non-traditional funding sources does not evidence a greater exposure to liquidity risk. Stress tests assess the impact of the possible joint materialization of credit and market risks, and reveal that neither the aggregate solvency indicator, nor the liquidity risk indicator (LRI) of the system would be below the established legal limits. The entities that result more individually affected have a low share in the total assets of the credit institutions; therefore, a risk to the financial system as a whole is not observed. José Darío Uribe Governor