scholarly journals Is Voting for a Cartel a Sign of Cooperativeness?

Games ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Joris Gillet
Keyword(s):  
Selection Effect ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Standard Version ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pricing Games ◽  
Bertrand Oligopoly ◽  
Binding Agreement

This paper tests the hypothesis that a (partial) reason why cartels—collective but costly and non-binding price agreements—lead to higher prices in a Bertrand oligopoly could be because of a selection effect: decision-makers who are willing to form price agreements are more likely to be less competitive and pick higher prices in general. To test this hypothesis we run an experiment where participants play two consecutive Bertrand pricing games: first a standard version without the opportunity to form agreements; followed by a version where participants can vote whether to have a (costly) non-binding agreement as a group to pick the highest number. We find no statistically significant difference between the numbers picked in the first game by participants who vote for and against an agreement in the second game. We do confirm that having a non-binding agreement to cooperate leads to higher numbers being picked on average. Both participants who voted for and against the agreement increase the number they pick in situations with an agreement. However, this effect is bigger for participants who voted in favour.

scholarly journals Voting For a Cartel as a Sign of Cooperativeness

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joris Gillet
Keyword(s):  
Standard Version ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Bertrand Oligopoly

This paper tests the hypothesis that a (partial) reason why cartels – costly non-binding price agreements – lead to higher prices in Bertrand Pricing Game-experiments could be because participants who form these kinds of agreements are more cooperative and pick higher numbers in general. To test this hypothesis we run an experiment where participants play two consecutive Bertrand oligopoly games: first a standard version without the opportunity to make price agreements; followed by a version where participants can vote, by majority, on whether to have a costly nonbinding agreement to pick the highest number. We find no statistically significant difference between the numbers picked in the first game by participants who vote for and against an agreement in the second game. We do confirm that having a price agreement leads to higher numbers being picked on average. Additionally we find that participants who vote for or against the price-agreement behave differently in response to the existence of the price agreement. In particular, participants who vote for a price agreement react more positively to the price agreement. The difference in numbers picked in the second game between situations with and without a price agreement is larger for participants who voted in favour of the agreement. Voters who voted for the price agreement are more cooperative than voters who voted against but only in situations where there is a price agreement.

Education of Independent Elderly in the Responsible Use of Prescription Medications

1980 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 335-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy V. Lundin ◽  
P. Albert Eros ◽  
Joanne Melloh ◽  
Judy E. Sands
Keyword(s):  
Decision Makers ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Memory Aids ◽  
Therapy Decision ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Mean Compliance ◽  
With Memory ◽  
Independent Elderly

A pilot study to test the effectiveness of medication instruction was carried out using 61 voluntary participants age 65 and older. They were interviewed regarding their medication taking, and instruction was individualized using one of four teaching modes: oral; written; oral and written; and oral and written combined with memory aids. Postinstruction interviews revealed no significant difference in compliance among all groups. The preinstruction mean compliance score of all subjects was 98.8 percent. Although compliance, judged specifically on the basis of the prescription label instructions, was extremely high both before and after instruction, drug-taking behavior and knowledge did change. The preinstruction compliance score does not necessarily reflect safe or desirable drug-taking behavior. There was no specific information given to clients with their prescriptions and prescription medications, indicating, for drug-therapy decision makers, a much broader problem than noncompliance.

Measuring User Experience With 3, 5, 7, or 11 Points: Does It Matter?

2019 ◽  
pp. 001872081988131
Author(s):  
James R. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Web Site ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Standard Version ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
System Usability ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Perceived Usability ◽  
Form Variant

Objective: To assess versions of the shorter form variant of Usability Metric for User Experience (UMUX-LITE) questionnaire differing in the number of response options for the items (3, 5, 7, and 11). Background: The UMUX-LITE is an efficient (two-item) standardized questionnaire that measures perceived usability. A growing body of evidence shows it closely corresponds to one of the most widely used standardized usability questionnaires, the System Usability Scale (SUS), with regard to both correlation and magnitude of concurrently collected means. Although the “standard” version of the UMUX-LITE uses items with seven response options, there is some variance in practice. Method: Members of a corporate user experience panel ( n = 242) completed surveys rating a recent Web site experience with the SUS and UMUX-LITE, also providing ratings of overall experience and likelihood-to-recommend. Results: Scale reliabilities were acceptable (coefficient α >.70) with the exception of UMUX-LITE with three response options. All UMUX-LITE correlations with SUS, overall experience, and likelihood-to-recommend were highly significant. For likelihood-to-recommend, there was a significant difference in the magnitude of correlations, with 11 response options higher than three. Although some statistically significant differences were observed in correspondence between SUS and UMUX-LITE scores, these did not seem to translate to practically significant differences. Conclusion: The number of UMUX-LITE response options does not matter much, especially in practice. Because the version with three response options showed some weakness with regard to reliability and correlation with likelihood-to-recommend, practitioners should avoid it. Application: Unless there is a strong reason to do otherwise, use the “standard” version with seven response options.

Exploring the future impact of automation in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Lima ◽  
Julia Celia Mercedes Strauch ◽  
Maria Gilda Pimentel Esteves ◽  
Jano Moreira de Souza ◽  
Miriam Barbuda Chaves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Socioeconomic Analysis ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact

PurposeBrazil is struggling as the unemployment rate is 12.4% and nearly 13m people are unemployed. The fourth Industrial Revolution is advancing, and the country needs to consider how it will impact the labor market. This work explores the impact of automation on the Brazilian workforce to supply decision-makers with information about the subject.Design/methodology/approachThe authors converted the probability of computerization from the seminal work of Frey and Osborne to each of the more than 2,500 occupations in Brazil. They then crossed the automation probability with socioeconomic information about workers and companies available in the Brazilian Ministry of Labor Database.FindingsIn total, 60% of employment in Brazil is expected to be highly impacted by automation in the coming decades, with eight out of the ten occupations with the biggest workforce being highly automatable. Automation probability decreases as workers' education level increases, with the most significant difference between workers with higher education and those without it. The results show other inequalities in the impact of automation: the higher the wage, the lower the automation probability of occupations; the bigger the company, the lower the automation index; and workers from 16 to 24 years old have considerably higher chances of being automated.Originality/valueThis work is the first to study, in the context of the fourth Industrial Revolution, the impact of automation in Brazil with a socioeconomic analysis.

scholarly journals Spectral Properties of Fermi Blazars and their Unification Schemes

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-178
Author(s):  
Evaristus U. Iyida ◽  
Finbarr C. Odo ◽  
Augustine E. Chukwude ◽  
Augustine A. Ubachukwu
Keyword(s):  
Selection Effect ◽  
Spectral Indices ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Evolutionary Connection ◽  
Galaxy Populations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Bl Lacs

AbstractWe use the distributions of spectral indices (αv ) of a large homogenous sample of Fermi-detected blazars to re-investigate the relationship between flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and subclasses of BL Lac objects (BL Lacs). We compute the broadband synchrotron and Compton spectral indices from radio-to-X-ray and X-ray to y-ray bands, respectively. Analyses of our data show continuity in the distributions of the spectral indices from FSRQs to HSP through LSP and ISP subclasses of BL Lacs. We find from y-ray luminosity distribution that the jetted radio galaxies form the low-luminosity tail of the distribution, which is suggestive that the sequence can be extended to the young jetted galaxy populations. We observe a significant difference in the shape of Compton and synchrotron spectra: significant anti-correlation (r ∼−0.80) exists between the broadband Compton and synchrotron spectral indices. Furthermore, the broadband spectral indices vary significantly with redshift (z) at low redshift (z < 0.3) and remain fairly constant at high (z ≥ 0.3) redshift. The trend of the variations suggests a form of evolutionary connection between subclasses of blazars. Thus, while selection effect may be significant at low redshift, evolutionary sequence can also be important. Our results are not only consistent with a unified scheme for blazars and their young jetted galaxy counterparts but also suggest that the broadband spectral sequence of blazars is not a secondary effect of redshift dependence.

scholarly journals Environmental awareness of the students of agriculture at the University of Novi Sad: Testing the differences using NEP scale

2017 ◽  
pp. 53-65
Author(s):  
Jelena Karapandzin ◽  
Vesna Rodic
Keyword(s):  
Technological Development ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
New Ecological Paradigm ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Novi Sad ◽  
The University

In this paper, the NEP scale has been used for measurement of achieved level of environmental awareness of students of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Novi Sad. As they are future decision makers in the field of agribusiness, it is very important for them to accept the new ecological paradigm in order to be able to make decisions in the future that are consistent with sustainable development and environmental protection. The research has been conducted on a sample of 800 students. The average value of the environmental awareness of students measured by NEP scale is 3.47, which indicates that students have a pro-ecological worldviews, but still firmly believe in technological development which will provide comfortable and safe life for future generations, without major changes in behavior patterns. Special emphasis was put on understanding of the effects of certain demographic variables on students? ecological orientation. A statistically significant difference in terms of acceptance of new environmental paradigm has not been observed regarding these variables, but there is a statistically significant difference when it comes to the individual NEP scale statements.

scholarly journals COUNSELING VERSUS ANTIDEPRESSANT THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION IN PRIMARY CARE

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Miller ◽  
Clair Chilvers ◽  
Michael Dewey ◽  
Katherine Fielding ◽  
Virginia Gretton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Additional Patient ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Counseling Intervention ◽  
Cost Effective Strategy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean

Objectives: To compare the cost-effectiveness of generic psychological therapy (counseling) with routinely prescribed antidepressant drugs in a naturalistic general practice setting for a follow-up period of 12 months.Methods: Economic analysis alongside a randomized clinical trial with patient preference arm. Comparison of depression-related health service costs at 12 months. Cost-effectiveness analysis of bootstrapped trial data using net monetary benefits and acceptability curves.Results: No significant difference between the mean observed costs of patients randomized to antidepressants or to counseling (£342 vs £302, p = .56 [t test]). If decision makers are not willing to pay more for additional benefits (value placed on extra patient with good outcome, denoted by K, is zero), then we find little difference between the treatment modalities in terms of cost-effectiveness. If decision makers do place value on additional benefit (K > £0), then the antidepressant group becomes more likely to be cost-effective. This likelihood is in excess of 90% where decision makers are prepared to pay an additional £2,000 or more per additional patient with a good global outcome. The mean values for incremental net monetary benefits (INMB) from antidepressants are substantial for higher values of K (INMB = £406 when K = £2,500).Conclusions: For a small proportion of patients, the counseling intervention (as specified in this trial) is a dominant cost-effective strategy. For a larger proportion of patients, the antidepressant intervention (as specified in this trial) is the dominant cost-effective strategy. For the remaining group of patients, cost-effectiveness depends on the value of K. Since we cannot observe K, acceptability curves are a useful way to inform decision makers.

scholarly journals Nonadherence to medications among pharmacy clients and their attitude toward medications kept a medicine cabinet at home

Medicina ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jurgita Daukšienė ◽  
Raimondas Radžiūnas
Keyword(s):  
Medication Use ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Expiry Date ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Health Decision ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Medicine Cabinet ◽  
At Home

Objectives. To assess self-reported adherence among pharmacy clients and to detect if there are any differences in medication use or storage between genders. Material and methods. The data were collected by means of questionnaires. A standard 45-item questionnaire was developed and used to assess adherence and nonadherence to medications. It was distributed to all pharmacy customers who entered pharmacies chosen by us. Results. Of the 162 (45 men and 117 women) pharmacy clients participating in the study, 36.42% were considered nonadherent. No significant difference in adherence rates between genders was observed (P>0.05). Women more often named themselves as being responsible for a medicine cabinet at home (P<0.001) and used more sources of information on medications (P<0.05). Women also more frequently checked the expiry date of medications in a medicine cabinet home than men (P<0.05). Conclusions. The problem of nonadherence to medications exists among pharmacy clients. There is no significant difference in the rate of self-reported adherence between male and female pharmacy clients. Women are the ones named as responsible for a medicine cabinet at home. They also are important health decision makers. Women are more interested in information on medicines and their use; therefore, this demand should be satisfied.

scholarly journals Changes in Preventive Behavior During the First 3 Months of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Iran

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Abbas Shamsalinia ◽  
Sepideh Mohammadi ◽  
Fatemeh Ghaffari ◽  
Tajmohammad Arazi
Keyword(s):  
Face Mask ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Preventive Behaviors ◽  
Crucial Issue ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Public Health Decision ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Health Decision

ABSTRACT Objectives: Iran is facing a big challenge controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, and it is unclear to how individuals are engaging in preventive behaviors. This study aimed to investigate changes in preventive behaviors during the first 3 mo of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. Method: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1477 adults aged 18 y and older in 31 provinces of Iran. Data were collected by an anonymous online questionnaire. Result: Overall, engagement in preventive behaviors was relatively acceptable, and more than 45% of subjects always carried out all preventive behaviors. Engaging in all preventive behaviors had a peak in the second month and obviously declined during third month. Engagement in some preventive behaviors, such as “wearing a face mask” and “keeping a safe distance from others,” was observed less than other behaviors. There was a statistically significant difference in the engagement in preventive behaviors by gender and occupation (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Although engagement in preventive behaviors was relatively acceptable for the first 2 mo of the outbreak, it has declined gradually. This is a warning for public health decision makers. COVID-19 is still a crucial issue in Iran, and it is necessary that government decision be based on the fact that Iranian people must live with a coronavirus for months, with full caution and compliance toward all preventive care protocols.

scholarly journals On the Effect of Perceived Test Impact on Test Anxiety and Attainment of PhD Candidates: Studying English Proficiency Test in Islamic Azad University

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-16
Author(s):  
Hamid Ashraf ◽  
Mahmood Khosravani
Keyword(s):  
Test Anxiety ◽  
Proficiency Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Anxiety Scale ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Test Impact

Research findings has shown that high stakes test bring about unfortunate consequences inside and beyond educational context which are known as washback and impact respectively. English proficiency test (EPT) of Islamic Azad University (IAU) in Iran, as an obligatory part of the PhD graduation program, is not an exception. Thus, considering possible adverse consequences of the test, the current research was an attempt to investigate the effect of perceived test impacts on test anxiety and attainment of the examinees. To this aim, a mixed method design was employed in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 81 PhD candidates in different disciplines of the humanities. In the first phase, adopting a framework for test impact perception, a structured interview was conducted on the basis of which participants were assigned to NPTI (non-perceived test impact), MPTI (moderately perceived test impact) and SPTI (severely perceived test impact). Then performance of these was compared in an adopted test anxiety scale (five-point Likert scale) and EPT of IAU. Kruskal-Wallis and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The findings on test anxiety scale indicated a significant difference between groups (χ2 (2) = 52.618, p = 0.000.). However, the group means were not significantly different in EPT (F (2, 77) = 1.975, p = 0.146). Findings obtained from test anxiety supported previous studies carried out in the literature while those from EPT stood in sharp contrast. An experimental design is required to control other variables that interact with these findings. Yet, these findings have implications for applied linguistics, researchers and educational decision makers.

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