Search

The interrelation of the severity of the epidemiological situation in a particular country and its institutional characteristics (including the level of health care, quality of management, the level of public trust, cultural characteristics, etc.) is considered. As a result, using the developed index of the severity of the epidemiological situation, the institutional characteristics that most affect the effectiveness of the measures applied were determined. It was figured out that of the 16 characteristics considered, only two (the level of employment and trust in the government) have a medium statistical correlation with the severity of the pandemic. Three more characteristics (prevalence of secular-rational values, degree of urbanization, GDP PPP per capita) have a correlation close to the medium. The remaining characteristics (including health care costs, government efficiency, etc.) have either a weak correlation wiыth severity, or actually do not have it. The results obtained indicate insufficient use and reassessment of existing institutional capacities at the initial stage of the pandemic, as well as insufficient reliability of morbidity and mortality statistics in a number of countries. In conclusion, based on the analysis of statistical indicators, recommendations are given to improve the effectiveness of the use of institutional capacity to counter epidemiological threats, improve this potential, increase the effectiveness of protective and restrictive measures that reduce the severity of the epidemiological situation.

Background: COVID-19 has impacted Indian engineering institutions (EIs) enormously. It has tightened its knot around EIs that forced their previous half-shut shades completely down to prevent the risk of spreading COVID-19. In such a situation, fetching new enrollments on EI campuses is a difficult and challenging task, as students’ behavior and family preferences have changed drastically due to mental stress and emotions attached to them. Historically, during crisis situations, institutions have struggled to return to the normal track. Consequently, it becomes a prerequisite to examine the choice characteristics influencing the selection of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic to make it ‘normal’ for ‘new’ enrollments. The purpose of this study is to critically examine choice characteristics that affect students’ choice for EI and consequently to explore relationships between institutions’ characteristics and the suitability of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic across students’ characteristics. Quantitative research, conducted through a self-reported survey composed of a closed-ended structured questionnaire, was purposefully incorporated into the students who recently were enrolled in EIs (batch years 2020-2021) belonging to the North Maharashtra region of India. Results: The findings of this study revealed dissimilarities across students’ characteristics regarding the suitability of EIs under pandemic conditions. Regression analysis revealed that EI characteristics such as proximity, image and reputation, quality education and curriculum delivery have significantly contributed to suitability under COVID-19. At the micro level, multiple relationships were noted between EI characteristics and the suitability of EI under the pandemic across students’ characteristics. Conclusion: Bringing ‘normality’ to ‘new’ enrollments totally depends on EI’s resilience in meeting the needs of diversity in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, which repositions themselves to govern student-centric strategies instituted for the overall suitability of EI under pandemic conditions. The study has successfully demonstrated how choice characteristics can be executed to regulate the ‘suitability’ of EI under the COVID-19 pandemic for the inclusion of diversity. It is useful for policy makers and academicians to reposition EIs that fetch diversity during the pandemic. This study is the first to provide insights into the performance of choice characteristics and their relationship with the suitability of EIs under a pandemic and can be a yardstick in administering new enrollments.

Background and objectives: Medical malpractice is a phenomenon that shadows current medical practice, the number of complaints following an upward trend worldwide. The background for complaints is related both to the doctor and medical practice in general, as well as to the patient. The aim of this study was to identify a profile of the Romanian doctors who are more prone to receiving complaints, by analyzing the socio-demographic, professional and institutional characteristics. Materials and Methods: We conducted a quantitative, prospective research, the data being collected using a newly developed questionnaire. Data analysis was performed with the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 24). We used counts, percentages, means and standard deviation, and comparative and correlational analyses. A logistic regression model was applied to select a statistically best-fit model to identify independent predictors for receiving complaints; a Hosmer–Lemeshow test was used to check the performance of the prediction model. Results: The study group consisted of 1684 doctors, of which 16.1% had been involved in a malpractice complaint. Results showed that men, senior doctors from surgical specialties who perform a greater number of on-call shifts, those who work in regional or county hospitals, those who have greater fear of receiving complaints and those whose life partner is a doctor with the same specialty are more prone to receiving complaints. Conclusions: The profile identified by the present research underlines the main characteristics that could be targeted with specific measures in order to prevent the ongoing increase of malpractice complaints in Romania.

Introduction. The article shows the importance of the factor of institutional differences in the development of the Russian economy, in particular — the steel markets.Methods. In this article, we proposed some institutional criteria to determine the institutional differences, by which we selected three samples — the largest, large, medium-sized ferrous metallurgy companies with a foundry technological redistribution for a higher degree of comparability. Initially, we determined a sample of companies on the basis of annual revenue. Further, we examined all three samples of companies in terms of economic criteria for the last ten reporting years — from 2008 to 2017. We selected the main directions of the considered criteria for comparing groups of enterprises: ratings, market coverage, level of state support, access to financing.Results. The study was able to determine that each of the samples has its own characteristics of development and performance indicators. At the same time, a comparison of the dynamics of economic indicators in the three institutionally different groups shows that the first sector significantly exceeds the second and third in terms of both volume indicators and the dynamics of their growth. The differences between the second and third sectors are less pronounced, but also in favour of the second. In general, groups of companies, separated by institutional characteristics, demonstrate marked differences in the dynamics of economic parameters. A comparative analysis of the technological level, despite the lack of detailed studies, showed that the selected groups of companies differ significantly in terms of access to new and high technologies, and the level of interaction with universities.Discussion. The approach described in the article allows predicting the development of markets and industries, taking into account the selected institutional and economic features. Also, besides the distinction according to the institutional characteristics of a group of companies in terms of economic parameters, further studies of their technological level are required.

This PhD research aims to increase knowledge on educational outcomes in low income and lower-middle-income countries by examining the intergenerational correlation of education in multiple dimensions, given the complexity inherent in the concept and the global persistence in the number of early school leavers. The proposition is that in order to combat the high rate of school dropout among the poor, it is necessary to explore the gaps that exist due to inherited limited opportunities from parents and a lack of basic necessities for a comfortable standard of living.The analysis is on two fronts. First, by increasing opportunities educationally, economically, and socially in society so that the independence of children’s education to that of their parents will be enhanced. This may be done through public policies or actions that favour the socioeconomically disadvantaged in the society. Second, by increasing the absolute intergenerational mobility through the easing of deprivations in the households and their consequences, which make that school-aged individuals are more likely to leave school early.

Student retention is a wide-reaching issue that causes a concern to postsecondary institutions and policy-makers. This research aimed to examine the impact of a geo-spatial factor—distance to the closest metropolitan area—on student retention from a multi-institutional perspective, through the data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (2017) of the U.S. Department of Education. Using the K-means clustering technique, 329 geographically dispersed higher education institutions with similar characteristics were identified. A spatial lag model was adopted to account for spatial autocorrelation detected within the dataset. A series of hierarchical regression was then conducted to measure how well the spatial variable explained student retention rate after accounting for institutional level attributes. The student retention rate was found to decrease as a university is located away from the closest metropolitan area. This finding has crucial policy and administrative implications if analyzed within the context of rural–urban discrepancies in higher education. Extending the spatial scope of retention analysis is an important step in accurately determining the set of factors that provides a better understanding of this complex problem.

Internationally, the advantages of vocationally oriented education systems are emphasised. In countries with a strong dual vocational education and training (VET) system, vocationally trained individuals experience rapid transitions into the labour market and comparatively high entry wages. This pertains to the Swiss education and training system as well, which is characterised by a high degree of vocational specificity. This leads to a close link between the training occupation and the subsequent employment, as well as low occupational mobility throughout the career. However, this comparative research often overlooks the fact that there is significant variation in institutional characteristics within vocationally oriented training systems as well, which can lead to different labour market returns after VET. This is the starting point of this dissertation, which asks to what extent institutional dimensions of the Swiss VET system influence wages or wage development, upward and downward status mobility and the transition to further, tertiary education. Furthermore, the interplay between institutional and individual characteristics, like gender and socio- economic background are examined. On the one hand, the institutional dimensions refer to the training occupations directly, namely their occupational specificity, standardisation, and vertical differentiation. On the other hand, different labour market segments are considered in which training companies are located. Empirically, two main steps were carried out. First, the institutional characteristics of the over 500 Swiss training occupations were conceptualised, operationalised and measured based on occupation-specific training plans and ordinances. Second, the impact of the institutional characteristics on labour market outcomes were addressed by means of quantitative analysis, using datasets, dependent variables, and modelling strategies appropriate to the research question at hand. The results show that wages, occupational status mobility and transitions to tertiary education clearly differ even within vocationally oriented education systems. Different forms of skills (general, specific) and the type of knowledge transfer (practical, theoretical) are particularly important for wages and status development during the early career, while vertically differentiated training occupations, only show positive effects in the longer term. The standardisation of examinations can even have a detrimental effect. Furthermore, differentiating the effect of specificity on wages along the lines of gender and the gender typology of occupations reveals new possibilities to understand the gender pay gap. The results suggest that wage returns to skills for men and women are determined by a complex interplay between gender, gendered performance expectations and occupation-specific skill endowment. Finally, the analysis of different labour market segments shows that even within the same training occupation, the segment of the training company matters for career development. VET diploma holders who trained in a labour market segment with institutionalized career pathways (primary segment) are more likely to enter higher education than those who trained in a segment without institutionalized career pathways (secondary segment). Especially those with a lower socio-economic background profit from training in the primary segment. Thus, overall, this dissertation draws attention to within-country variation in institutional characteristic of the training system by analysing the importance of training occupation characteristics and labour market segments for early labour market returns. Zusammenfassung Das Schweizer Bildungssystem zeichnet sich durch eine hohe Berufsspezifität aus, die zu einer engen Verknüpfung von Ausbildungsberuf und anschließendem Erwerbsberuf sowie zu einer geringen beruflichen Mobilität im Erwerbsverlauf führt. In international vergleichenden Studien werden die Vorteile einer solchen spezifischen Berufsausbildung hervorgehoben. In Ländern mit einem starken dualen Berufsbildungssystem erleben Personen mit einer Berufsbildung einen schnellen Übertritt in den Arbeitsmarkt und vergleichsweise hohe Einstiegslöhne. Allerdings wird in dieser vergleichenden Forschung häufig übersehen, dass es auch innerhalb eines Berufsbildungssystems erhebliche Unterschiede in den institutionellen Merkmalen gibt, die zu unterschiedlichen Arbeitsmarkterträgen nach der Berufsausbildung führen können. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird in der vorliegenden Dissertation untersucht, inwieweit institutionelle Dimensionen des Schweizer Berufsbildungssystems die Löhne bzw. die Lohnentwicklung, die Statusmobilität und den Übergang in eine weiterführende, tertiäre Ausbildung beeinflussen. Darüber hinaus wird das Zusammenspiel zwischen institutionellen und individuellen Merkmalen, wie Geschlecht und sozioökonomischem Hintergrund, analysiert. Die institutionellen Dimensionen beziehen sich zum einen direkt auf die Ausbildungsberufe, nämlich deren berufliche Spezifität, Standardisierung und vertikale Differenzierung. Zum anderen werden verschiedene Arbeitsmarktsegmente betrachtet, in denen die Ausbildungsbetriebe angesiedelt sind. Der empirische Teil umfasst zwei Schritte. Zunächst wurden die institutionellen Merkmale von über 500 Schweizer Ausbildungsberufen anhand von berufsspezifischen Bildungsplänen und - verordnungen konzeptualisiert, operationalisiert und gemessen. Anschliessend wurde der Einfluss der institutionellen Merkmale auf die Arbeitsmarktergebnisse mittels quantitativer Analysen untersucht, wobei der jeweiligen Forschungsfrage angemessene Datensätze, abhängige Variablen und Modellierungsstrategien verwendet wurden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die Löhne, die Statusmobilität und die Übergänge in die tertiäre Ausbildung auch innerhalb berufsspezifischer Ausbildungssysteme deutlich unterscheiden. Verschiedene Formen von Kenntnissen (allgemein, spezifisch) und die Art der Wissensvermittlung (praktisch, theoretisch) sind besonders wichtig für Löhne und Statusentwicklung während der frühen Karriere, während die vertikale Differenzierung der Ausbildungsberufe erst längerfristig einen positiven Effekt zeigt. Die Standardisierung von Prüfungen kann sich sogar nachteilig auswirken. Die Differenzierung des Effekts der Spezifität auf die Löhne entlang des Geschlechts und der Geschlechtertypologie der Berufe eröffnet neue Möglichkeiten, den Gender Pay Gap zu verstehen. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die Renditen für berufsspezifische und allgemeine Kenntnisse von Männern und Frauen durch ein komplexes Zusammenspiel zwischen Geschlecht, Kompetenzausstattung und geschlechtsspezifischen Leistungserwartungen bestimmt werden. Schließlich zeigt die Analyse verschiedener Arbeitsmarktsegmente, dass selbst im gleichen Ausbildungsberuf das Segment des Ausbildungsbetriebs einen Unterschied macht, was herkunftsbedingte Bildungsungleichheiten kompensieren kann. Personen mit einer Berufsbildung, die in einem Arbeitsmarktsegment mit institutionalisierten Karrieremöglichkeiten (primäres Segment) ausgebildet wurden, nehmen mit höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit eine tertiäre Ausbildung auf als diejenigen, die in einem Segment ohne institutionalisierte Karrieremöglichkeiten (sekundäres Segment) ausgebildet wurden. Insbesondere Personen mit einem niedrigeren sozioökonomischen Hintergrund profitieren von einer Ausbildung im primären Segment. Insgesamt lenkt diese Dissertation den Blick auf die Variation der Institutionellen Merkmale innerhalb eines Landes, indem sie die Bedeutung der Merkmale des Ausbildungsberufs und der Arbeitsmarktsegmente für die frühen Arbeitsmarkterträge analysiert.

This article investigates whether different levels of investor protection affect the equity market’s valuation of non-controlling interests (NCIs) in a consolidated corporate entity. Using a set of publicly listed European firms, our findings suggest a positive (negative) association of NCIs with parent companies’ share prices in countries with low (high) levels of investor protection. We interpret the findings as evidence that when non-controlling investors are not well-protected, parent companies have an opportunity to extract rents from non-controlling owners, leading to a positive valuation of NCIs’ equity. However, in countries where non-controlling investors are well-protected, parent companies are not able to extract rents but still must monitor and govern the related subsidiary; thus, NCIs become a net cost, and the relation inverts. JEL Classification: M41, M48

The presence of gender disparities in academia was assessed by analysing the characteristics of the research agendas of academics. Multivariate analysis of variance and structural equation modelling coupled with multi-group analysis were used to identify different gender trajectories. The research agenda preferences of women were less risky and less focused on fields likely to lead to scientific discovery, but were organised in a more collaborative way than those of men. In addition, institutional characteristics were found to influence the research agenda preferences of both women and men. However, the perceived autonomy allowed by a university was more important for female than for male academics to develop more ambitious, collaborative, risky and multidisciplinary efforts. Female academics also needed more time after completing their PhD to develop a preference for riskier research agendas, but past research outputs, the number of co-authors and mobility did not change their agendas. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

This paper addresses the mechanisms leading to income differences during the early career, both between individuals and between occupations. It compares the level of standardization, vocational specificity, and vertical differentiation of vocational education and training (VET) programmes and examines how these differences affect VET diploma holders’ incomes in their early careers. We go beyond previous research by developing refined theoretical concepts of vocational specificity, standardization, and differentiation and by measuring them with novel curriculum-based data. Theoretically, the paper assumes that training programmes’ institutional characteristics determine income by influencing diploma holders’ productivity as well as the signalling power of the degree. We test our hypotheses by combining institutional data from VET curricula with individual-level data from the Swiss Labour Force Survey and by applying multilevel regression analyses. The results show that the institutional dimensions, in particular vocational specificity, are multifaceted and consist of several subdimensions, which impact young workers’ incomes to different degrees at various time points during their early careers.

Amid declining state funding, do public universities seek alternative revenue streams to keep tuition and fees down? Is such diversification only a public university phenomenon? If both private and public schools are seeking new sources of revenue, then state appropriations may not be the impetus. Instead, institutional characteristics may have a greater influence. In addition, would those higher education institutions (HEIs) with a greater propensity to generate alternative revenue have a greater rate of survival? I examine HEIs by sector using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from fiscal years 2003–2004 through 2016–2017 and provide future researchers with guidance on its use. Controlling for different states’ policies, politics, and fiscal health, I find that institutional characteristics influence certain HEIs to seek alternative revenue streams and that these characteristics often strengthen the relationship between state appropriations and alternative revenue sources. Furthermore, the findings suggest that generating alternative revenue, as I define it, may play a role in the survival of HEIs.

The main aim of the publication is clarifying of the influence of the motivational-stimulating factor of forming the profitable behavior of households for its detailizing, taking attention of the characteristic features of specific households by adjusting the form and parameters of dynamic models. A logarithmic form of the quantitative-qualitative evaluation of the motivational-stimulating factor is proposed, based on the economic interpretation of the psycho-physiological Weber-Fechner’s law. The built motivation function allows coordinating of endogenous and exogenous features by means of setting the level of satisfaction with incomes ensuring the minimum needs of the household. Comparison of its dynamics depending on the level of incomes with dynamics if function of motivation, which value is determined by a linear deviation between the full «satisfaction» with incomes and the actual in percents, displayed the existence of plots with ultra high motivation that correspond to lower than the minimum that should be regarded as a manifestation of formation of the economic behaviour in crisis. The built model is characterized by limited rationality and corresponds to the theory of institutionalism.

In Latin America, tax revenue has increased in the last fifteen years; nevertheless, the prevailing levels of inequality and poverty lead to the question of whether these countries can increase tax revenues even more, in order to be able to genuinely finance public expenditure levels that are necessary to restrain them. Using fiscal effort as metodology, this article presents estimations that allow concluding that countries with lower levels of development have a lower capacity to generate fiscal resources, while countries with medium or high levels of development could be able to increase their tax collection, but due to political and institutional reasons they have decided to maintain low tax rates. En América Latina, la recaudación fiscal ha experimentado un crecimiento en los últimos quince años; sin embargo, los niveles de desigualdad y pobreza imperantes llevan a preguntarse si los países pueden aumentar aún en mayor medida los ingresos tributarios, en función de poder financiar en forma genuina los niveles de gasto público necesarios para morigerarlos. Mediante la metodología de esfuerzo fiscal, en este artículo se presentan estimaciones que permiten concluir que los países con menor nivel de desarrollo están asociados a una menor capacidad de generación de recursos fiscales, y países con desarrollo medio o alto podrían incrementar su recaudación, pero por decisiones políticas e institucionales han determinado mantener tasas impositivas bajas.

Due to the increasing concern of companies to highlight socioenvironmental information disclosure, and considering specific organizational aspects of the phenomenon, the purpose of this descriptive and quantitative study was to evaluate the influence of corporate governance structure and institutional characteristics on the quality of socioenvironmental disclosure by Brazilian public firms. Information collected from 2014 institutional reports were scored with regard to disclosure quality in light of the constructs of Chen, Feldmann and Tang (2015) and Skouloudis, Evangelinos and Kourmousis (2010), with adaptations, and the results were submitted to multiple linear regression. Our analysis shows that the proportion of independent directors on the board (governance structure) and the participation in the ISE Corporate Sustainability Index (an institutional characteristic) affected the quality of socioenvironmental disclosure. In other words, agency conflicts and legitimacy pressure may have an impact on corporate socioenvironmental behavior in relation to stakeholders. Devido à crescente preocupação das organizações em evidenciar informações socioambientais, e levando-se em conta esse fenômeno sob determinados aspectos empresariais, a presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar a influência da estrutura de governança corporativa das companhias abertas brasileiras e de suas características institucionais na qualidade do disclosure socioambiental. Neste estudo, que é descritivo e quantitativo, são analisados os relatórios institucionais referentes a 2014, por meio da atribuição de escores para a qualidade da informação evidenciada a partir da adaptação dos construtos de Chen, Feldmann e Tang (2015) e Skouloudis, Evangelinos e Kourmousis (2010). Aplicou-se também a regressão linear múltipla. Os resultados apontaram que a proporção de membros independentes no conselho de administração, como estrutura de governança, e a participação da empresa no ISE, como característica institucional, são capazes de influenciar o nível do disclosure socioambiental. Dessa forma, há evidências de que os conflitos de agência e as pressões de legitimidade podem agir sobre o comportamento socioambiental da empresa perante os stakeholders.

RESUMEN En América Latina, la recaudación fiscal ha experimentado un crecimiento en los últimos quince años; sin embargo, los niveles de desigualdad y pobreza imperantes llevan a preguntarse si los países pueden aumentar aún en mayor medida los ingresos tributarios, en función de poder financiar en forma genuina los niveles de gasto público necesarios para morigerarlos. Mediante la metodología de esfuerzo fiscal, en este artículo se presentan estimaciones que permiten concluir que los países con menor nivel de desarrollo están asociados a una menor capacidad de generación de recursos fiscales, y países con desarrollo medio o alto podrían incrementar su recaudación, pero por decisiones políticas e institucionales han determinado mantener tasas impositivas bajas. ABSTRACT In Latin America, tax revenue has increased in the last fifteen years; nevertheless, the prevailing levels of inequality and poverty lead to the question of whether these countries can increase tax revenues even more, in order to be able to genuinely finance public expenditure levels that are necessary to restrain them. Using fiscal effort as metodology, this article presents estimations that allow concluding that countries with lower levels of development have a lower capacity to generate fiscal resources, while countries with medium or high levels of development could be able to increase their tax collection, but due to political and institutional reasons they have decided to maintain low tax rates. RESUMO Na América Latina, a arrecadação fiscal tem experimentado um crescimento nos últimos quinze anos; porém, os níveis de desigualdade e pobreza imperantes nos levam a questionar se os países podem aumentar ainda mais os ingressos tributários, em função de poder financiar de forma genuína os níveis de gasto público necessários para amenizá-los. Mediante a metodologia de esforço fiscal, neste artigo, são apresentadas estimativas que permitem concluir que os países com menor nível de desenvolvimento estão associados a uma menor capacidade de geração de recursos fiscais, e países com desenvolvimento médio ou alto poderiam incrementar a sua arrecadação, mas por decisões políticas e institucionais determinaram manter taxas impositivas baixas.

This paper will show two things: The first thing, in the first subsection, is to give a more general and comprehensive outline of economic development framework. The second thing, in the second subsection, is to answer where the originality of Japanese economy and organization came from as an application of our comprehensive economic development framework. Japanese society also has many common bases with other countries regarding various social aspects, but simultaneously the originality can be drawn from them as well. It means that the uniqueness of Japanese economy and organization has been formed through the many common social factors and different ways of the mixture. Its geographical/environmental condition (warm humid) and the agricultural mode (irrigated rice and fish catching), the village style and the way of people settlement (coastal and mountainous, family units) are originally generated. The religious culture (Confucianism, Buddhism and Shinto) grown and introduced to there, the political decision making system (collectivism, patriarchy or paternalism) and the bureaucracy also seem to be so unique. Such centralized power and collectivism social relation were involved to a modern production system and factors of economic development were also utilized fully, and then Japan succeeded his productivity rapidly in the very short run.

In Flanders (Belgium), the rising popularity of online and blended learning in adult education requires a scientifically validated approach to the issue of quality of online and blended learning. In this research, we will focus on the teaching process in these environments, and how teacher and institutional factors affect teaching practices. Based on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), we aim to analyse which and how these factors affect teaching practices within an online and blended learning (OBL) context. Furthermore, we add to the SDT conceptual framework a selective number of control variables such as perceived ICT competence and institutional innovation orientation in order to gain further insight into the teaching process. More specifically, we aim at answering the following research questions: (1) How is the satisfaction of psychological needs and motivation of teachers related to teaching practices?, (2) How is the institutional support related to the satisfaction of needs and motivation of teachers?, (3) Are there differences in the teaching practices of teachers in OBL and non-OBL environments?, and (4) How can these differences be explained? Data is collected by means of a cross-sectional survey among teachers in formal adult education. Research instruments have been selected from the SDT-literature with items on motivation, need satisfaction, need support, and teaching practices. Analyses will consist of (M)ANOVA, multivariate regression, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling. The findings will, firstly, help us direct our future research efforts. Specifically, in future studies we will investigate which and how specific teaching practices affect learner outcomes. In this respect, knowledge on potentially confounding factors is important. Secondly, findings will help to identify key teacher and institutional factors that affect teaching practices. As such, it can inform teachers, educational leaders, professional development designers and others on enhancing the quality of online and blended learning through teacher- and institution-level intervention.

The study analyses the role of institutional characteristics of a country (governance) and the domestic financial system (depth, efficiency, stability, and capital openness) in determinants of emerging market corporate bond spreads issued in international market. We propose an econometric panel data with corporate bond spreads of CEMBI Broad Diversified Index in the period of 2002-2011 to twenty emerging economies. The sovereigns analyzed: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela corresponded to roughly 80% of CEMBI Broad Diversified Index in July 2013. We conclude that policies that promote financial liberalization, capital openness, fiscal austerity, development of domestic financial system and improve governance institutional characteristics as rule of law and regulatory quality have the potential to reduce emerging market corporate bond spreads, especially in moments of global risk aversion. Results indicate that initiatives looking forward the improvement of institutional government apparatus and capital market development may help emerging market companies to increase the share of private capital investment.

Finance education at universities needs to reflect the changing global business environment to prepare stu- dents to be effective in overseas operations and meet the growing demand for those who can function in a globally competitive environment. This study examines institutionalfactors that are related to the approachfor international- izing the finance curriculum. We also examine the association between the approach to internationalizing the fi- nance curriculum, treatment ofthe course, and the size ofthe department, college and university. A survey of148 faculty who teach international.finance at 126 universities identifies levels ofsatisfaction with current curriculum internationalization efforts and the level ofsupport given tofaculty members who wish to improve their teaching and research methods in international finance. In addition, AACSB accreditation status and treatment o f the interna- tional finance course are profiled.

La deserción es entendida como la interrupción o desvinculación del proceso académico-institucional que lleva a cabo el estudiante. Identificar los factores asociados a este fenómeno de la deserción es de gran interés para las Instituciones de Educación Superior –IES–, debido a la limitación que puede ocasionar en su cumplimiento del propósito fundamental: formar profesionales. En este sentido, la presente investigación realiza una aproximación conceptual y metodológica de la deserción estudiantil y analiza este fenómeno para la Universidad EAFIT para las cohortes 2001-1, 2002-1 y 2003-1, en 14 programas de pregrado. Inicialmente se realizó una exploración descriptiva de algunos indicadores y características individuales, socioeconómicas, académicas e institucionales de la población desertora. Una vez realizada la caracterización, se aplicaron dos tipo de modelos econométricos (transversal y longitudinal) y se realizó un análisis cualitativo por medio de la aplicación de una encuesta semiestructurada a desertores de las cohortes en estudio. En los resultados se resalta una deserción en los primeros semestres, asociado principalmente a variables académicas y a una carencia de asertividad en la elección de los programas, College desertion is defined as the disruption of higher education undertaken by a student. To identify its causing factors is a subject of great interest for Institutions of Higher Education, because it diminishes the potential to achieve their main purpose: to educate professionals. Therefore, this research approaches college desertion conceptually and methodologically, in order to analyze this phenomenon at EAFIT University. Our sample corresponds to cohorts 2001-1, 2002-1 and 2003-1, belonging to 14 undergraduate programs. Initially the drop-out population was studied through a descriptive exploration of some key indicators and several individual, socio-economic, academic and institutional characteristics. These were followed by two econometric modelings (transversal and longitudinal). Finally a qualitative analysis was made by applying a semi-structured interview to selected students who were classified as deserters. Results highlight a significant early desertion, associated mainly to academic variables and a lack of students’ assertiveness in their choice of undergraduate programs.

This article reveals the institutional characteristics of local public administration in the Republic of Moldova - local autonomy, decentralization of public services, eligibility of public authorities, and consultation of citizens in issues of major interest. From institutional point of view, the local public administration in the Republic of Moldova is insufficiently developed. Local autonomy is performed with long postponement. Most of the population is still under the influence of the idea that all the problems are solved at the central administration level, while the local public officials are just some executive agents at the local level. Options related to decentralization as a requirement of administration's approach by the administratives, have been manifested more as a way of the central authorities to get rid of the problems that they themselves can not solve. Citizens' behavior in Moldova shows on a limited degree of control that can occur in connection with the social and political process. Forms of realization of the principle of consultation of citizens in matters of particular interest are consultations, public hearings and conversations. Although legally regulated, the referendum failed to materialize itself into a viable institution of participation. In this connection it is necessary to take into account the fact that the structure of the resistance of local public administration consists of its institutional roles, and assimilation of these ones is achieved on the basis of access to media materials.

Ce texte présente deux lectures des caractéristiques institutionnelles du capitalisme financier à travers l’étude des travaux de J. M. Keynes avant la crise de 1929 et les recherches de D. Mackenzie sur la conceptualisation et l’utilisation des produits dérivés aux États-Unis après la seconde guerre mondiale. Trois dimensions de leur travail seront mises en exergue : une critique d’une vision orthodoxe de la finance qui considère les marchés financiers comme un mécanisme efficace et transparent d’allocations des ressources ; une analyse des transformations institutionnelles de la sphère financière ; une explication de l’instabilité des marchés financiers centrée sur le rôle des facteurs collectifs. Les travaux de Keynes et de Mackenzie contribuent ainsi à mettre en lumière la nature sociale et politique des mécanismes qui sous-tendent le processus actuel de financiarisation des relations économiques.This text presents two readings of the institutional characteristics of financial capitalism through the works of J. M. Keynes before the crisis of 1929 and the research of D. Mackenzie on the conceptualization and the use of the derivative products in the United States after the Second World War. Three dimensions of their work will be put forward: a criticism of the orthodox vision of finance which regards the financial markets as effective and transparent mechanisms of allowance; an analysis of the institutional transformations of the financial sphere and an explanation of the instability of the financial markets centered on the role of collective factors. Work of Keynes and Mackenzie thus contributes to clarify the social and political nature of the mechanisms which underlie the current process of financiarisation of economic relations.

The concept of secondary schools as learning organisations was being examined as part of a research project involving South Australian and Tasmanian secondary schools. Learning organisations were defined as schools that: employ processes of environmental scanning; develop shared goals; establish collaborative teaching and learning environments; encourage initiatives and risk taking; regularly review all aspects related to and influencing the work of the school; recognise and reinforce good work; and, provide opportunities for continuing professional development. A survey of 2,000 teachers and principals was conducted using items representing these seven dimensions. The data were analysed and confirmatory factor analysis using LISREL was employed to test the four measurement models generated. The discussion clarifies the characteristics and processes recognised as existing in secondary schools that relate to the reconceptualisation of schools as learning organisations and addresses the usefulness of this approach. [Author abstract]

Background: COVID-19 has impacted Indian engineering institutions (EIs) enormously. It has tightened its knot around EIs that forced their previous half-shut shades completely down to prevent the risk of spreading COVID-19. In such a situation, fetching new enrollments on EI campuses is a difficult and challenging task, as students’ behavior and family preferences have changed drastically due to mental stress and emotions attached to them. Historically, during crisis situations, institutions have struggled to return to the normal track. Consequently, it becomes a prerequisite to examine the choice characteristics influencing the selection of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic to make it ‘normal’ for ‘new’ enrollments. The purpose of this study is to critically examine choice characteristics that affect students’ choice for EI and consequently to explore relationships between institutions’ characteristics and the suitability of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic across students’ characteristics. Quantitative research, conducted through a self-reported survey composed of a closed-ended structured questionnaire, was purposefully incorporated into the students who recently were enrolled in EIs (batch years 2020-2021) belonging to the North Maharashtra region of India. Results: The findings of this study revealed dissimilarities across students’ characteristics regarding the suitability of EIs under pandemic conditions. Regression analysis revealed that EI characteristics such as proximity, image and reputation, quality education and curriculum delivery have significantly contributed to suitability under COVID-19. At the micro level, multiple relationships were noted between EI characteristics and the suitability of EI under the pandemic across students’ characteristics. Conclusion: Bringing ‘normality’ to ‘new’ enrollments totally depends on EI’s resilience in meeting the needs of diversity in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, which repositions themselves to govern student-centric strategies instituted for the overall suitability of EI under pandemic conditions. The study has successfully demonstrated how choice characteristics can be executed to regulate the ‘suitability’ of EI under the COVID-19 pandemic for the inclusion of diversity. It is useful for policy makers and academicians to reposition EIs that fetch diversity during the pandemic. This study is the first to provide insights into the performance of choice characteristics and their relationship with the suitability of EIs under a pandemic and can be a yardstick in administering new enrollments.

Background: COVID-19 has impacted Indian engineering institutions (EIs) enormously. It has tightened its knot around EIs that forced their previous half-shut shades completely down to prevent the risk of spreading COVID-19. In such a situation, fetching new enrollments on EI campuses is a difficult and challenging task, as students’ behavior and family preferences have changed drastically due to mental stress and emotions attached to them. Historically, during crisis situations, institutions have struggled to return to the normal track. Consequently, it becomes a prerequisite to examine the choice characteristics influencing the selection of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic to make it ‘normal’ for ‘new’ enrollments. The purpose of this study is to critically examine choice characteristics that affect students’ choice for EI and consequently to explore relationships between institutions’ characteristics and the suitability of EI during the COVID-19 pandemic across students’ characteristics. Quantitative research, conducted through a self-reported survey composed of a closed-ended structured questionnaire, was purposefully incorporated into the students who recently were enrolled in EIs (batch years 2020-2021) belonging to the North Maharashtra region of India. Results: The findings of this study revealed dissimilarities across students’ characteristics regarding the suitability of EIs under pandemic conditions. Regression analysis revealed that EI characteristics such as proximity, image and reputation, quality education and curriculum delivery have significantly contributed to suitability under COVID-19. At the micro level, multiple relationships were noted between EI characteristics and the suitability of EI under the pandemic across students’ characteristics. Conclusion: Bringing ‘normality’ to ‘new’ enrollments totally depends on EI’s resilience in meeting the needs of diversity in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, which repositions themselves to govern student-centric strategies instituted for the overall suitability of EI under pandemic conditions. The study has successfully demonstrated how choice characteristics can be executed to regulate the ‘suitability’ of EI under the COVID-19 pandemic for the inclusion of diversity. It is useful for policy makers and academicians to reposition EIs that fetch diversity during the pandemic. This study is the first to provide insights into the performance of choice characteristics and their relationship with the suitability of EIs under a pandemic and can be a yardstick in administering new enrollments.