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Consistent with dual-process models of behaviour, Miles (2015) has shown that Schwartz’ basic values can provide a valuable framework for empirically analysing the role of values and cultural contexts in driving human behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this line of research by distinguishing individual values from macro-level values, as well as from other micro- and macro-conditions, in order to test whether individual values shape women’s work-family orientations in ways predicted by Hakim’s preference theory.

The authors make use of the second round of the European Social Survey (ESS) collected in 2004, where a battery of questions on human values and work-family preferences were posed, and apply a multilevel approach to take into account national cultural and economic conditions across 25 European countries.

In line with the dual-process model and preference theory, the authors show that internalised values, particularly conservatism, shape work-family orientations much more than national social and cultural conditions; in addition, the effect of women’s education on work-value orientations is stronger in countries with more conservative national cultures, suggesting that education may help women overcome social barriers in the choice of their work-career preference.

While values may shape work-family orientations differently in non-European or less affluent cultures, these findings reveal the importance of bringing values back into the analysis of individual preferences and behaviours towards the labour market.

If child custody decisions are based on erroneous beliefs, family courts may not be acting in the best interests of children. This study examined family court professionals' beliefs about family violence. Respondents (N = 410) of diverse professions, including child custody mediators, evaluators, and therapists, family law attorneys and judges, victim advocates and university students, completed a 10‐item multiple‐choice quiz. Results revealed low rates of correct responding, with respondents correctly answering approximately three out of 10 items on average, based on current research in the field. Overall, response rates were highly consistent with the discredited patriarchal paradigm. Shelter workers and victim advocates had the lowest average score, and men were found to have slightly higher scores than women. More troubling, students' scores were not significantly lower than those of family court professionals. Implications are discussed with respect to decision‐making in the context of child custody disputes.

Results from international large-scale assessments, such as PISA surveys, suggest that boys do better in math and science, whereas girls do better in reading. How do gender gaps vary across subjects, when estimated simultaneously? Building on the work of Tsai, Smith, and Hauser (2017), we answer this question by applying a multilevel-MIMIC model that enables us to estimate gender gaps in two ways: gender differences in the effects of observed family and school factors on math, science, and reading scores; and the “adjusted” gender gaps in test scores across all three subjects after controlling for observables. We apply the model to 2012 PISA data of students aged 15–16 and enrolled in 9th or 10th grade in three East Asian (Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan) and three Western countries (USA, Germany, and the Czech Republic) that represent both similar and different types of school systems. Our findings indicate that the gender gap in math or science achievement in Western countries, favoring boys, does not necessarily apply to the East Asian countries examined here, while all three East Asian countries exhibit similar features of gender reading gaps in the 10th grade. There is evidence indicating that observed background and school factors impact boys’ and girls’ achievement in a similar way in USA, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the Czech Republic, but not in Germany. Overall, gender differences in family and school influences do not account for gender differences in academic achievement in any of the six countries.

This paper provides a further investigation into the application of Correspondence Analysis (CA) as outlined by Greenacre (1984, 1993), which is one technique for “quantifying qualitative data” in research on learning and teaching. It also builds on the utilisation of CA in the development of the emerging discipline of English as an International Language provided by Hassall and Ganesh (1996, 1999). This is accomplished by considering its application to the analysis of attitudinal data that positions the developing pedagogy of Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL) (see Hassall, 1996a & ff.) within the more established discipline of World Englishes (cf. Kachru, 1985, 1990). The multidimensional statistical technique Correspondence Analysis is used to provide an assessment of the interdependence of the rows and columns of a data matrix (primarily, a two-way contingency table). In this case, attitudinal data, produced at a number of international workshops which focused on the development of a justifiable pedagogy for Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL), are examined to provide a more complete picture of how these venues differed from each other with respect to the collective responses of the respondents. CA facilitates dimensionality reduction and provides graphical displays in low-dimensional spaces. In other words, it converts the rows and columns of a data matrix or contingency table into a series of points on a graph. The current study presents analyses of two different interpretations of this data.

Ours is a complex world. On these five words will be built a foundation for an alternative way of framing our thinking about risk management. Complexity means many things, but a key feature is that outcomes cannot be predicted with certainty. In the best cases, opportunities arise to analyse and develop some understanding of the uncertainty within a complex system, and in the most fortunate of such circumstances it is possible to anticipate specific outcomes with some degree of accuracy. The authors call such circumstances risks – that is, measurable uncertainties. Complexity, however, consists mainly of interconnected uncertainties and unknown/unknowable possible outcomes or effects. And, of course, complex systems can include humans whose (in)ability to perceive and interpret such environments makes things – well – more complex.

This book ultimately will focus on how the authors construct a way to lead and manage in this environment, but first it is critical that the terminology and description of this world be given some precision. Therefore, Chapter One begins with an introduction to the idea of complexity, including some mention of the principles and concepts that inform our understanding of it. In turn, this discussion introduces uncertainty. Risk, as a category of uncertainty is discussed and the implications of its measurability are presented, which leads to a discussion of human perception and behaviour under conditions of uncertainty. Attention is then drawn to the unknown and the unknowable, and to emergent phenomena. Since the focus of this book is on public sector risk management, the chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the idea of public risk.

This paper describes the early development of clinical governance in an acute NHS Trust. Three Trust‐wide workshops and 17 individual departmental workshops were held between 1998‐1999. The discussions in these workshops were used to define the key founding principles of clinical governance and the operational structure. The philosophy behind clinical governance, to improve quality of services, was recognised as being part of mainstream trust business, not an optional add‐on. The authors found that teamwork and multidisciplinary collaboration are essential components of future quality improvement. Effective leadership skills need to be supported and developed, with responsibilities shared between a core group within each department rather than one individual. Contributions should be recognised and rewarded. Collaboration with primary care and involvement of patients are prerequisites. Specific objectives should be agreed by each department and used to monitor progress. More effective use of existing resources (staff, time, IT and training) can be made.

The new design of Faraday cup for the Sheen Electrostatic Powder Coating Diagnostic Kit has resulted in a two‐thirds reduction in weight whilst retaining the large area receiver which has proven so successful for testing the performance of powder coating plant.

In times of organizational change leaders often tell stories that justify publicly the directions in which organizations move. Such stories are always political in nature and often reflect the motives of the storyteller. We observe how leaders in high‐tech organizations use the story of technological determinism in organizational settings as a discursive practice through which they invoke the “inevitability” of technology to justify managerial decisions to the public. Rather than taking ownership of certain actions, managers are able to use this story to claim that certain organizational changes are inevitable, and to eliminate alternative stories. We examine this strategy as it appears in the public discourse produced during two mergers in the high‐tech and telecommunications industries occurring from 1998 to 2002: US West and Qwest, and AOL and TimeWarner. Finally, we demonstrate that the story of technological determinism performs discursive closure around each merger.

Increased productivity, safer working conditions and low cost operation are said to be features of a newly introduced, automatic washing system for cleaning mobile batch containers of the type used in the processing of chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

A compact new test sieve shaker with many built‐in features has been introduced by Endecotts Ltd, Lombard Road, London SW19 3BR. Tel: 01–542 8121.