The evolution of innovation capability in multinational enterprise subsidiaries: Dual network embeddedness and the divergence of subsidiary specialisation in Taiwan

This paper examines how innovation-related capabilities for production, design and marketing develop at the subsidiary level within multinational enterprises (MNEs). We focus on how subsidiary autonomy and changing opportunities to access external (host country) sources of capability contribute to the accumulation of specialist capabilities in five Taiwan-based MNE subsidiaries in the semiconductor industry. Longitudinal analysis shows how the accumulation process is subject to discontinuities, as functional divisions are (re)opened and closed during the lifetime of the subsidiary. A composite set of innovation output measures also shows significant variations in within-function levels of capability across our sample. We conclude that subsidiary specialisation and unique subsidiary-specific advantages have evolved in a way that is strongly influenced by the above factors.     

The abuse-related beliefs questionnaire for survivors of childhood sexual abuse

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measure, the Abuse-Related Beliefs Questionnaire (ARBQ), designed to assess abuse-related beliefs among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Study 1 examined the structure of the scale, and Study 2 evaluated its reliability and validity. METHOD: One hundred and seventy female CSA survivors recruited into a group psychotherapy intervention study were administered the ARBQ in Study 1. A subsample of 45 women completed the ARBQ again 12 months later. In Study 2, 70 women from a health maintenance organization who identified themselves as survivors of CSA completed the ARBQ along with the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40) and the Symptom Checklist 90R (SCL-90-R). RESULTS: Three reliable ARBQ subscales emerged in Study 1: Guilt, Shame, and Resilience. Twelve-month test-retest reliability was high (r=.60-.64). The internal consistency of the subscales was further supported in Study 2, and validity was demonstrated by moderate to high correlations with the distress measures. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the ARBQ has good psychometric characteristics, supporting the feasibility of its use in measuring abuse-related beliefs in research on survivors of CSA. A next step for validation of the ARBQ would be to evaluate its sensitivity in measuring changes in studies of interventions for treating CSA survivors.     

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences electronic health record and medical informatics training for undergraduate health professionals

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is planning interprofessional training in electronic health records (EHRs) and medical informatics. Training will be integrated throughout the curricula and will include seminars on broad concepts supplemented with online modules, didactic lectures, and hands-on experiences. Training will prepare future health professionals to use EHRs, evidence-based medicine, medical decision support, and point-of-care tools to reduce errors, improve standards of care, address Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act requirements and accreditation standards, and promote appropriate documentation to enable data retrieval for clinical research. UAMS will ensure that graduates are ready for the rapidly evolving practice environment created by the HITECH Act.     

The Teacher,the Schools Council and the Task of Management

Performance indicators are currently a vogue concept. In this paper some national and international perspectives on the term are described and an analysis made of recent Government publications on the topic. Two current attempts to use performance indicators in TVEI are discussed and a methodology for linking performance indicators to school development is described. The paper concludes that, in order to contribute to quality in education, performance indicators need to be linked to school development plans and to focus on student outcomes and the internal conditions of schools.     

Effects of a Cooperative Learning Program on the Elaborations of Students Working in Dyads

In this study, the effects of a school improvement program on cooperative learning (CL) with respect to the elaborations of 6th-grade students working in mixed-ability and mixed-sex dyads on 2 cooperative tasks were examined. A posttest-only design with a control group was used to investigate the provision and receipt of elaborations within the dyads and the performance of the dyads working on cooperative mathematics and language tasks. Treatment dyads were found to exchange significantly more high-level elaborations during the language task than the control dyads. The treatment dyads also tended to produce higher performance scores on the 2 tasks.     

The Coaching of Teachers: Results of Five Training Studies

In this study, the results of five training studies evaluating the effects of a coaching program for use in Dutch primary and secondary schools are described. The coaches involved in these studies were: (1) school counsellors, (2) school principals, (3) mentors of beginning teachers, (4) mentors of teachers-in-training and (5) secondary school teachers. Coaching is a form of in-class support to provide (novice) teachers with feedback on their functioning and thereby stimulate the self-reflection and self-analysis needed to improve instructional effectiveness. Based on the pre- and post-training ratings of coaching conferences, a significant treatment effect was found for the coaching skills concerned with the development of autonomy (empowerment), feedback and business-like attitude. The pre- and post-training ratings from the coached teachers themselves showed a significant treatment effect for the coaching skills concerned with the planning of observational data collection. In addition, the teachers coached by trained coaches valued the coaching skills demonstrated significantly more than those teachers coached by untrained coaches. Inspection of the interactions for the adjusted post-test scores revealed different training effects for the five studies.     

THE ROUNDTABLE ON HIGHER EDUCATION: CREATING A NORTH DAKOTA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

The Roundtable on Higher Education brought together the key stakeholders of the North Dakota University System (a unified system of 11 colleges and universities, including 5 community colleges) to establish consensus on a common vision, a clear set of expectations and the results for which the system would be held accountable. The roundtable effectively engaged these stakeholders at the front end of the process in a manner that made them active participants and led to the stakeholders taking ownership of the effort. Although there was an element of risk in this approach, the benefits have far exceeded expectations. This initiative is resulting in the development of a new relationship between the University System and the state's executive and legislative branches, as well as a new relationship between the University System and the private sector. Roundtable members refer to this new way of doing business as "public and private partnerships built upon mutual trust and a common purpose." Building these meaningful partnerships has taken a considerable commitment in North Dakota, but the results will likely have a major impact on the future of the state. The Roundtable on Higher Education has reached a level of accomplishment beyond the expectations of the State Board of Higher Education, the college and university presidents and those directly involved in the roundtable. For example, the landmark and comprehensive legislation passed during the 2001 legislative session was virtually identical to what was submitted. The State Board of Higher Education has authorized an entirely new funding model for the University System (as recommended by the roundtable), and the legislature granted the University System "flexibility with accountability"--a change that will be vitally important to the system's ability to play an expanded role in growing the state's economy. One challenge will be to maintain the momentum of this initiative, as well as the engagement of key stakeholders, especially since the initiative does not have an anticipated end date. Rather, it will be an evolving process with continued involvement by the key stakeholders. As targets are met and needs change, new recommendations will need to be defined. A high level of commitment will be essential to realizing the full potential of the roundtable. It is anticipated, however, that the project's success will help sustain it. The fundamental concept of engaging key stakeholders in developing consensus upon which to build a visionary plan is not original, nor is it unique to this initiative. Executive and legislative branch leaders in a number of states are attempting to better connect the tremendous resources and power of their higher education systems to the public agenda of their respective states. What is original and somewhat uncommon about this initiative is the application of effective leadership principles that help transform "knowing what needs to be done" into "making it happen." This leadership component is, undoubtedly, the most critical factor in the success of the Roundtable on Higher Education to date.