City University London

About: City University London is a education organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 5735 authors who have published 17285 publications receiving 453290 citations.

Taking Stock of Corporate Governance Research While Looking to the Future

Abstract: Manuscript Type: Editorial Research Question/Issue: This essay identifies some key issues for the analysis of corporate governance based on the articles within this special review issue coupled with our own perspectives. Our aim in this issue is to distil some research streams in the field and identify opportunities for future research. Research Findings/Results: We summarize the eight papers included in this special issue and briefly highlight their main contributions to the literature which collectively deal with the role and impact of corporate boards, codes of corporate governance, and the globalization of corporate governance systems. In addition to the new insights offered by these reviews, we attempt to offer our own ideas on where future research needs to be targeted. Theoretical Implications: We highlight a number of research themes where future governance research may prove fruitful. This includes taking a more holistic approach to corporate governance issues and developing an inter-disciplinary perspective by building on agency theory while considering the rich new insights offered by complementary theories, such as behavioral theory, institutional theory and the resource-based views of the firm. In particular, future corporate governance research needs to be conducted in multiple countries, particularly in emerging economies, if we want to move closer to the journal's aim of producing a global theory of corporate governance. Practical Implications: Our analysis suggests that analytic and regulatory approaches to corporate governance issues should move from a “one-size-fits-all” template to taking into account organizational, institutional and national contexts.

Do community‐based arts projects result in social gains? A review of the literature

Abstract: Arts projects have become an important part of community development strategies. In addition to any creative achievements, projects are expected to have positive and measurable impacts on local social capital. Evidence for this is routinely demanded by funding organisations, and formal evaluations of projects have become a condition of investment. However, quantifying the impact of the arts in terms of social gain presents considerable difficulties, arguably greater than in any other field of evaluation. These problems are not just methodological. They also raise the question of the extent to which creative processes can or should be managed and controlled. This paper discusses these issues and reviews evaluations of community based arts programmes. abc http://www.barnardos.org.uk/resources 2 The value of the arts to community development Cultural and artistic programmes have played an increasingly prominent role in urban regeneration initiatives in the United Kingdom since the mid-1980's (Landry and Matarasso, 1996; Braden and Mayo, 1999). While a national policy on impact evaluation in the arts is not yet a reality (Shaw, 1999), in community development work, a quid pro quo is increasing expected as a condition for investment. Where arts programmes benefit from statutory funding, outcomes expected are frequently linked to social gain (National Foundation for Educational Research, 2000; Department of Health, 2001). The UK government's Social Exclusion Unit has reported on the role of arts, sport and leisure. A key finding was that supporting participation in arts and sport can aid neighbourhood renewal through improved performance on indicators of health, crime, employment and education (Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1999). Within this context, an emphasis on robust evaluation as a condition of funding has developed, particularly in exploring the extent to which arts investment is directed at specific populations held to be in need (Arts Council for England, 2000; Jermyn, 2001). In other words, community development programmes that utilise the arts must assure investors that they can add value by achieving measurable outcomes associated with social gain. Barnardo's, the UK's largest children's charity, is evaluating the impact of a creative arts programme aimed at socially excluded youth, which has been developed in partnership by the Royal National Theatre and the London boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich funded thorough SRB6. Targeting young people aged seven to 26 from areas of high deprivation, its objectives are to improve employment and educational prospects, promote sustainable regeneration and reduce social exclusion (Royal National Theatre 2000). As part of this process of evaluation, a literature review was undertaken to explore the extent to which community based arts projects have achieved identifiable social gains. abc http://www.barnardos.org.uk/resources

Insights into the Different Exploits of Colour in the Visual Cortex

Abstract: A new method that allows controlled masking of luminance contrast has been developed to study the use of chromatic signals in human vision. The method also makes it possible to examine the different uses of chromatic signals (e.g. the generation of perceived colour, or the construction and representation of object structure and form). By using this technique, we studied the threshold detection of chromatic signals in normal trichromats. The results show that chromatic signals are virtually unaffected by ongoing, randomly varying, luminance contrast changes. These findings suggest that chromatic signals are either processed independently or can be separated completely from any confounding luminance contrast components in the stimulus. Thresholds for detection of colour changes only, and for extraction of stimulus structure from chromatic signals in normal trichromats, in subjects with single cone receptor deficiency (i.e. dichromats) and in three subjects with abnormal colour vision caused by bilateral damage to ventromedial, extra-striate visual cortex (i.e. subjects with cerebral achromatopsia) have also been measured. No significant difference in thresholds for the two conditions was observed either in normal trichromats or in dichromats. Subjects with cerebral achromatopsia, however, reveal markedly different thresholds. The results suggest that chromatic signals are processed independently to generate perceived object colour or to construct spatially structured objects, and that these functions involve different neural substrates. The results help to explain, at least in part, why cerebral achromatopsia is a heterogeneous disorder, and why there can be significant differences in the effective use of chromatic signals in subjects described as cerebral achromatopsics.

Tactical allocation in commodity futures markets: Combining momentum and term structure signals

Abstract: This paper examines the combined role of momentum and term structure signals for the design of profitable trading strategies in commodity futures markets. With significant annualized alphas of 10.14% and 12.66%, respectively, the momentum and term structure strategies appear profitable when implemented individually. With an abnormal return of 21.02%, our double-sort strategy that exploits both momentum and term structure signals clearly outperforms the single-sort strategies. This double-sort strategy can additionally be utilized as a portfolio diversification tool. The abnormal performance of the combined portfolios cannot be explained by a lack of liquidity, data mining or transaction costs.