Showing papers by "Nicholls State University published in 1993"

Working Wives and Food away from Home: The Box-Cox Double Hurdle Model

Abstract: Household expenditures on food away from home are analyzed with the use of the BLS' 1989 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Parameterization and distributional assumptions of Cragg's double‐hurdle model are generalized for this purpose, and the resulting model outperforms the more traditional ones. Results suggest households with working wives and those with higher income are more likely to consume food away from home and also to consume more than others. Wife's age and household size increase the conditional level of consumption. Education has conflicting effects on probability and conditional level of consumption.

Statistical Properties of Welfare Measures from Count-Data Models of Recreation Demand

Abstract: This article compares estimates and distributions of consumer surplus measures derived from truncated and untruncated count-data models. Large differences between the means and variances of the consumer surplus estimates of the truncated and untruncated models were found. Mathematical approximation provides reasonable estimates of the mean consumer surplus measures, but approximation of the variances is poor due to truncation errors. These findings suggest that consumer surplus measures derived from the truncated estimator should be viewed with caution.

Facing society's demands for environmental protection: Management in practice

Abstract: Although managers must stay abreast of all socictal concerns in developing organizational objectives, protecting the environment seems to be a major issue for consumers in the 1990s. This increased environmental concern leaves managers no choice but to go beyond mere social obligation when it comes to protecting the environment. Society is demanding social responsiveness at a minimum, and the call for social responsibility seems to be getting louder and clearer. This paper reviews the response business has made to this call for responsibility for the environment. Specifically, this paper will address the impact of increased business awareness on: (1) the passage of laws and legislation to protect the environment (social obligation); (2) specific organization actions to meet consumer demands (social responsiveness); (3) specific organization endeavors which reflect a sincere attempt to address the environmental issue (social responsibility). An awareness of these activities should aid managers in developing future plans which will allow them to become more responsible for our environment.

Assessing Presidential Communications in Civil Rights Policymaking

Abstract: This chapter compares the public communications of modern presidents across target groups and issue areas of civil rights. We find that attention, support, and symbolism on civil rights vary considerably across individual presidents and political party. Not surprisingly, in their public messages Democratic presidents are more attentive and supportive of civil rights than are Republican presidents. Some results were expected, while others were surprising. Lyndon B. Johnson was attentive and supportive; but, unexpectedly, George H. W. Bush was highly attentive to and quite nonsupportive of civil rights. Also surprisingly, on most indicators, Bush's policy statements were less symbolic and less equivocal than were Ronald W. Reagan's. Most attention is given to blacks as a target group (although this is declining) and to the employment issue area. Overall, the findings reveal the considerable flexibility and discretion in presidents' public communications in the civil rights realm.

Degree of Ambulatory Disability: Effects on Rural Siblings' Social Development.

Abstract: This study examined the effects of degree of ambulatory disability on the social development of nondisabled siblings. Using the Schwirian Interview Schedule, the four areas of sibling social development examined were (a) general home responsibilities, (b) child care responsibilities, (c) independence, and (d) social activity. Twenty-two mothers of children with varying degrees of ambulatory disability and 33 nondisabled siblings from rural southeast Louisiana participated. The results yielded a significant difference only in siblings' social activity as reported by the mothers. Mothers' reports indicated this to be a sensitive issue, which suggested mothers make conscious efforts to avoid adverse effects on siblings' social development.

Developing information systems outside the u.s.

Abstract: The literature is replete with normative models of system development methodologies. While these methodologies may be sound and workable in the United States, they may not be appropriate for other cultures. This paper proposes that system development methodologies must account for cultural considerations in the development and transfer of Information Systems (IS) outside the United States (US). Planning for overseas system development requires careful assessment and incorporation of cultural implications into the development methodology. How should IS be developed for use in other cultures? What should a system developer consider to be successful in an overseas environment?

Primes and consecutive sums in arithmetic progressions

Abstract: A necessary and sufficient condition for a positive integer to be prime is explored in terms of its number-theoretic ramifications and its generalization to arithmetic progressions. A computer experiment is shown describing how the main results were conjectured. Several open problems are posed for readers.