Reforms that expand school choice have been the focus of considerable policy interest, not least as a possible means of improving public school performance. According to the standard argument, increased choice will intensify competition, forcing public schools to improve quality in order to retain enrolment. Yet in principle, increased choice need not always raise performance, pointing to the need for careful empirical analysis. A key challenge in measuring the effects of greater choice on school performance is that convincing variation in choice is often hard to come by, especially in cross-sectional studies. And while school choice policy experiments have the advantage that choice increases in a clear way, few large-scale school choice policies have been implemented in North America. An important exception is the 2002 Ontario tuition tax credit, which eased access to private schools throughout Canada's most populous province. Analyzing the effects of the tax credit reform provides the focus of this thesis. The thesis begins by presenting the literature and gaps in existing research. The next chapter presents a model to clarify the link between increases in competition and school performance, and to motivate the empirical identification strategy. To set the stage for the main empirical analysis, I also provide some relevant institutional background relating to the Ontario education policy environment and the Ontario tuition tax credit as well as a descriptive analysis on the Ontario private school market. I then present an initial examination of the possible performance effects of the Ontario tuition tax credit using a difference-in-differences setup, before turning to the main empirical analysis, which exploits the differential competitive effects for public schools in districts with relative to those without a significant private school presence. The empirical results indicate that public school performance improved for schools facing the greatest competitive pressures following the introduction of the policy, controlling for a host of other relevant factors. To assess whether the effect is due primarily to increases in productivity, the analysis controls carefully for a series of alternative mechanisms. Overall, the Ontario findings are consistent with increased choice giving rise to productivity improvements in public schools.

High prices in any industry, agricultural especially, tend to spur new investment opportunities. Recent prices for pecans have been high relative to their historical pattern, suggesting investment opportunities for pecans. Prior to any investment, the investor needs to know what products consumers are demanding and how profitable it is to grow those products. This study assessed Texas consumers' preferences for pecan products and the profitability of growing pecans in the central Texas region. A choice experiment was conducted amongst Texas consumers to reveal consumers' preferences and determine their willingness-to-pay for the attributes comprising pecan products. A stochastic production model was formulated to determine the profitability of three different types of pecan orchards: a native orchard with no irrigation, an improved varieties orchard with irrigation, and an improved varieties orchard without irrigation. Results from the choice experiment indicated that consumers preferred large size pecans, native variety pecans, pecan halves, United States-grown pecans, and Texas-grown pecans. The choice experiment also found that consumers were heterogeneous in their preferences for all attributes except pecan variety and U.S. origin. Results from the stochastic production model indicated that the most profitable pecan orchard in central Texas was the irrigated improved orchard.

Probability matching is the tendency to predict outcomes in accordance with their actual contingencies in a binary choice task. It is, however, a suboptimal response if the aim is to maximize correct predictions. I review two theories that attempt to explain why probability matching occurs: the pattern-search hypothesis and dual-systems theory. These theories are tested in two studies which suggest that dual-systems theory provides a better account of probability matching behavior. Studies 3, 4, and 5 then provide evidence for an extension of the dual-systems theory, called expectation matching, which is intended to explain why probability matching is the intuitive response to a binary choice problem.

Risky intertemporal choice is a fairly new topic in the realm of behavioral economics that involves examining the interactions between individuals’ time and risk preferences. Previous research has looked at the gains and mixed domain, but little to no research has been done in the loss domain. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how people respond to risky gambles in the loss domain given real world time delays. The thesis focuses on changes in attitudes towards risk caused by temporal distance rather than how people discount risky prospects. Based on Construal Level Theory we predict that there will be a greater focus on outcomes over probabilities in delayed gambles compared to immediate ones, and hence, individuals will become more risk-averse for delayed gambles that are in the loss domain. We conducted two experiments to test this prediction. Results revealed that while subjects in the immediate resolution group were significantly more risk-seeking than future resolution groups in both experiments, the difference in risk attitudes between two delayed resolutions depend on how big the difference between two delays is.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the variables related to the occupational choice of Indian/Native teachers in Saskatchewan. In addition, four questions were posed to determine the extent of influence of specific people, internal agents, and ethnic concerns.<p>The sample for the study consisted of 115 Indian/Native teachers, all graduates of the Indian/Native Teacher Education Programs, and employed within Saskatchewan schools. Data was collected by a mail-out questionnaire. Through analysis of the data, the variables were identified, as was the extent of influence of specific people, internal agents, and ethnic concerns.<p>The major finding of this study was that Indian/Native teachers chose teaching as an occupation for reasons related primarily to ethnic concerns, rather than to variables identified in occupational choice approaches. Important differences were found in the variables of choice between Status Indian and Metis teachers; between younger and older teachers; and among those who had decided to become teachers within different age groups. These findings suggested the need for specially designed career education programs and the presentation of occupational information that would be relevant to Indian/Native students.<p>The five statements ranked most important by the total group in the decision to become a teacher were:<p>1.I enjoy working with children and/or youth. <p>2.Indian/Native teachers were needed in the school.<p>3.I wanted to help my people. <p>4.Indian/Native people are responsible for their own survival as a people.<p>5.I wanted to help Indian/Native people gain control of their education system.<p>Only the first statement related to occupational choice approach with the remaining four stemming from Indian/Native concerns.<p>Five research hypotheses were tested to answer the research questions. Significant differences were found leading to the acceptance of the hypotheses and the findings that differences existed between the variables related to the occupational choice of teachers classified on the basis of:<p>1. Age when the questionnaire was completed: The younger teachers, 19 30 years, differed from older teachers in their search for improved self identity; in being influenced by the opportunity to be a role model; and in desire to work against discrimination in schools. The older teachers, 31 years and older, were more influenced by positive family support; by the need to be with people; and by the desire for better living conditions.<p>2. Age when the decision was made to become a teacher: Respondents who had chosen teaching between the ages of 6 to 18 years,highlighted the importance of having supportive family; the desire to develop a positive self image; and the wish to gain professional recognition. Those who made the choice between 19 to 25 years, also pointed out self image needs. For them, the opportunity to be a role model was important, but family influence had been a minor factor. Those who decided at a later age, 26 years or older, wished to work with people and thought that teaching matched their interests.<p>3. Ethnic identity: Status Indian teachers had been strongly influenced by the family in contrast to the Metis group, which did not include family elements in their selection of 10 very important statements. The Me.tis teachers were motivated to teach because of perceived discrimination within schools; the need for an improved self image; and the perception that in teaching they could do what they liked to do.<p>4.Type of school attended.<p>5.Source of funding received while attending a teacher education program.<p>Teachers who had attended either a federal or residential school, and had received funding from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada were likely to be Status Indians.They had been strongly influenced by their families, by wanting to attend an Indian training program, and by wanting a better standard of living.Teachers who had attended a provincial school and received funding from the province of Saskatchewan were likely to be Metis.They had been strongly influenced by personal concerns for identity and independence. Family influence was a lesser factor.<p>In a further step of data analysis, the computation of mean response scores, individual family members, teachers, and the community were found to be relatively unimportant variables related to the decision to become a teacher.<p>Personality needs, interests, and abilities were important; the desire to improve socio-economic status and identification with a role model were found to be relatively unimportant.<p>The demand for Indian/Native teachers, the desire to help Indian/Native people, and Indian/Native control of the education system were found to be important variables. The desire to attend an Indian/Native training program and to receive funding during training were relatively unimportant variables related to the decision to become a teacher.

En förutsättning för att kunna förhindra att terrorattacker utförs är kunskap om de bakomliggande motiven och drivkrafterna. Om vi känner till de bakomliggande motiven och drivkrafterna finns det möjlighet att kunna påverka dessa faktorer och därigenom minska risken för nya terrorattacker. I den här studien undersöker jag om collective action frames och rational choice teorin var för sig eller tillsammans kan förklara orsakerna till terrorism. Fram till idag har den strategiska modellen varit den mest använda teorin för att förklara orsaker till terrorism. Modellen utgår från rational choice teorin men har avgränsats till att enbart hantera politiska faktorer, vilket har kritiserats. Kritikerna menar att människors känslor har en betydelse för deras handlingar. Här prövar jag två teorier som teoretiskt kan förklara känslornas betydelse för att människor utför terrorhandlingar, dels rational choice teorin och dels collective action frames. Studien visar att teorierna kompletterar varandra men det är enbart rational choice teorin som förklarar orsaker till handlingarna, och då endast rationellt motiverade instrumentella handlingar. Det är många handlingar som inte kan förklaras med någon av teorierna. Slutsatsen är att det sannolikt inte finns en generell teori som kan förklara alla olika typer av handlingar ner till en sådan detaljnivå att resultatet faktiskt är användbart. Det finns många olika motiv och drivkrafter som kan ligga bakom en handling och det finns så många olika användningsområden för resultaten att en enda teori skulle bli oanvändbar då det sannolikt är alldeles för många parametrar att hantera inom ett och samma teoribygge.

I syftet att undersöka hur en skatte- och bidragsreform kan tänkas påverka utbudet av arbetskraft för ungdomar, modelleras en Discrete Choice nyttofunktion, där valet av antalet arbetstimmar begränsas till fem olika arbetstimmarsklasser. Modellen tar hänsyn till icke-linjära skatter och icke-konvexa budgetkurvor. I nyttomaximeringen tas även hänsyn till valet av socialbidrag. För att se effekten på ungdomarnas arbetstimmar används mikrosimuleringsmodellen FASIT som innehåller databaser över inkomster, skatte- och transfereringssystem. Finans- och Socialdepartementen använder modellen för att se reformers eventuella effekter på specifika grupper i samhället. Skattereformen innebär en höjning av grundavdraget och bidragsreformen en sänkning av socialbidraget. Syftet med reformerna är att öka inkomstdifferensen mellan att inte arbeta och att arbeta och därmed öka incitamenten till att vilja arbeta för ungdomar. För att kunna motivera en sådan reform, ska den inte försämra statens finanser, utan helst vara självfinansierad. Resultaten visar att en skatte- och bidragsreform av detta slag inte ökar ungdomarnas arbetstimmar signifikant. Däremot kommer användandet av socialbidrag minska med över 90 %, även om inte många ungdomar levde på socialbidrag innan reformen. För staten innebär en sådan här reform att både skatteinkomsterna minskar, p.g.a. grundavdragshöjningen och bidragsutgifterna minskar, till följd av mindre socialbidragsutbetalningar. Däremot, kommer inkomsterna att minska mer än utgifterna, så det blir svårt att berättiga reformen. / With the purpose of examining how a tax- and social assistance reform would affect the labor supply for Swedish youth, a Discrete Choice utility function is utilized, where the choice of working hours is restricted to five different sets of working hours. This model takes nonlinear taxes and nonconvex budget constraints into consideration and in the utility maximization the youth has to keep the choice of accepting the social assistance in mind. The effect on youth working hours is simulated in a micro simulation model, FASIT, which contains databases on Swedish incomes, taxes- and subsidies systems and is mostly used by the Swedish Ministry of Finance in order to investigate policy reforms’ affect on different groups in society. The tax reform implies an increase of the basic deduction and the subsidy reform implies a decrease of the amount of social assistance. The purpose of the reforms is to increase the income gap between not working and working and thereby increase the incentives of being willing to work. To be able to justify a reform like this, it must not be too expensive for the government, but preferably it should be self-financed. The results show that the reforms will not increase the working hours of the youth significantly. But at the same time the reform decreases the need of social assistance with over 90 %, although not a large part of the youth supported themselves through social assistance before the reform. For the government the reform will result in a decrease in tax revenues and a decrease in the subsidy cost. The problem is that the revenues will decrease much more than the costs; therefore the reform is difficult to justify.

<p>This investigation explored the conditions that minimize the negative effects of lacking choice and maximize the positive effects of having choice. Four experimental studies were conducted with college students as participants. Four aspects of this issue were addressed: (a) whether the saliency of not having a choice moderates the detrimental effects of lacking choice, (b) whether having choice is more beneficial when the type of choice is less costly in terms of self-regulatory effort, (c) whether the effect of choice on motivation is influenced by the number of choices an individual must make, and (d) whether perceived competence mediates of the relationships between choice, motivation and performance. Overall, this investigation failed to provide substantial support for the hypotheses regarding factors that might moderate the effects of choice on motivation. Null results are proposed to be largely attributable to the strength of the choice manipulations, the nature of the tasks used, and characteristics of participants. The results of two studies provided partial support for hypotheses showing that participants in no-choice conditions experienced a decrease in perceived competence or intrinsic motivation for the task, while participants who received a choice experienced no such decrease. This in conjunction with evidence showing that the participants found the task to be more difficult than expected suggested that choice may serve a protective function for difficult tasks. Further, exploratory analyses revealed that that the effect of choice may be more beneficial for individuals with low perceived or actual competence and that restricting choice may be more detrimental to individuals with high perceived or actual competence. Ways in which future studies may address the limitations of the present investigation and build on exploratory findings are discussed.</p> / Dissertation

As charter schools continue to proliferate across United States, their impact on the public education system is becoming an increasingly important public policy question. Charter school proponents argue that combined pressures of consumer choice and market competition will induce traditional public schools to respond by providing higher quality education and promoting innovation and equity. Skeptics worry that charter schools pose risks of segregating students by race and economic level, and reducing per-pupil resources available to traditional public schools. This dissertation provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of charter schools on regular public schools by addressing the following questions: 1) How do the charter schools affect the racial, ethnic and cosio-economic distribution, student-teacher ratios and achievement of traditional public schools? 2) How do the size and scope of competitive effects vary according to different measures of competition? Using two-period panel data from the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core Data (CCD) for traditional public schools in Florida, New Jersey, Texas and Ohio, I compare changes in racial and ethnic distribution, student-teacher ratios and achievement in public schools that do and do not face competition. I use a variation of the difference-in-differences (DD) estimation strategy to study the effect of charter schools on the outcome measures. The findings from the study suggest that introduction of charter schools in the educational landscape has affected student distributions, and at least in some cases, student-teacher ratios and the performance of traditional public schools. Charter schools seem to contribute to declines in the share of non-Hispanic white students in traditional public schools in all four states. The results show variation in other outcome areas across states and competition measures. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring what will happen to non-choosers in traditional schools as well as the role of considering state context and empirical measures while generalizing from charter school studies.

Abstracts Under the medical environment change, medical institutions must take the strategy of diversification for personalized health management services, such as high-grade health examination. High-grade health examination has a extensive of medical market, becoming the main target markets of the various medical institutions. The high-grade consumers are the target customer of high-grade health examination. Knowing their demands is necessary. This study sample consists of two major groups: 16 persons who in charge of health examination department, and 31 high-grade consumers. The data was collected by questionnaires and based on the statistical analysis to investigate the demands of high-grade health examination. The purpose of this study is to identify the difference between the customers and the medical institutions. Providing information for high¡Vgrade health examination marketing. The results show that high-grade consumers more emphasis on "progressive facilities ", "doctors¡¦speciality", " hygienic environment", "explain the details before examination "and "explain the results by the doctors ". Medical institutions more care the factors about "dealing with customers¡¦ complaints "," reasonable price "," customization "," doctors¡¦speciality " and" explain the process of examination ". A comparison of the two groups indicates that the medical institutions care much more than consumers on ¡§ insurance provided "," reasonable price "," dealing with customers¡¦ complaints "," medical information providing "," health promotion consultation "and" customized exercise prescription " . Attention on " environment comfortable and spacious " is pronounced in high-grade consumers . Key words ¡Ghealth examination, high-grade consumers, choice of hospital