If the Socle fits

If the shoe fits ... wear it.

# 2008 - 022 If the Alliance Fits . . . : Innovation and Network Dynamics

Network formation is often said to be driven by social capital considerations. A typical pattern observed in the empirical data on strategic alliances is that of small world networks: dense subgroups of firms interconnected by (few) clique-spanning ties. The typical argument is that there is social capital value both to being embedded in a dense cluster, and to bridging disconnected clusters. I...

Evidence-based policy? Only if it fits with your preconceptions

From May, a new clause [2] will be slipped in to all government grant agreements, preventing public funding from being used to lobby the government. While the clause is aimed at quangos, it will also affect charities [3], and crucially academic research [4]. As David Nutt puts it in yesterday's Guardian [5], this move is an attempt to "limit scientific outputs to those that support its policies".

If the Shoe Fits They Might Acquit: The Value of Forensic Science Testimony

The probative value of forensic science evidence (such as a shoeprint) varies widely depending on how the evidence and hypothesis of interest is characterized. This paper uses a likelihood ratio (LR) approach to identify the probative value of forensic science evidence. It argues that the “evidence” component should be characterized as a “reported match,” and that the hypothesis component shoul...

book review: If the conceptual straitjacket fits, chances are, you’re already wearing it