Macroeconomic policy makers could, it seems, use general fiscal and monetary tools, more effectively than revisions of nationalised industry investment programmes, for short-term adjustments.

By showing that blackcaps were genetically programmed to fly to England, the study indicated that the recent worldwide changes in bird migration might be more than short-term behavioral adjustments to the weather.

A Lucent spokeswoman, Lydia Whitefield, said the company did not expect any short-term adjustments in the ownership of its digital-switch making venture.

But given Mr. Assad's political constraints, sticks alone will not produce more than short-term tactical adjustments in Syrian behavior.

Miners from Upper Big Branch have also reported that they were directed to and did change their mining practices, making short-term adjustments only when they learned that government inspectors were coming to a section to inspect.

Mr. Smith said the company would "make the necessary short-term adjustments to our operations" to combat the declining international sales.

While short-term adjustments may not be surprising, Mr. Harris's research also showed that the prices of stocks in the S. & P. 500 are regularly about 5 percent more volatile than those outside the index.

The Empire's short-term political adjustments are not my business.

The short-term adjustment "will be reasonably well contained," he said.