The effects of learning and forgetting on the optimal lot size quantity of intermittent production runs

This paper studies the effects of learning and forgetting on the production lot size problem with infinite and finite planning horizons. It is assumed that the determination of the economic manufactured quantity (EMQ) in the succeeding production run is dependent on: (1) the maximum inventory accumulated prior to interruption; (2) the length of the interruption period which incurs total forgetting; and (3) the level of experience in equivalent units remembered at the start-up of the next production run. The optimum operating inventory doctrines is obtained by trading off procurement cost per unit time and the inventory carrying cost per unit time, so that their sum will be a minimum. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the application of learning and forgetting to the determination of the EMQ.     

A migration model of pleasure travel

Pleasure travel has become an institutionalized feature of the social life of modern industrial societies, involving large numbers of people and a great number and variety of human organizations. Pleasure travel may be seen as a special type of migration; therefore, Everett Lee's theory of migration was used as a guideline to review the literature and as a heuristic device to construct a demographic theory of pleasure travel. The result of this effort was an inventory of propositions that summarized the conclusions of that literature. These propositions suggest that the volume of pleasure travel from place to place is related to the areal differentiation, the demographic differentiation, and the economic development of those places, as well as the relative difficulty of the intervening obstacles separating them. The propositions also suggest that streams of pleasure travel tend to follow predictable paths and that travelers are selected by various socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.     

联合国改革努力的历史发展

联合国改革长期以来是国际社会关注的焦点,为了理解这一进程的未来走向,有必要清醒地认识它所经历的历史发展.联合国改革涉及组织结构、管理程序以及宪制安排三个方面,涵盖国际安全以及经济和社会问题两个主要领域,反映出各国在这些问题上的不同立场和观点.联合国改革努力的不同规划表明,在这些领域取得实质性突破仍然困难重重.     

Continuity of utility functions representing fuzzy preferences

In a previous paper, we established necessary and sufficient conditions for a given binary fuzzy relation to be representable by a utility function. In this article, we construct a crisp order topology associated to a given weakly complete fuzzy pre-order and introduce the notion of “continuous fuzzy pre-order.” We show that this new condition and the conditions introduced in the previous paper are together necessary and sufficient for a numerical representation of a given weakly complete fuzzy pre-order by a continuous utility function.     

THE EURO AND THE GEOGRAPHY OF INTERNATIONAL DEBT FLOWS

Greater financial integration between core and peripheral European Monetary Union (EMU) members not only had an effect on both sets of countries but also spilled over beyond the euro area. Lower interest rates allowed peripheral countries to run bigger deficits, which inflated their economies by allowing credit booms. Core EMU countries took on extra foreign leverage to expose themselves to the peripherals. We present a stylized model that illustrates possible mechanisms for these developments. We then analyze the geography of international debt flows using multiple data sources and provide evidence that after the euro's introduction, core EMU countries increased their borrowing from outside of the EMU and their lending to the EMU periphery. Moreover, we present evidence that large core EMU banks' lending to periphery borrowers was linked to their borrowing from outside of the euro area.     

The real foundations of the alleged errors in Allais' Impossibility Theorem: Unceasingly repeated errors or contradictions of mark machina

1.-The Impossibility Theorem rests on five fundamental properties. On each of them Machina has confirmed his agreement over and over again between 1984 and 1986. The proof of the Impossibility Theorem is mathematically and rigorously correct.2.- The alleged Machina's demonstration of the Allais' two errorsis indeed only grounded on a series of errors and it isin total contradiction with the interpretationsexplicitly given by Machina from 1982 to 1986 of his local utility theory in the discrete case, especially in his letters.3.1 In fact one cannot but ask if Machina really understands the meaning and the implications of his formulation of the local utility, and what is really in question.In any case it would he without any doubt eminently desirable that before hastily concluding that the others are making mistakes, Machina should begin by seriously asking himself if he is not himself into error.     

Victimization, Care and Justice: Reflections on the Experiences of Victims/Survivors Involved in Large-scale Historical Investigations of Child Sexual Abuse in Residential Institutions

Correspondence to Professor Matthew Colton, Centre for Applied Social Studies, School for Social Science and International Development, University of Wales Swansea, Science Tower, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK. Summary Large-scale investigations into historical child abuse in residentialinstitutions have been undertaken throughout the United Kingdom.This paper reflects on the experiences of those who give evidencein such investigations, drawing on interviews carried out withtwenty-four victims/survivors. Emerging themes include: thefactors which motivate victims/survivors to make disclosures;the impact on individuals of involvement in an investigation;the nature and effectiveness of help and support offered tovictims/survivors; the level of priority given to the needsof victims/survivors; and issues concerned with power and gender.The concluding discussion highlights vital issues for socialworkers and social services departments.