Estimation and Prediction for Exponentiated Family of Distributions Based on Records

In this article, a family of distributions, namely the exponentiated family of distributions, is defined and for the unknown parameters, different point estimates are derived based on record statistics. Prediction for future record values is presented from a Bayesian view point. Two numerical examples and a Monte Carlo simulation study are presented to illustrate the results.     

Designing an economically optimal repetitive group-sampling plan based on loss functions

Acceptance sampling is a quality assurance tool, which provides a rule for the producer and the consumer to make acceptance or rejection decision about a lot. This paper attempts to develop a more efficient sampling plan, variables repetitive group sampling plan, based on the total loss to the producer and consumer. To design this model, two constraints are considered to satisfy the opposing priorities and requirements of the producer and the consumer by using Acceptable quality level (AQL) and Limiting quality level (LQL) points on operating characteristic (OC) curve. The objective function of this model is constructed based on the total expected loss. In order to illustrate the application of the proposed model, an example is presented. In addition, the effects of process parameters on the optimal solution and the total expected loss are studied by performing a sensitivity analysis. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed model is compared with the variables single sampling plan, the variables double sampling plan and the repetitive group sampling plan of Balamurali and Jun (2006) in terms of average sample number, total expected loss and its difference with ideal OC curve.     

Analysis of covariance under inverse Gaussian model

This paper considers the problem of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) under the assumption of inverse Gaussian distribution for response variable. We develop the essential methodology for estimating the model parameters via maximum likelihood method. The general form of the maximum likelihood estimator is obtained in color closed form. Adjusted treatment effects and adjusted covariate effects are given, too. We also provide the asymptotic distribution of the proposed estimators. A simulation study and a real world application are also performed to illustrate and evaluate the proposed methodology.     

An analysis of major social obstacles affecting human resource development in Iran

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to analyze the major social obstacles affecting the human resource development (HRD) in Iran. The study population included faculty members in Yazd province, Iran (N = 280, n = 162). A survey and a researcher-made questionnaire were used to collect data. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by using Cronbach’s alpha (0.88) and its validity was approved by a panel of experts. The results indicated that the major social obstacles affecting HRD are ‘an increase in the share of foreigners in the labor market’, ‘frustration of native graduates’ and ‘local brain drain’, respectively. Furthermore, the results of exploratory factor analysis indicated that the most important social obstacles affecting HRD can be summarized into six factors including migration, lack of nativism, inclination towards foreigners, gender imbalance, lack of justice in distribution of resources, and lack of meritocracy. These factors altogether could explain 65.45% of the total variance. In the end, some applied recommendations (such as paying more attention to rural youth, fair distribution of facilities towards urban and rural balance, supporting native elites, preference for employment, and applying indigenous peoples based on meritocracy, creating favorable balance at different levels of academic education, avoiding gender inequality) have been presented.     

Material Hardship and Child Socioemotional Behaviors: Differences by Types of Hardship, Timing, and Duration

Child behavior problems are associated with long-term detrimental effects. A large body of literature looks at the association between income and child behavior but few studies examine this association with material hardship, an alternative economic indicator. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the following questions: (a) Is material hardship associated with child socioemotional behavior and are there differences by developmental timing, (b) Are particular hardships (bills, utilities, food, housing, medical) more strongly associated with child behavior, and (c) Are there differences in the association between short-term and long-term material hardship and child behavior? We find that children in households experiencing material hardship score significantly higher on externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Additionally, we find that a mother's inability to pay bills, experience of utility interruption, and housing instability are adversely related to child behavior. We also find that the association between material hardship and child behaviors is stronger at age 5 and that chronic aggregate hardship has a stronger association with child behavior.     

A recursive approach for lot sentencing problem in the presence of inspection errors

In this paper, a new sequential acceptance sampling plans in the presence of inspection errors is developed. A suitable profit objective function is employed for optimizing the lot sentencing problem. A backward recursive approach is applied for obtaining the profit of different decisions in each stage of sampling. Required probabilities are obtained using Bayesian rule. A case study is solved for illustrating the application of proposed models and sensitivity analysis are carried out on the parameters of the proposed methodologies and the behaviour of models by changing the parameters are investigated.     

On the ridge regression estimator with sub-space restriction

In the linear regression model with elliptical errors, a shrinkage ridge estimator is proposed. In this regard, the restricted ridge regression estimator under sub-space restriction is improved by incorporating a general function which satisfies Taylor’s series expansion. Approximate quadratic risk function of the proposed shrinkage ridge estimator is evaluated in the elliptical regression model. A Monte Carlo simulation study and analysis based on a real data example are considered for performance analysis. It is evident from the numerical results that the shrinkage ridge estimator performs better than both unrestricted and restricted estimators in the multivariate t-regression model, for some specific cases.     

Designing optimal double-sampling plan based on process capability index

Process capability analysis is applied to monitor the process quality. Process capability can be quantified by process capability index. These indices have wide application in quality control methods and acceptance sampling plans. In this paper, we introduce a double-sampling plan based on process capability index. In this type of scheme, under a decision rule and with the specified rejection and acceptance numbers, the second sample is selected and the decision of rejection or acceptance is made based on the information obtained from two samples. The purpose of this scheme is to reduce the average sample number in order to reduce the time and cost of sampling. A comparison study has been conducted in order to evaluate the performance of proposed method in comparison with classical single sampling plans.     

Global innovation performance: Strategic challenges for multinational corporations

In the emerging knowledge economy many companies are forced to access globally dispersed technological and market knowledge to maintain their competitive advantage. A conceptual model is presented to analyze the relationship between the globalization of the innovation function and firm performance. Longitudinal data from 10 multinational companies are used to support the proposed model. The analysis concludes that the relationship between global innovation reach and firm performance is concave and time lagged. The results suggest the strategic importance of globalization decisions. The managerial implications are structured in five distinctive strategic challenges to successfully manage global innovation.