Optimal all-to-all personalized exchange in d-nary banyan multistage interconnection networks

All-to-all personalized exchange occurs in many important applications in parallel processing. In the past two decades, algorithms for all-to-all personalized exchange were mainly proposed for hypercubes, meshes, and tori. Recently, Yang and Wang (IEEE Trans Parallel Distrib Syst 11:261–274, 2000) proposed an optimal all-to-all personalized exchange algorithm for binary (each switch is of size 2×2) banyan multistage interconnection networks. It was pointed out in Massini (Discret Appl Math 128:435–446, 2003) that the algorithm in Yang, Wang (IEEE Trans Parallel Distrib Syst 11:261–274, 2000) depends on the network topologies and requires pre-computation and memory allocation for a Latin square. Thus in (Discret Appl Math 128:435–446, 2003), Massini proposed a new optimal algorithm, which is independent of the network topologies and does not require pre-computation or memory allocation for a Latin square. Unfortunately, Massini’s algorithm has a flaw and does not realize all-to-all personalized exchange. In this paper, we will correct the flaw and generalize Massini’s algorithm to be applicable to d-nary (each switch is of size d×d) banyan multistage interconnection networks. Dedicated to Professor Frank K. Hwang on the occasion of his 65th birthday. This research was partially supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China under the grant NSC94-2115-M-009-006.     

Will a Risk-averse Decision Maker Ever Really Prefer an Unfair Gamble?*

Prakash, Chang, Hamid, and Smyser (1996) purport to show that with sufficient preference for positive skewness, risk-averse managers might elect to engage in unfair gambles. Their “proof'’of the impossible assumes the existence of a differentiable risk-preference function that satisfies certain assumptions about the first three derivatives. The fundamental flaw in their argument is that no differentiable function exists for which risk aversion and the participation in an unfair gamble are compatible.     

Analyzing Disaster Loss Trends: A Comparison of Normalization Methodologies in South Korea

Increasing concern for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction is driving the need for more accurate and sophisticated tools of analysis to protect populations. Standards of analysis that can normalize measurements under various contexts are particularly valuable in the global arena of disaster management. One concern that may benefit from normalizing is the analysis of disaster loss trends. Previous studies have used a combination of inflation, wealth, and societal factors in their normalization of disaster loss methodologies. This study examines the various normalization methods in previous research and applies a selection of eight formulae to 50 years of disaster data in South Korea. The results show both decreasing and increasing trends in disaster damage losses based on the methods, but there are curious biases under the results that may be artifacts of Korea's unique experiences in economic development. The conclusion discusses how the case of Korea may help to clarify the optimal normalization methodology for other countries.     

太子奶资产争夺战

李途纯，这位太子奶的缔造者，无论如何也不会想到，原来与投行之间的一场融资“赌局”，竟然会演化成与政府代言人之间的控制权之争，最终不仅企业风吹雨打花落去，连自己也一度不明不白身陷囹圄。     

Nonparametric Estimation of the Probability of Detection of Flaws in an Industrial Component,from Destructive and Nondestructive Testing Data,Using Approximate Bayesian Computation

We consider the problem of estimating the probability of detection (POD) of flaws in an industrial steel component. Modeled as an increasing function of the flaw height, the POD characterizes the detection process; it is also involved in the estimation of the flaw size distribution, a key input parameter of physical models describing the behavior of the steel component when submitted to extreme thermodynamic loads. Such models are used to assess the resistance of highly reliable systems whose failures are seldom observed in practice. We develop a Bayesian method to estimate the flaw size distribution and the POD function, using flaw height measures from periodic in‐service inspections conducted with an ultrasonic detection device, together with measures from destructive lab experiments. Our approach, based on approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) techniques, is applied to a real data set and compared to maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) and a more classical approach based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques. In particular, we show that the parametric model describing the POD as the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of a log‐normal distribution, though often used in this context, can be invalidated by the data at hand. We propose an alternative nonparametric model, which assumes no predefined shape, and extend the ABC framework to this setting. Experimental results demonstrate the ability of this method to provide a flexible estimation of the POD function and describe its uncertainty accurately.     

Analysis and Approximation of a JIT Production Line: A Comment

A recent Decision Sciences article by Jordan [9] presented a Markov-chain model of a just-in-time (JIT) production line. This model was used to estimate average inventories and production rates to find the optimal number of kanbans. Results for expected production rate were found to be consistently lower than those obtained by Huang, Rees, and Taylor [8] in a previous Decision Sciences article. Jordan attributed this unexpected outcome to some procedural problems in Huang et al.'s simulation methodology. In this paper, Markov-numerical analysis is used to compare the performance of Jordan's and Huang et al.'s methods of production control. Simulation analysis is then used to determine the effects of finite withdrawal cycle times. Results show that, for equal numbers of kanbans, Huang et al.'s two-card method of production control provides substantially greater expected production rates than Jordan's method. These results suggest that the Jordan model should not be applied to the problem of setting kanban numbers on manual JIT lines. Finally, we comment on the efficiency of Jordan's iterative method to obtain performance measures of tandem queues.     

Decision Making in Cross‐Functional Teams: The Role of Decision Power*

Through a series of game‐theoretical models, this study systematically examines decision making in cross‐functional teams. It provides a framework for the design of an organization‐specific decision‐making process and for the alignment of a team's microdecision with the “optimal” decision that maximizes the firm's payoff. This study finds that even without changing the team leader, firms could change and even dictate the team's microdecision outcome via adjusting the team member's seniority, empowering team members with veto power or involving a supervisor as a threat to overrule the team decision. This finding implies that to reposition products in the marketplace, structuring cross‐functional teams’ microdecision‐making processes is essential.     

A Weighted,Mahalanobian, and Asymmetrical Approach to Calculating National Cultural Distance

This article aims at offering a weighted, Mahalanobian, and asymmetrical approach to calculating national cultural distance. The proposed approach improves upon the major shortcomings of Kogut -Singh's Index and explains the inconsistent and curvilinear effects of cultural distance as found in previous research. Using this new approach, the national cultural distances for Hofstede's and GLOBE's frameworks are calculated, the theoretical and methodological implications are discussed, and avenues for future research are proposed. Furthermore, for the use of future researchers, the cross-cultural weighted Mahalabonian distances for Hofstede's and GLOBE's data are reported in separate annexes.     

Decoding the Signal Effects of Job Candidate Attraction to Corporate Social Practices

This article seeks to go beyond the implied assumption from previous research that job candidate attraction to corporate social practices is equivalent across individuals. To this end, we propose a framework for categorizing individuals' attraction to different corporate social performance profiles. Our framework is grounded in relational models theory and Mitroff's model of managers' “ideal organizations.” An inductive approach was used to elaborate upon the model and assess the extent to which candidates preferences vary. Data were collected from prospective job seekers regarding their attraction to social practices that benefit or harm various stakeholders, and these responses were used to develop profiles of job candidates' attraction to distinct profiles of organizations' social practices. The results provide a guide for managers who wish to improve the likelihood that an organization's social practices reflect what is best about its culture.     

Integrity's place among the character strengths of middle-level managers and top-level executives

One purpose of this study was to extend integrity research in organizations into the ranks of middle management. We therefore examined whether middle-level managers' behavioral manifestations of integrity related to ratings of their performance. Results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that direct report ratings of a middle-level manager's integrity were positively related to boss ratings of that manager's performance. A second purpose of this study was to understand differences in integrity's relative importance to performance among other character strengths, and as a function of context (e.g., managerial level). We extend research in this area by showing, through relative weight analysis, that integrity was relatively less important to middle-level managers' current performance compared to other character strengths (e.g., social intelligence). In contrast, integrity was relatively more important for the performance of top-level executives — roles middle-level managers may hold in the future. Implications of these results for future research and practice as well as the current study's limitations are discussed.     

Common Learning

Consider two agents who learn the value of an unknown parameter by observing a sequence of private signals. The signals are independent and identically distributed across time but not necessarily across agents. We show that when each agent's signal space is finite, the agents will commonly learn the value of the parameter, that is, that the true value of the parameter will become approximate common knowledge. The essential step in this argument is to express the expectation of one agent's signals, conditional on those of the other agent, in terms of a Markov chain. This allows us to invoke a contraction mapping principle ensuring that if one agent's signals are close to those expected under a particular value of the parameter, then that agent expects the other agent's signals to be even closer to those expected under the parameter value. In contrast, if the agents' observations come from a countably infinite signal space, then this contraction mapping property fails. We show by example that common learning can fail in this case.     

公平感对供应链成员定价决策影响的研究

本文研究公平感对由一个供应商和一个零售商组成的二级供应链中的定价决策的影响,其中供应商决定批发价格,零售商在接受供应商批发价格合同之后决定零售价格,市场需求受到零售价格的线性影响.采用管理实验方法得出,首先,供应商的批发价格和零售商的零售价格均分别低于完全理性假设下的均衡解;供应商是利他性的,即,乐于看到零售商收益的增加,并且,供应商认为零售商是完全理性的,即零售商的决策目标是最大化自身收益;然而,零售商却是刻毒性的,即乐于看到供应商收益的减少.其次,批发价格的变异度大于零售价格的,即供应商决策的难度大于零售商的.给管理者的启示是:供应商应考虑零售商的刻毒性的特征,降低批发价格,以提高零售商接受供应商所提批发价格的概率;此外,还应该为供应商提供辅助决策手段,以降低批发价格的变异度,提高决策的准确性     

SOCIAL COMPARISON AND EFFORT PROVISION: EVIDENCE FROM A FIELD EXPERIMENT

Social comparison has potentially far reaching consequences in many economic domains. We conducted a field experiment to examine how social comparison affects workers' effort provision if their own wage or that of a co‐worker is cut. Workers were assigned to groups of two, performed identical individual tasks, and received the same performance‐independent hourly wage. Cutting both group members' wages caused a decrease in performance. But when only one group member's wage was cut, the affected workers decreased their performance more than twice as much as when both workers' wages were cut. This finding indicates that social comparison among workers affects effort provision because the only difference between the two wage‐cut treatments is the other group member's wage level. In contrast, workers whose wage was not cut but who witnessed their group member's pay being cut displayed no change in performance relative to the baseline treatment in which both workers' wages remained unchanged. This indicates that social comparison exerts asymmetric effects on effort.     

From sovereign to subject: Applying Foucault's conceptualization of power to leading and studying power within leadership

This article uses Michel Foucault's conceptualization of power to rethink how power operates within leadership relations. Foucault (1980:220) defines power as a “a structure of actions, bearing on the actions of those who are free.” This idea is explored, noting how it differs from much leadership theorizing which defines power in terms of a leader's position or personal characteristics. Foucault's assertions that “power is everywhere” (1988, 12), that it is relationally based and is best perceived through its effects are examined. We identify implications for researching power from this perspective, including the appropriateness of methods capable of mapping social, historical, and institutional dynamics. We offer four analytic strategies: beginning from power's outcomes, investigating points of resistance, proactively identifying hidden dynamics and attending to networked alliances. Insights generated from this approach highlight the contingent, ephemeral nature of power and help explain the indeterminacy leaders often experience when wielding it in practice.     

社会保险与家庭金融风险资产投资

社会保险是否影响家庭在金融风险资产中的投资决策呢?本文使用两期家庭最优决策模型得到的理论分析结果表明,社会保险不仅能够提高家庭在风险资产中的投资广度和深度,而且对于不确定性更大、风险承受更强家庭的影响更为显著.基于省级层面得到的宏观实证检验结果和基于2011年家庭金融调查数据得到家庭层面的微观实证检验结果都支持了上述理论结论.本文的发现对于协调社会保险发展和建立多层级金融市场具有很强的政策意义.     

Children and Planning: To What Extent Does the Scottish Town Planning System Facilitate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Children are often not given explicit attention in land use planning outside of allocating space for schools, parks and playgrounds. This is problematic as children both use and navigate beyond these settings, and findings from research on and with children report how they are frequently marginalized in society. This is partly affected by the way town planning systems treat children's spatial needs and participation. Therefore, this article investigates whether and how the Scottish town planning system acknowledges children, particularly in light of the internationally recognized rights set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It uses critical discourse analysis of key Scottish planning policies, along with a survey of Scotland's planning authorities to ascertain the extent to which children are provided for and participate in the system. It argues that children's rights are not widely acknowledged or incorporated into town planning policy and practice, and suggests this must be addressed to achieve greater social justice and support Scotland's commitments as a signatory of the UNCRC.     

Modelling Survey Response Data and Determining the Optimal Number of Questionnaires

A modification of Huxley's [3] mail response model is proposed. This new approach retains the simplicity and intuitiveness of Huxley's technique and leads to statistically valid conclusions. Using this model, a procedure is developed to find the optimal number of questionnaires that should be mailed in order to meet some prespecified target.     

语言多样性、信息获取与分析师盈余预测质量

考察了语言多样性对分析师盈余预测质量的影响,以及这种影响如何因员工教育水平的不同而变化.基于中国上市公司的实证检验结果显示,语言多样性显著降低了分析师盈余预测质量,但是随着公司员工受教育水平提高,语言多样性对分析师盈余预测质量的负面影响有所减弱.进一步研究发现,分析师与CEO间的校友关系增强了员工教育水平对语言多样性与分析师盈余预测准确性之间关系的正向调节作用.研究结论一定程度上丰富了分析师私有信息获取及其影响机理以及社会关系等方面的文献,而且还可帮助投资者、监管者等利益相关方更好地理解分析师行为,促进资源合理配置,增强资本市场的有效性等方面具有一定的启示意义.