Race and prevailing wage laws in the construction industry: Comment on Thieblot

Using the 1990 Census of Population, Thieblot (1999) argued that black employment and the strength of the prevailing wage laws are correlated and that repeal of these laws would lead to higher black employment in construction. Analysis of the 1970 Census of Population reveals that the relative abundance of black construction workers in the group of states that eventually would repeal their laws preceded those repeals and that this is mainly due to the characteristics of Southern labor markets. This and other research cast doubt on both the strength and the existence of such a correlation.     

Multivariate process dispersion monitoring without subgrouping

The memory-type adaptive and non-adaptive control charts are among the best control charts for detecting small-to-moderate changes in the process parameter(s). In this paper, we propose the Crosier CUSUM (CCUSUM), EWMA, adaptive CCUSUM (ACCUSUM) and adaptive EWMA (AEWMA) charts for efficiently monitoring the changes in the covariance matrix of a multivariate normal process without subgrouping. Using extensive Monte Carlo simulations, the length characteristics of these control charts are computed. It turns out that the ACCUSUM and AEWMA charts perform uniformly and substantially better than the CCUSUM and EWMA charts when detecting a range of shift sizes in the covariance matrix. Moreover, the AEWMA chart outperforms the ACCUSUM chart. A real dataset is used to explain the implementation of the proposed control charts.     

What's love got to do with it? Passion and inequality in white‐collar work

Emotion has become an increasingly important aspect of work in the 21st century. In this article, we take stock of the extant literature delineating the role of emotions, especially passion as a cultural schema, in white‐collar workplaces. Scholars have covered extensive ground on emotions at work, but the role of passion remains an underexplored yet significant area. Drawing from recent developments in research on white‐collar work, we argue that the passion schema has become a critical marker in the labor market for sorting individuals into occupations, hiring and promotion within organizations, and assigning value to people's labor. Emergent research suggests that because the expression and perception of passion remain ambiguously defined in the workplace and varies by context, it is pivotal in reproducing social inequalities. In this review, we focus on how privileging passion in the workplace and interpreting it as a measure of aptitude impacts social inequalities by race, gender, and social class. We close by setting an agenda for further research on this topic.     

How the acculturation of Baba Nyonya community affects Malacca food identity?

ABSTRACT

The migration of the Chinese community to Malacca in the 16th century has enabled the process of cross culturing and culinary acculturation, producing a unique mixture of Baba Nyonya food. Even though Baba Nyonya food is pretty much has been localised (Malay), its Chinese representation cannot be denied. This study aims to assess how the acculturation of the Baba Nyonya community affects Malacca food identity. A quantitative methodology is employed in this study. This study classifies Baba Nyonya food acculturation through (1) types of food; (2) methods of cooking; (3) ingredients; and (4) eating decorum. From the regression analysis, this study found that Baba Nyonya cultural polarity explains significant variation in the formation of Malacca food identity. This study then elaborates on the importance of Baba Nyonya food in Malacca destination branding.     

Women–Family in Quality Perspective

Bringing together women and family in quality perspective bring about interesting discussions in this paper. By integrating previous studies and considering expert opinions, we determinate the variables and dimensions with respect to women’s existence regarding their roles both in the family and at work. Many activities carried out by women represent the consumer aspects of their role. Women undertake these activities to fulfill their needs, which can be classified in the order of preference using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need. Women success can be measured based on their ability to perform their roles successfully. We identify women’s performance by using quality approach of Personal Quality Maintenance (PQM), which is widely applied in many organizations in order to maintain the service delivery, which meets the customer satisfaction. The effort to enhance women’s satisfaction for their success in playing the multirole in the family and at work is our main consideration. This study may contribute a new point of view regarding for the women’s welfare and existence.     

Bayesian parameter inference for stochastic SIR epidemic model with hyperbolic diffusion

This paper is concerned with the Bayesian estimation parameters of the stochastic SIR (Susceptible-Infective-Removed) epidemic model from the trajectory data. Specifically, the data from the count of both infectives and susceptibles is assumed to be available on some time grid as the epidemic progresses. The diffusion approximation of the appropriate jump process is then used to estimate missing data between every pair of observation times. If the time step of imputations is small enough, we derive the posterior distributions of the infection and recovery rates using the Milstein scheme. The paper also presents Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation that demonstrates that the method provides accurate estimates, as illustrated by the synthetic data from SIR epidemic model and the real data.     

A new generalization of the Weibull-geometric distribution with bathtub failure rate

In this paper, the researchers attempt to introduce a new generalization of the Weibull-geometric distribution. The failure rate function of the new model is found to be increasing, decreasing, upside-down bathtub, and bathtub-shaped. The researchers obtained the new model by compounding Weibull distribution and discrete generalized exponential distribution of a second type, which is a generalization of the geometric distribution. The new introduced model contains some previously known lifetime distributions as well as a new one. Some basic distributional properties and moments of the new model are discussed. Estimation of the parameters is illustrated and the model with two known real data sets is examined.     

Analyzing the Import Demand Function with Expenditure Components: Evidence from Pakistan

This study highlights the responsiveness of import demand in the context of aggregate expenditure components in Pakistan over the period of 1974?C2009. The study uses Johansen multivariate cointegration analysis and estimates an error correction model to drive the long-run and short run elasticities of the import demand behavior. The cointegration results provide a strong empirical validity of the presence of long run elasticities between import and macro-components. In the long-run, the consumption expenditure is the main dominant determinants of the movements in import demand in Pakistan. In the short-run, the consumption and investment expenditures are the major determinants of import demand while the import demand is not sensitive to relative price. Moreover, the parameter stability tests confirm the stability of the model, and the sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of initial results.     

Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to Predict Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties on Positive and Negative Affect Among Adolescents in Disadvantaged Communities

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to predict the positive and negative affects of emotional and behavioral difficulties among adolescent boys and girls aged between 14 and 21 years living in disadvantaged communities. A total of 316 adolescents—181 boys and 135 girls—living in the Seri Pantai and Pantai Ria Public Housing Projects in Kuala Lumpur were invited to complete the questionnaire. The results showed that conduct and peer problems were the most prevalent emotional and behavioral difficulties experienced by these adolescents. As expected, the emotional symptoms were more common among the girls than the boys. A further analysis showed that emotional symptoms, peer problems, and low prosocial behavior were predictors of the negative affect of emotional and behavioral difficulties while negative emotional symptoms and high hyperactivity were predictors of a positive affect. The findings suggested that three subscales of SDQ are required to produce a negative affect, and two subscales of SDQ for a positive affect.