Buck-passing dumping in a garbage-dumping game

Theory and Decision - We study stable strategy profiles in a pure exchange game of bads, where each player dumps his or her bads such as garbage onto someone else. Hirai et al. (Mathematical Social...     

Optimization problems for consecutive-2-out-of-n:G system

Abstract

This paper considers the optimization problems for a consecutive-2-out-of-n:G system where n is considered to be fixed or random. When the number of components is constant, the optimal number of components and the optimal replacement time are discussed by minimizing the expected cost rates. Furthermore, we focus on the above discussions again when n is a random variable. We give an approximate value of MTTF and propose the preventive replacement policy, respectively.     

Observing Different Faiths,Learning About Ourselves: Practice with Inter-married Muslims and Christians

Abstract

Advanced care planning and end-of-life decision making are part of contemporary debates about death and dying. A data-mining study reviewing medical records of patient deaths in hospital investigated these issues and the utilisation of social work services. Findings indicated that the majority of records included some form of documentation about end-of-life care, including cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) orders and that family members and surrogate decision makers were more likely to be consulted than patients about these plans. The incidence of referrals to social workers was found to be highest “out-of-hours”. Key social work interventions were identified, including establishing the reliability of surrogates' decisions through social work assessment. This paper discusses elements that contribute to a supportive environment for patients and family members to facilitate the decision making process, including the need for a broader ethical discourse to accommodate the increasing complexity of end-of-life decision making in hospital settings.     

A review of RFID technology and its managerial applications in different industries

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an emerging technology that is increasingly being used in supply chain management. RFID technology plays an important role in supporting logistics and supply chain processes because of their ability to identify, trace and track information throughout the supply chain. The technology can provide suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers precise real time information about the products. This accurate knowledge of the inventory would result in lower labor cost, simplified business processes and improved supply chain efficiency. If properly used, it has the potential to cut ordering lead time and cost on inventory control, increase the accuracy of inventory information, help avoid stockouts and boost the number of inventory turns. In this paper, we provide an overview of the current state of RFID applications in different industries and its impact on business operations. We provide extensive literature survey and develop a framework for future research areas in this field.     

Pricing decisions in a multi-criteria setting for product recovery facilities

Unpredictability in the arrival time and quantity of discarded products at product recovery facilities (PRFs) and varying demand for recovered components contribute to the volatility in their inventory levels. Achieving profit under such capricious inventory levels and stringent environmental legislations remains a challenge to many PRFs. This paper presents a multi-criteria decision model to determine a pricing policy that can simultaneously address two issues: stabilize inventory fluctuations and boost profits. The model considers that PRFs passively accepts discarded products as well as acquires them proactively if necessary. Under a multi-criteria setting, the current work determines prices of reusable and recyclable components to maximize revenue and minimize product recovery costs. A genetic algorithm is employed to solve the multi-criteria decision making problem. Sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the effect of sorting yield, disassembly yield, and reusable component yield on the profits, prices, inventory levels, and disposal quantities.     

Power comparison of non-parametric tests: Small-sample properties from Monte Carlo experiments

SUMMARY Non-parametric tests that deal with two samples include scores tests (such as the Wilcoxon rank sum test, normal scores test, logistic scores test, Cauchy scores test, etc.) and Fisher's randomization test. Because the non-parametric tests generally require a large amount of computational work, there are few studies on small-sample properties, although asymptotic properties with regard to various aspects were studied in the past. In this paper, the non-parametric tests are compared with the t -test through Monte Carlo experiments. Also, we consider testing structural changes as an application in economics.     

Effects of spatio-temporal intervals between newly-hatched larvae on larval survival and development inMonochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The effects of distance between hatching larvae on survival and development were investigated inMonochamus alternatus. Two newly-hatched larvae were inoculated intoPinus densiflora bolts at a distance of 2.5 cm or 10 cm, simultaneously or at an interval of 2 weeks. Some larvae were inoculated singly as a control. When larvae were inoculated simultaneously, mortality of the closely-inoculated larvae was significantly higher than that of distantly-inoculated larvae. Such high mortality was identified as due to conspecific bites. When the two larvae were inoculated asynchronously, the first-inoculated larvae killed some second-inoculated larvae but were never killed by them. Consequently, mortality was higher in second-inoculated larvae than in first-inoculated larvae. In particular, there was a significant difference in mortality between them when the larvae had been inoculated closely. The mortality of second-inoculated larvae was higher in the closely-inoculated group than in the distantly-inoculated group although there was no significant difference between them. In the case of two simultaneously-inoculated larvae, the initial distance between them had no significant effect on the development and growth in the early larval stage. When the larvae were inoculated asynchronously, the first-inoculated larvae grew more quickly than singly-inoculated control larvae.     

Shareholders’ Voting at General Meetings: Evidence from the Netherlands

We study annual general meetings of shareholders in the Netherlands. The Dutch corporate governance system is characterized by relatively concentrated shareholdings and large stakes owned by pension funds, banks and insurance companies. The legal protection of shareholders is poor due to the presence of takeover defenses, such as certificates, which deprive shareholders from their voting rights. An analysis of the minutes of 245 general meetings in the period 1998–2002 reveals that on average 30% of the equity capital is represented at the meeting. All proposals at the meeting are sponsored by the management and only 9 out of 1,583 proposals are rejected or withdrawn. Our analyses show that pension funds are the most active and critical shareholders at the meetings, while certificates effectively restrict shareholder rights. Our main conclusion is that the general meetings do not provide shareholders in the Netherlands any significant influence on management.     

On least-squares bias in the AR(p) models: Bias correction using the bootstrap methods

In the case where the lagged dependent variables are included in the regression model, it is known that the ordinary least squares estimates (OLSE) are biased in small sample and that the bias increases as the number of the irrelevant variables increases. In this paper, based on the bootstrap methods, an attempt is made to obtain the unbiased estimates in autoregressive and non-Gaussian cases. We propose the residual-based bootstrap method in this paper. Some simulation studies are performed to examine whether the proposed estimation procedure works well or not. We obtain the results that it is possible to recover the true parameter values and that the proposed procedure gives us the less biased estimators than OLSE. This paper is a substantial revision of Tanizaki (2000). The normality assumption is adopted in Tanizaki (2000), but it is not required in this paper. The authors are grateful to an anonymous referee for valuable suggestions and comments. This research was partially supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)(2) #14530033, 2002–2005, for H. Tanizaki and Grants-in-Aid for the 21st Century COE Program.     

Mediated multinational urbanism: a Johannesburg exemplar

With increased international immigration, South African cities have come to contend with the threat of a violent multinational urbanism. Xenophobia, in its violent and symbolic manifestations, signifies this challenge. From an empirical grounding in Johannesburg, this paper explores the possibility of living together in contexts of multinational urbanism. It argues that strategic action and communicative action, in the Habermasian sense, are essential to the everyday mediation of multinational urbanism.