A Study on EWMA charts with runs rules—the Markov chain approach

ABSTRACT

Runs rules are usually used with Shewhart-type charts to enhance the charts' sensitivities toward small and moderate shifts. Abbas et al. in 2011 took it a step further by proposing two runs rules schemes, applied to the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart and evaluated their average run length (ARL) performances using simulation. They showed that the proposed schemes are superior to the classical EWMA chart and other schemes being investigated. Besides pointing out some erroneous ARL and standard deviation of the run length (SDRL) computations in Abbas et al., this paper presents a Markov chain approach for computing the ARL, percentiles of the run length (RL) distribution and SDRL, for the two runs rules schemes of Abbas et al. Using Markov chain, we also propose two combined runs rules EWMA schemes to quicken the two schemes of Abbas et al. in responding to large shifts. The runs rules (basic and combined rules) EWMA schemes will be compared with some existing control charting methods, where the former charts are shown to prevail.     

Child Mortality in Beirut: Six Indirect Estimates Based on Data Collected at the Time of a Birth

Six indirect techniques for estimating child mortality were applied to information on survival status of all children ever born, provided by a sample of 1,252 women delivered at the Maternity Unit of the American University of Beirut Hospital. The results were compared, using as a reference the estimate derived from partial birth histories (ages of surviving children, ages at death of children who have died). Their dispersion is minimal for the probability of dying between birth and fifth birthday, estimated at 48 per thousand. For each mother, the ratio of the observed number of children who have died, to that expected given the lengths of exposure of the children to the risk of mortality, was used as a dependent variable in a multiple regression analysis. Educational level of mothers had a significant effect, but not occupational status of father, religion or consanguinuity.     

DO FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AFFECT FIRMS’ DEMAND FOR DISABLED WORKERS?

A number of OECD countries aim to encourage work integration of disabled persons using quota policies. For instance, Austrian firms must provide at least one job to a disabled worker per 25 nondisabled workers and are subject to a tax if they do not. This “threshold design” provides causal estimates of the noncompliance tax on disabled employment if firms do not manipulate nondisabled employment; a lower and upper bound on the causal effect can be constructed if they do. Results indicate that firms with 25 nondisabled workers employ about 0.04 (or 12%) more disabled workers than without the tax; firms do manipulate employment of nondisabled workers but the lower bound on the employment effect of the quota remains positive; employment effects are stronger in low‐wage firms than in high‐wage firms; and firms subject to the quota of two disabled workers or more hire 0.08 more disabled workers per additional quota job. Moreover, increasing the noncompliance tax increases excess disabled employment, whereas paying a bonus to overcomplying firms slightly dampens the employment effects of the tax.     

Interaction Patterns in Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Typological Analysis

While several studies in adolescents have addressed issues related to romantic relationships and dating violence, there is a limited understanding of their interaction patterns. This study aims to document interactions in conflict situations by identifying profiles of adolescent romantic relationships. Qualitative analysis based on the dimensions of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems was used to investigate the interaction task of 40 dyads. A typological analysis revealed four profiles: (1) rigid, (2) entangled, (3) hampered, and (4) balanced. Results highlight the diversity of romantic experiences and offer a better understanding of the intricacies of different interaction profiles. Dating violence prevention efforts and programs promoting harmonious and egalitarian romantic relationships could benefit from the insights of the identified profiles.     

Identifying Social Indicators for Sustainability Assessment of CCU Technologies: A Modified Multi-criteria Decision Making

Social Indicators Research - This paper analyses the trend and changes in Sri Lanka’s multidimensional poverty before the ethnic war in 2007, the transition through 2009 and after the war in...     

Expectations, Disappointment, and Rank-Dependent Probability Weighting

We develop a model of Disappointment in which disappointment and elation arise from comparing the outcome received, not with an expected value as in previous models, but rather with the other individual outcomes of the lottery. This approach may better reflect the way individuals are liable to experience disappointment. The model obtained accounts for classic behavioral deviations from the normative theory, offers a richer structure than previous disappointment models, and leads to a Rank-Dependent Utility formulation in a transparent way. Thus, our disappointment model may provide a clear psychological rationale for the subjective transformation of probabilities.     

Secondary issues and party politics: an application to environmental policy

This article develops a political economy model to assess the interplay between party formation and an environmental policy dimension viewed as secondary to the redistributive dimension. We define being a secondary issue in terms of the intensity of preferences over this issue rather than in terms of the proportion of voters who care for the environment. Equilibrium policies are the outcome of an electoral competition game between endogenous parties. We obtain the following results: (i) The Pigouvian tax never emerges in an equilibrium; (ii) The equilibrium environmental tax is larger when there is a minority of green voters; (iii) Stable green parties exist only if there is a minority of green voters and income polarization is large enough relative to the saliency of the environmental issue. We also study the redistributive policies advocated by green parties.     

Identity cues and dementia in nursing home intervention

This study examines the identity cues that family caregivers and healthcare personnel use with seniors living with dementia and living in nursing homes. The identity cues represent biographical knowledge used to stimulate the dementia sufferer, trigger signals and incite interaction. Our grounded approach hinges on three objectives: to identify and categorize identity cues; to document their uses; and to gain a better understanding of their effectiveness. We interviewed nine family caregivers and 12 healthcare workers. Qualitative data indicates that the participants use identity cues that evoke seniors' sociological, relational and individual characteristics. These identity cues play a central role in communication and constitute important information that the family caregivers can share with healthcare personnel. They sustain memory, facilitate care and reinforce seniors' self-value. These results help to define identity, foster a greater role for family caregivers, and constitute a sound basis for the implementation of personalized interventions.