Dynamic programming for spatial allocation of advertising expenditure

The paper deals with optimal allocation of a given amount of advertising expenditure among various sales districts. It applies dynamic programming to arrive at the optimal policy regarding such allocation. The basic model is that of Zentler and Ryde which heretofore has been solved using a graphical method. The optimal solution is illustrated with an example.     

Administrative Reform and Style of Work Behavior: Adaptors-Innovators

In this paper the situation of Iranian reform agents from their style of work behavior point of view (such as problem solving and decision making) is analyzed.The assessment is based on a modified version of Kirton's theory of adaptors and innovators (modified KAI). The purpose of this study is to see whether the reform agents were seen as innovative enough to bring about fundamental changes in Iranian bureaucracy. The study of work behavior makes a difference in how people approach, solve and communicate problems, and therefore, may influence the success of reform program. Although the results indicate that the reform program was not perceived as having been as successful as expected, however, about 75 percent of Iranian reform agents could be categorized as innovative-inclined. The level of education and age account for little of the variance in the responses. Differences in the (modified) KAI mean scores of the agents of reform working in different organizations may explain some communication problems.     

Geographical variation of elytral spot patterns in the phytophagous ladybird,Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the Province of Sumatera Barat, Indonesia

Summary Geographical variation in the elytral spot patterns of a phytophagous ladybird,Epilachna vigintioctopunctata, was studied in the Province of Sumatera Barat, Indonesia. Populations ofE. vigintioctopunctata were divided into four major groups (I–IV) by the incidence of spot pattern variations. Group I, occurring in the coastal plains and inland lowlands, and Group IV, confined to the highlands, were the extremes of the spot pattern variations, the latter had many more non-persistent spots and confluences with larger body size and advanced melanism than the former. These two groups were connected with each other via the intermediate groups. A positive relationship was detected between the elevations of sample sites and the average number of non-persistent spots per elytron. Consequently, present results favor the view that the two previously recognized forms ofE. vigintioctopunctata (formae A and B inKatakura et al., 1988) represent a complicated intraspecific variation rather than two distinct sibling species. Elytral spot pattern variations were not different between the sexes or between the beetles collected from different kinds of host plants. Contribution No. 30 of Sumatra Nature Study (Entomology). Supported in part by grants from Japan Society for the Promotion Science for JSPS-DGHE Scientific Cooperation (1980, 1982) and for the RONPAKU program (toI. Abbas, 1984) and Grants-in-Aid for Overseas Scientific survey from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan (Nos. 56041027 and 58041030).     

Testing the equality of two independent regression models

In some situations, for example in agriculture, biology, hydrology, and psychology, researchers wish to determine whether the relationship between response variable and predictor variables differs in two populations. In other words, we are interested in comparing two regression models for two independent datasets. In this work, we will use the parametric and nonparametric methods to establish hypothesis testing for the equality of two independent regression models. Then the simulation study is provided to investigate the performance of the proposed method.     

Adult population parameters and life tables of an epilachnine beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) feeding on bitter cucumber in Sumatra

Summary The population dynamics of an epilachnine beetle, which is closely related toEpilachna sparsa Dieke (henceforth called “sp. C”) and feeds on bitter cucumberMomordica charantia, was studied by mark-recapture of adults and the construction of life tables. The study was repeated three times, i.e., March–May, July–September and October–December in 1982, in Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia. After the establishment of the host plants, adults of “sp. C” soon colonized, and each study period ended in the death of the plants due to defoliation by the larvae and adults. The estimated mean length of residence of adults ranged from 6–11 days, but this was probably much shorter than the actual longevity, because the adults were so active that they flew away, or dropped off the plants, when they were approached or slightly disturbed. Life tables indicated that egg mortality ranged from 17.8–53.9%, and a parasitic waspTetrastichus sp. B made up 41.1–64.2% of egg mortality. Two wasps,Tetrastichus sp. C andPediobius foveolatus killed 1.2–19.4% (7.6–100%)^* of 4th instars and only the latter species attacked the pupae, killing 24.6–59.1% (45.1–72.4%). Parasitism and starvation by overcrowding contributed most to the total mortality from egg to adult emergence, which ranged from 89.4–99.5%. “Sp. C” had a higher diversity and level of parasitism than the Japanese species,E. vigintioctopunctata. The high dispersal power of “sp. C”, coupled with the prolongedl _x−m_x schedules shown under laboratory conditions, was advantageous for exploiting the food plant which was available throughout the year, but was rather patchily distributed in space.     

The social work services in screening process of compulsory treatment interventions in addicts in Iran: A content analysis study

Compulsory treatment has had a detrimental impact on drug abuse treatment policies and programs in Iran. Physicians are currently required to conduct initial treatment screening. Social workers are a part of the treatment team but have no authority to initiate a compulsory drug treatment plan. For this reason, the present article investigates social work service participation in the process of compulsory drug treatment. The study methodology is content analysis. Nine social workers participated in seven focus group discussions. Overall, 110 codes were extracted from the sessions and were categorized into five main themes: interview and initial assessment; referral; investigation of ineligibility criteria; report to judicial authority; and follow‐up and advocacy. The results of this research suggest amending executive bylaws based on a social work approach to the screening process for compulsory drug treatment.     

A Bayesian way of monitoring the linear profiles using CUSUM control charts

In statistical process control applications, profiles functions are considered an efficient way of representing quality of products or processes. Classical and Bayesian thoughts are two chief sources of defining control charting structures for profiles monitoring. This Study introduces novel Bayesian CUSUM control structures for profiles monitoring. The comprehensive comparative study identifies that the proposed Bayesian CUSUM control charts under conjugate priors has better expected performance than competing methods. The implementation of Bayesian structures requires detailed information about process parameters which come up with considerable benefits. In addition, simulative example and case study further justified the superiority of proposed techniques.     

Fuzzy p-value in testing fuzzy hypotheses with crisp data

In testing statistical hypotheses, as in other statistical problems, we may be confronted with fuzzy concepts. This paper deals with the problem of testing hypotheses, when the hypotheses are fuzzy and the data are crisp. We first introduce the notion of fuzzy p-value, by applying the extension principle and then present an approach for testing fuzzy hypotheses by comparing a fuzzy p-value and a fuzzy significance level, based on a comparison of two fuzzy sets. Numerical examples are also provided to illustrate the approach.