Viability and capability indexes for multiresponse processes

The viability index Vr is introduced as an intuitively appealing measure of the capability potential of a process. It is related to the well-known index Cp but has some advantages over it. The statistical properties of Vr are readily obtainable and, unlike Cp, it extends naturally to multi-response processes. The multivariate viability index Vrn is defined, discussed and illustrated using an example from the minerals sector.     

Concentration of the retail sector and trapped brands

This article explores how the growth in concentration of the retail trade has influenced both the strategies and performances of brands within the FMCG industry. Three mature markets within the FMCG industry—tea, toothpaste and dishwashing liquid—are examined over a 13-year period (1982–1993). The study compares the strategies of dominant brands in these markets against those of second tier brands. Four key brand strategies—advertising, distribution, number of brand variants and pricing—are closely examined. The study illustrates the increasing divergence in the strategic profile of dominant and second tier brands and the emergence of a group of brands, termed ‘trapped’ brands, which are particularly vulnerable as a consequence of consolidation of the retail trade.     

A fractional order statistic towards defining a smooth quantile function for discrete data

This work is motivated in part by a recent publication by Ma et al. (2011) who resolved the asymptotic non-normality problem of the classical sample quantiles for discrete data through defining a new mid-distribution based quantile function. This work is the motivation for defining a new and improved smooth population quantile function given discrete data. Our definition is based on the theory of fractional order statistics. The main advantage of our definition as compared to its competitors is the capability to distinguish the uth quantile across different discrete distributions over the whole interval, u∈(0,1). In addition, we define the corresponding estimator of the smooth population quantiles and demonstrate the convergence and asymptotic normal distribution of the corresponding sample quantiles. We verify our theoretical results through a Monte Carlo simulation, and illustrate the utilization of our quantile function in a Q-Q plot for discrete data.     

RANKING ECONOMICS DEPARTMENTS IN EUROPE: A STATISTICAL APPROACH

We provide a ranking of economics departments in Europe and we discuss the methods used to obtain it. The JEL CD‐ROM serves as a database for a period covering ten years. Journals are ranked using a combination of expert opinions and citation data to produce a scale from 1 to 10. The publication output and habits of fifteen European countries plus California are then compared. Individuals with a contribution greater than a predetermined minimum level are regrouped into departments which are ranked according to their total scores. A standard deviation is provided to underline the uncertainty of this ranking. (JEL: I29, D63, C12, C14)     

Maybe Next Month? Temperature Shocks and Dynamic Adjustments in Birth Rates

We estimate the effects of temperature shocks on birth rates in the United States between 1931 and 2010. We find that days with a mean temperature above 80°F cause a large decline in birth rates 8 to 10 months later. Unlike prior studies, we demonstrate that the initial decline is followed by a partial rebound in births over the next few months, implying that populations mitigate some of the fertility cost by shifting conception month. This shift helps explain the observed peak in late-summer births in the United States. We also present new evidence that hot weather most likely harms fertility via reproductive health as opposed to sexual activity. Historical evidence suggests that air conditioning could be used to substantially offset the fertility costs of high temperatures.     

Development of the Stay Safe programme

The development and implementation of the Stay Safe programme is described in this paper. The programme, which was developed in the Republic of Ireland, is a culturally sensitive developmentally staged child abuse prevention. It is a multisystemic programme insofar as it includes modules for teachers, parents and children. It also involves liaison with local child protection and child health professionals as an integral part of implementation. Multimedia‐based instruction is employed to facilitate multimodal leaning. The broad curriculum covers bullying and child abuse as two related forms of victimization. Disclosure training, assertiveness training and coercion management training are included in the curriculum, which also focuses on enhancing self‐esteem and the promotion of peer support. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prevention of child sexual abuse: implications of programme evaluation research

Thirty child abuse prevention programme evaluation studies were selected according to a set of methodological criteria following an extensive manual and computer literature search. Targets for intervention in 17 studies were children; in three parents; in four teachers; and in six studies multisystemic programmes were evaluated where some combination of children, parents and teachers was targeted for intervention. From a review of the 30 studies, it was concluded that child abuse prevention programmes can lead to significant gains in children's, parents' and teachers' safety knowledge and skills. Best practice guidelines arising from the review include the use of multisystemic programmes; child‐focused curricula which cover a wide range of safety skills and concepts; and the use of didactic instruction and discussion, video modelling and active behavioural skills training techniques in programme delivery. The curricula for parents' and teachers' programmes should cover child protection issues and local child protection procedures along with an overview of the children's programme lesson plans. Longer programmes conducted by trained staff are preferable and such staff may include teachers, parents, mental health professionals and law enforcement officers. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Habits and orders of everyday life: commensal adjustment in Anglo‐French couples

This paper examines processes of habit reshuffling and change in different contexts of household formation, looking specifically at habits regarding eating and commensality. It is based on a study of 14 couples, each with one English and one French partner, half of whom live in France, half in England. We examine the interplay between partners, their determination to eat together as a couple, and the various ‘orders’ associated with their commensal pact (diets, routines, extra‐marital commensality), both when they start as couples and as parents of young children. We draw on the specificity of cross‐national couple experience to cast light on processes of adjustment – to one another, and to the new country of residence for the migrant partner. In particular, we explore the potential of notions of ‘split’ and ‘solid’ ‘patrimonies of incorporated habits’, ‘re‐shuffling’ of habits and dispositions, and ‘habit memory’, to characterize the dynamics of habits at play in each of the orders under scrutiny. Overall, the paper contributes to the analysis of habit as the ‘stuff’ of orders of everyday life.     

How does actual unemployment and the perceived risk of joblessness affect smoking behavior? Gender and intra-family effects

Review of Economics of the Household - Using the 1999–2011 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we examine how actual unemployment and the perceived risk of joblessness, as reflected...