Optimal Annuity Purchase Decisions Under Uncertain Lifetime

This paper developed a wealth allocation framework for longevity risk protection under stochastic lifetime. By combining the dynamics of wealth evolution and health evolution in stochastic multi-period discrete-time models, an optimization problem was formulated with the objective of maximizing lifetime utility of consumption and bequest. We implemented the framework in different scenarios and provided results to illustrate the practical implications of the framework. Computational results suggested that it is optimal for most people to purchase an annuity at some point in their lives. However, an individual’s health status, risk aversion, retirement objective, and the insurance charge associated with annuities could significantly influence the choice of optimal annuitization time, consumption plans, and trade off between lifetime versus fixed-term annuity.     

A new product growth model with a dynamic market potential

Traditional new product diffusion models have assumed a constant market potential over the planning horizon for forecasting product adoptions. This assumption is conceptually unsound and is likely to yield either theoretically unacceptable parameter estimates of the model or poor demand forecasts. This paper presents a dynamic growth model which relaxes this assumption. Model illustrations, limitations and further extensions are included.     

Background and Adjustment Capacity of Sexually Abused Girls and their Perceptions of Intervention

The main objective of the study was to understand the adjustment capacity of sexually abused girls in the age group 13–18 years in Kolkata, India. The study also attempted to understand how the sexually abused girls perceived the psychological interventions, i.e. individual and group counselling, which they had received. A group of 120 sexually abused Indian girls and 120 non‐sexually abused Indian schoolgirls residing in Kolkata Metropolitan City and its suburbs were studied. Findings revealed that the majority of the sexually abused girls came from nuclear and poor families (93.3%) with a low educational background. More than two‐thirds (73.3%) were lured with promises of job prospects, marriage and a better life and then abused sexually. Emotional and social adjustment capacity of sexually abused and non‐sexually abused girls differed significantly (p < 0.05). Overall, the perception of more than two‐thirds of the sexually abused girls of the rehabilitation homes they lived in was found to be positive. Further, the girls who reported they gained considerably from counselling had a better adjustment capacity compared to those who reported they did not benefit from counselling. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Open review of science publications

Publication of scientific research in print is traditionally peer reviewed anonymously prior to publication, which is a time-tested process but has serious limitations. The advent of the Internet permits postpublication open review online after minimal review by the editors or the author-selected reviewers, which can be quick, that permits the authors to revise the content. Most meritorious articles published online may be selected for publication in print as annual or biennial collections.     

Generalized Verbal Behavior Increases Following a Speaker Immersion Intervention

A goal of behavior-analytic interventions is to produce behavior that is maintained under naturalistic conditions. In this experiment, we studied the effects of a speaker immersion protocol (SIP) on the number of speaker responses (tacts and mands) emitted by 3 preschool students under naturalistic, not directly targeted, conditions. During the SIP, the researchers provided 100 daily opportunities for the participants to emit mands using the target mand form by contriving establishing operations (EOs) throughout the school day. The effects of the intervention were evaluated using a multiple-probe design by measuring target mands during EO probe sessions and the number of mands and tacts emitted during noninstructional-setting probe sessions. The researchers found that the SIP produced increases in both targeted and generalized verbal behavior.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s40616-020-00133-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A Comparison of the Predictive Validity of Procedures for Analyzing Binary Data

Some approaches for analyzing binary data are briefly described and compared. The results of two empirical investigations in the context of assessing consumer preferences and a simulation study yield some interesting findings. The article concludes with some directions for future research in this area.     

Composite sampling: effectiveness under a two stage scheme

This article describes a two stage composite sampling scheme for the detection of defectives in a sample. The costs under these schemes are compared with the costs under exhaustive testing for the binomial and hypergeometric models.     

Perspective on succession planning in multiple MNCs: interview with Aparna Sharma

?Organizations are often confronted with the challenges of developing a continuous flow of functional leaders who can operate effectively in different cultural contexts. To maintain a sustainable leadership structure across different functional units, organizations need to put in place an efficient succession plan to meet any unexpected leadership void. The existing scholar practitioner literature offers limited information regarding evidence-based practices adopted by organizations for creating an effective succession planning strategy. The interview presented here is an attempt to highlight different approaches and strategies of effective succession management for ensuring leadership continuity and harnessing talent from within the organizations.