Rank-based test procedures for interaction in the two-way layout with one observation per cell

New aligned-rank test procedures for the composite null hypothesis of no interaction effects (without placing restrictions on the two main effects) against appropriate composite general alternatives are developed for the standard two-way layout with a single observation per cell. Relative power performances of the two new aligned-rank procedures and existing tests due to Tukey (1949) and to de Kroon & van der Laan (1981) are examined via Monte Carlo simulation. Extensive power studies conducted on the 5 × 6 and 5 × 9 two-way layouts with one observation per cell show superior performance of the new procedures for a variety of interaction effects. Simulated critical values for the new procedures are provided in settings where the number of levels for each of the factors is between 3 and 9, inclusive.     

From mistress to hooker: 40 years of cartoon humor in men's magazines

This paper explores mass media humor and its relationship to the changing nature of male sexual mores and prostitution. All cartoons in the two leading men's magazines,Esquire andPlayboy, with prostituion as the topic were subjected to a content analysis. The change in content of these cartoons over the 40 year period covered is described.     

INFORMATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF MONEY, INTEREST RATE, and PRICE RULES

The information available to private agents determines the effectiveness of various types of monetary policy. In an economy in which private agents have differential information sets, the ranking of three classes of monetary policy rules critically depends on the specification of agents' information sets. A price rule, for example, minimizes the variance of output around its full information level when agents observe both the interest rate and money stock. More generally, if all three monetary policy variables (the money stock, the price level and the interest rate) are contemporaneously observed, the policy ranking is indeterminate.     

The elusive market: Embeddedness and the paradigm of economic sociology

Theory and Society -     

Value-based management consulting in a third world country located within the United States

The Navajo Nation (the Navajo Reservation in the western United States) appears to be a third world country within the boundaries of one of the most prosperous and technically advanced countries in the world. This paper discusses the cultural and economic factors that have been ignored by business consultants to the Native Americans, especially the Navajo. The economic plight of the Navajo can be partially blamed on the application of generic management techniques for the past 40 years by consultants treating the Navajo as members of their own dominate culture. This paper also discusses the ethical implications of ignoring cultural differences under the guise of supplying professional services to minority cultures.     

Player transgressions and the management of the sport sponsor relationship

Player transgressions in sport relate to on- or off-field incidents that are out of the ordinary and may bring negative repercussions for stakeholders as a result of their association with the team, athlete or sport. Based on a series of depth interviews conducted with executives representing major Australian team-based sporting organizations, this paper outlines the effects that these incidents can have on relationships with sponsors from a sport organization perspective. The findings serve to develop a conceptual model that illustrates that the impact of transgressions is determined by a number of factors, which are discussed. The paper further presents a number of implications for the sport organization's public relations strategy, given that the role of public relations has evolved from primarily a communications focus to a more strategic management of relationships with various publics and stakeholders.     

The Application of Genetic Information for Regulatory Standard Setting Under the Clean Air Act: A Decision-Analytic Approach

In 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an “Interim Policy on Genomics,” stating a commitment to developing guidance on the inclusion of genetic information in regulatory decision making. This statement was followed in 2004 by a document exploring the potential implications. Genetic information can play a key role in understanding and quantifying human susceptibility, an essential step in many of the risk assessments used to shape policy. For example, the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants at levels to protect even sensitive populations from adverse health effects with an adequate margin of safety. Asthmatics are generally regarded as a sensitive population, yet substantial research gaps in understanding genetic susceptibility and disease have hindered quantitative risk analysis. This case study assesses the potential role of genomic information regarding susceptible populations in the NAAQS process for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) under the CAA. In this initial assessment, we model the contribution of a single polymorphism to asthma risk and mortality risk; however, multiple polymorphisms and interactions (gene‐gene and gene‐environment) are known to play key roles in the disease process. We show that the impact of new information about susceptibility on estimates of population risk or average risk derived from large epidemiological studies depends on the circumstances. We also suggest that analysis of a single polymorphism, or other risk factor such as health status, may or may not change estimates of individual risk enough to alter a particular regulatory decision, but this depends on specific characteristics of the decision and risk information. We also show how new information about susceptibility in the context of the NAAQS for PM_2.5 could have a large impact on the estimated distribution of individual risk. This would occur if a group were consequently identified (based on genetic and/or disease status), that accounted for a disproportionate share of observed effects. Our results highlight certain conditions under which genetic information is likely to have an impact on risk estimates and the balance of costs and benefits within groups, and highlight critical research needs. As future studies explore more fully the relationship between exposure, genetic makeup, and disease status, the opportunity for genetic information and disease status to play pivotal roles in regulation can only increase.