On negative moments of generalized poisson distribution

The negative moments have been used in estimation theory and life testing problems. In this paper we obtain the first inverse moment of a decapitated generalized Poisson distribution of Consul and Jain (1973) and exhibit an application in the estimation of soil micro-organisms.     

Minimum variance unbiased estimation in a modified power series distribution and some of its applications

In this paper we study the minimum variance unbiased estimation in the modified power series distribution introduced by the author (1974a). Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of minimum variance unbiased estimate (MVUE) of the parameter based on sufficient statistics are obtained. These results are, then, applied to obtain MVUE of θ^r (r ≥ 1) for the generalized negative binomial and the decapitated generalized negative binomial distributions (Jain and Consul, 1971). Similar estimates are obtained for the generalized Poisson (Consul and Jain, 1973a) and the generalized logarithmic series distributions (Jain and Gupta, 1973). Several of the well-known results follow trivially from the results obtained here.     

Nonparametric empirical bayes estimation of the probability that x ≥ y

A sequence of empirical Bayes estimators is defined for estimating, in a two-sample problem, the probability that X ≥ Y. The sequence is shown to be asymptotically optimal relative to a Ferguson Dirichlet process prior.     

A Procedure for Identification of Principal Variables by Least Generalized Dependence

Principal components are often used for reducing dimensions in multivariate data, but they frequently fail to provide useful results and their interpretation is rather difficult. In this article, the use of entropy optimization principles for dimensional reduction in multivariate data is proposed. Under the assumptions of multivariate normality, a four-step procedure is developed for selecting principal variables and hence discarding redundant variables. For comparative performance of the information theoretic procedure, we use simulated data with known dimensionality. Principal variables of cluster bean (Guar) are identified by applying this procedure to a real data set generated in a plant breeding experiment.     

Nonparametric approach to rank global petroleum business opportunities

Crude oil continues to be one of the significant energy sources. Several countries do not have enough indigenous oil and gas resources. These countries resort to overseas business of Exploration and Production (E&P) of oil to secure a stable supply. Profitability, risk and growth guide overseas investment decisions. Selection of overseas investment opportunities are critical for a firm because of uncertainty in identifying and quantifying the attendant geological, commercial, social and political risks as well as return on investment. To secure overseas oil acreage, business entities intend to invest in overseas E&P destination having reasonable petroleum reserve, favorable contract terms (fiscal terms), well-developed infrastructure, sound legal system, minimum country risk (CR) (economic, social and political) and facilitate relative ease to do business in that country. The countries have varied mix of these parameters, and it leads to growing concern to screen and rank overseas investment opportunities. Methodologies to rank global opportunities should take into consideration the risk factors such as petroleum potential, infrastructure, geo-political scenario, contract terms, etc. We coin the term for the numerical rank as Globalization Index (GI), which is a function of the factors considered to affect the decision of a business entity in screening the global destinations for venturing in to E&P business of crude oil. This paper is an attempt to model these factors by invoking Alternating Conditional Expectation methodology to find GI.     

Beyond the Nation State: Social Policy in an Age of Globalization

The paper proceeds from the assumption that globalization has placed significant constraints on the autonomy of nation states in the making of social policy. It argues that the post-World War II welfare state represented a social system highly successful in combining economic efficiency and dynamism with equity and solidarity. This historic achievement at the nation-state level is being undermined by economic globalization. It is both necessary and feasible to recreate and institutionalize this mixed system globally. The paper argues that the concept of social rights, which has served as the basic underpinning of the welfare state, has many weaknesses—logical as well as empirical. While the principles of civil and political rights are being consolidated and extended worldwide the principle of social rights is in decay. The paper presents the case for replacing social rights by social standards as the major concept for buttressing systems of social protection. To be applicable globally a social standard must be conceptualized as a level of social development which corresponds to an appropriate level of economic development. Finally, the paper considers the problems and prospects of developing social standards transnationally. It reviews, briefly, the nature and extent of transnational social policy-making by inter-governmental organizations and concludes that despite difficulties of global action advances towards global social standards remain possible.     

A study of subjective visual disturbances in jewellery manufacturing

Subjective Visual Disturbances are silent adversaries that appear over a period of continued exposure and arise when the visual demands of the tasks exceed the visual abilities of the user. Jewellery manufacturing activity involves precision designs, setting the metal and stones, polishing and filing which requires higher visual demand. Therefore, it is expected that the jewellery manufacturing workers may experience subjective visual disturbances. This study was taken up with the following objectives 1) To study the presence of subjective visual disturbances among jewellery manufacturing workers and compare the same with VDT operators 2) To study the effect of work exposures on subjective visual disturbances and 3) to ascertain whether subjective visual disturbances have any permanent vision related problems. The study was carried out on jewellery manufacturing workers, VDT operators and on graduate students. The symptoms of subjective visual disturbances were identified using a questionnaire developed by Sheedy (2003). Viewing distances were measured and visual angles were calculated. The eye check--ups were also carried out. The subjective visual disturbances were higher in jewellery manufacturing workers. The findings suggest that work exposure has an impact on the causation of subjective visual disturbances. No pathological conditions of the eyes were observed.     

Critical Community Practice

How do we conceptualize community development? What are themajor practices and processes behind the development of communities?What is critical community practice (CCP)? What are its fundamentalvalues? What are the objectives of CCP? How is CCP differentfrom the other approaches of community development? How do weoperationalize CCP? Who are the major agents in promoting CCP?Is it true that the process of CCP induces the empowerment ofcommunities? Moreover, how does this process enhance the emancipationof individuals at grassroots level? Finally, what are the