A Unified Approach To The Myerson Value And The Position Value

We reconsider the Myerson value and the position value for communication situations. In case the underlying game is a unanimity game, we show that each of these values can be computed using the inclusion--exclusion principle. Linearity of both values permits us to calculate them without needing the dividends of the induced games (graph-restricted game and link game). The expression of these dividends is only derived in the existing literature for special communication situations. Moreover, the associated inclusion--exclusion decomposability property depends on what we have called the graph allocation rule. This rule is the relative degree (relative indicator) for the position value (Myerson value).     

Experimentation order in factorial designs with 8 or 16 runs

Randomizing the order of experimentation in a factorial design does not always achieve the desired effect of neutralizing the influence of unknown factors. In fact, with some very reasonable assumptions, an important proportion of random orders afford the same degree of protection as that obtained by experimenting in the design matrix standard order. In addition, randomization can induce a big number of changes in factor levels and thus make experimentation expensive and difficult. This paper discusses this subject and suggests experimentation orders for designs with 8 or 16 runs that combine an excellent level of protection against the influence of unknown factors, with the minimum number of changes in factor levels.     

MULTICOINTEGRATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FISCAL PRACTICES

Using multicointegration methodology, we develop criteria for testing sustainability of fiscal budgeting processes across all states of nature. Criteria are derived from the optimal control literature where levels and rates of change of a system of variables are determinants of policy response. The appropriate policy response mechanisms are outlined and linked to the multicointegration methodology. We then test government spending and revenue systems of 15 industrialized countries for the presence of such mechanisms. We find that only Norway and the United Kingdom exhibit policy responses that are consistent with our criteria.(JEL H6 , E62 , C22 )     

Modeling attendance at Spanish professional football league

Prediction of demand for professional sports is increasingly drawing the attention of economists. We apply linear mixed models for modeling attendance figures at Spanish professional football. We investigate economic variables, such as the price of the tickets or the size of the market, and sporting variables, such as the quality of a team or the level of competition within the league, as potential predictors of attendance. It turns out that a model with temporally correlated random team effects provides good forecasts of attendance at a time horizon of two seasons. Results from this model agree with economic theory.     

Evaluation of what parents know about their children's drug use and how they perceive the most common family risk factors

Research on family risk factors for addictive behaviors in young people has not paid a great deal of attention to parents' knowledge of their children's addictive behaviors and of the family risk factors that affect such behaviors. The aim of this work is to compare knowledge about these two aspects in two groups of parents that differ regarding their children's declared drug use. The research was carried out with a sample of 309 schoolchildren and their families, divided into two groups: one of 154 families with children defined as non-Drug Users and another of 155 families with children defined as Drug Users. The results show that parents with children who consume drugs tend to strongly underestimate their children's use. Moreover, they overestimate the control they exercise over them and appear to be more familiarized with the use of drugs, if we compare them with parents of non-Drug Users. It is suggested that these results may be relevant for the planning of strategies that increase motivation in families with drug-risk children to participate in prevention programs.     

Tattoos can harm perceptions: a study and suggestions

OBJECTIVE: Health researchers have claimed that perceptions toward a person with a tattoo are more negative than are perceptions toward nontattooed persons. However, support for this has been obtained almost completely by nonexperimental research. PARTICIPANTS: In 2 experiments with 158 community college student participants, the authors found that tattoos harmed perceptions. METHODS: Students viewed a photograph of a female model with and without a visible tattoo, and rated her on 13 personal characteristics. RESULTS: In Experiment 1, ratings of a model with a dragon tattoo were significantly more negative (p < .05) on 5 of the 13 personal characteristics than were ratings of the same model shown without the tattoo. In Experiment 2, which included different participants, a different model, and a different tattoo, the authors found that a dolphin tattoo led to more negative ratings on 2 of the 13 characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The authors discuss possible impacts of tattoos on person perception as well as implications of the results for college student healthcare providers.     

Event-driven production scheduling in SME

One common problem among Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) is to don’t have at disposal formal and simple approaches for production scheduling, especially in case of an event that introduces the requirement of a re-planning. The paper approaches this kind of event-driven re-scheduling problems at the arrival of a new order, when some jobs are under processing, some operation have already finished and other jobs are waiting to be loaded on a machine. For a simple application in a SME, to the operations already started and completed for a job a processing time equal to zero is assigned; the operations already started but not yet completed are interrupted and considered as operations that must be executed for the remaining part of their processing time; all the other jobs are considered for the event-driven job-shop re-scheduling problem. A validation of the procedure in a realistic application is presented.