Social protection systems and the future of work: Ensuring social security for digital platform workers

Digitalization is transforming societies and economies worldwide at an unprecedented scale and pace. In the wake of automation and digitalization, new forms of employment have been emerging in various occupations and sectors, such as the digital platform economy. The emergence of new forms of employment, such as work on digital platforms, requires that existing social protection systems adapt to the specific situation and needs of such workers, as to realize the human right to social security for all. Current social protection coverage for workers on digital crowdwork platforms reveals significant gaps in social security coverage. Where such coverage exists, it is often provided through the workers’ previous or additional jobs, or indirectly through their spouses or other family members. This raises questions about digital platforms free riding on the traditional economy with regard to the financing of social security. How can social protection systems adapt to changing forms of work to ensure full and effective coverage for workers in all forms of employment, including those in “new” forms of employment? How can workers in all types of employment, including those on digital platforms, be protected in an adequate and comprehensive way, combining contributory and non‐contributory mechanisms and based on equitable and sustainable financing mechanisms, so as to ensure adequate social protection to all?     

Comparison of some common ratio estimators using pitman measure of nearness

In this article we compare some common ratio estimators for estimating the population total of a given characteristic. The sampling schemes considered are simple random sampling (S.R.S.) and S.R.S.under stratification. The comparisons are made using the Pitman Nearness criterion under the model-based approach. The error term is assumed normal with mean zero and variance σg(x). The function g(x) is a known function of the auxiliary variable x. Special interest is on the cases of g(x) =l and x. The result is found the same as that using MSE criterion, although the PN is very different from the MSE intrinsically.     

Estimation of Fuel Coefficients of Cement Production: A Fixed-Effects Approach to Nonlinear Regression

Fuel coefficients of cement production—one for each process of production—are estimated by explicitly accounting for the multiple-kiln structure of cement plants. Unobserved heterogeneity across plants is found to be significant. Furthermore, since the estimable model is nonlinear in exogenous variables and parameters, a fixed-effects estimator for nonlinear regression is used to obtain the estimates.     

Non-identifiable parametric probability models and reparametrization

Identifiability is a primary assumption in virtually all classical statistical theory. However, such an assumption may be violated in a variety of statistical models. We consider parametric models where the assumption of identifiability is violated, but otherwise satisfy standard assumptions. We propose an analytic method for constructing new parameters under which the model will be at least locally identifiable. This method is based on solving a system of linear partial differential equations involving the Fisher information matrix. Some consequences and valid inference procedures under non-identifiability have been discussed. The method of reparametrization is illustrated with an example.     

A note on an IPPS sampling scheme

Summary This paper presents a new IPPS sampling scheme possessing some desirable properties and providing an unbiased and non-negative variance estimator under H-T model. An empirical study is also undertaken to examine the performance of the scheme compared to some standard sampling schemes. The authors are grateful to the referees for providing many helpful suggestions on the earlier draft of the paper.     

Some stochastic orders of dynamic additive mean residual life model

Sometimes additive hazard rate model becomes more important to study than the celebrated (Cox, 1972) proportional hazard rate model. But the concept of the hazard function is sometimes abstract, in comparison to the concept of mean residual life function. In this paper, we have defined a new model called ‘dynamic additive mean residual life model’ where the covariates are time dependent, and study the closure of this model under different stochastic orders.     

E-optimal block designs under heteroscedastic model

This paper mainly studies the E-optimality of block designs under a general heteroscedastic setting. The C-matrix of a block design under a heteroscedastic setting is obtained by using generalized least squares. Some bounds for the smallest positive eigenvalue of C-matrix are obtained in some general classes of connected designs. Use of these bounds is then made to obtain certain E-optimal block designs in various classes of connected block designs.     

Congruence and Psychological Adjustment for Practicing Male Ministers

This study explored the self-reported psychological adjustment for congruent, incongruent, and moderately congruent employed male ministers. Psychological adjustment was operationally defined by the scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The concept of congruence was defined using the Strong Interest Inventory Minister Scale. The multivariate analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of group membership on the MMPI scales. The univariate analysis showed significant findings on eight MMPI scales. In general, the results indicate that the three minister groups varied in psychological adjustment as assessed by the MMPI scales. Congruent ministers tend to be psychologically healthier than are the incongruent minister group.     

ON DERIVATION OF INITIAL BLOCKS OF B.I.B. DESIGNS WITH MORE THAN ONE INITIAL BLOCK

A good amount of work has been done on the construction of balanced incomplete block (B.I.B.) designs by Bose (1939, 1942), Sprott (1954, 1956), Rao (1961), Takeuchi (1962) and others. Sprott (1954, 1956) obtained several series of B.I.B. designs through difference sets. The main purpose of the present investigation is to provide two methods of construction of B.I.B. designs obtainable through more than one initial block. The first method derives initial blocks of a series of designs from some specified blocks of a B.I.B. design obtainable by developing one or more initial blocks. The second method attempts to obtain one of the initial blocks (the basic initial block) through the different powers of an element of a finite field; then an appropriate method for generating the other initial blocks from it is discussed. A table showing the basic initial block for different designs has been presented. By these methods several solutions of some B.I.B. designs could be obtained from different initial blocks. An examination was therefore made to see if these designs were all isomorphic.     

Estimation of population coverage in the 1990 United States census based on demographic analysis

"This article presents estimates of net coverage of the national population in the 1990 [U.S.] census, based on the method of demographic analysis. The general techniques of demographic analysis as an analytic tool for coverage measurement are discussed, including use of the demographic accounting equation, data components, and strengths and limitations of the method. Patterns of coverage displayed by the 1990 estimates are described, along with similarities or differences from comparable demographic estimates for previous censuses....A final section presents the results of the first statistical assessment of the uncertainty in the demographic coverage estimates for 1990." Comments by Clifford C. Clogg and Christine L. Himes (pp. 1,072-4) and Jeffrey S. Passel (pp. 1,074-7) and a rejoinder by the authors (pp. 1,077-9) are included.