Has the rise in globalization reduced U.S. inflation in the 1990s?

This article investigates whether increased globalization of the U.S. economy has helped hold down inflation in the 1990s. Based on several measures, we find that globalization has increased. Further, we find that import prices exert a greater impact on prices of products in industries faced with greater import penetration. High foreign excess capacity accounts for much of the recent decline in U.S. inflation. Our results suggest that the decline in inflation is explained by the interaction of increased globalization and high excess foreign capacity. Globalization by itself does not lead to less inflation, just greater sensitivity to foreign economic conditions.     

A unified approach to regression analysis under double-sampling designs

We propose a unified approach to the estimation of regression parameters under double-sampling designs, in which a primary sample consisting of data on the rough or proxy measures for the response and/or explanatory variables as well as a validation subsample consisting of data on the exact measurements are available. We assume that the validation sample is a simple random subsample from the primary sample. Our proposal utilizes a specific parametric model to extract the partial information contained in the primary sample. The resulting estimator is consistent even if such a model is misspecified, and it achieves higher asymptotic efficiency than the estimator based only on the validation data. Specific cases are discussed to illustrate the application of the estimator proposed.     

Automatic clustering algorithm for fuzzy data

Coppi et al. [7 R. Coppi, P. D'Urso, and P. Giordani, Fuzzy and possibilistic clustering for fuzzy data, Comput. Stat. Data Anal. 56 (2012), pp. 915–927. doi: 10.1016/j.csda.2010.09.013[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] applied Yang and Wu's [20 M.-S. Yang and K.-L. Wu, Unsupervised possibilistic clustering, Pattern Recognit. 30 (2006), pp. 5–21. doi: 10.1016/j.patcog.2005.07.005[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] idea to propose a possibilistic k-means (PkM) clustering algorithm for LR-type fuzzy numbers. The memberships in the objective function of PkM no longer need to satisfy the constraint in fuzzy k-means that of a data point across classes sum to one. However, the clustering performance of PkM depends on the initializations and weighting exponent. In this paper, we propose a robust clustering method based on a self-updating procedure. The proposed algorithm not only solves the initialization problems but also obtains a good clustering result. Several numerical examples also demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed clustering method, especially the robustness to initial values and noise. Finally, three real fuzzy data sets are used to illustrate the superiority of this proposed algorithm.     

Effects of Posture on Newborn Crying

Acoustic properties of the cries of 14 infants were evaluated at both 2 and 4 weeks of age when the infants were lying in a supine position and when they were sitting upright in a car seat. In the upright position, infants' breathing was more rapid and showed less individual variability. The fundamental frequency of their cries increased in the upright position, but this increase was likely attributable to increased arousal or distress, not to posture per se. There were no differences in acoustic measures related to vocal tract shape in the supine versus upright positions. Across age, there was a decline in fundamental frequency. Individual difference stability of most acoustic measures was moderate to high. The importance of postural effects on the acoustic features of cries was discussed.     

Intergroup Behaviour and Ethnicity: A Social Psychological Perspective

Humans exist not only as unique individuals, but also as members of social groups that are formed on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age and so forth. Reflecting this duality are interpersonal and intergroup modes of behaviour, respectively. Thus, humans can act in terms of their personal self and treat others as individuals (interpersonal behaviour); they can also act in terms of group membership and relate to others as members of this or that group (intergroup behaviour). In a mixed marriage, for example, the couple's behaviour toward each other is ‘normally’ interpersonal, but can become intergroup when war breaks out between their respective ethnic groups. Contrary to common sense, factors more minimal than a war are often sufficient to trigger intergroup behaviour. Indeed, seemingly interpersonal encounters are in fact intergroup. How does behaviour shift from interpersonal to intergroup, and with what consequences? To address these questions, I outline a social psychological perspective based on social identity theory and conclude with a discussion on the enigmas of ethnicity.     

Characterizations of the poisson process using,the variance

Let γ(t) be the residual life at time t of the renewal process {A(t), t > 0}, which has F as the common distribution function of the inter-arrival times. In this article we prove that if Var(γ(t)) is constant, then F will be exponentially or geometrically distributed under the assumption F is continuous or discrete respectively. An application and a related example also are given.     

Institutional Constraints,Market Competition,and Revenue Strategies: Evidence from Canadian Social Enterprises

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - This study examines the impact of external environment on social enterprises’ revenues strategies. Using a national...     

Language, Power, and Intergroup Relations

Language is a communication medium for turning a power base into influence. But more than that, the creation of power and its maintenance or change can also occur in and through language. In the present article, we discuss some of the dynamic links between language and power to underscore their relevance to the study of intergroup relations. In particular we address the means by which low-power groups might achieve power, and how those who are in high-power positions might retain and subvert acts of power. In doing this, we counterpose our discussion with research that addresses these same issues from a static and individualistic approach to power. Our central argument is that the latter work lacks theoretical facility for describing and understanding the aforementioned dynamic processes of power, and moreover, that its application may unwittingly serve to reify and cement existing control relationships.