Data depth‐based nonparametric scale tests

Liu and Singh (1993, 2006) introduced a depth‐based d‐variate extension of the nonparametric two sample scale test of Siegel and Tukey (1960). Liu and Singh (2006) generalized this depth‐based test for scale homogeneity of k ≥ 2 multivariate populations. Motivated by the work of Gastwirth (1965), we propose k sample percentile modifications of Liu and Singh's proposals. The test statistic is shown to be asymptotically normal when k = 2, and compares favorably with Liu and Singh (2006) if the underlying distributions are either symmetric with light tails or asymmetric. In the case of skewed distributions considered in this paper the power of the proposed tests can attain twice the power of the Liu‐Singh test for d ≥ 1. Finally, in the k‐sample case, it is shown that the asymptotic distribution of the proposed percentile modified Kruskal‐Wallis type test is χ² with k ? 1 degrees of freedom. Power properties of this k‐sample test are similar to those for the proposed two sample one. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 39: 356–369; 2011 © 2011 Statistical Society of Canada     

TAX POLICY REFORM: THE ROLE OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

To understand the role of evidence in tax policy design, this paper organizes the empirical analysis of reform under five loosely related headings: (i) key margins of adjustment, (ii) measurement of effective tax rates, (iii) the importance of information and complexity, (iv) evidence on the size of responses, and (v) implications from theory for tax design. The context for the discussion is the recently published Mirrlees Review of tax reform. Although the Review focused on all aspects of tax reform, this paper highlights the taxation of earnings. It also comments on earnings taxation in the context of VAT base‐broadening reforms and the taxation of capital.     

透明的翻译:西方诗歌翻译所涉及的句法问题和翻译哲学

本文讨论西方诗歌、特别是拉丁文和德文诗歌汉译中所涉及的句法问题和翻译理论问题。其中对句法的讨论涉及汉语和拉丁语、德语的句法结构差异以及相关的修辞格式;对翻译哲学的讨论涉及便雅悯著名的翻译论文。论文所讨论的诗歌主要包括贺拉修和荷尔德林的作品。     

劳伦斯《马贩的女儿》中的创作主题分析及意象的运用

《马贩的女儿》是D.H.劳伦斯“性与美”哲学的经典阐释.在这篇小说中,劳伦斯以丰富多彩的意象运用为手段并结合自然完美的两性关系的描写,突出了小说“救赎”这一主题.小说的创作主题以及对“池塘”、“马”“火”、“衣服”意象的运用揭示了劳伦斯希望人们能打破资本主义工业文明下道德、理性的束缚,恢复人与人之间,人与自然之间的和谐关系的愿望.     

DICTATORS AND THEIR VIZIERS: ENDOGENIZING THE LOYALTY–COMPETENCE TRADE‐OFF

The possibility of treason by a close associate has been a nightmare of most autocrats throughout history. More competent viziers are better able to discriminate among potential plotters, and this makes them more risky subordinates for the ruler. To avoid this, rulers, especially those who are weak and vulnerable, sacrifice the competence of their agents, hiring mediocre but loyal subordinates. Furthermore, any use of incentive schemes by a personalistic dictator is limited by the fact that all punishments are conditional on the dictator’s own survival. We endogenize loyalty and competence in a principal‐agent game between a dictator and his viziers in both static and dynamic settings. The dynamic model allows us to focus on the succession problem that insecure dictators face.     

EMERGENCE AND PERSISTENCE OF INEFFICIENT STATES

We present a theory of the emergence and persistence of inefficient states based on patronage politics. The society consists of rich and poor. The rich are initially in power, but expect to transition to democracy, which will choose redistributive policies. Taxation requires the employment of bureaucrats. By choosing an inefficient state structure, the rich may be able to use patronage and capture democratic politics, so reducing the amount of redistribution in democracy. Moreover, the inefficient state creates its own constituency and tends to persist over time. Intuitively, an inefficient state structure creates more rents for bureaucrats than would an efficient one. When the poor come to power in democracy, they will reform the structure of the state to make it more efficient so that higher taxes can be collected at lower cost and with lower rents for bureaucrats. Anticipating this, when the society starts out with an inefficient organization of the state, bureaucrats support the rich, who set lower taxes but also provide rents to bureaucrats. We obtain that the rich–bureaucrats coalition may also expand the size of bureaucracy excessively so as to generate enough political support. The model shows that an equilibrium with an inefficient state is more likely to arise when there is greater income inequality, when bureaucratic rents take intermediate values, and when individuals are sufficiently forward‐looking.     

CONTROL RIGHTS IN COMPLEX PARTNERSHIPS

This paper develops a theory of the allocation of authority between two players who are in a complex partnership, that is, a partnership which produces impure public goods. We show that the optimal allocation depends on technological factors, the parties’ valuations of the goods produced, and the degree of impurity of these goods. When the degree of impurity is large, control rights should be given to the main investor, irrespective of preference considerations. There are some situations in which this allocation is optimal even if the degree of impurity is very low as long as one party’s investment is more important than the other party’s. If the parties’ investments are of similar importance and the degree of impurity is large, shared authority is optimal with a greater share going to the low‐valuation party. If the importance of the parties’ investments is similar but the degree of impurity is neither large nor small, the low‐valuation party should receive sole authority. We analyze an extension in which side payments are infeasible. We check for robustness of our results in several dimensions, such as allowing for multiple parties or for joint authority, and apply our results to interpret a number of complex partnerships, including those involving schools and child custody.     

The bias of the mle of box's degrees of freedom correction factor for correlation in anova

Approximate expressions for the mean and variance of the MLE of Box's 2-way ANOVA degrees of freedom factor are given for the case when the usual F test for column effects is appropriate even though there is correlation across columns. A simulation study is performed showing the approximations are good for a variety of numbers of rows and columns. The results confirm that the estimated degrees of freedom factor is badly biased when no factor at all should be used.     

Log linear models for multivariate paired comparison experiments with ties

A log linear multivariate paired comparison model for ties is proposed in which the cell probabilities under independence are those given by Davidson (1970). Altham's (1970) generalized measure of association (iv) is used to compare the association structure between two models, one having full, the other having reduced association structure. Based on the model with reduced association structure, the analysis of data from a consumer preference experiment is presented.     

Bivariate control charts for testing x data patterns

A new control chart, called the θ chart, for monitoring the mean of a process with bivariate quality characteristics is proposed. It can identify a rotation, shift or alternation between the subgroups of the process mean. The conventional application of X² chart to identify a sudden shift of the process mean is also expanded to identify a change of the process mean or a change of the process dispersion. Furthermore, when used together, the θ and X² charts could provide further insight into the process.