Accurate computation of single and product moments of order statistics under progressive censoring

An accurate procedure is proposed to calculate approximate moments of progressive order statistics in the context of statistical inference for lifetime models. The study analyses the performance of power series expansion to approximate the moments for location and scale distributions with high precision and smaller deviations with respect to the exact values. A comparative analysis between exact and approximate methods is shown using some tables and figures. The different approximations are applied in two situations. First, we consider the problem of computing the large sample variance–covariance matrix of maximum likelihood estimators. We also use the approximations to obtain progressively censored sampling plans for log-normal distributed data. These problems illustrate that the presented procedure is highly useful to compute the moments with precision for numerous censoring patterns and, in many cases, is the only valid method because the exact calculation may not be applicable.     

中国企业集团规模与效益关系探析

本文阐述了中国企业集团规模发展的特点和尚存在的主要问题,提出了优化企业集团规模与效益关系的实施对策。包括：确立规模扩张应以提高效益为目标的发展观、科学合理确定企业集团的适度规模、增强集团核心企业的竞争实力、集团企业应重点走专业化道路、通过联合与重组扩大企业集团的单体规模、注重发挥企业集团的聚集效率、构建有利于企业集团规模经济发展的外部环境。     

关于中国隐性养老金债务问题研究

隐性养老金债务(IPD)是中国养老金体系面临的主要问题。中国IPD来源于两个规定受益的养老金计划:现收现付制(PAYG)的社会统筹帐户和基金制(FUND)的个人帐户。受诸因素的综合影响,中国IPD规模达到5.5~9万亿;同时由于IPD属于政府、企业及个人的共同责任,故解决中国IDP问题是一项牵扯面广、持续时间长的系统工程,可采取削减规模、调整财政支出结构、资产债务互换、开征专项税、发行特种债券、建立储备基金、调整人口结构等多种经济和社会措施。     

Attitude strength moderates adverse effects to questionnaire design

ABSTRACT

The presentation and visual design of the “don’t know” category in rating scales on respondents’ behavior may have ambivalent effects. The hypothesis is that attitude strength toward the topic influences the respondents’ sensitivity to the graphical design of the scale. A paper-and-pencil questionnaire conducted among 307 German university students contained an experimental variation of the presentation of a “don’t know” category and its visual design. A multinomial logistic regression shows that presenting a “don’t know” category drives respondents toward extreme categories. The visual design of the “don’t know” category influences the distribution of responses, all the more that the respondents’ attitudes toward the item topic are weak.     

Validation of the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) in the Korean corporate context

Lack of a valid instrument to measure learning transfer predictors has been the major obstacle hindering Human Resource Development (HRD) professionals from moving forward. This problem is one of the lingering HRD issues in South Korea, in which human resources have been strategically emphasized as a critical asset due to the scarcity of natural resources. To address this issue, this study aims at testing the validity and reliability of the data collected with the Korean Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) Version 4. A sample of 753 managers from 16 Korean industries was divided into two subsamples for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Reliability and the effect of common method variance on the factor structure were examined, with the results suggesting that the LTSI is valid for use in the Korean industry.     

A reduced form of the Workplace Bullying Scale – the EAPA-T-R: A useful instrument for daily diary and experience sampling studies

The need for more longitudinal studies (i.e. daily diary and experience sampling studies) focused on counterproductive work behaviours such as bullying requires shorter scales that at the same time do not compromise their content validity. Our main objective is to develop and validate a reduced version of the Workplace Bullying Scale (Escala de Abuso Psicológico Aplicado en el Lugar de Trabajo): the EAPA-T-R. Two studies (Study 1: 1506 and Study 2: 932 employees, respectively) were conducted to evaluate its psychometric properties and to ensure the external validity of the EAPA-T-R. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to reduce the current 12-item scale to a more parsimonious 4-item scale. Moreover, the psychometric properties of potential models were compared. Subsequently, the new scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Likewise, statistically significant relationships were found between the EAPA-T-R and other dimensions evaluated, such as job characteristics, transformational leadership, engagement, job satisfaction, and subjective performance. Moreover, bullying mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and burnout. To sum up, the EAPA-T-R showed good reliability and validity across studies, supporting its use in future research. The benefits of this short scale for daily diary and experience sampling studies and when using large surveys are discussed.     

Estimation of Deprivation Level Functions using a Numerical Rating Scale

Evaluating and quantifying human suffering in humanitarian operations offers an innovative and potentially powerful way to assess the performance of humanitarian logistics (HL) and help build optimization models. Previous studies have suggested deprivation cost as a metric and have estimated deprivation cost functions for water using willingness‐to‐pay. Our study proposes deprivation levels, defined as the degree of human suffering caused by lack of access to a good or service, and estimates deprivation level functions using a numerical rating scale. Analyzing data collected from respondents with and without disaster experience, we find that individuals in the latter category estimate deprivation differently from the beneficiaries of disaster relief. Our study demonstrates that deprivation levels can be expressed as logistic growth functions with a typical S‐shape, and that these can be integrated into HL optimization models to better account for human suffering.     

劳动合同理论研究

本文分析劳动合同的可执行特征和在可执行要求下,劳动合同条款须具备可检验性,这要求明确期限和工资,同时劳动强度与劳动范围却是模糊的.进一步阐释劳动合同中劳动强度与劳动范围的模糊性的原因以及在劳动合同中劳动强度与劳动范围的模糊性情况下,相关制度安排怎样抑制雇佣双方机会主义行为,雇佣双方退出权的不对称是有效抑制雇佣双方机会主义行为的安排.     

基于Logit模型的区域集镇系统需求分析及规模确定研究

集镇迁建并非简单的将集镇按照原规模从一个地方搬到另一个地方,集镇迁建规模的大小．应该根据迁入区的实际需求（需求规模）来确定,需求的大小主要取决于村民对集镇的选择行为,即越多的人选择到某个集镇进行活动,该集镇的需求规模越大,反之越小。影响集镇需求的因素很多,包括交通时间、交通费用、集镇服务种类、服务质量等,本文将其概括为广义费用和集镇效用（服务能力）,建立反映村民选择行为的Logit模型分析集镇需求情况,并将其应用于区域集镇系统布局优化中,以我国西部某地为例进行实证分析,反映搬迁前后一定区域内各榘镇需求规模的变化,同时计算出新集镇的需求规模,为集镇迁建规模的确定及其布局优化提供科学的参考。     

Can Likert Scales be Treated as Interval Scales?—A Simulation Study

The Likert scale is widely used in social work research, and is commonly constructed with four to seven points. It is usually treated as an interval scale, but strictly speaking it is an ordinal scale, where arithmetic operations cannot be conducted. There are pros and cons in using the Likert scale as an interval scale, but the controversy can be handled by increasing the number of points. Several researchers have suggested bringing the number up to eleven, on the basis of empirical data. In this article the authors explore this rational and share the same view, but simulate artificial data from both symmetrical normal and skewed distributions where the underlying metric is known in advance. Results show that more Likert scale points will result in a closer approach to the underlying distribution, and hence normality and interval scales. To increase generalizability social work practitioners are encouraged to use 11-point Likert scales from 0 to 10, a natural and easily comprehensible range.