A volume based approach to establish B-spline based expressions for density functions and its application to progressive hybrid censoring

We propose an approach to determine the distribution of particular linear combinations of hybrid censored order statistics which is based on the calculation of volumes of polytopes. For this purpose, we establish efficient and compact volume formulas in terms of B-splines. Further, we illustrate our approach for ten different progressive hybrid censoring schemes under an exponential assumption.     

How much is too much: Does the size of income support transfers affect labor supply?

Cash transfer programs pursue mainly protective objectives, but can also impact rural livelihoods by inducing investments in productive activities and changing household labor allocation. We adopt a continuous treatment approach to quantify how households’ labor supply responds to transfer size. We find a shift from paid labor to own farm labor and find that the transfer size is well within a level that would have disincentive effects on time spent on own farm activities. The switch from paid to own farm labor occurs at lower levels of transfers for labor-constrained households, and at higher levels for non-labor constrained households.     

Why do Asian Americans academically outperform Whites? – The cultural explanation revisited

We advocate an interactive approach to examining the role of culture and SES in explaining Asian Americans' achievement. We use Education Longitudinal Study (ELS) 2002 baseline data to test our proposition that the cultural orientation of Asian American families is different from that of white American families in ways that mediate the effects of family SES on children's academic achievement. The results support our hypothesis, indicating that: (1) SES's positive effects on achievement are stronger among white students than among Asian-Americans; (2) the association between a family's SES and behaviors and attitudes is weaker among Asian-Americans than among Whites; (3) a fraction of the Asian-White achievement gap can be accounted for by ethnic differences in behaviors and attitudes, particularly ethnic differences in family SES's effects on behaviors and attitudes. We find that Asian Americans’ behaviors and attitudes are less influenced by family SES than those of Whites are and that this difference helps generate Asians’ premium in achievement. This is especially evident at lower levels of family SES.     

Application of hybrid framework to facilitate lean six sigma implementation: a manufacturing company case experience

This study aims to propose a hybrid framework for lean six sigma (LSS) based on the prioritisation of barriers and solution approaches, to facilitate hassles free applications for handling the challenges of wastes reduction and quality improvement. The study identifies 27 LSS barriers and 22 solution approaches through literature review and utilises feedback from industry experts. For framework, study uses fuzzy AHP-PROMETHEE to prioritise LSS barriers and solution approaches. Incorporating fuzzy sets in analytical hierarchy process (AHP) ensures the optimality of barrier weights. Whereas, preference ranking organisation method for enrichment of evaluations (PROMETHEE) helps in pairwise comparisons of solution approaches with respect to each LSS barrier, facilitating fair judgements. This research guides regarding the development of framework and checks its suitability and robustness through case application of an Indian manufacturing organisation. Authors expect that researchers and practitioners will find study useful for LSS and multi criteria decision making(MCDM) domains.     

“多元一体格局”理论视阈下和谐民族关系实现途径探讨

本文从＂中华民族多元一体格局＂理论视阈,论述了和谐民族关系的必要性与实现途径,要旨在于说明：古往今来,我国就是统一的多民族国家,构建和谐民族关系,始终是祖国统一、民族团结和国家安全的重要保障,也是增强中华民族凝聚力和当前实现民族复兴大业的关键所在;费孝通先生所提倡的＂中华民族多元一体格局＂理论,不仅是对中华各民族关系之历史与现状的精辟的理论概括和真实写照,而且对于我们正确认识中国国情,做好民族工作,构建社会主义和谐民族关系,亦有着非常重要的理论价值和现实意义。     

终身教育与学生自主学习能力的培养

自主学习能力对于学习者而言是一项重要技能,是实现终身教育所必备。本文分析了自主学习能力的培养对于实现有效终身教育的必要性,探讨了在现代信息技术日益改变着教学模式的背景下如何培养学生的自主学习能力。笔者认为,树立以学生为中心的教学理念是实现自主学习能力培养的关键,培养学习动机、学习策略以及信息素养是提高自主学习能力的三个重点。     

高校创业教育教学途径初探

随着创业教育新课程实践而产生的新教学方法,既与传统教育方法有一定联系,又与它有很大的区别。新教学方法的本质在于引导学生主动地参与学习活动,使学生在知识能力、情感态度、创新等方面都得到主动发展。文章从分阶段培养、项目化运作、基地化实施、市场导向等几个方面探讨了创业教育教学的新方法。创业教育的教学导向在于加强基础知识与核心能力的培养,重在联系实际,注重知识的生活应用,以体现学以致用的原则。     

概念迁移视阈下基于语料库的非英语专业学习者动名词搭配错误研究

文章拟从概念迁移视角研究大学英语写作中的动-名词搭配错误,研究采用语料库定量与定性相结合的分析方法。语料取材于中国学习者英语语料库（CLEC）,包括大学英语低年级学习者（St3）和高年级学习者（St4）两个子语料库。利用检索工具Ant Conc3.58检索中国学习者作文中的动-名词搭配错误,从而对大学生英语写作中的动-名词搭配错误进行描述与分类,进而分析造成大学生英语写作动-名词搭配误用的潜在原因,并对现有大学英语教学做出反思。     

Alternative estimation methods for identifying contagion effects in dynamic social networks: A latent-space adjusted approach

Contagion effects, also known as peer effects or social influence process, have become more and more central to social science, especially with the availability of longitudinal social network data. However, contagion effects are usually difficult to identify, as they are often entangled with other factors, such as homophily in the selection process, the individual’s preference for the same social settings, etc. Methods currently available either do not solve these problems or require strong assumptions. Following Shalizi and Thomas (2011), I frame this difficulty as an omitted variable bias problem, and I propose several alternative estimation methods that have potentials to correctly identify contagion effects when there is an unobserved trait that co-determines the influence and the selection. The Monte-Carlo simulation results suggest that a latent-space adjusted estimator is especially promising. It outperforms other estimators that are traditionally used to deal with the unobserved variables, including a structural equation based estimator and an instrumental variable estimator.