The Box–Cox Transformation and Non‐Iterative Estimation Methods for Ordinal Log‐Linear Models

Recently Beh and Farver investigated and evaluated three non‐iterative procedures for estimating the linear‐by‐linear parameter of an ordinal log‐linear model. The study demonstrated that these non‐iterative techniques provide estimates that are, for most types of contingency tables, statistically indistinguishable from estimates from Newton's unidimensional algorithm. Here we show how two of these techniques are related using the Box–Cox transformation. We also show that by using this transformation, accurate non‐iterative estimates are achievable even when a contingency table contains sampling zeros.     

Social innovation and ICT in social services: European experiences compared

Innovation in social services and social policies in the European welfare systems is an evolving phenomenon stimulated by socio-demographic, cultural and economic changes. Many social service innovations are linked to disruptive technologies, especially the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT). To discuss the effects of disruptive technologies on health and social services, this article first proposes a framework consistent with the social innovation paradigm. Secondly, based on case-studies, it investigates different models of social and health service innovation driven by technology. The article shows advantages and disadvantages of service innovation driven by technology, and offers some final remarks about future challenges for ICT in health and social services. More evidences of effectiveness and efficiency are necessary to promote public and private investment to implement solutions on a wider scale. However, the impacts of technology-based solutions cannot be measured only in terms of economic aspects but also taking into account whether new technologies really provide the opportunity for citizens to have a better life and advocacy for their rights.     

Studying the dependence between ordinal-nominal categorical variables via orthogonal polynomials

In situations where the structure of one of the variables of a contingency table is ordered recent theory involving the augmentation of singular vectors and orthogonal polynomials has shown to be applicable for performing symmetric and non-symmetric correspondence analysis. Such an approach has the advantage of allowing the user to identify the source of variation between the categories in terms of components that reflect linear, quadratic and higher-order trends. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the study of two asymmetrically related variables cross-classified to form a two-way contingency table where only one of the variables has an ordinal structure.     

Golden wedding couples

The implications of retirement for marital and family relationships were explored in golden wedding couples, against a background of those few studies that have so far examined relationships in long-married couples. Older couples can be described in two domains: behavioral and affective. Five activity types are derived from the amount or diversity of shared activities between spouses during a typical day. These types interact with the degree of intimacy measured on two instruments. It was concluded that retirement does not affect intimacy directly, but that it does indirectly through extra time and proximity which provide opportunity for enhancing prevailing intimacy between partners or for magnifying irritations.     

STATE LIQUOR LICENSING, IMPLICIT CONTRACTING, AND DRY/WET COUNTIES

Local option liquor laws are generally interpreted as granting voters the right to choose between allowing and prohibiting alcoholic beverage sales. This paper argues that the real choice confronting voters is between legal sales according to state-prescribed rules and illegal sales according to an informal set of locally-determined rules. Given this choice, rational voters will choose the option with the lower relative price. State laws restricting the number of licenses that can be issued in legally wet jurisdictions prove to be more powerful than religious preferences in explaining the pattern of dry counties.