Working mothers and sons’ preferences regarding female labor supply: direct evidence from stated preferences

We investigate the argument that men who are raised by working mothers develop a preference that is favorable toward working women and, consequently, are more likely to have working wives. We test this hypothesis using the Japanese General Social Surveys 2000–2003. We directly examine the responses to the opinion survey’s questions regarding appropriate gender roles. The estimation results indicate that men raised by full-time working mothers are less likely to support traditional gender roles. Those men are also less likely to believe in the negative impact of a mother’s working on her children’s development.      

Time-based goal chasing method for mixed-model assembly line problem with multiple work stations

In sequencing problems for mixed-model assembly line in JIT production system, the Goal Chasing method (GC) is widely used for parts used leveling goal. The difference in assembly time of each product is not taken into consideration in the Goal Chasing method. Assembly time usually varies with product types. In recent years, the Time-Based Goal Chasing method (TBGC) has been proposed. The advantage of TBGC is to consider the influence of different assembly time of each product and idle time in production period. TBGC, however, has been only applied to single work station problems. In this paper, TBGC is applied to an assembly line problem with multiple work stations. Furthermore, the sequencing method and use of Simulated Annealing (SA) or Local Search (LS) for this problem are proposed.     

Estimation of Location Parameters Under Nonnormal Errors and Quadratic Loss

Assuming a statistical model in which the joint distribution of the unobservable errors is drawn from independent univariate Student t's that are identically and symmetrically distributed, the sampling performance of traditional robust estimators and a family of Stein-like estimators are compared and evaluated. These results suggest that under thick-tailed distributions, the relative sampling performances and risk characteristics for a range of nonconventional Stein estimators remains approximately the same as in the case of their normal counterparts. The empirical risk implications of misspecifying the error distribution are investigated.     

Geographical variation of elytral spot patterns in the phytophagous ladybird,Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the Province of Sumatera Barat, Indonesia

Summary Geographical variation in the elytral spot patterns of a phytophagous ladybird,Epilachna vigintioctopunctata, was studied in the Province of Sumatera Barat, Indonesia. Populations ofE. vigintioctopunctata were divided into four major groups (I–IV) by the incidence of spot pattern variations. Group I, occurring in the coastal plains and inland lowlands, and Group IV, confined to the highlands, were the extremes of the spot pattern variations, the latter had many more non-persistent spots and confluences with larger body size and advanced melanism than the former. These two groups were connected with each other via the intermediate groups. A positive relationship was detected between the elevations of sample sites and the average number of non-persistent spots per elytron. Consequently, present results favor the view that the two previously recognized forms ofE. vigintioctopunctata (formae A and B inKatakura et al., 1988) represent a complicated intraspecific variation rather than two distinct sibling species. Elytral spot pattern variations were not different between the sexes or between the beetles collected from different kinds of host plants. Contribution No. 30 of Sumatra Nature Study (Entomology). Supported in part by grants from Japan Society for the Promotion Science for JSPS-DGHE Scientific Cooperation (1980, 1982) and for the RONPAKU program (toI. Abbas, 1984) and Grants-in-Aid for Overseas Scientific survey from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan (Nos. 56041027 and 58041030).     

On the level probabilities for useful partially ordered alternatives in the analysis of variance

In the analysis of variance, we often encounter situations in which we want to test the null hypothesis of homogeneity of the normal means against various partially ordered alternative hypotheses. We study likelihood ratio tests for three useful types of alternatives: d-star, bipartite and broom tree. Especially, we give computational formulas for the level probabilities of the alternative types. The results permit us to obtain critical values for practical use.     

General definition and decomposition of projectors and some applications to statistical problems

A general definition of a set of projectors for decomposing a vector as the sum of vectors belonging to disjoint subspaces not necessarily spanning the whole space is given. Such projectors are defined only over the union of the disjoint subspaces. But their extension to the whole space is of some interest in statistical problems. Explicit expressions are obtained for projectors and their extensions in terms of matrices spanning the subspaces and g-inverses. Decomposition of a projector as the sum of projectors on subspaces is obtained and applied to problems arising in correlation analysis, analysis of variance and estimation of parameters in the Gauss-Markoff model.     

Abstracting and Indexing Adapts to the Internet Era

Abstract

With the role of libraries evolving from warehousing data sources to controlling the dissemination of information sources, A&I (abstracting and indexing) information services must also evolve and play an equally important and challenging role. With over forty years of A&I publishing experience, CSA (formerly Cambridge Scientific Abstracts) has adapted A&I publishing methods to new technologies and Web-based publishing. The editorial basics of producing A&I journals and databases are unchanged; however, new production technologies, such as electronic feeds between primary and secondary publishers, electronic directory services, and machine-aided indexing, can provide efficiencies. Once just roadmaps pointing to information, A&I services are now conduits delivering information directly to the user. Serials Review 2003; 29:221–223.     

IBM Japan's market-driven personnel strategy

This article describes the changes in strategy and in personnel policy at IBM Japan. These changes were prompted by new trends in the labour market and in society. Three new directions in human resource planning were established:

1. (1) more active hiring and utilization of women,

2. (2) training an increasing number of new recruits

3. (3) utilization and motivation of middle-aged and older employees who are also increasing in number.

This strategy has to be viewed in the context of the personnel policy of the parent company and the specific arrangements in Japan.