Testing the Equality of Two Exponential Distributions

This paper proposes an overlapping-based test statistic for testing the equality of two exponential distributions with different scale and location parameters. The test statistic is defined as the maximum likelihood estimate of the Weitzman's overlapping coefficient, which estimates the agreement of two densities. The proposed test statistic is derived in closed form. Simulated critical points are generated for the proposed test statistic for various sample sizes and significance levels via Monte Carlo Simulations. Statistical powers of the proposed test are computed via simulation studies and compared to those of the existing Log likelihood ratio test.     

Multiplicative consistency analysis for interval fuzzy preference relations: A comparative study

To examine the multiplicative consistency of interval fuzzy preference relations (IFPRs), this paper first analyzes the limitations associated with the previous consistency concepts. Accordingly, a new consistency concept is defined that is an extension of the crisp case and overcomes limitations in the previous concepts. Next, a linear programming model to judge the consistency of IFPRs is constructed, and an approach to derive multiplicative consistent IFPRs is introduced. Furthermore, goal-programming models to determine missing values in an incomplete IFPR are constructed that have the highest consistent level with respect to known values. Moreover, a multiplicative consistency and consensus based method for group decision making with IFPRs is developed that can address incomplete and inconsistent cases. Finally, two practical decision-making problems are offered to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the new method, and an analysis of a numerical and theoretical comparison with several related methods is performed.     

Getting low educated and older people into work: The role of fiscal policy

Raising employment, in particular employment among older individuals and low educated individuals, stands high on the agenda of policy makers in many OECD countries. Increased sensitivity in recent years to rising inequality has made the challenge only larger. In this paper we evaluate alternative fiscal policy scenarios to face this challenge. We construct and use an overlapping generations model for an open economy where individuals differ not only by age, but also by innate ability and human capital. The model allows us to study effects on aggregate employment, per capita income and welfare, as well as effects for specific age and ability groups. We show that well-considered fiscal policy changes can significantly improve macroeconomic productive efficiency, without increasing intergenerational or intragenerational welfare inequality. Our results strongly prefer a reduction in the labor tax rate on older workers and on all low-wage earners, financed by an overall reduction in non-employment benefits. An alternative financing option is to raise the consumption tax rate. These results are to be seen as long-run effects for economies at potential output.     

论法律话语理论从德沃金到哈贝马斯的演化

为了超越实证主义和客观主义的法律解释,德沃金坚持认为,必须把基本的权利原则作为具体的法律实践的引导,只有这样,我们才有可能正确和适当地制定和应用一种法律.为此,德沃金要求建立一种基于"整体性原则"之上的法律话语理论.但由于坚持了一种"真理符合论"的立场,他并没能对法律话语理论的本质做出正确的解释.为了走出法律话语理论的误区,哈贝马斯提出了一种建立在"真理合意论"之上的法律话语理论.     

哈贝马斯和利奥塔现代性理论之比较

在哈贝马斯和利奥塔之间进行的关于现代性的争论颇具代表性,一个声称现代性是"一项未竟的事业",另一个则对元叙事表示质疑。哈贝马斯的"共识"理论和利奥塔的"差异"理论,表面上思维迥异,但实际上却包藏了雷同与巧合,具有差异性的同时也具有共通性。在深层次进行整合,寻找两者理论及政治倾向中蕴藏的共同点,利于剖析两者理论的合理与局限,使超越两者形成新的理论成为可能。     

Social time preference revisited

The article reconsiders the implications of the choice of pure social time preference for intergenerational equity in the presence of a time-consistent utilitarian social welfare criterion. The analytic framework is a setting with overlapping generations, lifetime uncertainty, population growth and technical progress. The analysis identifies upper and lower bounds for the feasible range of social discount rates and draws a corresponding distinction between “gerontocratic” and “Stalinist” optimal plans. The paper corrects a number of inaccurate propositions in a related earlier contribution by Marini and Scaramozzino (2000) to this journal.

Recursive Equilibrium in Stochastic Overlapping‐Generations Economies

We prove the generic existence of a recursive equilibrium for overlapping‐generations economies with uncertainty. “Generic” here means in a residual set of utilities and endowments. The result holds provided there is a sufficient number of potentially different individuals within each cohort.     

On the Similarity Structure of Order Statistics

In this article, we address the similarity structure between pairs of order statistics of an identically distributed independent random variables X₁,…, X_n. The overlapping coefficient (Δ) of Weitzman (1970 Weitzman , M. S. ( 1970 ). Measures of overlap of income distributions of white and Negro families in the United States . Technical Paper No. 22 , Washington , D.C. , U.S.A : Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census . [Google Scholar]), is used to assess the degree of similarity or closeness between pairs of order statistics. It appears that the degree of the similarity between any of such pairs is independent of the parent distribution. Using this notion, it is shown that for i < j, the degree of similarity between distributions of the ith and the jth order statistics decreases as i and j sunder. Some possible biometric applicability of the value of Δ are explored. In particular, the use of this measure in estimation of the number of possible strata, subgroups or natural subdivisions in a population are suggested.     

Strengthening implementation success using large-scale consensus decision-making - A new approach to creating medical practice guidelines

A study involving over 2000 stoma care nurses in the development of best practice guidelines for the assessment of peristomal body profiles, patient engagement and patient follow-up was conducted in 2018. The study was designed to develop guidelines for stoma care treatment and product selection and to decrease the evidence to implementation gap. The project built on research evidence from a literature review of 77 articles. The results of the literature review were then used to inform a series of Delphi surveys sent out to stoma care nurses through Association and industry list-serves in 11 languages. The Delphi surveys were followed by a face2face professionally facilitated discussions among nurse-research experts. The project concluded with a facilitated consensus dialogue among 960 stoma care nurses from 25 countries, resulting in an implementation plan to ensure the guidelines become a normal part of routine patient care. The study resulted in a set of medical practice guidelines for stoma care nurses, designed to improve patient outcomes and patient quality of life, that were accepted and adopted into routine medical practice across 25 countries. This article describes the study and how the process used, coined the ‘Modified Delphi Process’ by the process designer, led to faster implementation than is generally experienced in the medical community.