Measuring and Achieving Equity in Multiperiod Emergency Material Allocation

Emergency material allocation is an important part of postdisaster emergency logistics that is significant for improving rescue effectiveness and reducing disaster losses. However, the traditional single‐period allocation model often causes local surpluses or shortages and high cost, and prevents the system from achieving an equitable or optimal multiperiod allocation. To achieve equitable allocation of emergency materials in the case of serious shortages relative to the demand by victims, this article introduces a multiperiod model for allocation of emergency materials to multiple affected locations (using an exponential utility function to reflect the disutility loss due to material shortfalls), and illustrates the relationship between equity of allocations and the cost of emergency response. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate both the feasibility and the usefulness of the proposed model for achieving multiperiod equitable allocation of emergency material among multiple disaster locations. The results indicate that the introduction of a nonlinear utility function to reflect the disutility of large shortfalls can make the material allocation fairer, and minimize large losses due to shortfalls. We found that achieving equity has a significant but not unreasonable impact on emergency costs. We also illustrate that using differing utility functions for different types of materials adds an important dimension of flexibility.     

Robust Designs in Generalized Linear Models: A Quantile Dispersion Graphs Approach

This article studies design selection for generalized linear models (GLMs) using the quantile dispersion graphs (QDGs) approach in the presence of misspecification in the link and/or linear predictor. The uncertainty in the linear predictor is represented by a unknown function and estimated using kriging. For addressing misspecified link functions, a generalized family of link functions is used. Numerical examples are shown to illustrate the proposed methodology.     

The University: An Agent of Social Change?

Can universities be agents of progressive social change? How would we know if a university was acting as an agent of social change? Drawing on four case studies, I raise a number of questions to problematize our understanding of the university as an agent of social change. I outline a number of contributing factors that appear to explain successful cases. I conclude by arguing the relevancy of these cases for larger, and more traditional, sociological projects.     

Challenges to Connecting Sociology and Service Learning

Service-learning programs are not free from challenges brought about by lack of financial support, lack of widespread commitment from professors, community agencies, and recipients of service, and lack of knowledge and insight in students directly involved in such programs. While service-learning initiatives and programs serve positive functions for organizations and individuals, rhetorical accolades for service learning can distort or omit the realities of program implementation and sustained delivery. This paper specifically explores the following challenges connected to service-learning programs: (1) pedagogical difficulties; (2) student limitations; (3) time constraints; and (4) community cooperation.     

服务台可修的多水平优先权排队(二)

文献[1]讨论了服务台可修的多水平优先权排队的排队指标。本文讨论该系统的可靠性指标。利用文献[3]中的随机序,获得了这些可靠性指标的界值。     

对车险改革后保险营销的浅析

在车辆保险条款费率改革之后的车险市场上,现实状况却与预计效果相差甚远。其主要原因是,对保险营销战略的忽视,没有以相应的保险营销战略为指导,使得营销战术在操作过程中显得盲目而跟从。针对以上问题,我们首先要做的是树立正确的保险营销观念,即重新审视营销战略在车辆保险中的作用,并在此基础上建立广义的产品观念;同时注重服务在车险营销中的作用;有效地进行市场细分和市场选择;最后对车险营销战略的具体实施即营销战术提出建议。     

商业银行个人金融服务的国际比较

目前,我国商业银行以代发工资、代收费等业务为突破口,已开发了近40个品种的个人金融服务业务。谁能提供更快捷、方便的金融服务,谁就会拥有更多的客户。进一步的对外开放,个人金融服务的巨大市场是中外银行竞争的焦点。个人金融服务市场从以往简单地通过银行储蓄存款获得利息并保障安全,已跳跃到支付结算、外汇买卖、临时透支、贷款融资、经营投资和综合理财等全方位、多层次的服务。这些对国内各家商业银行拓展个人金融服务提出了巨大的机遇和挑战。     

对市场经济条件下教育产业的审视

由于对教育产业的内涵与外延缺乏清晰的界定,使得我们在市场经济条件下对其产生了诸多认识上的误区和适用上的混乱。教育产业的规定性是由其产品——教育服务的性质和生产过程的特征决定的,市场经济只不过是教育产业由幼稚走向成熟和强盛的一种有效的经济运行方式,二者之间是过程和手段、内容和形式的关系。     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed:
M Hollander and D Wolfe, Nonparametric Statistical Methods
T Leonard and J.S.J Hsu, Bayesian Methods     

经济全球化与湖南服务产业的发展

经济全球化大背景下服务业大发展是一个历史趋势 ,入世后加快我国服务业的发展具有特殊、重要的意义。湖南省服务业发展存在一定优势 ,发展湖南服务业要有正确的总体思路 ,并注重优化调整湖南服务产业结构。