Response strategy to environment context factors using a lean and agile approach: Implications for firm performance

Based on the environment-strategy performance perspective and dynamic capabilities framework, we develop a theoretical model and hypotheses specifying how supply chain collaboration as a response to environment context factors – competitive intensity, supply uncertainty, technological turbulence and market turbulence, using a lean and agile strategy may influence firm performance. We test the model using partial least square structural equation modelling on data collected from a field survey with responses from 152 manufacturing firms representing a variety of industries. Empirical findings generally support the relationship between collaboration and firm performance using a lean and agile strategy. Also, for firms in industries that face environments characterised by high supply uncertainty and competitive intensity with, technological turbulence, the study finds evidence of a direct relationship between these environmental factors and supply chain collaboration. The findings provide an initial strategic response framework for appropriately aligning a lean and agile supply chain strategy through collaboration with environment context factors to achieve firm performance improvements.     

Kernel Estimation of Rate Function for Recurrent Event Data

Abstract.  Recurrent event data are largely characterized by the rate function but smoothing techniques for estimating the rate function have never been rigorously developed or studied in statistical literature. This paper considers the moment and least squares methods for estimating the rate function from recurrent event data. With an independent censoring assumption on the recurrent event process, we study statistical properties of the proposed estimators and propose bootstrap procedures for the bandwidth selection and for the approximation of confidence intervals in the estimation of the occurrence rate function. It is identified that the moment method without resmoothing via a smaller bandwidth will produce a curve with nicks occurring at the censoring times, whereas there is no such problem with the least squares method. Furthermore, the asymptotic variance of the least squares estimator is shown to be smaller under regularity conditions. However, in the implementation of the bootstrap procedures, the moment method is computationally more efficient than the least squares method because the former approach uses condensed bootstrap data. The performance of the proposed procedures is studied through Monte Carlo simulations and an epidemiological example on intravenous drug users.     

Modelling heterogeneous space–time occurrences of earthquakes and its residual analysis

Summary. Earthquake intensities are modelled as a function of previous activity whose specific form is based on established empirical laws in seismology, but whose parameter values can vary from place to place. This model is used for characterizing regional features of seismic activities in and around Japan, and also for exploring regions where the actual seismicity rate systematically deviates from that of the modelled rate.     

强苯赛对水稻幼苗根系生长的影响

强苯赛浸种对水稻幼苗的根长、根重和根系体积都有促进作用,能提高根尖细胞分裂指数,能使胚根尖切段伸长和发根力增强,并能提高胚乳中淀粉酶活性和根系的呼吸强度。     

Residual analysis for spatial point processes (with discussion)

Summary.  We define residuals for point process models fitted to spatial point pattern data, and we propose diagnostic plots based on them. The residuals apply to any point process model that has a conditional intensity; the model may exhibit spatial heterogeneity, interpoint interaction and dependence on spatial covariates. Some existing ad hoc methods for model checking (quadrat counts, scan statistic, kernel smoothed intensity and Berman's diagnostic) are recovered as special cases. Diagnostic tools are developed systematically, by using an analogy between our spatial residuals and the usual residuals for (non-spatial) generalized linear models. The conditional intensity λ plays the role of the mean response. This makes it possible to adapt existing knowledge about model validation for generalized linear models to the spatial point process context, giving recommendations for diagnostic plots. A plot of smoothed residuals against spatial location, or against a spatial covariate, is effective in diagnosing spatial trend or co-variate effects. Q – Q -plots of the residuals are effective in diagnosing interpoint interaction.     

Zr(SO4)2/TiO2固体超强酸的结构表征

采用一步法制得Zr(SO4)2/TiO2型固体超强酸,用FT-IR,XRD及TG/DTA等技术对其结构进行了表征,并且通过乙酸丁酯酯化反应考察了其催化性能.结果显示:添加TiO2后,催化剂表面氧化物的晶型结构主要是锐钛矿型的TiO2,没有观察到Zr(SO4)2的晶型衍射峰,Zr(SO4)2以无定型形式存在.酯化结果得出:当Zr(SO4)2的质量分数为60%,焙烧温度为400℃时,该超强酸对乙酸丁酯的催化活性最高.     

An empirical examination of cost-adjusting in outpatient clinics

This paper presents an empirical methodology for examining cost-adjusting in relation to multiple-output health care providers. The methodology is subsequently implemented using a sample of California outpatient clinics. The empirical evidence is that these clinics do cost-adjust; that is, the clinics respond to low Medicare reimbursement by using lower quality to control the marginal costs of those patient groups not insured under a government-sponsored plan. In addition, clinics do not cost-adjust with respect to Medi-Cal patients, implying that various government reimbursement systems have different effects on a provider’s cost-adjusting behavior.     

A Non-parametric Frailty Model for Temporally Clustered Multivariate Failure Times

Abstract A model is introduced here for multivariate failure time data arising from heterogenous populations. In particular, we consider a situation in which the failure times of individual subjects are often temporally clustered, so that many failures occur during a relatively short age interval. The clustering is modelled by assuming that the subjects can be divided into ‘internally homogenous’ latent classes, each such class being then described by a time‐dependent frailty profile function. As an example, we reanalysed the dental caries data presented earlier in Härkänen et al. [Scand. J. Statist. 27 (2000) 577], as it turned out that our earlier model could not adequately describe the observed clustering.     

谈二胡教学及演奏中音乐力度感的审美体验

文章从力度感角度论述了音乐表达中应关注的基本问题,结合二胡教学及演奏实践,从特殊到一般,阐述了力度之于音乐表达的意义,提出了在音乐表达中体现力度美学蕴意的途径。     

考虑双重异质性的碳配额分配及交易机制研究

构建包含政府-企业-消费者三方的碳配额分配及交易减排供应链,其中消费者基于自身低碳偏好进行产品选购,政府基于行业社会福利最优进行企业配额分配和碳指导价设定,企业基于利润最优进行生产和销售。通过建立混合博弈模型,对比分析了考虑企业和消费者双重异质性的配额分配及交易机制对政府、企业最优决策行为的影响。研究结果表明：该减排机制能在保持社会福利最优的基础上更好地提升消费者和企业的参与积极性,实现对异质企业的双向和持续性减排激励。消费者低碳偏好和单位碳排差异度是影响减排机制实施方案和实施绩效的关键因素,其中,消费者低碳偏好决定了行业最优碳价和配额分配规则,且在主动和被动两个层面影响企业决策和产品价格;单位碳排差异度是影响企业利润、消费者主动支付倾向和减排绩效的重要因素,严格的差异度划分有利于形成正向激励;差异化的配额率易于形成减排激励,其与自主配额率间的差异是造成碳价波动的原因之一;研究也表明,过低的单位碳排差异度不适合进行企业异质性划分,在减排机制设计中应弱化“碳收益激励”目的。