Customers satisfaction in pediatric inpatient services: A multiple criteria satisfaction analysis

ObjectiveTo assess customer satisfaction determinants in a public pediatric inpatient service and propose some strategies to enhance the consumer and customer experience.MethodsWe applied a Multiple Criteria Customer Satisfaction Analysis to estimate the value functions associated with each satisfaction (sub)criterion and determine the corresponding weights. We characterized satisfaction criteria (according to the Kano's model), estimated the customers' demanding nature and the potential improvements, and proposed strategic priorities and opportunities to enhance customer satisfaction.Main findingsStrategies for satisfaction enhancement do not depend solely on the criteria with the lowest satisfaction levels and the estimated weights, each criterion's nature, the customers' demanding nature, and the technical margin for improvements.ConclusionsAreas deserving attention include clinical staff's communication skills, the non-clinical professionals' efficiency, availability, and kindness; food quality; visits' scheduling and quantity; and facilities' comfort.     

Uncertainty Estimation for Pseudo‐Bayesian Inference Under Complex Sampling

Social and economic studies are often implemented as complex survey designs. For example, multistage, unequal probability sampling designs utilised by federal statistical agencies are typically constructed to maximise the efficiency of the target domain level estimator (e.g. indexed by geographic area) within cost constraints for survey administration. Such designs may induce dependence between the sampled units; for example, with employment of a sampling step that selects geographically indexed clusters of units. A sampling‐weighted pseudo‐posterior distribution may be used to estimate the population model on the observed sample. The dependence induced between coclustered units inflates the scale of the resulting pseudo‐posterior covariance matrix that has been shown to induce under coverage of the credibility sets. By bridging results across Bayesian model misspecification and survey sampling, we demonstrate that the scale and shape of the asymptotic distributions are different between each of the pseudo‐maximum likelihood estimate (MLE), the pseudo‐posterior and the MLE under simple random sampling. Through insights from survey‐sampling variance estimation and recent advances in computational methods, we devise a correction applied as a simple and fast postprocessing step to Markov chain Monte Carlo draws of the pseudo‐posterior distribution. This adjustment projects the pseudo‐posterior covariance matrix such that the nominal coverage is approximately achieved. We make an application to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health as a motivating example and we demonstrate the efficacy of our scale and shape projection procedure on synthetic data on several common archetypes of survey designs.     

四川省农业景观生态风险评价研究

[目的]由自然环境和人文地理叠加形成的农业景观复杂多样,具有生产、生活、生态3种功能,随着农业生态环境日益遭受破坏,对其进行农业景观生态风险评价有利于促进区域农业的可持续发展。[方法]以四川省为例,从压力—状态—响应3方面构建农业景观生态风险评价指标体系,通过确定权重和隶属度大小,对研究区农业景观生态风险进行评价。[结果]根据模糊关系评价结果,四川省农业景观生态压力的最大值为0. 111,处于中等风险水平;生态状态的最大值为0. 139,处于中等风险水平;生态响应的最大值为0. 091,处于较低风险水平。[结论]四川省农业景观生态仍有很大的空间需要优化,农业景观生态对于维持农业生态系统具有重要意义,四川省未来在农业景观生态方面应保障且降低现有的生态风险等级,确保兼顾农业可持续发展和保护农业生态功能并举。     

征地区片综合地价影响因素的相关分析——以河北省冀州市为例

研究目的:客观确定征地区片综合地价影响因素权重系数。研究方法:以统计年鉴和实地调查资料为数据来源,根据征地区片综合地价影响因素与已发生征地交易价格的相关性确定各影响因素权重系数。研究结论:此方法不仅使征地区片的划分更具客观性,并且通过各影响因素相关程度的对比,提高征地区片划分的可信度。     

A Political Economic Analysis of U.S. Rice Export Programs to Japan and South Korea: A Game Theoretic Approach

The Uruguay Round Agreement on agriculture (UR) has contributed to the increase in U.S. and world rice trade since 1994. Despite this, the Japanese and Korean rice markets continue to be characterized by high levels of trade intervention. This paper attempts to analyze both import markets incorporating econometric estimates and public choice theory in a game theoretic framework. Various scenarios are analyzed. The results show that the overall Nash equilibrium occurs with a 4% tariff reduction for Japan and Korea under the U.S. Market Development Program, which includes the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program.     

企业财务人员素质测评体系研究

根据企业财务工作的特点,在对财务人员素质要求进行深入分析的基础之上提出了一整套评价企业财务工作者素质的测评指标体系,并利用模糊数学模型和德尔菲法对各个层次的测评指标进行了标准化和定量化,特别是在确定各测评要素的权重时结合了小组测评和专家测评、模糊转换等较为客观、定量的方法,以尽可能地排除主观性的判断。同时,企业根据对其财务人员素质测评的结果,可以更好地对全体财务人员进行优化配置,用人所长,避人所短,也能对他们有针对性地进行开发和培训。     

Consumer Perceptions and Reality of Cheating by Sellers in Food Markets in Ukraine

Abstract

In developing markets the degree of regulation of weights and measures is often at a low level. In such an environment consumers frequently believe themselves to be the victims of unscrupulous sellers. Markets in the Ukraine fit such a pattern. In an effort to assess the costs of cheating, two studies were undertaken. First, consumers were surveyed to assess their perceptions and defenses against cheating. Second, purchases were made in the market to assess the actual degree of cheating. In general, consumers believe that they are almost always cheated and have no recourse. However, based on purchases, on average, sellers do not cheat consumers.     

科技成果转化绩效评价指标体系的比较分析

首先确定与科技成果转化绩效评价高度相关的56篇影响力大的样本文献，然后对这些文献采用文献计量法和比较分析法从科技成果转化绩效评价指标体系的设计原则、层次设置、底层评价指标的个数、不同被评价对象的评价指标选取、评价指标权重确定方法分别进行对比分析。结果表明，在设计科技成果转化绩效评价指标体系时遵循最多的3项原则分别是可操作性、科学性和系统性；2层的评价指标体系采用的文献篇数最高（占比64.29%）；底层评价指标个数为13～17的文献数量之和为17，相对最多（占比30.36%）；科技成果转化绩效评价方面在微观、中观、宏观3个层面上存在着失衡现象，微观层面、中观层面、宏观层面的占比分别为62.5%、33.93%、3.57%；主观赋权法和客观赋权法的使用频次接近，使用的具体赋权法的占比由高到低排序分别是层次分析法（占比33.93%）、数据包络分析法（占比17.86%）、专家调查法（占比10.7%）、主成分分析法（占比8.92%）、熵值法（占比8.92%）。     

Exploring the benefits of using stock characteristics in optimal portfolio strategies

I examine the benefits of using stock characteristics to model optimal portfolio weights in stock selection strategies using the characteristic portfolio approach of Brandt, Santa-Clara, and Valkanov. [2009. “Parametric Portfolio Policies: Exploiting Characteristics in the Cross-section of Equity Returns.” Review of Financial Studies 22: 3411–3447]. I find that there are significant out-of-sample performance benefits in using characteristics in stock selection strategies even after adjusting for trading costs, when investors can invest in the largest 350 UK stocks. Imposing short selling restrictions on the characteristic portfolio strategy leads to more consistent performance. The performance benefits are concentrated in the earlier part of the sample period and have disappeared in recent years. I find that there no performance benefits in using stock characteristics when using random subsets of the largest 350 stocks.     

In Defence of Capitalisation Weights: Evidence from the FTSE 100 and S&P 500 Indices

A simple method for decomposing the variance covariance matrix of portfolio returns at the level of individual stocks is applied to the FTSE 100 Index. During extreme negative shocks, the largest index constituents exhibit lower than average covariance, thereby reducing the volatility of the capitalisation‐weighted index. The risk‐adjusted returns of the capitalisation‐weighted FTSE 100 Index exceed those of an equally‐weighted version of the same index and the outperformance is robust to the method of risk adjustment applied. The equally‐weighted index also exhibits greater systematic (market) risk than the capitalisation‐weighted version.