Fuzzy Rasch model in TOPSIS: A new approach for generating fuzzy numbers to assess the competitiveness of the tourism industries in Asian countries

This study proposes a novel approach, the Fuzzy Rasch model, which combines Item Response Theory (IRT) and fuzzy set theory. This paper applies the Fuzzy Rasch model in Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to analyse the Tourism Destination Competitiveness (TDC) of nine Asian countries: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines. The study was conducted in 2009 using 6 criteria and 15 indices. The results demonstrate the feasibility of applying the Fuzzy Rasch model in TOPSIS to analyse TDC in Asian countries. In addition, the proposed model also provides an effective means of applying the MCDM method to study TDC. Furthermore, in 2009, the Asian countries were ranked from most to least competitive as follows: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines.     

金融业国际化发展与经济竞争力——基于浙江视角的实证研究

浙江省金融业国际化通过多种效应对经济产生重要的拉动作用。本文利用2006年1月至2009年12月的月度时间序列数据,对变量进行了Granger因果关系检验,建立了基于VEC模型的脉冲响应函数,对浙江经济竞争力对金融业国际化发展的动态响应结果进行了分析。检验结果表明,浙江省金融业的国际化发展有利于浙江省经济竞争力的提高。基于上述结论,本文提出了浙江金融业国际化发展的对策建议。     

Evaluating,Comparing, Monitoring,and Improving Representativeness of Survey Response Through R‐Indicators and Partial R‐Indicators

Non‐response is a common source of error in many surveys. Because surveys often are costly instruments, quality‐cost trade‐offs play a continuing role in the design and analysis of surveys. The advances of telephone, computers, and Internet all had and still have considerable impact on the design of surveys. Recently, a strong focus on methods for survey data collection monitoring and tailoring has emerged as a new paradigm to efficiently reduce non‐response error. Paradata and adaptive survey designs are key words in these new developments. Prerequisites to evaluating, comparing, monitoring, and improving quality of survey response are a conceptual framework for representative survey response, indicators to measure deviations thereof, and indicators to identify subpopulations that need increased effort. In this paper, we present an overview of representativeness indicators or R‐indicators that are fit for these purposes. We give several examples and provide guidelines for their use in practice.     

Understanding Equity in the Recreation User Fee Context

Equity is a major public concern related to recreation fees on public lands. The purpose of this study was to test a three-dimensional model of equity and to examine the perceptions of equity across demographic segments. Data were collected by a telephone survey with residents (N = 366) of two western states. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the three-dimensional equity model in a recreation fee context. People tended to support democratic equity more than compensatory equity. Greater support was shown for discounted fees for the elderly and persons with disabilities than for discounts for ethnic minorities, low income people, or large families, suggesting the possibility of two sub-dimensions of the compensatory equity construct. Overall, the results do not support that disadvantaged groups seek discounted fees.     

A comparison of work absence periods and the associated costs for two different modes of exercise therapies for patients with longstanding subacromial pain

Abstract

Background: There are no studies on economic issues concerning rehabilitation exercises for shoulder pain.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate sick leave and the associated costs after a medical exercise therapy programme in patients with longstanding subacromial pain/impingement.

Methods: A randomised controlled trial in which 61 patients were randomly assigned either to a high-dosage medical exercise therapy group (HD) (n=31) or to a low dosage exercise therapy group (LD) (n=30). Both groups were given three treatments a week over 3 months. The differences between the groups were number of repetitions, number of sets and time performing global aerobic exercises.

Results: The outcome for the HD group was significantly (p<0.05) better compared to the LD group. The reduction in costs for sick leave for the HD group was 59.1%, whereas for the LD group, the reduction was only 42.3%, which is a significant difference.

Conclusion: In patients with longstanding subacromial pain, HD medical exercise therapy might be an efficient treatment approach.     

Using Electronic Response Systems in Economics Classes

College instructors and students participated in a pilot project at the University of Akron to enhance student learning through the use of a common teaching pedagogy, peer instruction. The teaching pedagogy was supported by the use of technology, an electronic personal response system, which recorded student responses. The authors report their experiences in using this technology-enhanced teaching pedagogy and provide another example of an active and collaborative learning tool that instructors can use to move beyond “chalk and talk.” Preliminary survey results from students participating in this pilot project are also reported.     

西部欠发达地区FDI与经济增长的动态关系研究——以广西数据为例

以广西1986～2009年有关数据为基础,运用协整分析、脉冲响应函数和方差分解分析等方法,对外商直接投资和经济增长之间的动态关系进行实证分析.结果显示:广西的外商直接投资与经济增长之间具有长期均衡关系,而且FDI对GDP增长具有较弱的正效应,短期具有一定的波动性。最后,提出相关的政策措施。     

我国通货膨胀的国际影响因素分析——基于结构向量自回归模型的实证研究

全球金融危机爆发以来,美元持续贬值引起国际原材料价格上涨和国际资本流动扩大.在全球流动性泛滥的背景下,我国通货膨胀屡创新高.文章从美元贬值导致的国际原材料价格波动、国内外利率因素、人民币预期升值三个角度,分别结合国内经济增长,探讨了国际因素对我国通货膨胀的影响.研究发现,国内经济的过热增长是我国通货膨胀的主导因素,但外部冲击特别是国际原油价格对我国通货膨胀的影响也不容忽视.我国不完善的汇率和利率机制,推动了外部因素对我国通货膨胀的冲击,国际因素对我国工业领域通货膨胀的影响相对消费领域而言偏高.     

A true simulation study of three estimators at equal protection of respondents in randomized response sampling

In this study, three different estimators for estimating the proportion of a sensitive attribute in survey sampling are compared at equal protection of the respondents. The three estimators considered are due to Odumade and Singh (2009, Comm. Statist. Theory Methods) , Singh and Sedory (2011, Sociological Methods and Research) and a new estimator obtained by minimizing a chi‐squared distance. A SAS Macro is developed to compare these three estimators using a simulation study at equal protection of the respondents. A set of data from a real face‐to‐face interview was collected using two decks of cards and has been analyzed. The results are discussed.     

The dynamic interactions among the stock,bond and insurance markets

This paper explores the lead–lag relationships and the dynamic linkages among stock, insurance and bond markets in the developed countries. This is the first empirical study which sheds light on the extent and magnitude of the association among these financial markets used by the Granger causality test of Toda and Yamamoto (1995), generalized impulse response approach, and generalized variance decomposition in a multivariate setting. Our empirical results illustrate that there are indeed various patterns of dynamic relationships. The direction of causality appears to differ across countries. While investigating these interactive relationships under unexpected shocks, there is a one-way significant influence between the life insurance premium and long-run interest rate. These empirical findings serve as valuable applications not only for investors to diversify their risk away as well as to earn the abnormal return, but also for policy-makers to allocate resources more efficiently.