The occurrence of outliers in the explanatory variable considered in an errors-in-variables framework

Summary The problem of estimating the slope of a linear relationship between two jointly normally distributed random variables is considered when outliers may occur in the explanatory variable. It will be studied as a special case of an errors-in-variables problem where the explanatory variable is measured which a nonnormally distributed error. In this more general model and under certain conditions a consistent estimator can be given with a normal limiting distribution. Applications to cases of outliers in the explanatory variable will be presented.     

Health and development∗

The linkage between development and health is clearly spelt out in the definition of primary health care by the World Health Organisation. There is a widespread and growing disillusionment with the traditional Western approach to health care which fails to meet the real demands of the Third World situation.

This paper looks briefly at conditions in the developing world and the strategy proposed by the W H O to attempt to meet the objective of health for all by the year 2000 and refers to the South African situation.     

Income distribution,economic structure and employment in South Africa

This paper discusses the impact of a redistribution of current income from the White to the Black population on the distribution of sectoral output, and total employment by means of a semi‐closed input‐output model.

The results show that a redistribution of current income towards Black households — which no doubt will have positive social and political repercussions — has a non‐negative effect on GDP and a definite positive effect on the performance of sectors with a high private consumption expenditure component, as well as on total employment.     

When consumers complain: A path analysis of the key antecedents of consumer complaint response estimates

When do consumers complain? This study probes this question by developing a conceptual framework that includes multiple theoretical perspectives, empirically testing a portion of the proposed model, and using dissatisfaction/complaint data from three different service industries. The hypothesized model uses multidimensional consumer complaint response estimates including voice, private, and third-party responses as dependent variables. Results support several proposed relationships, provide a high level of explained variance, and indicate a moderating role for dissatisfaction intensity. The complaint response estimates are characterized by disparate influence pathways, and expectancy value judgments emerge as critical determinants with positive and negative crossover effects. Attitude toward complaining is more dominant under low dissatisfaction intensity than it is under the high dissatisfaction condition. Important differences emerge across service categories. Implications of this work for managers and researchers in understanding when consumers complain are enumerated.     

General retail patronage loyalty as a determinant of consumer outshopping behavior

Consumer outshopping research has shown there are significant, but weak, relationships between consumers' attitudes toward local retailers and the degree to which they shop in local versus outlying areas. An alternative attitude measurement, retail patronage loyalty, is proposed and empirically evaluated. The loyalty scale was shown to be a stronger and more generalizable predictor of consumer outshopping behavior.     

Substance abuse coverage provided by employer medical plans

In summary, substance abuse is a serious problem in America. In fact, a Gallup poll ranked drug use as the Nation's number one problem. As a rapidly accelerating component of health care costs, charges for alcohol and drug abuse treatment are helping to drive up medical care expenses. The substance abuse crisis is also affecting employers, both public and private, who are struggling to provide needed health benefits while controlling spiraling plan costs. Despite the upward pressure on health costs, the problem is so serious that there has been a steady increase in the incidence of coverage for substance abuse treatment in employer-provided medical care plans, to the point that virtually all plans now provide some benefits. Nevertheless, health plans typically cover substance abuse treatment on a more restrictive basis than other illnesses. This may change, however, as the interest in, and the need for, comprehensive substance abuse treatment benefits grows.