Inflation, inflation uncertainty, and monetary policy in Turkey: 1960–1998

The authors constructed a time series of monthly inflation uncertainty in Turkey from 1960 to 1998 using GARCH models and investigated the link between inflation and inflation uncertainty using Granger tests. The authors found strong statistical support that inflation significantly raised inflation uncertainty in Turkey over the full sample period and three subsamples. The evidence on the effect of inflation uncertainty on average inflation is mixed and depends on the time period examined. An analysis of the political conditions and the record of macroeconomic policy making in Turkey between 1960 and 1998 reveal institutional and political factors that can help explain the empirical results.     

Competitive sustainability and stakeholder engagement: Exploring awareness,motivation, and capability

In adding to competitive dynamics and sustainability literature, this study examines the role of a supplier and consumer on a focal firm's sustainability competitiveness through the awareness, motivation, and capability (AMC) perspective and stakeholder engagement research. Regression analyses are performed utilizing secondary sustainability and financial data to test proposed environmental and social competitiveness hypotheses. A constraint factor model is also tested. This study finds that a focal firm's motivation is positively associated with its own sustainability competitiveness. The study also finds that awareness and capability are negatively associated with environmental and social competitiveness. Finally, whereas suppliers' AMC have no significant impact, customer awareness and capability do. The findings reflect both conformity and divergence from the AMC model when applying it to a supply chain context as well as enhance the managerial understanding of how a supply and customer base can impact their own sustainability competitiveness.     

On the sensitivity of mean-variance-efficient portfolios to changes in asset means: some analytical and computational results

This paper investigates the sensitivity of mean-variance(MV)-efficientportfolios to changes in the means of individual assets. Whenonly a budget constraint is imposed on the investment problem,the analytical results indicate that an MV-efficient portfolio'sweights, mean, and variance can be extremely sensitive to changesin asset means. When nonnegativity constraints are also imposedon the problem, the computational results confirm that a positivelyweighted MV-efficient portfolio's weights are extremely sensitiveto changes in asset means, but the portfolio's returns are not.A surprisingly small increase in the mean of just one assetdrives half the securities from the portfolio. Yet the portfolio'sexpected return and standard deviation are virtually unchanged.     

Mathematical partitioning of the receiver operating curve: A diagnostic tool for medical decision making

The receiver operating curve (ROC) has had wide application in choosing acceptable diagnostic criteria in clinical medicine. There are several problems that are involved in such intuitive estimation of the ROC, the most important of which is the very nature of the subjective approach. To overcome these problems we used a method named characteristic intervals, which allows the quantitative estimation of informational capacities of given tests based on real-world data, and quantification of absolute and relative specific intervals of diagnostic tests based on statistical techniques, including Bayes' theorem. Clinical illustrations include in vivo and in vitro nuclear medicine tests for screening thyroid gland disease, and Nuclear Cardiology. Results reveal that the mathematical partitioning procedure provides a more statistically precise diagnostic aid than do current intuitive approaches.     

Cost/benefit analysis and capital investment decisions in nuclear cardiology.

This paper demonstrates an application of Cost-Benefit Analysis as an aid in capital investment medical decision making. Specifically, a cost-benefit analysis is used to compare three nuclear cardiology instruments (i.e. Nuclear Stethoscope, Mobile Camera/Computer and Fixed Cardiac Computer). The study examined both non-quantitative and quantitative comparative factors. Results of the study show: (1) Conversion of the non-quantitative factors into a numerical system (via medical opinion) greatly delineates the relative merits of each instrument. (2) Simulating the stochastic economic and equipment utilization factors reveals instrument selection to be a function of patient flow and amortization procedures. (3) Adjusting the quantitative assessment of each instrument by the non-quantitative assessment (via the numerical system) aids in the capital investment decision.     

Establishing the use of cloud computing in supply chain management

Despite having various benefits associated with greater information flow in the supply chain, empirical cloud computing research is scarce in the supply chain management domain. This paper explores the managerial perceptions on the use of cloud computing in supply chain management. Specifically, this paper seeks to address: how cloud computing impacts information sharing among supply chain partners, the impact of trust in cloud information sharing and the impact of cloud computing on supply chain performance. Using a multi-method research design we present a combined semi-structured interviews of four different companies in the United States and a survey to analyze and empirically assess our results. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the results of this study. Our analysis provides empirical support based on managerial perceptions regarding cloud computing, information sharing and supply chain performance. The data provide evidence on the impact of cloud computing in enhancing information sharing. This information sharing through cloud computing appears to positively impact supply chain performance. This paper also provides support on the important role of inter-organizational trust in facilitating the use of cloud computing for information sharing purposes.     

A Quality Information Benchmarking Methodology: A US Banking Industry Empirical Study

Information is itself a product that customers and staff in any organization consume. Like any product the quality of information can be measured and compared in most industries. This paper presents an application of an information quality measuring methodology adapted and applied for the first time in the US banking industry. An empirical study is used to attest to the informational efficacy of the methodology. Results of the study reveal that the proposed methodology can be used to identify quality differences between differing banking institutions and differing dimensions of information quality as well as a quality benchmarking procedure.     

A multi-criteria modeling approach to jury selection

The decision to select a particular group of individuals to serve as a jury is critically important to insure the fairness and impartiality in a trial under the United States Constitution. Yet, the amount of effort and, particularly, the time required under currently used methods of jury selection adds substantially to judicial system costs and can contribute to the inability of the courts to provide a timely hearing. This paper presents an approach to this decision process that incorporates current questionnaire data collection approaches with a multi-criteria, multi-objective modeling approach. An illustrative example from an actual trial case study is presented to demonstrate the informational efficacy of the modeling approach in selecting candidates for jury trials.     

Collusion in uniform-price auctions: experimental evidence and implication for treasury auctions

We provide experimental evidence that nonbinding preplay communicationbetween bidders in auctions of shares facilitates the adoptionof equilibrium strategies: collusive strategies in uniform-priceauctions, and the unique equilibrium in undominated strategiesin discriminatory auctions. When communication between biddersis introduced, clearing prices and auctioneer profits in uniform-priceauctions fall below those observed in discriminatory auctions.This evidence suggests that uniform-price auctions of Treasurysecurities may result in lower revenues than the currently employeddiscriminatory procedure.     

An alternative solution method for goal programming problems: The lexicographic goal programming case

This article provides an example of the use of an alternative goal programming solution procedure. The solution procedure is applied to solve a lexicographic goal programming problem. In the process of illustrating the problem, a number of unique technical problems and their solution procedures are discussed. This study provides a flowchart as a procedural guide to aid in its use. This article also provides a comparative analysis of GP algorithms. The results demonstrate the tableau element reduction capabilities of the proposed alternative goal programming solution procedure.