On sums and products of truncated exponential variates

Abstract

The distribution of any linear combination of a finite number of truncated exponential variates from possibly n distinct populations is obtained by using the Laplace transform. The distribution is demonstrated in a compact form which is quite suitable for computational purposes. The results are exemplified. Finally, a brief remark on the distribution of the product of truncated exponential variates is also added.     

Effective Rental Housing Demand in the Tokyo Metropolitan Region

This paper reports on the estimation of housing demand for tenants in Tokyo Metropolitan Region using household level data for 1993. The results indicate that the rental housing demand is inelastic with respect to permanent income and price, with coefficients as 0.31 and -0.093 respectively. Other important variables, which determine housing demand for tenants are length of stay and type of household. Larger households demand more housing. However, keeping the size of household constant, households with elderly members have higher demand for housing. The only exception to the rule is households formed with members not belonging to same nucleus family demand less housing.     

Toward a rapprochement between the two basic paradigms of educational research

Whereas the natural-science approach has promoted the application of the hypothetico-deductive paradigm, the humanistic approach has encouraged educational researchers to employ the interpretive/symbolic paradigm. These two paradigms are contrasting in their ontology, epistomology, human model and methodology. After comparing the perspectives of the above two approaches to educational research, some justifications have been offered for the utilization of symbolic/interpretive paradigm by emphasizing the need for naturalistic observations, qualitative data, semiotical analysis and intuitive inferences for gaining a better understanding of the teaching-learning process as also the social reality in which it takes place. Although the unification of the two approaches seems antithetical, still there are many empirical instances of the fusion between the two in the areas of perception, learning, remembering, creativity and classroom behaviour. The advantages in the integration of the two paradigms may be seen in the light of the changing conceptions of the world and models of man. For enriching educational research, we need both analytical and synthetic orientations, micro and macro data, statistical and clinical predictions, deductive and inductive inferences, as well as theoretic objectivity and practical valuations. The unification is expected to pave the way for more precision, objectivity as also synthesis in understanding different educational phenomena.     

Stability or growth: The rich nations’ dilemma

The article discusses the economic difficulties from which the industrialized nations have been suffering for the past years giving special regard to the controversy as to what concept of economic policy should be adopted in order to overcome the present problems.     

Piecewise linear incentive scheme and participative budgeting

This paper studies the economic incentives of participative budgeting through the design of incentive schemes within the agency theory framework. In particular, a piecewise linear incentive scheme (PLIS), an optimal version of Weitzman's New Soviet Incentive Scheme (NSIS), is derived. The characteristics of PLIS are: first, unlike NSIS, the bonus (penalty) rates of the optimal PLIS vary according to the agent's type in order to improve the principal's welfare, second, a penalty may be imposed on the overfulfillment of the agent's performance in order to maintain incentive compatibility, and finally, it is shown that if the coefficients are constant as in NSIS, there is no need for participative budgeting. Also, PLIS is compared with a quadratic incentive scheme. Both incentive schemes achieve the optimal solution, but each incentive scheme has its own advantage over the other depending on the situation.