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Support Approach (support + approach)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting40%

Selected Abstracts

HOW DID THE 2003 PRESCRIPTION DRUG RE-IMPORTATION BILL PASS THE HOUSE?

ECONOMICS & POLITICS, Issue 1 2006
OMER GOKCEKUS
We examine the major interest groups in the debate over allowing the re-importation of prescription drugs by utilizing a logit model and instrumental variables. Consistent with political support approach, the evidence suggests that Representatives are maximizing their electoral prospects: contributions from pharmaceutical manufacturers shrink the probability of voting for the bill; and Representatives are sensitive to their constituencies , employees of pharmaceutical manufacturing and senior citizens. Representatives' gender and ideology regarding free trade and subsidies are also determining factors. However, the decision was, by and large, a partisan one: party affiliation was the most important factor in passing the bill. [source]

Refocusing children's services: evaluation of an initial assessment process

CHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, Issue 2 2001
Platt
This paper describes a small scale evaluation carried out in a social services department in England. It was concerned with the impact of a pilot initial assessment process used by social workers with children in need. The pilot was, in part, an attempt to adopt the ,refocusing' agenda of the late 1990s, and the analysis is presented within this context. The research involved quantitative examination of 47 cases, and qualitative interviews with the social worker and main carer/parent in a subsample of 10. The results suggested a high level of consumer satisfaction with the assessment/family support approach, and very little evidence that the use of broadly based assessments where there are low-key concerns about a child's safety would be a dangerous form of practice. A wholehearted commitment to refocusing children's services will, however, require attention to resourcing and management issues. [source]

A reference point approach to coalition games

JOURNAL OF MULTI CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS, Issue 2-3 2005
*Article first published online: 5 JUL 200, Andrzej P. Wierzbicki
Abstract One of the basic concepts of the theory of coalition games is the core of the game, together with its various extensions. However, the core is usually a set, a subset of Pareto set. Therefore, all problems of vector optimization and multiple criteria decision support arise when selecting points within a core. One of interactive decision support approaches is the use of reference points and the maximization of corresponding achievement functions. The paper proposes some ways of defining and using reference points that result in equitable allocations. One way of defining such reference points is to use known solutions of coalition games, such as Shapley value or Banzhaf value. Another way of defining such reference points might be an extension of Raiffa,Kalai,Smorodinski solution to coalition games, proposed in the paper. The properties of resulting equitable allocations in the core of the game are examined. The possibility of empty core and allocations in an extended core is also examined and the concept of maximal robustness point is introduced; this point might also be used as a reference point. Possible applications of this extension of the theory of coalition games concern business negotiations. An illustrative example of negotiating a cooperative merger of three or four high-tech firms is given. The basic conclusion from the analysis and the examples presented in the paper is that axiomatic solutions of coalition games, e.g. Shapley and Banzhaf values, should be considered as reference points for vector optimization and multicriteria decision support rather than as normative solutions. Moreover, beside these axiomatic solutions there are several other possible definitions of reference points, such as the Raiffa solution or the maximal robustness point, that might be preferred by negotiators when solving practical coalition games. This has been confirmed by simulated gaming exercises performed by students under a strong motivation to treat simulated game seriously. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Effect of housing factors and surficial uranium on the spatial prediction of residential radon in Iowa

ENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 5 2007
Brian J. Smith
Abstract Growing epidemiologic evidence suggests that residential radon is an important risk factor for lung cancer. Consequently, public health professionals have expressed interest in characterizing the spatial distribution of radon concentrations in order to identify geographic regions of high exposure. Ambient radon concentrations are a function of geologic features including soil radium content. Indoor radon concentrations can vary based on building characteristics that affect the entry of radon into the building and movement between rooms therein. We present a geostatistical hierarchical Bayesian model for radon that allows for spatial prediction based on geologic data and housing characteristics. Our model is applied to radon data from an epidemiologic study in Iowa that consist of 136 outdoor measurements and 2590 indoor measurements from 614 residential homes. Housing characteristics collected in the Iowa Study are included as predictors in the model. Geologic data in the form of county-average surficial uranium concentrations from the USGS National Uranium Resource Evaluation project are also considered. A ,change of support' approach is implemented to combine the radon measurements, collected at points in space, and the uranium concentrations, averaged over counties, so that point-source concentrations for the latter are available for the analysis. Estimates of the effect of select housing factors on radon are provided along with spatial maps of predicted radon concentrations in Iowa. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The performance of sample selection estimators to control for attrition bias

HEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 5 2001
Astrid Grasdal
Abstract Sample attrition is a potential source of selection bias in experimental, as well as non-experimental programme evaluation. For labour market outcomes, such as employment status and earnings, missing data problems caused by attrition can be circumvented by the collection of follow-up data from administrative registers. For most non-labour market outcomes, however, investigators must rely on participants' willingness to co-operate in keeping detailed follow-up records and statistical correction procedures to identify and adjust for attrition bias. This paper combines survey and register data from a Norwegian randomized field trial to evaluate the performance of parametric and semi-parametric sample selection estimators commonly used to correct for attrition bias. The considered estimators work well in terms of producing point estimates of treatment effects close to the experimental benchmark estimates. Results are sensitive to exclusion restrictions. The analysis also demonstrates an inherent paradox in the ,common support' approach, which prescribes exclusion from the analysis of observations outside of common support for the selection probability. The more important treatment status is as a determinant of attrition, the larger is the proportion of treated with support for the selection probability outside the range, for which comparison with untreated counterparts is possible. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]