Showing papers by "University of Mannheim published in 1982"

Variation in the sequence and modification state of the human insulin gene flanking regions

Abstract: The nucleotide sequence of a highly repetitive sequence region upstream from the human insulin gene is reported. The length of this region varies between alleles in the population, and appears to be stably transmitted to the next generation in a Mendelian fashion. There is no significant correlation between the length of this sequence and two types of diabetes mellitus. We observe variation in the cleavability of a BglI recognition site downstream from the human insulin gene, which is probably due to variable nucleotide modification. This presumed modification state appears not to be inherited, and varies between tissues within an individual and between individuals for a given tissue. Both alleles in a given tissue DNA sample are modified to the same extent.

Corporate Goals, Managerial Objectives, and Organizational Structures in British and West German Companies

Abstract: Arguments regarding the presence of similarities and differences in management and organization across countries draw attention to the potential relevance of culture, contextual contingencies, and economic-cum-political system. These are examined by reference to comparisons of corporate goals, managerial objectives, and modes of organizational structuring (particularly around the investment decision process) in British and West German companies. The findings reinforce the view that in capitalist systems high profitability and growth are dominant corporate goals. In some respects, the structure adopted by companies in the two countries appeared to match their contingent conditions, although differences in decision making were consistent with a culturalist explanation. Where contrasts emerged in the objectives and opinions held by senior managers it was not always clear whether these were more likely to be a reflection of cultural factors rather than, for example, the generally greater success of the German...

Kinked utility and the demand for human wealth and liability insurance

Abstract: The paper advances the hypothesis that the ’gross wealth’ von Neumann/Morgenstern utility function is characterized by a horizontal branch for wealth levels below the socially guaranteed minimum wealth and analyses the implications of this property for human wealth and liability insurance. It turns out that the attractiveness of these kinds of insurance might, even for risk-averse people, be too low to satisfy the premium requirements of private insurance companies.

Chapter 9 Consumer theory

Abstract: Publisher Summary The main objective of consumer theory is to determine the impact on observable demands for commodities of alternative assumptions on the objectives, on the behavioral rules of the consumer, and on the constraints that they faces while making a decision. The chapter explains that the traditional model of the consumer takes preferences over alternative bundles to describe the objectives. Commodities can be divided into goods and services. Each commodity is completely specified by its physical characteristics, location, and date at which it is available. In studies of behavior under uncertainty, an additional specification of the characteristics of a commodity relating to the state of nature occurring is added, which leads to the description of a contingent commodity. The behavioral rule consists of maximization of these preferences under a budget restriction, which determines the trading possibilities. The principal results of the theory consist of the qualitative implications on observed demand of changes in the parameters, which determine the decision of the consumer. The historical development of consumer theory indicates a long tradition of interest of economists in the subject, which has undergone substantial conceptual changes over time to reach its present form.

Taxation, growth, and resource extraction. A general equilibrium approach

Abstract: This paper deals with taxation in a framework which is a synthesis between the neoclassical growth model, augmented by a (separable) sector of resource-extracting firms, and the Fisherian intertemporal general equilibrium model: market forces bring about the neoclassical optimal growth path under laissez faire, but taxation may result in welfare-reducing distortions. The taxes studied comprise ad valorem, capital-income, and capital-gains taxes, where the tax revenue is assumed to be redistributed in a lump-sum fashion. Particular attention is paid to the second-best problem of whether capital-income taxation should be supplemented by capitalgains taxation.

Social Structure, Value-Orientations, and the Party System: The Problem of Interest Accommodation in Western Democracies

Abstract: The relationship between social structure, value-orientation, and party system is discussed on the basis of a comparative analysis of Austria, Great Britain, the United States and West Germany. The focus is on two central themes: the cultural interpretation of interest-conflicts which are imposed by social structure, and the correspondence between value-orientations and the party system. Both micro-and macro-level analyses are performed. The cultural interpretation of interest-conflicts is traced back to the Left-Right dimension and to the materialist-postmaterialist dimension. Two different developmental tendencies lead to the prediction of growing tensions between value-orientations and party systems. The old Left proves to be more materialistic in the formulation of its political goals; it is also more conservative in the selection of means to attain these goals. In contrast, the new Left is postmaterialistic, and progressive in its forms of participation. This constellation poses an overwhelming integrative task, especially for the parties of the Left.

A characterization of pointwise-lipschitz-continuous selections for the metric projection

Abstract: In a series of papers the last two authors have obtained a complete characterization of those finite-dimensional subspaces G of C[a,b] for which there exists a continuous selection for the metric projection onto G. By showing that all continuous selections constructed there are even pointwise-Lipschitz-continuous and quasi-linear, we get a complete characterization concerning selections for the metric projection with this stronger property.

Testing the goodness of fit of a mixed Poisson process

Abstract: In the literature on the statistical analysis of point processes certain tests for homogeneous Poisson processes are proposed, which in fact are tests for mixed Poisson processes. Some conclusions from this fact are drawn.

The economic theory of species extinction: Comment on smith

Abstract: A widely recognized article by Smith suggests that harvesting leading to species extinction may be socially optimal, provided that the species growth-potential is sufficiently low. It is shown that this conclusion hinges on special assumptions about harvest technology which, despite a superficial compatibility with neoclassical production theory, contradict a basic postulate of a pioneering article by Gordon. As soon as Gordon’s postulate is taken into account, while all other aspects of Smith’s model are maintained, it turns out that even a species with a very low growth potential should not become extinct.

Strenge Eindeutigkeitskonstanten und Fehlerabschätzungen Bei Linearer Tschebyscheff-Approximation

Abstract: Strong unicity constants play an important role for estimating the accuracy of given approximates for the best approximation. In this paper the asymptotic behaviour of these strong unicity constants is considered in the polynomial case. Moreover the concept of H-sets is generalized in such a way to get error estimates in the function space even if the Haar condition fails.

Attribution and distribution: The weight of performance, effort, and ability in the allocation of jointly attained gains and losses

Abstract: Two experiments were conducted with 94 male subjects who were run in dyads. Half of the dyads attained a gain and half a loss as a result of their work on a verbal task. In the first experiment subjects received information about their own and their partner’s contributions - ability and effort - with respect to the given task, and were then asked to allocate the gain or loss. Contrary to our hypothesis differences in effort were not taken into account to a greater extent than differences in ability. In the second experiment subjects had to allocate the amount gained/lost after receipt of information on intra-dyadic differences in performance; after that they were informed about ability and effort as in the first experiment. When differences in performance were thus explainable through differences in ability - in contrast to effort - a significant number of allocators moved to discount differences in contributions. The different meanings of information on effort and on ability in the two experiments are discussed in the context of models of cognitive algebra.

Verschnittoptimierung im praktischen Einsatz

Abstract: In einem Unternehmen der metallverarbeitenden Industrie sind rechteckige Blechtafeln in kleinere rechteckige Teilstucke mit geforderten Abmessungen zu zerteilen. Zum Erreichen des gesetzten Ziels, Minimierung des Verschnitts, wurde ein Standard Software Paket eingesetzt. Diese computergestutzte Planung fuhrte zwar zu der gewunschten Reduktion des Verschnitts, bewirkte jedoch deutlich erhohte Fertigungszeiten und als Folge davon Einkommensverluste bei den Mitarbeitern. Eine detaillierte Analyse ergab, daβ durch die Wahl einer entsprechenden Reihenfolge bei der Abarbeitung der optimalen Schnittplane dieser Nachteil behoben werden konnte. Deshalb wurde eine Computer Routine zur Losung des Reihenfolgeproblems entwickelt und wegen der gunstigen Ergebnisse in das Standard Software Paket integriert. A company of the metal working industry that has to cut rectangular metal sheets into smaller pieces of given size intended to diminish occuring waste. For this reason a standard software package for planning waste was in use. However, this procedure resulted in a further problem, namely in greater production times and hence in lower wages for the workers. A detailed analysis of the situation revealed that this new problem could be solved by rearranging the schedule of the cutting patterns. A solution procedure for this sequencing problem was developed and coded as a computer routine. Because of the favourable results this routine is now part of the standard software package.

Grundbegriffe der Analysis

Abstract: Zur Beschreibung okonomischer Sachverhalte, die in quantifizierter Form dargestellt werden konnen, wahlt man in der Regel reelle Zahlen. Die Menge der reellen Zahlen spielt deshalb eine wesentliche Rolle im gesamten Bereich der wirtschaftstheoretischen Anwendungen der Mathematik. Einige ihrer wichtigsten Eigenschaften sollen daher hier zusammengestellt werden.

On the admissibility of estimators for the finite population variance

Abstract: With each unti of a finite population is associated an unknown variate value. We are interested in the variance of these values and consider (1) simple random sampling without replacement. (2) quadratic loss and (3) a one parameter class of estimators. We determine all admissible elements of the class. The usual unbiased estimator for the variance which is an element of the class considered turns out to be inadmissible.

A remark on Albrecht's “On the correct use of the Chi-square goodness-of-fit test”

Abstract: In Albrecht (1980) it was shown that a number of actuarial papers contain some incorrectnesses in using the chi-square goodness-of-fit test (in case of an unspecified parameter θ in the null hypothesis, which has to be estimated from the sample) in connection with claim number distributions.

Bußhoffs Wissenschaftstheorie der Politikwissenschaft und Lakatos

Abstract: In reply to H. Bushoff's paper (this journal XII, 1981) I give another outline of Lakatos' approach to normative theories in order to reduce the misunderstandings Bushoff seems to have fallen victim to. (1). In particular, I try to show that he is wrong in claiming there is a vicious circle in this approach or my interpretation of it (2). Finally, I expose for criticism his alternative methodology of political science which propagates a theory of a „third type“, suggesting that he takes too little seriously problems he calls academical although their importance has been shown not only by Lakatos but by political philosophers as Rawls and Nozick (3).