This paper deals with the assignment of a type of task to each member of a multi-function staff (each worker is able to perform a given subset of types of tasks, possibly with a priority index associated to each element of the subset). The resulting number of workers for each type of task must be not less than a given lower bound and as close as possible to another given value. The objectives a...

In an experiment decision-makers used time series information on the past demand for products to decide on production levels to meet the next period’s demand. Either shortages cost more per unit than surpluses or the asymmetry of losses was in the opposite direction. The decision-makers were either: i) unsupported, ii) provided with statistical point forecasts of the next period’s demand or iii...

The study intended to evaluate the impact of WTO on domestic prices, production and consumption of major food commodities like wheat and rice and ultimately their impact on the producer’s and consumer’s surpluses. The farm level impact was also evaluated to chalk out the eventual position at farm level with the purpose to identify necessary policies and actions to cope with the new world situat...

Since the mid 1990s, the global distribution of current account balances has changed substantially. Along with the sharp increase in the current account defi cit in the US, there has been a signifi cant widening of the current account surpluses in many countries, including Japan, China and the major oil producers. In addition, there has been a marked shift from persistent current account defi c...

Background: The quantity and quality of manpower, especially in health systems, are major factors affecting speed of service delivery, cost, and accuracy, or, in other words, the quality of service. Objective: This study purposed to investigate the manpower required in various units of the laboratory at Shiraz Faghihi Hospital. Methods</stro...

This paper replicates Sims (2011) “stepping on a rake” model. It derives the model, shows how to solve it, offers some extensions, and boils the paper down to its central ingredient. Sims’ article is important: it is a simple modern economic model that produces a temporary decline in inflation when the central bank persistently raises interest rates. Inflation then rises. The model’s essential ...

We provide two axiomatic characterizations of the kernel of TU games by means of both bilateral consistency and converse consistency with respect to two types of 2-person reduced games. According to the first type, the worth of any single player in the 2-person reduced game is derived from the difference of player’s positive (instead of maximum) surpluses. According to the second type, the wort...

Over the years, China has imported a significant quantity of plastic waste from rest world. In December 2017, however, it implemented ban on import waste, used paper, and miscellaneous scrap goods. This study aims to provide new insight trade, with specific focus market for recyclable plastics. By employing an economic surplus analysis, we investigate impact China’s plastics in Japan. Obtained ...