JavaStatSoft: design patterns and features

JavaStatSoft, implemented using Java, is an open-source software for performing statistics. The current features of JavaStatSoft are described. Several well-known patterns the software used are introduced. In addition, based on these patterns and the experience in developing the software, a new framework, referred to as Data Analysis Module, is proposed to help programmers develop a user-friendly software for data analysis.     

Users,Programmers, and Statistical Software

Abstract

Statistical software provides essential support for statisticians and others who are analyzing data or doing research on new statistical techniques. Those supported typically regard themselves as “users” of the software, but as soon as they need to express their own ideas computationally, they in fact become “programmers.” Nothing is more important for the success of statistical software than enabling this transition from user to programmer, and on to gradually more ambitious software design. What does the user need? How can the design of statistical software help? This article presents a number of suggestions based on past experience and current research. The evolution of the S system reflects some of these opinions. Work on the Omegahat software provides a promising direction for future systems that reflect similar motivations.     

开源软件服务提供商的市场策略及社区参与策略研究

开源软件由开源社区内的成员自发参与并协同完成开发,是一种高效的、有别于传统的软件生产模式。开源社区的主要成员有软件用户及开源软件服务提供商。本文通过构建三阶段模型,研究了服务提供商的市场策略及开源社区内用户创新对服务提供商参与策略的影响。研究发现:(1)若市场上高价值用户较少,服务提供商应采取低质量、低价格的市场策略,否则应采取高质量、高价格策略。(2)服务提供商要避免搭便车行为,即为了增加服务利润,它必须投入资源参与开源社区、提高软件质量。(3)当服务市场上目标用户较多且开源社区内用户参与动机较强时,服务提供商应采取高参与策略,否则采取低参与策略。本文的研究对服务提供商如何利用和参与开源社区具有指导意义。     

Implementing modular adaptation of scientific software

Scientific software often needs to be adapted for different execution environments, problem sets, and available resources to ensure its efficiency and reliability. However, for existing programs, implementing adaptations by directly modifying source code can be time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to manage for today's complex software. In this paper, we present a modular approach to realizing adaptation for existing scientific codes. By treating adaptation as a separate concern, our approach supports the development of application-specific, context-aware adaptation schemes without directly modifying the original code. Our approach uses a compositional framework that offers language-neutral mechanisms to integrate separately written adaptation code with existing code. Using our approach, scientific programmers can focus on the design and implementation of adaptation schemes separately from the original code development, and then compose an adaptive application whose original capabilities are enhanced in diverse aspects such as performance and stability. Our compositional approach enables fine-grained adaptation, so that an application's program behavior is controlled at the function or algorithm level by adaptation code plugged into the application. By applying our approach to real-world scientific applications to implement various adaptation scenarios, we demonstrate applicability and effectiveness for adapting scientific software.     

The rise of complex phenomena in Cournot duopoly games due to demand functions without inflection points

In this paper, we propose Cournot duopoly games where quantity-setting firms use non-linear demand functions that have no inflection points. Two different kinds of repeated games are introduced based on rationality process of firms and Puu’s incomplete approach. First, a model of two rational firms that are in competition and produce homogenous commodities is introduced. The equilibrium points of this model are obtained and their dynamical characteristics such as stability, bifurcation and chaos are investigated. By using rationality process firms do not need to solve any optimization problem but they adjust their production based on estimation of the marginal profit. Using Puu’s incomplete information approach a new model is introduced. As in the first model, the equilibrium points are obtained and their dynamical characteristics are investigated. By using Puu’s approach firms only need to know their profits and the quantities produced in the past two times. We compare the properties of the two models under the two approaches. The paper extends and generalizes the results of other authors that consider similar processes.     

An algorithmic framework for convex mixed integer nonlinear programs

This paper is motivated by the fact that mixed integer nonlinear programming is an important and difficult area for which there is a need for developing new methods and software for solving large-scale problems. Moreover, both fundamental building blocks, namely mixed integer linear programming and nonlinear programming, have seen considerable and steady progress in recent years. Wishing to exploit expertise in these areas as well as on previous work in mixed integer nonlinear programming, this work represents the first step in an ongoing and ambitious project within an open-source environment. COIN-OR is our chosen environment for the development of the optimization software. A class of hybrid algorithms, of which branch-and-bound and polyhedral outer approximation are the two extreme cases, are proposed and implemented. Computational results that demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework are reported. Both the library of mixed integer nonlinear problems that exhibit convex continuous relaxations, on which the experiments are carried out, and a version of the software used are publicly available.     

Formulation and analysis of horizontal mergers among oligopolistic firms with insights into the merger paradox: a supply chain network perspective

In this paper, we consider oligopolistic firms with supply chain networks who are involved in the production, storage, and distribution of a homogeneous product to demand markets and explore what has become known in the literature as the “merger paradox.” We present the oligopolistic supply chain network equilibrium model associated with the competing firms before the horizontal mergers and also develop the supply chain network optimization model post the complete merger. In addition, we develop the model in which only a subset of the firms in the industry merge. The governing concept of the competing firms is that of Cournot–Nash equilibrium. We utilize finite-dimensional variational inequality theory for the formulation, analysis, and solution of both the pre and the post-merger supply chain network problems. We provide numerical examples for which we compute the total costs, the total revenues, as well as the profits obtained for the firms pre and post the mergers for a variety of distinct oligopoly problems. The generality of the network models and the flexibility of the computational approach, which yields closed form expressions for the product flows at each iteration, allows us to obtain deeper insights into the merger paradox.     

Numerical Modeling of Laser-Induced Cavitation Bubbles with a Finite Volume Method

We report on the numerical modeling of laser-induced cavitation bubbles with the finite volume method using the open source software package OpenFOAM. The numerical model is validated by comparison to experimental data for the two cases of a bubble collapsing under normal ambient conditions in an unbounded liquid as well as close to a solid wall. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Context-based competition strategy and performance analysis with fixed-sum outputs: an application to banking sector

In the prior literature on performance measurement of firms with fixed-sum outputs, an equilibrium-efficient frontier is constructed. This paper shows that a single equilibrium-efficient frontier needs a significant trade-off between efficient and inefficient firms, and this may be impossible in practical applications. We develop a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to construct multiple equilibrium-efficient frontiers in the presence of fixed-sum outputs. The approach uses context-dependent DEA that refers to a DEA approach where a set of firms are assessed against a particular assessment context. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the applicability of the approach.     

Numerical analysis of heat transfer characteristics in energy piles

Single energy pile is studied numerically by both commercial code (CFX 13.0) and open-source software (OpenFOAM). Both fluid and solid domains are simulated. The temperature distribution in the soil and fluid shows the consistency of the two software. Because of the high computational cost for the simulation of multiple piles, a simplification approach is proposed. The fluid temperatures are updated by iterative analytical calculation while the soil temperatures are simulated by conductive heat transfer equation using OpenFOAM. By this effort, the computation of the whole energy pile system is feasible. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The GeoSteiner software package for computing Steiner trees in the plane: an updated computational study

The GeoSteiner software package has for about 20 years been the fastest (publicly available) program for computing exact solutions to Steiner tree problems in the plane. The computational study by Warme, Winter and Zachariasen, published in 2000, documented the performance of the GeoSteiner approach—allowing the exact solution of Steiner tree problems with more than a thousand terminals. Since then, a number of algorithmic enhancements have improved the performance of the software package significantly. We describe these (previously unpublished) enhancements, and present a new computational study wherein we run the current code on the largest problem instances from the 2000-study, and on a number of larger problem instances. The computational study is performed using the commercial GeoSteiner 4.0 code base, and the performance is compared to the publicly available GeoSteiner 3.1 code base as well as the code base from the 2000-study. The software studied in the paper is being released as GeoSteiner 5.0 under an open source license.     

双边市场视角下操作系统平台定价策略研究

越来越多有影响力开源操作系统平台的兴起(如Linux),对传统的专有操作系统平台(如微软的Windows)形成巨大的冲击。本文借用双边市场理论框架探讨专有操作系统平台在面对开源操作系统平台竞争时的定价策略问题。主要结论如下:①专有操作系统平台对平台用户收费和向应用软件开发商补贴的定价结构是由平台用户和应用软件开发商之间两类交叉网络外部性相对强弱决定的;②用户使用开源操作系统平台相对于专有操作系统平台需承担的额外费用(如较高的学习成本和维护费用)和获得的额外好处(如可个性化和较好的稳定性)均会间接影响专有操作系统平台的定价策略;③与专有操作系统平台独占市场的情形对比发现,两种市场结构下专有操作系统平台的定价结构可能存在差异,并且这种差异依赖于平台用户使用开源操作系统平台与使用专有操作系统平台相比额外需承担费用和额外获得好处的差距。     

Computerunterstütztes Lösen offener raumgeometrischer Aufgaben

Considering the fact that solid geometry has been a neglected subject in mathematics teaching at lower and middle secondary level, there has been almost no chance to develop a “culture” of open, solid geometry problem solving. Suitable software tools for spatial representations, construction and calculation tasks can support the students in developing and solving open problems in solid geometry designed in line with the content of the conventional geometry curriculum. The article presents problems of this kind and explains the computer-aided problem solving processes. Furthermore, initial results of evaluations of practical lessons including computerized treatment of selected open problems are reported. Finally, the general significance is discussed of introducing the computer as a tool in spatial geometry teaching as well as the basic problems involved in an evaluation of computer-assisted teaching in this context, and further development of computer-aided, open problem solving in spatial geometry.     

A competitive dynamic pricing model when demand is interdependent over time

In this study, we contribute to the dynamic pricing literature by developing a finite horizon model for two firms offering substitutable and nonperishable products with different quality levels. Customers can purchase and store the products, even if they do not need them at the time, in order to use them in future. The stockpile of the products generated by customers affects the demand in future periods. Therefore, the demand for each product not only is a function of prices and quality levels, but also of the products’ stockpile levels. In addition, the stockpile levels change the customers’ consumption behavior; more product in a stockpile leads to more consumption. Therefore, we address not only the price and demand relationship but also the stockpiling and consumption relationship in a competitive environment.     

An auction model arising from an Internet search service provider

Most search service providers such as Lycos and Google either produce irrelevant search results or unstructured company listings to the consumers. To overcome these two shortcomings, search service providers such as GoTo.com have developed mechanisms for firms to advertise their services and for consumers to search for the right services. To provide relevant search results, each firm who wishes to advertise at the GoTo site must specify a set of keywords. To develop structured company listings, each firm bids for priority listing in the search results that appear on the GoTo site. Since the search results appear in descending order of bid price, each firm has some control over the order in which the firm appears on the list resulting from the search. In this paper, we present a one-stage game for two firms that captures the advertising mechanism of a search service provider (such as GoTo). This model enables us to examine the firm’s optimal bidding strategy and evaluate the impact of various parameters on the firm’s strategy. Moreover, we analyze the conditions under which all firms would increase their bids at the equilibrium. These conditions could be helpful to the service provider when developing mechanisms to entice firms to submit higher bids.     

Implications of personalization offers on demand and supply network design: A case from the golf club industry

Competitive, open and global markets render the consumer more demanding towards manufacturers’ offers. In the past, firms could be competitive by providing value in quality, price and quick delivery. In the new economy, with the coming of e-business, the personalization of products becomes a key competitive factor. Manufacturers need to develop capabilities to fulfill these personalization needs while still respecting price, quality and service. This is an enormous challenge since there are many possible personalization offers that a firm could propose, up to the extreme of delivering a distinct product to each client. An initial step towards developing the appropriate personalization offers and capabilities is the identification of the potential personalization offers and how they affect the key processes within the demand and supply network. The paper presents a framework comprising of eight personalization options that can be combined to form a complete personalized offer. It then contrasts their impact on the demand and supply network. It exploits the industry of golf irons for illustration purposes.     

Strategic multi-store opening under financial constraint

This paper analyzes strategic store openings in a situation in which firms can open multiple stores depending on the financial constraints of the firm. Specifically, given any upper limit of the number of store openings that two potentially symmetric firms can open, they sequentially determine the number of store openings, including their locations, to maximize their profits. As a result of our analysis in a microeconomic framework, we show that the equilibrium strategy can be wholly classified into only two following opposite strategies according to the level of their financial constraints involved. When firms can afford to invest significant amounts of money in the market, the leader chooses “segmentation strategy,” in which a part of the market can be monopolized by opening a chain of multiple stores and deterring the follower’s entry. In contrast, when the leader has a severe financial constraint so that it can only monopolize less than half of the market, the leader chooses “minimum differentiation strategy,” where firms open each of their stores at exactly the same point as the rival’s. Under this strategy, the leader necessarily captures just half of the market. Furthermore, we show that regardless of potential symmetry between firms, both first and second mover advantages in terms of profit can occur in the equilibrium.     

Managing raw material in supply chains

In this paper, we explore how firms can manage their raw material sourcing better by developing appropriate sourcing relationships with their raw material suppliers. We detail three empirical case studies of firms explaining their different raw material sourcing strategies: (a) firms can adopt a hands-off approach to raw material management, (b) firms can supply raw material directly to their suppliers, and this may be beneficial for some agents in the supply chain, and (c) firms can bring their component suppliers together, and the resulting cooperation between suppliers can be beneficial for supply chain. We then analytically model the three raw material scenarios encountered in our empirical work, examine the resulting profits along the supply chain, and extend the results to a competitive buyer scenario. Overall, our results show that active management of raw material sourcing can add value to supply chains.