Multiple Decision Procedures: Theory and Methodology of Selecting and Ranking Populations

Multiple Decision Procedures: Theory and Methodology of Selecting and Ranking Populations provides an encyclopaedic coverage of the literature in the area of ranking and selection procedures, summarizing and surveying in a unified manner a majority of more than 600 main references in the bibliography. It also deals with related problems, such as the estimation of unknown ordered parameters. A separate chapter is devoted to information about several tables available in the literature for carrying out various specific procedures. Examples are given in another chapter illustrating applications of these procedures in various practical contexts. This book can serve as a text for a graduate topics course in ranking and selection. It will also serve as a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners in various fields, such as agriculture, industry, engineering, and behavioral sciences.

Shanti S. Gupta (1925-2002) was Professor of Statistics and Mathematics at Purdue University from 1962 until his death in January 2002. He was a Fellow of the American Statistical Association (ASA), the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS), the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Statistical Society, and the International Indian Statistical Association (Honorary). He was the president of the IMS in 1989-1990. He served on the editorial boards of several journals, including acting as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference during 1989-1991. A pioneer in the area of ranking and selection, he authored well over 200 journal articles, collaborated with many researchers, and guided 30 Ph.D. students in statistics.

S. Panchapakesan is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He has published close to 70 journal articles and reports, mostly on ranking and selection. He is a member of the ASA, IMS, and the International Statistical Institute (elected). He is currently Associate Editor of Communications in Statistics and editorial board member for American Journal of Mathematical and Management Sciences.