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GENERALIZED STOCHASTIC CONVEXITY AND STOCHASTIC ORDERINGS OF MIXTURES
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 July 1999
Abstract
In this paper, a new concept called generalized stochastic convexity is introduced as an extension of the classic notion of stochastic convexity. It relies on the well-known concept of generalized convex functions and corresponds to a stochastic convexity with respect to some Tchebycheff system of functions. A special case discussed in detail is the notion of stochastic s-convexity (s ∈ [real number symbol]), which is obtained when this system is the family of power functions {x0, x1,..., xs−1}. The analysis is made, first for totally positive families of distributions and then for families that do not enjoy that property. Further, integral stochastic orderings, said of Tchebycheff-type, are introduced that are induced by cones of generalized convex functions. For s-convex functions, they reduce to the s-convex stochastic orderings studied recently. These orderings are then used for comparing mixtures and compound sums, with some illustrations in epidemic theory and actuarial sciences.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Probability in the Engineering and Informational Sciences , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , July 1999 , pp. 275 - 291
- Copyright
- © 1999 Cambridge University Press
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