FROM THE EDITOR This issue contains seven articles on sampling methods, five other articles, three reports, an obituary and acknowledgements of referees of volume 6. There are following seven articles devoted to some problems of sampling surveys: 1. Ranked Set Sampling and Its Applications in Finite Population Studies (by B. Kowalczyk from Poland). Several authors have studied various problems concerning ranked set sampling (RSS) design when sampling is implemented from an infinite population. In the present paper emphasis is placed on the implementation of RSS procedure from finite populations. The author examines basic properties of a population mean and total estimator under RSS using unified finite population theory. The author also conducts several simulation studies based on real data, which illustrate possibilities of applications of RSS design and point out a new aspect of RSS, which has not been analyzed so far. Ranking (semi-ranking) on a basis of grouped data is the new aspect of RSS presented in this paper. This approach seems to have many applications in finite population practice. 2. Multivariate Sample Allocation Problem in Two Schemes of Two-Stage Sampling (by M. Kozak from Poland). The paper contains considerations on a multivariate sample allocation in two-stage sampling. The author proposes the formulas of the sample allocation in two schemes of the multivariate two-stage sampling, i.e., SI, SI, and a special case of pps, SI, with the same sample sizes of secondary sampling units from primary sampling units. In both cases a self- weighting design is used. 3. A General Family of Estimators for Estimating Population Mean Using Two Auxiliary Variables in Two-Phase Sampling (by H.P. Singh, L. N. Upadhyaya and P. Chandra from India). A general family of estimators for estimating the population mean of the variable under study which make use of two auxiliary variables in two-phase sampling is proposed. Under simple random sampling without replacement (SRSWOR) scheme, the expressions of bias and mean-squared error (MSE) up to first order of approximation are derived. The family of estimators in its optimum case is discussed. It has been shown that the proposed family is more efficient than those considered by Srivastava (1970), Chand (1975), Srivastava et al (1990), Singh et al. (1994 a), Singh and Upadhyaya (1995), Singh (2001), Upadhyaya and Singh (2001) and the usual unbiased estimator and usual two-phase sampling estimator. An empirical study is carried out to illustrate the superiorperformance of the constructed estimator compared to others. 1028 From the Editor 4. Estimation of Population Mean with Known Coefficient of Variation Under Optional Randomized Response Model Using Scrambled Response Technique (by H.P. Singh and N. Mathur from India). In this paper the authors have suggested an estimator of population mean when the coefficient of variation is available; and its properties are studied. An estimator for population mean is also suggested when a prior value of population mean is available along with its properties. Numerical illustrations are given to judge the merits of the suggested estimators over Gupta et. al. (2002) estimator. 5. An Optimum Size of Sampling Units for Tajikistan Household Survey (by Shyam Upadhyaya from Nepal). This article presents an attempt to find an optimum size of sampling units for the household survey in Tajikistan. The cost analysis showed that the number of PSU’s could be significantly increased from the same budget if the necessary information on required parameters were known in advance. 6. A New Approach to πPs Sampling Scheme-I (by M. Saxena and A. Saxena from India), In the paper a sampling scheme using auxiliary variable for cluster sampling has been proposed. The auxiliary variable is used in selecting the elements in clusters. The efficiency of the proposed sampling scheme is compared to the usual cluster sampling with equal probabilities of selection as well as to SRSWOR. It has been observed that of all the schemes proposed the sampling scheme which makes use of πPS approach is the best. 7. Manipulation of the Irresolute Voters in Political Sample Surveys: A Mathematical Process (by N. Farmakis from Greece). In sample surveys designed to search for voting intentions, the problem of the manipulation of the irresolute voters (voters who have not decided about their voting, “floating” voters) arises. A method for managing their distribution is proposed in this paper. The method is very simple and is based on certain empirical coefficients from the Greek political experience of the last 25 years. The second part of this issue under the title Other Articles contains five articles devoted to different topics: 8. Stochastic Orders and Classes of Prior Distributions (by M. Męczarski from Poland). The usual stochastic order and the dispersive order are considered in the set of all probability distributions as tools to construct classes of prior distributions. These classes are widely exploited in Bayesian robust statistical methods. 9. Towards Further Development of the Polish Consumer Price Statistics (by A. Głuchowska from Poland).The article summarises surveys on retail and consumer prices which used to be carried out by the official statistics in Poland and it describes also main aspect of the methodology of consumer price indices applied currently in the country. The author stressed that the biggest STATISTICS IN TRANSITION, December 2004 1029 step in this field was made in the second part of the nineties when the EU harmonised methodology was gradually implemented in Polish statistics. The article illustrates progress made in the Polish CPI and indicates those aspects of it which need further improvement. In concluding remarks the author emphasizes the differences concerning some other aspects: system of weights, coverage, product scope, aggregation and data publication, could be formulated so as to meet the needs of the main users of data. 10. The Information Content of Analysts’ Recommendations: The Empirical Evidence from the Warsaw Stock Exchange (by H. Gurgul and P. Majdosz from Poland). In this article the authors investigate the impact of analysts’ recommendations on stock prices using data from the Polish stock market. To improve market transparency, the authors’ interest in this subject is limited to those companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) whose shares are the most liquid. Applying event study methodology, they define abnormal return as a difference between actual return of a given firm and expected return generated by the market model. The results show that buy as well as hold recommendations have no informational content for the investors operating on the WSE. Robustness of the authors’ findings is confirmed by using bootstrap technique. This study is the first of this kind for the Polish stock market, and according to authors’ opinion, also the first for the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe. 11. Care Needs and Clinical Characteristics of In-Patients in Southern Estonia (by G. Ljunggren from Sweden, K. Saks, E-M. Tiit from Estonia, B. Osberg from Sweden, and T. Kivastik from Estonia).The aim of this survey was to determine the structure of comprehensive needs of patients admitted to emergency wards. The sample consisted of all in-patients in all 15 emergency hospitals in the region of south-east Estonia. 12. The Factor Analysis in Research of the Spatial Differentiation of Poland’s Economic Structure (by A. Malina from Poland). The paper presents the results of empirical studies in which the method of factor analysis was applied. The analysis has allowed the author to: a) separate the main factors on the basis of an initially given set of primary characteristics. The factors can be interpreted as determinants of development, b) rank voivodships in Poland to the identified main factors, c) determine groups of voivodships similar in the development level as well as in the economic structure. 1030 From the Editor There are also three Reports: (i) Celebrating Statistics — International Conference in Honour of Sir David Cox on the Occasion of His 80th Birthday, Neuchâtel, 14—18 July 2004 (prepared by B.Kowalczyk); (ii) 27th CIRET Conference: Review of Selected Papers, Warsaw, Poland, 15—17 September 2004 (prepared by I. Zagoździńska); (iii) XXIIIrd Conference on Multivariate Statistical Analysis (MSA 2004) & Symposium on Statistics to Commemorate the 110th Anniversary of Jerzy Neyman’s Birthday, Łódź, Poland, 8—10 November 2004 (prepared by M. Pekasiewicz) The editor announces with the deepest sorrow that Professor Aleksander Ryszard Wójcik, an Associate Editor of our journal, passed away in December 2003. Obituary of Professor A. Ryszard Wójcik is given in this issue. The issue is concluded with the Acknowledgements of referees of Volume 6. Jan Kordos The Editor STATISTICS IN TRANSITION, December 2004 Vol. 6, No. 7, pp. 1031—1046 RANKED SET SAMPLING AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN FINITE POPULATION STUDIES Barbara Kowalczyk1 ABSTRACT Several authors have studied various problems concerned with ranked set sampling RSS design when sampling is implemented from an infinite population. In the present paper emphasis is put on the implementation of RSS procedure from finite populations. The author examines basic properties of a population mean and total estimator under RSS by using unified finite population theory. The author also conducts several simulation studies based on real data, which illustrate possibilities of applications