Multistage estimation of the difference of locations of two negative exponential populations under a modified Linex loss function: Real data illustrations from cancer studies and reliability analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe have designed modified two-stage and purely sequential strategies to estimate the difference of location parameters from two independent negative exponential populations having unknown but proportional scale parameters under a modified Linex loss function. This article extends one-sample methodologies of Mukhopadhyay and Bapat (2016, Sequential Analysis). Some preliminary results are established along the lines of Mukhopadhyay and Hamdy (1984, Canadian Journal of Statistics) and Mukhopadhyay and Darmanto (1988, Sequential Analysis). We have resorted to Mukhopadhyay and Duggan (1997, Sankhya, Series A) in developing asymptotic second-order properties for the modified two-stage methodology and to nonlinear renewal theory of Lai and Siegmund (1977, 1979, Annals of Statistics) and Woodroofe (1977, Annals of Statistics) in addressing analogous properties under the purely sequential methodology. Then, we supplement with extensive sets of data analysis via computer simulations validating that both modified two-stage and purely sequential methods perform very well. Both methodologies are also illustrated and implemented using real datasets from cancer studies and reliability analysis.