How fair can we go in machine learning? Assessing the boundaries of fairness in decision trees

Fair machine learning works have been focusing on the development of equitable algorithms that address discrimination of certain groups. Yet, many of these fairness-aware approaches aim to obtain a unique solution to the problem, which leads to a poor understanding of the statistical limits of bias mitigation interventions. We present the first methodology that allows to explore those limits within a multi-objective framework that seeks to optimize any measure of accuracy and fairness and provides a Pareto front with the best feasible solutions. In this work, we focus our study on decision tree classifiers since they are widely accepted in machine learning, are easy to interpret and can deal with non-numerical information naturally. We conclude experimentally that our method can optimize decision tree models by being fairer with a small cost of the classification error. We believe that our contribution will help stakeholders of sociotechnical systems to assess how far they can go being fair and accurate, thus serving in the support of enhanced decision making where machine learning is used

A Knowledge-Based System for the Validation of the Deployment of Software Units

Today, many business applications are developed following SOA principles. One of the activities required for their implementation is deployment, a complex process that usually is done by hand, being necessary to develop new tools to facilitate it. This article proposes a knowledge-based system that validates the deployment of software units on a particular environment, before executing them. The system is based on an information model and has been implemented with Drools 5.0 and as a OSGi bundle to be integrated into a deployment and configuration architecture

Sistemas basado en reglas para la validación del despliegue de servicios

El despliegue de servicios es una tarea compleja, al depender de múltiples factores que pueden variaren el tiempo, que se realiza normalmente de forma manual. En este artículo se propone emplear un sistema de validación de planes de despliegue, implementado a través de un sistema basado en reglas, para asegurar que las acciones del despliegue a realizar son adecuadas al estado del entorno sobre el que se desea actuar. Dicho sistema se encuentra integrado dentro de un gestor de cambios de entorno y basado en su modelo de información

La enseñanza comprensiva de los juegos deportivos en el ámbito escolar

En los últimos años ha surgido un gran interés por los modelos de enseñanza que son alternativos al modelo tradicional. En el presente trabajo se analiza el modelo comprensivo en la enseñanza deportiva, destacando el TGfU y el modelo trifásico. Se indica su importancia en el ámbito escolar, sus características y las ventajas de su aplicación en los deportes colectivos, insistiendo en el proceso de reflexión del alumnado. El alumno tiene la necesidad de saber el cómo y el porqué de la ejecución de sus acciones y ello se logra a través del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del enfoque comprensivo. El enfoque comprensivo plantea juegos modificados que parten de la táctica y en concreto, exigen que el alumno resuelva los problemas propios del juego a través de la toma de decisiones para poder desarrollar después la ejecución del gesto técnico. Finalmente, se ofrecen ejemplos prácticos de situaciones que utilizan el modelo trifásico de enseñanza deportiva

The end of the demographic dividend in Latin America: challenges for economic and social policies

Artículo de revistaPopulation ageing is a major global challenge. The Latin American economies have a younger population structure than other emerging and advanced economies, which has allowed them to enjoy the so-called demographic dividend (a favourable working age/non-working age population ratio). However, according to the latest demographic projections of the United Nations (UN), it is estimated that in 2020 the Latin American population pyramid will resemble that of the advanced economies in 1990 and that, by around 2050, both groups will have similar population profiles. This article documents the current demographic trends in Latin America and discusses the main related challenges, in particular, those arising from the adaptation of social welfare systems to population ageing

Household debt and uncertainty : private consumption after the Great Recession

Las familias de buena parte de los países desarrollados venían aumentando su endeudamiento desde los años ochenta, y este proceso se aceleró significativamente en los años previos a la Gran Recesión. Al mismo tiempo, durante ese periodo se produjo una disminución de su tasa de ahorro. Tras la crisis, el desapalancamiento que las familias están llevando a cabo puede estar afectando a su consumo y, por tanto, al ritmo de recuperación de las economías. En este trabajo se analiza cómo afectan estas decisiones financieras de los hogares al consumo agregado de los países de la OCDE en el período 1980-2013, una vez se han tenido en cuenta los determinantes tradicionales (renta, riqueza financiera y no financiera y tipos de interés). Se muestra que, de forma consistente con cambios en las restricciones financieras, el consumo se ha visto afectado por la acumulación de deuda y su posterior reducción. Asimismo, y de forma coherente con la existencia de un ahorro por motivo precaución, el aumento de la incertidumbre sobre las rentas laborales ha influido en las decisiones de las familias, en particular durante el período 2007-2009Household debt in many advanced economies has increased significantly since the 1980s and accelerated in the years prior to the Great Recession, resulting in an aggregate reduction of saving rates in the developed economies. Some of those economies are now deleveraging, which may be affecting their recovery. We try to disentangle how these financial developments infl uence private consumption in a panel of OECD countries, after controlling for the traditional determinants (income, net financial and non-financial wealth, and interest rates). Consistent with the changes in the distribution of financial constraints, we find that aggregate consumption is also driven by the dynamics of housing debt accumulation and deleveraging. Precautionary savings, due to labour income uncertainty, have also influenced household decisions especially, during the 2007-2009 perio

Main characteristics of spanish tourist firms in 2002

This paper aim is the analysis of some of the more important facts related with Spanish tourist sector in the year 2002. Number of companies and their legal condition and size, number of premises, number of workers and kind of labour relationship with the tourist firms and so on will be analysed. When possible, the analysis will be widened to the different tourist subsectors or branchs: hotels, restaurants and travel agencies and tour operators. Their figures will be compared with the same ones for the Spanish economy as a whole

Reformulating international pricing: standardization vs. adaptation

We have carried out a deep analysis (using of a meta-analytical approach) of the Literature published in relation to international pricing. We have formulated a series of theoretical propositions that we have contrasted with a company inside the countries of the European Union. We have joined countries of the EU according to the prices of the analysed product. So, the best statistical tool for that is the cluster analysis. The second stage of this process is to contrast the price differences between the countries classified in each cluster. The research reveals the existence of price adaptation of the analysed company to the diverse environments of the European Union members

Reformulating international pricing: standardization vs. adaptation

We have carried out a deep analysis (using of a meta-analytical approach) of the Literature published in relation to international pricing. We have formulated a series of theoretical propositions that we have contrasted with a company inside the countries of the European Union. We have joined countries of the EU according to the prices of the analysed product. So, the best statistical tool for that is the cluster analysis. The second stage of this process is to contrast the price differences between the countries classified in each cluster. The research reveals the existence of price adaptation of the analysed company to the diverse environments of the European Union members