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Proposed International Society on Business and Industrial Statistics
                            (ISBIS)

Dear Colleague:

A group of us, working under the auspices of the International Statistical
Institute's (ISI) Committee on Statistics in Business and Industry, are
proposing to form a new International Society on Business and Industrial
Statistics (ISBIS).  The plan is for the society to be a new section of the
ISI. The purpose of this message is to ascertain whether you are interested
in learning more about this initiative and possibly becoming a member of
the new international society. If you are interested, please read on ...
and send an e-mail to Vijay Nair ([log in to unmask]) expressing your interest.

Background
The International Statistical Institute has had a Committee on Statistics
in Business and Industry (SBI) for over a decade. The SBI Committee is now
preparing to form a new International Society on Industrial and Business
Statistics (ISBIS) and apply for section status within the ISI, giving it
access to a range of ISI benefits and facilitating the Committee.s ability
to discharge its mission.

The mission of the Committee is to support the work of statisticians
working in business and industry by monitoring their needs on an ongoing
basis, promoting research and applications and best current practices,
facilitating technology transfer, and fostering communication among
members. The Committee seeks to promote (both to statisticians and to
industry) the value and importance of Statistics in Business and Industry,
and for supporting suitable activities, particularly in lesser-developed
countries. The scope includes statistical methods and practices in all
aspects of business and industry.

Over the last decade, we have held international conferences and workshops
in various parts of the world (Israel, Egypt, India, Japan, S. Korea,
Italy, Spain, Sweden, etc.) either as main organizers or co-sponsors. In
1999, we decided to name the conference as International Symposium for
Industrial Statistics, and the inaugural conference (ISIS-1) was held in
Sweden (Linköping). Subsequent ISIS meetings have been held in Yokohama
(2001) and Barcelona (2003). We have renamed it as ISBIS (to cover business
statistics); ISBIS-4 will be held in Cairns in April 2005
(http://www.action-m.com/isbis4). As an international society, we hope to
expand the range of activities considerably, as well as provide a worldwide
network for statisticians in academe and industry.

The purpose of this message is to ascertain whether you are interested in
learning more about this effort, and possibly becoming a member of a new
International Society on Industrial and Business Statistics. At present, it
will suffice if you simply reply to this email message expressing interest,
and we.ll add your name to a mailing list.

Please respond to Vijay Nair ([log in to unmask]). We need your support!

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Here.s some more information:

Objectives of the future Society

· To build international co-operation and association between
statisticians working in business and industrial statistics and the
exchange of professional knowledge
· To seek to advance international co-operation and exchange of
ideas and information through conferences, workshops and publications
· To promote relations among sections of professional societies or
groups involved in business and industrial statistical activities
· To increase public awareness of the importance of statistics in
business and industry
· To foster co-operation at an international level between
statistical activities in universities and individuals working in business
and industry
· To encourage links between statisticians from developing and
developed countries

Benefits of membership in the Society
· Being part of an international community / network of
professionals who are interested in the applications of statistics in
business and industry.
· Opportunities for members from developed countries to promote
statistics in business and industry at an international level; conferences
will provide a forum for professionals from various parts of the world to
get together, present leading-edge applications and research, and develop
collaborations.
· Opportunities to develop links with others from developing
countries, promote statistics in business and industry in these places
through technology transfer activities such as workshops.
· Opportunities for members from developed countries to promote
business and industrial statistics within their country and region,
organize conferences and workshops with participation by professionals from
different countries.
· Reduced registration fees at SBI Section-sponsored conferences and
other events.
· The international link and co-operation will help in obtaining
support for business and industrial statistics activities in a local region.

Web-site (to be moved shortly): www.public.iastate.edu/~sbi/

For more information, please email either Bovas Abraham
([log in to unmask]), current Chair of the SBI Committee, or Vijay Nair
([log in to unmask]), Bill Meeker ([log in to unmask]), Luis Escobar
([log in to unmask]), or Jeff Wu ([log in to unmask]) who are the Regional
representatives on the Committee.
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