S–S method for stochastically ordered multinomial populations with missing data

Stochastic ordering is a useful concept in order restricted inferences. In this paper, we propose a new estimation technique for the parameters in two multinomial populations under stochastic orderings when missing data are present. In comparison with traditional maximum likelihood estimation method, our new method can guarantee the uniqueness of the maximum of the likelihood function. Furthermore, it does not depend on the choice of initial values for the parameters in contrast to the EM algorithm. Finally, we give the asymptotic distributions of the likelihood ratio statistics based on the new estimation method.