On a theorem of Kobori (Q1920235)

Let \(S\) and \(S^*\) denote the well-known classes of normalized analytic functions which are, respectively, univalent and starlike in \(|z|<1\). A theorem of Kobori states that, for a function \(g(z)= z+ \sum^\infty_{k=2} a_k z^k\in S^*\), the sequence of the \(n\)th sections \[ S_n (z)= z+ \sum^n_{k=2} {\textstyle {1\over k}} a_kz^k \] must be starlike in \(|z|< {1\over 2}\). Recently, \textit{H. Silverman} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 104, No. 4, 1191-1196 (1988; Zbl 0692.30013)], \textit{V. Gruenberg}, \textit{F. Rønning} and \textit{St. Ruscheweyh} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 322, 377-393 (1990; Zbl 0706.30012)], and \textit{F. Rønning} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 175, No. 1, 186-198 (1993; Zbl 0783.30017)]\ extended the above result. In this note, we first improve the results of \textit{L. Ilieff} [Ann. Univ. Sofia, Fac. Sci., Livre I 46, 153-157 (1950; Zbl 0039.08305)], \textit{St. Ruscheweyh} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 4, 367-369 (1972; Zbl 0261.30014)], and H. Silverman [loc. cit.]. We then give a remarkable simple proof of a result of V. Gruenberg et al. [loc.cit.]\ and F. Rønning [loc. cit.]\ that \(S_4 (z)\) is starlike in \(|z|< {1\over 2}\) for \(g\in S\).