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The paper provides a model that assesses the set of complementary components of varying compatibility and its effect towards consumer adoption decisions. The smartphone market is a system good which utilizes the device and a set of compatible applications (apps). The amount of switching costs may vary depending upon the consumer’s decision to switch devices or across platforms. Analyzing the Android ecosystem, the process of custom ROMs (and rooting) and the large set of games, news, etc. apps justify the existence of device-specific and platform-specific apps. The model reinforces the findings of a survey conducted by UBS suggesting the retention rate (i.e. level of switch costs) of Apple users is higher than Android users. The retention among Android devices is much lower in comparison as well. The model observes that the product fragmentation and the interdependence of apps lead to the noticeably lower retention rates across Android devices and platforms.

Background: Economic evaluations of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have been limited to ≤18 months. A decision model was developed; quantifying the lifetime cost-of-illness (COI) of GAD. Methods: An incidence-based Markov-model was developed using TreeAge® software, reflecting 9 health-states (HS): physician-assessed patients (3HS), maintenance therapies(4HS), discontinuation(1HS) and death(1HS). Onset probability (ages 18-80) determined model entry. Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) guidelines determined pharmaco-therapy, with revisions/validation by an expert panel. Response, remission based on pooled-analysis of CPA-cited evidence. Remaining clinical rates, absenteeism and hospitalization retrieved from literature. Direct (clinician, pharmacotherapy, hospitalization) and indirect costs (wage rate) retrieved from government publications. Results discounted at 5%. Results: The mean COI was 2008 Canadian $31,213(SD=$9,100)/patient; 96% attributed to absenteeism. Mean age=31years, discontinued treatment=85% by 2nd year, treatment discontinuation duration, 14(SD=9) years. CONCLUSION: GAD is a costly disease with a lifetime COI<$32k/patient; absenteeism exerts a significant impact. Limited prospective data contributes to uncertainty of estimate.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 345-357). / Microfiche. / xix, 357 leaves, bound ill., map 29 cm

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 204-215) / Microfiche. / xx, 215 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

This thesis investigates the pricing (or mispricing) of earnings quality in Australia. It investigates whether information in earnings quality is used by investors in valuing firms, evidenced by an association between earnings quality and the cost of equity. In the alternate form, the question may be posed as whether earnings quality is mispriced by investors such that there may be opportunities to earn abnormal profits from trading strategies based on earnings quality. Ten earnings quality constructs are studied: total accruals, unexpected accruals, cash-to-profit, accrual quality, persistence, predictability, smoothness, relevance, conservatism and timeliness. In the cost of equity pricing tests, when earnings quality is proxied using one construct (accrual quality), it is found to be associated with the cost of equity. However, when the additional nine constructs are included in the regression models, accrual quality loses statistical significance. Various other constructs are found to be associated with the cost of equity depending on the choice of the cost of equity proxy. In the trading strategy tests, there is some initial evidence of trading strategy opportunities for firms with high quality earnings. However, after deleting outlier observations with annual buy-and-hold returns of greater than 200% the potential for earning abnormal returns from a hedge portfolio strategy disappears. The existence of Australian evidence on the accruals anomaly provides a convenient basis to validate the results of the earnings quality trading strategy tests. Although no clear evidence on the accruals anomaly is found, results are obtained which appear to be consistent with prior Australian evidence of the accruals anomaly, depending on the research design choices made. Overall, the evidence on whether earnings quality is priced or mispriced in Australia is best viewed as inconclusive. It highlights the importance of conducting thorough robustness tests and suggests a need for caution by researchers in making inferences from a narrow set of earnings quality constructs and research design specifications.

Introduction The Queensland Children’s Cancer Centre (QCCC) of the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Brisbane, cares for children and family members from across the state covering over of 1.7 million km2 and a population of more than 3.6 million inhabitants. Around sixty percent of families accessing QCCC services live outside the Brisbane metropolitan area at distances ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilometres away. Telephone communication is used to provide specialist care and support to families directly to the home. Telephone communication is also used by families to maintain intra-family psychosocial care and support during treatment related separation. Although the feasibility of using online support mechanisms such as videotelephony (full-duplex, real-time audiovisual communication) has been investigated in a number of areas, no investigations have been reported in the area of paediatric oncology care and support. Scope Initial investigations focused on paediatric oncology related palliative care, a subgroup of paediatric oncology families with high care and support needs. Following continued difficulties with family recruitment in the area of palliative care, two additional areas where support via videotelephone may be of benefit were identified by clinicians: facilitation of intra-family support during paediatric related inpatient admission and new diagnosis discharge support. Investigations were expanded to include these areas. Methods Two custom made videotelephone units were developed to provide audio-visual communication using the ordinary home telephone line for early investigations. Improvements in the mechanism to provide video to the home were evaluated throughout investigations (in terms of technical feasibility and cost) moving from dedicated dial-up systems to use of the families existing home computer and broadband Internet connectivity. Feasibility studies were completed with one or more patients/families to confirm that videotelephony could be used successfully within the given area of paediatric oncology. To investigate cost-effectiveness, studies were designed to evaluate the cost and the effect of videotelephony support. The primary measure of clinical effectiveness was parental mental-health related quality of life. For analysis of cost-effectiveness, parental quality adjusted life years (QALYs) were used to investigate the incremental cost per QALY. Results The feasibility of providing videotelephone based support was confirmed in paediatric oncology related palliative care with a single family. Despite a number of attempts, a randomised controlled trial with palliative care families was terminated prematurely after continuing problems with recruitment. Based on the experience in this trial, the acceptability of providing support to paediatric oncology related palliative care families using videotelephony was then evaluated. All families were offered videotelephony as part of the routine services provided by the QCCC over a 12-month period. Consent to participate was taken as a proxy measure of acceptability. Consent from 92% of families offered the service provided some reassurance that videotelephone based support was acceptable to these families. The average cost of the service, including fixed equipment and infrastructure costs, was $3,830 per family with a variable cost of $66 per family. Feasibility was also confirmed for the facilitation of intra-family support during inpatient admission, again with a single bone marrow transplant family. A small (n=16) randomised controlled study was then completed in the area of intra-family support with paediatric bone marrow transplant families. Preliminary evidence of effectiveness was obtained with improved mental health related quality of life of parents with a mean improvement of 6.3 points using the Mental Component Summary Score (MCS-12) of the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form (SF-12) (95% CI: 0.6 to 12.0, p=0.030). No effect was seen for patients or siblings. On an intention-to-treat basis the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) using univariate analysis was $12,757/QALY (Fieller’s 95% CI: $6,792 to $64,548) with a 92.5% probability that supplemental videotelephone support was cost-effective compared to standard support mechanisms alone at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $30,000/QALY. ICER results using multivariable analysis were $26,623 (Fieller’s 95% CI: $10,475 to 177,921) and probability of 58.0% at the same willingness to pay threshold. Despite some uncertainty in the cost-effectiveness of this type of intervention, preliminary results support the appropriateness of further investigations in this area. For the final area of investigation, new diagnosis discharge support, a pilot trial (n=8) was completed which confirmed the feasibility of providing videotelephone based support at this time in the treatment pathway. In addition, a cost-minimisation analysis was completed to evaluate the cost of providing real-time audio-visual communication to the home using a newly developed videotelephone alternative (a webcam and software used on the family home PC and Internet connection) rather than the custom made videotelephone units initially developed. With an average cost of $294 per family for the home computer option versus $1,345 for the original custom made videotelephone option, the economic benefits of the newly developed alternative were confirmed. Conclusion Feasibility has been confirmed in all three areas investigated, paediatric oncology related palliative care, intra-family support and discharge support. For the facilitation of intra-family support during inpatient admission, preliminary evidence indicates that the addition of videotelephony support, as a supplement to standard support mechanisms, may be cost-effective. Based on this result, further research in this area appears justifiable. It is also feasible to conduct a larger trial in the area of discharge support which should provide important information on the cost-effectiveness of videotelephony services provided at this time. The results of these investigations, combined with an increased understanding and insight into the role videotelephone support can play in paediatric oncology, provide the basis for the development of a potentially cost-effective model for improving the care and support provided by children’s cancer services in Australia using videotelephony. This model spans the spectrum of paediatric oncology care from diagnosis, through outpatient care, to discharge home (either for palliative care or remission care) specifically with geographically dispersed populations in mind. To provide further evidence of cost-effectiveness in paediatric oncology more broadly, future research will need to focus initially on three areas. The first area is preliminary investigations, this essentially includes consideration of the potential economic impact of proposed services before investment in further research and development. For paediatric oncology videotelephone support preliminary research includes the potential for videotelephony in paediatric oncology outpatient care, specifically the number of consultations that could potentially be replaced and the associated economic implications. Preliminary investigations will also need to include quantification of the burden of out-of-pocket telecommunications expenses for paediatric oncology families of the QCCC and the potential economic implications of supplemental videotelephone intra-family support extended beyond paediatric bone marrow transplant families. The second area is clinical feasibility including studies into the practical inclusion of videotelephony support in existing out-patient workloads and workflows, alternative models to provide videotelephony support and inclusion of videotelephony as part of palliative bereavement care and support. Finally, the completion of large, well-designed randomised controlled trials will be required to provide evidence of the cost-effectiveness of videotelephony support in paediatric oncology. The investigations presented in this thesis form the foundation for this work and its application to the delivery of health services to the home in a variety of contexts nationally and internationally.

This thesis investigates the pricing (or mispricing) of earnings quality in Australia. It investigates whether information in earnings quality is used by investors in valuing firms, evidenced by an association between earnings quality and the cost of equity. In the alternate form, the question may be posed as whether earnings quality is mispriced by investors such that there may be opportunities to earn abnormal profits from trading strategies based on earnings quality. Ten earnings quality constructs are studied: total accruals, unexpected accruals, cash-to-profit, accrual quality, persistence, predictability, smoothness, relevance, conservatism and timeliness. In the cost of equity pricing tests, when earnings quality is proxied using one construct (accrual quality), it is found to be associated with the cost of equity. However, when the additional nine constructs are included in the regression models, accrual quality loses statistical significance. Various other constructs are found to be associated with the cost of equity depending on the choice of the cost of equity proxy. In the trading strategy tests, there is some initial evidence of trading strategy opportunities for firms with high quality earnings. However, after deleting outlier observations with annual buy-and-hold returns of greater than 200% the potential for earning abnormal returns from a hedge portfolio strategy disappears. The existence of Australian evidence on the accruals anomaly provides a convenient basis to validate the results of the earnings quality trading strategy tests. Although no clear evidence on the accruals anomaly is found, results are obtained which appear to be consistent with prior Australian evidence of the accruals anomaly, depending on the research design choices made. Overall, the evidence on whether earnings quality is priced or mispriced in Australia is best viewed as inconclusive. It highlights the importance of conducting thorough robustness tests and suggests a need for caution by researchers in making inferences from a narrow set of earnings quality constructs and research design specifications.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007. / "A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education." Under the direction of Rosemari Stallworth-Clark. ETD. Electronic version approved: May 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 110-125).

Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.