This dissertation tackles two important developing topics in economics: network formation and the allocation of attention. First, it examine the idea that the timing of entry into the network is a crucial determinant of a node’s final centrality. We propose a model of strategic network growth which makes novel predictions about the forward-looking behaviors of players. In particular, the model predicts that agents entering the network at specific times will become central “vie for dominance”. In a laboratory experiment, we find that players do exhibit “vying for dominance” behavior, but do not always do so at the predicted critical times. A model of heterogeneous risk aversion best fits the observed deviations from initial predictions. Timing determines whether players have the opportunity to become attempt to become dominant, but individual characteristics determine whether players exploit that opportunity. This dissertation also examines models of rational inattention, in which decision-makers rationally evaluate the trade-off between the costs and the benefits of information acquisition. We provide results on recovering the implicit attention cost function by looking at the relationship between incentives and performance. We conduct laboratory experiments consisting of simple perceptual tasks with fine-grained variation in the level of potential rewards. We find that most subjects exhibit monotonicity in performance with respect to potential rewards, and there is mixed evidence on continuity and convexity of costs. We also perform a model selection exercise and find that subjects’ behavior is generally most consistent with a small but diverse subset of cost functions commonly assumed in the literature.

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Providers are encouraged to view patients with chronic disease as ??partners?? in their care, and to collaborate with them in developing care plans. Yet there is little guidance in how collaboration should occur, and little evidence that collaborative care improves patient outcomes. Related models and measures of patient centred care and shared decision making have not been developed specifically for the context of chronic disease care. This thesis aimed to develop a theoretical understanding of how providers and patients make decisions in chronic disease care planning, how patients experience involvement in care planning, and to develop a measure of patient involvement. It consists of two studies: a qualitative study to develop a grounded theory of decision-making in diabetes care planning, and a scale development and psychometrics study. The qualitative study involved 29 providers and 16 patients with diabetes. It found that providers were concerned with a process described as ??managing patient involvement to do the right thing??, while patients were concerned with ??being involved to make sure care is appropriate??. This led to the theory of ??delivering respectful care??, a grounded theory that integrates provider and patient perspectives by showing how providers and patients can resolve their concerns while achieving mutually acceptable outcomes. Central to this theory is the process of finding common ground, while the key conditions are provider responsiveness and an ongoing, trusting and respectful provider-patient relationship. The Collaborative Care Planning Scale (CCPS), based on these findings, is a patient self-report scale that measures patients?? perceptions of involvement in care planning. After piloting the CCPS was tested amongst 166 patients with diabetes. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 27-item scale comprising two factors: ??receiving appropriately personalised care?? and ??feeling actively involved in decision-making??. Psychometrics tests revealed the CCPS has adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and findings support construct validity. ??Delivering respectful care?? enriches understanding of the nature of collaboration in chronic disease care, and identifies those elements necessary to ensure patients receive best possible care. The CCPS provides the means for measuring what patients say they value, and is thus an important measure of quality chronic disease care.

In the field of sustainable manufacturing, a wide range of research has been carried out to attain the more effective use of natural resources and the reduction of environmental impacts during the whole product life cycle. This goal can be best achieved by promoting multiple-reuse of parts, sub-assemblies, or entire products. However, the decision toward reusing an old product depends on a variety of parameters with many uncertainties. Therefore, a comprehensive model to assess the reusability of products prior to the reuse decision is urgently needed. The objective of this research has been to develop a comprehensive assessment model, integrating technical, environmental, social, and economic aspects to evaluate the reusability of industrial products. The assessment model consists of four sub-models, which are a methodology to assess the quality and reliability of products, a model to translate the social responsibility aspect into warranty cost, a methodology to integrate environmental costs, and an economic model to accumulate total life cycle cost as the basis of the evaluation. The model also facilitates trade-offs between the factors to investigate the possibility to improve the reusability of a product. To apply the assessment model in the real business environment, a set of decisionmaking methodologies under different take-back scenarios has been developed as a guideline for manufacturers. Furthermore, as the existence of uncertainty in the reuse strategy is undeniable, a methodology to integrate uncertainties into the assessment model is also developed. The model validation, using three real cases collected from industrial partners on consumer and commercial products, has confirmed the applicability of the model to provide a useful tool to evaluate products at the end of their life cycle. The model also enables decision makers to disclose the risk associated with the decision, thus improving the quality of the decision. The results are in good agreement with the basic theory that the reuse and remanufacturing strategy is highly recommended from both environmental and economic reasons.

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Bibliography: p. 145-162. / xi, 162 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Plant Science, 1995

Bibliography: p. 166-189. / xii, 189 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis describes the development and use of stable isotope dilution analysis techniques for measuring wine components associated with oak-barrel maturation and with taint derived from cork closures during bottle maturation. (introduction) / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Adelaide University, Dept. of Horticulture, Viticulture and Oenology, 2001

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, December 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 198-231).

Bibliography: p. 145-162.