Research Problems: Every industry produces its own wastes, but if its development is handled well, these wastes can be used as an additional resource as well. However, every resource recycling industry will eventually have to face the fact that in this industrial world over a period of time, the ¡§Red Ocean¡¨ competition by offering a lower price as well as decreasing the value added to the industry. In the past, the China Steel Cooperation (CSC) used to dump these granulated blast furnace slag into the ocean as industrial wastes, which have caused pollutions to the ocean leading to protest with the local fishermen. Using the Slag Powder Resource Recycling Company as an example, they have taken in these wastes since 1986 from the CSC. Under research, the granulated blast furnace slag are used and developed into a resource to produce slag powder, which successfully substitutes the use of cements to be used to make concrete. After 20 years of development, slag powder production has been extremely competitive and consolidated, making it a mature product in the market. Therefore, knowing how to increase the value-added to a product for the customer has always been a very important issue to the company leader. ¡§This paper is mainly focused on studying how to use the concept of Servitization of Manufacturing to increase the value-added to its product towards its customers.¡¨ Research Design:¡@¡@ This research uses [a slag resource recycling plant] as an example to explore the concept of manufacturing service as a way to develop and cooperate in communications with the customer services. A total of 5 companies, namely A, B, C, D, E, with access to case the company¡¦s downstream clients, are expected to complete five questionnaire interviews. These surveys will provide analysis to enhance the value-added approach. Main Contribution: Through thorough discussion and case interviews with the company¡¦s colleagues and its clients, the direction of the service and its proposed approach is sorted out to give the company and its related industries an increase in production and will also be a very important direction for the company in its development.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. [55]-60).

Class of 2011 Abstract / OBJECTIVES: To assess the risk and return of publicly traded health insurance companies from 1986 through 2010. METHODS: Risk and return was assessed on these companies by identifying them with SIC 6231 and 6234 (Accident and Health Insurance and Medical Service Plans) along with their presence on the CRSP database. Risk and return was analyzed via alpha and beta for SIC 632x, which were calculated utilizing the CAPM, Fama-French 3 Factor and Carhart 4 Factor econometric models. Risk and return was further assessed by calculating a Sharpe ratio along with determining annualized mean excess return and volatility for SIC 632x and the overall market. Lastly, cumulative price paths for both SIC 632x and the overall market were calculated and a Monte Carlo simulation analysis in Matlab and Microsoft Excel was run to simulate 6500 portfolios to compare risk to return ratios for SIC 632x over the time period of 1986-2010 versus the time period of 2006-2010. RESULTS: Overall, 110 companies were identified with SIC 6321 and 6234 and 7938 observations were made. The results were reported in a cross sectional format with five time periods of five years each (1986-1990, 1991-1995, 1996-2000, 2001-2005, and 2006-2010 respectively). The descriptive statistics showed that SIC 632x had a higher rate of return than the overall market (1.21±14.15 compared to 0.88±4.49; however, they also had greater risk (0.89±14.15 vs 0.57±4.48). The CAPM model captured an overall alpha value of 0.44 while the 3 Factor model provided an overall alpha of -0.20 and the 4 Factor model provided an overall alpha of 0.31. The 4 Factor model had the highest overall r-squared value of 0.16. The overall annualized mean excess return was greater for SIC 632x than the overall market (10.71% vs 6.80%) while the volatility was also greater (20.30% vs 16.17%). Additionally, the Sharpe ratio was calculated and was greater overall for SIC 632x than the overall market (0.53 vs 0.42). Graphically, cumulative asset price paths were illustrated for both SIC 632x and market-based portfolios along with a mean variance efficient frontier for the SIC 623x portfolio set during the time periods of 1986-2010 and 2006-2010. These figures showed increased return for SIC 632x compared to the overall market while illustrating increasing risk and return rate trends for SIC 632x within the sector itself. CONCLUSION: Publicly traded companies providing accident and health insurance and medical service plans possess securities that have potentially higher returns but potentially higher risk relative to the overall market. Furthermore, the findings via the alpha, Sharpe ratio and Efficient Frontier simulation illustrated that the overall market provides a similar risk to return ratio compared to that of the analyzed companies in this study.

Current legislation and recommended practice have a primary focus on Early Intervention that meets the priorities set forth by families with children who have disabilities. Many theories and current research emphasize the importance of delivering services in a way that supports families to enhance the development of their children through models that reflect the recommendations. Although there are multiple contributions to what is recommended for family-centered philosophy and practice, one single document, the IFSP, guides the delivery of services.Using the content of 91 IFSPs from the state of Kentucky, 8 indicators were analyzed along with service coordinator demographics. This tool was used to determine the frequency of identified unsatisfactory routines that were used as the foundation for outcome development, if service coordinator demographics impacted this process and if certain domains lent more opportunity for inclusion in outcomes. In addition, frequency of sibling inclusion in priorities, concerns, outcomes and strategies were analyzed.Findings indicate that approximately 50% of the routines identified as unsatisfactory were used in outcome development. Significant interactions between service coordinator demographics were discovered as well as a strong correlation between routines and domain. Sibling interaction is discussed as well as limitations and future research.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--RAND Graduate School, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-101).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--RAND Graduate School, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-101).

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan.

Dissertation (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan.