Early-return-to-work (ERTW) programs for injured workers are a relatively new development. While it is widely believed that such programs are the primary means of controlling workers' compensation costs after an injury has occurred, little research has been done on how these programs accomplish that end. This thesis is an exploratory examination of the factors involved in ERTW programs and the relationship between components of ERTW programs for injured workers and organizational outcomes, specifically the cost of medical care and wage reimbursement associated with workers' compensation claims.

Thesis (MPH) -- University of Limpopo, 2012. / SUMMARY OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND DISEASES AMONGST HEALTHCARE WORKERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE AIM: To analyse and provide data on the incidence of occupational injuries and the prevalence of occupational diseases amongst healthcare workers of Department of Health in Limpopo Province. OBJECTIVES: The specific objectives of the study were as follows: 1. To determine the most common occupational types of injuries and/or diseases amongst healthcare workers with regard to the demographic profile (i.e. age, gender, occupation, workstation) of healthcare workers; 2. To establish outcomes of these injuries and diseases fatalities regard to the demographic profile (i.e. age, gender, occupation, workstation) of healthcare workers; and 3. To assess the association between the predominant injuries and diseases with the profile of the health care workers METHOD: The researcher sourced data electronically from Department of Health as quarterly reports, four (4) for each year of the financial years 2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 respectively. The data was consolidated into financial years, cleaned out part of 2007 and 2010 so at to remain with 3 calendar years (2007, 2008 &2009) prior analysis. RESULTS: There were 725 per 100 000 healthcare workers affected by injuries and diseases during the study period. These injuries/and diseases affected more males than females above 40 years with the mean age being 43 years. Of the 631 injuries and diseases reported, 89% were injuries whist 11 % were diseases with most employees from Mopani district. The most common injuries which affected HCWs thus included needle stick injuries (24%), slip/trip/fall (23%), motor vehicle accidents (14%), injuries by external objects (10%) and assaults (7%). The most common diseases which affected HCWs were found to be TB (69%), diseases by chemical agents (12%), cholera (9%) and poisoning (2%). The needle stick injury affected clinical nurses (59%) more than other professionals; moreover, TB affected 63.6% of nurses. The captured outcome of this injury/disease was 4 fatalities among EMS personnel. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study demonstrates that tuberculosis is the most common occupational disease acquired whilst needle stick injury is the commonest occupational injury sustained by healthcare workers of the Department of Health, Limpopo Province. The employees were therefore affected by preventable occupational injuries and diseases. RECOMMENDATIONS: Preventative programs need to be strengthened to reduce morbidity of tuberculosis and needle stick injuries amongst employees.

No description available.

Product differentiation is a key feature of modern economies. Although its relevance had already been recognized in the XIX century, it is only in the last forty years that a formal treatment has been developed. The 'address approach' distinguishes between horizontal and vertical product differentiation; in the former, consumers do not agree on the quality ranking of commodities, while in the second they do. The first three chapters of this thesis deal with vertical product differentiation in an imperfectly competitive framework. In particular, the first two essays take into account the empirical evidence concerning labor requirements in the production of vertically differentiated goods in order to model labor and product markets in an upstream-downstream relation to each other. The main assumption is that higher variants of vertically differentiated commodities require highly-skilled labor. This allows to study the links between labor markets and vertically differentiated products markets, their equilibrium implications and issues of trade liberalization. The third chapter explores another side of vertical product differentiation, namely the time-to-market of vertically differentiated goods. This interval, which corresponds to the lapse of time for a product to reach the market, is studied under the assumption that firms can make it shorter through costly investments. The analysis compares firms' choices as a function of the parameters characterizing products and technologies and of market structure. The last chapter develops a general equilibrium model with imperfect competition. The concept of monopoly equilibrium is applied to a Ricardian economy in order to study the emergence of trade in that framework.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2004.

Product differentiation is a key feature of modern economies. Although its relevance had already been recognized in the XIX century, it is only in the last forty years that a formal treatment has been developed. The 'address approach' distinguishes between horizontal and vertical product differentiation; in the former, consumers do not agree on the quality ranking of commodities, while in the second they do. The first three chapters of this thesis deal with vertical product differentiation in an imperfectly competitive framework. In particular, the first two essays take into account the empirical evidence concerning labor requirements in the production of vertically differentiated goods in order to model labor and product markets in an upstream-downstream relation to each other. The main assumption is that higher variants of vertically differentiated commodities require highly-skilled labor. This allows to study the links between labor markets and vertically differentiated products markets, their equilibrium implications and issues of trade liberalization. The third chapter explores another side of vertical product differentiation, namely the time-to-market of vertically differentiated goods. This interval, which corresponds to the lapse of time for a product to reach the market, is studied under the assumption that firms can make it shorter through costly investments. The analysis compares firms' choices as a function of the parameters characterizing products and technologies and of market structure. The last chapter develops a general equilibrium model with imperfect competition. The concept of monopoly equilibrium is applied to a Ricardian economy in order to study the emergence of trade in that framework.

In parallel with the ageing of the European population, the number of senior workers (that is to say, workers aged 50 and more) is expected to increase in the decades to come. The necessity to maintain senior workers into the labor force (specially to support the sustainability of pensions system) combined with a general trend to delay the retirement age and with the current economical climate, makes the employment of senior workers a burning issue. Significant differences indeed exist between European countries. While Sweden has the highest senior employment rate, France has one of the lowest. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether these differences can be explained through differences in terms of employability. This multidimensional concept is here explored through the analysis of quantitative data collected by the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). These data provide an updated version of the situation of senior employees in France and in Sweden and more specifically of their employability. Some indicators of the latter can be thus defined and will be used to look at differences or similarities between French and Swedish senior workers generally speaking and from a gender perspective. The results have confirmed the role of initial education and long-life training which contribute respectively to the employability capital of workers and affect positively the employment rates. Such indicators are the first steps in the definition of the employability, which make way for further researches opening the definition to the other part of the active labor force (that is to say, the unemployed).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Supervisor: Kamala Visweswaran. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.