This study investigates the use of the transaction cost paradigm, as a framework, for evaluating defense contracts and exploring problems related to defense contracting. The study shows that defense contracting is beleaguered with bounded rationality and uncertainty problems, and furthermore, that bounded rationality and uncertainty can lead to opportunistic behavior within defense contracting. The study shows, in particular that adverse selection, moral hazard, and hold-up problems exist within defense contracting. Based on the results of this study the transaction cost paradigm can be used as a framework for evaluating defense contracts and related problems. The results also indicate that hold-up problems and moral hazard problems may be minimized by using proper contracts or acquisition strategies. Based on the case study in Chapter III there does not appear to be a contractual solution to adverse selection problems. / Master of Arts

The inherent properties of optical fibers such as small size and weight, EMI/RFI immunity, low attenuation, and large bandwidth provide many advantages over wire conductors that make fiber well-suited for communications. Fiber optic local area networks are particularly suited for use in electrically noisy and space sensitive industrial environments. The diversity of communication requirements that exist in a typical factory situation can be accommodated by the use of a hierarchical communications structure consisting of multiple tiers of fiber optic networks. The lowest tier of this structure would be inexpensive feeder networks used to connect devices such as sensors, actuators, PLCs, robots, and small computers on a factory floor. The emphasis at this level is low cost, but while providing interconnection to higher tiers. An approach which satisfies the lowest tier requirements is a non-shared medium scheme which is link based, consisting of an active star architecture using a roll-call polling access method. The centralized intelligence structure of a master/slave access method allows one to concentrate on the cost optimization of the optical data links. The use of low-cost optical components such as LEDs, PIN diodes, and plastic fiber as well as the potential for a significant amount of common hub equipment provides considerable economies. / Master of Science

Yes / Introduction We examined 3-month service use and costs of care for people with mild-to-moderate dementia in Great Britain. Methods We analyzed Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life cohort study baseline data on paid care, out-of-pocket expenditure, and unpaid care from participants with dementia (N = 1547) and their carers (N = 1283). In regression analyses, we estimated per-group mean costs of diagnostic and sociodemographic subgroups. Results Use of services apart from primary and outpatient hospital care was low. Unpaid care accounted for three-quarters of total costs (mean, £4008 [standard error, £130] per participant). Most participants (87%) received unpaid care equating to 36 hours weekly. Estimated costs for people with Parkinson's dementia were £8609, £4359 for participants with mixed dementia, and £3484 for those with Alzheimer's disease. Total costs were lower for participants with dementia living alone than living with others (£2484 vs. £4360); costs were lower for female than for male participants (£3607 vs. £4272). Discussion Costs varied by dementia subtype, carer status, and living arrangement. Policy makers should recognize the high costs of unpaid care for people with dementia, who do not always get the support that they need or would like to receive. / The first phase of the IDEAL program was funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC, United Kingdom) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR, United Kingdom) through grant ES/L001853/2. “Improving the experience of dementia and enhancing active life: living well with dementia”.

Yes / The drivers of costs of care for people with dementia are not well understood and little is known on the costs of care for those with rarer dementias. To characterise use and costs of paid and unpaid care over time in a cohort of people with dementia living in Britain. To explore the relationship between cohort members’ demographic and clinical characteristics and service costs. Methods: We calculated costs of health and social services, unpaid care, and out-of-pocket expenditure for people with mild-to-moderate dementia participating in three waves of the IDEAL cohort (2014-2018). Latent growth curve modelling investigated associations between participants’ baseline sociodemographic and diagnostic characteristics and mean weekly service costs. Results: Data were available on use of paid and unpaid care by 1537 community-dwelling participants with dementia at Wave 1, 1199 at Wave 2, and 910 at Wave 3. In models of paid service costs, being female was associated with lower baseline costs and living alone was associated with higher baseline costs. Dementia subtype and caregiver status were associated with variations in baseline costs and the rate of change in costs, which was additionally influenced by age. Conclusion: Lewy body and Parkinson's disease dementias were associated with higher service costs at the outset, and Lewy body and frontotemporal dementias with more steeply increasing costs overall, than Alzheimer’s disease. Planners of dementia services should consider the needs of people with these relatively rare dementia subtypes as they may require more resources than people with more prevalent subtypes. / The first phase of the IDEAL program was funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC, United Kingdom) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR, United Kingdom) through grant ES/L001853/2.

With the emergence of digital channels, new technologies and increased data availability- omnichannel strategy has increasingly been viewed as crucial for retailers to meet evolving consumer expectations and drive firm performance. Channel integration is a key element of this strategy, which refers to the degree to which retailers coordinate various channel functions to provide a seamless customer experience across various channels. With emerging capabilities in the industry inevitably raises consumer expectations, consumers perceive value only beyond a certain degree of channel integration. While higher degrees of coordination help meet elevated consumer expectations, these are endogenous to coordination costs. These coordination costs are not evident beforehand and can steeply rise to sabotage the presumed strategic dividends associated with channel integration. In addition to the degree of channel integration, retailers face decisions about the speed of omnichannel adoption given the entrenched competitors and strategic benefits associated in terms of securing a dominant market position and accelerated organizational learning. This dissertation contributes to the marketing channels and coordination literature with (a) a systematic review of the multichannel marketing literature by synthesizing current knowledge, its evolution, and future directions; and (b) Two theory-driven empirical research studies that provide new insights and novel implications to enrich our understanding of omnichannel integration decisions, and certain characteristics of coordination costs can derail the strategic dividends from channel integration. Together these research studies contribute to a growing literature that has outlined the complex nature of these coordination costs but few of which explain their role in determining the outcomes of omnichannel retailing. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Omnichannel retailers coordinate their online (e-commerce, mobile) and offline distribution channels (physical stores, catalogues) to provide value to customers, enabling seamless transition across various channels. With emerging capabilities in the industry inevitably raises consumer expectations, which the retailers cannot fulfill without a higher degree of channel coordination. Additionally, retailers facing competitive pressures must decide how quickly to implement a higher degree of channel coordination, which can steeply drive-up coordination cost. So, the effectiveness of retailer’s channel coordination efforts and its speed of implementation is not clear. I investigate these issues first with a systematic review of multichannel marketing literature and then examine marketing strategy factors that impact the effectiveness of channel coordination efforts. Building a unique dataset of U.S. retailing firms and using various analytical techniques, I develop two theory-driven empirical studies that reveal that channel coordination and its speed can deliver value to customers and help drive firm performance, however certain characteristics of coordination costs can undermine the benefits.

Study project (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this assignment is to develop a method for rate making of construction machines and vehicles. An analysis of the fixed and variable cost of machines and vehicles are made together with the allocation of overhead costs. After anal ising the various cost components a model is developed for the determination of depreciation and finance charges by using the utilization of the relevant plant item. The figures obtained from this model are then used in an asset register. The information needed by the Receiver of Revenue is also included in this register for calculating the depreciation value at the end of the financial year. The maintenance and replacement of plant equipment are also discussed. Before the conclusion the necessity of keeping accurate records and the use of budgets for managing are looked at. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die werkstuk is om 'n raamwerk daar te stel wat gebruik kan word vir tariefvasstelling van konstruksiemasjiene en - voertuie. In Ontleding van die vaste en veranderlike koste van masjinerie en voertuie word gemaak, asook die hantering van oorhoofse koste in die onderneming. Nil die bespreking van die verskillende kostekomponente waaruit 'n tarief bestaan, word die klem geplaas op die berekening van waardevermindering. 'n Model vir waardeverminderingen finansieringskostebepaling aan die hand van die benutting van toerusting word ontwikkel. Die inligting sodoende verkry word saamgevat in 'n bateregister tesame met die inligting noodsaaklik vir die Ontvanger van Inkomste om waardeverminderingafskrywings te maak aan die einde van elke finansiele jaar. Die onderhoud en vervanging van toerusting word ook bespreek. Ter afsluiting word rekordhouding en die opstel van begrotings bespreek en die nut daarvan vir bestuur uitgewys.

Least cost formulations for surimi seafood were studied by linear programming (LP) and nonlinear programming (NLP). The effects of water and starches on functional properties of Alaska pollock and Pacific whiting surimi gels were investigated. Six starches (modified potato starch, potato starch, modified wheat starch, wheat starch, modified waxy corn starch, and corn starch) and their mixtures were used as ingredients. Mixture and extreme vertices design were used as experimental designs. Canonical models were applied to the optimization techniques. Blending different kinds of surimi showed linear trends for each functional property, so that LP was successfully employed to optimize surimi lots. Strong interactions were found between surimi and starch or in starch mixtures. Two optimum solutions, obtained from LP and NLP, were compared in this study. Corn starch and modified waxy corn starch greatly improved the functional properties. / Graduation date: 1997

Single vehicle accidents are one of the most common types of accidents that occur on the Swedish road network. Depending on the design of the road, the presence of a crash barrier and embankment on the roadside, the outcome of a roadside collision can lead to serious injuries and even deaths.The aim of this project is to investigate the possibility of improving road safety by designing the optimal roadside area based on the results of a life cycle cost analysis (LCC).The questions that have been answered during the duration of this project are: 1) Describe the current technical solutions for roadside area design and the various barrier types used in Sweden.2) Complete an existing mathematical model that has been developed by Hawzheen Karim, for calculating life-cycle costs for various roadside areas.3) Calculate and compare the life cycle costs for the side area with a barrier and without a barrier. By performing an analysis of the documentation on the current guidelines and rules for shaping the roadside, was it possible to describe the current technical solutions for the formation the roadside as well as the current roadside barriers in use today. A mathematical model for calculating the life cycle costs of different barrier types had already been developed by Hawzheen Karim. This model was supplemented so that it could calculate life-cycle costs of the roadside region with and without a barrier. After the model was completed, an analysis was performed to obtain life-cycle costs of a roadside with and without a barrier.The result showed that there is a clear relationship between the slope inclination, fill height, and the rate at which the costs rise. This breakpoint is highly dependent on several factors such as the price of land, the presence of bedrock in the construction process and if the ballast material needs to be treated. A flatter slope causes an increase in both the volume of material and the area of land that needs to be obtained, while a steep slope with a barrier may result in higher costs to society due to fatal collisions with the barrier and higher operating and maintenance costs. / Singelolyckor är en av de vanligaste olyckstyperna som förekommer på det svenska vägnätet. Beroende på utformningen av vägen, förekomsten av vägräcke och slänten på sidoområdet kan förloppet av en avkörningsolycka leda till svåra skador och även dödsfall. Syftet med detta projektet är att undersöka möjligheten att öka trafiksäkerheten genom att utforma det optimala sidoområdet baserat på en livscykelkostnadsanalys (LCC-analys).De frågeställningar som har besvarats under projektets utförande är: 1) Beskriv de nuvarande tekniska lösningar för sidoområdets utformning och de olika typer av räcken som används i Sverige.2) Komplettera en befintlig matematisk modell som har tagits fram av Hawzheen Karim, för beräkningar av livscykelkostnader för olika sidoområden.3) Beräkna och jämför livscykelkostnader för sidoområdet med räcken och utan räcken. Genom att utföra en dokumentanalys på de nuvarande riktlinjer och bestämmelser kunde alla nuvarande tekniska lösningar för sidområdets utformning och olika räckestyper beskrivas. De nuvarande tekniska lösningar som finns för att utforma sidoområden är både enkla och mycket effektiva, och riktlinjerna som finns för utformning av sidoområden är också omfattande och lätta att förstå.En matematisk modell för beräkning av livscykelkostnader av olika räckestyper hade redan tagits fram av Hawzheen Karim. Denna model kompletterades för att kunna användas både på sidoområdet med och utan räcken. För att få fram de samhällsekonomiska kostnaderna var det nödvändigt att använda STRADA (Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition) för att räkna ut hur ofta avkörnings- och påkörningsolyckor i räcken leder till skador och dödsfall vilket blir stora kostnader för samhället. Efter att modellen kompletterats kunde en analys utföras för att få fram livscykelkostnader för ett sidoområde med och utan räcken. Resultatet redovisades grafiskt och skärningspunkterna visade den fyllnadhöjd då det blev mer lönsamt att installera vägräcken med en brant slänt istället för att bygga en flackare slänt. Resultatet visade att det finns ett tydligt samband mellan släntens lutning, fyllnadshöjden och graden till vilken kostnaderna stiger. Denna brytpunkt är mycket beroende på en rad faktorer så som markpriset, förekomsten av berggrund i området och om friktionsmaterial behöver behandlas. En flackare slänt medför en ökning av både volymerna av material samt area mark som behöver inlösas, medans en brant slänt med räcken kan medföra högre samhällsekonomiska kostnader på grund av påkörningsolyckor med räcken samt högre drift-och underhållskostnader.

The main aim of the thesis is the recalculation of cost for services provided in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in University Hospital Hradec Králové. The theoretical part includes, inter describtion of each calculation methods, comparation of medical services "market" with a purely market-base business sector. Practical parts consists of calculation of cost and subsequent comaparation with the values valid since 2005. Newly calculated cost should determine the actual amount of payment for services provided.

M Family Medicine research report - Faculty of Health Sciences / Residents of old age homes are at increased risk for the complications of influenza. Studies in developed countries have consistently shown that influenza vaccination of old age home residents and staff can significantly decrease morbidity and mortality rates and that influenza vaccination is one of the most cost effective interventions possible in this population. No studies have been done on the cost benefit of using influenza vaccine in old age home residents in South Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs of treating influenza and influenza-like illnesses in old age home residents, and to compare the costs in people who had received the influenza vaccine to those who had not. The study population comprised 151 people residing in two old age homes in Johannesburg, namely Sandringham Gardens and Nazareth House. The study population was divided into two groups- those who received influenza vaccine and those who had not been vaccinated. The residents of Nazareth House who gave consent had all been vaccinated. The subjects at Sandringham Gardens were sub- divided into two groups, namely: “Residents” and “Frail care / wards” section. The general health of the “Frail care” people was poorer than that of the “residents”. Medical records were reviewed, and details of the number of doctor consultations, medication and physiotherapy prescribed, special investigations performed and hospital referrals related to influenza and influenza-like infections were recorded. The costs were then calculated using “medical aid rates”. There were no significant differences in the treatment costs, comparing those who had been vaccinated to those who had not been vaccinated. There are a number of possible explanations for this. These include, most importantly, a low to moderate epidemic activity of influenza in the season that the study was conducted. Other explanations are low patient numbers, the use of symptoms for diagnosis and the use of over the counter therapy. Despite the findings in the present study, the international literature supports the view that influenza vaccination is a cost-effective intervention in the older adult population, particularly those at higher risk. These findings have been implemented in the official guidelines of many countries, including the South African Adult Influenza Vaccination Guideline.