The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model to better understand tourists' shopping by investigating factors that influence this consumption activity based on existing literature. Specifically, this study explored the influences of tourist’s trip activities, travel party, tourists' perceived value of destination environment and destination type, season of trips, trip type and mode of transportation on tourists' shopping expenditures. Also, this study investigated the effects of socio-demographic variables (age, education and income) on tourists’ shopping expenditures. Based on previous research in leisure/tourism and consumer studies on shopping, a conceptual framework of tourist shopping was proposed for this study. For the purpose of this study, the 2003-2004 nationwide Performance/Monitor of travel tracking system data collected by DK Shifflet and Associates (DKS & A) was utilized, and 39,410 U.S. domestic leisure trip cases were analyzed in this study. Tourist shopping was conceptualized as a three-dimensional representation of: individual traveler characteristics, trip characteristics, and the destination environment. The first dimension included respondents’ age and household income. The second dimension included trip activity type, trip party, season of trip, trip type and transportation mode. Finally, perceived value of destination and destination type were included in the third dimension. A multiple regression analysis was used to test the conceptual model. Results of the study supported that the individual traveler characteristics of age and household income are significant predictors of tourist shopping expenditures. Also, results showed that trip related characteristics of trip party, activity type, season of trip, trip type and transportation mode are significant predictors of tourist shopping expenditures. Finally, it was shown that the dimension of perceived value of destination and destination type are significant predictors of tourist shopping expenditures. Based on the findings, a high spender group profile was provided. Results also provide important conceptual and practical implications for further development of tourism shopping research.

Roughly one third of Medicare expenditures are made on behalf of beneficiaries in their terminal year, though only five percent of the Medicare-covered population dies annually. Per-capita spending on decedents is as much as six times the level of spending on survivors. The demographic, technological and political trends that will determine the future path of spending on terminal-year beneficiaries have important implications for the fiscal well-being of the Medicare program, and by extension, the American taxpayer. Coming to an understanding of the moving parts that will control the path of the cost of dying on Medicare is vital for careful consideration of Medicare??s future, and for any discussions about further reform of the program. Analysis of expenditures in the terminal year must be made while keeping in mind the fact that major expenditures are often made in surviving years. The spike in spending in the terminal period rightly focuses attention to expenditures near death, but also we should proceed in its analysis keeping in mind that it is not the only spell of elevated medical spending for a typical individual. Given those cautions, however, the cost of dying on Medicare stands as an important area of economic inquiry and policy consideration. As total Medicare expenditures top a quarter trillion dollars, the third of that spending which covers treatments in beneficiaries?? terminal years ought to be understood more fully than it is currently.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Faculty of Health Sciences School of Public Health 9501477y maharaja@therapy.wits.ac.za / This study aimed to understand the physical demands of upper and lower body dressing in 23 stroke survivors and 23 control subjects. Measurement of the energy expenditure and time take was done by means of a triaxial accelerometer. The amount of active movement present in the limbs was also documented. Activities health was measured in the experimental group. Results indicated that significantly more energy was expended in dressing the upper body in the experimental group (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in the energy expenditure in dressing the lower limbs. There were significant differences found in the perception of difficulty of the tasks. Patients with stroke took four times longer to dress than controls. Despite having motor ability, stroke survivors were not able to use this in activities of daily living (ADL). Patients with stroke were unsatisfied and spent excessive amounts of time in their day in sedentary, unconstructive activity. Recommendations include increased endurance training in patients with neurological disorder in order to reengage them into ADL.

Faculty of Health Sciences School of Public Health 9501477y maharaja@therapy.wits.ac.za / THE ENERGY EXPENDITURE OF DRESSING IN PATIENTS WITH STROKE. This study aimed to understand the physical demands of upper and lower body dressing in 23 stroke survivors and 23 control subjects. Measurement of the energy expenditure and time take was done by means of a triaxial accelerometer. The amount of active movement present in the limbs was also documented. Activities health was measured in the experimental group. Results indicated that significantly more energy was expended in dressing the upper body in the experimental group (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in the energy expenditure in dressing the lower limbs. There were significant differences found in the perception of difficulty of the tasks. Patients with stroke took four times longer to dress than controls. Despite having motor ability, stroke survivors were not able to use this in activities of daily living (ADL). Patients with stroke were unsatisfied and spent excessive amounts of time in their day in sedentary, unconstructive activity. Recommendations include increased endurance training in patients with neurological disorder in order to reengage them into ADL.

Abstracts As the constant innovation of science and technology, and the continual internationalization of market, the environment of business operation has become increasingly competitive. An enterprise must make use of its own tangible capitals to conduct the innovation, revamping and renewal of products, processes, equipments, techniques and procedures. All of these activities should be achieved by means of capital expenditure project. Knowledge is the most important resource of business in 21th century. However, it must be conducted through capital input to convert, utilize and implement the knowledge in the whole operation and process of a business. Through transforming knowledge to action, a business can create its core value and enable itself to grasp competitive edge, and realize corporate vision. China Steel Corporation is the subject of this research. CSC is attributed to heavy industry with the characteristics of capital and technology intensive, and long-term investment. Its investment project is indeed a highly knowledge intensive process. Hence, it is an emergent issue for a business to integrate the practice of knowledge management and investment projects so that knowledge asset can assist a business to allocate and utilize its own limited resource adequately, avoid wrong investment, and develop its best performance. The goal of this research is to examine the theoretical application on practice focusing on the integration of capital expenditure and knowledge management, of a business, to pursue its optimal investment performance. We try to find out the nature and characteristics, activities of knowledge management, and the factors that enable knowledge management and their current status. Then investigate the practical status of a business utilizing knowledge to solve its problems in the process of capital expenditure planning and decision-making. Finally, we set the results of our interviews and investigations as the basis of our empirical analysis, and our conclusions as listed below: 1. the core aspects of investing in knowledge nature are the innovation of equipments, technology and materials, as well as the high platform assessment decision-making capability. 2. knowledge creation capability is the competitive edge for CSC¡¦s investment projects. 3. knowledge integration is the key mechanism for a business to form its decision-making of investment. 4. the emphasis on environmental discipline and security of IT system will constrain the activities of knowledge management. 5. the accumulative structure differs in different divisions 6. the efficiency of knowledge management will be reduced if the guiding integration mechanism is insignificant. 7. the most helpful factors to knowledge market: mediator and market reward. 8. knowledge management will be the core task of business investment.