The Y2K Scare: Causes, costs and cures.

The worldwide scare over the 'Y2K bug result in the expenditure of hundreds of billions of dollars on Y2K compliance and conversion policies. Most of this can be seen, in retrospect, to have been unproductive or, at least, misdirected. In this paper, the technological and institutional factors leading to the adoption of these policies are considered, along with suggestions as to how such policy failures could be avoided in future.

The currency of case management: benefits and costs

Case management models evolved as the mental health care system shifted hospital to community settings. The research evidence underscores the efficacy of certain case management models under 'ideal' conditions; what is less clear, is how these models perform in day to day clinical practice. Moreover, the economic perspective adopted by most studies is relatively narrow thus limiting a proper understanding of the costs and benefits of such models. This paper reviews recent work in the field and highlights gaps in both method and application as a focus for future work. Curr Opin Psychiatry 12:195-199, (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Undergraduate student experience in dental service delivery in rural South Australia: An analysis of costs and benefits

Background, Rural experience for dental students can provide valuable clinical education, change attitudes to rural practice, and make a valuable contribution to clinical service provision. The aim of this paper is to assess the costs and benefits of service delivery by students through rural training programmes Methods: Groups of two students worked in the public dental clinics in adjacent rural centres where there had been long-term difficulties in recruiting staff. The costs and benefits of the programme were assessed by the impact on waiting lists, the total cost per patient of, a course of care and by the marginal cost of adding service provision by students to existing arrangements. Results: The total costs of emergency and complete treatment provided by students were greater than the costs of treatment provided by public-sector dentists but less than the costs of private providers treating public patients. However, the value of services were greater when care was provided by students or private providers and the marginal cost of students providing services was 50-70 per cent of the cost of care provided by public dentists. Conclusion: This assessment suggests that the service benefits achieved compliment the primary objective of influencing the attitude of students to rural practice.

The secondary vascular system of Actinopterygii: interspecific variation in origins and investment

Vascular casts of 3 species of Chondrichthyes, 1 of Dipnoi, 1 of Chondrostei and 14 species of the Teleostei were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy in order to give a qualitative and quantitative analysis of interarterial anastomoses (iaas) that indicate the presence (or absence) of a secondary vascular system (SVS). Anastomoses were found to originate from a variety of different primary blood vessels, many of which have not been previously identified as giving rise to secondary vessels. Segmental arteries derived from the dorsal aorta and supplying body musculature were major sites of origin of the SVS, although there was considerable variation in where, in the hierarchy of arterial branching, the anastomoses occurred. The degree of investment in a SVS was species specific, with more active species having a higher degree of secondary vascularisation. This difference was quantified using an absolute count of iaas between Anguilla reinhardtii and Trachinotus baillonii. A range of general features of the SVS is also described. No evidence of iaas was found on the coeliac, mesenteric or renal circulation in any species. Evidence of iaas was lacking in the dipnoan and chondrichthyan species examined, suggesting that a SVS is restricted to Actinopterygii. The presence and distribution of a SVS does not appear to be exclusively linked to phylogenetic position, but rather to the physiological adaptation of the species.

Incorporating demand-side aspects into regional policy: variations in the importance of private investment decision factors across regions

Most regional programs focus on the supply side of regions, emphasizing the attraction conditions offered, such as infrastructure, labor skills, tax incentives, etc. This study analyzes one aspect of the demand side, that is, how investment decisions of private firms are made by asking the question: ""Do corporations decide the same way on investments in different parts of the territory?"" The paper analyzes the investments of 373 large Brazilian firms during 1996-2004. Based on the investment decisions of these firms, the role of sales, cash-flow, external financing, and working capital is investigated through regression analysis. The regional influence is captured by explanatory variables representing regional and firm characteristics, and by interaction dummies between the region and the main investment determinants. The results indicate significant differences across regions in the importance of investment determinants. This information is important for regional development policy, because different mechanisms should be used in different regions to foster private investments.

Heterogeneity, saving-investment dynamics and capital mobility in Latin America

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of national saving-investment relationship in order to determine the degree of capital mobility in 12 Latin American countries. The analytically relevant correlation is the short-term one, defined as that between changes in saving and investment. Of special interest is the speed at which variables return to the long run equilibrium relationship, which is interpreted as being negatively related to the degree of capital mobility. The long run correlation, in turn, captures the coefficient implied by the solvency constraint. We find that heterogeneity and cross-section dependence completely change the estimation of the long run coefficient. Besides we obtain a more precise short run coefficient estimate compared to the existent estimates in the literature. There is evidence of an intermediate degree of capital mobility, and the coefficients are extremely stable over time.

Variable Demand and Profitability in Service Companies: a case study in the information technology sector

Managing a variable demand scenario is particularly challenging on services organizations because services companies usually have a major part of fixed costs. The article studies how a services organization manages its demand variability and its relation with the organization`s profitability. Moreover, the study searched for alternatives used to reduce the demand variability`s impact on the profitability of the company. The research was based on a case study with a Brazilian services provider on information technology business. The study suggests that alternatives like using outsourced employees to cover demand peaks may bring benefits only on short term, reducing the profitability of the company on long term: Some options are revealed, like the internationalization of employees and the investment on developing its own workforce.

The food business environment and the role of China and Brazil building a ""food bridge""

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the economic crisis of 2008/2009 and the major impacts on developing nations and food-producing countries Within this macro-environment of food chains, there is concern that food inflation might come back sooner than expected The role of China as one of the major food consumers in the future, and Brazil, as the major food producer, is described as the food bridge, and an agenda of common development of these countries suggested. Design/methodology/approach - This paper reviews literature on muses of food inflation, production shortages, and investigation of programs to solve the problem in the future, it is also based on author`s personal insights and experience of working on this field in the last 15 years, and recent discussions in forums and interviews Findings - The major factors that jointly caused food prices increase in 2007/2008 were population growth, Income distribution, urbanization, dollar devaluations, commodity funds, social programs, production shortages, and bionic`s A list of ten policies is suggested. horizontal expansion of food production, vertical expansion, reduction in transaction costs, in protectionism and other taxes, investment in logistics, technology and better coordination, contracts, new generation of fertilizers and to use the best sources of biofuels. Originality/value - Two major outputs from this paper are the ""food demand model"" that inserts in one model the trends and muses of food inflation and the solutions, and the ""food bridge concept"" that also aligns in one box the imminent major food chain cooperation between China and Brazil

A costs structure analysis of the Brazilian sugar and ethanol companies

The Brazil consolidated itself as the largest world producer of sugarcane, sugar and ethanol. The creation of the Programa Nacional do Alcool - PROALCOOL and the growing use of cars with flexible motors were some of the factors that helped to motivate still more the production. Evolutions in the agricultural and industrial research did the Brazilian competitiveness in sugar and ethanol globally elevated, what is evidenced when comparing the amount produced at the country and the production costs, which turned a big one differential. Therefore, the administration of costs is of great relevance to the sugar and ethanol companies, for representing a significant rationalization in the production processes, with economy of resources and the reach of better earnings, besides reducing the operational risk pertinent at the fixed costs of production. Thus, the present work has for objective to analyze the costs structure of sugar and ethanol companies of the Center-south area of the country through an empiric-analytical study based in methodologies and concepts extracted of the costs accounting. It is verified that great part of the costs and operational expenses have variable behavior, a positive factor for the sector reducing the operational risk of the activity. The main restraint of this study is the sample of five years and 10% of the number of plants in Brazil that although they represent 30% of the national production, don`t allow the generalization of the model.

Maternal investment in egg production: environmental and population-specific effects on offspring performance in the snapping shrimp Alpheus nuttingi (Schmitt, 1924) (Decapoda, Alpheidae)

Among marine invertebrates, the overall biomass invested in egg production varies widely within populations, which can result from the interaction of endogenous and exogenous factors. Species that have constant reproduction throughout the year can be good models to study the influence of environmental factors on reproductive processes. We conducted a seasonal comparison of egg production in the intertidal snapping shrimp Alpheus nuttingi, which shows a continuous reproductive pattern, to examine the hypothesis that differences in egg production are driven by environmental conditions and population features. This population showed an uncommon strategy, characterized by females that produce eggs of varying sizes within their clutches, with reduced egg volume when the number of eggs is higher (Spring-Summer). In these seasons, higher temperatures and greater food availability may allow the production of more eggs compared to the Autumn-Winter seasons. Compared to other alpheid shrimps, this population produces small eggs, but in larger numbers. Despite the higher fecundity, the reproductive output is relatively low, this production being supported by the large size of females from the southern Atlantic region. Our findings showed that the egg production of A. nuttingi was greatly influenced by environmental factors. Therefore, this shrimp, and probably other decapods that possess continuous reproduction, adopt different reproductive strategies during the year. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010.

Darwinian grandparenting: Preferential investment in more certain kin

Studies on grandparental investment have revealed that mothers fathers are emotionally closer to their grandchildren than are fathers' mothers. In the current study, it was hypothesized that this difference is caused by the fact that fathers' mothers often have the potential to invest in genetically more certain kin (children through their daughters). To test this hypothesis, 787 participants rated their emotional closeness and exposure to their grandparents and indicated whether they had cousins through paternal and maternal aunts and uncles. Results indicated that participants felt closer to mothers' fathers than fathers' mothers only when alternate investment outlets for fathers' mothers were available. Closeness ratings to fathers fathers also were reduced when they had grandchildren through their daughters. Exposure to grandparents revealed a similar pattern of findings but did not show the same sensitivity to the presence of more certain kin and did not appear to account for the closeness ratings.