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Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

No abstract available.

Improving Health Care Quality Through Value-Based Purchasing: What Can The Pioneers Teach Us?, Christine W. Hartmann, Neil I. Goldfarb, Vittorio Maio, Adam R. Roumm, David B. Nash

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

The Department of Health Policy of Jefferson Medical College has been engaged in research on value-based purchasing (VBP) for the past five years. With support from The Commonwealth Fund, the Department’s research team has examined the potential of VBP to improve quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. This article summarizes this work.

Clinical Performance Measurements And Incentives Enable Value Based Purchasing, Jerry Reeves

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

No abstract available.

Welcome To Value-Based Purchasing, Neil I. Goldfarb, Dale Shaller

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

No abstract available.

Regional Economic Indicators: Human Capital And Workforce, Iryna Lendel

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The report is prepared by the Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs as a part of the regional indicators project under the Presidential Initiative Program. The study examines human capital and labor force in 36 regions across the country: 32 metropolitan areas of comparable size to the Cleveland metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and three smaller MSAs in Northeast Ohio — Akron,1 Canton, and Youngstown.

Wages, Layoffs, And Privatization: Evidence From Ukraine, J. David Brown, John S. Earle, Volodymyr Vakhitov

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

This paper estimates the effects of privatization on worker separations and wages using retrospective data from a national probability sample of Ukrainian households. Detailed worker characteristics are used to control for compositional differences and to assess types of observable "winners" and "losers" from privatization. Preprivatization worker-firm matches are used to control for unobservables in worker and firm selection. The results imply that privatization reduces wages by 5 percent and cuts the layoff probability in half. Outside investor ownership reduces separations but leaves wages unaffected. Winners from privatization tend to be higher-skilled employees of larger firms, but there is no discernible …

Nonstandard Forms And Measures Of Employment And Unemployment In Transition: A Comparative Study Of Estonia, Romania, And Russia, J. David Brown, John S. Earle, Vladimir Gimpelson, Rostislav Kapeliushnikov, Hartmut Lehmann, Álmos Telegdy, Irina Vantu, Ruxandra Visan, Alexandru Voicu

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

This paper looks behind the standard, publicly available labor force statistics relied upon in most studies of transition economy labor markets. We analyze microdata on detailed labor force survey responses in Russia, Romania, and Estonia to measure nonstandard, boundary forms and alternative definitions of employment and unemployment. Our calculations show that measured rates are quite sensitive to definition, particularly in the treatment of household production (subsistence agriculture), unpaid family helpers, and discouraged workers, while the categories of part-time work and other forms of marginal attachment are still relatively unimportant. We find that tweaking the official definitions in apparently minor ways …

Central Asia's Transition After Fifteen Years: Growth And Policy Choices, Malcolm Dowling, Ganeshan Vignaraja

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper presents a coherent and systematic analysis of the collapse and subsequent revival of the Central Asian Republics (CARs) since 1990. The focus is on the pattern of growth and structural change during the cycle of decline and subsequent revival in the CARs which have been inadequately analyzed in the literature on transition. The paper relates economic performance to initial conditions, country characteristics and policies. Within this framework, it proposes a simple typology of policies (including a new Type III set of policies on regional cooperation and industrial competitiveness) and relates them to the cycle of decline and revival …

Central Asia: Mapping Future Prospects, Malcolm Dowling, Ganeshan Wignaraja

Research Collection School Of Economics

Central Asia has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing regions since the late 1990s and has shown notable development potential. This is significant for a region comprising largely of small landlocked economies with no access to the sea for trade. Among the advantages, of the region are its high- priced commodities (oil, gas, cotton and gold), reasonable infrastructure and human capital as legacies of Soviet rule; and a strategic location between Asia and Europe. Furthermore, many Central Asian Republics (CARs) have embarked on market-oriented economic reforms to boost economic performance and private sector competitiveness. Central Asia: Mapping Future …

Homeostasis And Well Being, Malcolm Dowling, Chin Fang Yap

Research Collection School Of Economics

The paper suggests that maintenance of a homeostatic equilibrium provides a rationale for many actions of economic agents. Homeostatic equilibrium has physical, economic, emotional, psychological and environmental dimensions. The characteristics of this equilibrium include feelings of safety, trust, connectedness with friends, family and community, and a predictable and welcoming social and work environment. Individuals generally make decisions that help them move toward and achieve this state of equilibrium. Departure from homeostasis reduces well being and stimulates agents to take actions that will return them to a state of homeostasis. This hypothesis is tested with probit analysis using sample responses from …

New Mexico Labor Market Review 01-31-2006, New Mexico Department Of Labor

Historic Publications

The New Mexico Labor Market Review is a monthly publication presenting statistical data and analysis on labor market conditions throughout New Mexico. Issues examine statewide and regional trends in employment, unemployment, labor force estimates, industry activity, wages, occupational demand, and related economic conditions, often accompanied by feature articles on topics affecting the state’s economy. This issue covers December 2005.

Does Space Matter To The Employment Of Tanf Recipients? Evidence From A Dynamic Discrete Choice Model With Unobserved Effects, Shiferaw Gurmu, Keith R. Ihlanfeldt, William J. Smith

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

We study the factors affecting the employment probability of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients using recent quarterly panel data from Atlanta, Georgia. A central focus of our study is to determine whether the TANF recipient’s proximity to job opportunity and the availability of childcare affect her probability of full-time employment. Both static and dynamic models of employment choice are estimated that control for unobserved individual effects. We estimate models separately for a sub-sample of TANF recipients living in public housing, whose residential locations can be considered exogenously determined. We find substantial evidence that individual and family characteristics (such …

Nm Economic Outlook Conference _2006, University Of New Mexico Bureau Of Business And Economic Research

BBER Publications

This report presents national, regional, and New Mexico economic forecasts for 2006, featuring analyses by economists from Global Insight, Wells Fargo, and the University of New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Topics include U.S. and global economic conditions, housing markets, energy prices, employment trends, and New Mexico's short- and long-term economic outlook.

Revisiting The Elitist Economy Of Pakistan, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Several observers and media persons have asked me to update on the latest assessment of my thesis propounded in the book " Pakistan : The Economy of an elitist state. " They are interested in exploring the question whether the polices and programs pursued during the last six years have made any dent on the elitist model of the economy that I had put forward in February, 1999 or not.

As I was one of the players involved in the economic management of the country it is natural that my perspective would be highly subjective. But it is equally incumbent …

The Effects Of Maternal Welfare Receipt On Children’S Development, Nikolay O. Doskov

Gettysburg Economic Review

Over the past 25 years, welfare and other public policies for families living below the poverty line have developed a primary objective of promoting parents’ self-sufficiency. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), passed in 1996, was a milestone in this effort, limiting the number of years that families can receive federal cash welfare assistance and requiring most of them to participate in work-related activities to be eligible for such assistance. This new emphasis on work was one of the main reasons for the dramatic decline in welfare dependency during the late 1990s. The new legislation, however, also …

Meeting The Standards: An Analysis Of Eight Grade Educational Assesment Test Scores In Maine, Michael Donihue, Joseph Mattos, Caroline Theoharides, Charlotte Tiffany

Working Papers in Economics

This paper examines the impact of socioeconomic factors on eighth grade achievement test scores in the face of federal and state initiatives for educational reform in Maine. We use student-level data over a five year period to provide a framework for understanding the policy implications of these initiatives. We model performance on standardized tests using a seemingly unrelated regressions approach and then determine the likelihood of meeting the standards defined by the adequate yearly progress requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and Maine Learning Results initiatives. Our results indicate that the key factors influencing a student’s test scores …

World Bank Tax Advice For Latin America: How To Obstruct Sustained And Equitable Development, Dr. Michael J. Mcguire Ph.D.

Verbum Incarnatum: An Academic Journal of Social Justice

Taxation is critical for satisfying basic needs and generating an inclusive development process that benefits the poor as well as the rich in Latin America. The World Bank offers tax advice to developing countries, and it pressures countries to follow that advice by making it a condition for receiving development loans at preferential interest rates. This paper argues that in response to a short-term financial crisis. the World Bank recommended a regressive tax system that raises revenue quickly, but, in the long-run slows the satisfaction of basic needs and obstructs the implementation of an inclusive development process. The article concludes …

An Evaluation Of Method For Constructing Commodity By Industry Flow Matrices, Walter R. Schwarm, Yasuhide Okuyama, Randall Jackson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The lack of consistent, reliable data on interregional trade and interindustry transactions hampers complete analysis of regional models. This study implements and tests interindustry transaction flows in a national system of economic regions derived from an interregional accounting framework and initial information on interregional shipments. The method used to construct an interregional Commodity by Industry Flow matrix for the United States involves the construction of single-state SAMs. The interregional flows connecting states are estimated using a method based on the Commodity Flow Survey data published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which adjusts the estimated interregional SAM to insure the …

Employment Success Of Community And Technical College Program Graduates As An Indicator Of Economic Development In West Virginia, Kristin L. Mallory

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to analyze existing wage data to quantify the employment success of community and technical college graduates by program as an indicator of economic development in West Virginia. Data for the variables were obtained from archival databases and a cooperative agreement between state agencies. Descriptive statistics were utilized to examine employment rates, range of earnings, and employment in-industry of community and technical college graduates from 23 programs from 1997 to 2002. Graduates in the health fields demonstrated both the highest and lowest ratios of employment, with the mean employment rate for all programs of 68.12 …

Promoting Low Impact Development In Your Community, New England Environmental Finance Center

Planning

Low Impact Development (LID) is an approach to stormwater management and site development that is gaining popularity throughout the country. Its attractiveness lies in its potential to lessen off-site stormwater impacts, reduce costs to municipalities and developers, and promote development that is “softer on the land” compared with typical traditional development. The approach, which is applicable to residential, commercial and industrial projects, and in urban, suburban and rural settings, often is linked with efforts by governments and citizens to foster more sustainable communities.

The Gettysburg Economic Review, Volume 1, Spring 2006

Gettysburg Economic Review

No abstract provided.

Resource Inventory And Assessment: Vision Shared Focus Team On Technology-Based Economic Development, Randall Jackson, Walter R. Schwarm, Russ Lorince, The Focus Team

Regional Research Institute Technical Documents

West Virginia's overall competitive position in the area of technology-based economic development is characterized as mixed. While the state does have significant technology assets including federal research laboratories, universities and selected firms, these assets fail to produce substantial spillover benefits to the local population and state as a whole. While West Virginia has a relatively strong technological base, a number of factors serve to inhibit economic growth and technology transference.

Bootstrapping Statistical Inferences Of Decomposition Methods For Gender Earnings Differentials, Yue Ma, Ying Chu Ng

Centre for Public Policy Studies : CPPS Working Paper Series

Applying the standard bootstrapping technique with corrections for heteroskedasticity for a sample of the 1997 Urban Household Survey in China, the present paper attempts to test (1) whether the commonly used decomposition methods for gender earnings differentials give significantly different results, and (2) whether the explained component is significantly different from the unexplained component (which is commonly referred to as discrimination) within each decomposition method. Based on a national data set, the empirical results indicated some significant differences in both tests. The implication of the results is that the proposed bootstrapping technique can be regarded as a guideline on applying …

Assessing The Economic Impact Of The 6th Annual Bikes, Blues, And Bbq Festival On The City Of Fayetteville, Jeffery T. Collins

Publications and Presentations

This report presents the results of the surveys used to develop estimates of the economic impact of the Bikes, Blues and BBQ (BBBBQ) festival on the city of Fayetteville in 2005. In order to fully estimate the economic impact of the festival, its influence was assessed on three different constituent groups: Fayetteville residents, local businesses, and BBBBQ visitors.

The visitor survey was developed by the Center for Business and Economic Research and was administered September 28-October 1, 2005 by University of Arkansas students who were hired and trained by the Center for Business and Economic Research. The resident and local …

Indiana State University Financial Report 2006, Indiana State University

Financial Reports

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Introduction Of Premiums Into A Schip Program, James Marton

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

This paper examines the introduction of premiums into the SCHIP program in Kentucky. Kentucky introduced a $20 monthly premium for SCHIP coverage for children with family incomes between 151% and 200% of the federal poverty level in December 2003. Administrative data between 2001 and 2004 is used to estimate a Cox proportional hazard model that predicts enrollment duration in this premium-paying category. The results suggest that a premium reduces the length of enrollment and that the effect is much stronger in the first two months after the introduction of the premium. Similar results are not found for the non-premium category.

Devolution, Discretion, And Local Variation In Tanf Sanctioning, Richard Fording, Sanford F. Schram, Joe Soss

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

No abstract.

It’S Not About The Money: The Role Of Preferences, Cognitive Biases And Heuristics Among Professional Athletes, Michael Mccann

Law Faculty Scholarship

Professional athletes are often regarded as selfish, greedy, and out-of-touch with regular people. They hire agents who are vilified for negotiating employment contracts that occasionally yield compensation in excess of national gross domestic products. Professional athletes are thus commonly assumed to most value economic remuneration, rather than the love of the game or some other intangible, romanticized inclination.

Lending credibility to this intuition is the rational actor model, a law and economic precept which presupposes that when individuals are presented with a set of choices, they rationally weigh costs and benefits, and select the course of action that maximizes their …

No. 19: Irregular Migration To South Africa During The First Ten Years Of Democracy, Lyndith Waller

Southern African Migration Programme

Irregular migration poses a considerable problem for South Africa in migration management, population planning, infrastructure development, resource management, governance, social services, economic development and security. A government can only work with what it knows, with a reasonable margin of error. By its nature, irregular migration creates many unknowns. Where entry into South Africa is clandestine or fraudulent, no proper account can be kept of the migrant’s presence, movement, identity, nationality, health status or activities. Without the ability to measure the problem, the ability to address it remains elusive.

For years, figures on the number of irregular migrants present in South …

No. 43: Migration And Development In Mozambique: Poverty, Inequality And Survival, Fion De Vletter

Southern African Migration Programme

Despite Mozambique’s economic growth rate being one of the highest in Africa over the past few years, much of the growth is linked to the development of highly capital intensive “mega” projects with limited absorption of unskilled workers. The urban informal sector which has hitherto absorbed considerable numbers of the unemployed has become less attractive for the rural labour surpluses as increasing competition makes economic survival more difficult. Such limitations within the domestic economy, recently exacerbated by the current drought in the South, has forced many rural households to seek employment in South Africa. Although external migration to South Africa …