Designing Optional No-Fault Insurance Policies for Health Care Systems

Legislation to create optional no-fault insurance (ONFL) programs has recently been enacted in Florida and Virginia. ONFI programs provide compensation to patients when certain medical complications arise, provided the patient agrees not to sue the doctor for additional damages. The optimal design of ONFI programs is explored in this paper, focusing on the incentive effects of ONFI programs. The question of whether ONFI programs should be funded entirely by participating doctors, or whether social subsidies are optimal, is examined.     

Logistics optimization through a social approach for food distribution

The management of supply chains is becoming more important in economic and social environments. Currently, the social sustainability is a factor that must be considered to design governmental strategies and policies. The objective of this research paper was to show, with a case study an approach to optimize distribution and delivery logistics of food in a social assistance program of school breakfast using mathematical models that include transportation distance, optimal locations, and vehicle routing through different clusters. By using qualitative variables like poverty levels, food insecurity and social exclusion, different clustering methods are proposed with the purpose of identifying the common characteristics in the studied population; and at the same time, reducing the distribution complexity. The results show an efficient approach to design a supply chain that includes economic and social factors. The new model developed in this paper can be used to plan social assistance governmental programs, to identify the specific needs and characteristics of the beneficiaries, minimizing the total cost of the distribution network logistics when delivering food for school meals.     

Translating single project management knowledge to project programs

Over the past decade, the efficient implementation of project programs became of great importance. Many authors are concerned with improving the professionalism of implementing project programs, and most of them identify context‐related factors that are considered the bases of successful implementation. However, little has been written on how to use the project management toolkit in project programs. In mid‐2007, a research program was initiated to highlight the role of the single project management toolkit in implementing programs. During the research, both case‐based and interview‐based research methods were used. The primary question addressed in this article is how to translate single project management knowledge to program management.     

Equivalence of utilitarian maximal and weakly maximal programs

For a class of aggregative optimal growth models, which allow for a non-convex and non-differentiable production technology, this paper examines whether the set of utilitarian maximal programs coincides with the set of weakly maximal programs. It identifies a condition, called the Phelps–Koopmans condition, under which the equivalence result holds. An example is provided to demonstrate that the equivalence result is invalid when the Phelps–Koopmans condition does not hold.     

A DEA-centric decision support system for evaluating Ciclovía-Recreativa programs in the Americas

Ciclovía-Recreativa (CR) is a community-based program with health and social benefits including physical activity promotion, social capital development, improvement in the population's quality of life, and reduction of air pollution and street noise. It is critical that these programs are evaluated through their operational performance and efficient use of resources. In this paper, we develop a DEA methodology that measures each CR efficiency relative to its peer programs, compares its performance to a benchmark system, identifies its sources of inefficiencies and offers recommendations for improvement. We examine the proposed methodology on programs in the region of the Americas as a case study and demonstrate the results and the recommendations. Finally, we present a spreadsheet-based DEA-centric Decision Support System (DSS) that facilitates the evaluation of the CR programs. Based on this study, an award called “Bicis de Calidad” (in English “Bikes of Quality”) was created to be granted to the best CR programs reaching full efficiency according to the DEA outcomes.     

To bail-out or to bail-in? Answers from an agent-based model

Since the beginning of the 2008 financial crisis almost half a trillion euros have been spent to financially assist EU member states in taxpayer-funded bail-outs. These crisis resolutions are often accompanied by austerity programs causing political and social friction on both domestic and international levels. The question of how to resolve failing financial institutions, and how this depends on economic preconditions, is therefore a pressing and controversial issue of vast political importance. In this work we employ an agent-based model to study the economic and financial ramifications of three highly relevant crisis resolution mechanisms. To establish the validity of the model we show that it reproduces a series of key stylized facts of the financial and real economy. The distressed institution can either be closed via a purchase & assumption transaction, it can be bailed-out using taxpayer money, or it may be bailed-in in a debt-to-equity conversion. We find that for an economy characterized by low unemployment and high productivity the optimal crisis resolution with respect to financial stability and economic productivity is to close the distressed institution. For economies in recession with high unemployment the bail-in tool provides the most efficient crisis resolution mechanism. Under no circumstances do taxpayer-funded bail-out schemes outperform bail-ins with private sector involvement.     

计算机辅助机场地势优化设计

本文在机场地势设计中建立以点的高程作为变量的优化数学模型,将机场地势设计处理成一个具有一组线性约束,二次目标函数的优化数学模型,并用Ｃ语言编出优化设计程序,和对ＡｕｔｏＣＡＤ进行二次开发,实现了计算机自动绘制地势优化设计结果。     

Uncertain horizon and stability: Analysis in an optimal growth model

In a one-sector optimal growth model with uncertainty about production optimal capital stocks converge in distribution to a stochastic modified golden rule [see, for example Brock and Mirman (1972, 1973)]. We show that such a result cannot be obtained, in general, if in addition to the random one-period shocks to production there is also a lasting shock to the production function at some random date in the future; however, the conditional optimal capital stocks ‘bunch together’ over time, i.e., a turnpike result for optimal programs is proved.     

物流系统中一类向量优化问题弱有效解集非空紧性的刻画与研究

向量优化问题在物流系统中有着广泛的应用，在向量优化问题中，决策者为了选择一个“最好的”可行方案，需要综合考虑各个目标因素。由于向量优化问题的解和决策者的偏好紧密联系，所以最优解的概念在这里是没有意义的。通常研究的是有效解和弱有效解。它们和决策者的控制结构密切相关。文章研究了当目标空间的控制结构为多面体锥时，锥约束凸向量优化问题的弱有效解集的非空紧性的各种刻画，从而为向量优化问题计算方法的发展提供了很好的理论基础。     

Efficient,Pareto-improving processes

We give two optimization programs for determining whether Pareto improving local changes are possible. When they are, the programs compute them. Any procedure generating efficient and Pareto improving changes can be replicated by these programs. The two programs are dual to each other. We apply the programs to Pareto improving exchange processes and to Pareto-improving tax-tariff reforms.     

Efficiency and monotonicity of bargaining solutions

A continuity axiom for bargaining solutions is introduced, which is satisfied by all Pareto optimal and continuous (in the Hausdorff metric) solutions. It is shown by two examples how this axiom can be used to characterize solutions having certain kind of monotonicity properties. One of the solutions is the lexicographic maximin solution. The other is the lexicographic extension of the Kalai-Smorodinsky solution. The former is an efficient (Pareto optimal) extension of the symmetric proportional solution. The latter is an efficient extension of the Kalai-Smorodinsky solution.     

Existence in undiscounted non-stationary non-convex multisector environments

An omission in growth theory concerns the existence of optimal programs in models that simultaneously include non-stationary non-convex technologies, non-convex preferences, multisectors and undiscounted utility sums. Non-stationarities rule out the classical route employing golden rule programs; non-convexities vitiate classical duality methods based on separating hyperplane theorems; multisectors destroy the regularity in the dynamics of the one-sector growth model; and divergent utility sums render inapplicable the Weierstrass approach based on compactness-continuity arguments. This paper proves the existence of optimal programs in such generally specified models, by utilizing the non-convex duality theory of Balder to replace the bilinear functional that links a topological dual pair by a class of non-linear functions that are of needle type at the origin of the commodity space.     

Transportation in disaster response operations

Disasters are extraordinary situations that require significant logistical deployment to transport equipment and humanitarian goods in order to help and provide relief to victims. An efficient response helps to reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts. In this paper, we define and formulate a practical transportation problem often encountered by crisis managers in emergency situations. Since optimal solutions to such a formulation may be achieved only for very small-size instances, we developed an efficient genetic algorithm to deal with realistic situations. This algorithm produces near optimal solutions in relatively short computation times and is fast enough to be used interactively in a decision-support system, providing high-quality transportation plans to emergency managers.     

The effect of defense program uncertainty on cost,schedule, and capital investment

Program instability, low levels of capital investment and uneconomical production rates have been recognized as significant problems in defense acquisition programs. In this paper, we use a dynamic programming model under uncertainty to investigate the relations among these problems. We show that capital investment and production rates that appear to be too low may be the result of cost minimizing responses by contractors to program instability. Attempts to change the level of capital investment or production rate on defense programs without regard to the nature of program instability may hinder efficient resource allocation.The refereeing process of this paper was handled through J.F. Muth.     

Renegotiation Design and Contract Solutions to the Hold-Up Problem

Abstract.  This paper surveys the literature on contractual solutions to the hold-up problem which has addressed the issue of how to design the optimal contractual arrangement to achieve efficient investments in the presence of contract incompleteness. Although scholars have argued that renegotiation design is a necessary condition to avoid the hold-up problem, some recent papers have seriously questioned this condition. We mainly show that renegotiation design remains a necessary condition to implement efficient investments.     

Exploratory analyses of relief and development operations using social networks

We use social networks to explore how structural factors affect humanitarian organizations’ performance in relief and development operations. Analyses of two recent humanitarian disasters show that having pre-established partnerships among implementers, a central coordinator, high connectivity, and few structural holes facilitates coordination and improves performance. Similarly, cost efficiency analyses of 757 development programs reveal that (i) high performance of donors and beneficiaries is positively related to the amount of implementers they interact with, and (ii) programs connected by common actors are more cost efficient. Finally, short path lengths and frequent connections among actors or programs improve performance in humanitarian operations.     

The efficient paths to infinity in closed leontief models

For a simple Leontief technology, the results of finite-horizon turnpike theorems are extended to the case of infinite horizon. Further qualitative information is obtained about the set of efficient programs. Uniqueness is discussed, and shown by an example to be not true in general.     

The use of Monte Carlo techniques for determining optimal size of substitute teacher pools in large urban school districts

Providing substitute teachers in large school districts usually requires both an extensive organizational structure to coordinate substitute teacher demands with available supply and a large operating budget. In addition, the temporary nature of the substitute teacher position tends to preclude their effective integrating into regular school district inservice programs. The replacement of present substitute teacher procurement practices by a permanent pool of substitute teachers has been suggested as one possible method for improving substitute teacher quality and morale as well as reducing school district cost. This study demonstrates how Monte Carlo techniques might be utilized to determine the optimal size for a substitute teacher pool in a given district where optimal size is defined as (1) the size required to minimize cost to the district, (2) the size required to maintain present substitute teacher service levels in the district, and (3) the size needed to financially break even with the current substitute teacher program. Both uniform and non-uniform by day in the school week substitute teacher pool sizes were calculated for a school district using this technique. The results of the study strongly suggest that not only might permanent substitute teacher pools result in their better integration into regular school district programs, but substantial cost savings might also result.     

Sensitivity Analysis of an Efficient DMU in DEA Model with Variable Returns to Scale (VRS)

In this paper we consider the Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. In a DEA model each Decision Making Unit (DMU) is classified either as efficient or inefficient. Changes in inputs or outputs of any DMU can alter its classification, i.e. an efficient DMU can become inefficient and vice versa. The goal of this paper is to assess changes in inputs and outputs of an extreme efficient DMU that will not alter its efficiency status, thus obtaining the region of efficiency for that DMU. Namely, a DMU will remain efficient if and only if after applying changes this DMU stays in that region. The representation of this region is done using an iterative procedure. In the first step an extended DEA model, whereby a DMU under evaluation is excluded from the reference set, is used. In the iterative part of the procedure, by using the obtained optimal simplex tableau we apply parametric programming, thus moving from one facet to the adjacent one. At the end of the procedure we obtain the complete region of efficiency for a DMU under consideration.