AIDS and food production in East and Central Africa: a research outline

AIDS has penetrated at least 42 countries in Africa. Death of Africans usually occurs within 3 years of diagnosis. Not much is currently known about the demographics of the disease or about its impact on economic and social behavior, farming, and food production. There is currently a food crisis in Africa, so it is appropriate to study how much of an impact this disease has on future food production. In order to study the problem, one must predict the spread of AIDS. 2nd, one must infer how labor loss effects current rural production. Labor loss will cause changes in organization of production, technology, and types of crops grown. As a crisis increases, certain groups will be cut out of the food distribution. Characterizations such as these allow the mapping of areas vulnerable to labor loss. Field analysis and modeling must substantiate the theories and predictions. This paper describes the research design which will be used by 2 researchers from the Overseas Development Group of the University of East Anglia to measure the impact of AIDS on food production, working initially in a high HIV - prevalent area in Uganda.     

Ways to reduce inventory

Almost every business today is looking for ways to reduce inventories. However, the unsaid goal is to reduce that inventory while at the same time maintain or improve customer service. Today, every business operation is concerned with methods to improve customer service. The real trick is to accomplish that task without increasing inventory. This article discusses how some of the leading companies accomplish the task of reducing inventory and increasing customer service at the same time.     

Measuring the Impact of Information Technology （IT） on Supply Chain Management （SCM） Through Indicators： An Exploratory Study

Enterprises are looking to adapt to this scenario focusing on performance, seeking to improve the level of service and reduce costs in an attempt to differentiate and increase the perceived value of their customers. A strong partner to achieve these goals is the information technology （IT）. IT has an important role in the performance of companies, providing a flow of information that makes the supply chain more robust and resilient, without compromising efficiency. To achieve the objective of this research, a survey of the literature on the four models was studied and then a field research with professionals was conducted in the areas of IT and supply chain management （SCM） of various companies of Sao Paulo. To collect the data needed for analysis, we used the exploratory research of a qualitative nature. Thus, we conclude that the use of IT impacts supply chain in five surveyed areas as planning, manufacturing, suppliers, customers, and delivery but does not impact the return area.     

An overview of Medicare reimbursement regulations for advanced practice nurses

The federal government spends nearly 15% of the budget on Medicare services annually, and advanced practice nurses are eligible for reimbursement from that pool. The regulations governing reimbursement are complex because of the social, political, and financial pressures involved in their development. Although economic viability and due diligence considerations make it incumbent on advanced practice nurses to understand the rules, the profession, as a whole, has knowledge deficits in this area. The essentials of regulatory development and structure are reviewed and considerations for optimizing reimbursement are described.