Does Aid Effectiveness Differ per Political Ideologies?

Despite the extensive empirical literature on aid effectiveness, existing studies have not addressed directly how political ideology affects the use of foreign aid in the recipient country. This study, therefore, uses a unique dataset of 12 democratic countries in Africa to investigate the impact of political ideologies on aid effectiveness. Our results indicate that each political party uses aid differently in peruse of their political, ideological orientation. Further analyses suggest that rightist capitalist parties are likely to use aid to improve the private sector environment. Leftist socialist on the other hand, use aid effectively on pro-poor projects such as short-term poverty reduction, mass education and health services. Our additional analysis on the lines of colonialisation shows that the difference in the use of aid by political parties is much stronger in French colonies than Britain colonies. The study provides insight on how the recipient government are likely to use foreign aid.     

Cost-effectiveness of axicabtagene ciloleucel for adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma in the United States

Abstract

Purpose: Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) was recently approved for treatment of relapsed or refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) following two or more prior therapies. As the first CAR T-cell therapy available for adults in the US, there are important questions about clinical and economic value. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of axi-cel compared to salvage chemotherapy using a decision model and a US payer perspective.

Materials and methods: A decision model was developed to estimate life years (LYs), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and lifetime cost for adult patients with R/R LBCL treated with axi-cel vs salvage chemotherapy (R-DHAP). Patient-level analyses of the ZUMA-1 and SCHOLAR-1 studies were used to inform the model and to estimate the proportion achieving long-term survival. Drug and procedure costs were derived from US average sales prices and Medicare reimbursement schedules. Future healthcare costs in long-term remission was derived from per capita Medicare spending. Utility values were derived from patient-level data from ZUMA-1 and external literature. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses evaluated uncertainty. Outcomes were calculated over a lifetime horizon and were discounted at 3% per year.

Results: In the base case, LYs, QALYs, and lifetime costs were 9.5, 7.7, and $552,921 for axi-cel vs 2.6, 1.1, and $172,737 for salvage chemotherapy, respectively. The axi-cel cost per QALY gained was $58,146. Cost-effectiveness was most sensitive to the fraction achieving long-term remission, discount rate, and axi-cel price. The likelihood that axi-cel is cost-effective was 95% at a willingness to pay of $100,000 per QALY.

Conclusion: Axi-cel is a potentially cost-effective alternative to salvage chemotherapy for adults with R/R LBCL. Long-term follow-up is necessary to reduce uncertainties about health outcomes.     

Developing an Integrative International Human Resource Model: The contribution of Chinese Multinational Enterprises

This study develops an integrative international human resource IHRM framework in Chinese MNEs mainly by examining the relationship between the intervening factors and IHRM policies and practices. It confirms that IHRM is associated with a variety of contextual and firm-specific factors, including political, legal, economic, socio-cultural factors, international strategy, organizational structure, organizational culture, stage and mode of internationalization, type and niche of industry, international experience, size of international operation, the reliance on international markets and top management perceptions of home HRM systems. These factors have differentiated impact and are changing over time. It also explores the impact of IHRM policy and practice on each other, arguing that there is interplay between IHRM policies and practices.     

Measuring efficiency in Australian Schools: A preliminary analysis

In this paper, we apply a public sector Data Envelopment Analysis model to estimate the efficiency of Australian primary and secondary schools. Standard microeconomic production theory showing the transformation of inputs into outputs is extended to allow nondiscretionary environmental variables characteristic of educational production. Failure to properly control for the socioeconomic environment leads to inappropriate comparisons and biased efficiency estimates. We employ a conditional estimator that does not allow a school with a better environment to serve as a benchmark for a school with a worse environment. The results suggest that Australian schools are moderately inefficient and that efficiency increases for the quintile of schools with the most favorable environment. Further, efficiency gains are realized with increasing enrollment.     

Stable and efficient coalitional networks

We develop a theoretical framework that allows us to study which bilateral links and coalition structures are going to emerge at equilibrium. We define the notion of coalitional network to represent a network and a coalition structure, where the network specifies the nature of the relationship each individual has with her coalition members and with individuals outside her coalition. To predict the coalitional networks that are going to emerge at equilibrium we propose the concepts of strong stability and of contractual stability. Contractual stability imposes that any change made to the coalitional network needs the consent of both the deviating players and their original coalition partners. Requiring the consent of coalition members under the simple majority or unanimity decision rule may help to reconcile stability and efficiency. Moreover, this new framework can provide insights that one cannot obtain if coalition formation and network formation are tackled separately and independently.     

Foreign aid,poverty reduction,and democracy

Eradication of poverty is the most pervasive goal of donors' foreign aid programmes. As a result, there has been much research on the degree of correlation between aid and poverty reduction. However, this work to date has shed little light on the direction of causation between the two variables. Using the method of Granger causality, and conditioning aid and poverty on the state of democracy in developing countries, this study asks whether aid flows impact poverty, whether poverty influences aid flows, or whether causality proceeds in both directions simultaneously. While the results identify no causal relationships in some of the sub-samples, they point to the existence of a multitude of relationships across others.     

Critical success factors in relationship management for services outsourcing

This study examines the relationship between outsourcing motives, supplier–customer relationship and perceived customer value in non-core services outsourcing. 1,757 companies were randomly selected. 234 valid questionnaires were returned (13.4 % response rate). The structural equation method was used to obtain the best fit model. The most significant contribution of this study is that ‘relationship interaction’ (communication, cooperation, coordination, collaboration, conflict resolution and integration activities) has a greater impact on customer perceived value than ‘relationship quality’ (loyalty and trust) in services outsourcing. The perceived customer value is reflected in improved services quality, reliability and agility rather than the expected cost savings.     

Foreign direct investment and bilateral investment treaties: An international political perspective

This paper investigates the effect of the implementation of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) on the bilateral stocks of foreign direct investment (FDI). We argue that the understanding of how BITs affect FDI requires recognizing that multinational enterprises (MNEs) are not Stateless and that their investment return may well depend on the quality of political relations between the home and host countries. Using bilateral FDI data and event data to measure political interactions between countries, we show that the effect of the entry into force of a BIT crucially depends on the quality of political relations between the signatory countries; it increases FDI more between countries with tense relationships than between friendly countries. We also find evidence that BITs and good domestic institutions are complementary. BITs should therefore be understood as a mechanism for host governments to credibly commit not to expropriate investors in the future.     

中国城市养老机构的兴起:发展与公平问题

利用2009-2010年在南京市和天津市对养老机构的调查数据,描述了养老机构在两市的发展态势,比较了公办和民办机构在入住老人的健康状况及机构特征方面的差异。近10年来养老机构在两市迅猛增长,且以民办机构为主导。政府财政投入在两市公办机构的日常收入来源中占了相当的比重,而对民办机构的财政补贴则微乎其微。公办机构平均规模较大,在入住率上也远超民办机构。两市公办机构入住老人比民办机构入住老人在总体上更健康。公办机构在决定收住对象时比民办机构有更强的选择性。公众在享有现存养老机构资源时面临着机会不平等的问题。政府应确保在公办机构中公平、合理地分配公共服务资源,以最大程度地彰显其公益性,同时也应着力扶持民办机构,促进二者在社会化养老服务中公平竞争、协调发展。