A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE KELLER PLAN IN AN ADVANCED FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING COURSE

This note provides an account of the introduction of a modified version of the Keller Plan in an advanced financial accounting course. The experiment involved (1) issuing detailed study guides which included a specification of behavioural outcomes; (2) abandoning large group lectures in favour of small group discussions and (3) measuring achievement by multiple choice testing. Although the degree of individualised learning was limited, most students felt that the changes made - especially the introduction of discussion groups - were of some improvement in their learning and development.     

The demography of micro-states

There are two types of micro-states, islands and mainland ones. Except for a few islands very close to the coast, most of the insular micro-states are demographically very different from the rest of the Third World. Their death-rates are lower, their birth-rates lower, and the propensity of their populations to migrate to developed countries higher. It is argued here that these differences are based on other social and economic differences, which can be summarized by saying that such states are more Westernized. They were part of the European maritime system at a time when the West did not have the economic strength to penetrate continental areas to the same extent. On the whole they retained colonial links longer.     

Why a new malpractice crisis is coming

This article predicts escalating premiums and a greater risk of malpractice suits based on the increasing frequency and cost of claim payouts. The number of insurance claims increased by 12% in 1978 after a decrease of 11% in 1976 and by 2% in 1977. The percentage of premium income paid out has followed the same pattern. It was a high of 66.5% in 1975 and then fell into the 40% range in the next two years. Last year it bounced back to 60.6%. Some insurance authorities view the 1976-77 drop in claims as artificial and attribute it to a reluctance to file suits during the period immediately following new malpractice laws. The reluctance to sue has apparently relaxed. About 16% of the cases actually go to court. Out of those, 90% of the verdicts favor doctors. The rise in cases going to court shows that reform! legislation passed in several states to reduce malpractice litigation is not yet working. The average payout was up 20% between 1976 and 1978 with the greatest rise in large awards; million-dollar settlements are not uncommon. Escalating payouts are attributed to general inflation anf rising medical costs. In addition, the public has become better medically informed and been taught that for every wrong ther is a remedy.     

A simulation-based methodology for optimization of ambulance service policies

A simulation-based methodology for the evaluation of the emergency ambulance system in the Vancouver, Canada, metropolitan area has been created. Outputs from the simulation of the system are utilized in the creation of the objective function of a branch and bound optimization procedure. The solutions are thus obtained at a significantly lower cost than if only simulation were used. The final solutions were verified by simulation runs.