On the interactions of economics and technology

The purpose of this article is to examine some of the aspects of technological advancement as a source of economic development. Technological unemployment is discussed and arguments against its importance are reviewed. The suggestion that technological advancement will lead to a class division between those educated or trained in technical skills and those who are not is considered and rejected. The importance of free trade in both transmitting and utilizing technology is discussed. The role of democratic institutions and the upholding of human rights in the economic advancement of the postwar years is considered briefly. Finally, it is suggested that a combination of democratic institutions, human rights, free trade, and technological progress will develop unifying bonds among nations.Distinguished Address at the Thirty-Ninth International Atlantic Economic Conference, Vienna, Austria, March 10–16, 1995.     

ANOTHER LOOK AT ECONOMIES OF SIZE IN CATTLE FEEDING*

This article is an outgrowth of a study that failed to find any economies of size in total cost of feeding cattle. It examines a number of cattle feeding studies that reportedly found economies of size and explains why the author is not willing to accept their findings. This article is not concerned with the external economies of size that may or may not exist in cattle feeding Cet article est le résultat ?une recherche qui n'a pas réussit à trouver de grands économics dans le prix total de ?engraissement de bétail. II examine un certain nombre ?étude sur ?engraissement de bétail que rapporterent (dit-on) de grands economies el il explique aussi pourquoi ?auleur n'est pas prêt à accepter leurs conclusions. Cet article ne se concerne pas avec les economies de grandeur extérieur quipeuvent ou nepeuventpas exister dans ?engraissement du bétail.     

Productivity gaps and capacity utilization in the manufacturing sectors of five OECD-countries, 1963–1982

The purpose of this paper is to apply some novel features in the theory of productivity indexes to the measurement of productivity gaps. It advances the proposition that one reason for the persistence of productivity gaps might be that the methodology of measuring gaps does not separate shifts of the production function due to intercountry efficiency from shifts due to intercountry differences in capacity utilization.In this paper we calculate productivity gaps for four OECD countries relative to the U.S., adjusted for cyclical variations in capacity utilization for the period 1963–1982. The theoretical foundation of our measurement is based on a variable cost function approach with short-run fixity of capital. Without adjusting for differences in capacity utilization within the countries, productivity gaps are a mixture of differences in productivity and in capacity utilization.The refereeing process of this paper was handled through C. Morrison.     

The costs of organization structure: Dispelling the myths of independent divisions and organization-wide decision making

For theoretical and methodological convenience, accountants often assume that the divisions of an organization are largely independent of one another and that divisional managers therefore can make decisions consistent with global optimality. Along with these assumptions, accountants have taken the structure of an organization as fixed and not changeable. This paper suggests a framework and method for assessing the costs resulting from non-independent divisions, as a component of organization productivity. Also offered is a methodology for changing the structure of organizations so that these hidden “conversion costs” first will be exposed and then can be managed for productivity improvements. Structural change thus becomes an alternative to designing elaborate information/control systems as a way of managing interdependency problems. Furthermore, as organizations are redesigned to make divisions more independent, accountants can concentrateon more intermediate matters, such as procedures for optimally determining joint-cost allocation and transfer prices, with minimal interference from the divisional structure of the organization.     

Development Assistance and Exports: The Case of the United States

The relationship of development assistance and exports has been a controversial subject in recent years. U.S. public organizations feel that development assistance, particularly for research, while intended primarily and immediately to encourage economic development in low-income nations, will also help increase the effective demand for agricultural exports. Some commodity-oriented U.S. farm groups, on the other hand, see assistance primarily in terms of leading to increased competition for exports of their product. They would have the U.S.A. provide less international support for agricultural development and they have had some influence. While there has been considerable debate on the subject, this has not yet resulted in the development of an enlightened national policy. The paper attempts to sort out the facts and perceptions that have led to this situation and to provide some policy suggestions. Two important needs are for: (a) greater public understanding, and (b) strengthened domestic research and improved linkages between domestic and international research activities. Paradoxically, the latter point tends to be overlooked by some of the farm groups but is essential if the U.S. is to remain competitive in what is likely to become a more open international market in the future.     

Treatment patterns among patients with psoriasis using a large national payer database in the United States: a retrospective study

Aim: To characterize treatment patterns of psoriasis patients in a large US managed care database.

Materials and methods: Adults with newly-diagnosed psoriasis were identified from July 3, 2006–August 31, 2014. Patients had continuous enrollment with medical and pharmacy benefits for ≥6 months prior to and ≥1 year following the index date. The index date was the point at which any of the following inclusion criteria were satisfied: first psoriasis diagnosis by a dermatologist, ≥ 2 psoriasis diagnoses ≥30 days apart, or a diagnosis of psoriasis followed by a claim for psoriasis therapy. Of primary interest was to measure and describe the following psoriasis treatment patterns: utilization rates, time to treatment discontinuation, and lines of therapy for various therapeutic classes of pharmacologic therapies.

Results: From the 128,308 patients identified, 53% were female, mean?±?SD age was 50?±?16 years, with median 3 years follow-up. Topicals were received by 86% of patients, non-biologic systemics by 13%, biologics by 6%, phototherapy by 5%, and 13% received no psoriasis-related medication. Median time from index to first treatment was 0 days for topical, 6 months for non-biologic systemic, and 6 months for biologic. Of those treated, first-line therapies included topical (95%), non-biologic systemic (4%), and biologic (2%). For those with second-line treatment, non-biologic systemic (71%) and biologic (30%) therapies were more common. The most common treatment pattern was topicals only (83%), while all other patterns comprised <5% of the treatment patterns observed.

Limitations: Like other observational studies, limitations to consider when interpreting results include the 6-month pre-index period of no psoriasis or the psoriasis medication claim may not perfectly select only incident user of psoriasis medications, claims-based algorithms may not accurately represent true treatment patterns, absence of over-the-counter medications data, and having no trend analyses over time or between groups.

Conclusions: While the majority of patients with psoriasis initiated a pharmacological therapy, a significant portion did not have a claim for any psoriasis medication. Topical treatments are the most commonly used treatments for psoriasis. Non-biologic systemic and biologic therapies were rarely used first line, but became more common in later lines of treatment.