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Cost Structure and the Measurement of Economic Performance is designed to provide a comprehensive guide for students, researchers or consultants who wish to model, construct, interpret, and use economic performance measures. The topical emphasis is on productivity growth and its dependence on the cost structure. The methodological focus is on application of the tools of economic analysis - the `thinking structure' provided by microeconomic theory - to measure technological or cost structure, and link it with market and regulatory structure. This provides a rich basis for evaluation of economic performance and its determinants. The format of the book stresses topics or questions of interest rather than the theoretical tools for analysis. Traditional productivity growth modeling and measurement practices that result in a productivity residual often called the `measure of our ignorance' are initially overviewed, and then the different aspects of technological, market and regulatory structure that might underlie this residual are explored. The ultimate goal is to decompose or explain the residual, by modeling and measuring a multitude of impacts that determine the economic performance of firms, sectors, and economies. The chapters are organized with three broad goals in mind. The first is to introduce the overall ideas involved in economic performance measurement and traditional productivity growth analysis. Issues associated with different types of (short and long run, internal and external) cost economies, market and regulatory impacts, and other general cost efficiencies that might impact these measures are then explored. Finally, some of the theoretical, data construction and econometric tools necessary to justify and implement these models are emphasized

Contents -- List of Figures -- Acknowledgements -- 1 Trust, Risk and Framing Contemporary Childhood -- News media and panics about threatened childhood and youth disorder -- From periodic panics to 'permanent' panicking: lessons from the literature -- Questions of trust and security -- Gaps in the literature -- 2 'Worthy' vs 'Unworthy' Children: Images of Childhood through Time -- The ambiguous child -- Worthy versus unworthy children: positioning the young today -- 3 Our Children and Other People's: Childhood in the Age of Distrust

Background: Rigorous evaluation of community based interventions is necessary to build the evidence base for maternal and child survival in developing countries. Randomised controlled trials may be the most reliable method of determining effectiveness of interventions, but they are unable to evaluate the impact of context and implementation, and explain how an outcome occurred. This thesis explores the outcome of a cluster randomised controlled trial using women's groups in Nepal. Intervention areas experienced a 30% reduction in neonatal mortality, and increases in good care behaviours. I describe how communities experienced the intervention and explore how the implementation process and community context affected the community response. Methods: I used qualitative research methods, purposefully sampling stakeholders from two intervention areas, and one control area. Photoelicitation was used, and research assistants conducted semi-structured interviews, group interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. Data were tape recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Data were analysed using framework and NVIVO qualitative analysis software. Data were also fed back to respondents to increase validity. Results: Themes emerging from the data revealed a lack of trust in local health facilities, plurality in care seeking during illness, and a positive attitude towards working with non governmental organisations. Women's groups created a learning forum for group members, and this knowledge was disseminated in communities. Strategies to address problems were of particular significance in enabling dissemination of information and enabling community participation. The intervention increased social networks and built community capacity. Discussion: The effect of context on the intervention is considered in order to assess the generalisability of the intervention. Potential mechanisms of effect are also discussed which help to explain the trial outcome. This thesis supports calls for the integration of concurrent process evaluations within randomised controlled trials, and contributes to the evidence for community-based interventions for maternal and newborn survival.

Abstract We evaluate the productivity and input composition effects of outsourcing (or subcontracting) for Turkish textile and apparel manufacturing plants. We analyze differences in performance indicators for plants that subcontract inputs or outputs, and find that plants that outsource internationally perform better than those that outsource domestically. We evaluate labour productivity gaps and find that more productive plants both initiate outsourcing and subsequently increase their productivity. We then estimate a flexible production function, controlling for simultaneity and selection bias, and find that higher productivity from input subcontracting involves greater skilled labour intensity but the reverse is true for output subcontracting.

Scale economies and agglomeration externalities are alleged to be important determinants of economic growth. To assess these effects, we outline and estimate a microfoundations model based on a dynamic cost function specification. This model provides for the separate identification of the impacts of externalities and cyclical utilization on short- and long-run scale economies and input substitution patterns. We find that scale economies are prevalent in U.S. manufacturing, cost savings and scale effects often attributed to internal inputs may be due to external factors, and supply-side agglomeration effects are greater than demand-side, especially in the long run. (JEL O47, E23)

Western environmental discourse and the corporate report -- Western environmental philosophy -- Corporate reporting -- Operationalising critique -- Predominant corporate philosophical approaches -- Prevalent discursive mechanisms -- Unravelling the discourse -- Reflecting on the discourse of the corporate report -- Index.

"The biotechnology industry and the law are inextricable. Patent, regulatory, and contract law profoundly shape this industry, and each of these practice areas is deeply intertwined with the science it governs. Yet many in the biotech industry lack even a basic grasp of these laws, jeopardizing their business success as a result. This book is an essential introduction to biotechnology law for startup founders, regulatory specialists, patent liaisons, investors, academics, students, and other non-attorneys with biotech backgrounds. It covers core topics such as patentability, patent prosecution and infringement, patent opinions, the development and FDA approval of small molecule and biologic drugs, regulatory exclusivity, generic drugs and ANDA litigation, biosimilars and the patent dance, patent licenses, and collaboration agreements. Biotechnology Law is a clear, concise, and entirely practical primer on the topic, replete with straightforward, real-world examples to illustrate each key concept. The author's expert treatment embraces the new reality that understanding the legal machinery through which science becomes business is not a luxury-it is a crucial part of a scientist's training. Alan J. Morrison is a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. He practices biotechnology law in New York City"--

U.S. leadership in global health advances core U.S. interests. It fulfills shared humanitarian values by saving and enhancing lives. It strengthens health security against common and emerging threats. And it promotes stability and prosperity in far-flung communities in the developing world who strive for better health and better lives for their families. For all these reasons, supporting global health should remain a U.S. government and budget priority--and as the second Obama administration and incoming Congress commence their work, this collection of essays offers pragmatic, informed guidelines for seizing the opportunities ahead.