A compensation-based pricing scheme in marketswith non-convexities

A compensation-based pricing scheme is a market clearing mechanism that may be applied when a uniform, linear pricing scheme cannot support equilibrium allocations in the auction markets. We analyze extensions of our previously proposed pricing scheme [14] to include various possible representations of bids that reflect some non-convex costs and constraints. We conclude with a discussion on directions for future research.auction design, electricity market, non-convex bids, minimum profit condition, unit commitment constraints

Maximizing Competency Education and Blended Learning: Insights from Experts

In May 2014, CompetencyWorks brought together twenty-three technical assistance providers to examine their catalytic role in implementing next generation learning models, share each other's knowledge and expertise about blended learning and competency education, and discuss next steps to move the field forward with a focus on equity and quality. Our strategy maintains that by building the knowledge and networks of technical assistance providers, these groups can play an even more catalytic role in advancing the field. The objective of the convening was to help educate and level set the understanding of competency education and its design elements, as well as to build knowledge about using blended learning modalities within competency-based environments. This paper attempts to draw together the wide-ranging conversations from the convening to provide background knowledge for educators to understand what it will take to transform from traditional to personalized, competency-based systems that take full advantage of blended learning

Joint Labor-Management Training Programs for Healthcare Worker Advancement and Retention

[Excerpt] Filling vacancies and retaining workers in shortage areas such as nursing and other allied health occupations remains a challenge in today’s healthcare industry. At the same time, low-wage workers in the healthcare industry often lack the educational credentials necessary to move into higher-paying occupations. This study seeks to understand the role of multi-employer joint labor-management healthcare worker training in meeting the needs of employers for career ladder advancement in their incumbent workforce. The study focuses on hospital employers and their experience with strategies for the advancement of low-wage and entry level workers into healthcare career pathways

In What Ways do Employee Business Resource Groups Positively Impact the Company\u27s Business Results?

[Excerpt] Employee resource groups (ERGs) are being utilized by 90% of Fortune 500 companies in their quest to create diverse and inclusive environments that reflect a changing workforce and marketplace. ERGs began as inward-looking affinity groups designed as safe spaces for underrepresented groups of employees and a means to recruit and retain diverse employees. ERGs are now becoming more strategic parts of the organization where their goals are mapped directly to the business’ objectives (Figure 1 highlights the evolution of ERGs). As these groups mature, businesses are now looking for new ways to utilize ERGs power and their diverse workforce to drive positive business results. Figure 2 highlights where businesses believe ERGs can have the most business impact

Optimal simple monetary policy rules and welfare in a DSGE Model for Hungary

We explore the properties of welfare-maximizing monetary policy in a medium-scale DSGE model for Hungary. In order to make our results operational from a policymaker’s perspective, we approximate the optimal policy rule with a set of simple rules reacting only to observable variables. Our results suggest that “science of monetary policy” that is found robust in simple models, holds in this medium-scaled setting as well. That is, the welfare-maximizing policy that aims to eliminate distortions associated with nominal rigidities can be approximated by a simple inflation targeting rule. Adding exchange rate into the feedback rule only marginally improves the stabilization properties of the policy rule. However, a rule reacting to wage inflation can be significantly welfare-improving. These results may suggest that in our medium-sized model the distortions associated with sticky wage setting have at least as important welfare implications as those related to the price stickiness in product markets.monetary policy, central banking, policy design

Online Algorithms for Dynamic Matching Markets in Power Distribution Systems

This paper proposes online algorithms for dynamic matching markets in power distribution systems, which at any real-time operation instance decides about matching -- or delaying the supply of -- flexible loads with available renewable generation with the objective of maximizing the social welfare of the exchange in the system. More specifically, two online matching algorithms are proposed for the following generation-load scenarios: (i) when the mean of renewable generation is greater than the mean of the flexible load, and (ii) when the condition (i) is reversed. With the intuition that the performance of such algorithms degrades with increasing randomness of the supply and demand, two properties are proposed for assessing the performance of the algorithms. First property is convergence to optimality (CO) as the underlying randomness of renewable generation and customer loads goes to zero. The second property is deviation from optimality, is measured as a function of the standard deviation of the underlying randomness of renewable generation and customer loads. The algorithm proposed for the first scenario is shown to satisfy CO and a deviation from optimal that varies linearly with the variation in the standard deviation. But the same algorithm is shown to not satisfy CO for the second scenario. We then show that the algorithm proposed for the second scenario satisfies CO and a deviation from optimal that varies linearly with the variation in standard deviation plus an offset

A Sampling of Workplace Flexibility Laws and Programs for Military Personnel

A variety of laws, policies, and programs govern the availability and utilization of workplace flexibility in the military as an employer for both service members and civilians. This document provides examples of those laws, policies, and programs, categorized by the type of flexibility governed