The Effects of HMOs on Conventional Insurance Premiums: Theory and Evidence

We develop a model of imperfectly competitive insurers that compete with HMOs for consumers who have private information about their health status. We illustrate two conflicting effects of increasing HMO activity on conventional insurance premiums. We term these effects market discipline -- HMO competition may limit the ability of insurers to exercise market power, thus driving prices down -- and market segmentation -- HMOs may skim the healthiest patients, thus driving insurers' costs and prices up. We empirically examine the relative importance of these effects using data from a firm-level survey that provides data on premiums, together with market-level measures of HMO activity. Our results suggest that the market segmentation effect is important, and that increases in HMO activity may increase insurance premiums.

Predicting the physicochemical properties and geographical ORIGIN of lentils using near infrared spectroscopy

[EN]Calibration statistical descriptors for both whole and ground lentils using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), combined with fiber-optic probe, are presented and discussed. The models were developed for estimating the weight, size, total raw protein, moisture, total fat, total fiber, and ash. Standard methods were used to determine compositional parameters of 42 samples of different varieties of lentils. The calibration curves show a wide range of validity for all parameters. The results showed excellent predictability for the determination of weight, fiber, and ash in whole lentils. However, size, moisture, and total fat were predicted satisfactorily in ground lentils. The total protein content could be predicted for both whole and ground lentils. Moreover, NIRS and Direct Partial Least Squares (DPLS) were used to determine whether a sample of lentils belonged to the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Lenteja de La Armuña” or not. The results showed that 95% of the samples were correctly classified as belonging to a PGI. This result demonstrates that this technique allows the differentiation of samples from nearby regions

The registry of home artificial nutrition and ambulatory of the Spanish society of parenteral and enteral nutrition: Swot analysis

Objetivo: Evidenciar mediante un análisis DAFO-R realizado por consenso de expertos las características más acuciantes del registro de Nutrición Artificial Domiciliaria y Ambulatoria. Material y método: Análisis DAFO-R por consenso de expertos. Se solicitó la participación de los miembros del grupo NADYA activos en los últimos 5 años bajo la premisa de estructurar el DAFO-R sobre las características del registro NADYA desde su inicio. Resultados: Han participado 18 expertos de diferentes hospitales de la geografía española. El análisis interno se inclina positivamente presentando al registro con recursos importantes. En el análisis externo no son numerosas las amenazas, hay factores de gran potencia, “la voluntariedad del registro” y la “dependencia externa de financiación”. Las oportunidades identificadas son importantes. Las recomendaciones se dirigen a la estabilización del sistema disminuyendo las amenazas como foco principal de las estrategias a desarrollar al mismo tiempo que se debe potenciar los puntos identificados en oportunidades y fortalezas. Conclusiones: El registro NADYA se muestra en el análisis con gran potencialidad de mejora. Las recomendaciones propuestas deberán estructurarse para continuar la tendencia de desarrollo y perfeccionamiento de la calidad que ha caracterizado al registro NADYA desde su inicio.Objective: To evidence by means of a SWOT-R analysis performed by an expert consensus the most worrying characteristics of the register on Home-based and Outpatient Artificial Nutrition. Material and methods: SWOT-R analysis with expert consensus. We requested the participation of the active members of the NADYA group within the last 5 years with the premise of structuring the SWOT-R based on the characteristics of the NADYA registry from its beginning. Results: 18 experts from hospitals all over Spain have participated. The internal analysis seems to be positive, presenting the registry as having important resources. The external analysis did not show a great number of threats, there are very potent factors, “the voluntariness” of the registry and the “dependence on external financing”. The opportunities identified are important. The recommendations are aimed at stabilizing the system by decreasing the threats as one of the main focus of the strategies to develop as well as promoting the items identified as opportunities and strengths. Conclusions: The analysis shows that the NADYA register shows a big potentiality for improvement. The proposed recommendations should be structured in order to stay on the track of development and quality improvement that has characterized the NADYA register from the beginnin

Leveraging analytics to produce compelling and profitable film content

Producing compelling film content profitably is a top priority to the long-term prosperity of the film industry. Advances in digital technologies, increasing availabilities of granular big data, rapid diffusion of analytic techniques, and intensified competition from user generated content and original content produced by Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) platforms have created unparalleled needs and opportunities for film producers to leverage analytics in content production. Built upon the theories of value creation and film production, this article proposes a conceptual framework of key analytic techniques that film producers may engage throughout the production process, such as script analytics, talent analytics, and audience analytics. The article further synthesizes the state-of-the-art research on and applications of these analytics, discuss the prospect of leveraging analytics in film production, and suggest fruitful avenues for future research with important managerial implications

Corpus Based Approaches to Figurative Language

Since the inception of the biennial Corpus Linguistics Conferences in 2001, we have held an accompanying work-shop/colloquium on Corpus-Based Approaches to Figurative Language, with the exception of 2007. We are continuing the tradition in 2009 with the 5th Corpus Linguistics Conference at the University of Liverpool, UK, 20th-23rd July. The theme of the colloquium this year is variation and variability in metaphor. This is a broad topic that is intended to encompass matters such as, but not limited to: variation in particular types of metaphor, such as temporal metaphors, across different genres such as news items or personal blogs; degrees of entrenchment or conventionality in metaphor, again possibly across different genres/registers; the nature of mixed metaphors; and how to use corpora to get at such types of information. The colloquium was also open to contributions examining any aspect of figurative language from a corpus-based perspective, since we believe that, for example, participants who have undertaken good corpus-based studies of a particular topic, but who have used only a single genre or corpus, may find fruitful interaction with other participants who have investigated similar topics but used different genres. Such interaction is by itself an important contribution to the theme of variety and variability

Digital supply chain management in the videogames industry: a systematic literature review

As industries mature, they rely more heavily on supply chain management (SCM) to ensure effective operations leading to greater levels of organisational performance. SCM has been widely covered in many industrial areas and, in line with other burgeoning sectors such as Tourism, an industry focus provides the opportunity to look in-depth at the context-based factors that affect SCM. Developments in digital distribution and rapid technological innovations have resulted in an increased focus on Digital Supply Chains (DSCs), which bring about significant changes to how consumers, customers, suppliers, and manufacturers interact, affecting supply chain design and processes. Through a systematic review of the Videogames Industry Supply Chain Management literature, which serves as a pertinent contextual example of a DSC, we look at how supply chains are affected by structural, market and technological change, such as increased platformisation, disintermediation and the proliferation of digital distribution. We distil these findings into a new research agenda, which identifies themes in line with extant DSC research, provides a series of relevant practice recommendations and identifies opportunities for future research