The Employers' cost of Workers' Compensation Insurance: Magnitudes, Determinants, and Public Policy

This paper presents estimates of the average cost of the workers' compensation insurance program for a homogeneous group of employers by state. These estimates are of interest because they reflect the operation, direct nominal costs, and efficiency of workers' compensation. The paper estimates cost equations for a variety of alternative specifications. The main finding is that when cost equations are estimated by ordinary least squares there is a unit elasticity of costs with respect to benefits, but instrumental variable estimates of the effect of benefits yield a greater than unit elasticity. The results also indicate that the presence of a state insurance fund is associated with higher average costs to employers, all else equal. Finally, we explore the impact that the minimum standards recommended by the National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws would have on workers' compensation costs.

Correlation of shock initiated and thermally initiated chemical reactions in a 1:1 atomic ratio nickel-silicon mixture

Shock initiated chemical reaction experiments have been performed on a 1:1 atomic ratio mixture of 20- to 45-µm nickel and –325 mesh crystalline silicon powders. It has been observed that no detectable or only minor surface reactions occur between the constituents until a thermal energy threshold is reached, above which the reaction goes to completion. The experiments show the energy difference between virtually no and full reaction is on the order of 5 percent. Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) of statically pressed powders shows an exothermic reaction beginning at a temperature which decreases with decreasing porosity. Powder, shock compressed to just below the threshold energy, starts to react in the DSC at 621 °C while powder statically pressed to 23% porosity starts to react at about 30 °C higher. Tap density powder starts to react at 891 °C. The DSC reaction initiation temperature of the shock compressed but unreacted powder corresponds to a thermal energy in the powder of 382 J/g which agrees well with the thermal energy produced by a shock wave with the threshold energy (between 384 and 396 J/g). (Thermal energies referenced to 20 °C.) A sharp energy threshold and a direct correlation with DSC results indicates that the mean thermal energy determines whether or not the reaction will propagate in the elemental Ni+Si powder mixture rather than local, particle level conditions. From this it may be concluded that the reaction occurs on a time scale greater than the time constant for thermal diffusion into the particle interiors

Another Look at Whether a Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

Periods of rapid U.S. economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s coincided with improved living standards for many segments of the population, including the disadvantaged as well as the affluent, suggesting to some that a rising economic tide lifts all demographic boats. This paper investigates the impact of U.S. business cycle conditions on population well-being since the 1970s. Aggregate employment and hours worked in this period are strongly procyclical, particularly for low-skilled workers, while aggregate real wages are only mildly procyclical. Similar patterns appear in a balanced panel of PSID respondents that removes the effects of changing workforce composition, though the magnitude of the responsiveness of real wages to unemployment appears to have declined in the last 20 years. Economic upturns increase the likelihood that workers acquire jobs in sectors with positively sloped career ladders. Spending by state and local governments in all categories rises during economic expansions, including welfare spending, for which needs vary countercyclically. Since the disadvantaged are likely to benefit disproportionately from such government spending, it follows that the public finances also contribute to conveying the benefits of a strong economy to diverse population groups.

Discrete Choices, Trade‐offs, and Advantages: Modeling Social Venture Opportunities and Intentions

[Excerpt] Our study is motivated by the fundamental question of whether social entrepreneurs differ from \u27traditional\u27 entrepreneurs. More concretely, is the way that aspiring entrepreneurs view social entrepreneurial opportunities different from the way they view more traditional (defined as primarily economic) entrepreneurial opportunities? Answering this question is critical to the advancement of the study of social entrepreneurship, and represents a powerful vehicle for demonstrating how the study of social entrepreneurship also advances our knowledge of traditional entrepreneurship

The Role of the IMF in Future Sovereign Debt Restructurings: Report of the Annenberg House Expert Group

A meeting of international finance and insolvency experts was held on November 2, 2013 at the Annenberg House in Santa Monica, California. The meeting was co-hosted by the USC Law School and the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands. The goal was to solicit the views of experts on the implications of the IMF’s April 26, 2013 paper captioned “Sovereign Debt Restructuring -- Recent Developments and Implications for the Fund’s Legal and Policy Framework”. The April 26 paper may signal a shift in IMF policies in the area of sovereign debt workouts. Although the Expert Group discussed a number of the ideas contained in the April 26 paper, attention focused on paragraph 32 of that paper. That paragraph states in relevant part: “There may be a case for exploring additional ways to limit the risk that Fund resources will simply be used to bail out private creditors. For example, a presumption could be established that some form of a creditor bail-in measure would be implemented as a condition for Fund lending in cases where, although no clear-cut determination has been made that the debt is unsustainable, the member has lost market access and prospects for regaining market access are uncertain.” This Report summarizes the consensus views of the Expert Group on the practical implications of the suggestions contained in paragraph 32 of the April 26 paper

A Hugoniot theory for solid and powder mixtures

A model is presented from which one can calculate the Hugoniot of solid and porous two‐component mixtures up to moderate pressures using only static thermodynamic properties of the components. The model does not presuppose either the relative magnitude of the thermal and elastic energies or temperature equilibrium between the two components. It is shown that for a mixture, the conservation equations define a Hugoniot surface and that the ratio of the thermal energy of the components determines where the shocked state of the mixture lies on this surface. This ratio, which may strongly affect shock‐initiated chemical reactions and the properties of consolidated powder mixtures, is found to have only a minor effect on the Hugoniot of a mixture. It is also found that the Hugoniot of solids and solid mixtures is sensitive to the pressure derivative of the isentropic bulk modulus at constant entropy

Social problems in oncology

A study was undertaken to describe, evaluate and categorise the social problems experienced by cancer patients. Ninety-six adult cancer patients at all stages of disease participated in either a telephone focus group discussion, a face to face focus group or an individual interview which were tape recorded and transcribed. Six experts analysed the transcripts. A total of 32 social problems were identified categorized under eight headings plus four single items. The categories were: problems with (1) managing in the home, (2) health and welfare services, (3) finances, (4) employment, (5) legal matters, (6) relationships, (7) sexuality and body image and (8) recreation. Problems with relationships and communication were the most frequently reported with financial, employment, body image and domestic problems also being widely endorsed. Female groups, younger patient groups and groups where the aim of treatment was palliative reported more social problems than other groups. Social problems are common and important to cancer patients. The social problems identified in this study will contribute to an item pool generated for developing a Social Problems Inventory that may be included in patient centred assessment as part of routine oncology practice

The identification of reasons, solutions, and techniques informing a theory-based intervention targeting recreational sports participation

This study is the 3rd piece of formative research utilizing the theory of planned behavior to inform the development of a behavior change intervention. Focus groups were used to identify reasons for and solutions to previously identified key beliefs in addition to potentially effective behavior change techniques. A purposive sample of 22 first-year undergraduate students (n = 8 men; M  = 19.8 years, SD = 1.3 years) attending a university in the North of England was used. Focus groups were audio-recorded; recordings were transcribed verbatim, analyzed thematically, and coded for recurrent themes. The data revealed 14 reasons regarding enjoyment, 11 reasons for friends' approval, 11 reasons for friends' own participation, 14 reasons for the approval of family members, and 10 solutions to time constraints. Twelve distinct techniques were suggested to attend to these reasons and solutions. This qualitative research will be used to inform the development of a theory-based intervention to increase students' participation in university recreational sports