The Innovation Threshold

In this paper, we propose an economic model to analyse the sales out of new products. This model accounts for the fact that even among firms for which R&D is a permanent activity, a fraction of firms does not have sales of innovative products during a two-year observation period. We propose a model in which the fixed costs of introduction is a major concern in the decision making process. In a structural model we estimate the fixed costs of the market introduction of new products and explain subsequent sales of innovative products. We examine an indicator of innovative output, i.e. sales of products 'new to the firm'. We estimate fixed costs thresholds using data from the Dutch part of the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) from 1998. R&D intensity, competition and market structure have a positive impact on sales of new products. The most important factors to decrease the fixed costs threshold of introduction are product related R&D investments, R&D subsidies and knowledge spillovers.Innovation;Product R&D;Threshold model

Implementing personalized obstetric care

Unfortunately, pregnancies do not always happen without complications. Although in some cases complications can be well treated, prevention is better than cure. It is therefore useful if an obstetrician or gynecologist can make a good estimate of the potential risks at the beginning of the pregnancy. In the Expect study, described in this thesis, models that make it possible to estimate the risk of pregnancy poisoning or pregnancy diabetes (so-called prediction models) were applied in birth care in combination with care pathways tailored to the personal risk. The first results show that the models were frequently used. Additional advice and measures were frequently discussed and applied in a substantial group of women. The research shows that more healthy babies were born during the application of the new birth care, especially among women who were pregnant for the first time. In addition, the new birth care has led to a significant cost reduction of on average € 2,700 per pregnancy