Bridging the gap between health and non-health investments: moving from cost-effectiveness analysis to a return on investment approach across sectors of economy

When choosing from a menu of treatment alternatives, the optimal treatment depends on the objective function and the assumptions of the model. The classical decision rule of cost-effectiveness analysis may be formulated via two different objective functions: (i) maximising health outcomes subject to the budget constraint or (ii) maximising the net benefit of the intervention with the budget being determined ex post. We suggest a more general objective function of (iii) maximising return on investment from available resources with consideration of health and non-health investments. The return on investment approach allows to adjust the analysis for the benefits forgone by alternative non-health investments from a societal or subsocietal perspective. We show that in the presence of positive returns on non-health investments the decision-maker's willingness to pay per unit of effect for a treatment program needs to be higher than its incremental cost-effectiveness ratio to be considered cost-effectiv

Business Intelligence And Geographic Information System Lifecycle Architecture Using Cloud Computing For Smart Community

Business Intelligence (BI) is a technique and IT tool that supports business decision making. BI is considered a unique source of competitive advantage in the market place and it can combine data, multimedia, and transactions all in one application to address people\u27s needs. Using BI applications can increase both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. In addition, BI improves planning that provides the foundation for top successful performances in the future. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) deliver productivity tools that are highly beneficial for businesses. These benefits include: visualization, business capacity, analysis, and interpreting data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends. Another benefit is a new feature can report drivers who speed, accelerate hard, and make sudden stops. Nowadays, GIS is responsible for developing standard, strategy, and policy that emphasize coordination and cooperation among organizations and businesses in order to maximize cost effectiveness. Smart card technology is the name that describes plastic cards with an embedded computer chip. Basically, smart cards are usually the most cost-effective solution because it increases the level of processing power, memory, and flexibility. Therefore, implementing a smart card in a driver\u27s license can help to build control in a community. However, the general objective of the study is to investigate the feasibility of integrating Cloud Computing, BI, and GIS to build smart community. The research focuses on enhancing GIS tools and build control in community. The proposed system is a new approach in Information Technology that can lower business cost and build policy in organization. The research is nonexperimental study used qualitative method to answer certain research questions posed for the study. The result obtained from analysis exists GIS showed that enhance GIS can build control in the community. Furthermore, there is a feasibility integrating BI, Cloud and GIS to build smart community. On the bases of these finding, IT synergy will influence the business workflow process and performance of organization. Organizations can achieve many benefits from the integrating Cloud Computing approach, BI and GIS in decision making

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SAUDI WOMEN’S EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN GRADUATE ENGLISH PROGRAMS IN TWO INTERNATIONAL CONTEXTS: SAUDI ARABIA AND THE UNITED STATES

Although there are a significant number of Saudi females pursuing graduate degrees in Saudi Arabia and abroad, few studies have examined their educational experiences. This qualitative multi-case study examines the educational experiences of ten Saudi females who graduated with a master’s degree in an English language related field in two international contexts: American universities and Saudi universities. By conducting qualitative semi-structured interviews and document analysis, this study explored the challenges these two groups faced and the strategies they used to succeed in higher education institutions in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. This study discusses the roles that culture, religion, gender, and the English language play in these Saudi women’s academic experiences. In addition, this research sheds light on how these two groups’ educational experiences in two dissimilar international contexts influenced their views, values, and concepts of education and their personal identities as Saudi women. v In each case, Saudi female participants faced different challenges and opportunities. The five Saudi female participants in the first case, those who graduated from American universities, were supported academically more than culturally, socially, and religiously. In contrast, the five Saudi female participants in the second case, those who graduated from Saudi universities, were supported culturally, socially, and religiously more than academically. To overcome their challenges, in both cases the participants were resilient. In addition, the Saudi female students who graduated from American universities experienced the racial/ethnic diversity and gender integration of U.S. classrooms and society and developed intercultural competence. In both cases, pursuing a graduate degree (and facing different challenges along the way) was a transformational journey that helped all the participants grow personally and academically. Based on this study’s findings, recommendations are presented for empowering Saudi female graduate students and enhancing their academic success in higher education both in Saudi Arabia and in the United States

Integrated Maritime Simulation Complex Management, Quality And Training Effectiveness From The Perspective Of Modeling And Simulation In The State Of Florida, USA (A Case Study)

Naturally, maritime training simulators at all events are valuable instructional and pedagogical tools. Through the history, the maritime simulation was utilized to train prospective maritime apprentices in whom it has filled the gap left by the acute shortage of opportunities for jobs onboard vessels around the globe. However, professional seafarers are the axis of success and competitiveness in the field of maritime training. They are the ones that, who are well trained and have the responsibilities of their work and the surrounding environment. In order to achieve the success along with effective training skills, both maritime companies and seafarers should implement a management of safety onboard ships, which only can be executed through the effective usage of the Bridge Resource Management (BRM) and righteous maritime simulation training. Qualitative upgrading of the maritime training process at higher education levels depends predominantly on the instructive value of the instructors\u27 educational software and the content of these programs which contains advanced and intelligent scenarios that benefit positively in providing effective training in order to, transfer and implement their gained skills from virtual reality to the actual environment with minimal risks and additionally to avoid the unforeseen occurrences at sea. The outcomes of the evaluation have shown the instructional suitability of the maritime educational scheme and significant capabilities, it provides, as well as the domains and frameworks for its instructional development. The above facts are substantial in the refinement and improvement of the current maritime education and growth of the apprentices\u27 capabilities and the professionalism of their skills, along with the farthest purpose of creating more educated marine navigators in the worldwide merchant fleet. This research proposes and demonstrates in details the purpose of the maritime simulation training complexes, the elements that if provided, will lead to an effective maritime simulation training, types of maritime simulation, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), its tools and its power for the effectiveness of the maritime simulation training through different conventions & codes and the future for the maritime simulation training, in order to emphasize and accentuate the interplay between instructors and apprentices in an integrated maritime simulation complex on which a serious maritime event is taking place. The distillation of this thesis draws an attention to the effectiveness of the partnership between maritime apprentices and their instructors across a maritime simulation training complex scheme during a virtual maritime scenario event in an advanced facilities located in the state of Florida, which is armed with modern technology, provides both added stimulation for the apprentice himself and elevates the simulator a degree toward a vessel for practical training and/or sailing

LEMBAR KERJA DINAMIS GEOGEBRA UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN PENALARAN ANALOGIS SISWA

This study aims to develop GeoGebra Dynamic Worksheets to enhance students' analogical reasoning abilities. Students are expected to interact with GeoGebra Dynamic Worksheets or Dynamic Activities. This research used Design Didactical Research (DDR). Based on the learning obstacles faced by students when carrying out the analogical reasoning process, the GeoGebra Dynamic Worksheet was developed as follows: 1) Reinforcement of the retrieval process: The GeoGebra Worksheet is designed so that students remember in advance about the material or situation that is analogous to the material to be discussed; 2) Strengthening the mapping process: GeoGebra Dynamic Worksheets are designed so that students are able to align the previous analog situation with the new analog situation; 3) Strengthening the evaluation process: several questions are displayed on the Dynamic Worksheet

KEMAMPUAN PENALARAN ANALOGIS SANTRI DALAM GEOMETRI: PENELITIAN KUALITATIF DI SEBUAH PONDOK PESANTREN

AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki kemampuan penalaran analogis santri dalam geometri dan mengidentifikasi kesulitan dan hambatan mereka. Penulis mendeskripsikan bagaimana kemampuan analogis dalam pemahaman konsep geometri, kemampuan penalaran analogis dalam teorema dan sifat, dan kemampunan penalaran analogis dalam masalah geometri. Penelitian ini merupakan bagian dari pengembangan bahan ajar geometri untuk meningkatkan kemampuan penalaran analogis santri. Adapun metode penelitiannya menggunakan penelitian kualitatif dalam materi teorema Pythagoras, aturan kosinus, dan teorema garis tinggi segitiga yang melibatkan 80 santri di sebuah Pondok Pesantren di Bandung, Indonesia. Hasil dari penelitian ini menemukan bahwa kemampuan penalaran analogis santri berada di kategori rendah dan cukup. Berdasarkan hasil tes dan wawancara menunjukkan santri kesulitan menuliskan persamaan Pythagoras berdasarkan gambar segitiga siku-siku dalam berbagai konteks, menuliskan persamaan kosinus berdasarkan definisi verbal dan gambar, melukis segitiga siku-siku berdasarkan persamaan Pythagoras, melakukan penalaran analogis antara teorema Pythagoras dan aturan kosinus, dan melakukan penalaran analogis berdasarkan teorema. Rekomendasi dari penelitian ini berupa kesulitan-kesulitan dan kelemahan-kelemahan santri dalam kemampuan penalaran analogis yang akan menjadi landasan untuk mengembangan bahan ajar geometri. AbstractThis study aims to investigate the analogical reasoning ability of santri in geometry and identify their difficulties and constraints. The author describes how analogical reasoning in understanding the concepts of geometry, analogical reasoning in theorems and properties, and the use of analogical reasoning in geometry problems. This research is part of the development of geometry teaching materials to improve the analogical reasoning ability of santri. The research method uses qualitative research in the material of Pythagoras theorem, the law of cosine, and triangle altitude theorem that involves 80 santri at a Pondok Pesantren in Bandung, Indonesia. The results of this study found that the santri's analogical reasoning abilities were in the low and sufficient category. Based on the results of the tests and interviews it is difficult for students to write Pythagoras equations based on right triangle images in various contexts, writing cosine equations based on verbal definitions and drawings, painting right triangles based on Pythagoras equations, analogical reasoning between Pythagorean theorem and cosine rules; doing analogical reasoning based on the theorem. The recommendation of this research is the difficulties and weaknesses of santri in analogical reasoning ability that will be the basis for developing geometry teaching materials

Perbandingan metode Abdul-Shakel-M. Khalid (ASM) dengan metode zero suffix untuk mendapatkan solusi optimal

INDONESIA Dalam tugas akhir ini, konsep masalah transportasi diaplikasikan pada perusahaan-perusahaan yang mengalami kesulitan dalam pengangkutan barang dari tempat asal ke tempat tujuan untuk meminimalisir biaya transportasi. Dengan menggunakan metode ASM dan metode zero suffix pada konsep transportasi, penulis membandingkan metode-metode tersebut untuk mendapatkan solusi optimal dengan biaya transportasi minimum. Hal ini bertujuan agar perusahaan-perusahaan tersebut dapat menentukan jadwal transportasi yang memiliki total biaya transportasi minimum dengan metode yang lebih efisien. Dalam studi kasus yang diteliti menunjukkan bahwa metode ASM memberikan hasil yang lebih baik dari zero suffix, baik untuk data transportasi seimbang maupun data transportasi tak seimbang. Hal ini disebabkan metode ASM hanya memperhatikan nilai supply dan demand yang paling minimal, sedangkan metode zero suffix harus mencari suffix value pada setiap iterasi. Kedua metode tersebut menghasilkan biaya pengiriman yang sama sebesar Rp. 42.818.220 untuk transportasi seimbang dan Rp. 67.610 untuk transportasi tak seimbang. ENGLISH In this book, the concept of transportation problems is applied to companies that have difficulty in transporting from the place of origin to the destination to minimize transportation costs. Using the ASM method and the zero-suffix method on transportation concepts, the authors compare these methods to obtain optimal solutions with minimum transportation costs. It aims to enable companies to specify a transport schedule that has a minimum total transportation cost with an efficient method. In the case study, the ASM method showed better results than zero suffix, both for balanced and unbalanced data transportation. This is because the ASM method only takes the minimum supply and demand, while the zero suffix method must find the suffix value for each iteration. Both forms generated the same shipping cost of Rp. 42,818,220 for balanced transportation and Rp. 67.610 for unbalanced transportation

Decision rules and uncertainty in the economic evaluation of health care technologies

Health is often regarded as the most precious good of all. This is frequently illustrated by the widespread opinion that no expense should be spared to maintain one's health. However, in most societies the awareness that health care expenditure should be controlled in one way or another is highly prevalent. In most Western countries health care expenditure expanded substantially over the past decades, not only in absolute terms but also as a proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 2000, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the USA spent 8.1 o/o, 10.7 o/o and 13.0% of their GDP on health care. In the same countries in 1980 the expenditure for health care was 7.5o/o, 7.6% and 8.7%, respectively ('Vv11!VV.oecd.org). In the face of mounting pressure to contain health care resource consumption, policy-makers are increasingly forced to consider an economics perspective when judging whether a new medical technology should be financed

Fuzzy Control of Flexible Multibody Spacecraft: A Linear Matrix Inequality Approach

To reduce the cost of lifting to orbit, modern spacecraft and structures used in space applications are designed from light material as flexible multibody system. Moreover The unprecedented requirements for rapid retargeting, precision pointing and tracking capability have made these multibody highly flexible spacecraft vulnerable to dynamic excitation caused by the slewing/pointing maneuver, vibration and external disturbances. As a result, this will degrade the performance of the spacecraft including the pointing accuracy. Thus the aspect of modeling and control become extremely important for the safe and effective operation. Despite the numerous research, the development of high performance, nonlinear control laws for attitude stability, rapid slewing and precision pointing remain the primary objective of scientists and engineers. The aim of the work presented in this thesis is to investigate the stability, performance, and robustness of a class of fuzzy control system called Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) applied to a flexible multi-body spacecraft, and to show the advantage and the simplicity in implementing the T-S fuzzy controller over other baseline nonlinear controllers