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Despite of being rich in fossil fuels, the Middle East is currently the main energy consumer and is projected to have the highest growth in energy demand in the world. Due to its great potential in the Middle East, solar energy can play an important role in the plans of energy decision-makers in the region. According to the studies done so far, no study has been done to show the potential benefit of using home-scale solar systems in the Middle East. Therefore, in this work for the first time, the potential of solar electricity production in the capitals of Middle Eastern countries has been studied using HOMER V2.81 software. The investigations are technical, economic, energy, and environmental, and the studied solar system is connected to the national electricity grid. The results showed that in Nicosia, due to the sale of electricity to the grid, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is equal to -0.759 $, which is the lowest price for produced electricity and leads to a return on investment time of 5.69 years for this system. The solar fraction for the Nicosia station is 92%, which prevents the emission of more than 8 tons of CO2 pollutants during the year. The highest value of LCOE with the amount of $0.25 is related to Sana'a, whose investment return time, solar fraction, and annual CO2 emission prevention amount are 14.1 years, 53%, and 1162 kg, respectively. Ranking analysis was done on the results of 5 outputs of the HOMER software as well as 3 other influential parameters using 4 multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. TOPSIS, GRA, WSM, and AHP methods were used, and the final ranking of each station was considered the average of the 4 methods. According to the results, Cyprus and Kuwait stations were the best and worst, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Some pregnant women are not ready or do not want to quit smoking completely, and currently there is no support provided for these women in the UK. Offering help to reduce smoking could reduce the health risks associated with smoking and increase the limited reach of the NHS Stop Smoking Services (SSS) for pregnant women. This study aimed to design and evaluate a hypothetical intervention aimed at pregnant women who are not yet ready or do not want to quit smoking entirely.Methods: A hypothetical intervention, the Reduced Smoking During Pregnancy (RSDP) intervention, was conceptualised based on the best available evidence. The intervention was evaluated, using a decision-analytic model developed for SDP interventions. Two different scenarios, a base-case and a cautious-case were developed, and a cost-utility analysis and return on investment analysis were conducted. The uncertainty around the estimates was assessed, using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.Results: The RSDP intervention could prevent the loss of 13 foetuses and generate 43 quitters 1 year after delivery per 1000 women. In the lifetime analysis, the intervention was cost-effective in both scenarios, with an incremental cost of £363 (95% CI £29 to £672) and 0.44 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.53) QALYs gained in the base-case.Conclusions: The study found that the hypothetical reduction intervention would produce significant health benefits, reduce smoking and be cost-effective. Offering pregnant smokers help to reduce smoking could reduce health inequalities, widen the reach of SSS and improve health. This economic evaluation of a novel, intensive intervention could inform the piloting of such interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study was conducted on 44 residential homes using both traditional house wrap and ZIP System systems to measure the overall airtightness and compare estimated energy usages. The labor, material, and overhead and profit (O&P) costs were analyzed and used to determine the optimal choice for long-term benefits in terms of cost and performance. The impact of insulation installation is considered a key factor in improving the strategy of reducing energy consumption. Improved installation practices can affect the airtightness of common wall assemblies to reduce the building energy performance gaps and provide insight on how to allocate resources better. A framework was developed to analyze operational costs and building energy performance to address how installation quality is a factor in the return of investment in building construction for heating and cooling systems within the thermal envelope. With this methodology, aggressive energy performance goals will be met while balancing the tradeoff between installation techniques and building systems efficiency based on the introduced probabilistic investment return (PIR) metric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of knowledge management as a competitive advantage is evident to everyone, and it is considered one of the critical factors of successful organizations. The capitalist view of knowledge management has led to the measurement of the return on investment resulting from it, and the return on investment has been recognized as a financial indicator for measuring knowledge management. What are the main components of knowledge management? Have components the same coefficients? The impact of the components is different and has different values. In order to achieve this importance, the present study was conducted to develop a return on investment model in knowledge management. This Practical research is mixed method, and in the form of exploratory schema in three stages, qualitative (using grounded theory and the use of interview tools), quantitative (using a descriptive method, a survey using questionnaire tool), quantitative (using a descriptive method, a survey using questionnaire tool) has been done. Each method is analyzed using, respectively, MAX QDA and SPSS software. The findings of the first stage of the study include identifying the benefit and costs of knowledge management. Then, the components validity is obtained, and then in the third stage, a coefficient is assigned to each of them. Identifying costs and benefit Components is a first stage achievement. Experts measured the validity of each component to identify components accurately. Furthermore, finally, in the third stage, each of these components was assigned a coefficient. The development of a new formula, taking into account each of these coefficients, is considered research innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the significant problems in the sago processing, the extraction of the starch from its trunk tops the list. The extraction process involves a debarking and rasping process that is very tedious, unsanitary and time consuming that dramatically affects the quality of starch production since the local processor relies mainly on conventional method of extraction. This paper presents the design, fabrication and performance evaluation of sago pith extraction machine. The design concept made was to rasp the sago pith using a rotating rasper without debarking the log to minimize the steps on the extraction process. Four different teeth spacing of the rasper were considered during the testing and replicated three times; 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, and no teeth as controlled parameters, respectively. Results revealed that teeth spacing has a significant effect on the performance of the machine such as extraction capacity, extraction efficiency and fineness of rasped pith. Based on average, the highest extraction capacity was recorded at 217.47 kg/h using 3 cm teeth spacing, and the highest extraction efficiency was 96.12% using 2 cm teeth spacing and the finest rasped pith having the lowest fineness modulus of 2.15 was when 1 cm teeth spacing is used. Compared to manual and other existing mechanical rasper accounting the process of debarking, machine's extraction capacity is higher, more efficient, safer and hygienic. Cost and benefit analysis supports that the machine is profitable and the financial efficiency is high having a 65% rate of return and 1.8 years payback period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural development projects have a poor track record of success mainly due to risks and uncertainty involved in implementation. Cost-benefit analysis can help allocate resources more effectively, but scarcity of data and high uncertainty makes it difficult to use standard approaches. Bayesian Networks (BN) offer a suitable modelling technology for this domain as they can combine expert knowledge and data. This paper proposes a systematic methodology for creating a general BN model for evaluating agricultural development projects. Our approach adapts the BN model to specific projects by using systematic review of published evidence and relevant data repositories under the guidance of domain experts. We evaluate a large-scale agricultural investment in Africa to provide a proof of concept for this approach. The BN model provides decision support for project evaluation by predicting the value—measured as net present value and return on investment—of the project under different risk scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the influence of the weight of the economic effectiveness evaluation criteria of the major investments of listed enterprises, and provide new management ideas for the development of the follow-up enterprises, firstly, the financial benefit evaluation system of investment projects is analyzed and constructed, and the specific evaluation process is analyzed. Then, on this basis, the evaluation index is refined; the basic structure of BP neural network (BPNN) is introduced, and genetic algorithm is used to improve BP neural network. The cost-benefit analysis model is constructed based on the improved BPNN. The listed company A is taken as an example to analyze its development data in recent years, and then the data of 10 listed companies are taken as the research object. Matlab simulation software is used to train and verify the improved BPNN model, analyze and predict the weight value of the financial benefit index of the investment projects of these 10 companies, and then determine the index to improve the financial benefit of the investment projects. Under the analysis of the development data of listed company A in the past 10 years, it is found that the indicators of the listed company's profitability per share, debt risk operation ability, development, and growth ability in the past 10 years are in relatively stable state. The principal component analysis of its 20 secondary sub-indexes is conducted based on the four primary indicators: profitability, debt risk, operational capacity, and development and growth. A total of eight principal components including return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), (total asset turnover) TATO, turnover of account receivable (AR), asset-liability ratio, interest protection multiple, income growth rate, and year-on-year rate of increase for complete assets are extracted. The average error between the final output value, the actual value, and the expected value is 0.0304 and 0.0169, respectively. The weight coefficient of the monetary benefits evaluation indicator of investment items is calculated, and the computed results show that year-on-year rate of increase for complete assets, TOTA, ROA, turnover of total capital, and ROE are important indexes in the financial benefit evaluation of investment projects. It indicates that to improve the financial benefit of investment projects of listed enterprises, it is necessary to enhance the year-over-year growth degree of total properties and ROA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was implemented on rice farmers in An-Najaf Alshraf Province. It aims at economic assess of rice brands Jasmine – Anbar 33 – Anbar Albaraka .on random layer sample with ratio of 5% . The research depend, to achieving its targets, on using Cost-Benefit Analysis CBA and ADOPT program to assess these brands and identify how far farmers will be familiar to the best brand. Many conclusions have been achieved. The most important ones maybe: the net retuen which is 331 thousands Dinar/ dunums in case of cultivating the brand. This is higher than the net benefit in case of cultivating jasmine brand which is 289 thousand Dinars/ dunums. The interned rate of return was 1.23 . The standard ratio of benefit to the cost is 1.63% . and this refers that the Dinar invested in cultivating Anbar Albaraka brand will benefit with amount equal to 1.63 Dinar. Results also showed that it is expected to adopt brand of 52% of farmers during a duration of 14.9 years. The programs of ADOPT program have showed that it is expected there will be adaptation for the technology from 52% of farmers within a time duration may be about 14.9 . The sensitivity analysis indicated that there could be decrease or increase in this duration by effecting on number of factors such as short term financial restrictions-simple experimental of brand on limited scale- the degree of technical complexity- average awareness and cognition for farmers in using the brand – finally, the first investment to the annual benefit. So, according to the results, the adaptation of Anbar Albaraka will contribute, when cultivated on a large scale, in improving the standard of living of farmers and achieving part of developing targets in the agriculture sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brigham Young University, willing to experiment and pilot new e-book models, has established a comprehensive e-book strategy that includes demand-driven acquisitions, short-term loans, evidence-based acquisitions, subscription packages, purchased packages, and title-by-title purchases. This broad approach has reduced the number of titles purchased under the general domestic approval plan. At the same time, it has added value by providing access to more content, increasing usage, and lowering cost per use while maintaining the same annual expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ParentCorps is a family-centered enhancement to pre-kindergarten programming in elementary schools and early education centers. When implemented in high-poverty, urban elementary schools serving primarily Black and Latino children, it has been found to yield benefits in childhood across domains of academic achievement, behavior problems, and obesity. However, its long-term cost-effectiveness is unknown.Methods: We determined the cost-effectiveness of ParentCorps in high-poverty, urban schools using a Markov Model projecting the long-term impact of ParentCorps compared to standard pre-kindergarten programming. We measured costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) resulting from the development of three disease states (i.e., drug abuse, obesity, and diabetes); from the health sequelae of these disease states; from graduation from high school; from interaction with the judiciary system; and opportunity costs of unemployment with a lifetime time horizon. The model was built, and analyses were performed in 2015-2016.Results: ParentCorps was estimated to save $4387 per individual and increase each individual's quality adjusted life expectancy by 0.27 QALYs. These benefits were primarily due to the impact of ParentCorps on childhood obesity and the subsequent predicted prevention of diabetes, and ParentCorps' impact on childhood behavior problems and the subsequent predicted prevention of interaction with the judiciary system and unemployment. Results were robust on sensitivity analyses, with ParentCorps remaining cost saving and health generating under nearly all assumptions, except when schools had very small pre-kindergarten programs.Conclusions: Effective family-centered interventions early in life such as ParentCorps that impact academic, behavioral and health outcomes among children attending high-poverty, urban schools have the potential to result in longer-term health benefits and substantial cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conservation, as in most other subjects, there is a division of expenditure into problem identification, solution testing, and practice. However, research concentrates on problem identification rather than solution testing. We calculate the return on the investment of research (a PhD thesis) examining the effectiveness of conservation interventions for birds of prey in three European countries. We show that the economic return from investing in a PhD thesis could be substantial, in the order of hundreds of thousands euros over 10 years or a return on investment of between 292% and 326% over that period. We derived the values of return on investment by first setting a common biological target (the total number of raptor fledglings produced per year). We then compared overall costs in achieving such target via the wide implementation of the results from the thesis (i.e., allocating resources to the most effective intervention) versus a business as usual scenario. We identify other theses that also show considerable benefits in improving effectiveness. We suggest that further research examining effectiveness would be cost-effective in improving practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among HIV+ patients, alcohol use is a highly prevalent risk factor for both HIV transmission and poor adherence to HIV treatment. The large-scale implementation of effective interventions for treating alcohol problems remains a challenge in low-income countries with generalized HIV epidemics. It is essential to consider an intervention's cost-effectiveness in dollars-per-health-outcome, and the long-term economic impact -or "return on investment" in monetary terms.Methods: We conducted a cost-benefit analysis, measuring economic return on investment, of a task-shifted cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention delivered by paraprofessionals to reduce alcohol use in a modeled cohort of 13,440 outpatients in Kenya. In our base-case, we estimated the costs and economic benefits from a societal perspective across a six-year time horizon, with a 3% annual discount rate. Costs included all costs associated with training and administering task-shifted CBT therapy. Benefits included the economic impact of lowered HIV incidence as well as the improvements in household and labor-force productivity. We conducted univariate and multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of our results.Results: Under the base case, total costs for CBT rollout was $554,000, the value of benefits were $628,000, and the benefit-to-cost ratio was 1.13. Sensitivity analyses showed that under most assumptions, the benefit-to-cost ratio remained above unity indicating that the intervention was cost-saving (i.e., had positive return on investment). The duration of the treatment effect most effected the results in sensitivity analyses.Conclusions: CBT can be effectively and economically task-shifted to paraprofessionals in Kenya. The intervention can generate not only reductions in morbidity and mortality, but also economic savings for the health system in the medium and long term. The findings have implications for other countries with generalized HIV epidemics, high prevalence of alcohol consumption, and shortages of mental health professionals.Trial Registration: This paper uses data derived from "Cognitive Behavioral Treatment to Reduce Alcohol Use Among HIV-Infected Kenyans (KHBS)" with ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT00792519 on 11/17/2008; and preliminary data from "A Stage 2 Cognitive-behavioral Trial: Reduce Alcohol First in Kenya Intervention" ( NCT01503255 , registered on 12/16/2011). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Participation in daily physical activity and consuming a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods are behaviours associated with positive health outcomes during all stages of life. Previous literature suggests that the earlier these behaviours are established the greater the health benefits. As such, early learning settings have been shown to provide an effective avenue for exploring and influencing the physical activity and healthy eating behaviours of children before school entry. However, in addition to improving individual level health of children, such interventions may also result in a number of social benefits for the society. In fact, research among adult populations has shown that sufficient participation in physical activity can significantly lower hospital stays and physician visits, in turn leading to positive economic outcomes. To our knowledge there is very limited literature about economic evaluations of interventions implemented in early learning centers to increase physical activity and healthy eating behaviours among children. The primary purpose of this paper is to identify inputs and costs needed to implement a physical activity and healthy eating intervention (Healthy Start-Départ Santé (HS-DS)) in early learning centres throughout Saskatchewan and New Brunswick over the course of three years. In doing so, implementation cost is estimated to complete the first phase of a social return on investment analysis of this intervention.Methods: In order to carry out this evaluation the first step was to identify the inputs and costs needed to implement the intervention, along with the corresponding outputs. With stakeholder interviews and using existing database, we estimated the implementation cost by measuring, valuing and monetizing each individual input.Results: Our results show that the total annual cost of implementing HS-DS was $378,753 in the first year, this total cost decreased slightly in the second year ($356,861) and again in the third year ($312,179). On average, the total annual cost is about $350,000 which implies an annual cost of $285 per child. Among all inputs, time-cost accounted for the larger share of total resources need to implement the intervention. Overall, administration and support services accounted for the largest portion of the total implementation cost each year: 74% (year 1), 79% (year 2), and 75% (year 3).Conclusions: The results from this study shed lights for future implementation of similar interventions in this context. It also helps to assess the cost effectiveness of future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses investments on public agricultural research and extension delivery in the U.S. Tackled are issues on agricultural productivity growth and social cost-benefit analysis on government-funded programs in the country. Explored is the rate of return to investments in research in the agricultural industry.

Background: The European-study on Quantifying Utility of Investment in Protection from Tobacco (EQUIPT) project aimed to study transferability of economic evidence by co-creating the Tobacco Return On Investment (ROI) tool, previously developed in the United Kingdom, for four sample countries (Germany, Hungary, Spain and the Netherlands). The EQUIPT tool provides policymakers and stakeholders with customized information about the economic and wider returns on the investment in evidence-based tobacco control, including smoking cessation interventions. A Stakeholder Interview Survey was developed to engage with the stakeholders in early phases of the development and country adaptation of the ROI tool. The survey assessed stakeholders' information needs, awareness about underlying principles used in economic analyses, opinion about the importance, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tobacco control interventions, and willingness to use a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) tool such as the ROI tool.Methods: A cross sectional study using a mixed method approach was conducted among participating stakeholders in the sample countries and the United Kingdom. The individual questionnaire contained open-ended questions as well as single choice and 7- or 3-point Likert-scale questions. The results corresponding to the priority and needs assessment and to the awareness of stakeholders about underlying principles used in economic analysis are analysed by country and stakeholder categories.Results: Stakeholders considered it important that the decisions on the investments in tobacco control interventions should be supported by scientific evidence, including prevalence of smoking, cost of smoking, quality of life, mortality due to smoking, and effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and budget impact of smoking cessation interventions. The proposed ROI tool was required to provide this granularity of information. The majority of the stakeholders were aware of the general principles of economic analyses used in decision making contexts but they did not appear to have in-depth knowledge about specific technical details. Generally, stakeholders' answers showed larger variability by country than by stakeholder category.Conclusions: Stakeholders across different European countries viewed the use of HTA evidence to be an important factor in their decision-making process. Further, they considered themselves to be capable of interpreting the results from a ROI tool and were highly motivated to use it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a GIS return on investment (ROI) study for King County (Washington). A with-and-without methodology assessed how GIS altered county output, effort levels, and production capabilities, compared to GIS development and annual operation costs. We first conducted key interviews to gauge the role of GIS in agencies and the types of tasks performed. A survey of employees and managers who use GIS provided detailed productivity data. Survey responses were compiled to build an aggregate estimate of production with and without GIS. Changes were monetized to estimate benefits in terms of pre-GIS levels of output with GIS, as well as GIS-aided production level without GIS. GIS appears to be an efficient, highly beneficial investment for King County. Our most conservative estimate finds that GIS produced $775 million in net benefits from 1992 to 2010. The report also discusses strengths and weaknesses of the assessment method and provides guidance for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the performed and presented financial analyzes, in the case of the two units, does not allow major discrepancies between the estimated and achieved situation. The authors have based the research on the technical-economic and financial analysis of investments, which sets economic efficiency and investments viability and assumes forecast of revenue, expenses, profit and loss account, balance sheet and cash flow: a) static analysis of indicators; b) dynamic analysis of indicators, c) cost-benefit analysis. Analysis of economic efficiency and sustainability of investments aimes at both static indicators of investment analysis and dynamic analysis of economic efficiency. The goal of research was to improve analyzes and economic indicators for assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of investments and the objectives targeted technical and economic analysis, solvency and viability of investments and the impact of the investment on key indicators of economic and financial technical analysis. Case studies, carried out at S.C. NORD INTERMED CONSULTING GROUP S.R.L. Dorneşti, Suceava county and S.C. ANDIMIR TOP S.R.L. Mihălăşeni, Botoşani county, led to a series of measures to improve the financial analysis of economic efficiency and sustainability of investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Clinical guidelines are an integral part of healthcare. Whilst much progress has been made in ensuring that guidelines are well developed and disseminated, the gap between routine clinical practice and current guidelines often remains wide. A key reason for this gap is that implementation of guidelines typically requires a change in the behaviour of healthcare professionals - but the behaviour change component is often overlooked. We adopted the Theoretical Domains Framework Implementation (TDFI) approach for supporting behaviour change required for the uptake of a national patient safety guideline to reduce the risk of feeding through misplaced nasogastric tubes. Methods The TDFI approach was used in a pre-post study in three NHS hospitals with a fourth acting as a control (with usual care and no TDFI). The target behavior identified for change was to increase the use of pH testing as the first line method for checking the position of a nasogastric tube. Repeat audits were undertaken in each hospital following intervention implementation. We used Zou's modified Poisson regression approach with robust standard errors to estimate risk ratios for the use of pH testing. The projected return on investment (ROI) was also calculated. Results Following intervention implementation, the use of pH first line increased significantly across intervention hospitals [risk ratio (95%CI) ranged from 3.1 (1.14 to8.43) p < .05, to 8.14 (3.06 to21.67) p < .001] compared to the control hospital, which remained unchanged [risk ratio (CI) = .77 (.47-1.26) p = .296]. The estimated savings and costs in the first year were £2.56 million and £1.41 respectively, giving an ROI of 82%, and this was projected to increase to 270% over five years. Conclusion The TDFI approach improved the uptake of a patient safety guideline across three hospitals. The TDFI approach is clinically and cost effective in comparison to the usual practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological rehabilitation is subject to a variety of risks affecting the likely return on investment. We propose an options approach to allocating scarce conservation funds that explicitly allows for the irreversibility of investment and risks to investment payoffs. The approach captures ecosystem dynamics from extinction debt, as well as ecological and climatic risks at the project scale. Climatic risks are introduced through three channels: the effects of climate change on species loss, future rehabilitation benefits and frequency of catastrophic events. Our results suggest that allocating voluntary rehabilitation contracts on the basis of real options criteria increases cost-efficiency and delivers greater value for money for the Government when compared with the conventional cost-effectiveness criterion as it is illustrated for the case of Box Gum Grassy Woodland rehabilitation in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the costs incurred on an intensive silvopastoral system (ISS) based on Leucaena leucocephala on gravity fed irrigation soil, and the economic benefits that are generated in this type of systems, all this in order to evaluate the economic profitability of the investment and to make a comparison between the ISS and the conventional ones (40% grass monoculture Tanzania Panicum maximum, 30% of forage sorghum sorghum vulgar under a cutting system and 30% of rangeland with native grasses). The feed for dual-purpose Swiss cattle was complemented in the ISS with polished rice at the rate of 1.50 kg/ day per cow during milking, while the traditional system used 3.50 kg/day of commercial feed by milked cow. The results showed an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the ISS of 13.30% and a Net Present Value (NPV) of 10% with a positive balance of $2'202,170 (Mexican pesos) while the traditional system obtained an IRR of 0.7% and a NPV of 10% with a negative balance of -4'717,022 (Mexican pesos). When switching from the conventional system to the ISS the productivity and profitability of the ranch incremented and turned it into a lucrative business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat restoration is a key strategy for recovering imperiled species, and planning habitat restoration activities cost effectively can help advance recovery objectives. Habitat restoration planning involves decisions about where and when to undertake restoration, and what type of restoration to undertake. This article focuses on decisions about the amount of restoration to undertake for a given type, location, and time, termed intervention intensity. A return on investment framework is developed for incorporating intervention intensity into habitat restoration planning. The framework is then applied in the context of planning habitat restoration for Pacific salmon recovery as a case study. Results showed that no single intervention type or location dominated, and several returns to scale relationships emerged across the candidate interventions. Scenarios that considered interventions across multiple intensities outperformed single-intensity scenarios in terms of total benefits and cost effectiveness. These findings highlight the usefulness of exploratory return on investment analysis for prioritizing habitat restoration interventions, and underscore the importance of systematically considering how much restoration to undertake, in addition to what to do and where. • Systematically considering the amount of restoration to undertake at a given location and time promotes effective habitat restoration planning. • A return on investment framework is developed for considering intervention intensity when planning habitat restoration. • The framework is applied to prioritizing habitat restoration for endangered Pacific salmon using coupled models of salmon habitat and salmon survival. • The case study results illustrate that considering intervention intensity can promote cost-effective habitat restoration planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture mechanization plays a significant economic role by increasing agriculture production and reducing cost of cultivation. New technologies are available to the farmers for increasing productivity and overall returns. But this technology is out of reach of small and marginal farmers, who cannot afford purchase of these machines with their meager resources. Such farmers resort to custom hiring of machines form cooperatives or from large agencies providing such facilities. But the machines which have high demand also command higher rental values. This study was planned to gather information regarding nature of services provided by these agencies, the costs analysis with respect to the annual usage and to identify the machines that gave best Return on Investment (ROI). Seven custom hiring cooperative centres located in South Western region of Punjab were selected for the study. Each of these centres had a high powered tractor. Rotavator, laser land leveller, disc harrow and cotton drill were found to be the most common machines among all the centres, implying that these machines were in most demand by the farmers. The tractors had an average annual usage of 900 hours, and that for the tillage machinery such as rotavator, cultivator, disc harrow and laser leveller was close to 550 hours. Machinery such as the hydraulic trolley and water tank were also in great demand amounting to nearly 750 and 800 hours of annual use. Machines such as the generator, blower-fan, and the tanker were mostly used for non-agricultural operations. Most of the machines being used for agricultural operations had annual usage above 200 hours. The cost analysis showed that while for all the machines the break-even annual usage was exceeded, the hydraulic trolley and the bund former were used sufficiently. It was also found that the returns were maximum for the laser leveller and for the cultivator, while machines like the rotavator, the tractor, which had high ROI, were way behind the returns generated by the laser leveller. The study also showed that all the custom hiring centres were running in profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Better quality data on costs and benefits of competing investment options in children's services is becoming available. In this paper, we describe the translation of one model developed for Washington State translated for use in the UK. The paper describes the approach and method used to develop the economic model, and adapt it for use in another country. Results from the United States are compared with those from the United Kingdom. The opportunity to apply these methods to improve child outcomes at reduced cost to the taxpayer is explored. The limitations and need for future development of the methods are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The costs of construction injuries can have a substantial impact on the financial success of construction organizations and increase the overall costs of construction up to 15%. Following the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, construction firms began to implement a variety of management techniques to reduce the frequency of injuries. Although these strategies decrease the cost of injuries, they consume time and other significant resources. Thus, it is imperative for construction organizations to objectively evaluate the cost-benefit of investments in injury prevention through formal and robust processes. This paper presents a risk-based framework that can be used to evaluate the incremental return on investment of a series of investments in highly effective injury prevention strategies. The framework was developed using foundational risk quantification and analysis techniques and is illustrated using a hypothetical case study that is based on archival data published by United States government agencies. The conclusion of this study is that the optimal investment strategy can be identified through a formal analysis and that optimization depends on the frequency and cost of injuries, the sequence in which the specific injury prevention techniques are implemented, the risk mitigated by each strategy, and the organization's attitude toward acceptable risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, conservation seeks to prevent further habitat loss but in many cases there is a need to reverse habitat degradation. Restoration of habitat is necessary to achieve biodiversity conservation goals but often it is a costly and time-intensive process. Prioritization of where and when habitat is restored can help to ensure the cost-effective delivery of desired outcomes. We develop a restoration prioritization decision support tool to identify the combination of restoration sites and the schedule for their implementation most likely to deliver the greatest utility for a fixed budget and operational constraints. We use a case study to apply our prioritization approach in order to illustrate the data that can be employed to parameterise the analysis and the outputs that are able to inform restoration planning. We compare restoration schedules under alternative utility functions to demonstrate trade-offs associated with different objectives, assumptions and preferences for particular outcomes. Our prioritization approach is spatially and temporally explicit and accounts for the costs and benefits of restoration, the likelihood of restoration success, the probability of stochastic events, feedbacks, time lags and spatial connectivity. Through collaboration with restoration practitioners we derive quantitative and spatially explicit data on each site requiring restoration. We determine the relative priority for restoring each site and develop a restoration schedule over 20 years. Our results showed that after 20 years a little over a half of the sites requiring restoration are likely be successfully restored, while the total expenditure at our site will be c. US$13·7 million - almost the entire budget of $14 million. Synthesis and applications. Our restoration prioritization approach provides a schedule for where and when restoration should occur, and also provides operational guidance and support for cost-effective restoration planning such as informing the likely total cost of restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the cost-benefits and the return on investment of one consortium comprised of five separately administered libraries in the University of Colorado (CU) System. With a long history of collaboration, the libraries have developed an ideal cooperative arrangement for acquiring electronic content that is accessible across all campuses. The size and flexibility of this institution-based consortium allows it to be responsive and successful in collaborating across four campuses despite different sized budgets and unique local and institutional constraints. To demonstrate the value of jointly leveraging library budgets to university administrators, the authors conducted a consortium level cost-benefit analysis and describe the methodology used to quantify return on the university's investment. This paper addresses both qualitative and quantitative outcomes and underscores how consortial participation has become an essential way of doing business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the economic efficiency of extending an existing cable waste recycling plant to accommodate the recycling of the plastic fraction of cable waste. The paper shows that when a cost benefit analysis (CBA) is carried out, the decision-making criteria generate conflicting results. More specifically, the net present value (NPV) is greater than zero, the internal rate of return (IRR) is less than the social discount rate, and the benefit cost ratio (BCR) is less than unity. Based on these results, one is unable to provide unqualified support for the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a relatively new engineering service that is being introduced in Ontario: subsurface utility engineering (SUE). This service combines civil engineering, surveying, geophysics, and nondestructive excavation for the accurate mapping of underground utilities. This paper presents the results of a one-year study that investigated the use of SUE on large infrastructure projects in Ontario. The study involved performing a detailed cost analysis of nine successful SUE projects, four of which are presented in this paper. Potential cost savings were estimated for each case study and all indicated that SUE has a positive return on investment. In addition, two industry-wide surveys were conducted to investigate the effects of inaccurate utility information on projects. Results indicate that inaccurate utility information has a significant impact on project cost, schedule, and damage to existing utilities. Using the results of the case study analysis and the survey, a generic cost model for SUE was developed that relates project specific characteristics to costs that could be incurred because of inaccurate utility information. This investigation provides valuable insight to the application of a relatively new process in Canada following successful results in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Child care and education are to some extent joint products of preschool programs, but public policy and research frequently approach these two goals independently. We present a benefit–cost analysis of a preschool program that provided intensive education during full-day child care. Data were obtained from a randomized trial with longitudinal follow-up through age 21. Study participants were 104 economically disadvantaged children and their families. Economic benefits include increased maternal earnings, decreased K-12 schooling costs, increased lifetime earnings and decreased costs related to smoking. Net present value is positive over a range of reasonable discount rates. Program benefits are compared to estimates from other studies with particular attention to a benefit–cost analysis of a half-day preschool program that did not provide child care. Returns to early childhood policy could be improved by greater attention to how programs might maximize education and child care benefits together regardless of the primary aim of the policy''s agency sponsor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The cost of reticles is growing twice as fast as the overall cost of new process development for technologies beyond the 100-nm node [1], [2]. In order for the integrated circuit design to continuously benefit from the shrinkpath in alignment with Moore's law [3], the industry should explore cost-effective approaches for the mask data [(intellectual property (IP)] placement alternative to the standard methodology of one mask for one layer of one product [4]. The implementation of multi-IP placements, using multilayer or multiproduct (shuttle) masks, is based on complex technical and economical analysis to maximize mask return on investment (ROI) over the product lifetime. The key criteria include the ability to match layers or products on one plate with respect to the CD control and pattern density and the expected time or fab volume prior to the conversion to the dedicated mask set for successful products. This work analyzes the links between the IP content of the mask, the product market price, and the wafer volume. As an example, by taking into account the cost of the exposure and of the mask, one can show that for 100-nm technology, positive ROI would be achieved for a product or test vehicle with volume depending on the architecture of the multi- layer mask set. We compare the key challenges of the two basic multi-IP mask approaches, the multilayer and the multiproduct masks, and discuss the best conditions for their implementation. Directions for future research are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: The net benefit (i.e., benefits minus costs) of sustained-release (SR) bupropion for smoking cessation from an employer's perspective has previously been evaluated in clinical trials including frequent, in-person behavioral counseling and manufacturer recommended dosing but not in actual practice settings and lower dosing.Objectives: The objective of this research was to determine the return on investment (ROI) and internal rate of return (IRR) from an employer's perspective of two dosing schedules of bupropion SR in combination with behavioral interventions of minimal intensity (tailored mailings, TM) or moderate intensity (proactive telephone calls, PTC) in an actual practice setting.Methods: An open-label, randomized trial with 1-year follow-up was conducted in a large health system (Group Health Cooperative) based in Seattle, WA. Participants included 1524 adult smokers interested in quitting smoking. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 150 mg of bupropion SR daily and PTC (n=382), 150 mg of bupropion SR daily and TM (n=381), 300 mg of bupropion SR daily and PTC (n=383) or 300 mg of bupropion SR daily and TM (n=378). Sufficient medications for 8 weeks of dosing were provided to patients. The primary outcome measure of the field trial was self-reported point-prevalence 7-day nonsmoking status at 12 months, and the primary outcome measures of the economic analysis were employer net benefit, employer ROI, and the ROI-associated IRR using 2002 dollars.Results: Using net benefit, the 300-mg/PTC and the 150-mg/PTC treatments were approximately equally preferred. Using ROI or IRR, both the 150-mg/TM and 150-mg/PTC treatments were about equally preferred, with IRR values of 31.7% and 31.4%, respectively. Under a pessimistic scenario regarding effectiveness and costs, 150 mg/PTC became more cost-effective than 150 mg/TM, and employer IRR for 150 mg/PTC was 13%. Under an optimistic scenario IRR exceeded 45% for all treatments.Conclusions: These results suggest that employers can receive competitive returns on investment from sponsoring smoking cessation programs, that 150 mg of bupropion doses yield better returns than 300-mg doses, and that PTC treatments should be preferred to TM if smoking cessation rates in the targeted employee population are lower than those in the study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores alternative approaches to an economic analysis of logistics investment opportunities. Definition of economic analysis; Time-value-of-money principle; Dimensions to an economic analysis using present value; Payback; Naive rate of return; Average return on investment; Internal rate of return; Net present value; Benefit and cost ratio.

This article advocates a new approach to assessing the desirability of downsizing. The model treats downsizing programs the same as any other projected investment by a firm. The steps involved in reaching a decision include: (a) Estimation of cash outflows at the initial stage of the process regarded in this paper as the investment in the downsizing project; (b) Assessment of the net inflow from downsizing; (c) Estimation, on the basis of (a) and (b), the real, post-tax rate of return on the downsizing plan and comparison with the real, post-tax cost of capital to the firm; (d) Ranking and comparing the downsizing project to all other potential investments. The final decision of whether to accept or reject a downsizing plan will then depend on the relative desirability of the project (when all other non-quantitative considerations are also evaluated) to other investment alternatives, taking into consideration the limited resources of the firm for capital spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The value of malaria eradication, the permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of malaria infection caused by human malaria parasites, would be enormous. However, the expected value of an investment in an intended, but uncertain, outcome hinges on the probability of, and time until, its fulfilment. Though the long-term benefits of global malaria eradication promise to be large, the upfront costs and uncertainty regarding feasibility and timeframe make it difficult for policymakers and researchers to forecast the return on investment. Methods: A large online survey of 844 peer-reviewed malaria researchers of different scientific backgrounds administered in order to estimate the probability and time frame of eradication. Adjustments were made for potential selection bias, and thematic analysis of free text comments was carried out. Results: The average perceived likelihood of global eradication among malaria researchers approximates the number of years into the future: approximately 10% of researchers believe that eradication will occur in the next 10 years, 30% believe it will occur in the next 30 years, and half believe eradication will require 50 years or more. Researchers who gave free form comments highlighted systemic challenges and the need for innovation as chief among obstacles to achieving global malaria eradication. Conclusions: The findings highlight the difficulty and complexity of malaria eradication, and can be used in prospective cost–benefit analyses to inform stakeholders regarding the likely return on eradication-specific investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper addresses the question of what a reasonable price for an orphan drug is. The research proposes a way to adjust an established payer/HTA body incremental cost-effectiveness threshold (CET) to take account of differences in patient populations and costs of research and development in order to sustain prices that generate rates of return from investments in developing orphan drugs that are no greater than the industry average. Methods: We investigated the cost of conducting research for orphan drugs as compared to non-orphan drugs, as well as patient population sizes targeted by orphans and non-orphans. We provided an empirical illustration based on novel drug approvals of orphan and non-orphan drugs of the FDA between 2011 and 2015 (N = 182). Results: Using, for illustration, the NICE incremental CET (£20 K per QALY) as an anchor and adjusting by R&D costs and expected market revenue, we estimated the adjusted reasonable CET for orphan drugs to be £39.1 K per QALY at the orphan population cut-off and £78.3 K per QALY at the orphan population mid-point. For ultra-orphan drugs the adjusted CET was £937.1 K. Conclusions: We propose one general method for establishing a reasonable price for an orphan drug, based on the proposition that rates of return for investments in developing orphan drugs should not be greater than the industry average. More research is required on data and assumptions, but with the data and assumptions we use, we find that in order to secure such a reasonable price for an orphan drug, the CET for orphans would need to be higher. This could be one approach for establishing the maximum allowable price society should be willing to pay, although decision-makers may still wish to negotiate a lower price, or refuse to pay such a premium over the value-based price in order to treat these groups of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One fundamental dimension in the design of an electrical energy system (EES) is the economic analysis of the possible design alternatives, in order to ensure not just the maximization of the energy output but also the return on the investment and the possible profits. Since the energy output and the economic figures of merit are intertwined, for an accurate analysis it is necessary to analyze these two aspects of the problem concurrently, in order to define effective energy management policies. This paper achieves that objective by tracking and measuring the energy efficiency and the cost effectiveness in a single modular framework. The two aspects are modeled separately, through the definition of dedicated simulation layers governed by dedicated virtual buses that elaborate and manage the information and energy flows. Both layers are simulated concurrently within the same simulation infrastructure based on SystemC-AMS, so as to recreate at runtime the mutual influence of the two aspects, while allowing the use of different discrete time scales for the two layers. Thanks to the tight coupling provided by the single simulation engine, our method enables a quick estimation of various cost metrics (net costs, annualized costs, and profits) of any configuration of EES under design, via an informed exploration of the alternatives. To prove the effectiveness of this approach, we apply the proposed strategy to two EES case studies, we explored various management strategies and the presence of different types and numbers of power sources and energy storage devices in the EES. The analysis proved to allow the identification of the optimal profitable solutions, thereby improving the standard design and simulation flow of EES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]