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Objective: The study aim was to review the economic evaluation literature of commercially available and effective nonsurgical weight‐loss interventions to investigate whether there is evidence to support claims of cost‐effectiveness (i.e., good value for money) or cost savings (i.e., a positive return on investment). Methods: Relevant databases were systematically reviewed to identify economic evaluations of commercially available weight‐loss products and services shown to result in clinically significant weight loss. Five weight‐loss medications (orlistat, liraglutide, naltrexone‐bupropion, semaglutide, and phentermine‐topiramate), two meal replacement programs (Jenny Craig, Optifast), and one behavioral intervention (Weight Watchers [WW]) that met inclusion criteria were identified. After screening, 32 relevant comparisons of cost‐effectiveness or cost savings across 20 studies were identified. Results: Ten of twenty pharmaceutical comparisons showed evidence of cost‐effectiveness based on established thresholds. Four of twelve nonpharmaceutical comparisons provided evidence of cost‐effectiveness, and five made claims of cost savings. However, methodological concerns cast doubt on the robustness of these claims. Conclusions: Evidence of cost‐effectiveness for commercially available, evidence‐based, nonsurgical weight‐loss interventions is mixed. There is no evidence for cost‐saving weight‐loss medications and only weak evidence for behavioral and weight‐loss interventions. Results provide a call to action to generate more robust evidence of the economic value proposition for these interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alveolar ridge preservation is routinely indicated in clinical practice with the purpose of attenuating postextraction ridge atrophy. Over the past two decades numerous clinical studies and reviews on this topic have populated the literature. In recent years the focus has primarily been on analyzing efficacy outcomes pertaining to postextraction dimensional changes, whereas other relevant facets of alveolar ridge preservation therapy have remained unexplored. With this premise, we carried out a comprehensive evidence‐based assessment of the complications associated with different modalities of alveolar ridge preservation and modeled the cost‐effectiveness of different therapeutic modalities as a function of changes in ridge width and height. We conclude that, among allogeneic and xenogeneic bone graft materials, increased expenditure does not translate into increased effectiveness of alveolar ridge preservation therapy. On the other hand, a significant association between expenditure on a barrier membrane and reduced horizontal and vertical ridge resorption was observed, though only to a certain degree, beyond which the return on investment was significantly diminished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this systematic literature review was to report the results and complications of recent remnant preservation techniques in posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction. Methods: A systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two independent reviewers searched the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases using the terms "posterior cruciate ligament" or "PCL" and "remnant preserving." The outcome measures extracted from the studies were the Lysholm score, the International Knee Documentation Committee's (IKDC) subjective and objective scores, Tegner scores, Orthopädische Arbeitsgruppe Knie (OAK) rate of return to sports, and rate of complications. Data were also extracted from studies that used stress radiographs to perform a quantitative assessment of the preoperative and postoperative anteroposterior stability. Results: The systematic review included 13 studies. The patient cohort of consisted of 643 participants (544 [84.6%] men and 99 [15.4%] women) with a mean age of 32.9 ± 4.0 years. The mean postoperative follow-up was 34.5 ± 10.9 months (range: 24–96 months), while the mean time from injury to surgery was 14.4 ± 9.9 months (range: 0–240 months). All studies reported clinically significant improvement at final follow-up, as evident from the measured subjective and objective IKDC scores, Lysholm score, Tegner score, and OAK rate. Only three studies reported return to sports activity, with a mean percentage of 90.8% (99/109). All studies showed a significant improvement in posterior translation, from 11.5 ± 1.2 mm to 3.3 ± 1.1 mm, using radiography (side-to-side difference). This systematic review revealed 13 (2.0%) failures and 33 (5.1%) minor complications: 10 (1.6%) cases of stiffness, 21 (4.9%) screws removal, 1 (0.2%) injury of the peroneal nerve, and 1 (0.2%) fibular fracture. Conclusions: With the currently available data, all studies included in the review on posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with remnant preservation demonstrated satisfactory outcomes at mid-term follow-up (> 24 months), despite varying surgical techniques and graft types, and intervals from injury to surgery. For clinical relevance, standard PCL reconstruction is a highly effective operation in terms of improvement in functional status, knee stability, quality of life, and cost effectiveness. The remnant preservation technique requires more comprehensive diagnostic assessments of the PCL remnant patterns and more complicated surgical procedures. Given the absence so far of high quality studies with long-term follow-up, the remnant-preserving techniques should be recommended only by experienced knee arthroscopic surgeons. Level of evidence: Level IV. Study registration: reviewregistry1376—www.researchregistry.com. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The purpose of this study is to determine the location of the custom workshop business using the criteria of NPV, IRR, PBP, PI and B/C. This research method uses a field research model with the right procedure to use the net present value method, internal rate of return, payback period, profitability index and benefit cost ratio to determine the custome workshop business. The results of the criteria obtained are that NPV>0, IRR is 29.4%, PBP is 2.75 years, PI is 1.1.48 and B/C is 1.1. This level of achievement uses the world every day, there must be activities in the custome workshop to achieve the criteria. The criterion that becomes the dominant factor is the occurrence of an increase in the profitability index. This is a criterion that states there is an increase in the benefits of the specified investment value. What causes an increase in benefits is that assets and production facilities can experience functions that are more suitable for the way they are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pay For Success (PFS) is a financial transaction model used by public entities to access private sector dollars to fund preventative programs for at-risk populations. If predetermined outcomes are met, government agencies pay private investors back with interest. Generally, a PFS feasibility study is conducted that investigates the issue, the target population, and potential evidence-based programs and their outcomes. If a positive return on investment is determined, partners can make a business case for entering into a PFS deal. Through interviews with thirteen stakeholders involved in feasibility studies in Colorado, the costs and benefits of participating in a PFS feasibility studies and barriers to why projects don't move beyond feasibility are examined. Major benefits include increased collaboration between stakeholders, intense focus on a target population and their needs, increased opportunities for funding and data networks, and a focus on paying for outcomes and an opportunity for programmatic self-assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) are known to help mitigate flooding whilst simultaneously delivering other positive outcomes, such as the provision of environmental, economic, educational, and business benefits. Despite this, there has been a relatively low uptake of SuDS in new developments and even less of an uptake in the opportunities for retrofitting SuDS in existing buildings. A major barrier to uptake has been a lack of understanding regarding the value of the benefits provided by SuDS. This study presents an appraisal of the costs and benefits derived from the retrofitting of SuDS in existing buildings and reveals some of the key decision-making considerations during the design and installation of such schemes. A qualitative research approach that included a number of case studies of successfully retrofitted SuDS schemes within public buildings was conducted. A novel feature of the research was the use of the Willingness to Pay (WTP) approach to value the tangible and intangible benefits provided by the various schemes from the perspectives of the property owners. The findings revealed that the retrofit provided a net value to the client of over £100,000 over 10 years, a mean CBA ratio of 5.3/10, and a return on investment (ROI) that would be achieved in less than 3 years. The importance of stakeholder engagement during the decision-making process was highlighted in helping to overcome many of the design, installation, and maintenance challenges. The findings demonstrate a significant ROI for these SuDs retrofit schemes and highlight useful approaches to overcoming the barriers in valuing the importance of the intangible benefits. In supporting the uptake of the retrofitting of SuDS, it is recommended that these benefits are given full consideration by property owners, urban planners, and architects during the design of retrofit schemes and throughout the decision-making stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) leads to significant disability, unemployment, and substantial healthcare costs. The cost-effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation (VR) interventions is important to consider when determining which services to offer. This study assesses the cost-effectiveness and return on investment of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) compared to transitional work (TW) programs. Employment outcomes from a multisite randomized trial comparing IPS to TW in military veterans with PTSD (n = 541) were linked to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) archival medical record databases to examine the comparative cost-effectiveness and return on investment. Effectiveness was defined as hours worked and income earned in competitive jobs. Costs for VR, mental health, and medical care and income earned from competitive sources were annualized and adjusted to 2019 US dollars. The annualized mean cost per person of outpatient (including vocational services) were $3970 higher for IPS compared to TW ($23,245 vs. $19,276, respectively; P = 0.004). When TW income was included in costs, mean grand total costs per person per year were similar between groups ($29,828 IPS vs. $26,772 TW; P = 0.17). The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis showed that while IPS is more costly, it is also more effective. The return on investment (excluding TW income) was 32.9% for IPS ($9762 mean income/$29,691 mean total costs) and 29.6% for TW ($7326 mean income/$24,781 mean total costs). IPS significantly improves employment outcomes for individuals with PTSD with negligible increase in healthcare costs and yields very good return on investment compared to non-IPS VR services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ESPOCH Congresses: The Ecuadorian Journal of S.T.E.A.M. is the property of Knowledge E DMCC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

This study sought to estimate the net benefits and return on investment (ROI, %) of the Coping and Promoting Strength (CAPS) program to families and insurers, respectively, using data from a multi-year follow up of 136 US families who had participated in a randomized efficacy trial of CAPS. CAPS is a brief parent-focused psychosocial intervention that was compared to information monitoring in the trial. Of the 136 original participants, 113 (83%) completed follow-up interviews 7.1 years, on average, after the CAPS study baseline (mean follow-up age: 15.8 years; range: 13.1 to 20.8 years). Parent-reported willingness-to-pay values and estimates of behavioral healthcare cost savings from delayed onset of anxiety were used to simulate the average net benefits of CAPS to families and insurance plans, respectively, assuming patients pay 20% coinsurance. Psychologists in private offices were expected to charge an average of approximately $195 per CAPS session or $1417 in total in 2020 dollars. The estimated family share of the total CAPS session cost was $283 per youth, while the insurer share was $1134 per youth. Given these costs, the CAPS intervention was estimated to result in average overall net benefits of $1033 per youth (95% CI: -$546 to $2611). Families gained $344 (95% CI: $232 to $455 per family) for an ROI of 121%. Insurance plans on average gained a net savings of $689 per youth (95% CI: -$778 to $2156 per youth) for an average ROI of 61%. In this multiyear follow-up of offspring of anxious parents, exposure to the CAPS pediatric anxiety prevention program was found to be more economically efficient than was waiting for an anxiety disorder to be diagnosed. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00847561. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cost benefit analysis of a municipal solid waste recycling facility. • Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value of a project. • MATLAB, Python and R-Studio for comparation and validation. Rapid population and economic growth, changes in consumption pattern etc. have become major contributing factors to severe municipal solid waste generation globally. Thus, various methods are being employed to manage the incessant municipal solid waste generation for a sustainable solid waste management and one of the viable approaches is the recycling option. The main objective of this paper is to determine the cost benefit analysis of setting up a recycling facility for the processing of various wastes for use as raw materials by industries. The cost benefit analysis was carried out based on historic data obtained from the municipality and some recent waste composition data. The overall analysis was done using Excel software. From the Excel software analysis, Internal Rate of Return on investment was 42%, Internal Rate of Return on equity was 98% and Net Present Value was R 63, 420,000 (USD$ 4646225.33). In ascertaining the result obtained from the Microsoft Excel, three data analysis and technical computing software (MATLAB, Python, and R-Studio) were employed. This was necessary to compare and validate the cost-benefit indicators (Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return). Besides, evaluating the performance of each software with regards to the cost-benefit evaluation is ideal for a recycling plant like this to establish the feasibility of the project. Moreover, sensitivity analysis was conducted, and a breakeven point of 211 tons of waste was obtained. In addition, the total benefit of recycling was valued and was given as R 486,008,582.85 (USD$ 35605572.16). From the overall analysis, it was observed that the IRR and Net Present Value were alike, about 677 potential jobs could be created on the project and the Net Present Value > 0. Based on the overall analysis, it was concluded that the project is viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural heritage has, for a long time, been considered a source of wealth and well-being for economies. Currently, considerable investments have been allocated for its renewal and maintenance that often surpass the budgets of owners, local communities, and other interested users. Cultural heritage valorisation is expensive and is a great economic challenge. Infrastructural investment, i.e., conservation and restoration, are just one part of the total costs of cultural heritage preservation, while other investments relate to regular operation and maintenance. One of the most difficult decisions for those who design the cultural heritage restoration projects is how to finance them, i.e., what the most efficient financial instruments are for renewal of cultural heritage. These assumptions have instigated interest in the evaluation of services resulting from common good functions of cultural heritage, such as economic, educational, historical, technological, ecological, and climate, as well as tourism and recreational. Therefore, this article starts from the analysis of potential funding sources for cultural heritage through the European Union (EU) funds; a method of economic evaluation of the return on investments and cost-benefit analysis is suggested as a method that should be used in decision making on these interventions. [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]

The performance of floating photovoltaics (FPV) was assessed by this study, a technology with rising popularity in the sustainable energy sector, by comparing its economic and environmental benefits to various types of photovoltaic technologies by utilizing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost-Benefit Analysis. The largest impacts were shown from this LCA of a 150 MW FPV plant with a 30-year lifespan, which resulted from the roughly 73 kg of greenhouse gases and 110 m3s of water per MWh generated. Additionally, 21 reservoirs were considered in Thailand to house new FPV plants. Projected power generation scenarios varied between 0.64 GW and 13.28 GW when reservoir coverage percentages ranging from 1% to 20% were used. The Levelized Cost of Energy for several different photovoltaic systems yielded 0.24 USD per kWh for the FPV system, while the ground based polycrystalline and thin film systems were 0.43 USD and 0.54 USD per kWh, respectively. The payback period for FPV was 7.5 years, while for the polycrystalline and thin film it was 7.8 and 16.3 years. This combined with other factors made for a high return on investment for the FPV system. This study recommends a 10% coverage of 21 reservoirs throughout Thailand, allowing for potentially 6.52 GW of installed capacity, which would substantially help the country to reach their 2036 goal of having 30% of the energy mix from renewable sources. • Life Cycle Assessment was conducted of a floating solar plant in Thailand. • A 150 MW plant was found to emit 73 kg of greenhouse gases per megawatt. • The Payback Period for the floating solar plant was 7.5 years. • Thailand could install between 0.64 and 13.28 GW at 21 reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010–2011, University of Colorado (CU) librarians implemented a multi-campus pilot study to measure the institutional value of library resources used by faculty in their research. The study incorporated quantitative methods including return on investment (ROI), cost benefit analysis (CBA), and citation analysis of journal articles published by faculty; and qualitative methodologies such as in-person interviews with faculty. The study resulted in a CU ROI model that can be used to measure faculty perceptions of value and the economic benefits of electronic journal collections for faculty research in terms of ROI. The CU ROI methodology provides outcomes beyond a single ROI number and led to unexpected benefits for informing collection development decisions and strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses how Return on investment (ROI) is calculated for investments in forecasting software and talent, and the different factors that need to be considered. It mentions investment in demand planning resources; and also mentions labor savings generates the expected financial benefit from the project investment.

We generalize the normalized constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function by allowing the elasticity of substitution to vary isoelastically with (i) the relative factor share, (ii) the marginal rate of substitution, (iii) the capital–labor ratio, (iv) the capital share, (v) the capital's rate of return, or (vi) the capital–output ratio. Ensuing isoelastic elasticity of substitution (IEES) functions have intuitively and analytically desirable properties, for example, self-duality. Empirically, for the post-war US economy we robustly reject the CES specification in favor of the IEES alternative. Assuming the IEES production structure we find that the capital–labor elasticity of substitution has remained around 0.8–0.9 from 1948 to the 1980s, followed by a period of secular decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State, public, academic, and special libraries are conducting and publishing the results of studies aimed at showing the value of their services and resources. Librarians must be prepared and proactive so when asked to justify budget allocations they have the tools to show their library's value and understand the importance of expressing value in terms familiar to the administrators. By identifying stakeholders and obtaining their buy in, librarians can turn data into evidence of the organization's return on investment (ROI) in the library. ROI is a powerful tool to use when establishing credibility, accountability, and evidence demonstrating the library's value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is solar energy an economically competitive option for Floridian consumers? By 2028, Florida Power and Light (FPL), the leading electricity provider for the State of Florida, projects to source nearly 15% of its electricity supply from solar power. As an Investor-Owned Utility serving the electricity needs of approximately half of Floridians, policy changes to its energy portfolio greatly impact consumers through base rate increases to subsidize the technological transition. The present study investigates the potential profitability of FPL's solar projects by conducting a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and a sensitivity analysis to determine how varying generation parameters impacts profits. This research simulates 110,880 CBA scenarios with only 2.4% of scenarios showing profit while holding base rates constant. Among scenarios with a time-period of 30 years, this study finds approximately 19.5% are profitable. However, this study shows that FPL's solar projects are profitable, but likely not within the regulatory rate of return. Simulations in this study show less than 1% of scenarios are profitable. This research suggests that consumer base rate increases are likely to enable FPL to achieve its allowable rate of return for its future solar projects. [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]

Background: Smoking at the time of surgery is associated with postoperative complications. Quitting smoking before surgery is linked to fewer complications during the hospital stay. This work analysed whether a smoking cessation intervention before surgery is economically worthwhile when funded by the National Health System (NHS) in Spain. Methods: The economic analysis considered costs and benefits of the intervention to the NHS for the year 2016. The population who would benefit comprised adult smokers who were ready to quit and for whom surgery requiring admission to hospital was planned. The intervention, a combination of medical counselling and use of a smoking cessation drug which should occur 12 weeks before surgery, considered one attempt only to quit smoking. Benefits were costs avoided by averting postoperative complications if cessation was successful. The analysis compared the net economic outcome (benefit minus cost of intervention) and the return on investment, for intervention funded by the NHS versus the current situation without funding. Results: Smoking cessation increased by 21·7 per cent with funding; the rate was 32·5 per cent when funded versus 10·7 per cent without funding, producing 9611 extra quitters. The cost per averted smoker was €1753 with a benefit of €503, achieving a net economic benefit of €4·8 million per year. Given the annual cost of the intervention (€17·4 million, of which €5·6 million (32·5 per cent) represents drugs), the return on investment was 28·7 per cent annually, equivalent to €1·29 per €1 of investment. Conclusion: From the perspective of the Spanish NHS, the benefit of funding smoking cessation before surgery, in terms of healthcare cost savings, appears to greatly outweigh the costs. [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]

Traditionally, the College of Staten Island (CSI) library has employed cost per use in determining its collection development strategies but is attempting to broaden these assessments by using cost-benefit financial concepts. Due to significant budgetary cuts, the library has begun reviewing different assessment strategies that could maximize the development of its collections with the least amount of cost incurred. At the core of the financial mindful evaluations chosen, the CSI library intends to mindfully demonstrate fiduciary responsibility and accountability for e-book project expenditures, while determining some potential beneficial outcomes in monetary terms. The projects that are analyzed using financial concepts are two long-standing Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA) e-book projects and the CSI library Open Educational Resources (OER) project involving the utilization of Open Access (OA) textbooks in comparison with its print textbook reserve collection. The strengths and weaknesses of using quantitative financial analysis to document the success of these projects are reviewed within the context of the historical usage of financial valuations in academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Heckman Curve characterizes the rate of return to public investments in human capital as rapidly diminishing with age. For the disadvantaged, it describes investments early in the life course as having significantly higher rates of return compared to later in life. This paper assesses the Heckman Curve using estimates of program benefit cost ratios from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. We find no support for the claim that social policy programs targeted early in the life course have the largest benefit cost ratios, or that on average the benefits of adult programs are less than the cost of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an ex-ante cost-benefit analysis of introducing sustainability standards to smallholder oil palm farmers in the province of Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia. Sustainability standards are defined as a set of oil palm management practices derived from the Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) scheme. Economic and environmental benefits of ISPO are derived from a panel data set from some 185 oil palm smallholders collected in 2010, 2012 and 2013. We explore two basic strategies for the introduction of ISPO namely: (1) a conventional extension campaign and (2) a farmer field school approach. Our calculations show that the farmer field school approach results in a higher economic rate of return compared to conventional agricultural extension campaigns. A major conclusion from this analysis is that the Government of Indonesia should invest if ISPO standards are to be adopted on a large scale by smallholder farmers. [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]

Economic models to inform decision-making are gaining popularity, especially for preventive interventions. However, there are few estimates of the long-term returns to parenting interventions used to prevent mental health problems in children. Using data from a randomised controlled trial evaluating five indicated parenting interventions for parents of children aged 5–12, we modeled the economic returns resulting from reduced costs in the health care and education sector, and increased long-term productivity in a Swedish setting. Analyses done on the original trial population, and on various sized local community populations indicated positive benefit–cost ratios. Even smaller local authorities would financially break-even, thus interventions were of good value-for-money. Benefit–cost analyses of such interventions may improve the basis for resource allocation within local decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New tramway technologies such as "ground-level power supply systems" fit with the purpose of preserving historical heritage and urban environments of city centers. Such public transportation systems do not require a traditional air supply system (+ 750 V) and are therefore referred to as "catenary-free systems" (i.e., APS system, tramwave system, Primove system). Their implementation is becoming increasingly widespread, especially for cities with prestigious historical heritage, where high levels of environmental sustainability, capacity, reliability and safety standards are required. The study compares some of the most well-known and novel catenary-free systems for the creation of a 68-km tramway system, to be implemented in a metropolitan city. For each of the 7 new tramways, AIMSUN microsimulations were run to identify the most appropriate tramway track geometry and road section to minimize the interference with the vehicle activity. Moreover, for each system a financial and economic performance analysis has been carried out for an investment of about 869 million euros, while taking into account different scenarios of transportation demand. In addition, a cost–benefit analysis of the tramway lines investment project has been presented, including the calculation of the financial net present value, the economic net present value, rate of return of the investment and cost–benefit ratio. The analysis demonstrates that the APS ground-level power supply system is a proven alternative with greater economic and financial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a practical point of view, the cost effectiveness of ergonomic solutions is often questioned. Many times managers omit ergonomic solutions because of their high cost. This paper introduces a way to implement cost effective ergonomic solutions by coupling computer-aided design and predetermined motion time systems. This is done by generating a comparison between the operation times and body motions used in existing and safer work situations. We demonstrate using two case studies how solutions may impact operation times and stress, to which workers are subjected, which may be expressed in relaxation allowances required for resting and recovery. The 'final product' which may interest management the most, the ergonomic recommendations, is presented in easy to understand figures and numbers, including time to return on investment on relevant ergonomic solutions, which becomes possible when suggested improvements to work-situations are translated to time and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many human resource systems are presently being modified so they can be administered using various forms of computer technology. These technological advances are being driven primarily by strong demands from human resource professionals for enhancements in speed, effectiveness, and cost containment. This case study presents results obtained by an educational publisher from use of an automated recruiting and screening system. The system allowed for recruiting and the automated administration of professionally developed, job-related questions aimed at deciphering whether an applicant meets the job requirements. The analyses showed conservative savings due to reduced employee turnover, reduced staffing costs, and increased hiring- process efficiencies. These cumulative savings yielded a return on investment of 6.0 to 1, or a return of $6.00 for every $1.00 invested in the program. When these savings were adjusted to reflect increased hiring trends, more pronounced savings were evident. The current system coupled with the addition of planned enhancements should increase future hiring efficiency, employee quality, and resulting financial savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proposes the use of standardized balanced measures for assessing the performance and results of the U.S. federal agencies. Since most federal agencies do not have an easily identifiable bottom line, use of balanced measures provides more realistic information on agency effectiveness, especially when linked to the strategic plans required by the U.S. Government Performance and Results Act. Since government is funded mostly on a program-by-program basis, cost-benefit analysis is frequently used to determine a program's viability. Cost-benefit analysis enumerates all costs and benefits of a specific project and evaluates them in dollar terms. Return on Investment analysis is a more sophisticated version of cost-benefit analysis and takes into account a program's costs and benefits and calculates the amount of return that the program produces. It also considers intangibles produced as a result of the program. The Balanced Scorecard method of measuring organizational effectiveness provides an alternative to more research-oriented approaches, which often include cumbersome models with multiple intervening variables split between a macro-and micro focus.

In order to improve performance, company allocates significant amount of expenditures for IT investment. Regardless IT productivity paradox phenomenon, the companies certainly expect investment that have been made able to gain various benefits to the company. This research aims to compare five method of IT investment evaluation and find the closest accurate method according to selected literatures. Analysis was done by comparing: i) tangible and intangible ii) advantage iii) disadvantage iv) object and v) how to use. The result showed that Return on Investment (ROI), and Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) focus on tangible. While Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) focus on intangible. The method must justify tangible and intangible to get accurate result. Information Economics (IE) and Real Options Analysis (ROA) focus on both tangible and intangible. From both methods, IE was the closest accurate method because it could calculate tangible, quasi-tangible, and intangible, and also calculates the value of an investment based on enhanced ROI, business factors, and risk criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To perform a cost-utility analysis of 2018 United States real dollars for cataract surgery. Center for Value-Based Medicine, Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA. Cost-utility analysis. A base-case 14-year cost-utility model using the ophthalmic cost perspective was used. Third-party insurer and societal cost perspectives were also analyzed. Patient outcomes and costs were discounted with net present value analysis at 3% a year. First-eye cataract surgery resulted in a 2.523 quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain, a 33.3% patient value gain, and 25.5% quality-of-life gain. Bilateral surgery yielded a 44.1% patient value gain, while second-eye cataract surgery alone conferred an 8.1% value gain. First-eye cataract surgery resulted in a gain of 2.52 QALYs, while second-eye surgery added an incremental gain of 0.81 QALYs. The ophthalmic-cost-perspective average cost-utility ratio was $2526/2.523 = $1001/QALY for first-eye cataract surgery. The societal-cost-perspective average cost-utility ratio was −$370 018/2.523 = −$146 629/QALY. The second-eye ophthalmic-cost-perspective cost-utility ratio was $2526/0.814 = $3101/QALY, while the ophthalmic-cost-perspective cost-utility ratio for bilateral cataract surgery was $5052/3.338 = $1514/QALY. The 14-year U.S. 2018 real-dollar societal-cost-perspective net return on investment for first-eye cataract surgery was $370 018 above the $2526 cost expended for cataract surgery. Cataract surgery in both the first eye and second eye, when analyzed by standard health economic methodologies, is highly cost-effective. Cataract surgery in 2018 was 73.7% more cost-effective than in 2000. [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]

Threats to biodiversity and the integrity of ecological systems are escalating globally, both within and outside of protected areas. Decision makers have inadequate resources to manage all threats and typically lack information on the likely outcomes and cost‐effectiveness of possible management strategies. Priority Threat Management (PTM) is an emerging approach designed to address this challenge, by defining and appraising cost‐effective strategies for mitigating threats to biodiversity across regions. The scientific and practical impacts of PTM are increasing, with a growing number of case study applications across the globe.Here, we provide guidance and resource material for conducting the PTM process based on our experience delivering six large‐scale projects across Australia and Canada. Our handbook describes the four stages of PTM: scoping and planning; defining and collecting key elements; analysing the cost‐effectiveness of strategies; and communicating and integrating recommendations. We summarise critical tips, strengths, and limitations and scope for possible enhancements of the approach.Priority Threat Management harnesses scientific and expert‐derived information to prioritise management strategies based on their benefit to biodiversity, management costs and feasibility. The approach involves collaboration with key experts and stakeholders in a region to improve knowledge sharing and conservation support. The PTM approach identifies sets of regional level strategies that together provide the greatest benefits for multiple species under a limited budget, which can be used to inform existing processes for decision‐making.The PTM approach applies some generalisations in management strategies and resolution, in order to address complex challenges. Further developments of the approach include testing in a greater range of socioecological systems with adaptations that cater for multiobjective decisions.Synthesis and applications. Priority Threat Management is a decision science approach that brings people together to define and prioritise strategies for managing threats to biodiversity across broad regions. It delivers a prospectus for investment in the biodiversity of a region that is transparent, repeatable, participatory, and based on the best available information. Our handbook provides the necessary guidance and resources for expanding the Priority Threat Management approach to new locations, contexts, and challenges. Priority Threat Management is a decision science approach that brings people together to define and prioritise strategies for managing threats to biodiversity across broad regions. It delivers a prospectus for investment in the biodiversity of a region that is transparent, repeatable, participatory, and based on the best available information. Our handbook provides the necessary guidance and resources for expanding the Priority Threat Management approach to new locations, contexts, and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide an overview of the basic conceptual issues involved in estimating the return on investment (ROI) of state vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. Our aim is to highlight some of the key issues in ROI evaluations, especially those associated with estimating the benefits and costs of VR. Finally, we discuss different ways of implementing ROI calculations and suggest that rate-of-return type analysis is appealing for VR evaluations where there is no widely accepted discount rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A more traditional method of estimating the ratio of net benefits and costs or a return on investment (ROI) is one way for agencies to indicate the financial benefits that these programs realize. In contrast, social return on investment (SROI) is a relatively new approach that can be used to help determine the value of social benefits gained by individuals with disabilities who obtain competitive integrated employment (CIE). This paper will discuss and give examples of the benefits of specific SROI methods in assessing employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, which may be particularly important in estimating the overall value of the public vocational rehabilitation (VR) program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines whether accounting and market data yield consistent implications regarding the gains achieved in mergers of publicly traded institutions between 1982 and 1991. The study found that although both the average and cross-sectional properties of merger-related performance measures and consolidated abnormal returns show little to no change on average, cross-sectional properties differ between the two. Performance gains are related primarily to high total target and acquirer expenses, and abnormal returns are associated with the difference between the two total cost measures. While abnormal returns are related to target noninterest expenses, the relationship does not hold with total expenses.

Theoretical analysis of mergers has a great deal of significance independent of the fact that, when markets are perfect and in equilibrium, incentives for further merger activities are, by definition, exhausted temporarily. Two originally separated gases in a closed container will get mixed up and reach an equilibrirum state after one removes the partition. But that is hardly any reason for neglecting the investigation of how and why they get mixed up. It is in light of this observation that an attempt is made in the present article to reexamine a purely financial rationale for merger, which has already attracted a lot of attention in the finance literature. By drastically simplifying our considerations, we are able to arrive at three general conclusions on the basis of structured models. First, co-insurance, one of the many things that take place in a merger, has a cost and benefit structure to an equity class that can in principle be delineated. The pure cost of co-insurance to an equity class, if perceived, consists of that part of the expected residue used to subsidize the loan class of the other firm at the pre-coinsurance rate when default occurs in the latter. The pure benefit of co-insurance to an equity class is made possible by the concessions, if any, in contractual loan rates of both firms following the co-insurance. It is argued that the source of this benefit is a far cry from that resulting from preferential tax treatment of the allegedly enlarged "debt capacity" (however defined) of the participating firms. Second, residue redistribution effect in a merger must not be ignored. The simple but essential point is that it, again largely a matter of perception, may be regarded as working for or against the interest of a particular equity class. To that extent, therefore, any conclusion based on co-insurance effect alone is weakened. Third, to dispose of the misplaced emphasis on statistical correlation of revenues, it is reasoned that the really... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Fiegenbaum and Thomas's application of prospect theory to empirically derived risk-return relations was replicated and extended with Belgian accounting data. Four profitability variables and two risk variables figured in the analysis. Findings confirmed the results of the earlier study: firms with returns above a target level are risk-averse, and firms with returns below that target level are risk- seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many companies have been disappointed by a lack of results from their quality efforts. The financial benefits of quality, which had been assumed as a matter of faith in the "religion of quality," are now being seriously questioned by cost-cutting executives, who cite the highly publicized financial failures of some companies prominent in the quality movement. In this increasingly results-oriented environment, managers must now justify their quality improvement efforts financially. The authors present the "return on quality" approach, which is based on the assumptions that (1) quality is an investment, (2) quality efforts must be financially accountable, (3) it is possible to spend too much on quality, and (4) not all quality expenditures are equally valid. The authors then provide a managerial framework that can be used to guide quality improvement efforts. This framework has several attractive features, including ensured managerial relevance and financial accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the article, "Incentives for Accruing Costs and Efficiency in Regulated Monopolies Subject to ROE Constraint," concerning implicit compensation contracts for executives in the electric utility industry. He states that the paper assumes that regulation of the electric utility industry is cost-plus pricing, which differs from traditional views of electric utilities as a natural monopoly. He mentions that if capital costs are sticky then there isn't an incentive to pad capital costs. He states that the paper shows that overcapitalization and padding of operating costs would lead to increased managerial compensation.

This study compared three alternative decision-making strategies in the consumer behavior literature: (1) minimization of expected negative utility (perceived risk); (2) maximization of expected positive utility (perceived return); and (3) maximization of expected net utility (net perceived return). The results of this study indicated that the net perceived return model could explain more variance in brand preference than the other two models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses ways of measuring the benefits of corporate philanthropy. The underlying strategy for many firms is for companies to obtain a tangible return for their charitable contributions. Some businesses have developed a series of cost/benefit analyses to determine long-term returns on philanthropy efforts. The Shell Oil company has identified several social performance planning areas within its strategic management plan. The object is to be responsive to public demands in a proactive rather than a reactive way.

Do mergers provide real benefits to acquiring firms? If not, as empirical studies completed mostly in the field of finance conclude, then why do firms continue to merge? If mergers do provide real benefits, as the literature of industrial organizations and strategic management suggest, then why haven't the empirical studies found any evidence of real benefits? By integrating the conclusions on mergers from the above three disciplines, these questions are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]