Abstract
This project is an examination of the concept of relevant and irrelevant costs. These are applied to the investment decision process.

From the Paper
"Most of the identifiable decision events that have occurred at EMC over the past few years have involved acquisitions. In this area and based on their model the critical questions revolve around how the proposed acquisition fit into the product line or distribution network of the company as opposed to direct expense. Obviously an acquisition or divestiture is a financial decision as well as a marketing and product line decision."

Tags:sunk costs, fixed overhead costs, notational costs and book values acquisition investment relevant cost irrelevant cost

Abstract
The paper discusses the fixed and variable costs of air, rail, pipeline, ground and water transportation.

From the Paper
"Transportation systems of all types; water, rail, roadway, pipeline and air, face requirements to simultaneously increase their capacity and to reduce the cost of movements. (Comtois Rodrigue Kuby) Both fixed and variable costs impact upon these systems and while pipelines may be the most definitively cost effective transport methods, they tend to be limited in terms of what they carry to crude and processed oil products, natural gas and, in some instances, water. (Association of Oil Pipe Lines) The fixed costs, regardless of transport..."

Tags:fixed costs, variable costs, transportation

Abstract
This paper discusses the issue of rising health care costs in the United States, and relates the issue to the government, business, and health care industries. The paper further looks into these organization's roles in halting rising health care costs, and discusses professional opinions in relation to the matter. The addition of technology and its affects on health care are also discussed.

From the Paper
"In the United States there are many poor, aging, and young who have traditionally been without health insurance due to the rising costs associated with care. When society considers those entities that should play a significant role in reducing health care costs the organizational elements of government, industry, and health care providers them selves are logical considerations. Yet, while the United States patiently waits for some type of health care cost relief there does not appear to be any notable action being taken to reduce these costs. During the December 2002 online discussion posted on NewsHour, with Jim Lehrer, the issue of health care costs was discussed in relation to insurance providers, hospitals, and health care workers. Lehrer spoke with many professionals in these organizations, and discovered that there are primary causes for the rise in health care costs in the United States. "

Tags:health, care, costs

Abstract
This paper presents an assessment of the economics of health care costs. The paper argues that the problem is a complex maze of related issues such as funding mechanisms, delivery structures and individual responsibility. Additionally, the paper recommends a national health care system for managing family health care costs that is based on universal access to health care.

From the Paper
"Health care economics is entering another state of turmoil in the United States as the moderating effects of the managed care concept on increasing health care costs appears to have run its course. The Congress and state governments believed the promises of managed care proponents that managed care would lower health care costs dramatically and are resisting rapid increases in health care costs. Managed care companies are responding by dropping governmentally-funded patient groups including Medicare and Medicaid raising charges to..."

Tags:assessment, family, health, care, costs

Abstract
This paper is oriented towards assessing the marginal costs and benefits of a decision that most people will have to make at some point in their lives; namely, should they have children (or another child) or abstain from having children? The paper posits that this topic is of considerable personal interest insofar as being a parent probably brings more rewards - and more potential set-backs - than any other decision a man or woman will make.

From the Paper
"This paper is oriented towards assessing the marginal costs and benefits of a decision that most people will have to make at some point in their lives; namely, should they have children (or another child) or abstain from having children? Although a young person, this topic is of considerable personal interest insofar as being a parent probably brings more rewards - and more potential set-backs - than any other decision a man or woman will make. The essay notes that the increase in affluence after world war II and the societal upheavals that emerged in the 1960s reduced the motivation for many people to have children (or at least many...)"

Tags:micro, economics, marginal, costs

Abstract
The paper reveals that health care costs in the United States continue to rise as over $2.1 trillion was spent in 2006 alone for Medicare and Medicaid Service expenditures. The paper also reveals that in just 7 years, total health care spending is estimated to rise by 4% (Kuttner, 2008). The paper explains that much of this increase is due to an aging American population placing a strain on a system that relies predominantly on for-profit commercialism. The paper notes that this includes specialty hospitals owned by investors, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit insurance and pharmaceutical companies; these entities "siphon off $400 billion to $500 billion of the $2.1 trillion spent..." (Kuttner, 2008, p. 549).

From the Paper
"Health care costs in the United States continue to rise as over $2.1 trillion was spent in 2006 alone for Medicare and Medicaid Service expenditures. In just 7 years, total health care spending is estimated to rise by 4% (Kuttner, 2008). Much of this increase is due to an aging..."

Tags:healthcare, costs, nurses

Abstract
This paper takes a look at the reasons health care costs continue to rise in the United States. It points out that many factors interact to increase costs and these factors include certain elements that, ironically, are thought to reduce costs or that may have been intended to reduce costs. The paper adds that costs increase in part for natural economic reasons, such as the cost of developing new drugs, or the added costs accruing due to the creation and implementation of new medical technology. The paper maintains that one of the primary reasons fo cost increases is that the public does not pay for what it uses in medicine, meaning that people do not pay directly out of their own pockets. Instead, millions have their costs paid by insurance or a company health plan, and this increases the overall costs. To conclude, the paper calls for a better and more certain analysis of how costs could be reduced.

From the Paper
"The patient may pay something on his or her bill, but it is usually only a part of the whole. Alterio (2007) notes how some of the efforts to control costs can harm patients, which in turn increases health care costs over time because patients may have to wait longer for treatment and need more medical attention when they do get it. Alterio notes that keeping down costs in HMOs often means requiring doctors to see more patients per hour and to give each patient less time, which saves money in the short-term while increasing costs in the long run."

Tags:insurance, expense

Abstract
This paper reviews transaction costs as inputs relating to the costs of exchanging economic goods or services, such as finding trading partners and monitoring contracts. Next, the author looks at the pharmaceutical industry to find out how transaction costs begin, how the price mechanism affects transaction costs and how they relate to production costs. The paper concludes that, in the pharmaceutical industry, transaction cost economics explains the contractual relationships between pharmaceutical firms and academic laboratories, other private research and information technology firms and contract research organizations especially in the area of research and development.

Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Costs of Using the Price Mechanism to Organize Resources
Production Costs versus Transaction Costs
A Single Firm Producing Everything in the Market?
Transaction Costs and Firm Structure and Size
Conclusions

From the Paper
"Asset-specificity is where parties to a transaction make investments that have greater value within than outside a business relationship, thereby locking parties into that transaction. Since pharmaceutical products, scientists, analytical tools and processes are highly specialized and coordinated, asset-specificity is an important determinant of transaction costs in the pharmaceutical industry. Asset-specificity gives rise to quasi-rent and hold up. Quasi-rent is the extra profit a firm derives when it successfully deploys specific assets in their intended use, compared to their next best alternative use."

Tags:determinant outsource, market system, bounded rationality, vertical chain

Abstract
This paper presents a plan for reducing the high costs of healthcare in the US. The writer makes the argument that we as consumers bear the primary responsibility to control healthcare costs. Specifically, the writer contends that if we pay our own insurance premiums, and a significant part of our healthcare expenses, we will help bring down the costs of healthcare. The writer then expounds on this contention and explains why it would work. The writer concludes that if we were to play a more active role in choosing our insurance provider and our healthcare providers we would help lower costs and improve the quality of our healthcare services.

Outline:
Introduction
The Cost of Healthcare is too High
We as Consumers Bear the Primary Responsibility to Control Costs
If We Pay for More of Our Healthcare, We Can Lower Costs
Conclusion

From the Paper
"I recently accompanied my brother to the emergency room of a local hospital for a broken arm. While I was pleased with the overall care he received, the bill for setting his arm and an overnight stay for observation topped $2,000! Medical professionals may argue that the amount paid reflects their need to cover the costs of overhead and the indigent, but no medical professional can defend $10 for an over-the-counter pain pill or $800 for the use of a room overnight."

Tags:medical, professional, expensive, system

Abstract
This paper explains that, while quality has turned Japan into a market leader in various fields, continuous improvement may not exactly be a sound approach because of the costs involved. The author states that Juran believes there exists an optimum level of quality, beyond which there could be declining marginal returns; thus, no attempt should be made to improve quality further once this level has been achieved. The paper relates that Taguchi's approach, known as quality loss function, states that the loss to society and producers increases when the quality level deviates from a specific target: The wider the difference between ideal and reality, the greater will be the loss to society. Tables.

Table of Contents
Prevention Costs
Appraisal Costs
Internal Failure Costs
External Failure Costs
Relationship between Quality Cost Categories

From the Paper
"Joseph Juran first popularized this concept in 1950s, but it was challenged by another quality theorist Crosby who maintained that quality was free. However, Juran has repeatedly advocated in-depth analysis of quality related costs as he believes that rising quality costs could result in lower overall revenues. "Because the main language of [corporate management] was money, there emerged the concept of studying quality-related costs as a means of communication between the quality staff departments and the company managers." Realizing that quality costs could sometimes be a burden on the company and were thus important to pay attentions to, he separated these costs into four distinct categories. These categories focus on each area of quality control and make it clear for companies to determine where which areas can impact their sales profits the most."

Tags:zero-defect, crosby, ideal, margin, improvement