An essay on the rising health care costs associated with moral hazard and why, despite some skepticism, consumer driven health plans (CDHP) can provide a solution.
Abstract The paper discusses Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHP) and how these plans can reduce medical spending. The paper examines the rising cost of health care and how health insurers have developed new and innovative ways of dealing with the ever pressing issue moral hazard has had on overall medical spending. The paper further analyzes how through consumer driven health plans, health insurers hope to encourage more conservative and responsible consumerism as patients are forced to pay higher out of pocket costs for medical services.
From the Paper "Year after year, as the cost of health care continues to rise and the American public's frustration continues to grow, those with influence over the market have begun to offer new and innovative solutions in the hopes of curbing the ever rising prices a broken system has helped to create. In a flawed design where everyone but the consumer is picking up the tab - the employers, health insurers, and government, it's of no surprise that Americans have been more than indulgent in their consumption of medical services. Unfortunately, this careless consumption, driven by moral hazard, is what continues to drive the overall cost of health care up at a rate of inflation higher than that of other goods and services. Now, in an effort to reduce the most costly of effects attributing to the rising cost of medical services, health insurers have focused on reducing moral hazard through the introduction of consumer driven health plans (CDHP)."
Abstract This paper discusses customer-driven quality in a manufacturing environment and how it stands with reference to other types of organizations, such as government, non-profit, and service. The value of quality in relationship to customer satisfaction and the importance of participatory management are explained.
From the Paper "The modern manufacturing environment has been responsible for a dramatic loss in product quality in recent years with a concomitant loss of customer satisfaction. Products are not made as well do not last as long and do not have ..."
Tags: customer-driven quality, manufacturing, customer satisfaction, customer service
Abstract This paper defines the concept of quality and the role quality plays in shaping a customer's satisfaction. The author points out that quality is an integral part of business. The paper relates the participation of management in the production of customer-driven quality.
From the Paper "Quality is an integral part of any business and yet the term itself has many different interpretations. There is the quality of the product itself as it relates to performance and durability. There is the more difficult relationship between quality and price consumers may accept poorer quality for lower cost. There is the quality of the purchasing experience the payment experience and the after-sale experience. Quality enters the picture in the area of customer service and a company's Website and marketing materials also have issues."
This paper is a complete research project including an extensive literature review that analyzes demand-driven supply networks (DDSN) in an increasingly globalized marketplace.
Abstract This paper explains that demand-driven supply network (DDSN) is an IT strategy that uses a system of technologies and processes to sense demand and react to it in real time, across a network of linked customers, suppliers and employees. The author uses both a case analysis methodology and quantitative surveys. The paper states that the hypothesis of the study is that, because physical supply chains in a global economy operate at the speed of ocean-going ships, U.S. manufacturers should re-engineer their supply networks to remove bottlenecks from the system and match the speed of innovation that operates in a flat world by adopting appropriate demand-drive supply networking techniques. The paper includes many charts, figures and tables and the survey questionnaires.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Hypothesis
Rationale
Overview of the Study
Literature Review
Background and Overview
The Flat-Round Dichotomy
Supply Chain Tactics for a Round World
Different Approaches Used to Deliver Round-World Returns
Level One: Business Process Improvement
Level Two: Business Process Redesign
Demand-Driven Supply Networks
Four-Stage Maturity Model Helps to Plot Long-Term Track
DDSN Implementation
Sensing and Consolidating Demand
DDSN Methods
Alignment is Key
Existing Supply Chain Initiatives and Techniques that Contribute/Mirror Demand-Driven Supply Network Approaches
Efficient Consumer Response (ECR)
Time-Based Competition (TBC)
Product Development
Strategic Importance
Product Life-Cycle Times are Getting Shorter
Product Development Considerations
Cross-Functional Teams
Strategies for Cross-Functional Team Management
Concurrent Engineering
Japanese Paradox
Supply Network Strategy
Just in Time (JIT), Just in Time II (JIT II) and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)
Case Vignette - Pure Vendor Managed Inventory in Action.
Agility in the Supply System, Agile Manufacturing, Strategically Flexible Production or Proximity Manufacturing
Case Vignette - Agile Manufacturing
Virtual Operations Strategy
Strategic Outsourcing
Case Vignette - Strategic Outsourcing
World-Class Manufacturing (WCM)
Lean Production and Lean Thinking
Strategic Postponement
Case Vignette - Strategic Postponement.
Logistics Strategy
Strategic Purchasing or Sourcing, Strategic Procurement, Network Sourcing, Materials Management
Case Vignette - Strategic Purchasing and Sourcing
LL Bean Replenishment Schedule
Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR)
Case Vignette - CPFR at Levi Strauss
Methodology
Data Analysis
Part I: Case Studies
Case Example No. 1: Rexam
Supply Chain Strategies
Case Example No 2. Dell Computer Corp
Dell Geographic Business Segments
Action Strategy
Supply Chain Control
Strategy Applications
Case Study No. 3: Wrangler Jeans
Action Strategy
Selecting Distributors
Most Common Selection Criteria for Developing a Strategic Relationship
Evaluating Distributors
Case Example. Owens & Minor Inc.
Action Strategy
Innovations in Supply-Chain Strategies
Case Examples. United Technologies Corp.
McAfee's Strategy
Results
Action Steps
Defining a Global Perspective
Product Design
Online Survey Results
Survey No. 1. Survey of Distributors
Section One: Distributor Overview
Number of Employees
Annual sales revenues (MM$)
Supply Chain Management Techniques Used in Past
Supply Chain Management Techniques Now Using
Most Valuable Initiative in Streamlining Supply Chain
Key to Likert-Scaled Questions
Familiar with Demand-Driven Supply Network Techniques
Company Currently Uses Demand-Driven Supply Network Techniques
Section Three: Open-Ended Comments.
Survey No. 2. Survey of Manufacturers
Section One: Manufacturer Overview
Number of Employees
Annual sales revenues (MM$)
Past Initiative
Current Initiative
Most Valuable Initiative
Familiarity with Demand-Driven Supply Network Techniques
Company Currently Uses Demand-Driven Supply Network Techniques
Section Three: Open-Ended Comments.
Conclusion
Results
Discussion
Recommendations
Explore Technologies That Deliver Demand
From the Paper "Therefore, one of the most important elements in CPFR is the forging of proactive links between partners or allies at different stages of the supply pipeline. These need to be both strategic and tactical and require proper management as one of the resources of the organization. An excellent example of this in action is to be found in the approach that Levi Strauss and Company take with its main suppliers and customers. According to Lowson, since the mid-1980s, the firm has constantly been trying to establish closer working links in the supply in a coordinated pipeline with the aid of its 'Levilink'..."
Abstract The paper explains data-driven decision making (DDDM) in education as the collecting and analyzing of various types of data in order to improve the success of students and schools. The paper notes the many benefits of data-driven decision making. The writer points out, however, that there has to be a balance of how much emphasis is placed on the data. The writer concludes that with such a balance, he/she would be in favor of data-driven decision making.
Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Conclusion
From the Paper "Data-driven decision making(DDDM) in education refers to teachers, principals and administrators systematically collecting and analyzing various types of data, including input, process, outcome and satisfaction data, to guide a range of decisions to help improve the success of students and schools (Hamilton, 2003). Schools have been collecting data for decades but because of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, most school districts are now using the data to determine school improvements which is a result of data-driven decision making. Every state and most districts have some type of data management system in place. Data-driven decision making provides options which require implementing a productive system to analyze data. According to the American Association of School Administrators (2002) research, data can be a powerful tool for school districts. If used properly, data can help districts improve student achievement as well as many other areas."
Abstract This paper stresses that companies, especially those with global competitors, must become demand-driven organizations by aligning and synchronizing the entire company---its many departments, buyers, suppliers and strategies---to meet the needs of customers. The author reviews research studies, which implicate that becoming a demand-driven company can play a positive role in increasing an organization's profitability. The paper relates that, in quantifying the financial impact of marketing on the profitability and long-term financial performance of any company, the processes surrounding order-capture, order-management, fulfillment and order-tracking are critical.
From the Paper "Askegar and Columbus (2002) highlight a maturity model that specifically addresses this point from the standpoint of recruiting, growing, retaining or re-directing channel partners. This has major implications for measuring per-channel sales productivity, gross margins, and channel partner revenue contribution. Second, a process-centric view of marketing's contribution to revenue highlights a series of financial measures that best reflect the immediate impact of changing strategies to make them more customer-centric."
Abstract This paper takes a detailed look at Chapter 10 of "Business Driven Technology" and summarizes its main points. The paper discusses the importance of supply chain management and its effects on corporate strategy. It also discusses technology driven platforms (such as, e-commerce) and how they are used to solve business issues or improve business processes.
From the Paper "Strategy should be the first component of supply chain management because supply chain solutions should support corporate strategy rather than drive corporate strategy. This is where the topic of supply chain management as a business solution becomes extremely relevant. Supply chain management solutions should be chosen for their unique fit with the company's corporate strategy. The authors make this point quite effectively by introducing the reader to a series of large corporations that have made themselves the benchmarking standard for supply chain solutions across many industries through their supply chain management strategies: Dell, Nokia, IBM, Wal-Mart, and The Home Depot, to name a few (Baltzan & Phillips 125). The importance of supply chain management and its integration into corporate strategy is demonstrated by these authors' close association of how these large, multi-national firms have leverage the supply chain for competitive differentiation as opposed to a particular marketing campaign. The point is that while sales and marketing are important business functions for maintaining growth, the supply chain and its management are even more critical for establishing and maintaining profitability."
Abstract This paper aims to illustrate how effective companies are becoming in transforming their supply chains to be more demand driven, while at the same time accomplishing sustainability objectives. It discusses the business factors that contribute to greater levels of demand-driven supply network performance while at the same time accomplishing sustainability objectives. The paper focuses on the business area of transportation.
Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
The Return on Investment (ROI) of Redefining Purchasing Criteria and Suppliers' Roles
Optimizing Material Handling for Sustainability and a Lean Supply Chain
Consolidating Storage Locations for more Efficient MRO Operations
Benefits of seeking out Material Yield Optimization in the Supply Chain
Product Take-Back and Recycling Strategies
Summary
From the Paper "The movement of products through a supply chain including the logistics and material handling often has significant potential for cost reduction and the attainment of sustainability objectives. Packaging is an area where suppliers and buyers have worked to create opportunities for cost reduction and the attainment of CSR and sustainability objectives as well. From the traditional brown boxes to the custom-molded packaging that uses highly engineering molds to sustain shock and vibration, material handling is often seen as an essential high cost for minimizing product loss. With so much of a given products' cost represented by packaging and the fact that the majority of it is wasted after the product is delivered, many companies who have completed studies in this area did not realize the extent of their packaging was only used once and then discarded. Studies completed also show that the greater the re-use and accurate forecasting of packaging materials, the higher the level of profitability attained supply-chain wide (Zhu, Sarkis, Lai, 2008)."
Abstract This paper analyzes and compares the literature regarding data-driven decision making for school improvement. The paper considers both sides of the argument - that information and knowledge lie at the root of effective action and, on the other hand, that there is not sufficient integration of school data with state-mandated goals to make decision-making truly effective. The paper discusses the two perspectives of the debate.
From the Paper "Marlow Ediger (2003) uses this element to point out the reasons for the relative ineffectiveness of data-driven decision making. The difference between this author's and the others' opinion lies in the definition and implementation of data-driven systems. According to Ediger, data is in itself a very specific science. The application of this approach to the teaching profession is to assume that teaching is itself an accurate science. There can be little dispute that it is not. Each teacher, being human, is unique in his or her approach to students. Each student is furthermore unique. According to Ediger, this is precisely why data-driven decision making cannot apply to the teaching profession in terms of assessing student needs and/or improvement. Instead, Ediger suggests a less rigid approach to assessment, such as the portfolio philosophy. By using portfolios rather than rigid data, teachers can recognize the flexible nature of teaching and learning, and make improvements accordingly."
Abstract Paper presents contemporary arguments against television watching based on its negative effects on the cultural richness of a society like our own. Discusses the influence of advertisers on TV's creative element, and how other critically acclaimed "pure arts" like film and painting are just as market-driven.
Abstract This paper discusses what programming languages are used in web pages. It describes what database-driven sites are and looks at what a server does. It also discusses issues like the interface and the browser.
From the Paper "When creating a structure for a website one must take into consideration many attributes that will help in the development of a site targeted to the end users. When making attributes the developer must form a site that is easy to use with a well designed layout that contains valuable resources. Within these attributes the designer must have made a stable system structure that can perform well. For this to occur there are some key basic element that must be in place. These are organized pages or architecture, a server, a good database and the languages."
Abstract This paper explains that Emma Bovary from "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert is an intriguing character and, like any good character of literature, has all the complexities that 'real' people have. The author points out that Emma is a character who is driven by a desire to achieve the kind of life she has read about in romance novels. The paper relates that Flaubert's message is a warning about the dangers of the romantic view and the inherent problems in accepting a romantic view as achievable.
From the Paper "In a normal environment, Emma would be able to express her interest in relationships through the people around her. She would have contact with males and would have people in relationships acting as role models for her. In the convent, Emma is removed from all these influences and essentially isolated from any example of a romantic relationship. With Emma's natural interest in relationships, this drives her to look elsewhere. The place she looks is in romance novels. With the reading of these novels, Emma has a view created of the perfect man and the perfect relationship. It must also be noted at this point that individuals at this age develop their expectations of the world from the influences in their world. One could argue that it is Emma's fault for accepting this view, because she should have known better than to accept such a false view of reality."
Abstract This paper stresses that basic premise of ethical health care is to make sure everyone has an opportunity to be treated, to have his illness cured if possible and not to leave the patient and his family with a huge financial burden. The author points out that, while individuals may complain about the rising costs of health care, it is the shouting of large corporations, who are paying a share of these costs through employee programs, that has alerted the public and government regulators to the high price of health provision. The paper contends that, although many experts may agree that the problem is "market-driven health care", the facts are (1) that it is nearly impossible for a patient to "compare" services and (2) the traditional hospital survive through donations and gifts from philanthropists, while the managed-care facilities must operate on a for-profit basis.
From the Paper "Technology is supposed to reduce the cost by increasing efficiencies. However, many of the traditional hospitals have become so enamored with some of the new technological and surgical machinery and instrumentation that "they have been so pervasively purchased by health care institutions- some of which use them very little that they have increased the costs as well." What has happened is that new technologies, which may include lasers and even plastics, have increased the number of elective surgeries, since the trauma of great pain and lengthy operations and after-care have now been minimized."
Abstract The writer of this paper contends that Warren's main goal is to teach others about the cause of Christ. This paper details the contents of Warren's book while discussing the author's opinion regarding the myths attached with growing churches. The author tackles the argument that large churches are only concerned with attendance. This paper examines the church's general premise, which according to Warren, begins with a solid foundation, which builds morale and reduces frustration. Warren describes how churches can turn attenders into members, by implementing a plan that assimilates new members by focusing on congregational needs. This paper discusses Warren's suggestions and strategies for improving the current situation in churches across America. This paper also lists the five main purposes of the church, according to the author, which include loving the Lord, loving one's neighbor and teaching obedience.
From the Paper "The following section focuses on how a church becomes purpose driven. This begins with a solid foundation, which can be set forth with a purpose statement. This, in Warren's opinion, builds morale and reduces frustration. In addition, a church's purpose is not created as much as it is discovered. Purpose statements are biblical, specific, transferable, and measurable. In this section, Warren also goes over five purposes o the church, which include loving the Lord, loving one's neighbor, making disciples, baptism, and teaching obedience. Warren also discusses communication and organizing the body of the church around the church's purpose. Part of this plan includes the five circles of commitment, which are community, crowd, congregation, the committed, and the core."
Abstract This paper explains that the rate of introduction of new technologies is increasing and changing the ways in which people communicate with others, interact with ideas to increase their knowledge base and to educate and entertain themselves; therefore, the schools must prepare students for a life of constant change and the ability to incorporate new technologies as a natural part of their play and learning. The author points out that, in addition to being prepared for the information age, particular emphasis should be given to social and environmental education, science, technology and modern languages. The paper stresses that many educational institutions are going to become more market-driven and responsive to the needs of their learners, particularly adult learners, in the coming years.
Table of Contents
What Curricular Changes in the Next 10 Years?
What will be its Content?
What will Influence this Content?
Who will be Involved in its Development and Design?
What Part will You Play in this Curriculum Development?
How will these Changes Impact You Personally?
From the Paper "An old saying suggests that, "one person can make a difference," but curriculum development is not an individual endeavor by any measure but rather a collective experience that requires careful consideration of who is going to need to learn what and for how long and why. The same market forces, though, that Adam Smith identified will play an increasing role in shaping what curriculum developments will emerge in the coming years. If an institution of higher learning fails to provide its adult students with a relevant curriculum that is delivered in a manner that is readily accessible to them, these students will likely continue to shop around until they find a school that meets their needs; it will be in this "invisible hand" capacity that I will help to shape curriculum development over the coming 10 years."
