Use of social impact bonds to address social problems: Understanding contractual risks and transaction costs

Social impact bonds, a recent innovation in social finance, are designed to harness capital and knowledge from private nonprofit, for‐profit, and public entities to address pressing social problems. Although there is great policy interest in understanding how social impact bonds can be used to tackle social problems, the emergent nature of social impact bonds makes it hard to find relevant data and evidence. To overcome this challenge, we use single‐significant‐case sampling as our research design strategy. We conduct an in‐depth case study of the Social Innovation Financing Youth Recidivism Project in Massachusetts. Our case study is comprised of a qualitative analysis of the multiparty contract and multiyear quantitative benefit–cost analysis to understand transaction costs. We draw upon contract theory to develop an analytical framework for the case analysis and highlight the risks and safeguards for the various parties to the contract, and conduct a formal benefit–cost analysis to map out transaction costs. We conclude with a discussion of study implications and future research.     

Is coverage enough? Persistent health disparities in marginalised Latino border communities

ABSTRACT

What has been the fate of those living in the place once dubbed the ‘county that needs the Affordable Care Act the most’? This article presents results from a longitudinal, five-year ethnographic study of healthcare access in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It explores reasons why this region along the U.S./Mexico border has the highest rate of uninsured persons in the country and remains among the most medically underserved, despite some increases in coverage accompanying the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It argues that the convergence of healthcare and immigration policy, framed by a unique regional history and social environment, has had multiple direct and indirect impacts on health and healthcare access. It examines the impact of the ACA on access for Latino immigrants and mixed-status households, which contain a mix of citizens, legal residents, and undocumented persons. It argues that the ACA aided in shifting the conversation to promoting private insurance coverage and away from more fundamental access barriers for low-income working populations ineligible for its benefits. This has eclipsed discussions about fundamental causes of persistent and highly racialised health disparities.     

Open collaborative innovation and digital platforms

Abstract

This study uses contract theory to analyse the relationship between open collaborative innovation strategies and digital platforms. We argue that a collaborative mechanism and governance of the platform affect how operations are run and impact firm ambidexterity. We also explain how the twofold revealing strategy, both selective and free occurs via the platform and how governance positively impacts the coordination mechanism. A case study analysis on TIM OPEN draws a ground-breaking framework for future investigations. The analysis suggests that the combination of digital platform and collaborative innovation can facilitate the creative process and be a driver of operational synergies. Results confirm that the adoption of digital platforms for collaborative innovations reduces transaction costs.     

Ice‐Breaker vs. Standalone: Comparing Alternative Workflow Modes of Mid‐level Care Providers

Capitalizing on the operational concept of division‐of‐labor, clinics often reduce physician service time by off‐loading some of his/her clinical activities to lower‐cost personnel. These personnel, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, are often collectively referred to as “mid‐level providers” (MLPs) and can perform many patient‐consultation tasks. The common rationale is that using an MLP allows the physician to serve more patients, increase patients’ access to care, and, due to MLPs’ lower salaries, improve the clinic's financial performance. An MLP is typically integrated into the outpatient clinic process in one of two modes: as an “ice‐breaker,” seeing each patient before the physician, or as a “standalone” provider, a substitute for the physician for the entirety of some patients’ visits. Despite both of these modes being widely used in practice, we find no research that identifies the circumstances under which either one is preferable. This study examines these two modes’ effects on operational performance, such as patient flow and throughput, as well as on financial measures. Using queueing and bottleneck analysis, discrete‐event simulation, and profit modeling, we compare these two deployment modes and identify the optimal policies for deploying MLPs as either ice‐breakers or as standalone providers. Interestingly, we also find there exists a range of scenarios where not hiring an MLP at all (i.e., the physician works alone) is likely to be most profitable for the clinic. Implications for practice are discussed.     

工程造价咨询业改革之教育、法规与信息化

国外工程造价咨询机构即将涌入国内,为了探求这一激烈市场竞争下国内工程造价咨询企业的生存与发展之道,对国内外工程造价咨询业进行了比较,重点分析了前者之不足与后者之优势,得出我国工程造价咨询业改革之迫切性,并针对国内该行业之薄弱点,从人才教育、法律与规章制度建设、信息化建设三个关键方面提出了改革之具体措施,以迎接国内外市场一体化的挑战与机遇。     

基于交易成本和产权理论分析中超联赛

从交易成本理论和产权理论的视角分析我国中超联赛的现状，揭示我国职业足球联赛当今所面临的主要问题在于内部激励无效率的制度及制度外生变量约束，并试图构建一个理想的中超联赛模式。     

资本账户开放初始条件的决定与构成分析

在成本收益分析框架下,资本账户开放的初始条件取决于其边际收益与边际成本曲线的情况,即使绝大多数的条件不具备,但只要某一方面的改进能够构成边际收益和边际成本曲线的交点,那么资本账户开放的初始条件就已具备,可以在开放进程中来促进其它条件的成熟,进而可以推进资本账户更大程度的开放。资本账户开放初始条件的具体构成可归纳为以下四个方面:经济竞争力和经济状况、国内金融体系的市场化程度、金融监管体系和宏观经济的政策框架。     

中国医疗费用DRGs结算模式的建立

DRGs是根据主要诊断、病情严重程度以及医疗服务强度分组结算医疗费用的模式，该模式的建立将会有效抑制中国医疗结算中存在的医疗费用增长过快现象，有效提高医疗服务质量和规范医疗行为。探讨DRGs结算方法的优缺点，提出建立和完善中国DRGs结算模式的建议，即建立完备的计算机信息系统、统一医院病历书写与疾病编码、制定临床诊疗常规标准和统一出院标准、制定科学合理的费用标准、做好DRGs的试点组织工作等。     

专业化生产的微观决策模型：两难冲突与市场协调机制

专业化生产由于减少产品数目的范围或生产过程的职能环节 (操作 ) ,而提高了劳动生产率 ,并且具有规模经济性。因而 ,专业化生产可以获得内在经济性。但是 ,随着专业化程度提高 ,交易中的内生和外生交易费用也会随之大大增加。为了揭示专业化分工中这种两难冲突的协调机制 ,必须探讨市场价格制度和各种中间组织形式对降低内生交易费用的意义     

土地法律制度的经济学分析

从经济学的角度看 ,土地法律制度的产生源与于土地交易费用的节约 ;土地法律制度的存在可以降低土地交易费用 ,提高经济效率 ,促进土地利用过程中外部性问题的内部化 ;土地法律制度的构成要素正式约束、非正式约束和实施机制都能影响其经济功能的实现 ,这些要素也正是土地法律制度改革和完善的主要内容。