Bayer reorganizes in response to growth

In this article the Head of Strategic Planning at Bayer AG describes the new corporate structure which was introduced into the company in 1984, and the considerations which led to its development and implementation.     

The use of formal inventory control models: A preliminary survey

Of the many papers and texts on the subject of inventory control, relatively few report the successful implementation of systems based on formal mathematical models developed with specific objectives in mind. This could be considered rather strange in the light of the relatively high number of papers reporting the development of models for dealing with a multitude of different hypothetical situations, and the widespread availability of computer systems capable of exploiting such models. Various reasons for this anomaly can be put forward. This paper reports the results of a preliminary survey designed to investigate this more deeply, and draws some necessarily tentative conclusions relating to factors contributing to the successful application of such systems.     

The effects of seasonal demand on depot location

Many of the cost functions associated with depot location algorithms assume an overall demand for a fixed period, usually one year. This paper describes an investigation into the effect of high seasonality within such demand figures on the optimal location of storage facilities. The preliminary results indicate that a more flexible approach for certain products could be worthwhile.     

Existence of unbiased covariance components estimators

The condition of PINCUS (1974) for the estimability of covariance components in normal models is extended to the case of singular covariance matrices     

Applied health services research: responding to the changing health care environment

Health care in America is changing rapidly. The forces that are reforming our health care system are both numerous and compelling. Americans are requesting access to more affordable health care. At the same time, many Americans want to build upon what is considered the best and most technologically advanced health care system in the world. Especially during economically troubled times, innovative and well-formulated solutions to respond to these fundamental challenges are needed to improve the quality and accessibility of health care. It is essential that policy markers base their health care decisions on sound medical research that specifically examines which aspects of medical care improve patient outcomes.