scholarly journals Cultivate, assess, advocate, implement, and sustain

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Mannheimer ◽  
Conor Cote
Keyword(s):  
Cost Savings ◽  
Digital Preservation ◽  
Shared Vision ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Shared Knowledge ◽  
Collective Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Ongoing Support

Purpose For libraries with limited resources, digital preservation can seem like a daunting responsibility. Forming partnerships can help build collective knowledge and maximize combined resources to achieve digital preservation goals. This paper aims to provide guidance to help libraries with limited resources achieve digital preservation goals by forming partnerships to build collective knowledge and maximize combined resources. Design/methodology/approach In 2015, librarians from four Montana institutions formed the Digital Preservation Working Group (DPWG), a collaboration to increase digital preservation efforts statewide. The group’s immediate goals were to promote digital preservation best-practices at each individual institution, and to learn about and support each other’s work. The group’s long-term goal was to implement a shared digital preservation service that would fill gaps in existing digital preservation efforts. Findings Beyond the cost savings gained by sharing a digital preservation service, the members of DPWG benefitted from shared knowledge and expertise gained during the partnership. The group also functioned as a sounding board as each institution built its digital preservation program, and it became a system of support when challenges arose. Practical/implications This paper proposes a five-point plan for creating digital preservation partnerships: cultivate a foundation of knowledge and identify a shared vision; assess the current digital preservation landscape at each institution; advocate for the value of digital preservation activities; implement shared digital preservation services; and sustain group activities and establish structures for ongoing support. Originality/value The activities of DPWG provide a model for institutions seeking to collaborate to meet digital preservation challenges. This paper shows that by implementing a structured plan, institutions can build and sustain digital preservation partnerships, thus positioning themselves to achieve digital preservation success.

Positive behavioural support for children and adolescents with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges: an initial exploration of service use and costs

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 169-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Iemmi ◽  
Martin Knapp ◽  
Caroline Reid ◽  
Catherine Sholl ◽  
Monique Ferdinand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Behavioural Support ◽  
Delphi Exercise ◽  
The Cost

Purpose Positive behavioural support has been considered as a valuable alternative to residential care for children and adolescents with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges. While recent evidence suggests it has a positive impact on behaviour and carer ability to cope, there is little evidence of its economic costs or benefits. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the cost of providing positive behavioural support to ten children and adolescents with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges living in the community in Ealing, West London. Comparison was also made with the cost estimate of possible alternative support packages for children and adolescents with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges in the UK, as obtained through a Delphi exercise. Findings Total cost of services per child was £1,454 per week for young people supported short-term, and £1,402 supported long-term. Children and adolescents were making use of a range of social care, education and health services. Over the full sample, half of the total cost was accounted for by education services. The Delphi exercise estimated the weekly cost of residential-based care as more expensive than the cost of community-based care for children and adolescents with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges. At the end of the ITSBS, all ten children and adolescents initially at risk of imminent residential placement were living in the community with less service-intensive and less expensive support. This suggests that avoiding residential-based care could reduce costs in the long term. Originality/value Positive behavioural support has potential to support people with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges in the community, leading to potential cost advantages. However, this is a small study and more robust research is needed.

Cost saving allocation of horizontal cooperation in restructured natural gas distribution network

Kybernetes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1217-1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jafar Razmi ◽  
Anis Hassani ◽  
Ashkan Hafezalkotob
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Cooperative Game ◽  
Distribution Network ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Gas Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Horizontal Cooperation ◽  
Gas Market ◽  
Yazd City ◽  
The Cost

Purpose Over the past two decades, in developed countries a trend towards the liberalization and restructuring of the gas market has been observed. Today, restructuring is an ongoing process. In this study, a restructured natural gas market has been considered in which several regional distribution companies have ownership of the network and are competing against each other to gain more benefits. The main purpose of this study is to achieve efficiency and economic rationality in such a market through horizontal cooperation. Design/methodology/approach A restructured natural gas distribution network is modeled as a cooperative game to estimate the potential cost savings for various collaboration scenarios. In addition, the cost savings’ allocation among collaborating companies is evaluated using the cooperative game theory. Findings The results reveal validity and efficiency of the solution of the proposed model and capabilities of the cooperative game theory for reduction in gas distribution costs and improvement in the service level. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to natural gas in one region of Yazd City in Iran. Moreover, one segment of the natural gas network (i.e. distribution network) is modeled. Moreover, long-term cooperation between companies relies on fair distribution of cooperation benefits to the participants. Practical implications For the purpose of comparison and to get an insight into properties of the cost savings game, the real case study of one region of Yazd city in Iran is implemented. Originality/value This study contributes to the competitive models in the restructured gas market, particularly, in gas distribution network. The main contribution is to provide potential benefits for the participants via the horizontal cooperation.

US corporate tax reform would risk highway fund

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Tax Reform ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Corporate Tax Reform ◽  
The Cost

Significance On July 15, the House of Representatives passed a short-term funding measure, against the wishes of many in the Senate. US infrastructure is facing a fiscal crunch. Taxes on gasoline have traditionally supported highway appropriations. However, eroding purchasing power and greater fuel efficiency means that about 30% of highway funding must be found from other sources, difficult in the current Congress. The present round of appropriations expires on July 31. Impacts A corporate tax might provide a long-term resolution, but the pursuit of it would come at the cost of seeking more modest solutions. These would provide stability for a year or two, necessary for projects of long duration. If corporate tax reform is not completed before the end of 2015, it will probably not get done in a presidential election year. If Congress were to rely on the prospect of these taxes for the HTF, it might find itself in a similar position in a few months.

Better risk pricing can unlock billions in investment

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Investment ◽  
Cost Of Capital ◽  
Political Risk ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Risk Pricing ◽  
The Cost

Subject Pricing political risk. Significance The mis-measurement of political risk is resulting in the cost of capital being valued 2-4 percentage points higher than it should be in assessments ahead of cross-border investment decisions. Research suggests that in 2016 this could have increased net foreign direct investment (FDI) to non-advanced countries by more than 10%. Impacts Political risk measurement is set for a renaissance, with interest from practitioners and end-users likely to proliferate. Frontier markets that are on the edge of inclusion in 'emerging' portfolio allocations could see an uptick in investment inflows. Returns to long-term capital managers, from insurers to pension funds, will rise as cost-of-capital calculations grow in sophistication.

Volcano highlights Chile's long-term relief shortfall

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Fiscal Deficit ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Recovery System ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Serious Injuries ◽  
Disaster Response And Recovery

Significance Although it caused no deaths or serious injuries, the eruption has important economic implications for one of the country's key agricultural and salmon-farming regions. Together with recent flash floods in northern Chile, it also draws attention to the need to continue strengthening the disaster response and recovery system. Impacts Even if Calbuco quickly subsides, it will be months before the area can be completely cleaned and years before vegetation fully recovers. The cost of relief after the eruption and recent floods may increase this year's fiscal deficit. A bill to modernise ONEMI is unlikely to be a legislative priority in coming months when attention will focus on anti-corruption measures.

Cost assessment of multi-tenancy for a 5G broadband network in a dense urban area

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-70
Author(s):  
Juan Rendon Schneir ◽  
Konstantinos Konstantinou ◽  
Julie Bradford ◽  
Gerd Zimmermann ◽  
Heinz Droste ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Model ◽  
Access Network ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Mobile Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Broadband Network ◽  
Cost Implications ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Network Sharing

Purpose 5G systems will enable an improved transmission performance and the delivery of advanced communication services. To meet the expected requirements, operators will need to invest in network modernisation, with the radio access network being the most expensive network component. One possible way for operators to reduce this investment would be via sharing of resources by means of a multi-tenancy concept. This implies that a mobile service provider may use the common infrastructure of one or various infrastructure providers, whereby it provides services to multiple tenants. This paper aims to study the expected cost savings in terms of capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX) that can be achieved when using a cloudified 5G multi-tenant network. Design/methodology/approach A cost model was used. The study period is 2020-2030 and the study area consists of three local districts in central London, UK. Findings This paper describes that the total cost reduction achieved when using multi-tenancy for a 5G broadband network in comparison with the case where operators make the investment independently ranges from 5.2% to 15.5%. Research limitations/implications Further research is needed to assess the cost implications of network sharing for 5G on a regional or nationwide basis. Originality/value Very little quantitative research about the cost implications of network sharing under 5G networks has been published so far. This paper sheds light on the economic benefits of multi-tenancy in a 5G broadband network.

Long-Term Study on the Cost-Effectiveness of Dust Control and Untreated Aggregate-Surfaced Resource Roads

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (12) ◽  
pp. 710-716
Author(s):  
Glen Légère ◽  
Allan Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Condition Index ◽  
Dust Control ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Crushed Aggregate ◽  
The Cost

A long-term study of treated and untreated aggregate resource roads in Canada was conducted. The objective was to investigate the cost-effectiveness of annual dust control treatments where the hypothesis is that annual applications may prolong aggregate life. Seven sections along two road segments with different traffic levels were studied over five years. A survey of road users revealed that 88% agreed that the treated sections were safer because of the increase in visibility and quicker dust settlement times. Evaluation of surface aggregate indicated some aggregate wear but there were no significant differences between treated and untreated sections. The source and quality of crushed aggregate has an impact on road performance. The condition of the running surface did not indicate any major performance differences between the treated and untreated sections. Regardless of treatment, age, or aggregate sources, a general downward trend in Unsurfaced Road Condition Index was observed, indicating wearing course degradation over time. The study revealed a strong correlation between traffic volume and maintenance intensity. Moderately higher travel speeds were measured on the treated versus untreated sections. When the cost of treatment and maintenance was compared with historical costs, the dust control scenario was more expensive. However, when log hauling cost savings from increased travel speeds were introduced, the dust control was approximately cost neutral in low traffic scenarios and moderately better for high traffic. If non-quantifiable benefits, such as increased safety, were to be considered, application of dust control treatment is recommended.

The inflation hedging capacity of Islamic and conventional equities

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1377-1399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaghum Umar ◽  
Dimitrios Kenourgios ◽  
Muhammad Naeem ◽  
Khadija Abdulrahman ◽  
Salma Al Hazaa
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vector Autoregressive ◽  
The Real ◽  
Cost Of Hedging ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Real Returns ◽  
Equity Indices ◽  
Inflation Hedging

PurposeThis study analyzes the inflation hedging of Islamic and conventional equities by employing 26 indices for the period ranging from January 1996 till August 2018. The authors investigate the decoupling hypothesis for Islamic versus conventional equities across various investment horizons.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ a vector autoregressive framework coupled with bootstrapping procedure to compute inflation hedging measures. The hedging measures employed account for the inflation hedging capacity in terms of hedging effectiveness as well as the cost of hedging (efficiency). The authors account for various investment horizons ranging from one month to ten years.FindingsAlthough, the authors do not find consistent evidence for the decoupling hypothesis of Islamic and conventional equities in terms of their inflation hedging capacity. However, the authors document that certain Islamic equity indices can be employed to effectively hedge against the risk of inflation.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study is that the existing literature on the comparative performance of Islamic versus conventional equities against inflation risk is sparse. The purpose of this study is to analyze the inflation hedging attributes of Islamic versus conventional equities, that is, whether Islamic equities render better real returns than their conventional counterparts. It will contribute to the growing literature on the comparison between Islamic and conventional equities by documenting the real return attributes of these two, apparently different, assets. A further contribution is that in order to account for the different investment horizons for different types of investors, this study will quantify the real return attributes of Islamic and conventional equities for short-, medium- and long-term investors.

scholarly journals Exploring sustainability of affordability initiatives: a library case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-456
Author(s):  
Jeanne Hoover ◽  
Cindy Shirkey ◽  
Lisa Sheets Barricella
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Streaming Video ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Analysis ◽  
Grant Program ◽  
The Cost ◽  
East Carolina University

Purpose The cost of textbooks continues to rise for college students along with the cost of tuition. These costs can impact student success. In response to the rising costs, higher education institutions have started affordability initiatives. These initiatives are frequently housed in academic libraries. Joyner Library at East Carolina University (ECU) addresses affordability through three initiatives: Course-Adopted Textbook program, Alternative Textbook Mini-Grant program and Streaming Video licensing. Design/methodology/approach This paper will explore the above-mentioned three programs in-depth and perform a sustainability analysis on each program. Findings After reviewing the affordability initiatives discussed in the case study, the authors found that there were varying degrees of sustainability for the programs. Originality/value ECU is not alone in addressing affordability through multiple initiatives, and this case study paper will address long-term sustainability of these initiatives, especially during a time when libraries are experiencing shrinking budgets.

Life-cycle cost comparison of chip seal and striping: in-house workers versus private contractors

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 927-944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kishor Shrestha ◽  
Pramen P. Shrestha ◽  
Mylinh Lidder
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Chip Seal ◽  
Maintenance Activities ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose To maintain road systems in the USA, state departments of transportation (DOTs) generally use in-house workers or private contractors. Limited studies have calculated the cost savings of hiring private contractors; however, most of them have not calculated cost savings based on life-cycle costs (LCCs). The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the LCC of chip seal and stripping maintenance activities performed by in-house workers are cheaper than those performed by private contractors. Design/methodology/approach The paper collected the hard cost data of chip seal and stripping maintenance activities performed by state DOT in-house workers, as well as private contractors, from 2003 to 2016 from the Nevada DOT Maintenance and Asset Management division. Statistical tests were conducted to test the research hypothesis that the LCC of chip seal and stripping activities performed by in-house workers are significantly less than those performed by private contractors. Findings The study results showed that the cost per unit and LCC of chip seal and striping work performed by in-house workers were significantly less than those performed by private contractors in Nevada. Research limitations/implications The study only collected data from Nevada DOT, so readers should use caution in generalizing the findings of this study. Additionally, factors affecting the cost of these maintenance activities for private contractors are significantly different compared to in-house contractors. Therefore, these differences may be some of the potential reasons for cost difference between these two methods. Practical implications The practical implications of this study are that state DOT engineers need to plan for outsourcing chip seal and stripping maintenance activities only to private contractors that are cost effective, based on life-cycle cost. Originality/value The LCC analysis framework developed in this study will help state DOT engineers to determine cost savings by using in-house workers for road maintenance works.

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