Estimating Cost Structures in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Supawat Rungsuriyawiboon
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Variable Cost ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Alternative Technologies ◽  
Cost Structures ◽  
Variable Cost Function ◽  
The U.S

With growing concerns about global warming and surging oil prices, nuclear power is now back on the U.S. energy policy agenda. This paper provides firm level analysis of the production technology and cost structures in the U.S. nuclear power generation industry. The paper applies an econometric approach into a dual restricted variable cost function within a “temporal equilibrium” framework. A panel data set of 32 nuclear power generations for major U.S. investor owned utilities over the period 1986–2002 is used. The major finding indicates that most electric utilities in the nuclear electricity generation industry over utilized capital in production. The estimated results show evidence of scale economies in the production of the electricity industry. The paper presents supporting evidence that nuclear technology is cheaper than other alternative technologies and fuels, and it can offer possible cost savings to other alternative technologies.

The Value of Green Energy: Optimal Investment in Mutually Exclusive Projects and Operating Leverage

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 3307-3347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome Detemple ◽  
Yerkin Kitapbayev
Keyword(s):  
Investment Decision ◽  
Optimal Investment ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Variable Cost ◽  
Fixed Cost ◽  
Growth Options ◽  
Alternative Technologies ◽  
Cost Structures ◽  
Operating Leverage ◽  
The Impact

Abstract We study investments in exclusive projects with different cost structures. Our analysis incorporates the possibility of producing a stochastic revenue stream from two alternative technologies with a stochastic variable cost and a fixed cost, respectively, and accounts for project managers’ endogenous operating decisions. The optimal investment decision is characterized by two possibly nonmonotone boundaries. We examine the effect of operating leverage on managerial policies, investment decisions, and values and carry out an application to power generation projects. We assess the impact of knowledge acquisition, that is, investments in growth options. (JEL G13, Q40, Q42, L94)

Immigration and the tech industry: As a labour shortage remedy, for innovation, or for cost savings?

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Matloff
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Foreign Workers ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
It Service ◽  
Labour Shortage ◽  
Labour Costs ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The U.S

The two main reasons cited by the U.S. tech industry for hiring foreign workers--remedying labour shortages and hiring "the best and the brightest"--are investigated, using data on wages, patents, and R&D work, as well as previous research and industry statements. The analysis shows that the claims of shortage and outstanding talent are not supported by the data, even after excluding the Indian IT service firms. Instead, it is shown that the primary goals of employers in hiring  foreign workers are to reduce labour costs and to obtain "indentured" employees. Current immigration policy is causing an ‘Internal Brain Drain’ in STEM.

scholarly journals The Roles of Labor and Profitability in Choosing a Grazing Strategy for Beef Production in the U.S. Gulf Coast Region

2008 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 301-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Gillespie ◽  
Wayne Wyatt ◽  
Brad Venuto ◽  
David Blouin ◽  
Robert Boucher
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Time And Motion ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Labor Requirements ◽  
Gulf Coast Region ◽  
Coast Region ◽  
The U.S

Comparisons are made concerning labor required and profitability associated with continuous grazing at three stocking rates and rotational grazing at a high stocking rate in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. A unique data set was collected using a time and motion study method to determine labor requirements. Profits are lowest for low stocking rate–continuous grazing and high stocking rate–rotational grazing. Total labor and labor in three specific categories are greater on per acre and/or per cow bases with rotational-grazing than with continuous-grazing strategies. These results help to explain relatively low adoption rates of rotational grazing in the region.

scholarly journals Cost effectiveness analysis of implementing tuberculosis screening among applicants for non-immigrant U.S. work visas

Pneumonia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bisma Ali Sayed ◽  
Drew L. Posey ◽  
Brian Maskery ◽  
La’Marcus T. Wingate ◽  
Martin S. Cetron
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Active Tuberculosis ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Tuberculosis Screening ◽  
Hospitalization Costs ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background While persons who receive immigrant and refugee visas are screened for active tuberculosis before admission into the United States, nonimmigrant visa applicants (NIVs) are not routinely screened and may enter the United States with infectious tuberculosis. Objectives We evaluated the costs and benefits of expanding pre-departure tuberculosis screening requirements to a subset of NIVs who arrive from a moderate (Mexico) or high (India) incidence tuberculosis country with temporary work visas. Methods We developed a decision tree model to evaluate the program costs and estimate the numbers of active tuberculosis cases that may be diagnosed in the United States in two scenarios: 1) “Screening”: screening and treatment for tuberculosis among NIVs in their home country with recommended U.S. follow-up for NIVs at elevated risk of active tuberculosis; and, 2) “No Screening” in their home country so that cases would be diagnosed passively and treatment occurs after entry into the United States. Costs were assessed from multiple perspectives, including multinational and U.S.-only perspectives. Results Under “Screening” versus “No Screening”, an estimated 179 active tuberculosis cases and 119 hospitalizations would be averted in the United States annually via predeparture treatment. From the U.S.-only perspective, this program would result in annual net cost savings of about $3.75 million. However, rom the multinational perspective, the screening program would cost $151,388 per U.S. case averted for Indian NIVs and $221,088 per U.S. case averted for Mexican NIVs. Conclusion From the U.S.-only perspective, the screening program would result in substantial cost savings in the form of reduced treatment and hospitalization costs. NIVs would incur increased pre-departure screening and treatment costs.

The Optimal Diversification Strategy in Pharmaceutical Industry: Balance-centred or Hetero-centred?

2021 ◽  
pp. 097172182110056
Author(s):  
Keungoui Kim ◽  
Junseok Hwang ◽  
Sungdo Jung ◽  
Eungdo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Product Diversification ◽  
Diversification Strategy ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Pharmaceutical Firms ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Market Product ◽  
High Uncertainty

Due to high uncertainty of product development and business environment, firm-level diversification has been regarded as one of the most effective methods in pharmaceutical firms. In previous study, firm-level diversification was discussed by different value chains of market, product, and technology. However, in most cases, the diversification itself was adopted in a simple manner although its property contains different aspects and the results varies depending on the diversity property of selected index. In addition, the existing approach for measuring firm’s product/market diversification using sales information distinguished by standard industry classification cannot provide direct implication as different strategies are made for market and product diversification. Therefore, this study examines the effects of firm-level diversification on business and innovation performances in pharmaceutical firms by considering (1) three diversification types: market, product, and technology, (2) clear separation between market and product diversification, and (3) two diversification perspectives: balance-centred and hetero-centred. For empirical analysis, an integrated firm-level data set combining from Medtrack, Orange Book, Compustat and Total Patent database is used. From the result, in case of market diversification, less market heterogeneity causes significant influence on business performance. For product and technology, a concentrated and greater heterogeneity of product diversification are turned out to promote business performance, while the more intensive and heterogeneous technology diversification has been shown to improve innovation performance.

scholarly journals Effect of regional skill gaps and skill shortages on firm productivity

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 933-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Morris ◽  
Enrico Vanino ◽  
Carlo Corradini
Keyword(s):  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Firm Productivity ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Regional Productivity ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Skill Gaps ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Skill Shortages

This paper contributes to the literature on regional productivity, complementing previous education and skill-level perspectives with a novel approach analysing the impact of regional skill gaps and skill shortages. This allows us to reflect the idiosyncratic needs of the regional economic structure better, considering both the demand and supply side of the skills equation in localised labour markets. Controlling for unobserved time-invariant firm-level heterogeneity and other region–industry effects across a longitudinal data set for the period 2008–2014, our analysis reveals a negative direct effect of skill shortages on firm productivity. We further find negative spillover effects for both skill gaps and skill shortages in related industries and proximate regions. Results are also shown to be heterogeneous with respect to agglomeration levels and industrial sectors. Stronger negative effects are found in industries defined by a knowledge-intensive skill base, pointing to the loss of learning effects in the presence of skill deficiencies. Conversely, agglomeration effects appear to moderate the impact of skill deficiencies through more efficient matching in the local labour market. The findings presented thus suggest that policies aimed at improving productivity and addressing the increasing regional productivity divide cannot be reduced to a simple space-neutral support for higher education and skill levels but need to recognise explicitly the presence and characteristics of place-specific skills gaps and shortages.

A Most Active Customer

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Turchetti
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Atomic Energy Commission ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Peace Treaty ◽  
Research Committee ◽  
Energy Field ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The U.S

After World War II had ended, Italy, not unlike other developed countries, held the ambition to establish an atomic energy program. The Peace Treaty of 1947 forbade its administration from seeking to acquire atomic weaponry, but in 1952 a national research committee was set up to explore the peaceful uses of atomic energy, in particular with regard to building nuclear reactors. One of the committee’s goals was to use nuclear power to make the country less reliant on foreign energy provisions. Yet, this paper reveals that the atomic energy project resulted in actually increasing Italy’s dependence on overseas assistance. I explain the reasons for this outcome by looking at the unfolding of U.S.–Italy relations and the offers of collaboration in the atomic energy field put forth by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. I argue that these offers undermined plans to shape the nuclear program as its Italian architects had envisioned, caused them to reconsider the goal of self-sufficiency in energy provisioning, and reconfigured the project to be amenable to the security and economic priorities of the U.S. administration. In this way, I conclude, the path for the Italian project to “de-develop” was set.

How Much Do Consumers Value Fuel Economy and Performance? Evidence from Technology Adoption

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-45
Author(s):  
Benjamin Leard ◽  
Joshua Linn ◽  
Yichen Christy Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Economy ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Fuel Savings ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Consumer Benefit ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
High Valuation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Historical Periods

Abstract During historical periods in which US fuel economy standards were unchanging, automakers increased performance but not fuel economy, contrasting with recent periods of tightening standards and rising fuel economy. This paper evaluates the welfare consequences of automakers forgoing performance increases to raise fuel economy as standards have tightened since 2012. Using a unique data set and a novel approach to account for fuel economy and performance endogeneity, we find undervaluation of fuel cost savings and high valuation of performance. Welfare costs of forgone performance approximately equal expected fuel savings benefits, suggesting approximately zero net private consumer benefit from tightened standards.

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