Study of Structural Change in Paddy Agriculture under Reorganization of Direct Payment Policy

Rice has long been an integral part of Japan's culture and economy, as well as an important commodity in Japan-US relations, but farmers in Japan are concerned that trouble is afoot due to competition from countries such as the US, where rice production is more competitive, as well as reorganization of direct payment policy. The question is, how can rice production in Japan remain competitive amidst such competition? One researcher is seeking to shed light on the situation and explore how paddy agriculture in Japan can potentially flourish. Dr Kunio Nishikawa is based at Ibaraki University, Japan, whose Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)-funded work is exploring the discrepancy in crop output in the US versus Japan, and seeking to find new ways to boost Japan's agriculture.

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Re-municipalization of local public services: incidence, causes and prospects

International Review of Administrative Sciences ◽

10.1177/00208523211006455 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002085232110064

Author(s):

Daniel Albalate ◽

Germà Bel ◽

Raymond Gradus ◽

Eoin Reeves

Keyword(s):

Public Management ◽

Public Services ◽

Turn Of The Century ◽

The Public ◽

Local Public Services ◽

High Profile ◽

Global Trend ◽

The Us ◽

House Production ◽

Shed Light

Since the turn of the century, a global trend of re-municipalization has emerged, with cities reversing earlier privatizations and returning infrastructure and public service delivery to the public sector. The reversal of privatization measures is not an entirely new phenomenon. In the US, for example, returning public services to in-house production has been a long-standing feature of ‘pragmatic public management’. However, many cases of re-municipalization that have occurred since the early 2000s represent a distinctive shift from earlier privatization policies. High-profile cases in cities including Paris and Hamburg have thrust re-municipalization into the limelight as they have followed public campaigns motivated by dissatisfaction with the results of privatization and a desire to restore public control of vital services, such as water and energy. Just as the reform of public services towards privatization spawned a vast body of scholarship, the current re-municipalization phenomenon is increasingly attracting the attention of scholars from a number of disciplinary perspectives. The articles contained in this symposium contribute to this emerging literature. They address some of the burning issues relating to re-municipalization, but they also point to issues yet to be resolved and shed light on a research agenda that is still taking shape.

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The effect of Medicare Part D on prescription drug composition and demand

Journal of Economic Studies ◽

10.1108/jes-08-2013-0109 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 170-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

David Zimmer

Keyword(s):

Prescription Drug ◽

Medicare Part D ◽

Medicare Part ◽

Part D ◽

Content Type ◽

The Us ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

The Impact ◽

Shed Light

Purpose – The US Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 introduced optional prescription drug coverage, beginning in 2006, widely known as Medicare Part D. This paper uses up-to-date nationally representative survey data to investigate the impact of Part D not only on drug spending and consumption, but also on the composition of drug consumption. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Specifically, the paper investigates whether Part D impacted the number of therapeutic classes for which drugs were prescribed, and also whether Part D lead to increased usage of drugs for specific medical conditions that typically receive drug-intensive therapies. Findings – In addition to confirming findings from previous studies, this paper shows that Part D increased the number of therapeutic classes to which seniors receive drugs by approximately four classes. Part D also lead to increased usage of drugs used to treat upper respiratory disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Originality/value – While mostly concurring with previous studies on the spending impacts of Part D, this paper is the first to shed light on other impacts of Part D, specifically with respect to its impact on therapeutic classes for which drugs are prescribed.

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The integrative force of political institutions? Direct democracy and voter turnout across ethnic and nativity groups

Comparative Migration Studies ◽

10.1186/s40878-020-00216-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anita Manatschal

Keyword(s):

Voter Turnout ◽

Political Institutions ◽

Direct Democracy ◽

First Generation ◽

The Us ◽

Alternative Measures ◽

Hispanic Voters ◽

Democratic Elections ◽

Positive Effect ◽

Shed Light

AbstractMuch has been written on the positive effect of direct democracy (initiatives, referendums) on voter turnout. However, we have limited knowledge about potential differential effects on voters belonging to various ethnic groups. The paper argues that depending on a group’s responsiveness to the political context, direct democracy can (dis-)integrate voters (from) into the electorate. Empirical analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) voting supplement survey data, together with data on the absolute use of direct democracy across US states, corroborates this theoretical expectation, however lending more support for the disintegrating assumption. Frequent direct democratic elections further widen the negative voting gap between first-generation Asian voters and voters living in the US for three generations or longer, whereas they tend to diminish this voting gap for first-generation Hispanic voters. The disintegrative pattern for first-generation Asian voters remains even significant when excluding California from the state sample, yet not the integrative tendency for first-generation Hispanics. Additional analyses using alternative measures of direct democracy and voting, and applying statistical adjustments to address causality concerns, confirm the robustness of these findings, which shed light on the so-far underexplored (dis-)integrative potential of political institutions.

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A National Survey of Hand Surgeons: Understanding the Rural Landscape

Hand ◽

10.1177/15589447211058811 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 155894472110588

Author(s):

Joseph Meyerson ◽

Andrew Liechty ◽

Tyler Shields ◽

David Netscher

Keyword(s):

Employment Status ◽

Community Hospital ◽

Hand Surgery ◽

Rural Landscape ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

The Us ◽

Case Type ◽

American Society ◽

Multispecialty Group ◽

Shed Light

Background: Twenty percent of the US population is described as being rural and may have limited access to hand surgeons, especially on an emergency basis. Little is known about case type, call hours, employment status, and other relevant details of rural hand surgery. Methods: We surveyed members of the American Society of Surgery for the Hand to begin to describe the problem. Results: There were 471 responses from 2256 members surveyed with 387 completing 100% of questions asked. Ninety (19%) identified themselves as primarily located in a rural population and 381 (81%) in a metropolitan region. In our study, rural hand surgeons were more likely to be employed by a community hospital, followed by independent private practice, multispecialty group, academics, and then locum tenens. Rural surgeons’ practices were 80% solely hand surgery, while metropolitan surgeons’ practices were 89% ( P < .01). Metropolitan surgeons felt that of the transfers from rural facilities, 46% did not need emergency hand care and that 60% of the time, there was not actually a need for specialty hand surgery care. Conclusions: Our survey begins to shed light on the details of rural hand surgery practice. We found that rural surgeons are more likely to be employed in community hospitals and take more call. When available, hand surgery specialists could prevent unnecessary transfer of patients to metropolitan areas. More work needs to be done to describe the differences between rural and metropolitan hand surgery practices as well as create rural hand surgeons.

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Kuznets meets Lucas: structural change and human capital

Oxford Economic Papers ◽

10.1093/oep/gpy056 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 71 (4) ◽

pp. 848-873

Author(s):

Edgar Cruz

Keyword(s):

Human Capital ◽

Structural Change ◽

Capital Accumulation ◽

Human Capital Accumulation ◽

Relative Prices ◽

Services Sector ◽

Us Economy ◽

The Us ◽

Balanced Growth Path ◽

Cross Country

Abstract This paper develops a multi-sector growth model with human capital accumulation. In this model, human capital induces structural change through two channels: changes in relative prices and changes in the investment rate of physical and human capital. We show that the specifications of the model give rise to a generalized balanced growth path (GBGP). Furthermore, We show that the model is consistent with (i) the decline in agriculture, (ii) the hump-shaped of manufacturing, (iii) the rise of the services sector, and (iv) the path of human capital accumulation in the US economy during the 20th century. Given the findings, We outline that imbalances between physical and human capital contribute to explain cross-country differences in the pace of structural change.

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Reimbursement of Apps for Mental Health: Findings From Interviews

JMIR Mental Health ◽

10.2196/14724 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (8) ◽

pp. e14724 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Adam C Powell ◽

Matthias B Bowman ◽

Henry T Harbin

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Coding System ◽

Reimbursement Mechanisms ◽

Common Procedure ◽

The Us ◽

Varied Range ◽

Potential Channels ◽

Physician Work ◽

Shed Light

Background Although apps and other digital and mobile health tools are helping improve the mental health of Americans, they are currently being reimbursed through a varied range of means, and most are not being reimbursed by payers at all. Objective The aim of this study was to shed light on the state of app reimbursement. We documented ways in which apps can be reimbursed and surveyed stakeholders to understand current reimbursement practices. Methods Individuals from over a dozen stakeholder organizations in the domains of digital behavioral and mental health, care delivery, and managed care were interviewed. A review of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCSPCS) codes was conducted to determine potential means for reimbursement. Results Interviews and the review of codes revealed that potential channels for app reimbursement include direct payments by employers, providers, patients, and insurers. Insurers are additionally paying for apps using channels originally designed for devices, drugs, and laboratory tests, as well as via value-based payments and CPT and HCSPCS codes. In many cases, it is only possible to meet the requirements of a CPT or HCSPCS code if an app is used in conjunction with human time and services. Conclusions Currently, many apps face significant barriers to reimbursement. CPT codes are not a viable means of providing compensation for the use of all apps, particularly those involving little physician work. In some cases, apps have sought clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for prescription use as digital therapeutics, a reimbursement mechanism with as yet unproven sustainability. There is a need for simpler, more robust reimbursement mechanisms to cover stand-alone app-based treatments.

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Making Structural Change with Relational Power: A Gender Analysis of Faith-Based Community Organizing

Social Inclusion ◽

10.17645/si.v7i2.1961 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 24-32

Author(s):

Sarah B. Garlington ◽

Margaret R. Durham Bossaller ◽

Jennifer A. Shadik ◽

Kerri A. Shaw

Keyword(s):

Structural Change ◽

Community Organizing ◽

Community Change ◽

Power Dynamics ◽

Faith Based ◽

Relational Power ◽

Power Differentials ◽

The Us ◽

Congregation Members ◽

Change Efforts

This article presents research on faith-based community organizing in the US to examine how congregation members engage in structural change efforts related to marginalized populations. Examining the case of one organizing model, justice ministry, congregations focus on power defined through relationships, cultivated in informal spaces, and communicated through personal narrative (traditionally private, feminine spheres), and change is enacted by creating tension in public (traditionally masculine) spaces with decision-makers. A growing body of literature presents nuanced gender analyses of policy advocacy, social movements, and community change efforts both in terms of strategic models of action and revisiting our understanding of historical movements. We ask questions about how the expectations and work are constrained or facilitated by cultural expectations of gender roles and power dynamics. Examining the organizing model of justice ministry through a gender lens helps to understand how an emphasis on relational power (traditionally gendered as feminine) facilitates and strengthens the use of a range of tools, including publicly challenging authority (more frequently gendered as masculine). While the private/public, feminine/masculine dichotomy has severe limitations and risks oversimplification, the utility remains in helping name and challenge real power differentials based on gender.

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O interesse público na sociedade de economia mista brasileira: aproximação com a benefit corporation do direito norte-americano

Revista de Direito Administrativo ◽

10.12660/rda.v279.2020.81372 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 279 (1) ◽

pp. 79

Author(s):

Mario Engler Pinto Junior

Keyword(s):

Corporate Governance ◽

Public Interest ◽

Institutional Design ◽

Profit Maximization ◽

Business Decisions ◽

The Public ◽

Benefit Corporation ◽

The Us ◽

Benefit Corporations ◽

Shed Light

The public interest of Brazilian mixed-capital company: approach to US benefit corporations RESUMO O artigo faz um paralelo entre a figura da benefit corporation do direito norte-americano e a sociedade de economia mista brasileira, com o propósito de apontar semelhanças entre as duas estruturas societárias e lançar luzes sobre a racionalidade das soluções de governança adotadas em cada caso. A reflexão resgata inicialmente o conceito de interesse da companhia, destacando sua relevância como referencial jurídico para se aferir a legitimidade das decisões empresariais. Observa-se ainda que o entendimento sobre o tema varia conforme a abordagem teórica adotada, podendo se resumir na maximização dos lucros para partilha entre os sócios, ou combinar o atendimento a outros interesses não financeiros. Por sua vez, os desafios e soluções em matéria de governança corporativa também variam em função da amplitude do escopo atribuído à companhia. A benefit corporation procura combinar a consecução de algum objetivo de interesse público com a manutenção da finalidade lucrativa. A existência do escopo mais amplo permite questionar a adequação do desenho institucional para lidar com os conflitos inerentes ao novo tipo societário. Além disso, propicia uma análise comparativa com o modelo de sociedade de economia mista no direito brasileiro, que também está imbuída de uma missão pública, cuja consecução não afasta a necessidade de remunerar adequadamente o investimento acionário. Conclui-se que algumas medidas contidas na Lei nº 13.303/2016, para fortalecer o controle e gestão das empresas estatais brasileiras, guardam simetria com o tratamento aplicável às benefit corporation no direito norte-americano. ABSTRACT The paper compares benefit corporations in the US with mixed-capital corporations in Brazil, in order to point the similarities and differences between both corporate structures. The paper also intends to shed light on the rationale of the governance solutions adopted in each case. The paper restates the concept of company’s interest and highlights it as a key legal reference for assessing the legitimacy of business decisions. Different readings of this concept are likely to translate into markedly different positions, from holding that the idea of interest refers solely to the purpose of profit maximization on behalf of shareholders to affirming the need to simultaneously accomplishing non-financial goals interests. The challenges and solutions concerning corporate governance also vary according to the extent of the corporation’s scope. Benefit corporations in the US seek to simultaneously attain some goal of public interest and make profit for its shareholders. The existence of a broader scope allows questioning the suitability of their institutional design to deal with conflicts that are inherent to this new corporate type. Their structure invites a comparison to State owned enterprise (SOE) in Brazil. According to Brazilian Law, a company controlled by the State is invested with a public mission while needing to assure proper return to shareholders’ investment. The paper concludes that some measures adopted by Brazilian Law No. 13.303/2016, for strengthening the corporate governance of Brazilian SOE’s are similar the U.S. Model Benefit Corporation Legislation (MBCL) concerning benefit corporations.

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