Public and private sector procurement contracts are often incomplete because the initial plans and specifications of the procured goods or services are changed and refined after the contract is awarded to the winning bidder. As a result, final costs differ from the winning bid and may include significant adaptation and...
Public and private sector procurement contracts are often incomplete because the initial plans and specifications of the procured goods or services are changed and refined after the contract is awarded to the winning bidder. As a result, final costs differ from the winning bid and may include significant adaptation and...
Stress Testing ST is often used by banks and securities firms to set risk exposure limits. Accordingly, a model is examined with an agent who faces K binding ST constraints and another who does not. Four results were obtained. First, the constrained agent's optimal portfolio exhibits (K+2)-fund separation. Second, the...
Intellectual Property IP protection involves a trade-off between the undesirability of monopoly and the desirable encouragement of creation and innovation. Optimal policy depends on the quantitative strength of these two forces. Quantitative assessment of current IP policies is given. This paper focuses particularly on the scale of the market, showing...
The aim of this paper is to analyze the desirability of a frequent outcome of bankruptcy sales, that a former owner or manager of a bankrupt firm buys back the assets and gets a fresh start. The focus of this paper is on how this possible outcome affects bidding by...
The ability to convert inputs into outputs is a critical determinant of success in many fields of endeavor. This research studies the ability of firms to convert ideas into products, i.e., their conversion ability. Specifically the authors address the question: Why are some firms better at conversion than others? As...
This paper developed a model to predict the location of new highway construction based on the surrounding conditions of the new link, the estimated cost of construction, and a budget constraint. A new process for identifying potential construction projects is developed. The methodology used here reduces the number of possible...
This paper examines the corporate governance of banks. When banks efficiently mobilize and allocate funds, this lowers the cost of capital to firms, boosts capital formation, and stimulates productivity growth. Thus, weak governance of banks reverberates throughout the economy with negative ramifications for economic development. After reviewing the major governance...
This paper uses data from the Household Component of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to explore whether or not two-earner households appear to make joint job choices with respect to employer-based health insurance. It provides some evidence that the household choice set is not exogenous but that, instead, workers...
Outsourcing involves hiring an outside company to deliver some goods or processes, which an organization finds it costly to produce in-house. The different types of outsourcing include database management, application services, and network operations. Reasons for outsourcing include cost savings, quality improvement, and focus on core competencies. The paper examines...
For the second straight year, real estate investment trusts REITs outperformed the broader equity market in the United States by a wide margin in 2001 as investors sought refuge in stocks with relatively high, safe current yields and tangible assets. Equity REITs delivered total returns of nearly 14% in 2001,...
A virtual intersection environment consisting of a new microscopic traffic simulator and a 2070 traffic controller was developed to provide a platform for a realistic pseudo real-time evaluation of intersection control strategies. The new simulator is based on an object-oriented modeling approach. In particular, the interface between the simulator and...
Management methods evolve. Like TQM, quality circles, re-engineering and many other business fads, Six Sigma will eventually be replaced by something better. But it is important to recognize that the many of the techniques that make up the Six Sigma tool kit are proven tools that are here to stay....
MINNEAPOLIS -- Bureau of Collection Recovery BCR announced today the opening of a new 225 seat call center in Willmar Minnesota. "The expansion allows BCR to meet its growing business. BCR Specializes in Telecom, Bank Card, Retail Credit Card, and related Accounts Receivable Management of Early Out and...
* Greg Dennis has been named market president of KleinBank in Savage, Minn. Dennis had been senior vice president for First Community Bank before it was acquired by KleinBank. Dennis has more than 22 years of experience in financial services. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the...
The World Poker Store, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: WPKS), an international entertainment company, announces changes to itsboard of directors and management team. The company is pleased to add Lili Pan to its board of directors. Mr. Panhas been a consultant to the company and pivotal to the expansion intoChina. Mr....
Meeting to Explore Journalism, Democracy, Place and Blogs MINNEAPOLIS -- Entrepreneurs, editors and operators of local online news and community websites -- placebloggers -- will gather June 4-5 in one of the first convenings of its kind, to share the trials and tribulations of a news source growing...
MINNEAPOLIS -- Hellmuth & Johnson, PLLC today announced that Susan E. Marsh has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer, where she will oversee all aspects of the firm's financial, administrative and logistical operations. Marsh replaces Carol Miller, who recently announced her retirement after serving the firm for more than...
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When is a restaurant kitchen like a factory? All the time, at least if you pose that question to executives at T.G.I. Friday's. That's why, four years ago, Friday's executives decided to apply IBM's Six Sigma principles to a nagging back-of-the-house...
Three retail businesses that make outstandingcommunity involvement an integral part of their operations were honoredtoday as 2007 Michigan Retailer of the Year. Receiving honors at the 10th annual awards luncheon at the University Clubof MSU: -- Small Category (annual sales under $2 million): Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord--...
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