Analysis Of The Relationship Between Economic Cycle Swings And Adoption Rate Models Of Financial Innovation Diffusion

The United States financial crisis, starting with the credit boom of 2007 and ending with the failure of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, has led to a loss of confidence in the United States financial system.  The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission indicated that the financial crisis affected over 26 million Americans.  Many scholars have attributed the crisis to financial innovations, such as mortgage backed securities, adjustable rate mortgages and no-income verified loans, as key innovations that led to the market collapse.  Financial innovations have had both positive and negative impacts on the financial industry.  Providing a framework that describes the relationship between economic cycle swings and adoption rates of innovative financial instruments can provide greater stability and predictability in financial innovation diffusion, which can lead to more stable returns for shareholders and enhance the public interest through a healthy, innovative and more stable financial industry.  An abbreviated evidence-based systematic review was completed on financial innovations that led to the financial crisis of 2007. The research suggests that there is an equilibrium period of time that financial organizations can adopt innovation to avoid unintended consequences like the recent financial crisis.  Providing a framework of adoption time can demonstrate where financial innovations can be absorbed to provide the organization with the ability to financially innovate during pro and counter cyclical economic periods. Through an understanding of the timing of financial innovations as they occur in economic cycles, managers of financial organizations can choose the adoption period of time more carefully which could have averted the financial crisis that affected millions of Americans

Water and Wastewater Utility Affordability The Cape Coral Florida Experience

This study describes the trials and tribulations of a growing city involved in maintaining utility rates at an affordable level while completing a one billion dollar utility expansion. Emphasis is on the political and financial issues faced by management. This research deals exclusively with utility rate issues within the City of Cape Coral Florida during rapid growth and utility expansion. The analysis alludes to issues with affordability when the expansion is stopped, but bonds for a new water plant must be paid

The Long Term Affects Of Data Management On The Economic Welfare Of A City Government

This research examines management processes that lead to the omission of $2.3 million in betterment fees in the City of Cape Coral (City).  It concentrates on management processes, data problems, and personnel issues that contributed and resulted in developing properties completing the Planned Development Process (PDP) without checks from critical areas in the financial system.  This research analyzes how betterment fees, often called Contribution in Aid of Construction (CIAC), were designed, collected, and managed.  This case study also outlines key measurement processes neglected by the City and demonstrates how management corrected the issue of lost revenue through errant billing by analysis and reengineering of the system. Despite hours of public debate and input from concerned citizens, this issue has continued for approximately 10 years.  A 2004 betterment list is substantially increased and contains some properties listed on the original 1996 list.   The issue is still as controversial as ever and efforts to address it seem to be ignored or minimized.

Targeted alpha-radionuclide therapy of functionally critically located gliomas with 213Bi-DOTA-[Thi8,Met(O2)11]-substance P: a pilot trial

Purpose: Functionally critically located gliomas represent a challenging subgroup of intrinsic brain neoplasms. Standard therapeutic recommendations often cannot be applied, because radical treatment and preservation of neurological function are contrary goals. The successful targeting of gliomas with locally injected beta radiation-emitting 90Y-DOTAGA-substance P has been shown previously. However, in critically located tumours, the mean tissue range of 5mm of 90Y may seriously damage adjacent brain areas. In contrast, the alpha radiation-emitting radionuclide 213Bi with a mean tissue range of 81µm may have a more favourable toxicity profile. Therefore, we evaluated locally injected 213Bi-DOTA-substance P in patients with critically located gliomas as the primary therapeutic modality. Methods: In a pilot study, we included five patients with critically located gliomas (WHO grades II-IV). After diagnosis by biopsy, 213Bi-DOTA-substance P was locally injected, followed by serial SPECT/CT and MR imaging and blood sampling. Besides feasibility and toxicity, the functional outcome was evaluated. Results: Targeted radiopeptide therapy using 213Bi-DOTA-substance P was feasible and tolerated without additional neurological deficit. No local or systemic toxicity was observed. 213Bi-DOTA-substance P showed high retention at the target site. MR imaging was suggestive of radiation-induced necrosis and demarcation of the tumours, which was validated by subsequent resection. Conclusion: This study provides proof of concept that targeted local radiotherapy using 213Bi-DOTA-substance P is feasible and may represent an innovative and effective treatment for critically located gliomas. Primarily non-operable gliomas may become resectable with this treatment, thereby possibly improving the prognosi

The Dynamics Of Groupthink: The Cape Coral Experience

This research provides a case study and review of Groupthink literature. Groupthink theory was originated in1972 by Irving Janis and remains an area of scholarly debate. The primaryobjective of this paper is to research the effects of Groupthink in terms of beinga positive or negative force in business. Intodays dynamic business environment, many organizations are composed ofstakeholders with different objectives and different standards of what isethically right and wrong, and all environments have become diversified. Therefore, it takes an organization whichfosters effective leader involvement to ensure that employees maintain apositive outlook toward the organization. Research indicates that groupmentality can be positive or negative depending on leader involvement. This research compares and contrasts the effects of Groupthink utilizingliterature and a case example from the City of Cape Coral, Florida

Revisiting the Local Scaling Hypothesis in Stably Stratified Atmospheric Boundary Layer Turbulence: an Integration of Field and Laboratory Measurements with Large-eddy Simulations

The `local scaling' hypothesis, first introduced by Nieuwstadt two decades ago, describes the turbulence structure of stable boundary layers in a very succinct way and is an integral part of numerous local closure-based numerical weather prediction models. However, the validity of this hypothesis under very stable conditions is a subject of on-going debate. In this work, we attempt to address this controversial issue by performing extensive analyses of turbulence data from several field campaigns, wind-tunnel experiments and large-eddy simulations. Wide range of stabilities, diverse field conditions and a comprehensive set of turbulence statistics make this study distinct

Evolution Of Direct Shipping Of Wine In The United States -- Economic, Legal And Political Considerations

The study examines the effort of wine producers and others in the United States to permit direct shipping of wine to consumers bypassing the traditional three-tier system, where product typically flows from the supplier, to the wholesaler, to the retailer, and ultimately the consumer.  The case study places an emphasis on the economic, legal and political issues that have been faced by state legislatures when considering proposals to permit direct shipping.  The analysis will discuss the history and evolution of public policies and state laws in the past three decades and will focus on the Maryland experience

Water Issues That Affect Affordability And Safety In A Community: The Camden Ohio Experience

This study describes the trials and tribulations of an Ohio township involved in maintaining utility rates at an affordable level while dealing with salt intrusion in drinking water wells that supply the Village. Emphasis is on the political, regulatory, and financial issues faced by management. This research deals exclusively with utility rate and water supply issues within the Village of Camden in Ohio when salt is discovered in the fresh water system. The analysis also discusses affordability as village officials decide whether to improve the existing well field, develop a new well field, or purchase water from an alternative supply

Renegotiation Of Waste Disposal Services In Key West, Florida

Effective planning of a solid waste recycling program is a substantial challenge for the current waste management system in Key West, Florida.  Solid waste management strategies have to be reorganized in light of the social and economic recycling, recovery, and reuse philosophical approaches which are dramatically changing consumer behaviors across the globe.  The growing concern for environmental issues and the goal of local sustainable development have moved the management of solid waste to the forefront of the public agenda.  This paper focuses on efforts to agree upon a city-wide initiative to increase waste diversion within the prevailing political, environmental, and economic climate in which waste disposal activities had dominated the market.  It discusses how the traditional two-party solid waste hauling contract was altered by the addition of outside third-party interests forcing a multi-party negotiation processes

An Examination Of Faculty Innovativeness In Relation To Inductive Teaching And The Use Of Technology

The conceptual framework for this research describes the processes faculty use to create an online course that meets learning outcomes while creating a positive learning experience for the online student.  This involves acceptance of technology to create a course structured for inductive learning in addition to traditional deductive learning.  The presence of faculty innovation is demonstrated by the design of inductive learning exercises.  Innovative professors must continue to enhance the quality of their online delivery in an effort to achieve the same educational outcomes acquired in a traditional classroom.  However, many professors are reluctant to embrace online delivery software and technology designed to enhance the classroom.  This research identifies innovation, technology acceptance, inductive learning, and quality enhancement as measures online quality in an academic environment.  The assessment instrument for this research is the Rubric for Online Competencies and Standards (ROCS) developed by Hodges University.  The ROCS consist of twenty-eight quality indicators in six categories extracted from a combination of regional standards from accreditation bodies including, but not limited to: SACS, Sloan-C, and EDUCAUSE