Questions
For much of the past century, the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been a defining...

For much of the past century, the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has
been a defining feature of the Middle East. Despite billions of dollars expended to
support, oppose, or seek to resolve it, the conflict has endured for decades, with
periodic violent eruptions, of which the Israel-Gaza confrontation in the summer of
2014 is only the most recent.
This executive summary highlights findings from a study by a team of RAND
researchers that estimates the net costs and benefits over the next ten years of five
alternative trajectories — a two-state solution, coordinated unilateral withdrawal,
uncoordinated unilateral withdrawal, nonviolent resistance, and violent uprising —
compared with the costs and benefits of a continuing impasse that evolves in
accordance with present trends. The analysis focuses on economic costs related to
the conflict, including the economic costs of security. In addition, intangible costs
are briefly examined, and the costs of each scenario to the international community
have been calculated.
The economy of the Palestinian Territory was a viable and thriving one before the
occupation in June 1967. It generated significant production and income that
sustained a growing population of 1 million people and generated a gross domestic
product (GDP) per capita of about $1,349 in 2004 prices, which was sufficient for it
to be considered a lower-middle-income economy at that time. Tragically, it has
become a land on the verge of economic and humanitarian collapse.
In 2014, the GDP growth rate in the Palestinian Territory turned negative, for the
first time since 2006. The Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly unliveable and could
become totally unliveable by 2020. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of
Statistics, the unemployment rate in Gaza was 45 per cent in 2014, with over 63
per cent of Gaza’s young people unemployed, which is the highest rate in the world.
Female unemployment in the Palestinian Territory was around 40 per cent and
more than 60 per cent in Gaza. Nearly 40 per cent of Palestinians live below the
poverty line. Clean water is a rarity, with at least 90 per cent of Gaza’s water supply
unfit for human consumption. Electricity in Gaza is also sporadic and unreliable,
available only four to six hours a day, and a properly functioning sewage treatment
system no longer exists.
Seven key findings were identified (1): A two-state solution provides by far the best
economic outcomes for both Israelis and Palestinians. Israelis would gain over two
times more than the Palestinians in absolute terms — $123 billion versus $50
billion over ten years. But the Palestinians would gain more proportionately, with
average per capita income increasing by approximately 36 percent over what it
would have been in 2024, versus 5 percent for the average Israeli. A return to
violence would have profoundly negative economic consequences for both Palestinians and Israelis; per capita gross domestic product would fall by 46
percent in the West Bank and Gaza and by 10 percent in Israel by 2024. In most
scenarios, the value of economic opportunities gained or lost by both parties is
much larger than expected changes in direct costs. Unilateral withdrawal by Israel
from the West Bank would impose large economic costs on Israelis unless the
international community shoulders a substantial portion of the costs of relocating
settlers. Intangible factors, such as each party's security and sovereignty
aspirations, are critical considerations in understanding and resolving the impasse.
Taking advantage of the economic opportunities of a two-state solution would
require substantial investments from the public and private sectors of the
international community and from both parties.

9. What was the approximate gross domestic production (in RS.) in year 2004? (1$ =
73.25 INR)
(a) 877078.50 (b) 988142.5 (c) 978650.25 (d) 967892.5
10.The total population of the Palestinian Territory increased by 20% over a decade
from 2004, out of which 75% of the people lived in Gaza. Also, if 60% of Gaza’s
population is considered to be young then the total number of persons who are not
young but are still unemployed are: (Consider all the people who live outside Gaza
as employed)
(a) 65000
(b) 64000
(c) 64800
(d) None of these

In: Accounting

What are the sales promotions/techniques discussed?

Positioning Basket of Goodies is positioning itself as an upscale manufacturer of gourmet gift baskets through the introduction of several production baskets as well as custom options. BOG will achieve this positioning by leveraging their competitive advantages. The competitive advantage is based on two factors, low overhead which supports reasonable prices, and an unrelenting desire for the highest quality product and service. 1. Overhead- BOG's overhead is particularly low because it is a home based business. Most of BOG's competition is based in retail shopping areas. While they receive more walk by traffic and therefore higher sales numbers, their rent is a very large monthly expense. BOG avoids this large expense by having the business run out of owner Susan Presento's home. Additionally, Susan will be using a modified version of JIT (just in time) inventory and assembling. Susan's husband passes by 90% of Susan's vendors on his way home from work so Susan is able to order inventory when she needs it and have her husband pick it up on the way home from work. This significantly lowers shipping costs and carrying costs for The Basket of Goodies Page 8 inventory. BOG will have some of the standard baskets in stock for walk by orders, but will try not to have large amounts in overhead. 2. Unrelenting desire for the highest quality product and service- Let's face it, this market space is already crowded and a mediocre gift basket service is not going to fly, so Basket of Goodies must have some sort of differentiating feature that lets it stand out. Susan only uses the finest quality ingredients and can afford to because of her low overhead. Additionally, she always follows the maxim that the customer must be 100% satisfied. That means she is willing to loose money on an occassional order, if necessary, to please a customer, confident that in the long run this is a wise business decision. 3.6 Strategies The single objective is to position Basket of Goodies as a manufacturer of unique, attractive, gourmet gift baskets for individuals as well as corporate customers. The marketing strategy will seek to create customer awareness regarding the product offerings, develop the customer base, and work toward building customer loyalty and referrals that will significantly decrease customer acquisition costs. BOG will seek to communicate the message that they offer a higher quality, gourmet alternative for gift baskets relative to the baskets currently available. This message will be communicated through various methods, tailored to each target market. The first method will be the use of a Website. The Website will have product information, company information, as well as ordering information and order taking. The site will be useful to both targeted groups, individuals as well as corporate customers. The second method will be brochures, primarily marketing to individuals. These brochures will be dispersed through many different sources. The last method of communication is networking and it is primarily for the corporate customer. Before founding Basket of Goodies Susan worked within the Human Resource Department of several larger corporations and has developed a large list of contacts. Susan will leverage these personal/professional relationships to generate business for BOG. Since she has worked within the HR departments before, she is quite familiar with the buying habits and decision making processes; key knowledge for generating corporate sales. 3.7 Marketing Mix BOG's marketing mix consists of the following approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. • Pricing- BOG will be charging a per basket fee for the stock production baskets. Regarding the custom baskets, a price can be quoted once the customer decides on the ingredients that they want. • Distribution- While the orders for the baskets can be placed on our secure Website, by phone, or at the office, the distribution of the product will occur from the office and can be shipped to any continental U.S. address. • Advertising and Promotion- A Website, brochures, and networking will be used to raise awareness and generate sales. • Customer Service- Following benchmark companies such as L.L. Bean, Eddie Bauer, and Siemens, customer service will be a priority. Susan truly believes that reputation is everything.

Question: What are the sales promotions/techniques discussed?

In: Economics

Think of the snack foods you eat most often. What type of snacks does that include?...

Think of the snack foods you eat most often. What type of snacks does that include? For many of us, those we frequently eat are salty snacks, which include chips of various ingredients and flavours, pretzels, cheese curls, crackers, and nuts( hint: nuts are the most healthy of this bunch). Another option might be sweet snack such as cookies, candy bars, other chocolate-based snacks, and cereal bars. Behind these various snack options are some of the largest companies in the food industry including behemoths such as Frito Lay, Kellogg, Hershey, Mars, General Mills, and Nabisco among others. All of these companies utilize immense resources to implement their marketing strategies in an effort to not only gain market share from competitor but also prevent others from entering the market.

So, if the competitive environment for the market is as described above, what in the world would make a firm think it could start a totally new snack food company and be successful? Apparently Daniel Lubetzky, founder of KIND Healthy Snacks, had a different idea of what it took to be competitive in the snack food market when he decided to enter it way back in 2003. Lubetzky looked at the playing field and decided that the competition was, in fact, not impenetrable. He found an opportunity to develop a product with all natural, healthy ingredients. In fact, a mantra of his organization is to put “ nothing in the product that the typical consumer cannot pronounce.” As a result, the ingredient list is an exercise in simplicity with easy-to-understand components that promote healthfulness in everyone who eats them.

Lubetzky also found opportunity in the packaging of his products. Instead of the typical opaque packaging for snack or candy bars that prevents one from viewing the actual physical product, KIND Healthy Snack uses proprietary technology to produce clear wrappers for its snack items. Using this type of package distinguishes KIND from its competitors because it allows consumers to see what they will eat and not just assume the bar inside will look like the picture on the wrapper.

Another opportunity area for lubetzky was the trend toward consumer supporting products that have the betterment of society as part of their mission. Visit the KIND website and you will find a quote by Henry James that reads, “ Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” Lubetzky’s company operationalizes this quote by allowing users to post on their website their individual acts of kindness and the number of people impacted by those acts. In addition to giving exposure to individual acts of kindness(get it – KIND-ness), KIND itself supports one project each month with $10,000.   Whether it’s rebuilding a New Jersey firefighter’s house after Hurricane Sandy, supporting Big Brothers and Big Sisters, or working with a nonprofit agency to fly soldiers home from overseas for the holidays, KIND is working to have a social impact on the communities it serves.

Clearly, KIND has embraced the concept of “Marketing” with all of its activities, institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Evidence of this buy – in is the result the company has achieved. From the end of 2008 to the end of 2012, KIND’S sales went from $15 million to $120 million, an 800 percent increase in just four years. This growth occurred despite losing Starbucks as a distributor of its snack items in all of its U.S. based cafes.

By continuing to connect with its customers through its high-quality, all-natural-ingredient products; its innovative packaging; and its commitment to the betterment of society, KIND hopes to continue to dynamically grows its business well into the future.

  • 1 (a) What other aspects of the American Marketing Association(AMA) definition of marketing might KIND exploit in the future to continue to grow its business and do consumers supporting brands and companies that strive to benefit society are a trend that will continue?
  • (b) What other industries might be especially prone to entry by a smaller, more nimble, and more socially conscious competition and what are the prospects for a competitor being successful in those industries.

In: Operations Management

What are all the strengths and all the weaknesses related to the external validity of the...

  1. What are all the strengths and all the weaknesses related to the external validity of the research design in Item 3. (10 points)
  1. Strengths (5 points)
  1. Weaknesses (5 points)

Measures To measure reciprocal resource dependence of state agencies and nonprofit organizations, 14 Likert-type scales were constructed with a number of items to which the respondent indicated intensity of agreement or disagreement on a six-point scale. Response categories were strongly disagree, generally disagree, disagree a little, agree a little, generally agree, strongly agree. The conceptual anchors of each scale were (1) independence and (6) dependence. That is, higher scores represented greater dependence in the area being assessed. Three scales (importance, alternative availability, and pressure) measured the dependence of state agencies on nonprofit organizations for resources. Three parallel scales measured the same dimensions for resource dependence in the other direction, that is, the dependence of nonprofit organizations on state agencies for resources. Items were predominantly attitudinal; some were behavioral. The following items are samples from the importance, alternative availability, and pressure scales, respectively. S1. State agencies often use ideas from nonprofit organizations to formulate policy recommendations. N1. Nonprofit organizations often use ideas from state agencies lO formulate policy recommendations. S2.There are certainly other supporters of agency interests as valuable as nonprofit organizations. N2. There are certainly other supporters of nonprofit organizations' interests as valuable as state agencies. S3.Agencies are in no position to force nonprofit organizations to implement their programs. N3. Nonprofit organizations are in no position to force agencies to fund their programs. Scale scores were the average of the item scores. Table 3 reports reliability results for the six scales. Alpha reliability coefficients are listed in bold-face type. Discriminant validity may be measured by the inter-scale correlation coefficients shown on the diagonal in that table. Table 3: Reliabilities of State and Nonprofit Scales Scale Reliability State Importance .67 State Alternative Availability .73 State Pressure .63 Nonprofit Importance .70 Nonprofit Alternative Availability .70 Nonprofit Pressure .75 The remaining eight scales were divided, four each for state departments and non-profit agencies, into individual service areas. These were arts, health, developmental disabilities, and human services. The first set of four examined dependence of the state departments on nonprofit agencies in the four areas; the second set of four scales assessed the dependence of nonprofits on state agencies in the same four areas. The average of the three individual scale scores measuring state agency dependence on nonprofit agencies became Dsn in the model. The average of the three individual scale scores measuring nonprofit agency dependence on state agencies became Dns. These reciprocal resource flows, understood together, became the basis for a g e n e r a l model of resource dependence between sectors. Design The design of the study was [Enter the Study Design Here]. The particular strengths of this design are [Enter the Design Strengths Here]. The design is weak in the areas of [Enter the Design Weaknesses Here]. Procedure The total number of study participants was 153: 80 nonprofit and 73 state agency managers. Public-sector respondents were 20 people, including commissioners, from each of the 4 state agencies and executive directors from 20 nonprofit organizations in each of the service areas. Of the 80 nonprofit agency respondents, 14 were top-level managers other than the executive director. All nonprofit and some state agency respondents participated in two-part, on-site interviews, including a self-administered survey completed immediately and an interview with demographic and open-ended questions. State agency commissioners designated two additional executive administrators for the research interview, and they, in turn, identified 17 other managers to receive a mailed survey.

In: Statistics and Probability

Read the following: TOKYO — Prosecutors in Japan on Monday indicted Carlos Ghosn, the former chairman...

Read the following:

TOKYO — Prosecutors in Japan on Monday indicted Carlos Ghosn, the former chairman of Nissan Motor, and the auto company itself on charges that they had violated financial laws by underreporting Mr. Ghosn’s compensation.

Mr. Ghosn, once among the auto industry’s most respected executives, was arrested three weeks ago by the Japanese authorities. The allegations have upended a carmaking empire that includes Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors in Japan and Renault in France.

In addition to the formal charges announced Monday, which cover allegations related to actions from 2011 to 2015, the authorities rearrested Mr. Ghosn on similar charges stemming from a subsequent period. Mr. Ghosn, 64, has been held in detention in Tokyo since his arrest on Nov. 19.

Motonari Otsuru, a lawyer for Mr. Ghosn, could not immediately be reached for comment.

In response to the indictment, Nissan said in a statement that it would strengthen its compliance efforts. It did not deny the charges.

“Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously,” the statement said. “Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan’s public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret.”

On Tuesday, a Tokyo court approved keeping Mr. Ghosn in detention until Dec. 20.

Prosecutors also indicted Greg Kelly, a former Nissan human resources manager and a member of the company’s board. Mr. Kelly, through his lawyer, Yoichi Kitamura, has denied wrongdoing. Mr. Kelly, like Mr. Ghosn, was rearrested Monday, on allegations that he helped Mr. Ghosn underreport his compensation.

Nissan has said it uncovered misconduct by Mr. Ghosn that included underreporting his compensation and using company funds for personal expenses. In a news conference held the night Mr. Ghosn and Mr. Kelly were initially arrested, Hiroto Saikawa, Nissan’s chief executive, said Mr. Kelly “has been determined to be the mastermind of this matter, together with Carlos Ghosn.”

According to the indictment, Mr. Ghosn and Mr. Kelly understated Mr. Ghosn’s earnings from 2011 to 2015 by half in securities filings: 4.99 billion yen ($44.3 million) compared with 9.86 billion yen ($88.4 million), including bonuses. Nissan was indicted on charges of having misstated Mr. Ghosn’s compensation in filings with the financial authorities.

Nissan, which conducted an internal inquiry into the alleged financial underreporting, removed Mr. Ghosn as chairman shortly after he was arrested and removed Mr. Kelly as executive director.

Mr. Ghosn was also removed from a similar position at Mitsubishi Motors. He remains chairman of Renault, but the French company has appointed Thierry Bolloré, its chief operating officer, to assume Mr. Ghosn’s day-to-day responsibilities.

In a new arrest warrant issued Monday, Tokyo prosectors said Mr. Ghosn and Mr. Kelly conspired to understate Mr. Ghosn’s pay in securities filings from June 2016 to June 2018. In the fillings, Mr. Ghosn’s compensation for the period was reported as 2.9 billion yen ($25.7 million). Prosecutors said they were investigating allegations that Mr. Ghosn was actually paid 7.17 billion yen ($63.6 million).

Prosecutors have yet to address allegations contained in Nissan’s internal report that Mr. Ghosn misused company funds for personal use.

A Nissan spokesman confirmed that the company had barred Mr. Ghosn’s family from a home the company bought for him in Rio de Janeiro.

“We believe that they would attempt to remove or destroy evidence,” said Nicholas Maxfield, a Nissan spokesman at the company’s headquarters in Yokohama. “And some of that evidence would be fairly incriminating.”

Legal experts in Japan said it was common for prosecutors to indict companies alongside individuals in financial crime cases.

“In this case it makes perfect sense,” said David Litt, a professor at Keio University Law School in Tokyo. “It would have been very hard for him to hide this without a number of people in the company knowing about it.”

Use economic analysis to explain the issue with INCENTIVE COMPENSATION in the article?

In: Economics

STUDY GUIDE: The following ELISA protocols are from the Methods Sections of some scientific papers. Read...

STUDY GUIDE: The following ELISA protocols are from the Methods Sections of some scientific papers. Read through each protocol and respond to the questions.

Protocol 1. Using GST-peptide-based ELISAs to Detect Protein Kinase (Plk1) in cell lysates.   96-well plates (Beckman–Coulter) were coated with GST-peptides, an affinity ligand for Plk1. To block the unoccupied sites, wells were washed once with PBS plus 0.05% Tween 20 (PBST), and then incubated with 200 μL of PBS plus 1% BSA for 1 h. Cells to be analyzed for Plk1 were homogenized, serially diluted, and added to the wells (50 μL per well) and incubated for 12–18 h at room temperature. Plates were washed and then incubated for 2 h with 100 μL per well of anti-Plk1 antibody at a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml. After washing the plates 5 times, 100 μL per well of HRP-conjugated secondary antibody (diluted 1:1,000 in blocking buffer) was added and the plates incubated for 1 h. Plates were then washed 5 times with PBST and then incubated with 100 μL per well of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine solution (TMB) (Sigma) as substrate until a desired absorbance was reached. The reactions were stopped by the addition of 0.5 M H2SO4. The optical density of the samples was measured at 450 nm by using an ELISA plate reader (Molecular Devices).

  1. What does: “block the unoccupied sites” mean in the context of an ELISA? Why is this step important in getting accurate results?
  2. What was used as the blocking agent?
  3. What was the purpose for having 0.05% Tween 20 in the buffer?
  4. What is HRP and what purpose does it serve?

Protocol 2: Analysis of serum samples for CT45 antibodies by ELISA was performed by adsorbing recombinant CT45 protein and control protein antigens LAGE-1, MAGE-1, MAGE-3, and p53 at 1 μg/mL to 96-well plates (Corning). After blocking with PBS containing 5% nonfat milk, serum samples were tested over a range of serial 4-fold dilutions from 1:100 to 1:6,400. After incubation, plates were washed with PBS containing 0.2% Tween and rinsed with PBS. Serum antibodies bound to antigens was detected with alkaline-phosphatase–conjugated secondary antibodies (Southern Biotech). After addition of ATTOPHOS substrate (Fisher Scientific), absorbance was measured using a fluorescence reader Cytofluor Series 4000 (PerSeptive Biosystems). In each assay, sera of patients with known presence or absence of specific antibody reactivity were used as controls. Titers were considered significant if >100 and if confirmed in repeat experiments.

  1. Why were the plates coated with CT45 protein?
  2. What is the blocking agent in this ELISA?
  3. What kind of substrate is ATTOPHOS? How does this substrate allow detection of antibody binding in this assay?
  4. Is this assay a direct, indirect, or sandwich ELISA? Provide rationale for your response.

Protocol 3: Serum Analysis Using ELISA Analysis. ELISA assay kits for each of the following serum proteins were purchased from Diagnostic Systems Laboratories (Webster, TX) or Assay Designs (Ann Arbor, MI). These proteins were: EGF, macrophage inhibitory factor-1, TNF-α, leptin, prolactin, IL-17, OPN, and IGF-II. Assays were performed following kit instructions. Plates were read on a Spectra Max M2 Microplate Reader (Molecular Devices) with the appropriate baseline correction for each assay.

  1. What is a microplate reader and how might it be used in an ELISA assay?
  2. Why would a sandwich ELISA be the most appropriate way to detect these proteins in serum collected from patients?

Protocol 4: You will write this protocol

Describe how you would use an ELISA (you pick which type) to screen the monoclonal antibodies being produced by different hybridoma clones generated by fusion of myeloma cells with plasma cells from the spleen of a mouse. The mouse was injected with human NFkB, a transcription factor, and you are looking for the clone producing an antibody that binds to this protein. Include a diagram.

In: Nursing

Case Presentation The confidentiality of medical information became an agenda item for Congress when electronic data...

Case Presentation

The confidentiality of medical information became an agenda item for Congress when electronic data systems became widely adopted throughout the United States. The increased use of computers in health care had created the capacity for critical health care information to be efficiently shared among health care providers and among insurance companies. Advocates for patient confidentiality and information privacy argued that the ease of information sharing through electronic transmission of records would result in personal health information becoming available to a wide variety of interested parties. Access to this information could result in a variety of actions, including denial of coverage through employer-sponsored plans to individuals or family members with chronic or debilitating conditions. Other unfavorable outcomes from the unrestricted sharing of private health information could also result, such as the sale of mailing lists of individuals with particular medical conditions to companies with a commercial interest in obtaining those lists.


The intent of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 was to limit the ability of employers to deny health insurance coverage to their employees based on preexisting medical conditions. In the formulation of a policy response, the intervention chosen by Congress was to limit access to health care information to only parties with a legitimate role in the financing and delivery of services, specifically health care providers, insurance companies, and third-party contractors.17 Through HIPAA, Congress directed the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) to implement the policy by developing privacy rules that protect electronically transmitted health information. These rules cover any entity that must have access to this information for legitimate purposes and provide guidelines for determining access to and disclosure of protected health information. Criminal and financial penalties are provided for proven HIPAA violations, including federal prison sentences for perpetrators and fines of up to $250,000. Investigations and prosecutions of HIPAA violations are the responsibility of the United States Department of Justice.17


One of the federal agencies tasked with public review and reporting for federal policies is the United States Government Accounting Office (GAO). The GAO has published different reviews of HIPAA at the request of government officials over the years since passage of the statute, and these reports are publically available on the GAO website. A recent review18 documents the ongoing issues of implementation of this widespread policy that governs the electronic transmission of health care information. HIPAA provides broad guidelines for the protection of patient information that must be interpreted for implementation. Covered entities targeted by the statute are expected to develop HIPAA-compliant policies that govern the treatment of protected health information in their organizations and during transactions with contracted third parties. The GAO report notes there is still much guidance to be issued by USDHHS to assist these entities in complying with HIPAA guidelines. This guidance will be created through USDHHS rule-making authority and will be publicly available for comment and feedback by affected organizations and the general public during the rule-making process.


Case Analysis

This case demonstrates some of the major components of the health policy concept. HIPAA is the result of public concerns about the privacy of health care data. The electronic transmission of data potentially involves disparate entities, persons, and companies across a variety of states. This called for a federal response because the federal government is responsible for regulating interstate commerce. However, insurance, including health insurance, is regulated at the state level as a part of state responsibilities. This federal law, meant to address the confidentiality of health data as it is transmitted electronically across the country, is the result of a public process of information exchange and negotiation among different levels of government and a variety of interested parties. The rules and regulations created by federal agencies tasked with implementing this law are under continuous review as is expected with the dynamic political processes that exist in the United States.

Please answer the following questions pertaining to the Case Study.


Question 1: What does the phrase “covered entities” refer to?


Question 2: How can the student nurse ensure they are remaining HIPAA compliant when in a clinical setting?

In: Nursing

What are all the strengths and all the weaknesses related to the internal validity of the...

What are all the strengths and all the weaknesses related to the internal validity of the research design in Item 3. (10 points) A. Strengths (5 points) b. weaknesses Measures To measure reciprocal resource dependence of state agencies and nonprofit organizations, 14 Likert-type scales were constructed with a number of items to which the respondent indicated intensity of agreement or disagreement on a six-point scale. Response categories were strongly disagree, generally disagree, disagree a little, agree a little, generally agree, strongly agree. The conceptual anchors of each scale were (1) independence and (6) dependence. That is, higher scores represented greater dependence in the area being assessed. Three scales (importance, alternative availability, and pressure) measured the dependence of state agencies on nonprofit organizations for resources. Three parallel scales measured the same dimensions for resource dependence in the other direction, that is, the dependence of nonprofit organizations on state agencies for resources. Items were predominantly attitudinal; some were behavioral. The following items are samples from the importance, alternative availability, and pressure scales, respectively. S1. State agencies often use ideas from nonprofit organizations to formulate policy recommendations. N1. Nonprofit organizations often use ideas from state agencies lO formulate policy recommendations. S2.There are certainly other supporters of agency interests as valuable as nonprofit organizations. N2. There are certainly other supporters of nonprofit organizations' interests as valuable as state agencies. S3.Agencies are in no position to force nonprofit organizations to implement their programs. N3. Nonprofit organizations are in no position to force agencies to fund their programs. Scale scores were the average of the item scores. Table 3 reports reliability results for the six scales. Alpha reliability coefficients are listed in bold-face type. Discriminant validity may be measured by the inter-scale correlation coefficients shown on the diagonal in that table. Table 3: Reliabilities of State and Nonprofit Scales Scale Reliability State Importance .67 State Alternative Availability .73 State Pressure .63 Nonprofit Importance .70 Nonprofit Alternative Availability .70 Nonprofit Pressure .75 The remaining eight scales were divided, four each for state departments and non-profit agencies, into individual service areas. These were arts, health, developmental disabilities, and human services. The first set of four examined dependence of the state departments on nonprofit agencies in the four areas; the second set of four scales assessed the dependence of nonprofits on state agencies in the same four areas. The average of the three individual scale scores measuring state agency dependence on nonprofit agencies became Dsn in the model. The average of the three individual scale scores measuring nonprofit agency dependence on state agencies became Dns. These reciprocal resource flows, understood together, became the basis for a g e n e r a l model of resource dependence between sectors. Design The design of the study was [Enter the Study Design Here]. The particular strengths of this design are [Enter the Design Strengths Here]. The design is weak in the areas of [Enter the Design Weaknesses Here]. Procedure The total number of study participants was 153: 80 nonprofit and 73 state agency managers. Public-sector respondents were 20 people, including commissioners, from each of the 4 state agencies and executive directors from 20 nonprofit organizations in each of the service areas. Of the 80 nonprofit agency respondents, 14 were top-level managers other than the executive director. All nonprofit and some state agency respondents participated in two-part, on-site interviews, including a self-administered survey completed immediately and an interview with demographic and open-ended questions. State agency commissioners designated two additional executive administrators for the research interview, and they, in turn, identified 17 other managers to receive a mailed survey.

In: Statistics and Probability

What are all the strengths and all the weaknesses related to the internal validity of the...

What are all the strengths and all the weaknesses related to the internal validity of the research design in Item 3. (10 points) A. Strengths (5 points) b. weaknesses Measures To measure reciprocal resource dependence of state agencies and nonprofit organizations, 14 Likert-type scales were constructed with a number of items to which the respondent indicated intensity of agreement or disagreement on a six-point scale. Response categories were strongly disagree, generally disagree, disagree a little, agree a little, generally agree, strongly agree. The conceptual anchors of each scale were (1) independence and (6) dependence. That is, higher scores represented greater dependence in the area being assessed. Three scales (importance, alternative availability, and pressure) measured the dependence of state agencies on nonprofit organizations for resources. Three parallel scales measured the same dimensions for resource dependence in the other direction, that is, the dependence of nonprofit organizations on state agencies for resources. Items were predominantly attitudinal; some were behavioral. The following items are samples from the importance, alternative availability, and pressure scales, respectively. S1. State agencies often use ideas from nonprofit organizations to formulate policy recommendations. N1. Nonprofit organizations often use ideas from state agencies lO formulate policy recommendations. S2.There are certainly other supporters of agency interests as valuable as nonprofit organizations. N2. There are certainly other supporters of nonprofit organizations' interests as valuable as state agencies. S3.Agencies are in no position to force nonprofit organizations to implement their programs. N3. Nonprofit organizations are in no position to force agencies to fund their programs. Scale scores were the average of the item scores. Table 3 reports reliability results for the six scales. Alpha reliability coefficients are listed in bold-face type. Discriminant validity may be measured by the inter-scale correlation coefficients shown on the diagonal in that table. Table 3: Reliabilities of State and Nonprofit Scales Scale Reliability State Importance .67 State Alternative Availability .73 State Pressure .63 Nonprofit Importance .70 Nonprofit Alternative Availability .70 Nonprofit Pressure .75 The remaining eight scales were divided, four each for state departments and non-profit agencies, into individual service areas. These were arts, health, developmental disabilities, and human services. The first set of four examined dependence of the state departments on nonprofit agencies in the four areas; the second set of four scales assessed the dependence of nonprofits on state agencies in the same four areas. The average of the three individual scale scores measuring state agency dependence on nonprofit agencies became Dsn in the model. The average of the three individual scale scores measuring nonprofit agency dependence on state agencies became Dns. These reciprocal resource flows, understood together, became the basis for a g e n e r a l model of resource dependence between sectors. Design The design of the study was [Enter the Study Design Here]. The particular strengths of this design are [Enter the Design Strengths Here]. The design is weak in the areas of [Enter the Design Weaknesses Here]. Procedure The total number of study participants was 153: 80 nonprofit and 73 state agency managers. Public-sector respondents were 20 people, including commissioners, from each of the 4 state agencies and executive directors from 20 nonprofit organizations in each of the service areas. Of the 80 nonprofit agency respondents, 14 were top-level managers other than the executive director. All nonprofit and some state agency respondents participated in two-part, on-site interviews, including a self-administered survey completed immediately and an interview with demographic and open-ended questions. State agency commissioners designated two additional executive administrators for the research interview, and they, in turn, identified 17 other managers to receive a mailed survey.

In: Statistics and Probability

1.Project finance is considered as a long-term investment with a commitment of large amounts of resources....

1.Project finance is considered as a long-term investment with a commitment of large amounts of resources. Determining project costs involves taking the information gained from assessing needed resources and

A. asking the client for at least twice as much funding. B. using it for scheduling purposes. C. adjusting the project purpose as necessary. D. translating it into a realistic budget.

2.An investor, Mr. Trix wants to finance RM 500,000 in your new investment to expand your project overseas. Since you do not plan to proceed for at least another year due to Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Trix told you that you can have the money now, or he can wait and give you the money when you actually invest in your overseas project. You decide to take the money now and deposit it in your company’s fixed deposit account. After all, your deposit will yield 6% interest compound annually. A year from now, post-Covid-19, your RM 500,00 will be worth RM 530,000. What financial concept does this scenario presents?

A. Capital budgeting B. Dividend reinvestment plan C. Time-value of money D. Business plan In valuing a project for decision making,

3.which of the following is an activity conducted by the finance function of a project?

A. Tracking business expenditures B. Preparing cash flow statements C. Projecting product sales D. Choosing appropriate investments

4.Cost reduction is one of important considerations in project finance. Any sound project will normally either increase revenues or reduce costs because it has a positive effect on the project's

A. assets value. B. interest rate. C. cash flows. D. debt structures.

5.Engineering projects involve long-term investment with various parties who have to co-operate in order to achieve goals that may be 20 or 30 years away. However, there are some decisions to make investments and hold them for less than one year is to

A. control inflation rates. B. monitor long-term wealth. C. reduce tax obligations. D. reduce risks.

6.Although net income is a finance concept that ignores the timing of cash flows into and out of a project, the net income figure is useful for many things. What types of financial data are analysed to determine a project’s net income?

A. Depreciation, tax and discount rates B. Salvage value and working capital C. Revenue, expenses and tax rates D. Tax, interest and inflation rate

Which of the following is NOT a true statement about engineers’ skill as “problem solvers who apply their knowledge and experience to building projects that meet human needs”: * A. It analyses of costs versus benefits. B. It generates scientific discoveries. C. It evaluates environmental impacts versus benefits. D. It uses empirical experience for profit maximization.

7.In a project that involves a massive use of assets, evaluation on these assets is important. In evaluating the entire lifetime of an asset, Whole Life Cost analysis considers the following EXCEPT:

A. capital and maintenance costs B. operational and energy costs C. material and processing costs D. replacement and disposal costs

Embracing Industry 4.0 technologies and processes is important to meet other competitors. This competitiveness depends on the ability to transform by responding to market shifts and technology trends through various project investments. The most significant barriers that many companies face when investing in these technologies are the perception of:

A. business risk and lack of adequate technology solutions. B. high cost and overabundance of adequate technology solutions. C. high cost and overdependence on a single government platform. D. high cost and lack of evidence of return on investment.

8.The major engineering challenge which is directly related to the subject of investment and project finance is related to:

A. Innovative and attractive products B. Competitive and economical products C. Futuristic and competitive products D Risky and innovative products

In: Finance