A Study on Cost Control of Agricultural Water Conservancy Projects Based on Activity-based Costing

Based on the theory of activity-based costing and the idea of value chain,activity optimization and cost control are carried out on the whole construction process of agricultural water conservancy projects. Through the use of literature review,case analysis and statistical analysis and other methods,with agricultural water conservancy projects as the research object,and comparing activity-based costing with the traditional model of cost accounting,the writer carries out the corresponding value chain analysis,and comes to the following conclusion: the statistical calculation and analysis of the entire construction process based on activity-based costing can accurately and effectively control the costs of water conservancy projects. Through the use of activity-based costing,the cost data of agricultural water conservancy projects is more detailed and accurate,and cost management personnel can also find non-value-added activities,optimize the enterprise's value chain and achieve cost control objectives through the analysis of the activity chain and value chain of agricultural water conservancy projects.

Activity-Based Costing of Library Services in Universities——A Case Study of a Private University

An organization’s costing system is a system that helps the management with the strategy planning while the system plays an important role in providing accurate cost information about the products and customers.In other words,the costing management system is important to provide timely and quality information to help managers in their decision-making process.Producing quality graduates is the main objective of any university and the cost of quality or the cost of poor quality is one that is often difficult to measure in higher education.This can be partly attributed to the fact that most accounting systems are not structured to capture important cost-of-quality information.In order to succeed,many organizations tend to shift from conventional or traditional costing system to Activity-based costing(ABC).ABC provides both higher education administrators and policymakers with better information on which to base decisions.The use of multiple cost pools and drivers under ABC leads to more detailed and accurate product costing than that provided by traditional cost systems.This paper attempts to investigate the possibilities and limitations of implementing ABC in universities.More specifically the study makes use of the case study method to illustrate the implementation of activity-based costing of library services in a private university in the Kingdom of Bahrain.The research methodology of the case study is a combination of both descriptive and quantitative analyses.The study identified six categories of cost pools which are related to the activities of the library as well as 17 relevant cost drivers.Accordingly,ABC should lead to a better understanding of what drives costs and,by extension,what changes are necessary to reduce costs.Unnecessary activities that do not add value to services can be identified and eliminated.Further ABC is feasible in an academic library and that much can be gained from the process of analyzing activities.However,more work needs to be done in terms of designing accounting and other information systems to capture cost and activity transaction data in a more routine and disaggregated form for ABC analysis.

An improved activity-based costing model for product cost estimation applied in a complex manufacturing environment

In order to evaluate and estimate the costs of products produced in a complex manufacturing environment properly,an improved activity-based costing(ABC) model is presented.By utilizing the input-output analysis method,the complex consumption relationships in a complex manufacturing environment are first expressed.The consumption characteristics(mainly presented by the activity rates) of all production activities are extracted by solving these relationships.Then with the consumption characteristics and operating parameters of these activities,the detailed cost consumption of a product in its manufacturing process is estimated.A case study is finally given based on the compressor products of a manufacturing company,and its effectiveness is shown.As the cost influence of complex consumption relationships is fully considered,the limitation of traditional ABC method is overcome,and therefore a high accuracy in product cost estimation under the complex manufacturing environment can be achieved.

Optimal pricing decision model based on activity-based costing

In order to find out the applicability of the optimal pricing decision model based on conventional cost behavior model after activity based costing has given strong shock to the conventional cost behavior model and its assumptions, detailed analyses have been made using the activity based cost behavior and cost volume profit analysis model, and it is concluded from these analyses that the theory behind the construction of optimal pricing decision model is still tenable under activity based costing, but the conventional optimal pricing decision model must be modified as appropriate to the activity based costing based cost behavior model and cost volume profit analysis model, and an optimal pricing decision model is really a product pricing decision model constructed by following the economic principle of maximizing profit.

Complete Garment Costing with Major Cost Breakdown

Apparel business is one of the oldest global businesses. Emergence of different apparel manufacturing nations, rapid development of global supply chains and increasingly higher demand for fast fashion items are exposing the apparel manufacturers to competitive product prices. Alongside, the persistent global depression has also forced the apparel business to curtail the prices to remain sustainable in the industry. Garment costing is the systematic process of meticulously calculating the total cost of a certain quantity of garments from raw material purchase to converting them to the final products, plus other terms and conditions stated by the customers. The sum of these costs adding the profit margin is the selling price. This research outlines the process of preparing cost sheets for basic garment products. The research proposes a clear method of generating easily understandable, complete garment cost sheets for the apparel industry.

Estimation of the Direct Cost of Management of Venous Thromboembolism in Three Reference Hospitals in the City of Yaoundé: A Retrospective Study over a Three-Year Period

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major public health problem due to its increasing frequency, mortality and management cost. This cost may require major financial efforts from patients, especially in developing countries like ours where less than 7% of the population has health insurance. This study aimed to estimate the direct cost of managing VTE in three reference hospitals in Yaoundé. Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study over a three-year period (from January 1st 2018 to December 31 2020) carried out in the Cardiology departments of the Central and General Hospitals, and the Emergency Centre of the city of Yaoundé. All patients managed during the study period for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism confirmed by venous ultrasound coupled with Doppler and computed tomography pulmonary angiography respectively were included. For each patient, we collected sociodemographic and clinical data as well as data on the cost of consultation, hospital stay, workups and medications. These data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: A total of 92 patient’s records were analysed. The median age was 60 years [48 - 68] with a sex ratio of 0.53. The median direct cost of management of venous thromboembolism was 766,375 CFAF [536,455 - 1,029,745] or $1415 USD. Management of pulmonary embolism associated with deep vein thrombosis was more costly than isolated pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. Factors influencing the direct cost of management of venous thromboembolism were: hospital structure (p = 0.015), health insurance (p 0.001), type of pulmonary embolism (p = 0.021), and length of hospital stay (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Management of VTE is a major financial burden for our patients and this burden is influenced by the hospital structure, health insurance, type of pulmonary embolism and length of hospital stay.

A Hybrid Model for Improving Software Cost Estimation in Global Software Development

Accurate software cost estimation in Global Software Development(GSD)remains challenging due to reliance on historical data and expert judgments.Traditional models,such as the Constructive Cost Model(COCOMO II),rely heavily on historical and accurate data.In addition,expert judgment is required to set many input parameters,which can introduce subjectivity and variability in the estimation process.Consequently,there is a need to improve the current GSD models to mitigate reliance on historical data,subjectivity in expert judgment,inadequate consideration of GSD-based cost drivers and limited integration of modern technologies with cost overruns.This study introduces a novel hybrid model that synergizes the COCOMO II with Artificial Neural Networks(ANN)to address these challenges.The proposed hybrid model integrates additional GSD-based cost drivers identified through a systematic literature review and further vetted by industry experts.This article compares the effectiveness of the proposedmodelwith state-of-the-artmachine learning-basedmodels for software cost estimation.Evaluating the NASA 93 dataset by adopting twenty-six GSD-based cost drivers reveals that our hybrid model achieves superior accuracy,outperforming existing state-of-the-artmodels.The findings indicate the potential of combining COCOMO II,ANN,and additional GSD-based cost drivers to transform cost estimation in GSD.

Assessment of the Indirect Cost of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment to Patients in a High Burden, Low Income Setting in Mozambique

Introduction: Tuberculosis is closely linked to poverty, with patients facing significant indirect treatment costs. Treating drug-resistant tuberculosis further increases these expenses. Notably, there is a lack of published data on the indirect costs incurred by patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis in Mozambique. Objective: To assess the indirect costs, income reduction, and work productivity incurred by patients undergoing diagnosis and treatment for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) in Mozambique during their TB treatment. Methods: As part of a comprehensive mixed-methods study conducted from January 2021 to April 2023, this research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. The primary goal was to evaluate the costs incurred by the national health system due to drug-resistant TB. Additionally, to explore the indirect costs experienced by patients and their families during treatment, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 individuals who had been undergoing treatment for over six months. Results: All survey participants unanimously reported a significant decline in labour productivity, with 70.3% experiencing a reduction in their monthly income. Before falling ill, the majority of respondents (33.3%) earned up to $76.92 monthly, representing the minimum earnings range, while 29.2% had a monthly income above $230.77, the maximum earnings range. Among those who experienced income loss, the majority (22.2%) reported a decrease of up to $76.92 per month, and 18.5% cited a loss exceeding $230.77 per month. Notably, patients with Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) have not incurred the direct costs of the disease, as these are covered by the government. Conclusion: The financial burden of treating Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB), along with the income reduction it causes, is substantial. Implementing a patient-centred, multidisciplinary, and multisector approach, coupled with strong psychosocial support, can significantly reduce the catastrophic costs DRTB patients incur.

Resistance development,cross-resistance,and fitness costs associated with Aphis gossypii resistance towards sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid in different geographical regions

Aphis gossypii has become increasingly difficult to manage due to its strong insecticide resistance.In the laboratory,we established sulfoxaflor-resistant and acetamiprid-resistant strains in two A.gossypii populations with different basal insecticide resistance levels,and evaluated the effects of basal insecticide resistance on the resistance development and cross-resistance,as well as differences in fitness.Under the same selection pressure,Yarkant A.gossypii(with low basal insecticide resistance)evolved resistance to sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid more quickly than Jinghe A.gossypii(with high basal insecticide resistance),and the evolution of A.gossypii resistance to sulfoxaflor developed faster than acetamiprid in both Yarkant and Jinghe,Xingjiang,China.The sulfoxaflor-resistant strains selected from Yarkant and Jinghe developed significant cross-resistance to acetamiprid,imidacloprid,thiamethoxam and pymetrozine;while the acetamiprid-resistant strains developed significant cross-resistance to sulfoxaflor,imidacloprid,thiamethoxam,pymetrozine,and chlorpyrifos.The relative fitness of A.gossypii decreased as the resistance to sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid developed.The relative fitness levels of the sulfoxaflor-resistant strains(Yarkant-SulR and Jinghe-SulR)were lower than those of the acetamipridresistant strains(Yarkant-AceR and Jinghe-AceR).In addition,the relative fitness levels of sulfoxaflor-and acetamiprid-resistant strains were lower in Jinghe than in Yarkant.In summary,basal insecticide resistance of A.gossypii and insecticide type affected the evolution of resistance to insecticides in A.gossypii,as well as cross-resistance to other insecticides.The sulfoxaflor-and acetamiprid-resistant A.gossypii strains had obvious fitness costs.The results of this work will contribute to the insecticide resistance management and integrated management of A.gossypii.

An Analysis of the Accounting Costs Associated with 20-Month DR TB Regimens in Maputo City, Mozambique

Introduction: Socioeconomic and demographic conditions in a country can influence tuberculosis incidence and mortality, with nearly 95% of tuberculosis-related deaths occurring in poorer countries. Mozambique is among the 30 countries with the highest TB burden. Objective: The study aimed to estimate the average direct medical cost of treating drug-resistant tuberculosis in 19 health centers in Maputo City, Mozambique. Methods: A retrospective analysis of direct medical costs was conducted on patients aged 18 and older who completed 20-month drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment regimens in Maputo City in 2019. Results: This analysis covered 140 patients who completed a 20-month treatment regimen, with 64.3% (78) being male and 35.7% (62) female. Approximately 50% of the participants were aged between 29 and 47. The average direct medical cost of DRTB treatment was $4789.43, reaching up to $6568.00, with a standard deviation of $753.26, including clinical interventions and treatment. Conclusion: The direct medical costs for a basic treatment package for a patient with drug-resistant TB in Mozambique equal 36 minimum wages. Developing alternative and innovative funding mechanisms and identifying ways to mitigate costs through the use of generic medicines would be beneficial.

Costs of Schizophrenia at Psychiatric Hospital of Bingerville (Ivory Coast)

Schizophrenia is classified as a priority mental disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO) and accounts for around 35% of diagnoses at the Bingerville Psychiatric Hospital (HPB). The aims of the study were to identify the cost drivers for hospitalization and to calculate the costs of managing schizophrenia in hospital, with a view to planning household expenditure on care. This pilot cross-sectional study involved 31 patients with schizophrenia who had been hospitalized in the various third-category wards at the HPB between 1st January 2019 and 31st May 2020. Sampling was accidental. The methods used to estimate costs were based on the actual costs of drugs, hospitalization and additional examinations which prices were known, and on patients’ estimations for certain expenses such as food and transport. Results: The sex ratio was 3.42, the mean age was 29.52 years. The mean length of stay was 46.19 days, and the most frequent clinical forms were paranoid schizophrenia (41.9%) and schizoaffective disorder (29%). The combination of haloperidol and chlorpromazine was the most common medications for initial treatment (67.8%) and maintenance treatment (41.9%). The average cost of hospitalization at HPB for schizophrenia was XOF 164,412 (€249.90). The average direct medical cost was XOF 105,412 (€160.226) and the average direct non-medical cost was XOF 59,000 (€89.68). The average daily cost of antipsychotic treatment was XOF 795/day (€1.2084). The high cost of drugs as a proportion of hospitalization costs suggested the need of a reflection on the simplification of prescribing practices, assistance in psychiatric emergencies and the development of other alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization in Côte d’Ivoire.

Cost of Medical Treatment for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Relation to Patients’ Income and Its Impact on the Prognosis of the Disease, in Bouaké University Hospital

Introduction: Medical treatment for POAG is continuous and lifelong treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the cost of this treatment and patients’ income and the impact of this relationship on treatment compliance. Materials and Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study with a descriptive aim covering sociodemographic data, average incomes, and direct and indirect costs of treatment of 57 patients followed for POAG during the period from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016 (5 years). Results: The patients were aged 25 to 77 years (mean = 54.4 years) with a male predominance (sex ratio = 1.5). Retirees were the most represented (26.32%), followed by workers in the informal sector (14.04%) and housewives (12.28%). Patients who had an annual income less than or equal to 900,000 CFA francs (€1370.83) per year represented 56.14% and those who did not have health coverage represented 57.89%. The treatment was monotherapy (64.91%), dual therapy (31.58%) or triple therapy (3.05%) and the average ratio of “annual cost of treatment to annual income” was 0.56 with for maximum 2.23 and 0.02 as minimum. Patients who considered the cost of treatment unbearable for their income represented 78.95%. Conclusion: Prevention of blindness due to glaucoma requires early detection but also the establishment of health coverage mechanisms to improve compliance with medical treatment. In addition, consideration should be given to the development of glaucoma surgery in our country, the indication of which could be the first intention in certain patients, considering for those patients, the geographical and financial accessibility of medical treatment. .

A digital twin model-based approach to cost optimization of residential community microgrids

This paper presents a peer-to-peer community cost optimization approach based on a single-prosumer energy management system.Its objective is to optimize energy costs for prosumers in the community by enhancing the consumption efficiency.This study was conducted along two main axes.The first axis focuses on designing a digital twin for a residential community microgrid platform.This phase involves data collection,cleaning,exploration,and interpretation.Moreover,it includes replicating the functionality of the real platform and validating the results.The second axis involves the development of a novel approach that incorporates two distinct prosumer behaviors within the same community microgrid,while maintaining the concept of peer-to-peer energy trading.Prosumers without storage utilize their individual PV systems to fulfill their energy requirements and inject excess energy into a local microgrid.Meanwhile,a single prosumer with a storage system actively engages in energy exchange to maximize the community’s profit.This is achieved by optimizing battery usage using a cost optimization solution.The proposed solution is validated using the developed digital twin.

The potential impact of increased whole grain consumption among Chinese adults on reducing healthcare costs and carbon footprint

Excessive consumption of refined grains harms human health and ecosystem viability.Whole grains,as a healthy and sustainable alternative to refined grains,can benefit individual health by providing dietary fiber,B vitamins,and bioactive substances.Additionally,they aid in improving the environment due to their higher extraction rate and lower carbon emission during the processing stage.However,few studies have attempted to evaluate the economic and social benefits of increasing the amount of whole grain in grain intake.This paper estimates the potential savings in healthcare costs and reduced food carbon footprints(CFs)that could result from a shift toward whole grain consumption following the Chinese Dietary Guidelines(CDG).We investigate hypothetical scenarios where a certain proportion(5–100%)of Chinese adults could increase their whole grain intakes as proposed by CDG to meet the average shortfall of 30.2 g.In that case,the healthcare costs for associated diseases(e.g.,type2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),cardiovascular disease(CVD),and colorectal cancer(CRC))are expected to reduce by a substantial amount,from USD 2.82 to 56.37 billion;the carbon emission levels are also projected to decrease by0.24–5.72 million tons.This study provides compelling evidence that advocating for the transition towards greater consumption of whole grain products could benefit individual health,the environment,and society,by reducing both healthcare costs and carbon emissions.

Impact of carbon disclosure on debt financing costs

Creditors,such as banks,often use disclosed environmental information to assess a company’s environmental risk and ensure the safety of debt funds.Consequently,carbon disclosures have become an important consideration for creditors when making investments.This study explores the relationship between carbon disclosure and debt financing costs using data on listed companies from 2008 to 2019.The results show that carbon disclosure can reduce the debt financing costs of enterprises,and that this influence is more significant for private companies than for state-owned enterprises.Instrumental variables and Propensity Score Matching(PSM)were used to evaluate the robustness of negative relationships.Furthermore,carbon disclosure has a more significant impact on debt costs with less environmental supervision pressure,weak residents’environmental awareness,and weak product market competition.These findings provide guidance for companies’carbon information disclosure and support the establishment of official carbon disclosure standards.

TRADE DEPENDENCIES AND TRANSACTION COSTS: THE OC-CUPATION OF DECELEA HIGHLIGHTS BOTH THE BENEFITS AND THE DRAWBACKS OF A MARITIME ECONOMY

Thucydides asserts that the occupation of Decelea by the Spartans in 413 BC made the grain supply for Athens costly by forcing the transport from land onto the sea.This calls into question the well-established consensus that sea transport was far cheaper than land transport.This paper contends that the cost of protecting supply lines-specifically the expenses associated with the warships which escorted the supply ships-rendered the grain transported on the new route exceptionally costly.In this paper,the benefits and drawbacks of a maritime economy,including transaction costs,trade dependencies,and the capabilities of warships and supply ships are discussed.

Reliability-based life-cycle cost seismic design optimization of coastal bridge piers with nonuniform corrosion using different materials

Reinforcement corrosion is the main cause of performance deterioration of reinforced concrete(RC)structures.Limited research has been performed to investigate the life-cycle cost(LCC)of coastal bridge piers with nonuniform corrosion using different materials.In this study,a reliability-based design optimization(RBDO)procedure is improved for the design of coastal bridge piers using six groups of commonly used materials,i.e.,normal performance concrete(NPC)with black steel(BS)rebar,high strength steel(HSS)rebar,epoxy coated(EC)rebar,and stainless steel(SS)rebar(named NPC-BS,NPC-HSS,NPC-EC,and NPC-SS,respectively),NPC with BS with silane soakage on the pier surface(named NPC-Silane),and high-performance concrete(HPC)with BS rebar(named HPC-BS).First,the RBDO procedure is improved for the design optimization of coastal bridge piers,and a bridge is selected to illustrate the procedure.Then,reliability analysis of the pier designed with each group of materials is carried out to obtain the time-dependent reliability in terms of the ultimate and serviceability performances.Next,the repair time of the pier is predicted based on the time-dependent reliability indices.Finally,the time-dependent LCCs for the pier are obtained for the selection of the optimal design.