While economic models are a useful tool to aid decision-making in healthcare, there remain several types of uncertainty associated with this method of analysis. G One-way sensitivity analysis allows a reviewer to assess the impact that changes in a certain parameter will have on the model's conclusions. G Sensitivity analysis can help the reviewer to determine which parameters are the key drive...

This thesis uses the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which was framed as a catalyst for economic growth and broader development, to consider the relationship between global sporting events and pro-poor priorities. The study is driven by three main questions. To what extent did the World Cup deliver on its expectations; are event-driven strategies compatible with pro-poor needs; and why, gi...

Although the everyday decision-making of clinically anxious individuals is clearly influenced by their excessive fear and worry, the relationship between anxiety and decision-making remains relatively unexplored in neuroeconomic studies. In this review, we attempt to explore the role of anxiety in decision-making with a neuroeconomic approach. We first review the neural systems mediating fear a...

River basins in many Eastern and Southern Mediterranean countries suffer from water scarcity due to rapid demographic and economic development, urbanization, industrialization, tourism, and inefficient agricultural activities, which is often the dominant water user. The Gediz River Basin along the Aegean coast of Turkey demonstrates the entire range of prototypical water management problems and...

This study examined a specific case of planning for policymaking in response to two physical environmental issues: flooding and the urban heat island effect (UHI). The Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) was selected as a case study. Data were primarily collected through interviews as well as through policy review. The assessment showed significant differences in policymaking when comparing the...

Classical economic models are predicated on the idea that the ultimate aim of choice is to maximize utility or reward. In contrast, an alternative perspective highlights the fact that adaptive behavior requires agents' to model their environment and minimize surprise about the states they frequent. We propose that choice behavior can be more accurately accounted for by surprise minimization com...

The primary goal of Federal Reserve monetary policy is to foster maximum long-term growth in the U.S. economy by achieving price stability over time. Price stability will be achieved, according to some definitions, when inflation ceases to be a factor in the decision-making processes of businesses and individuals. Although the Federal Reserve has made considerable progress toward price stabilit...

Studies of households have shown a poor perception of natural disaster risks and potential disaster severity, typically overreacting to a disaster event but underpreparing and underinsuring after periods of quiet. Many estimates of disaster response and their economic impacts haven’t taken these sub-optimal household perceptions into consideration. Here I build a model of a coastal community to...

The concept of an “innovation system” has become used increasingly in current science policy discourse as a metaphor to indicate the need for a much wider perspective on relevant decision-making procedures than has been the case in the past. This paper explores its use from the standpoint of the behaviour of an international agricultural research institute located in Africa and focused on two v...