Economic efficiency implies an equating, at the margin, of benefits and costs. In this paper we explore a concept of "efficiency" which is broader than the usual framework and which applies to commodities and services produced and distrib- uted largely outside the private, profit maximiz- ing...

In what ways, if any, does the behavior of government and nonprofit organizations differ? This article examines evidence from two industries–nursing homes and mentally handicapped facilities–to determine whether government and nonprofit organization behavior differs in identifiable...

Weisbrod examines the causes and consequences of medical research and suggests an appropriate role for it in the larger social system.

Excerpt from introduction: Our earlier study sought to assess the quantitative impact of parasitic diseases on various measures of labor productivity.' The current study extends the previous analyses by examining the hypothesis that productivity is affected with a time lag that reflects the...

Excerpt from introduction: This paper investigates two important consequences of the present military draft system. They are distributive effects-the impact on the distribution of real output, and allocative costs - the impact on the size of that output. The distributive effects result from the...

Excerpt from introduction: Our object in this paper is both to advance the understanding of the quantitative impact of parasitic diseases on output and to improve on the theoretical framework within which such estimates are made for any disease and in any region. While the study examines the...

When the government institutes a program thought to be useful for society as a whole, such as building a highway or controlling air pollution, those that benefit from such programs are usually quite different from those that bear its costs. Sometimes the government responds by postponing or...

To economically evaluate a new drug or other medical innovation one must assess both the changes in costs and in benefits. Safety and efficacy matter, but so do resource costs and social benefits. This paper evaluates the effects on expenditures of the recent introduction of cimetidine, a drug...

Three factors that may influence a high school graduate's decision to attend college are considered: (1) his ability, (2) the cost of attending college, and (3) the socioeconomic status of his parents. The results, based on a probit analysis, indicate that factors (1) and (3) are strong...

Professional baseball and football each has its Hall of Fame. Most Valuable Player awards are announced in a growing number of sports, as well as by individual teams. There are Coach of the Year awards, Manager of the Year awards; there is even a Horse of the Year award. Why do economics and...