econ review question 29

a follow up on question 27

http://www.wired.com/business/2012/07/ff_lyfekitchens/

by the way, they are still going: http://restaurant.lyfekitchen.com/menu/full-menu/

You often here companies like Wal-Mart refered to as "logistics companies". from an operations perspective, what is McDonald's?

How does that apply to Lyfe Kitchens?

econ review question 28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYsf5rIKgHc

consider different types of goods (inferior, normal).

how is health care like a toy dog?

use the idea of health as a normal good to explain why we would expect to see a rising portion of GDP expended on health as we become wealthier.

here's the usual perspective:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries/


how does economic signaling come into play with health care? health insurance?

if we aren't getting more for our dollar, why do we keep spending more? greedy insurance companies? greedy health care providers? was there ever a time when human beings weren't greedy? some age of generosity? do you foresee human beings becoming universally altruistic in the future? if not, what should we do?

econ review quesiton 27

http://youtu.be/vcZHeUSDZ6M

Discuss the difference between shareholder and stakeholder theory.

Why does McDonald's sell food that is bad for us? Why do we buy it? What should (could) government do about it?

If you impose a Pigouvian tax on fast food, what will happen? consider short and long run, consider social welfare. can you say with certainty?

Let's assume the worst - that McDonald's wants to destroy the environment and make us all fat and sick.What is the best policy mix to deal with that? (I don't happen to think that is true, but let's use that straw-man.)

econ review question 26

watch the video first before you read my questions below:

http://youtu.be/kbJcQYVtZMo























does it matter that this was a corporate sponsored event? that it was not "spontaneous" at all?

does it matter that this corporation is for profit? would it have mattered if it was non-profit?

why do non-profit organizations exist?

why are hospitals transitioning to for-profit status? should you care as a patient? what are the differences in incentives faced by for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals? how would you expect them to behave differently as a result?

econ review question 25

I found this story about a quartet from the Philadelphia Orchestra who played a short concert on their plane on the way to China after they found themselves stuck for three hours on the tarmac.

Here is the story from NPR:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/07/189544736/why-being-stuck-on-a-tarmac-with-the-philly-orchestra-rocks

Here is the video as posted on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/dFhYPsgroMk

Talk about the economics of this moment. Perhaps transaction costs, and utility.

What about the role of IT?

Will we see more or less of these moments?

How is this relevant to health care?

Always remember the legal/policy environment.

econ review question 24

is there stagnation in health care?

http://youtu.be/_93CXTt2K7c

if yes, what are the forces behind it? if no, where do you see it? is it real innovation - like the leap from no electricity to electricity, or is it like the toilet tank with plastic fish?

given the current policy environment, what is the future of health care innovation?

econ review question 23

Explain what Mr. Roth is talking about in terms of agency theory

http://youtu.be/YwHO2HnwfnA