The cost of dealing with pollution and ensuring an acceptable environment must be regarded as part of the price to be paid for providing ourselves with the products of industrial activity. However, since environmental problems are relative rather than absolute, any judgment of risk needs to be balanced against the assessment of the benefit.…

Describes the development and implementation of a plan at Baylor College of Medicine for providing computer support for both the administrative and scientific/ research needs of the Baylor community. The cost-effectiveness of this plan is also examined. (Author/CMV)

Presents a case study of youth training in a developing country--Israel--and seeks to measure the economic returns associated with the costs incurred for different types of vocational training. (Author/RK)

The Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 provides vesting requirements for private pension plans but not transfer of vested monies to the new employer when an employee changes jobs. Unless problems of increased employer costs and possible employee benefit losses are resolved, a mandatory portable pension concept is unlikely. (MF)

This article reviews recent research by economists, psychologists, and others on the role of time and the value of time in learning and schooling. (Author)

The use of programmable calculators as management tools is discussed. They can be helpful in investment analysis, production scheduling, inventory control, and figuring compound interest rates. (LBH)

Education must cope with the problems created by the knowledge explosion; develop delivery systems that are more flexible, more easily accessible, and more readily adaptable to individual needs and interests; and become more cost-effective. (Author/IRT)

This project sought to determine if CAI can significantly benefit deaf students, if it is economically practicable. Experimentation ranged from practical evaluation studies of the specific curriculums, to theoretical studies of the use of language by deaf students. (Author/BD)

A modified admissions process is described that would reduce total costs without any deterioration in effectiveness. The changes are minor but may be considered revolutionary since the dominant role of A-level grades and the generally mechanical function of selectors would be made much more explicit. (LBH)

Provides eight tips on how to save money during school district renovation when budgets are tight. Suggestions discussed include the use of volunteers for some basic work, offering summer maintenance positions to existing employees, adding an energy monitoring system, replacing older heating and lighting systems, and renting classroom space during…

Summarizes current reference-services costing practices and reveals problems with these practices. Suggests six ways that current costing practices of reference services can be improved. (AEF)

Explores how to avoid common pitfalls when schools purchase computer equipment. Purchasing tips are provided in the areas of choosing multiple platforms, buying the cheapest model available, choosing a proprietary design, falling for untested technology, purchasing systems that are not upgradable, ignoring extended warranties, and failing to plan…

Adams Memorial Library (Pennsylvania) and Wichita Public Library Comotara Branch (Kansas) are examples of libraries that successfully partnered with supermarkets to house their facilities. Library services are automated, convenient, and make access easier for users. Conflicts occurred when trying to match library hours with store hours, but such…

Describes how instructional designers develop cost-effective training by performing an "up-front-analysis": needs assessment, audience analysis, and task analysis. The task analysis specifies the knowledge or skills to be taught and determines performance objectives, teaching strategies, and instructional materials. (PEN)