Notwithstanding the low level of tuition fees and absence of other access barriers, Italy is characterised by low educational achievement at university level. Possible reasons for this phenomenon are examined and a formal model is proposed predicting that families will invest more in their...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and demonstrate a performance‐based allocation model for university libraries in India. Design/methodology/approach – Using economic models with weighted values, a system of allocating funds to university library departments is illustrated....

In Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects, value for money (VFM) tests and accounting treatment are distinct but related issues. VFM analysis should be concerned with total risk, not just with the sharing of risk, which dominates the accounting treatment decision. A framework is developed for...

This paper seeks to develop a system of how to judge the merit and worth of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects in the UK National Health Service (NHS) once they are operational. This concern is couched in relation to whether PFI can be seen to provide long‐term “value for money”...

This paper documents the growing dependence of Australian governments on the use of private funding to provide infrastructure and related services to the public. Using a Habermasian framework proposed by Broadbent and Laughlin in 1999 the paper examines their second research question: “what is...

Purpose – Evaluating the potential payoff of an individual project in a portfolio, especially an innovative product development initiative, is a chronic problem with no satisfying solution. Because the commonly used tools to measure such opportunities provide limited insights, executives need...