Showing papers by "Gregory DeAngelo published in 2008"

Average patent pendency and examination errors: a queuing theoretic analysis

Abstract: Researchers have raised two concerns about the current patent approval process by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). First, it takes too long to process applications. Second, examiners make too many errors in the approval process. The first concern suggests that examiners ought to be less stringent in their decision making and hence take less time in processing applications. The second concern suggests exactly the opposite. Given this state of affairs, we analyse the following question: Does a more stringent examination of applications always lengthen the pendency period? Our theoretical analysis shows that there is no definite answer to this question. Hence, we use numerical methods and our numerical analysis leads to two conclusions. For many values of the model parameters that describe the stringency of examinations, a more stringent examination process does lengthen the pendency period. In contrast, for most values of the model parameter that describes the volume of patent applications handled by the PTO under study, a more stringent examination process does not lengthen the pendency period.

A dynamic and stochastic analysis of fertilizer use in swidden agriculture

Abstract: The number of times a crop can be harvested on a cleared parcel of forest land (CPFL) before this land must be fallowed is dependent on the decision to use or not to use fertilizers to enhance soil fertility. As such, we first construct a theoretical model of fertilizer use by a swidden cultivator when this cultivator can choose whether or not to enhance soil fertility by using fertilizers. Second, we analyze two different policies (fertilizer use and no fertilizer use) for overseeing the problem of soil fertility deterioration on the CPFL. Finally, we identify a particular likelihood function and we show that whether the problem of soil fertility impairment is best addressed with a fertilizer use policy or with a no fertilizer use policy depends essentially on this likelihood function.

Cost Minimization and Medical Examinations: The Case of Anthrax

Abstract: In 2001 the United States experienced several anthrax attacks that attracted significant attention from the medical community, policy analysts and many other professionals, but relatively little attention from economists. This paper builds on the work of Hupert et al. (2002) by using an M/G/1 queuing model to analyze the tension between economic cost minimization and the stringency of medical examinations in the aftermath of an anthrax attack. The theoretical analysis displays ambiguous results. Given this outcome, numerical analysis of the aforementioned tension is conducted with two main results. First, for many values of the model parameters that describe the stringency of the examinations, a tension does exist between economic cost minimization and examination stringency. Second, for many values of the parameter that describes the scale of an anthrax attack a tension does not exist between economic cost minimization and examination stringency. Moreover, when medical examiners are charged with the task of making equitable versus ethical tradeoffs in their provision of medical care, the problem of discerning the lower cost examination regime becomes confounded further. It is the goal of this work to extend the literature regarding bioterrorism and medical responses to include an additional goal of economic cost minimization.