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Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a practical economic replacement decision model to identify the economic lifetime of the ventilation system used by Trafikverket in its Stockholm tunnels.

The proposed data-driven optimisation model considers operating and maintenance costs, purchase price and system resale value for a ventilation system consisting of 121 fans. The study identified data quality problems in Trafikverket’s MAXIMO database.

It is found that the absolute economic replacement time (ERT) of the ventilation system is 108 months but for a range of 100–120 months, the total cost remains almost constant. Sensitivity and regression analysis showed that the operating cost has the largest impact on the ERT.

The results are promising; the company has the possibility of significantly reducing the LCC of the ventilation system by optimising its lifetime. In addition, the proposed model can be used for other systems with repairable components, making it applicable, useful and implementable within Trafikverket more generally.

The purpose of this paper is to apply a numerical simulation of stochastic processes to the problem of real estate investment appraisal.

These uncertain operating costs are integrated into an enhanced dynamic simulation. To model the dynamics in the uncertainty of the cost schedule, a range of different types of stochastic processes is used. The operating costs are classified by cost drivers and an appropriate stochastic process is determined for each of the derived cost clusters. To optimise the capital structure in this application, heuristic optimisation with genetic algorithms is used.

The application of the model to real world investment situations shows that linear and deterministic modelling underestimates the risk‐generating effect of uncertain operating expenses, which often can lead to inefficient investment decisions.

In a further application of the model, the authors demonstrate the effect of uncertain operating costs on the optimal capital structure of real estate investments.

In contrast to models in the literature that are usually focussed on the income side, here the focus is on the uncertain dynamics of real estate operating costs as a key factor affecting return.

Consumer goods firms often tie up inventory and accounts receivable resources, creating cost and liquidity issues. Dynamic working capital management (DWCM) can mitigate these concerns and enhance operational profitability. The study investigates DWCM's impact on operational efficiency (OE).

The empirical estimation uses pooled ordinary least squares (OLS), random effect and system generalized method moments (GMM) regression analysis of consumer goods firms in Scandinavia from 2005 to 2022 to present the results.

The findings indicate that DWCM has an inverse relationship with operating cost, while positively impacting operating profit. The final outcome demonstrates that DWCM enhances OE. Furthermore, the working capital ratio (WCR) consistently exceeds the cash conversion cycle (CCC) in all models, indicating that prudent management of cash in accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable leads to higher cost savings and superior performance.

The results suggest that organizations that prioritize the management of the absolute cash committed to inventory, receivables and payables as much as the CCC experience improved OE.

This paper adds to the literature on how DWCM affects OE in the consumer goods sector. It also highlights the impact of time management and cash management in WCM on OE. Additionally, it analyzes how DWCM variables affect operating costs and profits, shedding light on their efficiency impact.

Preface The functions of business divide into several areas and the general focus of this book is on one of the most important although least understood of these—DISTRIBUTION. The particular focus is on reviewing current practice in distribution costing and on attempting to push the frontiers back a little by suggesting some new approaches to overcome previously defined shortcomings.

This paper examines the effect that the introduction of the FRS 9, the general disclosure standard in New Zealand, has on the level of disclosure of certain unspecified operating expenses. Generally, a low level of operating expense disclosure was found with no overall improvement recorded after the introduction of FRS 9. In many cases, companies did not disclose any unspecified operating expenses. Firm size and overseas listing/ownership appeared to be positively associated with the disclosure of unspecified operating expenses. Most companies did disclose the mandatory expenses monitored (depreciation, audit and directors' fees). Commentary is provided on the inadequacy of the discretionary aspects of accounting standards such as FRS 9, and the inadequacy of regulatory enforcement. Given the move to international harmonisation, and the level of disclosure seemingly at odds with international practice, the adoption and enforcement of International Accounting Standard 1 (IAS 1) would provide a simple solution.

Academicians and practitioners alike recognise that logistics services and operating systems are an integral part of the overall marketing strategy of firms. Consequently, there is a need for an ongoing, interactive review of actual logistics system performance, so that firms can achieve operating systems improvements as well as select and implement the most profitable corporate strategies.

The purpose of this paper is the introduction of a best practice tool in order to analyze operating costs in the health care sector. This study presents the findings by using a new innovative benchmarking tool to analyze operating costs, identify cost drivers and highlight the potential savings.

The paper focuses on a survey of operating and maintenance costs from 18 residential homes in Tyrol, Austria. In order to determine the volume and to prioritize the cost drivers, CAREB (Computer‐aided Real Estate Benchmarking) software was used, which was developed by the Institute of Real Estate Benchmarking at the University of Applied Sciences KufsteinTirol, Austria. Statistic analysis was conducted to investigate savings potential, determine the best case of the sample and submit recommendations to the decision‐makers.

Compared to conventional benchmarking methods, this model allows a holistic view on the key factors of cost drivers and reveals the savings potential for each dimension. The key figure which reveals the largest potential gives an indication of whether a residential home has general problems with efficiency (high costs per bed), with occupancy (costs per resident) or with the space efficiency (costs per average space consumption). Furthermore, the study reveals the immense savings potential in the costs of various services.

The paper identifies the volume and structure of the cost drivers of operating costs of buildings in the health care sector by using a new innovative benchmarking tool. This survey is based on the operating costs. Other running costs such as costs for health care personnel as well as quality indicators are not considered in this survey.

The results should help to establish cost benchmarking increasingly and develop it as a strategic planning tool in order to support management in the health care sector in the decision‐making process.

The paper presents a new measuring method which allows a holistic view of the influencing cost factors to investigate weak points in cost efficiency for the health care sector.

Examines the usefulness of two information technology (IT) managerial control measures in the insurance industry – the ratios of IT expense to premium income and total operating expense. Demonstrates the use of the ratios as predictors to differentiate organisational performance. Concludes that the predictive ability of the models can be used to identify areas where firms may be weak.

While it is true that library building construction and operating costs can be budgeted and controlled independently, they are very interdependent. When initial construction decisions are made without considering that interdependence, they can affect the operating costs of the library every year the facility is in use. Still, for many library managers, state‐of‐the‐art estimation and attribution of costs in library construction is a moving target: pursued but rarely captured. Following a few rules of thumb based on the concept of a building's life cycle can help you determine how construction and operating costs interrelate and impact on the library's financial future.