Upfront Payment Research Articles

TINJAUAN KOMPILASI HUKUM EKONOMI SYARIAH TERHADAP PRAKTIK SEWA KAMAR PADA PENGINAPAN WISMA TAMU AL-ISHLAH MA’HAD AL-ZAYTUN

According to the Compilation of Sharia Economic Law (KHES), leasing (ijarah) is defined as the rental of goods for a specific period with required payment. In the context of lodging, a room is a facility provided to guests as a place for rest. This study aims to examine the room rental practices at Wisma Tamu Al-Ishlah Ma’had Al-Zaytun and assess its compliance with the KHES regulations. The research adopts a qualitative approach with data collection techniques including interviews, observations, and documentation. Primary data was obtained through interviews and observations, while secondary data was gathered from relevant documents and records. The results of the study show that (1) the room rental practices at Wisma Tamu Al-Ishlah are implemented through upfront payment at check-in, a deposit, and final payment at the end of the rental period as per the agreement between the inn and the guest; (2) according to KHES, the room rental practices at Wisma Tamu Al-Ishlah can be categorized as an ijarah contract, in which the inn provides rooms for rent and guests are required to pay the agreed-upon rate at the outset.

Debt-financed migration: Agency and the productivity of debt

ABSTRACT Debt-financed migration has been a subject of academic interest for the past two decades. This phenomenon can be divided into two main mechanisms: salary deductions and upfront payments. In salary deductions, facilitators provide migrants with upfront funds that are later deducted from their salaries by their employers. In upfront payments, migrants borrow and mortgage assets to obtain capital to cover migration-related expenses upfront or upon arrival. These expenses are then repaid through remittances. Most of the existing literature on debt-financed migration has taken an economic perspective that emphasizes the risks of debt bondage in salary deductions and vulnerability in upfront payments. Studies critically examine the role of states, brokers, and markets in impacting migrants’ well-being and labor and human rights. However, considering the increasing intensity of migration flows and the widespread use of debt as a funding mechanism, evaluating the relevance of the conventional economic framework is essential. I argue this framework can be supplemented with a richer and more empirical understanding of agency that shows how migrants can effectively use debt for empowerment and protection against debt bondage and vulnerability. To support this argument, I delineate an economic anthropology framework highlighting migrants’ agentic use of debt to their advantage.

Patients' intention to make an up-front payment at private outpatient clinics in Malaysia as a no-show reduction method.

Regulating patients' no-show behavior is critical from the standpoints of sustainable medical services and operational efficiencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patients' intention to make partial up-front payments at outpatient clinics. This was a cross-sectional study design introducing a self-administered questionnaire to 221 outpatients at a private health facility. The questionnaire measured the patient's demographic characteristics, perceived usefulness (PU), trust in the health facility, and intention to make upfront partial payments. Out of the total respondents, 57.4% were female. There were 34.8% Malays, 40.6% Chinese and 24.6% Indians. The majority (66.5%) of the respondents attained tertiary education. Nearly a third of the respondents (30.5%) reported an income between 3000 and 5000 Malaysian Ringgit (RM). Regarding payment mode, just more than half (51.1%) made self-payment, and 21.8% by guaranteed letter. A quarter (24.9%) waited more than 3h for consultation and 59.6% visited the health facility more than 2 times in a year.Initial analysis showed that PU, trust, age, education, number of visits, and hours of waiting were significantly associated with the intention to make a partial payment. Multiple linear regression showed that perceived usefulness (B = 0.517, p < 0.001); trust in hospital management (B = 0.288, p < 0.001) and number of visits (B = 0.216, p < 0.001) were associated with the intention to make partial payment.Intention to make partial up-front payments is associated with higher perceived usefulness in making such payments and hospital trust. Visiting the health facility frequently was associated with a higher intention to make upfront partial payment. The result may guide further studies on potential remedies to no-show.

Evaluation of public private partnerships in highways

This paper reviews and evaluates four U.S. P3 toll highways, identifying their performance and common challenges. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that federal and state governments should fund highways, this paper argues that users should bear the cost for both efficiency and equity considerations. The shift from government investment and operation of highways to Public-Private Partnerships (P3) was driven by the lack of public funding, more productive competitive business practices, and the government's desire for upfront payments to fund other unrelated public projects. However, these justifiable public benefits were accompanied by significant problems. Highways were often leased for 35 to 75 years, depending on the total equity and loans of the private partner and various risk factors.

A review on American senior housing and financing decisions

Purpose The world population is getting older and housing decisions matter to the security of retirement life and well-being. However, senior housing and financing decisions are largely overlooked in the literature. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the senior housing and financing decisions in the USA. Design/methodology/approach Using 2021 American Housing Survey data and ordinary least squares estimates, this paper studies senior housing and financing decisions in the 15 most populous US metropolitan areas. Multiple regressions are used to analyze the whole sample as well as various subsamples. Findings This paper finds strong evidence that seniors are more likely to own a house with a higher market value compared with nonseniors. More specifically, although race and gender do not matter in this relationship, it is less pronounced among those with higher education. Also, seniors, especially white senior homeowners, are more likely to have a lower mortgage debt burden due to a higher upfront down payment than nonseniors. Last, seniors are more likely to refinance their homes and receive cash than nonseniors. Research limitations/implications Constrained by the data limitations, this study specifically focuses on seniors’ housing and mortgage decisions. Future research could involve exploring seniors’ mortgage decisions by considering factors such as mortgage loan terms, borrower credentials and the evolving landscape of the senior housing market, among other aspects. Practical implications The findings would help policymakers and contractors in the construction industry better understand the uniqueness of challenges in the senior housing market and develop effective housing policies and programs that cater to the needs of the elderly. A comprehensive understanding of the senior housing market would also help seniors make informed purchase and financing decisions. Social implications The authors propose providing financial education to the elderly, particularly those of disadvantaged status, to improve their expertise and bargaining skills in the mortgage loan application process. Originality/value This paper contributes to understanding the dynamic senior housing market, which encounters challenges and opportunities associated with the aging population. The study fills the gap of limited research regarding seniors’ housing decision and their financing choices in the USA and would help policymakers and contractors in the construction industry develop effective housing policies and programs that cater to the needs of the elderly.

Contracting when enforcement is weak: evidence from an audit study

Abstract How are contracts structured in the presence of relationship-specific investments when legal enforcement is weak? Using a new audit methodology, we show that simple financial contracts in combination with social norms and reputation concerns can sustain relationship-specific transactions. Wholesalers in the market for pens in India use upfront payments rather than increased risk premiums to mitigate risks arising from relationship-specific investments. Upfront payments for printed pens cover only 40 percent of the production costs, highlighting the importance of upfront payments as a screening device. Ex-post, renegotiation is more likely for printed pens, but in a substantial fraction of cases, renegotiation fails.

Inter-firm alliance portfolio distance and the partners’ preferences for the distal governance modes to manage endogenous uncertainty in the biotechnology sector

Inter-firm alliances play a pivotal role in the swiftly evolving high-tech landscape, yet they often introduce uncertainty, especially when partners have varying degrees of asymmetry. This study explores the dynamics of such alliances, focusing on endogenous uncertainty (technology and partner-specific) over external factors (culture and institutions). We investigate whether the alliance portfolio distance between partners aligns with distal governance modes, which refers to the continuity from the upfront payment mode to equity investments on the timeline. Furthermore, does the investor’s comparative position influence this alignment between construed uncertainty and governance modes? Drawing on Construal Level Theory (CLT), inter-partner distance corresponds to high-level construal in distal governance modes, while proximity aligns with low-level construal in proximal modes. The analysis includes 13,000 biotechnology sector alliance events across 1,700 firms in 29 countries over a decade. Findings reveal a shift in governance mode preferences from the concrete and proximal (upfront) to abstract and distal (equity), touching milestones and licensing in the middle. The investor’s lead in the alliance portfolio asymmetry further strengthens the preference for abstract modes in the distal and high abstract construal levels. This study advances CLT as a framework, offers an integrated approach, and highlights a preference for high-value tech collaborations despite increased cost and risk over temporal and abstract governance conditions.

Strategic Alliance Governance Through Termination Provisions: Safeguard and Incentive, Flexibility and Commitment

Termination provisions establish vital governance mechanisms in alliances, offering essential safeguards and incentives by providing the flexibility to exit (underperforming) partnerships. However, they can also foster distrust and instability by potentially undermining commitment and continuity. We argue that the motivation behind termination provisions lies in the need to address safeguarding and flexibility concerns arising from increases in alliance scope, upfront payments, and technological uncertainty. Conversely, alliances with strong relational commitment and social embeddedness stemming from prior and indirect ties tend to omit termination provisions. Drawing on an analysis of 1,576 biopharmaceutical alliance contracts, we scrutinize various conditional and unconditional termination rights, along with their partner-specific allocations. Among other findings, we observe a positive association between broad alliance scope and termination rights for patent challenge, for lack of reasonable effort, and for specific countries assigned to the research and development (R&amp;D) firm contributing technological expertise and, furthermore, termination rights for convenience for the client firm sponsoring the alliance. Larger unilateral upfront payments increase the likelihood that the client firm receives termination rights for lack of reasonable effort and for convenience. Higher technological uncertainty is associated with termination rights for convenience for the client or R&amp;D firm. In contrast, prior ties negatively correlate with termination rights for convenience for the client firm, while indirect ties show a negative association with termination rights for convenience and specific countries for the R&amp;D firm. Conceptually, our study highlights the relevance of termination provisions as elastic governance mechanisms that enable partners to accommodate postcontractual disturbances.

Financial assistance and payment plans for underinsured patients shopping for "shoppable" hospital services.

Recent price transparency laws are designed to better inform patients as they compare hospital options and "shop" for health care services. In addition to prices, underinsured patients seeking care need information on financial assistance, discounts, payment plans, and upfront payment requirements to compare the affordability of care across hospitals. Little is known about the availability of this information and the experience of prospective patients seeking it. We contacted a random sample of 10% of general short-term hospitals across the United States in this "secret shopper" telephone study to assess financial options and navigation challenges faced by underinsured patients in need of a non-emergency procedure. The administrative friction was substantial. Most hospitals have 3 siloed offices for (1) financial assistance, (2) payment plans and discounts, and (3) upfront payment requirements. All relevant offices were unreachable in 3 attempted calls at 18.1% of hospitals. Among hospitals with available information, the majority have financial options for patients: 86.7% of hospitals offer financial assistance and 97.0% of hospitals offer payment plans to underinsured patients for non-emergency care. The length and terms of payments plans varied widely for hospital-administered and third-party financing arrangements. Upfront payments were sometimes required, potentially posing barriers for patients without cash or credit access.

A STUDY ON AWARENESS OF ONLINE EMPLOYMENT SCAM

In the digital age, online employment opportunities have surged, presenting both genuine opportunities and deceptive pitfalls. This abstract explores the growing awareness of online employment scams, shedding light on their intricacies, impacts, and preventive measures. With the proliferation of remote work, individuals are increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated schemes promising lucrative jobs but delivering financial loss and emotional distress. Understanding the modus operandi of these scams, such as fake job postings, fraudulent payment requests, and identity theft, is crucial for safeguarding against them. Moreover, raising awareness through education, dissemination of information, and collaboration between stakeholders can empower individuals to discern legitimate opportunities from malicious ploys. Through proactive measures and informed decision-making, individuals can navigate the virtual employment landscape with resilience and confidence, mitigating the risks posed by online employment scams. KEYWORDS: Phishing, Identity theft, work from home, Upfront payment, Payment request.

Acceptability and anticipated effectiveness of a safe supply of opioids, among people who inject opioids in King County, WA

BackgroundOpioid overdose mortality in the US has exceeded one million deaths over the last two decades. A regulated opioid supply may help prevent future overdose deaths by reducing exposure to the unregulated opioid supply. We examined the acceptability, delivery model preference, and anticipated effectiveness of different regulated opioid models among people in the Seattle area who inject opioids. MethodsWe enrolled people who inject drugs in the 2022 Seattle-area National HIV Behavior Surveillance (NHBS) survey. Participants were recruited between July and December 2022 using respondent-driven sampling. Participants who reported injecting opioids (N = 453) were asked whether regulated opioids would be acceptable, their preferred model of receiving regulated opioids, and the anticipated change in individual overdose risk from accessing a regulated opioid supply. ResultsIn total, 369 (81 %) participants who injected opioids reported that a regulated opioid supply would be acceptable to them. Of the 369 who found a regulated opioid supply to be acceptable, the plurality preferred a take-home model where drugs are prescribed (35 %), followed closely by a dispensary model that required no prescription (28 %), and a prescribed model where drugs need to be consumed on site (13 %), a model where no prescription is required and drugs can be accessed in a community setting with a one-time upfront payment was the least preferred model (5 %). Most participants (69 %) indicated that receiving a regulated opioid supply would be “a lot less risky” than their current supply, 20 % said, “a little less risky”, 10 % said no difference, and 1 % said a little or a lot more risky. ConclusionA regulated opioid supply would be acceptable to most participants, and participants reported it would greatly reduce their risk of overdose. As overdose deaths continue to increase in Washington state pragmatic and effective solutions that reduce exposure to unregulated drugs are needed.

Adolescent Residential Addiction Treatment In The US: Uneven Access, Waitlists, And High Costs.

Drug overdose deaths among adolescents are increasing in the United States. Residential treatment facilities are one treatment option for adolescents with substance use disorders, yet little is known about their accessibility or cost. Using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's treatment locator and search engine advertising data, we identified 160 residential addiction treatment facilities that treated adolescents with opioid use disorder as of December 2022. We called facilities while role-playing as the aunt or uncle of a sixteen-year-old child with a recent nonfatal overdose, to inquire about policies and costs. Eighty-seven facilities (54.4percent) had a bed immediately available. Among sites with a waitlist, the mean wait time for a bed was 28.4 days. Of facilities providing cost information, the mean cost of treatment per day was $878. Daily costs among for-profit facilities were triple those of nonprofit facilities. Half of facilities required up-front payment by self-pay patients. The mean up-front cost was $28,731. We were unable to identify any facilities for adolescents in ten states or Washington, D.C. Access to adolescent residential addiction treatment centers in the United States is limited and costly.

Cancer-Related Financial Hardship Screening as Part of Practice Transformation.

Data on financial hardship, an "adverse event" in individuals with cancer, are needed to inform policy and supportive care interventions and reduce adverse economic outcomes. Lay navigator-led financial hardship screening was piloted among University of Alabama at Birmingham oncology patients initiating treatment in October 2020. Financial hardship screening, including reported financial distress and difficulty, was added to a standard-of-care treatment planning survey. Screening feasibility and completion and proportions of reported financial distress and difficulty were calculated overall and by patient race and rurality. The risk of financial distress by patient sociodemographics was estimated. Patients who completed a treatment planning survey (N=2741) were 18% Black, Indigenous, or persons of color (BIPOC) and 16% rural dwelling. The majority of patients completed financial hardship screening (90%), surpassing the target feasibility completion rate of 75%. The screening revealed 34% of patients were experiencing financial distress, including 49% of BIPOC and 30% of White patients. Adjusted models revealed BIPOC patients had a 48% higher risk of financial distress compared with those who were White (risk ratio 1.48, 95% CI, 1.31-1.66). Large differences in reported financial difficulties were seen comparing patients who were BIPOC and White (utilities: 33% vs. 10%, upfront medical payments: 44% vs. 23%, transportation: 28% vs. 12%, respectively). The collection of patient-reported financial hardship data via routine clinical care was feasible and identified racial inequities at treatment initiation. Efforts to collect patient economic data should support the design, implementation, and evaluation of patient-centered interventions to improve equity and reduce the impact of financial hardship.

Using standard-of-care screening to identify inequities in cancer-related financial hardship.

196 Background: Financial hardship is known as an “adverse event” for individuals with cancer. This study used data collected as part of routine care to understand the magnitude of and potential inequities in cancer-related financial hardship for patients with cancer receiving care in the Deep South. Methods: Universal financial hardship screening was piloted among oncology patients initiating treatment at University of Alabama at Birmingham from October 2020-May 2023. Financial hardship screening questions were added to a standard-of-care treatment planning survey administered by lay navigators. Questions included measures of (1) financial distress (Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity [COST], scored 0-44; scores &lt;26 indicate financial distress), and (2) financial difficulties affording one or more of 10 items. Proportions of screens completed and variations in financial hardship were calculated overall and by patient race and rurality. Results: Patients who completed treatment planning surveys (N=2,741) were an average 62 years old (SD 13), 18% Black, Indigenous, or persons of color (BIPOC), and 16% rural dwelling. Financial hardship screening was completed by the majority (90%) of patients with treatment planning surveys. Patients with a breast (23%), gynecologic (16%), or gastrointestinal (14%) cancer most commonly completed screening. Completion was similar by race and rurality. Screening identified 34% of patients were experiencing financial distress (mean COST 28, SD 11). However, 49% of BIPOC patients screened positive for financial distress compared to 30% of White patients. The most commonly reported financial difficulties were insurance or medical bills (reported by 32% of patients), upfront medical payments (29%), and medications (22%). Large differences in reported financial difficulties were seen comparing patients who were BIPOC and White (Table). Rural- and non-rural-dwelling patients reported similar proportions of financial difficulties. Conclusions: Most patients completed lay navigator-led financial hardship screening, which identified racial inequities in financial hardship even before treatment initiation. Efforts to collect patient economic data should support the design, implementation, and evaluation of patient-centered interventions to improve equity and reduce adverse cancer-related economic outcomes.[Table: see text]

Confronting High Costs And Clinical Uncertainty: Innovative Payment Models For Gene Therapies.

Gene therapies offer potentially life-changing benefits for patients, but their unprecedented high prices exacerbate challenges for reimbursement. Payers must confront high budgetary impacts, as a large up-front payment for each patient makes it difficult to predict and absorb costs. Payers also face considerable clinical uncertainty, as evidence for efficacy and durability is limited at approval. Alternative payment models may address these reimbursement problems and ensure equitable patient access. We developed a taxonomy of possible payment mechanisms for gene therapies, including installments, risk pools, reinsurance, price-volume agreements, expenditure caps, subscriptions, outcomes-based payments and rebates, warranties, population outcomes-based agreements, and coverage with evidence development. We illustrate how these payment models take three main approaches: amortization, which mitigates initial budget impact by spreading payments over time; risk spreading, which makes budgets more predictable by pooling costs with other payers or capping costs based on expected volume; and performance-based payment, which addresses clinical uncertainty by tying prices to patient- or population-level outcomes. We discuss each payment model, its advantages and challenges, and considerations for US payers.

Technology licensing contract design considering royalty transparency and demand information asymmetry with downstream co-opetition

This paper studies how technology suppliers can optimally design licensing contracts when there is incomplete information on the licensee’s demand potential for the product in a high-technology supply chain. A licensing contract typically contains an up-front payment and royalties on product sales. The licensor decides to license one technology to a licensee, which designs products based on the supplier’s technology and outsources the product manufacturing to a competitive downstream manufacturer. We apply principal-agent models to formulate the licensor’s contracting problem while considering the transparency of the licensing royalty and find that under demand information asymmetry, the optimal contract structure changes with the demand potential. More specifically, both the separating and pooling strategies can be the optimal strategies for the licensor under the observable contract case. Conversely, under the unobservable case, only the separating strategy is the optimal licensing strategy. And the licensor can always charge zero royalty to a high-type design firm regardless of the menu strategy or the single contract. Furthermore, we examine the effect of licensing royalty transparency on licensing decisions and firms’ profits and highlight the effect of downstream competition on the licensor’s profit. Our results show that the licensor can be better off in the observable contract case. By contrast, the design firm may be better off in the unobservable contract case. We provide a rationale for the licensing contract design under demand information asymmetry and further shed light on the choice between public and secret licensing terms.

A qualitative assessment of stakeholder perspectives on barriers and facilitators to emergency care delays in Northern Tanzania through the Three Delays.

Emergency conditions cause a significant burden of death and disability, particularly in developing countries. Prehospital and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are largely nonexistent throughout Tanzania and little is known about the community's barriers to accessing emergency care. The objective of this study was to better understand local community stakeholder perspectives on barriers, facilitators, and potential solutions surrounding emergency care in the Kilimanjaro region through the Three Delays Model framework. A qualitative assessment of local stakeholders was conducted through semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) from February to June 2021 with five separate groups: hospital administrators, emergency hospital workers, police personnel, fire brigade personnel, and community health workers. FGDs were conducted in Kiswahili, audio recorded, and translated to English verbatim. Two research analysts separately coded the first two FGDs using both inductive and deductive thematic analysis. A final codebook was then created to analyze the remaining FGDs. A total of 24 participants were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that participants identified significant barriers within the Three Delays Model as well as identified an additional delay centered on community members and first aid provision. Perceived delays in the decision to seek care, the first delay, were financial constraints and the lack of community education on emergency conditions. Limited infrastructure and reduced transportation access were thought to contribute to the second delay. Potential barriers to receiving timely appropriate care, the third delay, included upfront payments required by hospitals and emergency department intake delays. Suggested solutions focused on increasing education and improving communication and infrastructure. The findings outline barriers to accessing emergency care from a stakeholder perspective. These themes can support recommendations for further strengthening of the prehospital and emergency care system. Due to logistical constraints, emergency care workers interviewed were all from one hospital and patients were not included.

New pact for drugging GPCRs

The Belgian biotech Confo Therapeutics has entered a collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo to develop small-molecule agonists that target G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to treat central nervous system diseases. Confo will lead the drug discovery efforts, while the Japanese firm has the option under an exclusive global license to develop and commercialize the compounds. Confo technology uses antibodies that can bind to GPCRs to stabilize them, allowing researchers to design ligands that can selectively hitch to the GPCRs when the protein targets are in specific conformations. Confo will receive from Daiichi up-front and potential milestone payments totaling $183 million, as well as royalties.

A Study on Optimizing Risk and Return through Options Trading Strategies

Options offer elective systems for financial specialists to benefit from trading underlying securities. There are assortments of methodologies including diverse blends of options, underlying assets, and other derivatives. Fundamental Strategies includes purchasing calls, purchasing puts, selling covered calls and purchasing protective puts. There are points of interest to trading choices instead of underlying assets, for example, downside protection and leveraged returns, however there are additionally burdens like the necessity for upfront premium payment. Here in the report an endeavor is to make to build up the methodologies dispensing with those disadvantages through direct of nitty gritty investigation on Nifty Index. The premium expenses being pursued to be the major influencing factor of options market, an attempt is made to optimize the risk and return by developing the effective trading strategies for the option traders irrespective of market conditions with special reference to NIFTY Index. As a part of study suggestions are drawn for the investors to improve their trading strategies without undertaking great deal of risk. This paper analyses the use of different option trading strategies for optimizing risk and return in both bullish and bearish markets. A study on optimizing risk and return through developing effective index options trading strategies is an attempt to apply the theoretical knowledge’s application and exposure to practical world of derivative market.

Relinquishing Riches: Auctions versus Informal Negotiations in Texas Oil and Gas Leasing

This paper compares outcomes from informally negotiated oil and gas leases to those awarded via centralized auction. We focus on Texas, where legislative decisions in the early twentieth century assigned thousands of proximate parcels to different mineral allocation mechanisms. We show that during the fracking boom, which began unexpectedly decades later, auctioned leases generated at least 55 percent larger up-front payments and 40 percent more output than negotiated leases did. These results suggest large potential gains from employing centralized, formal mechanisms in markets that traditionally allocate in an unstructured fashion, including the broader $3 trillion market for privately owned minerals. (JEL D44, L71, Q35)