Specific Research Questions and General Principles

This talk will discuss the importance of using specific research questions to increase our understanding of basic principles of systems including political processes and human behavior. Misunderstanding organizational and human responses to offers and policies likely will lead to results that are misleading, disappointing, and even harmful. Given time, we will discuss three examples:

·      Expected gains (bias?) in difference-in-difference models

·      Expecting primary care clinics to improve the efficiency of care delivery

·      Understanding unaffordable healthcare