Free Case Study About The Fix Is In- And It’s Cheap And Simple

Introduction

This chapter discusses the problems that occur in our living and the possible solutions to solve them. Further, the author portrays the unintentional consequences that are unforeseen which may arise while solving the issues. The authors believe that solutions to problems are invariably simple, but human beings have the tendency of seeking extensions for solutions prior tom understanding the basics to the problem

Interesting facts about the case

Puerperal fever epidemic scenario
This scenario is an interesting fact to individuals in that it proves the need for transformation leadership in any service where people are guided by facts to make an underlying issue. Between 1841 and 1847, significant number of women died of puerperal fever during delivery. As result, doctors and other specialists shifted the blame to the women without tangible evidence. Semmelweis accumulates possible causes of the problem and eventually realizes that doctors did not clean their hands after conducting autopsies, hence transferring germs to the women. This scenario proves the essence of facts based deduction since facts backed by evidence is the major separation gap between correlation and causation.

Vaccine as a preventive measure

Levitt and Dubner portrayed the importance of vaccines in saving people’s lives and the government operation cost. In 1916, the outbreak of polio caused more than 2400 deaths while an average of 21000 was paralyzed. Discovery of polio by Albert Sabin and Jonas Salk was a relief that saved the government more than $30 billion to cater for 25000 patients (Dubner & Levitt, 2009). The polio vaccine is and has been used since then to save lives and hence safeguard loss of human manpower through deaths.

Seatbelts and airbags

The discovery of seatbelts as a preventive mechanism for automobile accidents is such an interesting fact whose application is economically and socially viable. Interestingly, McNamara’s discovery of seat belts is an outstanding technological advancement. The authors outline the stated data on fatality, and an account of the cost saved. Cost-effectiveness arises when seatbelts prove to save lives a lesser cost that airbags. The authors have succeeded in manifesting the economic concept of technology as a cost-effective measure. He is the brainchild to development of seat belts for children and enactment of standardized transport safety laws.

Mitigating natural calamities

The approach seems impossible because natural calamities such as Hurricane occur unexpectedly, and humans are short of options to control. Levitt and Dubner continue to cement their axiom on fixing problems with simple solutions by fronting discovery of an inner tube with skirt device that calms the waves due to hydraulic force (Dubner & Levitt, 2009). The discovery reveals that through observation and keen assessment of facts, any problem is solvable at ease. The hurricane mitigation discovery enlightens the reader on the extent to which a person can achieve the presumed impossibility through understanding the concept and derive advanced methodologies from existing challenges. Hence, we are glued by the author’s title of simple, effective and at low cost. The title complements the economic agenda of utilizing scarce resources to attain production efficiency without jeopardizing the welfare of the society.

Weakness of the case

Despite the author’s strong conviction of the efficient solutions to social and economic problems, the case fails to provide circumstances when the simple alternative solutions deliver below the expectations thus inviting the use of costly solutions. The authors ought to have demonstrated the solutions weak points backed by historical facts. For example, the author ought to have indicated the ineffectiveness of polio vaccine to some patients thus prompting the government to seek further research on the vaccine. Moreover, technological discoveries are prone to redundancy due to circumstance changes and, therefore, demand more adjustment to the whole procedure.
In summary, the authors attest to the economic fact that cost-effectiveness and quality service delivery are the key pillars of social –economic delivery and can be attained through assessment of facts and analysis.

References

Dubner, S. J., & Levitt, S. D. (2009). The Fix is In -And it's cheap and simple. In Super Freakonomics: Global cooling, Patriotic prostitutes and why suicide bombers should buy life insurance. New York: Harper Collins.