A comparison of national saving rates in the UK, US and Italy

We develop the approach of Gokhale, Kotlikoff and Sabelhaus [1996. Understanding the postwar decline in US saving: A cohort analysis. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity 0, 315-390], based on the life-cycle model of savings, to decompose the differences in the national saving rates between the UK, US and Italy. Our work suggests that the US saving rate is lower principally because Americans on average retire later. In contrast, the Italian saving rate is higher predominantly because Italians are credit constrained, particularly when young. We also found that demography and the different tax and benefit systems are able to explain little of the cross-sectional differences in saving rates. The study accounts for the possible importance of inter-generational private transfers in determining saving rates.     

Household Determinants of the Adoption of Improved Cassava Varieties using DNA Fingerprinting to Identify Varieties in Farmer Fields: A Case Study in Colombia

We examine factors affecting the adoption of improved cassava varieties of 217 households in the Cauca Department in southwest Colombia. Using DNA fingerprinting through Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), we identified different cultivars in farmers fields. We also used this information to remove possible bias in the adoption model that could have resulted from a misclassification of improved varieties (IVs). As a result, we found that farmers substantially overestimate their use of IVs and there are important differences in the determinants of adoption between farmer self‐identification and DNA fingerprinting. This finding implies that the incorporation of DNA fingerprinting in IV adoption studies is important to ensure the accuracy of future agricultural economic research and the relevance of subsequent policy recommendations.     

Impact of Chinese Agribusiness Entrepreneurs on the Local Land Market in the Russian Far East

Chinese originally migrated to the Russian Far East (RFE) to fill a labor shortage on collective farms. In more recent decades, some Chinese migrants have chosen to lease land from Russian farmers to manage their own farms. Rising soybean prices and the trade war between China and the United States have increased demand for land capable of producing soybeans. Thus, Chinese farmers in the RFE compete for land with Russians. The Chinese also contribute positively to local food security by increasing food availability and accessibility. This study uses an econometric model to analyze the impact of Chinese on local land markets in the RFE. Financial support for Russian farmers by the government depresses their demand for land; rising soybean prices and the employment of Chinese farm workers by Russian farmers encourage farm expansion, resulting in higher land prices. Selling farm produce to Chinese merchants increases the amount of land owned, cultivated, and rented by Russian farmers.     

Optimal solutions of multiplier DEA models

Journal of Productivity Analysis - Conventional models of data envelopment analysis (DEA) are based on the constant and variable returns-to-scale production technologies. Any optimal input and...     

Building entrepreneurial inter-firm networks in an emerging economy: the role of cognitive legitimacy

We take an organizational legitimacy perspective and use data from a large-scale nationally representative study on the state of small business in Saudi Arabia, in order to explore the antecedents to the formation of entrepreneurial ventures’ inter-firm networks in the context of an emerging economy (n?=?331). We argue that entrepreneurial ventures need to overcome a threshold of cognitive legitimacy in order to develop inter-firm ties with a diverse set of large, established firms. Results indicate that having a written business plan and a formal organizational structure are positively associated with the diversity of the new venture’s inter-firm network, while the education level of the entrepreneur does not have a significant effect. In addition, the effect of having a formal organizational structure is stronger for younger ventures. Implications are discussed.     

Informal employment in service industries: estimations from nationally representative Labour Force Survey data of Russian Federation

ABSTRACT

As the largest post-Soviet transition economy with substantial labour immigration and a considerable informal-sector Russia serves as an interesting case to study informal employment in the service and non-service economic sectors. The study fills the gap of the lack of empirical papers grounded on the reliable massive individual data. This article discusses almost twenty years’ dynamics of informal employment rates within the service and non-service industries based on the nationally representative Labour Force Survey primary data, collected quarterly for 2010–2015 with a sample size of about 200 thousand respondents per quarter. The unexpected finding is that the rate of informal employment is higher in non-service economic activities. Informal workers in the service sector in Russia are typically male, not very young, without tertiary education, living in urban areas. The paper also provides a comparative regression analysis on the probability of being informally employed in the service and non-service sectors.     

Are price strategies effective in managing demand of high residential water users?

Encouraging water use efficiency and water conservation is one of the primary goals of water utility companies nationwide. This study estimates price elasticity of residential water demand to measure the responsiveness of water use to price changes, particularly for high water users. Household-level water use data for high residential water users from Central Florida were analysed using 3-stage least square (3SLS). Estimated price elasticity ranges between ?0.07 and ?0.14. This price elasticity estimate is below most of the estimates reported in the literature (in absolute value). The results imply that for price strategies to be effective in managing water demand of high residential water users, a significant price increase would be needed. Overall, this study highlights the importance of designing water conservation policies tailored to specific groups of customers, and the importance of using these strategies effectively and fairly for different customer groups.     

Effectiveness of Budgetary Entities

This paper acquaints readers with the practice of effectiveness evaluation in the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to study performance measurement according to the changes in public sector reform by focusing on performance-based budgeting in Russia. This paper suggests that the construction process of performance measurement should be aligned with outputs and outcomes of budget policy. The main research materials for this paper are based on data from a survey and follow-up interviews of budgetary managers and accountants. The survey result sets priorities and weighted some indicators to the measurement of effectiveness in the public sector. The data of this study were not large, but the study led to understanding how effectiveness is seen by budgetary managers and how measurement systems should be structured. Texts and contents from different sources such as financial annual reports and budgetary entities＇ websites provided insightful and interesting findings.     

Properties of emerging organizations: An empirical test

The process of new venture creation is central to the field of entrepreneurship. The effects of initial organizing have a direct influence on survival, yet empirical examination of the dimensions of emergent organizations is limited. Using longitudinal data on nascent entrepreneurs, this paper empirically tests four properties of emerging organizations-intentionality, resources, boundary and exchange- and their effect on likelihood of continued organizing [Katz, J., Gartner, W.B., 1988. Properties of emerging organizations. Academy of Management Review 13(3), 429–441]. Our results suggest that all four properties are necessary for firm survival in the short-term and those firms that organize more slowly are more likely to continue to organize. Further, nascent ventures in which intentionality preceded the other organizing properties were not significantly more likely to continue in the organizing effort. Our results suggest an extension of the original Katz and Gartner [Katz, J., Gartner, W.B., 1988. Properties of emerging organizations. Academy of Management Review 13(3), 429–441] framework.     

Are multiple labels on food products beneficial or simply ignored?

This study examines consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for organic wheat products exhibiting single labels, as well as multiple labels, including organic. The additional labels considered are related to the organic label (non-genetically modified organism [non-GMO]) or perceived as health-promoting (gluten-free, low-carb, sugar-free). Study data were collected using a consumer survey conducted online in 2017 across 16 U.S. western states and analyzed using random parameter logit models. Findings show that organic-labeled wheat products with additional claims were valued equally or less than the organic only version. Overall, consumer higher objective and subjective knowledge of organic standards, as well as preferences for gluten-free products, increased their WTP for organic wheat products. Consumers unfamiliar with organic standards valued the non-GMO label over the organic label. Additionally, consumer WTP for health-related claims on hedonistic products was low or even negative. Hence, multiple labels on organic products generally provide no additional consumer benefit and are likely ignored. Study findings suggest that using the claim that most distinguishes the product, or is most salient, may improve product pricing. Also, non-GMO certification rather than organic certification should be considered for some markets. Finally, consumers with preferences for gluten-free products represent a potential market for organic wheat products.