Robust Small Area Estimation under Spatial Non‐stationarity

The effective use of spatial information in a regression‐based approach to small area estimation is an important practical issue. One approach to account for geographic information is by extending the linear mixed model to allow for spatially correlated random area effects. An alternative is to include the spatial information by a non‐parametric mixed models. Another option is geographic weighted regression where the model coefficients vary spatially across the geography of interest. Although these approaches are useful for estimating small area means efficiently under strict parametric assumptions, they can be sensitive to outliers. In this paper, we propose robust extensions of the geographically weighted empirical best linear unbiased predictor. In particular, we introduce robust projective and predictive estimators under spatial non‐stationarity. Mean squared error estimation is performed by two analytic approaches that account for the spatial structure in the data. Model‐based simulations show that the methodology proposed often leads to more efficient estimators. Furthermore, the analytic mean squared error estimators introduced have appealing properties in terms of stability and bias. Finally, we demonstrate in the application that the new methodology is a good choice for producing estimates for average rent prices of apartments in urban planning areas in Berlin.     

Endogenous timing of managerial delegation contracts in a unionized duopoly

In a multiple‐stage duopoly game with strategic delegation and unionized labor market, this paper analyzes whether firms' owners decide managerial incentive contracts sequentially or simultaneously. When firms compete in quantities, firms' owners can choose incentive contracts simultaneously or sequentially, depending on the unions' relative bargaining power and the degree of product differentiation. Instead, when firms compete in prices, firms' owners set incentive contracts sequentially with substitute goods and simultaneously with complement goods.     

Mark-ups, economies of scale and the role of knowledge spillovers in OECD industries

Using R&D-based models of economic growth as a foundation, this paper argues that market-driven knowledge creation is necessarily linked as an engine of productivity growth to economies of scale and market-power. A cost function and factor demand model is applied to a cross-country industry data set to study market-power, economies of scale and the role of knowledge in an integrated approach. Empirical results reveal the presence of market-power and economies of scale in all of the industries investigated. R&D and spillovers explain some of the productivity growth observed. Spillovers are identified as an external source of economies of scale.     

Actor-network theory and stakeholder collaboration: The case of Cultural Districts

The tourism literature has increasingly recognised the importance of integrating tourism and culture with other value chains. Though the value of such integration is uncontested, it does raise several questions relating to stakeholder collaboration. Despite substantial research in this field, there remain gaps in our knowledge of the micro-dynamics of stakeholder collaborations in building tourism/cultural systems. This paper contributes to this debate by investigating the micro-level interactions among stakeholders during the conceptualisation of a large collaborative project: a Cultural District. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory (ANT) the research shows that, though rigid sequential planning is not viable, conceptualisation is facilitated by deploying three ANT rules: enrolling actors, fact-building and circulating translations. These rules are used to define a “conditional path” whereby specific actions are activated when controversies emerge.     

Determinants of say on pay vote: a configurational analysis

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - This study is the first to employ a relatively new analytical method to investigate combinations of board structure and other corporate...