Matching,Reallocation and Changes in Earnings Dispersion*

The ‘fractal’ nature of the rise in earnings dispersion is one of its key features. In this paper, we offer a new perspective on the causes of changes in earnings dispersion, focusing on the role of labour reallocation. We set out a framework showing that job and worker reallocation affects earnings dispersion. We quantify this using a data set comprising almost the universe of workers and employers in Maryland. The changing allocation of workers to jobs played a significant role in explaining movements in the dispersion of earnings.     

International entrepreneurship in the network economy: Internationalization propensity and the role of entrepreneurial orientation

This study aims to analyze the conditions of the initial internationalization decision in the network economy. Based on the information systems, international entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship literature, factors, which constitute the internationalization propensity, are elicited. The results of this study suggest that a holistic perspective including the founder, business model, and the firm should be considered when explaining the internationalization propensity of entrepreneurs. Our analysis also shows that, depending on the entrepreneur’s entrepreneurial orientation, the internationalization propensity varies. Data were obtained by conjoint analysis experiments conducted with German network economy entrepreneurs.     

The influence of the environment on adventure tourism: from motivations to experiences

Inherent in most definitions of adventure tourism is the fact that it takes place in natural outdoor settings. Yet, the influence of this setting on the behaviour of adventure tourism consumers has yet to be adequately addressed. This study, therefore, investigates the relative strength and nature of environmental influences on adventure tourists in both motivations for participation and in the context of the experience. The results are based on questionnaires collected from 459 participants in adventure tourism activities along the southern coast of South Africa. They show that, although the majority of research on adventure tourism focuses on the ‘thrill’ involved, the environment is increasingly recognized as influential. The assessment of motivations, using a push and pull factor approach, demonstrates that the environment not only plays an important role in attracting adventure tourists towards specific destinations, but that they also seek out interactions with nature. In addition, participants suggested that the environment is an especially significant component of their experiences. The fact that the findings demonstrate the importance of the environment in both the motivations and experiences of adventure tourism participants, means that such an approach would make a definite contribution to discussions, planning, and policy linked to the adventure tourism industry.     

Decomposing the Sources of Earnings Inequality: Assessing the Role of Reallocation

This study exploits longitudinal employer–employee matched data from the U.S. Census Bureau to investigate the contribution of worker and firm reallocation to changes in earnings inequality within and across industries between 1992 and 2003. We find that factors that cannot be measured using standard cross‐sectional data, including the entry and exit of firms and the sorting of workers across firms, are important sources of changes in earnings distributions over time. Our results also suggest that the dynamics driving changes in earnings inequality are heterogeneous across industries.     

Global Navigation Satellite System based tolling: state-of-the-art

Road pricing or road user charging may be understood as an economic concept regarding direct charges applied for using roads. Different pricing paradigms may be distinguished mainly refering to pricing of congested, non-expandable urban networks as well as pricing of expandable, uncongested (principally, interurban) road infrastructure. Numerous technologies within Intelligent Transport Systems can provide support in efficiently applying various charging mechanisms. Recently, among others, tolling systems have been deployed that rely on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the state-of-the-art of using GNSS technology in road user charging.     

Managing Oil Price Risk in Developing Countries

This article presents a simple framework for understanding theimpact of oil dependence on growth in terms of an optimal savingsand investment strategy. Among the more important factors underlyingthis strategy is the extent to which oil price changes are temporaryor permanent. This in turn determines whether a country shouldrely on stabilization and savings funds or the use of financialinstruments to manage oil revenues—or both. Country experienceswith stabilization and savings funds are surveyed, and the caseis presented for using financial instrument to manage oil pricerisk. Policy implications for enhancing the use of financialinstruments are explored, including an expanded role for internationalfinancial institutions.      

Hospitality trade development in Canada : Mergers, acquisitions and foreign investment

Over the last few years there has been a considerable amount of merger and acquisition activity in the Canadian hospitality industry. This includes major investments made either directly or indirectly by foreign-based corporations. Historically, there has been a disproportionately small share of total foreign investment aimed specifically at tourist-related industries; however, there have been some high profile developments recently. There is no dominant foreign country although the USA and Pacific Rim countries (especially Japan and Hong Kong) are the most prominent. Interestingly, while domestic and foreign activity is widespread, there have been significant acquisitions and investments by Canadian companies outside Canada's borders.     

THE STOCK PROBLEM IN HUNGARY

In The Present Paper The Author Reviews The Results Of An Investigation Aimed At Estimating The relative level of stocks in Hungary in terms of international comparisons. Though international comparison was limited by scarcity of data, it has still become evident that stocks as a whole, compared to production and sales, seem to be unnecessarily high. The investigation has been carried out in relation both to the level of stocks and their rate of increase. The global volume and building of stocks, however, did not give a satisfactory explanation, and the investigation had to be extended to the individual groups of stocks separately. In order to facilitate the comparison, stocks were classified into the following groups: agricultural stocks, goods in process, industrial finished goods and manufactures held by users, and retail stocks. The classification was based on the different function of the individual groups. This classification of stocks could be compared only with the data of the U.S A. The international comparison revealed that both the volume and the rate of increase of stocks in Hungary is unreasonably high. They are high even if we consider that the growth rate of the economy in Hungary was greater than in any of the countries examined. The author refers to the fact that the stock problem was one of the starting issues in the economic research process which led to the reform of the Hungarian economic management system introduced on 1st January 1968.     

A look at the LEAD programme as a transformative experience

The Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Programme is described by the authors based on their many years as Executive Director and Director of Capacity Development. The LEAD approach to training leaders in sustainable development issues and enhancing leadership skills uses cross-sectoral and cross-cultural experiential methods which are said to have transformed the lives of its participants. Once completing the training phase, participants become life-long members of a powerful network of change agents found in nearly 100 countries worldwide.