Is There an Image Crisis in the Spanish Vegetables?

Abstract

The Spanish horticultural sector has been adversely affected by recurring crises in the last years, showing a significant economic impact upon demand. These crises have different sources (internal and external) and origins (food safety, social, and environmental issues). However, research devoted to analyzing the nature and scope of these events and their influence on consumers’ perception is scarce. For this purpose, this research provides a conceptual framework that defines and classifies the main image crises that have affected the sector. Consequently, an exploratory study is conducted to analyze to what extent European consumers know the sector and to determine how consumer knowledge influences the Spanish product-country image. Data were analyzed using a Logit Model. Results suggest that crises have seriously affected the demand of Spanish vegetables and consumers’ perceived image. Factors affecting the sector’s image through consumer knowledge are different depending on consumers’ country-of-origin (national vs. foreign countries).     

Inconsistency and over‐determination in neo‐Kaleckian growth models: A note

This short note argues that the canonical neo‐Kaleckian growth model does not yield a balanced growth path due to the absence of an inbuilt mechanism by which desired and actual rates of capital accumulation are equalized. Introducing non‐generating capacity autonomous demand does not solve such inconsistency. Contrary to what Lavoie ( 2016 ) claims, we show that the latter is also unable to bring capacity utilization to its normal level. In light of recent contributions (e.g., Nikiforos, 2013, 2016 ), we suggest that making normal capacity utilization an endogenous variable is an alternative better suited to deal with the issue.     

Why Regulation Is Needed in Emerging Markets in the Tourism Sector

The neoclassical ideal has defended the idea that markets, in a context of limited regulation, reach an optimal equilibrium automatically. We analyze this assertion in an applied manner with a case study of the emerging online market of intermediation of tourist apartments. The lack of regulation in this market causes many social and economic impacts on local communities, which can jeopardize the survival of the activity. We conclude that an analysis of markets that considers only prices results in a limited view. All externalities and their effects on the population must be taken into account, as well as the interests of the individuals involved, apart from profit‐making.     

Fiscal Rules and Financial Systems: Complements or Substitutes?

We study the effect of fiscal rules on a country's credit rating and their interaction with financial development. We build a rich set of panel data, which includes a novel index for the strength of fiscal rules. We find a positive and significant effect of fiscal rules on sovereign ratings. We also find that this effect is attenuated in economies with a more developed domestic financial system. Therefore, financial markets act as a substitute for fiscal rules in lowering the default risk assessed by credit rating agencies. This substitution effect between fiscal rules and financial development is mostly triggered through the monitoring and enforcement dimension of fiscal rules.     

La medición del capital intelectual y su impacto en el rendimiento financiero en empresas del sector industrial en México

Currently knowledge is considered an essential resource to contribute to the creation and generation of competitive advantage in organizations. The human factor as an intangible resource of a company has become a main value generator, and even though both knowledge management and intellectual capital are intangibles that can be measured in the financial reports of companies, their position as main value generators is not reflected in financial information. In Mexico, industrial sector companies need to promote the creation of intellectual added value based on its own abilities, which reside on their intellectual capital. The value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC?), with its components, is a tool that contributes to achieving this goal, and helps to identify the positive impact on key factors such as financial profitability, market capitalization and level of share value.     

Determinants of margin in microfinance institutions

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) lend to the poor. However, microfinance clients suffer from high interest rates, a type of poverty penalty. This article analyses the margin determinants in MFIs. A banking model has been adapted to microfinance. This model has been tested using 9-year panel data. Some factors explaining bank margin also explain MFI margin, with operating costs being the most important factor. Specific microfinance factors are donations and legal status, as regulated MFIs can collect deposits. It has also been found that MFIs operating in countries with a high level of financial inclusion have low margins.     

Market Power and Multimarket Contact: Some Evidence from the Spanish Hotel Industry

This paper analyses the effect of multimarket contact on firms’ behaviour. According to Bernheim and Whinston [1990], firms that meet in several markets for an infinite number of periods may find it profitable to redistribute market power among markets where they are operating. We present evidence supporting this prediction by using data from the Spanish hotel industry. Moreover, we also find that the omission of variables measuring multimarket contact creates a downward bias on the effect of concentration on prices. This result questions previous conclusions about the role of competition in industries where multimarket behaviour is expected.     

Efficiency and quality as economic dimensions of perceived value: Conceptualization,measurement, and effect on satisfaction

Perceived value has been analyzed from various perspectives, and a variety of typologies and dimensions have been suggested for the construct. Economic value is one of these types, which is posited in this study as being composed of two dimensions: efficiency and quality. Based on the typology of Holbrook [1999. Introduction to Consumer Value. In: Holbrook, M.B. (Ed.), Consumer Value. A Framework for Analysis and Research. London, pp. 1–28], the present study develops a conceptual framework and a measurement scale for these two components. The relationship between economic value and consumer satisfaction is also examined. The study also describes an empirical study that confirms the validity and usefulness of the proposed model. The results provide an operational tool for measuring economic value that will allow retailers to design suitable strategies for creating and delivering value to consumers. Furthermore, they demonstrate the usefulness of economic value as a concept in the study of consumer satisfaction.