Returns to women’s education using optimal IV selection

This paper investigates returns to women’s education by applying an optimal IV selection approach, post-Lasso IV estimation, which improves the first-stage predictive relationship between an endogenous regressor and instruments. Using the 2010 American Community Survey, we find that an extra year of education increases married women’s own income by $4,480 and spouse income by $8,822. Our findings indicate that 53% of the increase in women’s consumption by education is attributed to the marriage market, and thus, we conclude that the marriage market is the primary channel through which education improves women’s well-being. The results demonstrate the advantages of the post-Lasso approach: The resulting two-stage least squares estimator maintains efficiency without increasing finite sample bias and is less subject to the inconsistency problem when some instruments are invalid; This differs from the results using the instrument of birth quarters only, which is mostly applied in studies on returns to education.     

Community participation in heritage tourism planning: is it too much to ask?

Considering the complications of collecting empirical data on community participation, this study proposes a new methodological approach that departs from the current literature. For the first time, an experimental procedure is adopted to conduct a direct comparison between participatory and non-participatory decision-making in the context of heritage tourism planning. Contrary to previous work, this is the first ex-ante assessment of community participation at a destination with no such prior experience. The analysis relies on behavioural data on choices, deliberation and conflict studied in the context of a controlled collaborative environment. The findings suggest that choices and deliberation between participatory and non-participatory groups exhibit no statistically significant differences although participatory groups were more susceptible to conflict. However, interestingly, conflict was constructive as it increased provisions for heritage goods. Furthermore, intra-group heterogeneity did not always affect collective decisions negatively whereas trust and institutional credibility played a major role in influencing both individual and collective preferences. These findings have important implications for research and policy, opening a novel avenue for the systematic study of participation dynamics to inform the instigation of participatory endeavours.     

宁夏农业科技园区专项计划项目实施情况及效果分析

农业科技园区专项项目是围绕影响农业产业化关键技术开展研究攻关，把具有市场开发前景的先进适用技术应用于产业化经营上而设立的科技研发项目。研究选取了2014-2016年列入宁夏自治区重点研发计划农业科技园区专项的69 个项目，从项目的执行情况、完成效果、组织管理以及经济和社会效益等方面进行绩效评价，并提出了存在的问题和建议。     

重庆市农业科技创新资源配置效率及影响因素研究

[目的]通过分析重庆市农业科技资源配置效率及影响因素,以期对重庆市的农业科技资源的合理配置提出参考建议。[方法]构建评价指标体系,以农业科技创新资源配置环境、农业科技资源经费投入、农业科技人才储备和农业科技创新成果4个方面构成综合层,向下分16个具体指标,运用层次分析法和模糊评判综合评价重庆市农业科技资源配置效率及影响因素。[结果]重庆市农业科技创新资源的配置效率综合得分为81.08,为2级水平,其中农业科技人员流失比例较大,投入产出效率较低成为主要制约因素。[结论]重庆市农业科技创新资源的配置效率处于中等水平,合理配置农业科技人员和经费投入以及提高资源配置环境是提高重庆市农业科技协同创新资源的配置效率的关键;农业科技资金投入浪费严重和农业科技活动成果的转化率较低、农业科技人才结构和农业科技创新资源配置方式的不合理以及农业科技市场机制尚不完善是影响农业科技资源配置效率的主要因素。     

Beyond classical van Westendorp: Assessing price sensitivity for variants of algae-based meat substitutes

Food product innovations are characterized by high flop rates. In an early development stage, manifold product formulations seem feasible. To determine the most promising product option, market research can help, but is frequently considered too costly and complex. We assess the applicability of the van Westendorp approach, an inexpensive and simple method, for guiding early product design and pricing decisions for novel foods. Findings from a between-subject experiment for meat substitutes consisting of different shares of micro-algae indicate that micro-algae, while a cost driver, has little effect on price preferences. Implications for novel food product design, market research, and retailing are discussed.     

South African consumers' willingness to pay a premium for Karoo Lamb: The influence of subjective and objective knowledge,label information and demographics

In South Africa, Karoo Lamb is a prestigious product associated with free range production. This study examined the influence of subjective and objective Karoo Lamb knowledge, the importance of label information, and demographics on consumers' willingness to pay a premium for Karoo Lamb products. A panel of 355 consumers who had previously purchased lamb/mutton products completed an online questionnaire. The importance of Karoo Lamb label information, subjective Karoo Lamb knowledge and population group had a significant positive impact on willingness to pay a premium for Karoo Lamb. Objective Karoo Lamb knowledge and other demographics did not have a significant impact.     

The cost of firms’ debt financing and the global financial crisis

We provide an assessment of the determinants of the risk premium paid by non-financial corporations on long-term bonds. By looking at 5500 issues over the period 2005–2012, we find that in recent years the sovereign debt market turbulence has been a major driver of corporate risk. Compared with the three-year period 2005–2007 before the global financial crisis, in the years 2010–2012 Italian, Spanish and Portuguese firms paid on average between 70 and 120 basis points of additional premium due to the negative spillovers from the sovereign debt crisis, while German firms received a discount of 40 basis points.     

认知方式差异与英语阅读的因材施教

个体差异是影响教学活动的一个重要因素。在学习过程中共性和个体差异之间寻求一种合理、有效的途径一直是教学研究的重要内容。教师应了解学生的认知方式及其特点并因势利导,以提高学生英语阅读能力。     

案例教学法在法理学教学中的应用

案例教学法包括理论要件、案例要件和操作要件。案例教学程序一般经过学生跟随性学习、思辨性学习、创造性学习、融合性学习和巩固性学习等五个阶段,从而拓展法理学的教学空间,培养学生分析解决问题的能力。     

勤工助学对贫困大学生职业心理的影响研究

采用实验组、对照组前后测对比方法,研究勤工助学对贫困大学生职业心理的影响。上岗前,实验组与对照组不存在显著差异;但上岗3个月后,存在显著差异。勤工助学是改变贫困大学生职业心理的有效手段。