Productivity and environmental regulation: the effect of the nitrates directive in the French pig sector

This paper measures the ensuing changes in productivity in the French pig sector following the introduction of the European regulation addressing water pollution by nitrates from agriculture. Productivity is measured using the Malmquist–Luenberger index. The sources of changes in productivity observed are examined by breaking down this index into its technical progress and efficiency components. The results show that in the early stages, increases in productivity were stimulated by increased efficiency, before being driven by technical progress. The estimations regarding the sources of efficiency gains for the farms in the sample (technical efficiency, efficiency of scale and environmental efficiency) are then used to estimate the indirect costs and benefits (or negative costs) linked to the introduction of the environmental regulation controlling the disposal of organic manure and the management of nitrogen surplus from pig farms. The existence of a “win-win” effect as regards the Porter hypothesis relation between efficiency and environmental regulation is highlighted for the French pig sector.      

Learning outside the factory: a cliometric reappraisal on the impact of technological change on human capital accumulation

Abstract

The paper provides, a cliometric analysis on the impact of steam engine technology on the rise of adult education in nineteenth-century France. We exploit exogenous regional variations in the distribution of steam engines across France to evidence that technological change significantly contributed to the development of lifelong training during the 1850–1881 period. Our research shows that steam technology adoption in France was not deskilling. We argue that this process raised the demand for new skills adapted to the development of French industries.     

The stability threshold and two facets of polarization

In this paper we introduce the stability threshold that quantifies the minimal returns to size sufficient to prevent credible secession threats by regions of the country. Severity of internal tension has been linked to degree of polarization of citizens’ preferences and characteristics. We show that the increasing degree of polarization does not, in general, raise the stability threshold, even though this hypothesis holds in some asymptotic sense. We also examine the question of the number of smaller countries to be created if the unity of the large country is not sustainable, and investigate the link between this number and the degree of the country polarization. JEL Classification Numbers H20, D70, D73     

Adjustment within the euro. The difficult case of Portugal

In the second half of the 1990s, the prospect of entry in the euro led to an output boom and large current account deficits in Portugal. Since then, the boom has turned into a slump. Current account deficits are still large, and so are budget deficits. This paper reviews the facts, the likely adjustment in the absence of major policy changes, and examines policy options.     

Optimal Growth Models with Bounded or Unbounded Returns: A Unifying Approach

In this paper we propose a unifying approach to the study of optimal growth models with bounded or unbounded returns (above-below). Following our approach, we prove the existence of optimal solutions and show, without using the contraction method, that the value function is the unique solution to the Bellman equation for a particular class of functions. The value function can be obtained by the usual algorithm defined by the operator provided by the Bellman equation. Moreover, following our approach we obtain the recent results of F. Alvarez and N. Stokey (1998, J. Econ. Theory82, 167-189) as well as the well-known results. Journal of Economic Literature Classification numbers: C61, 041.     

税收政策对跨国公司FDI资本成本决策影响的比较研究

本文旨在对税收政策对跨国公司FDI资本成本决策的影响进行比较研究.首先引入了影响资本成本的国际税收因素,之后在对影响跨国公司FDI资本成本决策的国际税制进行介绍和分析的基础上,计算了14个国家的跨国公司在华直接投资的折现率和我国企业集团对这些国家直接投资的折现率,由此总结国际税法对跨国公司FDI资本成本决策的影响作用.     

Technological forecasting and planning exercises in engineering curricula

To sensitize graduate students in engineering to the multidisciplinary nature of decision making in contemporary situations, the elements of technological forecasting have been used as the basis for a graduate course. The principal objective is to use the technological forecasting approach in a structured problem resolution sequence, one of which is discussed here. Faced with a hypothetical problem of diversification in a medium-sized, high-technology organization, the student group employed objective trees, cross-impact matrices and structured interviews (Delphi rounds) in order to define quantitatively the nature and scope of opportunities open within the framework of economic, societal, political, and technological environments pertaining to their situation. Delphi-style debates, using a Consensor, were used to resolve group or individual conflicts. The exercise is intended to expedite adaptation of graduate engineers to the environment (industrial, social, etc.) within which they will be expected to perform as useful decision makers.     

腐败与反腐败的理论逻辑

在经济飞速发展和改革逐步深入的今天,腐败问题已成为危害经济社会生活的毒瘤,而反腐败工作也日益提上了议事日程。本文描述了腐败对政治、经济与社会的危害,并在系统地分析了腐败成因的基础上,详细地论述了预防与治理并举的反腐败逻辑。     

A Note on Seasonal Unit Root Tests

The seasonal unit root tests make it possible to determine the nature of the deterministic and stochastic seasonal fluctuations. In Section 2, we define the main seasonal time series models and the seasonal integration notion. Section 3 describes the HEGY test procedure.