Linking of U.S. monetary policy and exchange rates to world soybean markets

The linkage between macroeconomic policies and agricultural commodity trade has become an important research issue of agricultural economists. This paper investigates the macroeconomic linkage of soybean trade competition between the exporting countries of the United States, Brazil, and Argentina in the EC-12 and Japan import markets. It is argued that U.S. monetary growth may have important impacts on the competitive position of U.S. soybean exports through exchange rates. Two relationships are investigated: (a) the effects of U.S. monetary growth on the agricultural trade weighted exchange rates, and (b) the responsiveness of agricultural commodity prices and U.S. exports to exchange rate movements. Results indicate that a weak dollar increases imports of soybeans and soymeal significantly which serves to increase the equilibrium world price and increase both U.S. and Brazil/Argentina exports in the long run. However, during periods of more expansionary U.S. monetary policy there is little evidence of significant increases in market share position for U.S. soybeans and soymeal in world markets.     

Guidelines for services and amenities in developing communities∗

Urban development in Southern Africa has reflected western values and standards relating to health, safety, order, amenity, convenience and general welfare, and only incidentally to efficiency and economy. This article describes a project which relates to different value systems, and has different objectives. It highlights the imperatives for change, namely population growth, urbanisation and declining per capita GDP growth. In this milieu, the objective of affordability becomes paramount Standards are related to resources and are based on consultation with the developing community.

The article describes four key elements in the ‘Guidelines for Services and amenities’ being prepared by the CSIR for the Department of Development Aid, namely stormwater management, public transport, road layout and development density. It concludes by cautioning against development policies which deny or misunderstand the economic forces which drive the process of urbanisation.     

The Economics Of Partner Out Trading in Sexual Markets

This paper derives a model of participation in what is commonly known as ‘adultery’. Arguably the best sex survey in the world is used to produce estimates of participation functions. The results show a great deal of support for bioeconomic models and reveal some interesting similarities and differences between the male and female equations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Technological convergence, R&D, trade and productivity growth

This paper analyses productivity growth in a panel of 14 United Kingdom manufacturing industries since 1970. Innovation and technology transfer provide two potential sources of productivity growth for a country behind the technological frontier. We examine the roles played by research and development (R&D), international trade, and human capital in stimulating each source of productivity growth. Technology transfer is statistically significant and quantitatively important. While R&D raises rates of innovation, international trade enhances the speed of technology transfer. Human capital primarily affects output through private rates of return (captured in our index of labour quality) rather than measured TFP.     

The effects of the service environment on affect and consumer perception of waiting time: An integrative review and research propositions

The management of buyers’ perceptions of waiting time by service businesses may be critical to customer satisfaction. Although reducing actual waiting time is important, what managers view as a short time to wait may feel too long to customers. Relevant literature from architecture, environmental psychology, psychology, physiology, operations management, sociology, and marketing is integrated to build a conceptual model of how the service environment may influence affect and, in turn, waiting time perception. Based on this model, propositions about how specific service environment elements (e.g., lighting, color, temperature) may influence affect and time perception are presented. Finally, a research agenda and implications for service facility design are proposed. She received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. Her areas of interest include the retail/service environment, internal marketing, and service quality. She has published articles in theJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, andInternational Journal of Research in Marketing, among others. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington. She formerly was in sales and marketing planning at IBM, where she was involved in bringing numerous products to market.     

Declining Discount Rates: The Long and the Short of it

The last few years have witnessed important advances in our understanding of time preference and social discounting. In particular, several rationales for the use of time-varying social discount rates have emerged. These rationales range from the ad hoc to the formal, with some founded solely in economic theory while others reflect principles of intergenerational equity. While these advances are to be applauded, the practitioner is left with a confusing array of rationales and the sense that almost any discount rate can be justified. This paper draws together these different strands and provides a critical review of past and present contributions to this literature. In addition to this we highlight some of the problems with employing DDRs in the decision-making process, the most pressing of which may be time inconsistency. We clarify their practical implications, and potential pitfalls, of the more credible rationales and argue that some approaches popular in environmental economics literature are ill-conceived. Finally, we illustrate the impact of different approaches by examining global warming and nuclear power investment. This includes an application and extension of Newell and Pizer [‘Discounting the benefits of climate change mitigation : how much do uncertain rates increase valuations?’ Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 46 (2003) 52] to UK interest rate data.     

Pricing the Groove: hedonic equation estimates for rare vinyl records

ABSTRACT

This contribution adds to the economic literature on the market value of rarity in markets for cultural collectible goods by studying the price of rare audio recordings (chiefly vinyl) sold on the online marketplace Discogs. Community-based variables serve as proxies for (inverse) rarity and (potential) demand. Results show that the elasticity of price with respect to our measure of inverse rarity (demand) ranges between ?0.120 and ?0.140 (0.150 and 0.160). In addition, effects of hedonic characteristics such as the popularity or collectibility of an artist can be identified. Finally, the study provides evidence for premia for rarity at the top end of the distribution of prices.     

Learning and development opportunities as a tool for the retention of volunteers: a motivational perspective

The growing reliance on volunteers in Australia has heightened the need for non‐profit organisations to retain these valuable resources. However, the current literature on volunteer retention is limited. One potential way volunteers can be retained is by providing learning and development opportunities (LDOs). This study investigates the relationship between volunteer perceptions of LDOs, their motivations for volunteering, and retention. Analyses revealed significant main effects for LDOs and volunteer motivations on retention and several interactive effects demonstrating that LDOs can have differential effects on retention depending on the reasons for volunteering.     

Hospital costs associated with thyroidectomy performed with a Harmonic device compared to conventional techniques: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Harmonic devices have become a world-wide standard for dissection and hemostasis in thyroidectomy. Numerous systematic reviews have reported superior operating times, blood loss, post-operative pain, length of stay, and overall safety outcomes. What has not been extensively evaluated in a robust manner is their economic impact. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the hospital costs associated with open thyroidectomy using Harmonic devices compared with conventional techniques for hemostasis. Methods: A systematic review of Medline, Scopus, and CENTRAL was performed from January 1, 2000 to May 23, 2014 without language restrictions for randomized clinical trials comparing Harmonic surgical devices to conventional methods in thyroidectomy. The main outcome measure was total reported costs. Costs were pooled using the ratio of means and a random effects model. Sensitivity analyses assessed whether differences in patient and trial characteristics, healthcare setting, or choice of statistical model affected outcomes. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 476 participants had procedures performed with Harmonic devices and 478 with conventional monopolar electrosurgery and clamp, cut and tie techniques. Compared with conventional techniques, Harmonic devices reduced total reported costs by 10% (p?=?0.007), resulting in a $229?US dollars (USD) absolute reduction from mean baseline costs. Results remained relatively robust to additional sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates that the Harmonic family of surgical devices is associated with a reduction in total reported costs in thyroidectomy compared with conventional techniques. A large portion of the overall savings derives from a reduction in operative costs.