The parameters of the gravity model are changing – how and why?

Friction of distance in spatial interaction grows when the distance increases. This is a well-known fact and almost self-evident on the basis of the gravity model analogy and numerous empirical studies. Because this friction should apparently decrease over time, the change of the distance–decay parameter should be monotonic along time. We present empirical and theoretical evidence that this is only partially true. We also investigate the role of another parameter which is the scale parameter and the factors influencing on it. An empirical and theoretical explanation will be given as to why the changes of that parameter are rather contrary to the changes of the distance parameter.     

Extending Austrian Economics toward Psychology: Rules in Loan Decisions

The proponents of the Austrian school of economics, like economists in general, often take a negative view of incorporating psychological assumptions in the main body of economic theory. Still they regularly make use of such assumptions while applying the theory. The paper argues for a cautious use of the findings of psychology from the very start of economic reasoning. The examples employed to illustrate the argument are from the loan decision process of a banker.     

Contributions from mood research

In this article definitions of mood and the behavioral effects of negative moods are reviewed and scrutinized. This is an important task for two reasons. First, in prior studies, consumer researchers have treated concepts such as affect, mood, feeling, and emotion vaguely and arbitrarily. This has resulted in confusion regarding the substance of mood. In an attempt to dispel a part of this confusion, this article offers a conceptual analysis of mood. Second, a large part of prior consumer behavior‐ and advertising‐related mood research has addressed the relation between mood and mental constructs. The relation between mood and actual consumer behaviors is a more neglected research area. The behavioral effects of negative moods are an especially interesting phenomenon, because past studies have produced mixed and contradictory results. Thus, to offer novel insights, the key conclusion of the conceptual analysis of mood is harnessed to explain the inconsistent findings regarding the negative mood–(consumer) behavior relation. Another theoretical contribution is the provision of starting points for conceptualizing mood‐alleviative consumer behavior. Suggestions for future research are also briefly outlined in the concluding section of this article. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Using Psychology to Reinforce the Austrian Argument for Freedom: The Case of Loan Decisions

The emphatic statements of F. A. Hayek, and other members of the Austrian school of economics, in advocacy of a free society have produced much misgivings among the economics profession. The paper aims to make the Austrian views more intelligible by tracing them back to a theory of the mind that Hayek develops in The Sensory Order. More generally, the paper argues that Austrian economics would greatly benefit from extending itself from a pure logic of choice toward psychological analysis. The argument is illustrated throughout the paper by examples taken from the loan decision process of a banker.     

Urban and Regional High Technologies: The Case of Oulu

This paper investigates the reasons behind what has been termed the 'Oulu Phenomenon' in Northern Finland. Over the past two to three decades the city of Oulu has transformed its economy from dependency on timber, paper and pulp industries into one based on High Technology, notably, telecommunications, biotechnology, electronics, multimedia and environmental technologies. In particular the paper will explore the role played by the national government via regional policy, higher education and the subsequent interaction between these, the local authorities and entrepreneurs     

The growth of sociological theories

A critical appraisal of Wagner and Berger's framework for analyzing the growth of sociological theories calls for more precise criteria for identifying theoretical continuity. We propose a structuralist theory of science as an alternative framework. Our rational reconstruction of selected theories in the family of social psychological balance theories shows that Wagner and Berger's key concepts have counterparts in the exact formalism of structuralism. Overall, our results support Wagner and Berger's main thesis: the growth of theoretical knowledge in sociology is not rare but simply hidden by mistaken assumptions about the nature of theoretical activity.     

Monetary policy and EMU enlargement: Issues regarding ERM II and adoption of the euro in Estonia

The aim of the paper is to give an overview of the issues related to Estonia's entry into ERM II. For that purpose the article describes the official position of the Estonian authorities regarding entry into ERM II and the adoption of the euro, explains the rationale for early entry into ERM II, and presents the reasons for maintaining the currency board arrangement until full membership in EMU. Also, the challenges of the adoption of the euro are discussed. The article concludes that early entry into ERM II is appropriate as the perceived costs—short-term costs of fiscal consolidation and the cost of giving up independent monetary policy and flexible exchange rates as stabilization tools—are practically non-existent in Estonia. The paper argues that the high level of exchange rate stability and nominal convergence, relatively high flexibility of the economy, and integration with the euro area support the rationale for maintaining the currency board arrangement and adopting the euro early.     

Management priorities of digital health service start-ups in California

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - Digitalisation has revolutionised health service delivery, which has provided global business opportunities for start-ups that specialise in...