公共产品的私人供给--以开放源代码软件开发为例

公共产品如何供给的问题,是福利经济学、财政学等关注的焦点问题。在什么情况下,用什么样的激励制度才能促进私人供给公共产品的积极性,长期以来悬而未决。近期出现的开放源代码软件为我们提供了新的案例。开放源代码软件倡导自由和开放的精神,完全打破了以往的商业惯例。开放源代码软件符合公共产品的基本特征,对开放源代码软件特殊供给方式的研究,能使我们在探讨公共产品的私人供给方面开拓更广的视野。同时对开放源代码软件生产过程的研究,还揭示出一种新型的生产关系正在逐步形成。     

Designing a forecasting analysis to understand the diffusion of open source software in the year 2010

Open source software (OSS) is being considered the new paradigm of software distribution. As contrasted with the traditional software marketing model, OSS pursues the freedom to have access to open source and offers several advantages to enterprises. These advantages include saving costs related to Information Systems and Technologies (IS/IT) and the possibility of adapting to changing organizational requirements. However, the recent forthcoming of OSS prevents us from knowing the real impact it has today on social and organizational fields. Having considered this obstacle, the authors have defined a foreseeable setting for OSS diffusion and adoption by means of a forecasting study based on the Delphi method for the year 2010. The findings reveal the levels of OSS diffusion for this year according to the main applications, geographic regions and industries. In a complementary manner, the authors have studied the elements of success as well as the most relevant obstacles for diffusing and adopting technological solutions based on OSS.     

The knowledge management strategy and the formation of innovative networks in emerging industries

This paper presents an agent-based simulation model with local network externality to analyze strategic interactions over investment on new economic knowledge. R&D knowledge flows and spillovers are the results of non-cooperative games played between neighboring agents in the model. The model demonstrates a situation where no agents have incentives to hide their economic knowledge, a situation that is observed in open source software development projects. The likelihood of obtaining a stable situation where new economic knowledge is openly shared is increased when heterogeneity of agents is introduced.      

Social structure and consumption: on the diffusion of consumer good innovation

This paper presents a simple evolutionary model to study the diffusion patterns of product innovations for consumer goods. Following a Veblenian theme, we interpret consumption as a social activity constrained by social norms and class structure. Societies that allow for more behavioral variety will experience faster adoption of new consumer goods. We also find that the speed of diffusion as well as the saturation levels reached depend greatly on the structure of a society. Combining these two effects, we conclude that a social structure displaying behavioral variety and an even class structure fares better than any other social set-up in terms of the speed of adoption of product innovations and product variety. JEL Classification: D11, O31 This paper has benefited from comments by Robin Cowan and seminar participants at the University of Economics in Vienna, the Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT), University of Maastricht, participants of the EMAEE 2003 Conference in Augsburg, Germany as well as the Schumpeter Conference 2004 in Milan, Italy. We also would like to thank two anonymous referees for their constructive criticism and suggestions. The usual disclaimers apply. Correspondence to: A. Reinstaller     

The impact of public goods and services and public R&D on the non-observed economy size,wages inequality and growth

We develop a general equilibrium endogenous growth model in which final goods can be produced either in the Non-Observed Economy (NOE) or in the Official Economy (OE). In particular, by solving transitional dynamics numerically towards the unique and stable steady state, we show that, by affecting the technological-knowledge bias in favour of the OE, productive public goods and services and public policies promoting R&D explain the simultaneous rise in the OE size, the wage premium in favour of OE workers and the economic growth rate. These results are mainly in line with empirical evidence for developed countries, since the 1990s.     

Unemployment,long-term employment relations and the determination of unit labour cost growth in US manufacturing industries

This paper examines the effect that unemployment and long-term employment relations exert on the determination of unit labour costs. The paper proceeds in three sections. Section one analyses the relationship between labour market conditions and unit labour costs by developping a simple model of a firm that relies upon dismissal threats to elicit work effort. The comparative static properties of this model suggest that a tightening of labour markets may result in an increase in unit labour costs. In addition, it is argued that the labour market disequilibrium that occurs at full employment levels of unemployment will likely result in an increase in the growth rate of unit labour costs. The second section of the paper reviews diverse theories of long-term employment relations (LTERs), each of which suggest that the presence of LTERs ought to reduce the effect that labour market conditions exert on unit labour costs. The third section of the paper presents empirical estimates of the effect unemployment and LTERs exert on unit labour costs. The central empirical findings can be briefly summarized. First, movements towards full employment increase the growth rate of wages, reduce the growth rate of labour productivity and increase the growth rate of unit labour costs. Secondly, where long-term employment relations are prevalent, the effect of unemployment on wage, labour productivity, and unit labour cost growth is diminished. The paper concludes by discussing the implications these findings have for effort regulation models and the macroeconomic foundations of microeconomic labour market structures     

企业技术创新中隐性知识分享的探讨

在经济全球化发展的今天,技术创新成为企业获取竞争优势和持续发展的根本途径。技术创新作为典型的知识性活动,在技术创新过程中的知识分享特别是隐性知识的分享,成为企业技术创新能力提升和积淀保证。文章根据隐性知识的特性和知识分享过程的影响因素进行了探讨,并由此提出了建立分享机制的具体措施。     

Depreciation and intergenerational altruism in the private provision of public goods

The static model of the private provision of public goods is refuted by empirical and experimental evidence which shows that contributions are above the levels predicted by the theory. The model is reconsidered here in an intertemporal framework that allows the formation of a stock of public good over time and admits intergenerational altruism into preferences. Both of these factors affect the level of private provision. An intertemporal version of the Samuelson rule is derived and it is shown that, for some parameter values, the provision level determined by this is matched by private provision. For other parameter values, it is shown how a system of taxation can achieve the optimum.     

Determinants of cyclical properties of the price-cost margin in US manufacturing industries

Supergame theoretical predictions tell that oligopoly pricing may be procyclical or counter-cyclical. Industry by industry analysis shows that the speed of industry growth and the size of fixed cost are crucial in distinguishing characteristically counter-cyclical industries from procyclical industries. Counter-cyclical industries are characterized by high growth of demand and low fixed costs. Procyclical industries are characterized by low growth of demand and high fixed costs.     

产业集群环境下企业网络权力、知识获取与技术创新

较高的网络权力意味着外部资源获取便利,但其是否有助于企业技术创新并未达成共识。基于社会网络理论,以知识获取为中介变量,以企业间信任关系和知识整合能力为调节变量,构建一个两阶段被调节的中介作用模型,以检验网络权力对技术创新的作用机制与边界条件。结果表明:①网络权力显著正向影响技术创新;②网络权力显著正向影响知识获取,知识获取则对技术创新产生倒U型影响,知识获取在网络权力影响技术创新关系中起部分中介作用;③企业间信任关系有助于企业通过网络权力获取外部知识,知识整合能力有助于企业将获取的外部知识转化为技术创新。对于管理者而言,可以从关系网络治理和内外兼修两个方面提升技术创新能力与绩效。     

Technological catch-up: Gradual diffusion of technology and convergence in the neoclassical growth model

In this paper, I study the effects of the international gradual transmission of technology on the convergence processes among countries. In this way, the international gradual diffusion of technology makes possible a greater potential improvement capacity to the less developed country in its technological level. When this hypothesis is included in the Solow-Swan growth models, the paper shows that the convergence hypothesis will now be maintained only in the growth rates since a gap in income levels will remain in the long run. That conditional convergence will be explained by two factors: the diminishing returns for cumulative factor and the gradual diffusion of technology. I will finish this paper with empirical evidence of these two factors explaining convergence.     

Technological interdependence and knowledge diffusion in the building of national innovative capacity: The role of Taiwan's chemical industry

While the significance and effectiveness of patents in the chemical industry has been demonstrated in many industrialized countries, this study examines the role of the chemical industry and knowledge diffusion in building the innovative capacity of a nation in latecomer country Taiwan. The development of process innovation plays an integral role in the strategic industries of Taiwan, but few attempts have been made to address how the efficiency of process development can be enhanced. As a latecomer, Taiwan has built its national innovative capability on strategic industries such as semiconductors, consumer electronics and flat panel displays. Through patent data analysis, this study demonstrates the significant and indispensable role played by the chemical industry in technological interdependence and knowledge diffusion with other Taiwanese strategic industries. This study suggests that while the public resources of Taiwan are focused on accelerating the development of emerging sectors and technologies, the chemical industry serves as an effective linkage and catalyst in problem-solving.     

交易成本、政府级次与财政体制改革

由于受交易成本的制约,管辖范围小、涉及人数少的"小政府"作为降低公共产品供给交易成本的制度安排首先得以形成.而后,为降低受益范围超出小政府辖区的公共产品供给的交易成本,更高层次的政府得以出现.政府级次化降低了公共产品供给的横向交易成本却增加了纵向交易成本,当横向交易成本的减少额与纵向交易成本的增加额在边际上相等时,政府级次达到均衡.由此看来,基层政府具有"逻辑先在性",采用"自上而下"分权的思路来构建财政体制是值得商榷的.财政体制的构建从逻辑上讲应该是"自下而上"授权而不是"自上而下"分权.     

Measures for knowledge-based economic development: Introducing data mining techniques to economic developers in the state of Georgia and the US South

The contribution of knowledge to economic growth and competitiveness has attracted increased attention. Publications with a topical focus on areas related to innovation have risen dramatically from 1963 to 2005, but more slowly in local and regional development journals. In contrast to the wide use of aggregate measures of innovation, this paper presents four cases presenting disaggregated knowledge-based approaches into the policy- and decision-making processes of economic developers in the state of Georgia and the US South. The first case uses information obtained from patents and publications to inform traditional out-of-area economic development recruitment strategies in a more knowledge-oriented direction. The second case exemplifies the use of data mining to identify top researchers as part of a strategic state economic development effort. The third case illustrates how local knowledge-based capabilities can be identified in cities not traditionally viewed as innovative. Nanotechnology-related knowledge assets in the southern United States are mapped and assessed in the fourth case. Disaggregated methods used in traditional strategies were most intuitively understood and used, but new knowledge measures were found to encourage local and state economic developers to begin to embrace new paradigms.     

Market thickness,sunk costs,productivity, and the outsourcing decision: an empirical analysis of manufacturing firms in France

Abstract This paper presents an empirical analysis of outsourcing behaviour by French manufacturing industries. It focuses on the effects of market thickness, sunk costs, and the productivity of firms on the outsourcing decision. I estimate a dynamic probit model where outsourcing decision is linked to past outsourcing behaviour. The results show that outsourcing is a persistent strategy adopted by large firms and suggest the presence of significant sunk costs associated with outsourcing. The results also show that market thickness reduces search costs and enhances the establishment of outsourcing relationships.     

Modelling the faddish, fashionable and efficient diffusion of agricultural technologies: A case study of the diffusion of wool testing technology in Australia

This study investigates the nature of innovation diffusion in an agricultural context. The dominant agricultural diffusion models assume that an economically rational choice is made to adopt or reject agricultural technologies. However, recent studies of agricultural innovation highlight the ‘irrational’ and potentially ‘inefficient’ nature of the diffusion in this context. To investigate how and why agricultural technologies are adopted or rejected, we examine the diffusion of wool testing technologies in the Australian wool industry using the Bass diffusion model and Abrahamson's diffusion and rejection typology. The results show that diffusion of agricultural innovation is not simply an efficient choice made to close observable performance gaps. The findings suggest that the adoption of inefficient innovations and the rejection of efficient innovations can be driven by an adopter's social context, powerful external influences and imitation within an adopter group and that these drivers change over time, suggesting an evolutionary social process underlies the diffusion of agricultural technologies.     

New evidence on factors affecting the level and growth of US health care spending

The dual problems of high and rising medical care expenditures and substantial differences in spending across geographic regions have long plagued the US health care system. We provide new evidence to explain why some states and regions of the country spend much more on medical care than others, and why health care spending for the nation as a whole has been growing rapidly over the last several decades. To do this, we estimate a health care spending panel data model using annual data on all 50 states for the period 1993–2009. Our model includes a number of socio-economic, health care provider, lifestyle and environmental variables that past studies indicate may affect the level or growth of aggregate health care spending. We exploit the time effect component of our model to obtain an upper-bound estimate of the effect of advances in medical technology. Our findings indicate that the most important factors influencing the level of spending are availability of providers, income, excessive alcohol consumption, Medicaid coverage, HMO health plans and the proportion of the population elderly and African-American. The principal drivers of growth have been the continual introduction of new medical technologies, and the growth of providers and income.     

Cultural diversity and economic growth: Evidence from the US during the age of mass migration

We exploit the large inflow of immigrants to the US during the 1870–1920 period to examine the effects that within-county changes in the cultural composition of the US population had on output growth. We construct measures of fractionalization and polarization to distinguish between the different effects of cultural diversity. Our main finding is that increases in cultural fractionalization significantly increased output, while increases in cultural polarization significantly decreased output. We address the issue of identifying the causal effects of cultural diversity by using the supply-push component of immigrant inflows as an instrumental variable.     

The Evolution and Devolution of Bank Regulation in the United States

Development economics is understood as a postwar phenomenon without antecedents. Yet, Veblen's contribution to development economics was once widely disseminated and acknowledged. Veblen's evolutionary economics centered on historically relative and limited truths applicable to specific cultures. Veblen's growth theory is a theory of economic development: quantitative accumulation is significant because it engenders qualitative change. Veblen's analysis of the harnessing of the economic potential centers on the ability of a society to successfully introduce scientific and technological advances, giving rise to increasing returns as the surplus is invested in industrial activities. Veblen presented oblique comments and startling insights in a non-empirical manner.     

An analysis of the effect of the economic situation on modeling and forecasting the diffusion of wireless communications in Finland

In this paper, the diffusion of wireless communications in Finland is studied. The objectives are to find factors which have affected the diffusion process and to forecast the diffusion of wireless communications in Finland. The diffusion process is based on the epidemic diffusion theory. The data consists of annual wireless subscribers of networks based on Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standards in 1981-1998. The data is fitted into the logistic model by means of nonlinear least squares after writing two parameters of the logistic model as functions of certain variables. The results show that the economic situation has affected the relative growth rate, and that the wireless network coverage has affected the number of potential adopters. By extrapolating the logistic model, a forecast with a confidence interval of wireless communications subscriber rates in Finland is made. The forecast shows that the final penetration rate will be some 91.7% in 2009. The model predicts the actual figures of year 1999 very accurately. Finally, the time derivatives of the diffusion process are analyzed; they clarify the effect of economic situation on the diffusion.