An applied analysis of rural water supply planning in Sierra Leone

The problem of rural water supply in many Less Developed Countries (LDCs) is examined by focussing on the case of Sierra Leone. It is suggested that the problem can be alleviated by using less politicized (more rational) strategies and by adopting techniques that utilize the expertise of social scientists in order to complement engineering studies.A simple location-allocation strategy is outlined in order to implement the rural water supply plan. Instead of expanding water supply one village at a time, water supply regions are created in such a way that certain villages with high demand become nodal points serving a hinterland of villages with lesser demand. In this way, water supply gets to many people at a fast rate and economies of scale are realized for the whole system.     

An examination of residential mobility through the use of the log-linear model: I. theory

A method is proposed for studying the effect of socio-economic characteristics on household mobility in an urban area. This method defines a priori, non-physical spaces in which the households move and then constructs on these spaces a probability model which can detect associations between socio-economic characteristics of a household and where the household moves in a priori spaces.     

Industry localization,distance decay,and knowledge spillovers: Following the patent paper trail

This paper investigates Alfred Marshall’s hypothesis that knowledge spillovers increase where industries are localized. At the same time, we take a fresh look at the role of distance in the diffusion of knowledge spillovers. Relying on a cited-citing gravity-like equation with high-dimensional fixed effects that control for multiple sources of observed and non-observed heterogeneity, we implement a Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood (PPML) estimator. We find that knowledge spillovers correlate positively with industry localization and that the agglomeration of an industry can offset the adverse effect of distance. The results also corroborate the distance decay effect uncovered in earlier research. Our new approach to estimate the PPML with two high-dimensional fixed effects should prove valuable in applications to a variety of other problems in economics, such as the estimation of gravity equations widely used in modeling migration, trade and other flows among countries and regions.     

An examination of residential mobility through the use of the log-linear model: Part II. Empirical illustrations

The theory proposed in ‘An Examination of Residential Mobility Through The Use of The Log- Linear Model, Part I’, Regional Science and Urban Economics (1978) Vol. 8, No. 2, is illustrated by analysing data obtained on moving households in an urban area.     

The effect of non-rural hospital mergers and acquisitions: An examination of cost and price outcomes

This paper examines the direct impact of urban horizontal hospital consolidations on hospital efficiency and prices. Specifically, we measure the extent of cost savings resulting from these consolidations and the extent to which these gains are passed on to consumers. A fixed effects model is tested with data consisting of 4160 unique hospitals, 125 of which were involved in mergers and 1040 in system acquisitions, for over a 10-year time period. We find that hospital consolidation may generate efficiency in some circumstances and some of these gains may be passed on to consumers, but the results are very sensitive to hospital ownership and governance and the structure of the market following the consolidation.     

A correction to Whitney and Boots: An examination of residential mobility through the use of the log-linear model: Part II

A major, potentially compromising, computational error in the title paper is corrected and analyzed. In addition, an hypothesis as to its origin is offered.     

Disentangling the relation between wealth and contraceptive use in India: a multilevel probit regression approach

This paper discusses the poverty-wealth impact on contraceptive use both at individual and community levels. A multilevel probit regression framework was set up to explain the use of contraceptive methods. We use data from the Indian 2005–06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS). It contains data on both the socio-demographic and health characteristics of Indian women, as well as an assembled measure of household wealth: the wealth index. The individual-level model confirms the association between contraceptive use and wealth. When controlling the community level, i.e. where the women live, the multilevel regression results show it has a significant effect on contraceptive use, explaining 19  % of the total variance. Finally, decomposing the wealth index at individual and community levels (average community wealth; individual centered wealth values), the effect of the community poverty-wealth level is significant and positive. To sum up, this framework of nested models reveals the significant effect of the community’s poverty-wealth dimension on each woman’s decision about contraception and suggests that the longstanding urban-rural differential in the contraceptive prevalence is mainly poverty-wealth driven.     

Patient product availability through the use of systems thinking: developing coherent relationships

The traditional techniques of quality improvement, such as just-in-time delivery, can only go so far in dealing with materiel management issues. A further step is necessary: the implementation of systems thinking. This type of thinking focuses on the interconnectedness of all the members that exist throughout the system. This article explains the nature of systems thinking and how it can be used in materiels management to describe and improve the availability of materiels needed.     

An empirical examination of the use of bargaining power and its impacts on supply chain financial performance

This study empirically examines how benefits of resource dependence may be bargained away by supply chain finance (SCF) costs incurred to upstream suppliers and downstream buyers through cash conversion cycles. We found that a focal firm may get compensated for its resource contribution with an extra share of the financial gains by using the superior bargaining position over its supply chain partners. Nevertheless, the focal firm may proactively restrain its use of bargaining power when the need for cooperative relationship with its supply chain partners prevails. Managerial and research implications for the introduction of power theory and relation theory to the SCF studies are discussed.     

现阶段我国农村城市化的负面效应及对策分析

随着改革开放政策的实施而加速推进的农村城市化已经实行了二十多年,人们看到较多的是它对农村发展所起的积极作用,但是我们也不应该无视其带来的负面影响.在政策或措施不当的情况下,负面影响表现得尤为明显.本文从农用耕地、农村环境质量、农产整体素质和小城镇无序建设四方面对此进行了简要的分析并提出对策建议.     

An examination of the use of high‐investment human resource systems for core and support employees

In this study, we examine two competing perspectives regarding the relative use of high‐investment human resource (HIHR) systems for core and support employees within establishments. Using data from 420 establishments, we compare a universal perspective suggesting that the level of HIHR exposure core employees receive is always greater than the level of exposure for sup‐port employees, with a contingency perspective suggesting that the relative level of exposure for these employee groups is contingent on strategy, HR philosophy, or industry.The results did not provide support for the universal prediction that core employees always receive higher levels of exposure to HIHR systems than support employees within the same establishment. Moreover, while strategy and HR philosophy were positively related to the level of HIHR system use across establishments, they did not influence the relative level of exposure to HIHR systems for core and support employees. Interestingly, however, industry did exert a unique impact such that core em‐ployees received significantly greater exposure to HIHR systems than sup‐port employees in nonmanufacturing firms.There were no significant differ‐ences in exposure for these two groups in manufacturing industries. Implications of the findings are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

强化城乡规划的调控作用

一、形势与任务谈形势和任务 ,首先要分析当前正在全国蓬勃开展的城镇化 ,认清我们在不断展开而且不断加速的全国性的城镇化进程中会遇到什么问题。美国经济学家、诺贝尔奖获得者斯蒂格利茨在去年世界银行的一次会上曾经讲到 :在 2 1世纪初期 ,影响世界最大的两件事 ,一是新技术革命 ,二是中国的城市化。中国的城镇化为什么会被列为影响全球人类进程的两件大事之一 ?与我们的城乡规划工作有什么关系 ?1 城镇化是不可抗拒的经济和社会发展规律根据世界银行的统计 ,人均国民收入达到 1 0 0 0美元是城镇化的起飞线。当一个国家或地区进入这一…     

Uncertain availability,spatial location and regulation: An application to the airline industry

This paper presents an analysis of industries characterized by both uncertain availability and spatial location of the product. The analyis is applied to the US airline industry and is used to analyze the differential effect of price regulation on different markets and firms. From this analysis we obtain insights into which firms and markets may have benefited most from the deregulation of the industry in 1978. Previous works on the regulation of the airline industry implicitly assume that markets have the same demand structure. If airline services are of homogeneous quality, men we do not expect the unregulated solution to depend on demand structures. If on the other hand airline services vary in their quality component, then different markets may have different equilibrium price-quality combinations depending on the characteristics of demand. This paper explores the implication of different demand structures on the impact of (de)regulation.     

Keiretsu and risk: An examination of the risk exposure of keiretsu banks in Japan

We compare risk positions adopted by keiretsu and non-keiretsu banks in Japan and examine how the risk positions of Japanese banks changed following the conclusion in 1997 of an escalating series of banking crises in Japan and East-Asia. The results indicate that keiretsu banks take less risk than non-keiretsu banks, and that Japanese banks in general adopted lower risk profiles after 1997. Japanese bank risk is positively associated with the ratio of non-performing loans to capital, interest rates, and private investment in residential construction, and negatively with the ratio of administrative expenses to average assets and the money supply     

Political events and the foreign direct investment decision: An empirical examination

This study investigates the impact of political events on US manufacturing direct investment in Latin America. The relationship between foreign direct investment and political events (and economic factors) is examined through regression analysis of pooled time-series (21 years) and cross-sectional (8 countries) data. In contrast to previous studies using an econometric approach, this study finds that political events do affect direct investment decisions. Specifically, both intra-nation and inter-nation conflict and co-operation have an impact on US direct investment decisions concerning Latin American countries. In addition, the host country's market size and market growth affect these decisions by US multinational firms.     

统筹城乡发展促进农村人力资源开发

中国“三农”问题的核心是农民问题,解决农民问题的关键在于提高农民的素质,提高农民的素质必须依靠农村人力资源开发。农村人力资源开发要跳出农村的局限,拓展视野,统筹城乡,协调发展。实现城乡教育资源共享、城乡产业调整升级联动、城乡市场统一协调、城乡文化交流融合,才能建立农村人力资源开发坚实持久的基础。     

Family enrichment and women entrepreneurial success: the mediating effect of family interference

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - Managing work and family is a topic of continual interest. Drawing on work-family interface (WFI) literatures, we test a model linking...