Determinants and strategies for the development of container terminals

The paper examines an important player in the container industry: the container terminal. We evaluate how terminal efficiency operation is affected by the following factors: terminal type, operation type, scale efficiency and returns to scale. In so doing, we test how the typology and operation of terminals and the level of scale efficiency that a terminal can achieve, represent significant factors in the development and growth of the container terminal industry. The analysis is based on the assessment of 165 container terminals worldwide. We develop the estimation through the application of stochastic frontier analysis. We demonstrate that container terminals are more efficient than multi-purpose terminals, and that, compared with local operators, global terminal operators do not have a dominant position in international maritime trade in terms of productivity and efficiency. However, global terminal operators appear to be more dominant than local operators when we examine the Mediterranean Basin. In the final part of the paper we suggest how resource-constrained container terminals may improve their scale efficiency and identify general strategies related to container terminal investments.     

Determinants of the rate of home ownership of black relative to white households

This paper investigates the reasons for the lower rate of home ownership of black households compared to white households in urban areas. A model of the demand for owner-occupancy by blacks relative to the demand by whites is formulated and econometrically estimated.The principal finding is that a percentage increase in the mean level of black household incomes produces a larger increase in the relative rate of blacks' home ownership than an equivalent reduction in the price of owner-occupied housing which they face. Although significant effects of within market discrimination against blacks as reflected in higher prices of owner-occupied housing to blacks are found, attempts to associate this price premium with measures of residential segregation were unsuccessful.     

Determinants of environmental innovations supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises sustainable development

Enterprises are increasingly required to improve their environmental performances. The adoption of environmental innovations (EIs) is believed a way to achieve this goal. So a flourishing debate about the determinants supporting investment in EIs arose. Researchers have thus far paid attention mainly to established manufacturing firms operating in traditional sectors. Hence, scientific literature recommends deepening the behavior of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because of the role they play in the productive systems in many Western countries. With this in mind, this study investigates a probabilistic sample of 222 innovative SMEs using the partial least squares and importance–performance map analysis in order to identify the factors affecting their propensity to invest in EIs. Findings show that the propensity results are affected by the firms' environmental awareness, company staff, and capabilities, among the internal factors, whereas among the external ones, the propensity is affected by norms and regulations. An important role is also played by the hope to improve their economic and environmental performances. Monetary and fiscal incentives reveal not to be significant. Consequently, policies should firstly propose an appropriate mix of regulations and stimuli following two directions: a compliance direction to more stringent regulations and rules to be followed through the imposition of penalties and a cultural direction aiming at improving environmental awareness of SMEs about the desirability of pursuing EIs for both ethical and economic reasons, given the potential benefits associated with such innovations.     

Determinants of industrial development: a panel analysis of South Asian economies

Quality & Quantity - A well performing industrial sector plays an important role in poverty mitigation, unemployment reduction, trade promotion, exchange of goods and services, increased per...     

功能设计师--市场细分的领路人

有一种新兴的职业正受到人们的追捧和青睐,这就是功能设计师.所谓功能设计,就是以消费者的潜在需求为依据,设计产品的特殊功能,经过功能的成本核算后,由专业人员进行产品设计,企业安排生产,再通过定价分析,开展针对性的营销,使企业跳出产品同质化的怪圈,独树一帜地抢占市场.功能设计师就是担当如此重任的人才.     

城市营销的市场细分

城市经营是城市营销的基础和前提 ,城市营销可以促进和推动城市经营。城市营销市场的细分 ,有利于合理利用城市资源 ,发现市场机会 ,提高城市效益。不同区位的城市 ,可以采用针对性营销、地域营销、系统营销等多种市场细分策略。不同规模的城市 ,则可以采用单因素营销、补缺营销、一对一营销等多种市场细分策略     

Determinants of the Confucius Institute establishment

This paper investigates the determinants of the Confucius Institute (CI) establishment. It is shown that FDI, trade, geographical distance, developing country, and English speaking are important factors whereas GDP and population are marginally significant. Overall, CIs are under-represented in a non-English, distant, less wealthy developing country that trades infrequently with China. The results suggest that the CI network will have greater global impacts when new or more CIs are established in non-English speaking developing countries. However, potential mutual benefits between China and these under-representing countries should be preconditions in order to attract CIs in the countries.     

Determinants of moral hazard in research and development supply relations: Empirical results beyond the agency‐theory explanation

Moral hazard can hinder both the realization and the effectiveness of research and development (R&D) supply relations. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no empirical studies investigating the determinants of moral hazard under the specific circumstances of R&D supply relations. Based on a study on 104 cases, this article will help to fill that gap. The results not only confirm information asymmetries as determinants, as predicted by principal‐agent theory, but also reveal surprising effects of additional factors. Thus, we show that the general explanation of moral hazard needs to be adapted to the specifics of a concrete exchange situation.     

Determinants of Youth Suicide

A bstract .   This study empirically examines determinants of youth (age 15–24) suicide over the 1960–1998 period. It finds that the rate of youth suicide was positively influenced by the divorce rate, the violent crime rate, and the Vietnam War, and negatively influenced by the percent of the total population composed of those age 15–24. The first three variables have been ignored in the research and the latter is at odds with the "conventional wisdom."     

Determinants of the method of sale in privatization

This paper explores the method of sale in the privatization process and difficulties implementing the most efficient option. In countries where state involvement has been more pervasive, the method of privatization chosen is less often the best available option, improvements in efficiency have been slower, and privatization has brought with it greater political instability. This brings the question of why this has been the case, and what could have been done to smooth the transition. This paper finds that efficient mechanisms become more likely when the government's budget is more strained and when the existing capital markets are deeper.     

Determinants of the Choice of Migration Destination*

This paper examines migrants’ choice of destination conditional on migration. The study uses data from two rounds of Nepal Living Standard Surveys and a Population Census and examine how the choice of a migration destination is influenced by various covariates, including income differentials across possible destinations. We find that migrants move primarily to nearby, high population density areas where many people share their language and ethnic background. Better access to amenities is significant as well. Differentials in average income across destination districts are significant in univariate comparisons but not once we control for other covariates. Differentials in consumption expenditures are statistically significant but smaller in magnitude than other determinants. It is differentials in absolute, not relative, consumption between destination districts that are correlated with the destination of work migrants. Except for the latter, results are robust to different specifications and datasets.     

Large lot zoning and subdivision costs: A test

This paper tests two hypotheses: (1) that large lot zoning is a binding constraint on the residential land market and (2) that subdivision costs are inversely related to lot size. The paper shows that, in general, the two hypotheses are not mutually exclusive but that they can be distinguished in the case of a test conducted across tracts of unsubdivided vacant land. A hedonic price model for vacant land is developed and then estimated using disaggregate data from a New York City suburb.     

资本结构决定因素的实证研究综述

本文对国内外企业资本结构决定因素的实证研究进行了综述,并在此基础上比较中外上市公司资本结构决定因素的差异,进而提出需要进一步研究的问题。     

Measuring total factor productivity,technical change and the rate of returns to research and development

This paper examines the relationship between research and development expenditures and total factor productivity using establishment level (or micro) data. The confidential data are taken from the U.S. Bureau of the Census Annual Survey of Manufacturers and other Census surveys. Several measures of total factor productivity are considered as are several variables that proxy for technical knowledge. The latter include research and development expenditures by the firm, the accumulated research expenditures of the industry, and new equipment purchases. We find that there is a statistically significant relationship among above measures of technical expertise and a broad measure of total factor productivity.The refereeing process of this paper was handled through N.R. Adam.     

Determinants of consumer demand for circular economy products. A case for reuse and remanufacturing for sustainable development

We investigate determinants of consumer demand for circular (reused and remanufactured) products. Based on exploratory choice-based conjoint experiments with a sample of 800 adults in the United Kingdom, we examine two types of premium segment electronic appliances: a mobile phone and a robot vacuum cleaner. We find that consumers prefer partly circulated products over fully or not at all circulated products and that circular products can likely successfully enter the existing market at the retail price of a new product. Interestingly, circular products compete for market share primarily with new products, leaving the market share of second-hand options less affected. The results show a promising path for firms considering a transition to circular business models.     

On the Determinants of Corporate Usage of Financial Derivatives

We analyze firm characteristics associated with adoption and then level of financial derivatives usage for U.S. non-financial firms. Interest-rate derivatives are disaggregated from foreign-exchange derivatives. The analysis provides initial evidence on determinants of the level of derivatives usage. We find differences between characteristics of adopters and characteristics influencing level of derivative activity. We also find differences between characteristics of interest-rate and foreign-exchange derivatives users. Level of both interest-rate and foreign-exchange derivatives usage is positively associated with multinationality, variance of accounting return on assets, and growth opportunities (proxied by research and development expenditures), and size. Interest-rate derivatives usage is also positively associated with debt levels. The findings on the adoption decision generally confirm other research. Our findings are consistent with extant theories.     

Determinants of Youth Suicide:

ABSTRACT Suicide is the third major cause of death among American youths between the ages of 15 and 19 years. This study offers additional quantitative support for the Easerlin-Holinger Hypothesis that relative cohort size is a significant statistical predictor of youth suicide.