Tourism trends in Scandinavia

The four countries of Scandinavia are among the most prosperous and leisureoriented societies in the world. The author traces recent tourism trends, and especially their growth, in holiday-taking in these countries. It is apparent that there is still room for growth in the future.     

Self-Selection Consistent Functions

This paper studies collective choice rules whose outcomes consist of a collection of simultaneous decisions, each one of which is the only concern of some group of individuals in society. The need for such rules arises in different contexts, including the establishment of jurisdictions, the location of multiple public facilities, or the election of representative committees. We define a notion of allocation consistency requiring that each partial aspect of the global decision taken by society as a whole should be ratified by the group of agents who are directly concerned with this particular aspect. We investigate the possibility of designing efficient allocation consistent rules. We also explore whether such rules may in addition respect the Condorcet criterion. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: D7, D71.     

Researching migrant entrepreneurship communities: a reflection through collaborative (auto)ethnographies

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - In this paper we offer a scholarly reflection about the value of ethnographic methods for studying migrant entrepreneurship; this reflection...     

The New Venture Decision: An Analysis Based on the GEM Project Database

The new venture decision is a crucial stage in the process of creating a new business and is influenced by a series of social, demographic, cultural and economic factors, amongst others. These factors have been the subject of several studies, though there is still no widely accepted agreement on exactly how they affect the decision to create a new enterprise. This study will provide evidence on which variables affect the new venture decision, as well as the extent of their influence based on the analysis of a sample of 7524 cases, using information obtained via the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2001 Project. At the same time, we provide evidence to show that there are differences in the way these variables affect new ventures born out of need or out of opportunity.     

Using Generalizability Theory to Assess the Validity of the Evaluation Process

Generalizability theory is used to assess the validity of the conceptualisation and implementation design of an evaluation programme carried out in the context of five care centres for homeless children. In order to measure the implementation process of the social intervention programme at three different observation moments, a rating scale questionnaire was developed. Crossed, three-facet random-effects designs (items × subjects × observation moments) for each care centre were analysed to develop different generalizability and decision studies and thus optimise the overall evaluation design. Given the generalizability analyses performed, the way in which generalizability results are complemented by log-linear analyses is discussed in relation to the evaluative objectives.     

The opportunity costs of commuting: the value of a commuting satellite account framework with an example from Lisbon Metropolitan Area*

Commuting affects regional and urban economies. It shapes urban areas, defines their relationships with neighboring regions, intensifies economic flows and exacerbates energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper sets out a proposal for an innovative commuting satellite account (CSA), integrated in a multi-regional input–output model. This framework combines commuting activities with regional distribution of income, distinct household consumption structures, real estate renting activities and the energy consumption and environmental flows incorporated in the different industries. To assess the opportunity costs of commuting, the CSA framework is applied to the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The socio-economic-environmental impacts of a scenario in which commuters become non-commuters by moving their residence to the municipality in which they work are estimated. The analysis indicates that: commuting, in general, induces significant economic and environmental opportunity costs. Finally, the adoption of policy-oriented recommendations contributing to limit sprawling in metropolitan regions is discussed.