THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF LEGAL SEGREGATION: JIM CROW AND RACIAL EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS

Legal segregation was a fact of life for blacks in the American South during the first half of the present century. These laws are sometimes compared to South African apartheid . However, there seems to be one important difference: Jim Crow, unlike apartheid , did not directly hamper the ability of blacks to compete with whites in labor markets. Our paper explores this problem. We report evidence which suggests that, in spite of the absence of direct labor market restrictions confronting blacks subject to Jim Crow, these laws nevertheless reduced the ability of blacks to compete with whites for jobs.     

A new look at the relationship between time-series and structural econometric models

This paper examines the relationship between dynamic structural econometric models (SEM) and time series (TS) models. It extends the work of others by suggesting a reconciliation of SEM and TS models based on classical linear parameter restrictions in regression models rather than on time series methods. The paper demonstrates that in a number of common economic contexts there exist sets of plausible restrictions on the stochastic properties of the disturbances and on the dynamic adjustment processes in a SEM such that familiar structural models take on the form of univariate TS models. Consequently, it is argued that TS models should not be arbitrarily dismissed as being devoid of economic content.     

Getting results from your MRP system

The many installed MRP systems have not been universally successful. A study of companies using MRP reveals just how the system should be implemented to achieve its full potential.     

Efficient choice set designs for estimating availability cross-effects models

Batsell and Polking proposed a discrete choice model which incorporates the availability (presence or absence) of competing brands into the utility of each brand under study. The information on relative impacts of adding or deleting brands is of strategic interest, and models that do not incorporate such effects may be misleading. The designs suggested by Batsell and Polking have 2^m–m–1 choice sets. Even with as few as 10=m brands, this requires over 1000 choice sets. In this paper we provide a catalog of designs for estimating cross effects models in as few as 2m–1 choice sets. This will make cross effects modelling practical in a wide range of academic and commercial settings.     

ECONOMICS OF SIZE IN AUSTRALIAN FARMING

Economics of size is an important but relatively neglected aspect of Australian agriculture. The theory and methodology for analysis of economics of size are summarized and a survey made of evidence for Australian agricultural industries. The conclusion is reached that economies of size exist, particularly for small to medium farms and diseconomies appear to be absent. Further research is needed and some important areas are indicated.