League Structure and Match Attendances in English Rugby League

This paper investigates the effects of actual and hypothetical changes in league structure on match attendances for English rugby league. An empirical match attendance model is used to generate simulated attendances under various alternative structural regimes.The simulations are used to compare the effects on attendances of having larger and smaller divisions, and of having regionalised lower divisions or divisions whose membership is determined solely by playing quality. A limited form of regionalisation emerges as a positive recommendation. The model is also used to decompose the changes in average attendance, following the 1996 reorganisation, into components attributable to the change of structure, changes in team performance, and other factors.     

RISK-ADJUSTED DISCOUNT RATES-EXTENSIONS FROM THE AVERAGE-RISK CASE

This paper provides an approach for developing risk-adjusted discount rates that follows naturally from the standard presentation of the weighted average cost of capital. In addition to examining the implied assumptions about the valuation of corporate debt, the paper shows the pedagogic advantages of the proposed approach.     

PLANNING AND TACTICAL FACTORS IN THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

It has been a well-recognized axiom in project management research that the project implementation process can be greatly facilitated by addressing a variety of project critical success factors. It is argued here that critical factors often fall into two distinct sub-groups: those related to initial project planning and those concerned with subsequent tactical operationalization. A field study was conducted to explore changes in the perceived importance of project planning and tactical factors across four stages in the project life cycle. The sample consisted of 408 managers currently involved in projects. It was found that the relative importance of planning and tactical factors varies across the project life cycle. Further, the perceived importance of these factors is contingent upon the type of success measure employed. When an efficiency success measure is used, planning factors are initially perceived to be of high importance but are overtaken by tactical issues as the project progresses through its life cycle. When ‘external’ success measures (perceived value of the project and client satisfaction) are employed, project planning factors dominate tactics throughout the project's life cycle. Finally, implications for managers are developed and directions for future research are discussed.     

A voluntary brain-drain tax

A major roadblock to the implementation of Bhagwati's proposal to allow developing countries to tax skilled emigrants residing in developed countries (the “brain drain”) is the administrative problems associated with collecting this tax in the absence of developed-country cooperation. This paper provides a partial solution to these problems, involving the tax treatment of emigrants who return to their countries of origin. The tax system is structured so that returning emigrants who previously paid the brain-drain tax face lower tax payments than those who evaded the brain-drain tax. Given the expected value of this tax benefit, emigrants are willing to pay the brain-drain tax. In the basic model, a source country's optimal tax system includes this brain-drain tax and does not distort migration decisions.     

Business Size Composition and Management Training Needs of Countries in the Eastern Caribbean

A bstract . Size composition of Eastern Caribbean businesses was found to be bimodal. Very few businesses employed 10 to 50 people, most had either a larger or a smaller number. This unexpected result emerged from a survey to determine management training needs in the region. The survey included 134 face-to-face interviews with business people. Respondents gave several possible explanations for this unusual pattern; among those mentioned were historical factors, barriers to entry, and to access to credit; racial stereotypes , and status perceptions. Respondents described the microbusiness sector and types of management training and of education that would stimulate the growth of micro businesses in contrast to training that would improve performance at larger companies. Respondents felt that restructuring the business sector of each economy, in terms of product mix as well as size composition, would help stimulate economic growth in the region.     

FINANCING AND HOUSE PRICES

Recent empirical evidence on the effect of below-market financing on house prices has suffered from estimation and interpretation problems. In this paper, a methodology is developed to solve these problems. Using data for mortgage revenue bonds, the methodology is tested with results indicating that all financing subsidy is capitalized into house prices.     

The impact of rent seeking activity on U.S. preferential trade and World debt

Zusammenfassung Der Einflu\ von “rent seeking“-Aktivit?ten auf den Pr?ferenzhandel der USA und die Verschuldung in der Welt. - Der Verfasser untersucht die Wirkung der US-Handelspr?ferenzen für Entwicklungsl?nder auf die amerikanischen Einfuhren aus den gr?\ten Schuldnerl?ndern in den Jahren {dy1985} und 1986. Die empirischen Befunde für Argentinien, Brasilien, Indonesien, Korea, Mexiko, die Philippinen und Venezuela zeigen unbedeutende und/ oder kontraproduktive Wirkungen des revidierten Allgemeinen Pr?ferenzsystems auf die US-Importe aus diesen hochverschuldeten Entwicklungsl?ndern.

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Resumen El impacto de la actividad de “rent seeking” sobre el comercio preferencial de los EE.UU. y la deuda externa. - El autor analiza el impacto de las preferencias comerciales ofrecidas por los EE.UU. a los países en desarrollo, el Sistema Generalizado de Preferencias (GSP), sobre las importaciones estadounidenses de manufacturas de países altamente endeudados en {dy1985} y 1986. La evidencia empirica para Argentina, Brasil, Indonesia, Corea del Sur, México, Filipinas y Venezuela indica que los efectos del GSP revisado sobre las importaciones estadounidenses de esos países han sido insignificantes y/o contraproductivos.

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Résumé L’impact de l’activité de ?rent seeking? au commerce préférentiel des Etats-Unis et l’endettement des pays du monde. - L’auteur analyse les effets des préférences commerciales des Etats-Unis qui sont disponibles aux PVD - le système de préférences généralisées (SPG) - aux importations manufacturées américaines qui proviennent des nations avec l’endettement la plus grande en {dy1985} et 1986. L’évidence pour l’Argentine, le Brésil, l’Indonésie, la Corée, le Mexique, les Philippines et le Venezuela indiquent des effets négligeables et/ou improductifs du SPG révisé en ce qui concerne les importations américaines de ces pays.