Modifications and innovations to research solutions in the lab: A study on the post-adoptive usage behaviors of life scientists

Research solutions in life science are bundles of documented knowledge (i.e., a manual) and materials provided by commercial firms to help scientists with their experiments. This study builds on existing research on post-adoptive usage to understand why some scientists are more likely to make modifications—personalization, customization, invention changes (including making add-ins and using existing functions for novel purposes)—to a research solution after their adoptions. By examining the different modification behaviors of 1908 scientists over a sixteen-year period, the authors find that the likelihood of users in making modifications are positively impacted by their diverse range of usage experience, early usage status, and collaborative support from the scientific community. While expertise can have a positive impact on the personalization and customization modifications, it has an inverted U-shaped relationship with invention changes. Interestingly, the effects from the characteristics of a research solution are mixed. For example, ease of use can negatively impact on a user′s likelihood to make personalization and customization modifications or create add-ins, but it is positively linked to the likelihood in applying existing functions for novel purposes.     

Excuses,Excuses: Rationalisations of Western Sex Tourists in Thailand

This paper focuses upon the behaviour of heterosexual Western male sex tourists in Thailand. It is based on a review of the sex tourism literature and attempts to analyse the rationalisations that are constructed by these men in order to assuage feelings of guilt that are often felt from participating in Third World sex tourism. Therefore, these rationalisations potentially serve to allow for the continued patronage of Western men in commercial sex in less developed nations and thus perpetuate the sex tourism industry as a whole.     

Alternative theories of wage dispersion

We analyze labor market models where the law of one price fails—i.e., models with equilibrium wage dispersion. We begin considering ex ante heterogeneous workers, but highlight a problem with this approach: If search is costly the market shuts down. We then assume homogeneous workers but ex post heterogeneous matches. This model is robust to search costs, and delivers equilibrium wage dispersion. However, we prove that the law of two prices holds: Equilibrium implies at most two wages. We explore other models, including one combining ex ante and ex post heterogeneity which is robust and delivers more realistic wage dispersion.     

L'économie Social e et Coopérative Des Associationnistes: De La Critique Des Fondements De L'économie Politique à La Régulation Sociale Du Marché

Resume ** :  Cet article propose une présentation et une discussion des principales thèses défendues par un courant fondateur de l'économie sociale et coopérative en France, les associationnistes. Ces théoriciens (Louis Blanc, Auguste Ott, Philippe Buchez) développent une critique du fonctionnement de leur société, à partir d'une réflexion sur les fondements de l'économie politique classique. L'actualité de la pensée de ces auteurs se trouve à trois niveaux: d'une part sur la méthode de l'économie politique avec la séparation discutée entre science positive et normative, d'autre part sur le droit au travail par l'association et la question de la propriété collective, enfin sur la nature de la régulation sociale du marché .     

Understanding the Emergence of Markets: A Social Constructionist Perspective on Gay Economy

This paper sets out to explore the construction of a market based on identity. The interest lies upon the emergence and present understanding of the gay male market. To achieve this, an understanding is percolated through social contructionism in general and the areas of ideology, language, and power in particular. The first section of the paper deals with the historical external understandings of homosexuality, which fit into three overlapping phases: the moral, social, and medical. Following on from this, these three phases are then reflected through film. The second section deals with internal formation and is tied into wider social changes. The assent and naturalization of homosexuality is outlined where the possibilities of a gay market emerge. This is then also reflected through film. The final section deals with one of the present preoccupations when dealing with the gay male market, which is the aspect of identity through consumption. This is shown to tie into present wider concerns with the dominance of consumption as the mediator of identity.     

When One Size Does Not Fit All: A Problem of Fit Rather than Failure for Voluntary Management Standards

Voluntary management standards for social and environmental performance ideally help to define and improve firms?? related capabilities. These standards, however, have largely failed to improve such performance as intended. Over-emphasis on institutional factors leading to adoption of these standards has neglected the role of firms?? existing capabilities. External pressures can drive firms to adopt standards more than their technical capacity to employ them. This can lead to problems of ??fit?? between institutional requirements and a firm??s existing capabilities. We describe a conceptual model that considers the impact of an interaction between a firm??s institutional requirements and its existing capabilities on standards failure. We suggest solutions that align institutional requirements to appropriate governance forms as a means to improve standards success. We contribute to theory by describing the role of firms?? internal capabilities to the success of voluntary management standards and the reliability of self-regulation generally.     

Characterising Vulnerability to Poverty in Rural Haiti: A Multilevel Decomposition Approach

This article characterises vulnerability to poverty in Haiti using a unique survey conducted in 2007 in rural areas. In a first step, using two‐level linear random coefficient models of both per capita consumption and per capita income, the article assesses the impact of self‐reported shocks on households' economic well‐being. In a second step, the prediction model is used to calculate various measures of vulnerability to poverty, considering various types of shocks. Empirical findings show that self‐reported (or observable) idiosyncratic shocks, in particular health‐related shocks, have larger impact on vulnerability to poverty than observable covariate shocks. These results are in line with the fact that many households reported idiosyncratic health shocks as being the worst shocks they experienced. On the other hand, unobservable idiosyncratic shocks appear to have generally more influence on households' vulnerability to poverty than unobservable covariate ones. We also show that omitting self‐reported shocks in the analysis leads to an underestimate of households' vulnerability to poverty.     

STRATEGIC ENTRY DETERRENCE: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMICS OF INDUSTRY

Abstract. This paper reviews the recent developments in the economics of industry with respect to strategic entry deterrence. Starting from Bain's (1956) classical analysis, a simple two-stage game between an incumbent firm and a potential entrant is used to present the general structure of the entry deterrence problem. Commitments, credible threat and sub-game perfection are illustrated in this context. The various strategic variables that an incumbent firm can use to bar entry are discussed. The issue of whether a group of incumbents can non-cooperatively deter entry is taken up and some empirical evidence is reviewed.     

Economics at DG Competition, 2009–2010

This paper discusses a selection of cases and important policy developments in the enforcement activities of the Directorate General for Competition at the European Commission during the past year (2009–2010).