Smooth transition trends and labor force participation rates in the United States

This paper employs smooth transition trend models to investigate the long-run time series behavior of quarterly US labor force participation rates. In particular, we examine whether long-run growth in labor force participation rates can be modeled by smooth transitions between states rather than as abrupt mean level changes or as a stochastic trend. Smooth transitions permit for non-instantaneous adjustment of individual workers to changes associated with economic events or general labor market conditions. We employ unit root testing procedures with alternatives characterized by stationary fluctuations around one or two smooth transitions in linear trend. We examine labor force participation rates by gender- and age-specific groups. The results indicate that all female and most male participation series are better characterized as stationary processes that undergo transitional deterministics.     

Innovative activity of the population (case study “monitoring the socioeconomic situation of young people in Vologda oblast”)

This paper presents various approaches to the definition of the innovative activity of the population based on the results of a study performed by the Institute of Socioeconomic Development of Territories, Russian Academy of Sciences, in Vologda oblast in November 2012 by using econometric methods (probit models) for the assessment of the population’s creativity in relation to various social, demographic, and economic characteristics of respondents.     

Balance of payments accounting and exchange rate dynamics

The balance of payments is an accounting identity. Many wonder how the current and capital accounts, which add up to zero, can influence exchange rates. This paper shows how payment flows arising from balance of payments imbalances affect the demands for different currencies in the foreign exchange market over time. Based on a dynamical system approach, the paper demonstrates how international payments evolve depending on the joint dynamic behaviour of different balance of payments components. It finds that international payments and exchange rates interact in fundamentally different ways depending on whether a country restricts its capital inflows and outflows, whether capital flows are accommodating or autonomous and whether the exchange rate is fixed, flexible or, say, governed by a crawling peg. Empirical evidence from major industrial countries as well as from countries hit by currency crises support the paper's theoretical predictions.     

The post-crisis recovery and its risks and opportunities

This article considers the prospects for the development of the Russian economy in the post-crisis period. Key factors are analyzed that may affect the rate of the economic recovery. Opportunities are studied for changing the qualitative characteristics of economic development. Key objectives are formulated for the mid-term development of the Russian economy.     

Optimal Farm-to-Market Transportation and Storage of Certain Agriculture Commodities: Bogota,Colombia ∗

Decision rules for the make-buy decision most often assume the form of single-item, incremental cost rules which, for application, require decisions to be made for each item in isolation from all others. While it has been recognized that such decision rules may be non-optimal in situations where equipment capacity limits exist, the literature has not considered other cases where non-optimality arises. The purpose of this paper is to use linear programming as a framework for evaluating the optimality of single-item, incremental cost rules. The major conclusion of this paper is that the presence of any type of binding constraint in the planning problem, regardless of its origin, renders a single-item decision rule potentially non-optimal. A set of optimal screening decision rules is developed to be used in conjunction with a linear programming model for make-buy decisions in cases where such binding constraints exist.     

An Exploration of Older Men's Social Lives and Well-Being in the Context of a Coffee Group

Recreation professionals continually strive to serve a host of diverse program constituents, while leisure researchers attempt to uncover barriers to leisure participation. Much of the barriers or constraints research has come from the perspective of program participants. This study identified, from the perspectives and experiences of 18 recreation professionals, the issues and barriers that they perceive inhibit recreation program access and availability to diverse constituents, particularly ethnic minority populations. Co-cultural theory, which integrates the concepts of muted group theory and standpoint theory, was utilized as the study's theoretical framework. In-depth interviews were utilized. Five primary barriers were identified that related to the changing faces of the community, the changing faces of management and staff, deferred program responsibility, language barriers, and negative attitudes and stereotypes held by some management and staff. This article demonstrates how these barriers impact leisure participation for disenfranchised groups. The findings suggest that recreation agencies, often unwittingly or unknowingly, foster organizational barriers that inhibit the perceived program accessibility or attractiveness to ethnic minorities. Implications for research and professional practice are explored.     

The global markets of renewable energy sources and the national interests of Russia

The current state and the prospects of the use of renewable energy sources (RES) in the world, their total and technical potential and fields of application, and their advantages and disadvantages in comparison with fossil kinds of fuel are considered. Special attention is given to nonconventional RES. The reasons why Russia is lagging behind in the use of these sources are analyzed.