Endogenous entry in contests

We report the results of laboratory experiments on rent-seeking contests with endogenous participation. Theory predicts that (a) contest entry and rent-seeking expenditures increase with the size of the prize and (b) earnings are equalized between the contest and the outside option. While the directional predictions offered in (a) are supported in the data, the level predictions are not. Prediction (b) is not supported in the data: when the prize is large, contest participants earn more than the outside option. When the prize is small, contest participants earn less. Previous studies of gender and contest competition suggest that females should (a) not perform as well in the contest; and (b) enter at a lower rate. We find some support for (a) but not for (b). Women participate in the contest at the same rate as men.     

The potential of smart homes for injury prevention among the elderly

Smart homes promise to make the lives of elderly people more comfortable and safe. Today, there is a significant interest from industry and policy makers in developing these technologies. In theory, the emerging technologies make it possible to provide a new range of services. So far, however, the goal has often been to develop new services for young people rather than assisting old people to improve their quality of life. Especially important is the potential for using these technologies to promote safety and prevent injury among old people because this group is at home more than the other age groups. Networked devices can collect data from sensors and aid decision-making on intervention and other measures. Furthermore, these devices can instruct and remind individuals about safety-related issues.     

Note on ‘Loss of monetary discretion in a simple dynamic policy game’

Jensen (1994a) finds that loss of monetary discretion leads to lower welfare. However, by extending his model we show that if real base money holdings are relatively low, as is likely to be the case for modern economics, a zero-inflation rule may well be preferable to monetary discretion. If the emphasis on achieving the output and public spending targets falls, a zero-inflation rule is more likely to be preferred. The increased support for binding policy rules thus conforms with a less tolerant attitude towards inflation.     

Economic Organization, Innovation Systems, and the Internet

How can public policy best promote successful innovation inthe Internet sector? This paper creates a typology of differenttypes of Internet software firms. Institutions associated withthe ‘Silicon Valley Model’ are a strong driver ofsuccess for some key Internet technologies. However, patternsof human-resource development and knowledge management varywidely across Internet technologies, necessitating the developmentof very different commitments between managers and employees.Institutional frameworks associated with ‘organized’economies, such as Germany or Japan, might provide superiortool-kits to help some types of Internet firms to innovate.Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the creation of institutionalincentives is not the only way to promote patterns of technologicallyintense innovation associated with Silicon Valley. Technologicalstrategies of dominant firms are often equally important. Regardlessof institutional environment, the development of entrepreneurialsoftware firms can be strongly influenced by the activitiesof large firms working within core network telecommunicationtechnologies.     

National and international spillovers from R&D: Comparing a neoclassical and an endogenous growth approach

National and International Spillovers from R&;D: Comparing a Neoclassical and an Endogenous Growth Approach.— Two models where productivity growth is caused by spillovers from R&;D are analyzed using a sample of nine manufacturing industries in six large OECD countries between 1979 and 1991. The first model is based on traditional productivity analysis, the second model on the endogenous growth theory. The empirical results indicate stronger support for the latter. The results suggest that spillovers from R&;D exist within industries, both nationally and internationally, confined to industries that are relatively R&;D-intensive. There is, however, little evidence of spillovers between industries. Finally, FDIs seem to facilitate the diffusion of R&;D results, but the authors do not find any effect on growth from R&;D embodied in intermediate products. JEL no. O32, O40     

Unternehmenskultur und Unternehmenserfolg: Stand der empirischen Forschung und Konsequenzen für die Entwicklung eines Messkonzeptes

Within the scope of a meta-analysis of empirical studies we will point out the State-of-the-Art of the research on the relationship of company’s culture and success. Apart from the analysis of this relationships the emphasis of this article is on a review of the measurement of company’s culture and success, as it was shown up in the regarded studies. Building up here a measuring concept is developed for both factors, which can be esteemed as the starting point for further studies to estimate thus the influence of the company’s culture on company’s success.     

Reducing Tariffs According to WTO Accession Rules: The Case of Vietnam

When Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007 it was granted an accession period up to 2014. During this period tariffs would have to fall according to the accession agreement. This paper evaluates this 2007–2014 trade liberalization by building an applied general equilibrium model and calibrating it to the Vietnamese data. The model pays careful attention to the fact that Vietnam has many state‐owned enterprises. The model simulations show that the WTO tariff reductions will reduce overall welfare. Moreover, the biggest loss will take place among the poor rural households in Vietnam. This paper proposes other tariff reforms that will both raise overall welfare and reduce income inequality.