The impact of agricultural innovation system interventions on rural livelihoods in Malawi

This study, conducted in central Malawi, assessed the way a research intervention using an agricultural innovation system affected rural livelihoods. Propensity score matching was used to establish one village as a control, against which the impact of the intervention on two study villages [0]could be measured. Using the Enabling Rural Innovation intervention as a case study, it was established that rural livelihood outcomes pertaining to crop and livestock production, household income, asset ownership and fertiliser use were significantly improved by this intervention. In-depth analysis, however, demonstrated that although the participating households had more robust livelihoods during the intervention, when the research programme was phased out the effect was reduced. The authors recommend that local agricultural extension officers should receive more capacity building and budgetary support to ensure proper understanding of agricultural innovation systems concepts and correct application so as to sustain their positive effects.     

Illegal Downloading, Ethical Concern, and Illegal Behavior

Illegally downloading music through peer-to-peer networks has persisted in spite of legal action to deter the behavior. This study examines the individual characteristics of downloaders which could explain why they are not dissuaded by messages that downloading is illegal. We compared downloaders to non-downloaders and examined whether downloaders were characterized by less ethical concern, engagement in illegal behavior, and a propensity toward stealing a CD from a music store under varying levels of risk. We also examined whether downloading or individual characteristics of downloaders were similar for men and women. Findings revealed downloading was prevalent (74.5% of the student sample downloaded), men and women were equally likely to download and the factors characterizing downloading were similar for men and women. The comparison between downloaders and non-downloaders revealed downloaders were less concerned with the law, demonstrated by less ethical concern and engagement in other illegal behaviors. Downloaders were also more likely to indicate that they would steal a CD when there was no risk of being caught. Given these results, messages regarding illegality are unlikely to perturb downloaders and alternative recommendations are offered for targeting illegal downloading.     

An empirical assessment of IT project selection and evaluation methods in state government

This study uses a survey of U.S. state government information technology (IT) project management practitioners to investigate the utilization of IT project selection and evaluation methodologies—financial and qualitative—and to assess the empirical relationship between the chosen methods and several measures of perceived project success. The analysis presents evidence that financial project selection and evaluation methodologies appear to be important in obtaining better control over project costs.     

Introduction to expert systems and potential ammonia plant applications

A conceptual approach for applying expert systems to ammonia plants, on an off-line basis, is discussed. These systems can be used for plant problem diagnostics, operator training, safety studies, and risk analysis.     

Endogenous Cycles and Menu Costs: A Dynamic Macroeconomic Model of Monopoly

We present a dynamic model of price setting in which price adjustments are costly for the monopolist. The general price level changes endogenously due to welfare changes. For the resulting two‐dimensional dynamical system the existence of a continuum of stationary points is proven. Furthermore, simulations show that endogenous cycles of output can occur.     

CALCULATING ENERGY-RELATED CO2 EMISSIONS EMBODIED IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE USING A GLOBAL INPUT–OUTPUT MODEL

The Global Resource Accounting Model (GRAM) is an environmentally-extended multi-regional input–output model, covering 48 sectors in 53 countries and two regions. Next to CO₂ emissions, GRAM also includes different resource categories. Using GRAM, we are able to estimate the amount of carbon emissions embodied in international trade for each year between 1995 and 2005. These results include all origins and destinations of emissions, so that emissions can be allocated to countries consuming the products that embody these emissions. Net-CO₂ imports of OECD countries increased by 80% between 1995 and 2005. These findings become particularly relevant, as the externalisation of environmental burden through international trade might be an effective strategy for industrialised countries to maintain high environmental quality within their own borders, while externalising the negative environmental consequences of their consumption processes to other parts of the world. This paper focuses on the methodological aspects and data requirements of the model, and shows results for selected countries and aggregated regions.     

Peace and Economic Interdependence in the Middle East

Can economic interdependence pacify the Middle East? While Middle Eastern countries have, for the most part, avoided the global trend of regionalism, this study provides empirical evidence that Middle Eastern countries with significant trade ties to other countries in the region do cooperate more and fight less. In addition to confirming the liberal notion of peace through trade, this study shows that several conditions outlined by the selectorate theory of political survival must be fulfilled if economic interdependence in the Middle East is to be achieved. A case study outlining Israeli and Turkish economic cooperation is used to show the selectorate model's regional compatibility. The regional applicability of the selectorate theory leads us to conclude that politically liberal countries are more likely to maintain economic relations with one another than with autocratic ones. Since liberal countries will be more economically interdependent with one another they will also be more peaceful towards one another. Ultimately, then, this study concludes that political liberalisation is one way of enhancing regional economic interdependence and consequently the prospects for a more peaceful Middle East.     

'Tying the manager's hands': constraining opportunistic managerial intervention

We discuss and examine empirically a firm-level equivalent ofthe ancient problem of ‘tying the King's hands’,namely how to avoid managerial intervention that is undertakento reap private benefits but is harmful to overall value creation,that is, ‘managerial opportunism’. The link frommanagerial intervention to firm-level value-creation is moderatedby employee motivation. Thus, intervention in the form of managersoverruling employees or reneging on delegation may demotivateemployees, particularly when the intervention is perceived asbeing unfair, undertaken for personal gain, etc. We argue thata number of mechanisms, such as managers staking their personalreputation, employees controlling important assets, strong tradeunions, etc. may function as constraints on managerial proclivitiesto intervene, thus reducing the problem of managerial opportunism.We derive four hypotheses from these ideas, and test them, usingpath-analysis, on a rich dataset, based on 329 firms in theSpanish food and electric/electronic industries.