Exploring multiple eco-routing guidance strategies in a commuting corridor

The introduction of eco-routing systems has been suggested as a promising strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and criteria pollutants. The objective of this study is to scrutinize the impacts of an eco-routing guidance system on emissions through the use of a case study in a commuting corridor. This research aims at assessing the potential environmental benefits in terms of different pollutant emissions. Simultaneously, it addresses the extent of variations in system travel time (S_TT) that each eco-routing strategy implies. The methodology consists of three distinct phases. The first phase corresponds to the adjustment of a microsimulation platform of traffic and emissions with empirical data previously collected. Second, to volume-emission-functions (VEF), developed based on the integrated modeling structure. Final, to different scenarios of traffic flow optimization performed at the network level based on a simplified assignment procedure. The results show that if the traffic assignment is performed with the objective to minimize overall impacts, then the total system environmental damage costs can be reduced up to 9% with marginal oscillations in total S_TT. However, if drivers are advised based on their own emissions minimization, total system emissions may be higher than under the standard user equilibrium flow pattern. Specifically, environmentally friendly navigation algorithms focused on individual goals may tend to divert traffic to roads with less capacity affecting the performance of the remaining traffic. This case study brings new insights about the difficulties and potentials of implementing such systems.     

Informing or obfuscating stakeholders: Integrated reporting and the information environment

The global development of integrated reporting (IR) is underpinned by the recognition of increased complexity of businesses and stakeholder demands for information relating to financial performance, management, corporate governance, and sustainability being provided in a single, coherent document which facilitates stakeholder decision making. This paper examines the lexical properties of IR following the introduction of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) Framework. Using an international sample, we find that when adopted voluntarily, IR are lengthier, use more complex language, and contain more boilerplate statements. Our findings suggest that without regulation, firms may continue to produce long and difficult to understand reports in fear of being perceived as omitting “bad news.” This fear might be justified as we find loss of analyst following and greater analyst uncertainty when voluntarily adopted IR is concise. In the regulated setting of South Africa, however, we find IR has become more concise, and firms that produce longer and more complex documents suffer from a deterioration of their information environment. Our findings suggest that regulators and practitioners need to be cognizant of the potential for an increased volume in reporting to obfuscate the message rather than inform stakeholders.     

Negative accounting earnings and gross domestic product

Review of Accounting Studies - Konchitchki and Patatoukas Journal of Accounting and Economics 57 (1-2), 76–88, (2014a) show that aggregate accounting earnings growth predicts future nominal...     

Estimators without moments: The case of the reciprocal of a normal mean

The appropriateness of using an estimator which has no moments depends very much on the loss function. This is illustrated by an example. In this paper the properties of various estimates of the reciprocal of a normal mean are analyzed with respect to different kinds of loss functions.     

The association between training and organizational commitment among white‐collar workers in Malaysia

The exploration of the relationship between organizational commitment and training is still in its early stages. Although there have been several studies reported on training and organizational commitment in Western countries, very little has been done in respect of the local professionals in Malaysia. This research investigates the association between five training variables (availability of training, support for training, motivation to learn, training environment and perceived benefits of training), and various aspects of organizational commitment (affective commitment, normative commitment, continuance commitment and overall organizational commitment). The availability of training, support for training, motivation to learn, training environment, perceived benefits of training were all significantly correlated with affective commitment, normative commitment and overall organizational commitment. The training environment and perceived benefits were also significantly correlated with continuance commitment. However the availability of training, support for training and motivation to learn were not significantly correlated with continuance commitment. This suggests that despite other forms of commitment, Malaysian workers do not feel that they need to remain in an organization that has made available the training, given support for the training and were motivated to learn. Otherwise, results suggest that on the whole, training does seem to have an influence on organizational commitment. The practical implication of this is that managers, who are so desirous of enhancing organizational commitment among their subordinates, should pay more attention to training. Annual income was found to correlate positively with affective commitment and overall commitment. Age and tenure were not significant predictors of overall organizational commitment contradicting studies in the West. This demonstrated that Malaysians might have different attitudes towards organizational commitment. The older they are and the longer they stay within an organization do not imply that they will be committed towards their organization. This phenomenon can be attributed to the uncertain business environment in Malaysia.     

Backpackers in the Northern Territory of Australia—motives,behaviours and satisfactions

This paper reports the findings of a study of 475 backpackers in the Northern Territory of Australia. It finds that backpackers tend to visit many of the same locations as other tourists, and like those tourists, are attracted to the natural sights of the Territory. It is also found that the backpackers can be divided into various groups. For example, of this sample about one‐third had left their previous career to travel, and about 12% had just completed studies. On the other hand about one‐quarter were holidaying during periods of normal paid holiday leave. It is argued that the market is not solely comprised of ‘life change’ or rite de passage holidaymakers. Additionally, differences are found between national groupings. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fuel economy gaps within and across garages: A bivariate random parameters seemingly unrelated regression approach

The key objective of this study is to investigate the interrelationship between fuel economy gaps and to quantify the differential effects of several factors on fuel economy gaps of vehicles operated by the same garage. By using a unique fuel economy database (fueleconomy.gov), users’ self-reported fuel economy estimates and government’s fuel economy ratings are analyzed for more than 7000 garages across the United States. The empirical analysis, nonetheless, is complicated owing to the presence of important methodological concerns including potential interrelationship between vehicles within the same garage and unobserved heterogeneity. To address these concerns, bivariate seemingly unrelated fixed and random parameter models are presented. With government’s test cycle ratings tending to over-estimate the actual on-road fuel economy, a significant variation is observed in the fuel economy gaps for the two vehicles across garages. A wide variety of factors such as driving style, fuel economy calculation method, and several vehicle-specific characteristics are considered. Drivers who drive for maximum gas mileage or drives with the traffic flow have greater on-road fuel economy relative to the government’s ratings. Contrarily, volatile drivers have smaller on-road fuel economy relative to the official ratings. Compared to the previous findings, our analysis suggests that the relationship between fuel type and fuel economy gaps is complex and not unidirectional. Regarding several vehicle and manufacturer related variables, the effects do not just significantly vary in magnitude but also in the direction, underscoring the importance of accounting for within-garage correlation and unobserved heterogeneity for making reliable inferences.     

Real Estate for the Long Term: The Effect of Return Predictability on Long-Horizon Allocations

We examine how the predictability of real estate returns affects the risk of, and optimal allocations to, real estate for investors of differing investment horizons. Returns to direct real estate are mean reverting, and risk decreases with horizon. This is driven by a tendency for property transaction prices to overshoot inflation. Mean reversion in real estate returns is weaker than that of equities, resulting in real estate having similar risk to equities for long-term investors. However, optimal portfolios have large allocations to direct real estate at all horizons, and the allocation increases with horizon. Finally, we find that real estate investment trusts are a redundant asset class for investors with access to direct real estate as an asset class, but they do have a role in optimal allocations when direct property investment is not feasible.     

The evolving role of agricultural technology indicators and economic growth in rural poverty: has the ideas machine broken down?

The objective of the study is to examine the impact of technical progress in agriculture on changes in rural poverty in Pakistan by using annual data from 1975–2011. Data is analyzed by the set of sophisticated econometric techniques i.e., cointegration theory, Granger causality test and variance decomposition, etc. The results reveal that agricultural technology indicators act as an important driver to alleviate rural poverty in Pakistan. Granger causality test indicate that causality runs from technological indicators to rural poverty but not vice versa. However, agricultural irrigated land and industry value added, both does not Granger cause rural poverty, which holds neutrality hypothesis between the variables. Variance decomposition analysis shows that among all the technological indicators, agricultural machinery in form of tractors have exerts the largest contribution to changes in rural poverty in Pakistan. The study concludes that agricultural technology indicators are closely associated with economic growth and rural poverty in Pakistan. Technology in Pakistan has a low pace but still old technology continuously contributed towards poverty reduction. The question whether idea machine is broken down or not? Still need further exploration.