Anmerkungen zur Logik, Mystik und Heroik in der so genannten Saarbrücker Formel für die Bewertung des Humankapitals

Die Bewertung des Humankapitals von Unternehmen ist ein Thema, das die Betriebswirtschaftslehre seit langem besch?ftigt und das in jüngster Zeit vor allem im Zusammenhang mit einer wachsenden Zahl von Unternehmensk?ufen an Aktualit?t gewonnen hat. Es ist das Verdienst von Christian Scholz, Volker Stein und Roman Bechtel, mit der „Saarbrücker Formel“ die Diskussion um die Ermittlung des Humankapitalwerts belebt zu haben. Ihre Formel ist Gegenstand kritischer Würdigung in vorliegendem Beitrag. Nach einer knappen Darstellung wird auf einige ihrer Schw?chen eingegangen und es werden M?glichkeiten der überwindung aufgezeigt. Als Ergebnis kann festgehalten werden, dass die „Saarbrücker Formel“ einer grundlegenden Neugestaltung bedarf.     

Deregulation with consensus

We analyze the problem of eliminating an inefficient regulation, such as protection, in a dynamic model in which there is incomplete information and unanimous approval from all parties involved is necessary. Existing firms have heterogeneous cost, and efficiency requires some of them to shut down when the inefficient regulation is eliminated. The government can set up a revelation mechanism, giving subsidies and requiring firms to exit the market at a given time depending on the information collected. Under full commitment the optimal policy prescribes that some inefficient firms remain active and are subsidized. The optimal policy takes a simple form, with at most two times at which the firms are allowed to exit. We are very grateful to Matt Mitchell whose comments substantially improved the paper.     

Unlocking the rural tourism potential of the Limpopo province of South Africa: Some strategic guidelines

Inadequate economic restructuring and a decline in agricultural production in South Africa have reduced the economic opportunities of rural communities. They have limited the economic development options of rural areas, rendering older development strategies less viable and forcing many to look for alternative methods to help them survive and prosper. Rural tourism and its associated businesses have emerged among the most popular non-traditional options for rural development, because of their ability to generate income and jobs. This study examines national and international strategies for developing tourism, and investigates the opinions of participants in the tourism industry of the Limpopo province, with a view to identifying the key strategic issues that can ensure the success of rural tourism. The research consisted of a literature study, field surveys, and interviews with policy-makers and administrators, tourism operators, academics and tourists. The results identify rural tourism as a viable development tool for Limpopo province. Six strategic issues were identified as fundamental for its success. It is believed that these guidelines could also be applied to other rural provinces, thus creating a generic strategy for developing rural tourism.     

Potential Economic Effects of TTIP for the Netherlands

The transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) is a comprehensive preferential trade agreement that is expected to significantly increase EU–US bilateral trade and investments. Negotiations are ongoing, so we use a scenario analysis to estimate the potential effects of TTIP under likely negotiated outcomes. In our main scenario, we assume a final trade deal where current tariffs are eliminated and non-tariff barriers are significantly reduced. We simulate the potential economic effects of TTIP using a CGE model. We find that US-Dutch bilateral trade doubles and this is translated into a positive but moderate effect on Dutch income of 1.7%.     

Dynamic Multi‐Activity Contests*

We develop a model of dynamic multi‐activity contests. Players simultaneously choose efforts in long‐run activities, observe each other's efforts in these activities, and then simultaneously choose efforts in short‐run activities. A player's long‐run and short‐run efforts complement each other in determining the player's probability of winning. We compare the outcomes of this two‐stage model to those of the corresponding model in which players choose efforts in all activities simultaneously. Interestingly, effort expenditures are always lower in the sequential multi‐activity contest than in the simultaneous multi‐activity contest. The implications of this result for the organization of military, litigation, innovation, academic, and sporting contests are highlighted.     

EU-GCC free trade agreement: Adjustments in a factors proportion model for the UAE

The EU-GCC Free Trade Agreement would likely cause price changes across industries with subsequent effect on output and factor price adjustments. With higher levels of trade, the rising income will be redistributed among winner and loser industries and factors of production. This paper simulates the magnitude of these adjustments with a factors proportion model of production and trade for six different labor categories and capital in four sectors of the UAE economy. Results show a large impact on sector specific factors but for mobile factors, the shocks would be smaller suggesting a policy to increase factor mobility in the UAE.     

‘A shelter is not a home’: Voices of homeless women in the City of Tshwane

ABSTRACT

In response to a request from the City of Tshwane that homelessness in the city be explored, a research team was established in 2014. The research was divided into four pillars: conceptual/theoretical perspectives of homelessness; narratives and experiences of homeless and former homeless people, particularly women; documentation of current practices to curb homelessness in the city; and policies that address homelessness in City of Tshwane. This article focuses on the second pillar. Individual interviews and one focus group interview with eight women were conducted. The results revealed four storylines: a shelter was halfway home; shelters had restrictive and protective regulations; reconnection programmes with families were required; and hope – as a matter of survival. Improving people’s economic status (not providing shelters) was the permanent solution to homelessness. Emphasis was on women’s right to equal status in housing issues which are guided by well-founded policies that are women friendly.