A formal discussion of the Sarewitz-Nelson rules

In this paper, we formally discuss the Sarewitz-Nelson rules for technological fixes (SN-rules). In their original form, the SN-rules were formulated from an implicit theoretical framework such that they define a broad technology assessment heuristic. This formulation has advantages and disadvantages. In this work, we propose that it is possible to make advances in the interpretation and use of the SN-rules, if we formally consider them as a procedure for technology screening, integrated within a wider process of technology choice and policy-making. This conception helps us to assess the nature and applicability of the SN-rules in different contexts, and allows us to position them as a contribution to the economic theory of technology policy.     

An unsuccessful initiative to create a buying centre

An organization’s effectiveness depends on its ability to adapt its structures to new situations. This holds crucially true for small companies, constrained by their resources and capacities. The interest of five small local companies for setting up a united buying centre with which respond to the ever-changing market is described. Greater and better knowledge of the potential suppliers’ pool, improved purchasing prices, greater negotiating power, access to more appropriate technology and improved overall operations, all figured amongst the advantages of this initiative. However, despite the apparent importance of these advantages, the study pinpoints a number of obstacles and a range of behavioural traits amongst the members involved that would make the project unfeasible as a tool for achieving them.     

Manufacturing Skill‐biased Wage Inequality,Natural Resources and Institutions

We use an extensive dataset on occupational wages to measure the manufacturing skill premium and assess, for the first time, the influence of natural resources and institutional quality—in addition to traditional drivers—for advanced and less‐advanced countries and the full sample. The new findings, regarding 21 countries between 1988 and 2008 in the main panel estimations, suggest the premium of advanced countries rises with tertiary enrollment, net foreign direct investment (FDI) and institutional quality, and falls with centralized wage negotiations and geographically diffuse natural resource activities, mainly re‐exportation related. In less‐advanced countries, the premium rises with net FDI, scale effects, centralized wage negotiations and geographically concentrated natural resource activities (absorbing scarce skilled workers), and falls with trade, diffuse natural resource exploration (using mainly unskilled workers) and high‐technology exports, as emerging national low‐end technology industrial exporters may lower skill pay compared with foreign industrial exporters. In the full sample, the premium rises with scale effects, trade, institutional quality and concentrated natural resources, and falls with the relative skilled‐labor supply, centralized wage negotiations and diffuse natural resources. The results account for a wider diversity of situations compared with the previous studies.     

Efficiency evaluation in municipal services: an application to the street lighting service in Spain

Efficiency evaluation is very important in the municipal realm because of its impact on the people’s standard of living. However, in most cases the value of public output is hardly significant, and therefore measurement is necessarily limited to estimating technical efficiency, which is calculated using physical inputs and outputs. A major part of municipal services can be provided through different types of public management. This plurality of options lends greater relevance to the evaluation. This paper analyzes efficiency in the public street lighting service in Spanish towns, by means of DEA methodology, pursuing two objectives: to estimate the technical efficiency achieved and to discover whether differences in efficiency can be explained by the type of management, that has been chosen, whether public or private. The results of the analysis allow us to confirm that there is a significant relationship between the variables defined as inputs into the process and efficiency. However, the relationship is not very significant for the variables considered as outputs, in some cases. It was also detected that the factors defining the characteristics of the environment and the type of management, whether public or private, do not have a statistically significant impact on efficiency levels.

Do independent,female and specialist directors promote eco-innovation and eco-design in agri-food firms?

Eco-innovation and eco-design strategies are associated with firms' innovation capabilities. Moreover, they may impact on access to public subsidies and on financial performance. In this respect, the agri-food industry is especially vulnerable, because in general, this sector has less experience of technological innovation, and managers are more likely to be averse to such projects. On the other hand, the board may promote a proactive environmental approach to defend the interests of investors and other stakeholders, taking the view that these strategies reduce the environmental impact of the firm's products and its production processes and are therefore beneficial. Our study aim is to identify the profile of directors who may be favourable to eco-design and eco-innovation strategies, focusing on the traits of independence, gender diversity and environmental specialisation. The results obtained, from a dependence model based on panel data supplied by 321 agri-food companies for the period 2002–2017 (unbalanced panel data with 4878 observations), show that independent directors play a crucial role in implementing eco-innovation and eco-design projects. However, neither the diversity nor the specialisation of directors is a significant factor in this regard.     

The relationship between business characteristics and ICT deployment in the rural tourism sector. The case of Spain

The deployment of information and communication technologies (ICT) is crucial for the competitiveness of rural tourism businesses. It is therefore important to know the relation between a firm's characteristics and ICT deployment. This study makes two hierarchical segmentations to predict the behaviour of these firms when deploying the Web and e‐mail. This work determines which characteristics are related to ICT deployment. Activity and category are the two characteristics that most effectively predict a firm's behaviour, whereas location and size are less effective. These results have implications for entrepreneurial behaviour and for public agents working in rural tourism. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.