Structure and Location of Innovative Activity in the Italian Economy, 1981–85

An ‘innovative activity matrix’ is established from a recent ISTAT/CNR survey of innovation. After specifying the particularities of an innovative activity matrix in comparison with other flow matrices, we show that it is asymmetrical and clustered in parts of economic space. The structure of the innovative activity matrix is similar to that of the domestic and import requirement but not the capital flow matrix. Strong correlations indicate the following: that input–output analysis is useful for identifying the location of innovative activities in economic space; that it can be analyzed in an economically meaningful way; that its location is structured; and that, furthermore, it is structured in ways which are statistically related to economic activity. The paper ends with suggestions for the examination of possible causal relationships.     

A Comparison of Ex Post and Ex Ante Measures of Producers' Surplus in Estimating the Returns to Canadian Federal Sheep Research

The returns to Canadian federal sheep research expenditures between 1968 and 1984 are estimated using the economic surplus approach. Ex post and ex ante measures of the change in producers' surplus are compared. Regression analysis is used to estimate the lag structure of the effects of research on the national supply function, facilitating the estimation of returns on average and at the margin. The effect of the excess burden of tax collection on returns to sheep research is investigated. The internal rate of return to sheep research has been about 25% at the margin exclusive of the effects of the excess burden. This rate of return falls to 20% when the costs of an excess burden of 20 cents on the dollar is assumed. Nous calculons le rendement estimatif des défenses consacrées à la recherche sur le mouton par le gouvernement du Canada entre 1968 et 1984 à ?aide ?une méthode fondée sur les surplus économiques. Nous comparons les mesures objectives (ex post) et subjectives (ex ante) des changements survenus au chapitre des excédents à la production. ?analyse de régression nous permet ?estimer la structure de retard des effets de la recherche sur la fonction de ?approvisionnement national, ce qui facilite ?évaluation du rendement moyen et du rendement à la marge. Nous examinons également les effets du fardeau excessif de ?impôt sur le rendement de la recherche sur le mouton. Le taux interne de rendement de la recherche portant sur le mouton a été évalué à environ 25% à la marge, en excluant les effets du fardeau excessif. Ce taux de rendement est abaissé à 20 % lorsqu'on tient compte ?un coût présumé du fardeau excessif de 20 cents par dollar.     

Sample selection bias with multiple selection rules: An application to student aid grants

This paper extends the sample selection bias correction procedure, developed by James J. Heckman, to the case of multiple selection rules. Estimators are presented for independent selection rules and a consistent estimator for the variance-covariance matrix is derived. The methodology is applied to the problem of estimating the financial aid available to U.S. highschool students for college education. In order to be observed in receipt of financial aid, a student has to be both enrolled in college and to have had an expected value of aid in excess of the costs of applying. Both of these sources of selection bias were found to be important.     

Switching to the policy mode: Incentives by the OECD jobs study to change our mindset

I would like to thank Simon Kuipers and Joan Muysken for their critical comments on an earlier draft of the article.     

The Chicago School Lessons from the Thirties for the Eighties

The influential Chicago School of Professors Milton Friedman, George Stigler, Ronald Coase, Gary Becker and others largely grew out of the work of Henry Simons in the 1930s. Chris Tame, Secretary of the Libertarian Alliance and a graduate in American Studies, examines the origins of Chicago economics and shows their importance for the 1980s.     

Regional Economic Impacts of Traffic Regulation on Tourism: The Case of Denmark

The paper presents an interregional computable general equilibrium model, LINE, which is used to analyze the regional economic effects of changes in road pricing as they affect and work though the Danish tourism sector. These effects include changes in demand, income and employment by region. The form of road pricing examined in the paper is tolls across a major fixed link. The consequences of changes in these substantial tolls are examined using the modeling framework. The basic modeling approach in LINE is presented, including its tourism sub-model, and empirical results for Denmark are examined.