The linear dynamic lot size problem with minimum order quantity

This paper continues the analysis of a special uncapacitated single item lot sizing problem where a minimum order quantity restriction, instead of the setup cost, guarantees a certain level of production lots. A detailed analysis of the model and an investigation of the particularities of the cumulative demand structure allow us to develop a solution algorithm based on the concept of atomic sub-problems. We present an optimal solution to an atomic sub-problem in an explicit form and prove that it serves as a construction block for the optimal solution of the original problem. Computational tests and a comparison with a published algorithm confirm the efficiency of the solution algorithm developed here.     

The Urbanization of Nature in a (Post)Socialist Metropolis: An Urban Political Ecology of Allotment Gardening

In this article we explore how nature becomes part of the city through the example of allotment gardening in the city of Prague, in the Czech Republic. Prague allotments were established based on an ongoing political-ecological process of urbanization of nature that was locally driven by socialist (from 1948 to 1989) and later neoliberal governance. We employ a situated urban political ecology (UPE) approach to analyse changes in the planning of allotments and the impact thereof on the experience of gardeners. This double focus allows us to uncover the effects of neoliberalization on the processes of production of urban nature in respect of both policy and everyday practice. We contrast contemporary capitalist urbanization with its socialist predecessor by showing the immediate effects of the acceptance of neoliberal modes of governance on allotments, urban nature and the understanding of the city. We open allotments as a terrain for UPE to turn attention to the (uneven) production of urban nature in a post-socialist context that has thus far been largely absent from the UPE literature. We demonstrate that post-socialist urbanization is a fruitful terrain that offers new opportunities to unmask the effects of neoliberalization on the production of uneven urban space and thus improves our understanding of contemporary uneven urbanisms.     

E-Marketing communications of trophy hunting providers in Namibia: evidence of ethics and fairness in an apparently unethical and unfair industry?

This paper investigates how the e-marketing communication of trophy hunting operators in Namibia may affect and reinforce the overall tainted image of this controversial industry. The online marketing efforts of 100 Namibian safari providers were examined. Two main results were discerned: (1) the majority of communication does not take into account the negative image of the industry, choosing instead to focus primarily on the hedonic values of the customer (i.e. hunters) and (2) evidence was found of concern for ethics, sustainability and fairness, but often these messages were implicit rather than explicit. Suggestions for improvement in e-marketing are provided.     

Purchase behavior in favor of domestic products in the West Balkans

Despite the long tradition of research on country-of-origin and consumer ethnocentrism, many of the issues remain unresolved in the literature, most notably the relationship between cognitive, affective and normative mechanisms in consumer choice behavior, and generalizability of existing research findings to non-traditional emerging and/or small country markets. This study responds to the current gaps in knowledge in that it examines behavioral manifestations of consumers’ choice of domestic vs. foreign products in four transitioning post-war markets in the West Balkans. Data were collected via personal interviews with 1954 adult urban consumers. The model of domestic purchase behavior was tested using SEM analysis. The results for all four country samples indicate that consumer ethnocentrism has affected domestic purchase behavior both directly and indirectly through domestic product appraisal. Moreover, we found consumer worldliness, a controversial construct in previous studies, to be uniformly negatively related to ethnocentrism. On the other hand, the findings related to the role of national identification as an antecedent to consumer ethnocentrism and domestic product appraisal were inconsistent across the samples. The implications of these findings for the validity and generalizability of existing models of consumer behavior in a new cultural context are considered, and implications for marketers interested in exploiting opportunities in the region are discussed.     

Is Hard Brexit Detrimental to EU Integration? Theory and Evidence

Open Economies Review - In the struggle between the forces of free trade and the restrictive influence of insularism the latter recently seems to have the upper hand. This is illustrated by the...     

A nonparametric analysis of the determinants of family farm efficiency dynamics in Lithuania

This article presents insights into the efficiency of Lithuanian family farms. The research covers the years 2004–2009 and is based on farm‐level Farm Accountancy Data Network data. Bootstrapped data envelopment analysis was employed to obtain efficiency scores, whereas stochastic kernels and multivariate methods, viz. fuzzy clustering and nonparametric regression, were utilized to assess the impact of selected determinants on efficiency. Clustering analysis indicated that the efficiency change paths specific for the analyzed sample differed in both their average levels and ranges. Furthermore, it was concluded that Lithuanian agricultural policy should focus on increasing the efficiency of crop farms. Cluster analysis suggested that production subsidies might be having a negative effect on efficiency.     

Putting skills to work: learning and employment at the start of the century

Skills are central to employment, yet they are often poorly understood in theory and underdeveloped in practice. The articles in this issue of HRMJ were originally presented at an ESRC‐funded seminar in Manchester in 2001 and show how working practices, control systems and regulation can have an impact on skills. This article introduces the special issue by considering the interrelationship between the individual expertise, job design and discretion that constitute skill. Drawing on data from the 2001 Skills Survery, it notes that developments in these areas are not necessarily compatible with one another, and reviews the implications for policymakers and practitioners.