Oligopoly and welfare: A unified presentation with applications to trade and development

We develop a unified sequence of models to examine the determinants of price, output, profitability and concentration for different kinds of oligopolistic market. We relate various magnitudes of significance to judges of welfare and to policy makers, such as consumer surplus, profit, or added benefits of employment or trade surplus, to observable magnitudes such as the size and concentration of the market. It emerges that various appropriately formulated Herfindahl indices are useful in several of these relations. We attempt to present results in a way that is useful for empirical investigations and pay particular attention to applications in trade and development.     

Privatizing agriculture : Policy options in developing countries

This paper examines the background to, and options for, privatization of state-owned enterprises in the agricultural sector in developing countries. It identifies areas of the sector where privatization is feasible and those likely to remain under government control. It is concluded that, while there is some scope for privatization, it is unlikely to be as extensive as in other sectors since much of the production is already in private hands, there is limited capacity to pay for services and the capability of the private sector is currently low.     

FOCUS: Ethics in Need of Regulation

How much real impact on business behaviour is achieved by ethical debate and discussion? The author contends that little ethical change will come about unless it is the subject of regulation and institutions, as instanced in equal opportunities, corporate governance and the quality of financial services. Dr Clarke is a member of the Department of Sociology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX.     

Empirical economics acknowledges the cooperation of

Empirical economics acknowledges the cooperation of     

Economic Development, Social Mobilization and the Growth of Public Expenditures in Greece

A bstract . This study attempts to provide insight into those factors which affect the level and composition of public expenditures in a developing country by conceptualizing the interrelationship of economic, political, and sociological factors. Changes in governmental expenditures in post-war Greece are postulated to be a function of the underlying social and political currents as manifested through a process of social mobilization that comes to bear upon the political process and ultimately on decision-making by government. The analysis presented here indicates that on the basis of selected indicators , mounting pressure by the increasingly mobilized population has, particularly between 1958 and 1967, influenced significantly the pattern of growth and composition of public expenditures in Greece.     

EC enlargement and the Mediterranean Associates

EC enlargement has potentially serious consequences for those Mediterranean countries linked to the community by Association Agreements. The accession of Spain seems likely to result in reduced demand for imports of fruit and vegetables from outside the EC. In addition the competitiveness of Spanish produce should benefit from the removal of tariffs and other forms of protection. These events are likely to be of particular concern to those Associates planning increased exports of agricultural produce to the community.