Interdependent welfare functions and optimal income distribution

The relationship between income distribution and social welfare is empirically analyzed, while explicitly allowing for the interdependence of individual welfare functions. The social welfare function is taken to be an additive function of individual welfare functions of income (WFIs). On the basis of Dutch data it is found that under certain conditions (such as absence of effects of income redistribution on productivity) an equal distribution of incomes is suboptimal. The interdependence of WFIs appears to have a pronounced effect on policy conclusions concerning the desirability of income redistribution vis-à-vis economic growth.     

Empirical comparison of the shape of welfare functions

This study compares the fit of the lognormal welfare function proposed by Van Praag (1968) with the fit of 12 other functions. The comparison uses a sample of about 14;000 respondents. The lognormal function outperforms 11 alternatives in terms of the residual variance criterion, while the logarithm performs slightly better.     

The dynamics of preference formation

Individual's preferences are explained on the basis of two types of influences, his own past consumption and the consumption of others which is directly observable by him. These effects are estimated using the “individual welfare function” approach of Van Praag, and a model of preferences formation.     

Efficiency Gains in Rank‐ordered Multinomial Logit Models

This paper considers estimation of discrete choice models when agents report their ranking of the alternatives (or some of them) rather than just the utility maximizing alternative. We investigate the parametric conditional rank‐ordered Logit model. We show that conditions for identification do not change even if we observe ranking. Moreover, we fill a gap in the literature and show analytically and by Monte Carlo simulations that efficiency increases as we use additional information on the ranking.     

Eigenstructure,multiplier and game characterizations of administrative personnel requirements and activities

A time-and-cost accounting characterization of the structure of administrative personnel in an organization (industry) is used to relate the primary input of a Leontief economy to models of attenuation, promotion and recruitment of staff. A multiplier analysis is then utilized to obtain direct and indirect administrative load requirements. The effects of variation in wages and pattern of administrative activities on the size of the administrative component are discussed in the context of a matrix game formulation.     

Workers' committees in the Israeli labour relations system: an appraisal

In recent years the workers' committees—the lowest level of trade union organization—in manufacturing industry in Israel have shown increasing disregard for their central body, the Histadrut. So far the Histadrut's attempts to stem this alienation have been unsuccessful.     

SURVEY OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Managing the Indonesian economy in 2015 has proved challenging for the administration of Joko Widodo (Jokowi). In a first quarter plagued by external adversity—especially a sharp drop in exports to China—coupled with internal political paralysis and the delayed disbursement of fiscal spending, the economy recorded its lowest rate of growth since 2009. Observing relatively stable inflation, Bank Indonesia (BI), the central bank, eased its policy rate in February by 25 basis points, to 7.5%. The bank also adjusted its macroprudential measures to counter declining bank lending. On the fiscal side, the expected stimulus from fuel-subsidy reallocation and aggressive public-capital spending did not arrive. Meanwhile, tax revenue made slow progress towards its ambitious target, which it seems unlikely to attain.

Increases in supply costs made it difficult for the government to align domestic fuel prices more closely to the market. Major commodity exports fell significantly, but some manufactured exports showed hints of an upturn. The depreciation of the rupiah, the global strategies of leading investors, and the introduction of taxexemption policies that have been tested in neighbouring countries may have contributed to this trend. To further broaden the base of export diversification, the priorities should be to reduce business costs and enhance competition rather than enforce mandatory regulations. Jokowi has stressed that his focus on maritime development, part of a broader development strategy, includes reducing logistics costs.

The second quarter of 2015 saw the start of several projects in Jokowi's flagship ‘sea toll’ program to improve maritime connectivity. There is a concern, however, that the predominance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in strategic port operations will continue to limit competition and reduce efficiency. Jokowi's development strategy also focuses on reducing inequality. His government has implemented several distribution and redistribution policies, including the national social-security system initiated by the previous administration. The system suffered financially in its first year from low participation among those in the informal sector.     

The dynamics of preference formation

A model is developed and estimated which explains the formation of individual preferences on consumption under the influence of contacts with others (preference interdependence) and own consumption over time habit formation). The model employs a cardinal utility function which can be measured independently of behavioral assumptions. Since preference interdependence has been analyzed earlier, the paper concentrates on habit formation, the preference interdependence component being imputed from an earlier study. Due to data restrictions and measurement error, special econometric provisions must be made. Preference interdependence appears to explain two thirds of individual preferences and habit formation one third.     

An improvement of the supply analysis of the farming industry: The value added approach

It is a very well-known fact that there is a tremendous differentiation process going on in the production of food and fiber. Our first topic is that the consequences for the supply analysis of the farming industry, however, are not noted. This of course can lead to serious errors in the estimation of supply elasticities of farming industry. It is very well-known that the contribution of a sector to the national income is the net value added. Thus the economic product that originated in this sector is the quantity component of net value added, which can be called net product. The prices which determine the production of this sector are the price component of net value added and the prices of the factors of production in agriculture. What the relationship is between production and prices is the second topic of our paper. The estimation is the third topic in which we propose rather simple solutions for some problems. These problems, as e.g. tautological specification, were also present in the traditional analysis, but were not treated properly. The results of the traditional method are very different from those of our new approach.     

The changing rationale for governance choices: Early vs. late adopters of global services sourcing

Research Summary: This article studies how the logic of firm governance choices varies as a function of the time of adoption of particular sourcing practices. Using data on the diffusion of global business services sourcing as a management practice from early experiments in the 1980s through 2011, we show that the extent to which governance choices are affected by process commoditization, availability of external service capabilities, and past governance choices depends on whether firms are early or late adopters. Findings inform research on governance choice dynamics specifically in highly diverse and evolving firm populations. Managerial Summary: This article considers how firms have chosen delivery models in global services sourcing decisions over time. Based on comprehensive data, we make two major observations. First, we find that firms that began with global services sourcing early, invested mainly in their internal sourcing capacity, while outsourcing only simple tasks to external providers, whereas firms that started later invested more in their capability to outsource various services to increasingly sophisticated suppliers. Second, we find that initial investments in internal or external sourcing capabilities have a strong effect on future choices of delivery models. This explains why, even today, firms vary greatly in how they implement global sourcing decisions, and it suggests that newcomers should learn from their own peer group rather than from highly experienced firms.