On technological change, transfer and business characteristics: Some inferences from twelve case studies emanating from the national engineering laboratory

This paper examines two vital issues associated with technology transfer; what types of firms most rapidly adopt new technologies and what types of market structures and demand conditions are most conducive to technical change? The analysis is effected via the cases of twelve firms associated with the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL) whose contribution as an innovation facilitator was seen to vary from case to case. The bulk of the cases seem to support Schmookler's (1967) view that innovation is stimulated by perceived profits. The firms in the sample were tending to operate in rivalrous supply conditions and were engaged in innovation with a view to either maintaining market share or gaining a competitive advantage.     

Role of education and extension in the adoption of technology: a study of upland rice and soybean farmers in Central-West Brazil

This paper explores reduced form determinants of the adoption of certain technologies by upland rice and soybean farmers in the Center-West region of Brazil. We merge community level data on the availability and quality of publicly provided infrastructure, principally extension, to the farm level data containing information on farmer human capital as well as land quantity and quality. By using community level measures of availability and quality of extension, we avoid problems of endogeneity of farm level measures of extension use. We find positive impacts of farmer education on the diffusion process, in accordance with other studies. We also isolate effects of the quality in regional extension investment as measured by the average experience of technical extension staff. These results indicate that investments in human capital of extension workers does have a payoff in terms of farmer adoption of improved cultivation practices.     

FHA, Racial Discrimination and Urban Mortgages

The empirical validity of two propositions regarding FHA unsubsidized single-family activity are explored at the neighborhood level in this paper. The propositions are first that FHA serves moderate-to-middle-income families, not low-income families who live in the inner city nor high-income families who live in the outer suburbs; and second that all other things being equal, black owner-occupants are more likely to have an FHA-insured mortgage than are whites
Two methods of analysis are performed: mapping and regression. First, 1974 FHA activity in the Philadelphia metropolitan area is mapped by race—black and white—and program—203(b), 221(d)(2), and 223(e)—at the census tract level. Then, the FHA activity by race and by program is regressed on 1970 neighborhood housing and population characteristics, again, using the census tract as the unit of observation. The results of the analysis provide support for both propositions. In Philadelphia in 1974, FHA is to a degree a border program differentially serving blacks.     

The role of credibility in the cyclical properties of macroeconomic policies in emerging economies

Optimal stabilization policy is countercyclical, aiming at keeping output close to its potential. However it has been traditionally argued that emerging countries are unable to adopt countercyclical monetary and fiscal policies. Here we argue that the cyclical properties of macroeconomic policies depend critically on policy credibility. We test this proposition by making use of recent panel data for eleven emerging market economies and time series data for Chile. The evidence supports that countries with higher credibility, as reflected by lower country risk levels, are able to conduct countercyclical fiscal and monetary policies. Conversely, countries with less credible policies (and, therefore, with higher country risk spreads) contribute to larger cyclical fluctuations by applying procyclical policies. For Chile we find that both monetary and fiscal policies have been largely countercyclical after 1993. JEL no. E43, E52, E62     

Sustainable Tuna – Can the Marketplace Improve Fishery Management?

Tuna is a major global seafood commodity and thus of significance to retailers in most countries, but especially in countries consuming large quantities of canned tuna such as the United Kingdom, United States and many European countries. Some key species are under heavy fishing pressure, and companies realize that without conservation oriented management their future supplies may be in jeopardy. Sustainable sourcing policies are becoming an integral part of supply chains for seafood products. Under the influence of public opinion bodies such as the media and environmental NGOs, many retailers have adopted seafood sourcing policies in the past decade. The business strategy of any particular company in seeking to support sustainable fishing can vary, but may include the pursuit of market opportunities, protection from damaging publicity and corporate social responsibility commitments. Companies that seek to involve themselves in fishery sustainability issues need to be committed to broad based partnerships with other companies and NGOs, and transparency about all aspects of their decision making, intentions and progress. The sustainable seafood movement has proven persistent and adaptable, and this is increasing the number of retailers seeking sustainable tuna. In a demand driven market economy this growth will surely be influential. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Catering education and training in France and Britain: some implications for productivity

As the recruitment and retention of trained staff assumes increasing priority in an expanding British tourism and leisure industry, and as labour costs attract increasing attention in periods of recession, the hotel and catering industry is looking more searchingly at its levels of productivity. This report compares vocational education and training practice in France, where all the evidence suggests that hotel and catering production is higher than in Britain, and compares it with the British system. It suggests that the French, by retaining intact the relative importance of craft education and training and the proportion of total financial and other resources they allocate to it, have identified the key factor in effective manpower deployment.     

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN THE ARID ZONE OF NEW SOUTH WALES

The results described challenge the generally accepted interpretation of the factors underlying the changes in sheep numbers in the arid zone of New South Wales. The extent to which long-run changes in rainfall have been ignored is highlighted. Estimates of output per man are derived, using the C.E.S. production function, which show that there has been a small positive rate of technological change. Three-quarters of such technological advance has been due to factors which affect numbers of sheep carried, the remainder due to factors affecting wool production per sheep.     

Zero Hours Contracts and Their Growth

This article studies the prevalence and nature of zero hours contracts (ZHCs) in the UK labour market. It is widely argued that the headline count of ZHC workers based on the Labour Force Survey historically underestimated the number of workers in ZHC jobs. Here, we argue that this likely continues to be the case, particularly if one considers other, similar, no-guaranteed-hours jobs alongside ZHCs. ZHC jobs and workers are heterogeneous, but ZHCs have become increasingly concentrated among young workers, full-time students, migrants, black and minority ethnic workers, in personal service and elementary occupations, and in the distribution, accommodation and restaurant sector over time. Compared to other forms of employment, median wages in ZHC jobs have also fallen. The most common prior labour market state for ZHC workers is non-ZHC employment, particularly part-time employment, with part of the reported growth in ZHCs driven by reclassification of existing employment relationships. Finally, we show that growth in public awareness of ZHCs contributed substantially to recent growth in reported ZHCs, particularly over the period 2013/14.     

Perspectives Articles: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on What Is Affordable Health Care

Health care expenditures have accounted for increasing proportions of the U.S. gross domestic product, and the rate of growth of health care expenditures has increased over the past two decades. These two measures of assessing whether the level of health care expenditures is affordable may be appropriate in the aggregate for the United States but are not appropriate to assess whether individual stakeholder groups can afford their particular level of spending on health care. Health care is an economic good that differs from other economic goods, as it involves life and death issues, and invokes a call for a moral authority. This article explores definitions of what is affordable health care from the perspective of different stakeholders and suggests that other measures are needed to assess whether or not health care is affordable for stakeholders as one definition is not appropriate for all stakeholders.     

Business Process Re-engineering in the Public Sector: a Case Study of the Contributions Agency

There has been a growing literature which, from a social science perspective, seeks to critically assess the use of business process re-engineering (BPR) in effecting radical organisational change. Using a case study of the Contributions Agency, this article reports on the problems of using BPR in a public sector organisation, and discusses the findings in relation to the current critique of BPR.