Dynamic comparative advantage and the welfare effects of trade

Developing economies may face a trade-off between specializingaccording to existing comparative advantage (in low-technologygoods), and entering sectors in which they currently lack acomparative advantage, but may acquire such an advantage inthe future as a result of the potential for productivity growth(in high-technology goods). Comparative advantage is endogenouslydetermined by past technological change, while simultaneouslyshaping current rates of innovation. Hence, specialization accordingto current comparative advantage under free trade may be welfarereducing. Selective intervention may be welfare improving, bothfor the economy undertaking it, and for its trade partner.     

Who Loses HOPE? Attrition from Georgia's College Scholarship Program

Georgia's lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship program provides free tuition to in-state students who can maintain a B average at state universities. However, roughly half of HOPE Scholars lose their support after their freshman year. This study employs student-level administrative data to identify the observed characteristics that systematically relate to scholarship attrition. Conditional on measures of student ability, there are not statistically significant differences between white, black, and Hispanic students. However, there are dramatic differences across academic disciplines. Students majoring in science, engineering, and computing are 21 to 51 percent more likely to lose their HOPE Scholarships than students in other disciplines.     

Determinants of racial differentials in allowance rates for social security disability benefits

Conclusion The results of these models suggest that there may be discrimination in the award process.We find that the award rate for black applicants is relatively lower than that of white applicants with similar characteristics. A significant race and sex effect remains in the variation of the award rate after all eligibility-related factors and other factors have been controlled for.The second model is more interesting, in that the race and sex effects are significant even after looking only at eligible applicants.However, we do not know how much of these effects are caused by our imputation of the eligibility criterion from the survey data instead of the explicit criterion from the program data.     

Static and Dynamic Externalities,Industry Composition,and State Labor Productivity: A Panel Study of States

Endogenous growth models have reignited interest in regional economic growth. Recent regional growth studies focus on dynamic externalities related to localization and urbanization economies. Yet, these studies typically attempt to observe externality-induced productivity effects indirectly through examination of employment growth. Also, issues of regional differences in concentrations of nationally productive industries and distinguishing between static and dynamic externalities have received little attention. This study directly relates measures of externalities to productivity differences, decomposing them into those due to differences in industry composition and those due to average productivity differences in each industry. A two-step procedure is used to distinguish static from dynamic externalities.     

A multivariate analysis of DISC election decision

Conclusion This study found that the decision by management to establish a DISC unit may not be satisfactorily identified by the examination of the financial data on either anex ante orex post basis. However, examination of the responses to the questionnaires indicate differences in the perceptions of the management of the two groups are significantly different on a multivariate basis.A possible implication of this research effort is that the use of published financial data alone cannot adequately explain decisions made by management. Indeed, unless management's expectations are realized, use of published data alone may result in unwarranted conclusions.