SOCIAL CONFLICT,GROWTH AND FACTOR SHARES

Standard growth theory is based on atomistic agents with no strategic interactions among them. In contrast, we model growth as resulting from a one‐off, strategic game between ‘workers’ and owners of capital (‘capitalists’) on factor shares, in an otherwise standard ‘AK’ growth model. The resulting distribution of income between factors further determines the marginal revenue product of capital and the rate of growth. We analyse the properties of four equilibria: competitive, Stackelberg equilibrium, a hybrid non‐cooperative regime and cooperative, in terms of labour shares, growth and welfare. Our model thus endogenizes key aspects of the ‘social contract’.     

A Survey of the Economic Systems of Wild Chimpanzees and Baboons

This article reviews neoclassical, environmentalist, and institutionalist perspectives on the emerging institutional adjustments commonly referred to as water trading or water marketing. Although a holistic analysis of these emerging institutional reforms would be far more comprehensive and detailed, this article seeks only to provide an institutionalist perspective that may benefit more comprehensive research. As such, analysis of new sources of water supply, of specific water conservation measures, and of attitudes regarding water are largely neglected. Water trading is merely assessed in the context of the evolving legal structure and the existing, limited water supply in the American West, particularly California. The conclusion is that water trading, if properly administered, can generally benefit involved parties without widespread social costs and without jeopardizing social control.     

Monetary policy flexibility,risk management,and financial disruptions

This paper argues that the monetary policy that is appropriate during an episode of financial market disruption is likely to be quite different than in times of normal market functioning. When financial markets experience a significant disruption, a systematic approach to risk management requires policymakers to be preemptive in responding to the macroeconomic implications of incoming financial market information, and decisive actions may be required to reduce the likelihood of an adverse feedback loop. The central bank also needs to exhibit flexibility—that is, less inertia and gradualism than would otherwise be typical—not only in moving decisively to reduce downside risks arising from a financial market disruption, but also in being prepared to take back some of that insurance in response to a recovery in financial markets or an upward shift in inflation risks.     

Markups in the Euro area and the US over the period 1981–2004: a comparison of 50 sectors

This article provides estimates of price–marginal cost ratios or mark-ups for 50 sectors in eight Euro area countries and the US over the period 1981–2004. The estimates are obtained applying the methodology developed by Roger (J Polit Econ 103:316–330, 1995) on the EU KLEMS March 2007 database. Five stylized facts are derived. First, perfect competition can be rejected for almost all sectors in all countries; markup ratios are generally larger than 1. Second, average markups are heterogeneous across countries. Third, markups are heterogeneous across sectors, with services having higher markups on average than manufacturing. Fourth, services sectors generally have higher markups in the euro area than the US, whereas the pattern for manufacturing is the reverse. Fifth, there is no evidence that there is a broad range change in markups from the 1980s to the 1990s.     

On the computation of stable sets and strictly perfect equilibria

Summary. In this paper a procedure is described that computes for a given bimatrix game all stable sets in the sense of Kohlberg and Mertens (1986). Further the procedure is refined to find the strictly perfect equilibria (if any) of such a game. Recieved: December 29, 1999; revised version: February 17, 2000     

A study of e‐retailing management: analysing the expectations and perceptions of Spanish consumers

This article analyses various elements that influence the purchasing behaviour of online consumers. These elements include the aesthetic aspects of a web site and the interactive processes that take place at the time of purchase. The study analyses the expectations and perceptions of a sample of Spanish online customers. On the basis of these attitudes, the sample of respondents is segmented. In addition, the main factors that determine online service satisfaction are identified. The segments of respondents are then positioned with respect to these identified factors in online service quality. The analysis thus allows differentiation of both customers and service quality. The paper concludes with recommendations for online retailers who wish to operate a successful ‘virtual’ retail outlet.     

New Findings on Firm Investment and Monetary Transmission in the Euro Area

In this paper we present comparative results on the determinantsof firms' investment and their link to monetary policy. Theresults have been obtained by the Eurosystem Monetary TransmissionNetwork. This network has produced a series of papers in whichthe use of micro data permits estimating and quantifying therelevance of two channels of monetary policy transmission: theinterest-rate and the broad-credit channels. The research findingsprovide evidence of an operative interest-rate channel in allcountries examined. Moreover, the results indicate that variableswhich proxy firms' financial conditions play a role. Firms characterizedby weaker balance sheets show higher liquidity sensitivity.     

Bayesian Conjoint Choice Designs for Measuring Willingness to Pay

In this paper, we propose a new criterion for selecting efficient conjoint choice designs when the interest is in quantifying willingness to pay (WTP). The new criterion, which we call the WTP-optimality criterion, is based on the c-optimality criterion which is often used in the optimal experimental design literature. We use a simulation study to evaluate the designs generated using the WTP-optimality criterion and discuss the design of a real-life conjoint experiment from the literature. The results show that the new criterion leads to designs that yield more precise estimates of the WTP than Bayesian D-optimal conjoint choice designs, which are increasingly being seen as the state-of-the-art designs for conjoint choice studies, and to a substantial reduction in the occurrence of unrealistically high WTP estimates.