The size of trading blocs Market power and world welfare effects

We construct an n-country n-commodity trade model to analyze the implications of bloc size for (Nash) equilibrium tariffs and welfare. The relationship between the absolute size of (symmetric) trading blocs and their market power is ambiguous, and we illustrate how this relationship varies with model parameters. In contrast, sufficiently large increases in the relative size of a bloc enhance its relative market power and cause the welfare of its country members to rise above the free trade level. We establish the existence of an optimal bloc size, and study the dependence of optimal size on the parameters of the model.     

How do tourists respond to meta-stereotypes? Understanding their willingness to interact,self-presentation and the role of power

Research into the stereotypes of tourists by locals and the impacts of these stereotypes on local behaviors is well established. However, how tourists respond to these stereotypes remains underdeveloped. This research offers a thorough understanding of the effects of meta-stereotypes on tourists by revealing whether being stereotyped affects tourist intentions to interact with locals and their self-presentation during these interactions. Two scenario-based experiments and a follow-up survey were conducted. Study 1 demonstrates that meta-stereotypes influence in different ways the willingness of tourists to interact with locals and how they present themselves to locals. Study 2 reveals that these effects are significantly moderated by the degree to which tourists hold power, with powerful tourists being more likely to behave in line with meta-stereotypes. Study 3 draws consistent conclusions with Study 1 and 2 in surveying 313 Mainland Chinese tourists. This research offers insights into tourist responses to meta-stereotypes and has implications for organizations seeking to enhance tourist-host relations.     

The Determinants of China's Minimum Wage Rates

We use a highly disaggregated panel of macro data and minimum wages at the county level to investigate the processes behind minimum wage adjustments in China. Relying on random effects models, spatial econometrics techniques, and multilevel analyses, we document that a comparatively small number of economic variables – including the local price level and GDP per capita – are important determinants of minimum wage rates. Interactions between adjacent counties and counties of the same administrative type, and centralized mechanisms, particularly at the provincial level, also play an important role in explaining the variance in minimum wage rates across counties. Finally, we show that China's provinces are the key players for setting minimum wage rates and that, when they do so, they are not uniform in the way they weigh different economic variables.     

Governing the transformation towards ‘nature-inclusive’ agriculture: insights from the Netherlands

It is becoming increasingly difficult to combine nature conservation by farmers with intensive and large-scale farming. The Dutch government recently adopted the new policy concept of ‘nature-inclusive’ farming, which aims at promoting more sustainable agricultural practices that minimizes negative ecological impacts, maximizes positive ones and at the same time benefits from natural processes. A transformation towards ‘nature-inclusive’ farming faces three key governance challenges that are elaborated upon in this paper. First, agri-environment schemes and other conservation arrangements need to become more effective. At the same time, nature conservation should be mainstreamed in agricultural policies and in agri-food chains. Second, we need shared meanings about nature-inclusive farming. Third, other forms of knowledge production for nature-inclusive farming are required that focus more on farmers’ knowledge needs.     

Hosts and guests’ social representations of nudism: A mutual gaze approach

Based on the mutual gaze concept and social representations theory, this study explored locals and nudists’ perceptions of social nudity and each other. Interviews with locals and nudists at a beach destination in Mexico revealed that both groups’ representations of naturism’s ideals, practices and benefits differ considerably. While nudists conceive nudism as a way of life, locals see it as a practice that outside the nudist space is morally unacceptable. Locals’ acceptance of nudists is largely conditioned by their economic significance, and residents have been active subjects in decisions about nudists’ use of local spaces. Nudists have positive perceptions of locals but are dissatisfied with spatial sanctions of nudism. Practical implications are presented.     

农户农地流转行为存在社会互动效应吗？

研究目的:分析农户农地转出行为的社会互动效应,以期更好地解读农户的行为决策,为农地流转政策的完善提供参考。研究方法:离散选择互动模型,Logit模型。研究结果:(1)农地转出行为存在显著的内生互动效应,同村庄其他农户的转出行为正向影响个体农户的农地转出概率。(2)内生互动效应存在区域差异,西部地区的农户对他人转出行为更敏感,流转决策的依赖性更强。(3)非农经营具有正向溢出效应,经营非农产业不仅影响自身的农地流转决策,还会提高其他农户的农地转出概率。研究结论:农户农地流转行为并非独立,而是相互影响的,相关政策可以通过优先干预部分农户、鼓励非农创业的方式促进农地使用权有序流转。     

Knowledge externalities and demand pull: The European evidence

This paper elaborates the microeconomic foundations of the demand pull hypothesis stressing the role of vertical knowledge externalities stemming from user–producer knowledge interactions that parallel vertical transactions. The paper articulates and tests the hypothesis that such competent demand is actually able to pull technological change only when it is expressed by advanced users, able to provide relevant knowledge externalities to their customers. Using input output tables we test empirically this hypothesis for 15 European countries in the years 1995–2007. The evidence confirms that the increase in productivity of the upstream sectors is positively influenced by the sector-level derived demand, according to the upstream rates of introduction of innovations and to the intensity of the user–producer interactions. The policy implications of the analysis enable to elaborate and implement the notion of a ‘competent’ public demand.     

Spatial Interactions in Hedonic Pricing Models: The Urban Housing Market of Aveiro,Portugal

Abstract

Spatial heterogeneity, spatial dependence and spatial scale constitute key features of spatial analysis of housing markets. However, the common practice of modelling spatial dependence as being generated by spatial interactions through a known spatial weights matrix is often not satisfactory. While existing estimators of spatial weights matrices are based on repeat sales or panel data, this paper takes the approach to a cross-section setting. Specifically, based on an a priori definition of housing submarkets and the assumption of a multifactor model, we develop maximum likelihood methodology to estimate hedonic models that facilitate understanding of both spatial heterogeneity and spatial interactions. The methodology, based on statistical orthogonal factor analysis, applied to the urban housing market of Aveiro (Portugal) at two different spatial scales, provides exciting inferences on the spatial structure of the housing market.

RÉSUMÉ L'hétérogénéité spatiale, la dépendance spatiale et l’échelle spatiale sont des caractéristiques clé de l'analyse spatiale dans les marchés de l'immobilier. Toutefois, la pratique habituelle de la modélisation de la dépendance spatiale comme étant le résultat d'interactions spatiales par le biais d'une matrice de poids spatiaux n'est souvent pas satisfaisante. Alors que les estimateurs existants des matrices de poids spatiaux sont basés sur des données de panel ou des ventes répétées, la présente communication adopte le principe d'un cadre transversal. Plus spécifiquement, sur la base d'une définition à priori des sub-marchés de l'immobilier, et de l'hypothèse d'un modèle multifactoriel, nous créons une méthodologie de probabilité maximale pour estimer des modèles hédoniques qui facilitent les connaissances de l'hétérogénéité spatiale et des interactions spatiales. Cette méthodologie, basée sur une analyse des facteurs orthogonaux, appliquée au secteur de l'immobilier urbain à Aveiro (Portugal) à deux échelles spatiales différentes, fournit des inférences excitantes en ce qui concerne la structure spatiale du secteur de l'immobilier.

EXTRACTO La heterogeneidad, dependencia y escala espaciales constituyen características clave del análisis espacial de los mercados de la vivienda. No obstante, la práctica común de modelar la dependencia espacial como algo generado por interacciones espaciales a través de una matriz conocida de pesos espaciales, a menudo, no es satisfactoria. Aunque los estimadores existentes de matrices de pesos espaciales se basan en ventas repetidas o datos de panel, este estudio lleva el planteamiento a un marco de corte transversal. Específicamente, basados en una definición a priori de los submercados de la vivienda y en la presuposición de un modelo de múltiples factores, desarrollamos una metodología de probabilidad máxima para estimar modelos hedónicos, que facilita la comprensión de la heterogeneidad espacial y las interacciones espaciales. La metodología, basada en el análisis estadístico de factores ortogonales y aplicada al mercado de la vivienda urbana de Aveiro (Portugal) en dos escalas espaciales diferentes, proporciona interesantes inferencias sobre la estructura espacial del mercado de la vivienda.

     

A limit theorem for systems of social interactions

In this paper, we establish a convergence result for equilibria in systems of social interactions with many locally and globally interacting players. Assuming spacial homogeneity and that interactions between different agents are not too strong, we show that equilibria of systems with finitely many players converge to the unique equilibrium of a benchmark system with infinitely many agents. We prove convergence of individual actions and of average behavior. Our results also apply to a class of interaction games.