Protection versus Promotion: An Empirical Investigation

Using Turkish industry-level data from 1983 to 1990, we find that politically organized industries receive both higher protection and promotion than unorganized ones. Tariff rates are decreasing (increasing) in the import-penetration ratio and the absolute value of the import-demandelasticity for organized (unorganized) industries. Subsidy rates are decreasing (increasing) in the output-supply elasticity for organized (unorganized) industries. The results are consistent with the predictions of the Grossman–Helpman model and its extension in this paper. The mix of protection and promotion is inversely related to the ratio of their respective marginal deadweight cost measures.     

CROSS‐DOCKING AND ITS IMPLICATIONS IN LOCATION‐DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Cross‐docking replaces traditional warehousing, enabling continuous flow of items without storage. Here we model location‐distribution networks, that include cross‐docking facilities, to obtain the latter's impact on the supply chain. We formulate optimization models to minimize total cost in three multi‐echelon networks, each model generalizing the preceding one. The first includes a single manufacturer, one product type, and multiple customers. Cross‐docks are to be located between origin and destinations. Besides solving optimally, a tool for quantitative analysis of direct‐shipment decisions is developed. The second model considers more than one product: We determine a cost‐effective sequence of items for indirect shipment (via cross‐docks). Finally, in a network with multiple origins, optimal solutions are obtained for 40 medium‐sized and larger examples.     

Revisiting stock market index correlations

Comovement of stock market indices increases during volatile periods, and does not come down when the turmoil settles down. This paper explains formation of persistent comovements during high volatility periods with theories from Bayesian learning. My main conclusion is that the correlation that is formed during the high volatility period is persistent because it is learned during the turmoil. The belief that interdependence between markets are high during the volatile period turns into reality by correlated actions of traders in different markets avoiding correlation to fall to its previous level.     

Examining the Performance of Islamic and Conventional Stock Indices: A Comparative Analysis

Asia-Pacific Financial Markets - Islamic indices encompass different fundamental principles to those held by conventional ones, which directs attention onto comparative financial performance. This...     

The impact of (more) enlargement on the European Employment Strategy

The European Union (EU) aspires to be the most competitive, full employment economy in the world and has set a number of ambitious targets to be met by 2010 in order that it can achieve this goal. At the same time, it is pursuing an enlargement policy that will witness the accession of an increasing number of less developed nations. This article explores some of the tensions that exist between these two goals as these are manifest in labour market indicators and finds the likelihood of meeting the deadline set for success remote.     

Inference with Dependent Data in Accounting and Finance Applications

We review developments in conducting inference for model parameters in the presence of intertemporal and cross‐sectional dependence with an emphasis on panel data applications. We review the use of heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation consistent (HAC) standard error estimators, which include the standard clustered and multiway clustered estimators, and discuss alternative sample‐splitting inference procedures, such as the Fama–Macbeth procedure, within this context. We outline pros and cons of the different procedures. We then illustrate the properties of the discussed procedures within a simulation experiment designed to mimic the type of firm‐level panel data that might be encountered in accounting and finance applications. Our conclusion, based on theoretical properties and simulation performance, is that sample‐splitting procedures with suitably chosen splits are the most likely to deliver robust inferential statements with approximately correct coverage properties in the types of large, heterogeneous panels many researchers are likely to face.     

An in-sample and out-of-sample empirical investigation of the nonlinearity in house prices of South Africa

This paper tests whether housing prices in the five segments of the South African housing market, namely large-middle, medium-middle, small-middle, luxury and affordable, exhibit non-linearity based on smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) models estimated using quarterly data from 1970:Q2 to 2009:Q3. Findings point to an overwhelming evidence of non-linearity in these five segments based on in-sample evaluation of the linear and non-linear models. We next provide further support for non-linearity by comparing one- to four-quarters-ahead out-of-sample forecasts of the non-linear time series model with those of the classical and Bayesian versions of the linear autoregressive (AR) models for each of these segments, for the out-of-sample horizon 2001:Q1 to 2009:Q3, using the in-sample period 1970:Q2 to 2000:Q4. Our results indicate that barring the one-, two and four-step(s)-ahead forecasts of the small segment, the non-linear model always outperforms the linear models. In addition, given the existence of strong causal relationship amongst the house prices of the five segments, the multivariate versions of the linear (classical and Bayesian) and STAR (MSTAR) models were also estimated. The MSTAR always outperformed the best performing univariate and multivariate linear models. Thus, our results highlight the importance of accounting for non-linearity, as well as the possible interrelationship amongst the variables under consideration, especially for forecasting.     

Are supply chain management theories culturally constrained? An empirical assessment

Culture plays an increasingly important role in supply chain management as many manufacturing firms have linkages to suppliers and customers from various countries. In this paper we propose treating culture as an explanatory variable to test the assumption that existing theories are universally applicable. The primary research question was: Do purchasing theories built on samples from mainly North American companies with Anglo-Saxon cultures apply in other cultural contexts? We developed and tested a model where top management??s view of the purchasing function affects purchasing practices and manufacturing performance. The statistical results provide evidence that the engagement and efficacy of purchasing practices is highly dependent on culture. This finding has significant implications from the perspective of decision making in international supply chain management. Specifically, top managers across multiple cultures could decide to structure and evaluate the purchasing function similarly, but these decisions could lead to different practices and different outcomes depending on the culture.     

Urban sprawl factors in the surface water resource basins of Istanbul

This paper presents the reasons for uncontrolled land-use changes in the water resource basins of Istanbul. These changes are evaluated with a Geographical Information System (GIS), using four Landsat (1990, 1995, 2000, 2005) satellite images. Additional spatial information about capital improvement projects (highways and the Bosporus bridges), industrial land-use decisions, land ownership, and jurisdictional boundaries is also utilized. We observe that the most critical land-use changes have occurred in places with higher accessibility, mostly in close proximity to the metropolitan city center. The literature describes large public capital improvement projects (primarily the Trans European Motorway – TEM) as the primary reason for a trend of illegal occupation of public lands; however, the TEM should not be considered as the sole reason. This study explores other possible causes for these illegal developments in the water resource basins, grouped into three broad dimensions physical, socio–economic–political, and legal. Finally, we put forward possible policy suggestions for the preservation of the limited surface water resource basins in Istanbul.     

The impacts of student and life satisfaction on tourism students’ perceived sense of belonging

This study explores how tourism students’ satisfaction with their lives and academics affect their sense of belonging within their school communities. The primary supporting research was conducted using a questionnaire, which 285 students in Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Tourism answered. The mean scores of the two scales (life satisfaction and sense of belonging) and the dimensions of student satisfaction were used to conduct multiple regression analysis. The results suggest that two aspects of student life (teaching staff and school management vs. student support and counseling) and life satisfaction had a direct correlation with students’ sense of belonging.