Economic growth,capital movements and the international transfer of technical knowledge

The paper analyzes the role of technological transfers in an international capital movement model by assuming that these transfers depend on the extent of foreign ownership of a country's capital stock. Compared to the standard model, two differences emerge. First, a negative relationship exists between a country's indebtedness and its capital intensity. Second, changes in saving ratios can affect a country's capital intensity. We also relax the assumption of continual equality between capital's domestic marginal product and the world interest rate. It is shown that multiple equilibria and cyclical approaches to the steady state can arise in a technological transfer model.     

Market behavior and the types of production functions

The paper presents a unified approach to theory and estimation of production functions based on a simple observation that any production function has a unique representation of its isoquants in terms of the differential equation which may be observable in market. Expressing the marginal rate of substitution between two inputs as the differential equation in these two inputs, various classes of production functions are obtained by integrating this differential equation. Not only does this general approach yield a systematic framework for all known forms but it also generates new types of production functions. Empirical application is also indicated.     

Living on a plot of land as a tenure choice: The case of Panama

In this paper, we use analyze data from a survey of over thirteen hundred household housing-tenures in Panama. Our objective is to identify the features which determine whether households in a developing country such as Panama choose to rent or to buy housing properties, or alternatively to seek somewhat alternative tenure arrangements. In particular, we investigate the common characteristic of Panamanian households undertaking plot purchases with a view to future building. In order to analyze these alternative tenure arrangements we develop a series of log-linear models, in which dichotomous rent-versus-buy models are extended to include the possibility of plot purchasing with a view to future building. The extended models including plot purchases are seen to be superior to the dichotomous rent-versus-buy model in identifying which household characteristics are associated with particular housing-tenure decisions.     

Foreign direct investment,technology transfer and domestic employment effects

The paper investigates the relationship between foreign direct investment and domestic employment opportunities within the context of a multinational firm which is involved in transferring technology from its domestic to its foreign operations. The transfer of technology takes the form of a managerial input, which reflects the benefits of learning-by-doing acquired through cumulative gross domestic investment, in the foreign production function. The model predicts a positive domestic employment effect over the longer run because of a favorable interaction which is generated between the firm's domestic and foreign operations as a result of the transfer of managerial expertise.