Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transmission of Domestic and External Shocks Through Input-Output Network: Evidence from Korean Industries

In the last two decades, manufacturing industries in Korea have become more concentrated, and interconnectedness across industries and to foreign countries has risen via vertical relationships and trade linkages. This paper investigates the transmission of economic shocks in such a highly concentrated and interconnected structure, focusing on the role of vertical and trade linkages and using the industry-level international input-output data. The results suggest that, first, the role of vertical and trade linkages in propagating growth shocks from both domestic sources and external sources is important. Second, the growth impact of a few key sources of economic shocks is relatively large. These findings highlight that economic shocks in a few key industries and/or major trading partners that are transmitted through vertical and trade linkages can lead to large swings in the overall economy. This paper contributes to the understanding of the potential interactions between the industrial structure and economic growth and stability.
Choice experiment assessment of anglers’ salmonid conservation preferences

Wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout are in danger in several fisheries of the northern hemisphere due to anthropic activities. The pressures on fish stocks include excessive commercial and recreational harvests, as well as habitat depletion. In this paper, we present a choice experiment assessment of recreational anglers’ preferences for conservation options, aiming to reduce harvest and improve ecosystem quality of salmon fisheries using Ireland as a case study. Data were collected by online survey and analysed with a latent class logit model. Results indicate two groups of anglers with diverging opinions and preferences on salmon conservation priorities, which will likely be reflected in different levels of acceptance of conservation initiatives.
Rethinking political distrust

Abstract Increasing political distrust has become a commonplace observational remark across many established democracies, and it is often used to explain current political phenomena. In contrast to most scholarship that focuses solely on the concept of trust and leaves distrust untheorized, this article makes a contribution by analysing political distrust. It argues that citizen distrust of government and political institutions poses a threat for democratic politics and clarifies the relationship between the distrust observed in established democracies and classical ‘liberal distrust’, which is considered beneficial for democracy. Further, it addresses the relationship between trust and distrust, identifying a series of functional asymmetries between the two concepts, with important implications for theoretical and empirical work in political science. The article suggests that a conceptualization of political distrust based on evaluations of incompetence, unethical conduct and incongruent interests can provide a fruitful ground for future research that aims to understand the causes, consequences, and potential remedies for political distrust.
To what extent is Nepal’s community forestry contributing to the sustainable development goals? An institutional interaction perspective

ABSTRACT After the introduction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, existing development institutions are being assessed for their roles in achieving SDGs. In this context, we aim to assess how and to what extent Nepal’s community forestry (CF) is contributing to achieve the SDGs. Using an institutional interaction perspective, we conducted policy analysis, literature review and expert consultation. The analysis was guided by six analytical questions covering policy provision, institutional practices, and actors’ perception. After four decades of successful implementation, CF has become a strong local institution in Nepal to deliver multiple social and environmental outcomes. The result shows that CF is contributing to 80 targets of the SDGs at various scales of institutional interface. Furthermore, CF is found to be interactive with a range of social, economic, and environmental aspects of the SDGs. We argue that CF has the potential to make significant contributions to SDGs, thus providing a solid institutional framework to efficiently translate SDGs into actions.
Existence, uniqueness and efficiency of equilibrium in hedonic markets with multidimenstional types

We study equilibrium in hedonic markets, when consumers and suppliers have reservation utilities, and the utility functions are separable with respect to price. There is one indivisible good, which comes in different qualities; each consumer buys 0 or 1 unit, and each supplier sells 0 or 1 unit. Consumer types, supplier types and qualities can be either discrete of continuous, in which case they are allowed to be multidimensional. Prices play a double role: they keep some agents out of the market, and they match the remaining ones pairwise. We define equilibrium prices and equilibrium distributions, and we prove that equilibria exist, we investigate to what extend equilibrium prices and distributions are unique, and we prove that equilibria are efficient. In the particular case when there is a continuum of types, and a generalized Spence-Mirrlees condition is satisfied, we prove the existence of a pure equilibrium, where demand distributions are in fact demand functions, and we show to what extent it is unique. The proofs rely on convex analysis, and care has been given to illustrate the theory with examples.
Wannabe Toxic-Free? From Precautionary Consumption to Corporeal Citizenship

Ecological citizens are increasingly encouraged to adopt ‘precautionary consumption’ – a set of practices aimed at shielding them from the potential health harms of exposures to everyday toxics. The utility and the effects of precautionary consumption in relation to common chemical exposures are investigated. Precautionary consumption is not only of questionable utility, but is fundamentally misguided as an approach for inspiring antitoxics organizing. The failure of this approach is in part due to its assumption of a naturally bounded, autonomous individual who is able to maintain an impermeable boundary between herself and the environment. Drawing on the work of material feminist theorists, it is argued that Gabrielson and Parady’s notion of corporeal citizenship, an approach that places bodies into a complex web of material, ecological relations entangled with the social, offers several strategic advantages for framing resistance strategies.
Analysis of Factors Affecting Firm Innovation: An Empirical Investigation for Ethiopian Firms

ABSTRACT The present study concentrates on answering following questions: (i) Do firm’s internal factors such as size, age, ownership, R&D spending, and exporting significantly predict the propensity of firms to engage in innovative activities in Ethiopia? (ii) Do firm’s external factors, namely, access to finance and competition, significantly predict the propensity of firms to engage in innovative activities in Ethiopia? The data source of the paper is a survey conducted by World Bank in 2015 on Ethiopian firms. Then, the factors influencing the innovativeness of Ethiopian firms are analyzed by using a logistic regression model. Results obtained through logistic regression suggest that internal factors such as the size of the firms, education level of the employees, technology adoption capability of managers, on-job training, and R&D expenditures have a significant positive impact on both types of innovations, while private and foreign ownership were only found to be significant for process innovation. Estimations also showed that access to finance has a significant (positive) impact on product innovation and the impact of the competition level is significant (negative) only in terms of process innovation. Most importantly, we found that, disregarding their statistical significance, all explanatory variables influence both process and product innovation in the same direction, probably because of the positive correlation between the two.
Effectiveness of Online Digital Media Advertising as A Strategic Tool for Building Brand Sustainability: Evidence from FMCGs and Services Sectors of Pakistan

The purpose of the undertaken study is to examine the effectiveness of online digital media advertising as a strategic tool for building brand sustainability. For this purpose, we investigate the impact of different channels of online media, such as email marketing, mobile phone marketing, search engine optimization and companies’ websites, and social media marketing for the effectiveness of online digital media advertising. Moreover, the researchers have introduced eight mediating variables and six moderating variables to examine the impact between exogenous variables and online digital media advertising (endogenous). The researchers have taken 910 responses through a modified questionnaire and employed quantitative research methods, such as the structural equation modeling, exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses, and Hayes process approach for examining the mediation and moderation amongst the variables. The results of direct impact have demonstrated that all of the channels of digital media advertising have a positive and significant influence on the effectiveness of online digital media that creates brand sustainability for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and services sectors of Pakistan. The outcomes of hypotheses pertaining to the mediating and moderating effects of different variables have shown the significant influence between exogenous variables and endogenous variable. The results of the undertaken study are beneficial for the existing literature that provides the basic foil for future research studies. Moreover, the results have significant industrial implications for the marketers and digital media managers that they can devise effective media and marketing strategies to maintain optimum market share and competitive advantages.
Acceptance of Mobile Banking in Islamic Banks: Integration of DeLone & McLean IS model and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that influence on user intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking. Islamic mobile banking is relatively new area of research when compared with other traditional online banking services such as internet banking and conventional mobile banking. Thus, understanding the determinants that influence on Islamic banking user intention is important. The present study integrates two well-known theories; the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and DeLone and McLean IS success model in order to investigate user's behaviour towards adoption of Islamic mobile banking in Palestine. Findings of the structural equation modelling depicted that factors underpinned UTAUT and D&M model explained R2 61.3% variance in user intention to adopt Islamic mobile banking. IPMA analysis suggested that managers and policy makers should focus on system quality in order to boost Islamic mobile banking adoption among customers of Islamic banks.
Does the Quality of Institutions in Host Countries Affect the Location Choice of Chinese OFDI: Evidence from Asia and Africa

ABSTRACT This article investigates the interactive effect of institutional quality and natural resources (divided into fuel and nonfuel resources) on the flows of Chinese outbound foreign direct investment (OFDI) in host countries in Asia and Africa. The findings of the article indicate that institutional quality in host countries affect the flow of Chinese OFDI but only in nonfuel natural resource–rich countries while institutions in fuel resource–rich countries play a insignificant role in the flow of Chinese OFDI. This shows that quality of institutions is a significant determinant of Chinese OFDI in countries where institutions matter while Chinese OFDI overlooks and surpasses institutions in fuel resource–rich countries. The significant interactive effect of institutions and nonfuel resources in this article suggests that Chinese OFDI is not insensitive to quality of institutions but it depends on the sector, risk level, and domestic imperatives.
Retirement income strategies designed in an expected utility framework

Various classes of retirement income strategies are evaluated and their robustness tested in an expected utility framework. Fixed percentage systematic withdrawals from an investment portfolio combined with laddered purchases of immediate life annuities stands out as a superior strategy for retired defined contribution plan participants and IRA holders, yielding better outcomes than alternatives, including longevity insurance. This broad strategy is then applied, step by step, and customized across a wide range of household risk preferences and situations, with due consideration of product costs, taxes, and economic risks and returns.
Forecasting Corporate Defaults in the German Stock Market

We estimate and test several default risk models using new and unique data on corporate defaults in the German stock market. While defaults were extremely rare events in the 1990s, they have been a characteristic feature of the German stock market since the early 2000s. We apply the structural Merton (1974) Distance-to-Default as well as several reduced form models. A variety of performance evaluation tools, including ROC-Analysis, calibration tests and loan market simulations, suggests that the Campbell et al. (2008) failure score should be used as a benchmark default risk model in research and also in the industry. We warn of several pitfalls associated with the Altman (1968) Z-Score and the Distance-to-Default.
Service Quality Assessment of Internet Banking: Empirical Evidences from Namibia

ABSTRACT:SERVQUAL as a model has for long attracted researchers to apply in different contexts. The objective of this research is to focus on e-service quality in the absence of face-to-face encounter for commercial banks in an emerging economy such as Namibia. The focus is to understand both customer perception about Internet banking and the usability of the banking website. Based on prior literature on service quality assessment and website usability a priory model was developed. The model is then tested through a questionnaire survey of customers of commercial banks in Namibia. Using factor analysis, a refined model for assessing service quality of Internet banking was developed. The refined model includes three service quality dimensions: service performance, communication and website design. Service performance was most preferred on satisfaction level whereas in communication customers were dissatisfied as well as indifferent towards a 24 hours customer's service. This is in contrary to the existing literature. The third dimension, i.e. website design was high on customer satisfaction level. Finally, on usability evaluation of banking website it was found that acceptance level of the Internet banking website for the commercial banks in Namibia is marginally high.
Adaptive Variable-step Size LMS Filtering Algorithm and Its Analysis

In order to improve the performance of the variable step-size LMS(Least Mean Square)adaptive filtering algorithm,a novel algorithm based on the Sigmoid nonlinear functional relationship between the step-size and the error signal was proposed.The step-size of the algorithm increases adaptively at the beginning of the algorithm or when the channel is varying with time,and it would be smaller during the steady state.And the algorithm avoids the effects of the irrelevant noise.Furthermore,the proposed algorithm overcomes the deficiency of Sigmoid functional relationship in the process of step-size change of adaptive steady state.Computer simulation results verify the theoretical analysis and indicate that the algorithm outperforms the former algorithms.
What are the Main Determinants of Renewable Energy Consumption? A Panel Threshold Regression Approach

Because of severe environmental impacts associated with the use of conventional energy sources, most of the countries attempt to decarbonize their energy sector by increasing share of renewable energy in their total energy consumption which also reduces their energy import dependency. Therefore, this study aims to understand the determinants of renewable energy consumption for 58 countries over the period from 1990 to 2012. The period and number of countries are determined based on the data availability for all the variables. For example, data on total greenhouse gas emissions is available only up to 2012. Analysis is based on a panel threshold regression model to find out asymmetric behavior of renewable energy consumption. The model explains renewable energy consumption by various economic factors in a nonlinear framework. Different effects of these factors are expected under different economic regimes characterized by income level. Results show that for real GDP per capita lower than 1527.977 US$, signs, statistical significance and magnitude of coefficients on some variables differ tremendously compared to the upper regime verifying the asymmetric relationship. Therefore, one can conclude that determinants of renewable energy consumption differ across countries and time based on the real GDP per capita level.
ALMA Observations of Polarized Emission toward the CW Tau and DG Tau Protoplanetary Disks: Constraints on Dust Grain Growth and Settling

We present polarimetric data of CW Tau and DG Tau, two well-known Class II disk/jet systems, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at 870 μm and 0. ″2 average resolution. In CW Tau, the total and polarized emission are both smooth and symmetric, with polarization angles almost parallel to the minor axis of the projected disk. In contrast, DG Tau displays a structured polarized emission, with an elongated brighter region in the disk’s near side and a belt-like feature beyond about 0. ″3 from the source. At the same time, the total intensity is spatially smooth, with no features. The polarization pattern, almost parallel to the minor axis in the inner region, becomes azimuthal in the outer belt, possibly because of a drop in optical depth. The polarization fraction has average values of 1.2% in CW Tau and 0.4% in DG Tau. Our results are consistent with polarization from self-scattering of the dust thermal emission. In this hypothesis, the maximum size of the grains contributing to polarization is in the range 100–150 μm for CW Tau and 50–70 μm for DG Tau. The polarization maps combined with dust opacity estimates indicate that these grains are distributed in a geometrically thin layer in CW Tau, representing a settling in the disk midplane. Meanwhile, such settling is not yet apparent for DG Tau. These results advocate polarization studies as a fundamental complement to total emission observations, in investigations of the structure and the evolution of protoplanetary disks.
X-ray constraints on the fraction of obscured active galactic nuclei at high accretion luminosities

THALES - European Union [383549]; Greek Government of the programme 'Education and lifelong learning'; FONDECYT Postdoctorados [3160439]; Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism's Millennium Science Initiative [IC120009]; Millennium Institute of Astro-physics MAS; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; National Science Foundation; U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science; University of Arizona; Brazilian Participation Group; Brookhaven National Laboratory; Carnegie Mellon University; University of Florida; French Participation Group; German Participation Group; Harvard University; Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias; Michigan State/Notre Dame/JINA Participation Group; Johns Hopkins University; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics; Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics; New Mexico State University; New York University; Ohio State University; Pennsylvania State University; University of Portsmouth; Princeton University; Spanish Participation Group; University of Tokyo; University of Utah; Vanderbilt University; University of Virginia; University of Washington; Yale University
A review of school textbooks for project maths

The Department of Education and Skills asked the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning (NCE-MSTL) to review the current mathematics textbooks available for schools for Project Maths, and evaluate them using a version of the TIMSS framework already in use, adapted for the purpose of this study. This study is part funded by the NCCA and is undertaken by the National Centre as part of its brief to advise on matters related to Science and Mathematics teaching and learning. A very tight reporting deadline and resource constraints precluded a more extensive study, however, the study as implemented and reported aspires to best practice standards within its frame.
The costs of taxation in the presence of inequality

This paper provides a new and improved measure of the marginal cost of public funds (MCF). It is based on a benchmark tax which is distributionally neutral and non-distortive. This is in contrast to the MCF-measure used in the previous literature, that has used the regressive uniform lump-sum tax as the benchmark. Our proposed MCF-measure more precisely accounts for the distributional aspects of public funding (the tax scheme) and makes a clear distinction between this and the distributional aspects of the public good considered. Compared to the previous literature, we find a higher MCF both in the case of a uniform lump-sum tax and in the case of distortive taxes. Due to its regressive distributional consequences, we find that the MCF of a uniform lump-sum tax is always greater than one when not combined with distortive taxes. Moreover, we find that the MCF could be greater than one also with an optimal combination of a uniform lump-sum tax and distortive taxes.
A generalized product rule and weak independence based on Bregman divergence

To describe the relation between some values, arithmetic operations like multiplication and division are important and conventional tools. These arithmetic operations for probabilities are characterized by the KL divergence, and hence, they can be generalized by using the Bregman divergence instead of the KL divergence. With this idea, independence of random variables is modified by generalized product rule, and a joint probability model is proposed based on this modified weak independence. Effectiveness of weak independent models is shown by numerical experiments on toy examples, and discussed from a geometrical viewpoint.
The Effect of Agulhas Eddies on Absorption and Transport of Anthropogenic Carbon in the South Atlantic Ocean

The South Atlantic Ocean is currently undergoing significant alterations due to climate change. This region is important to the global carbon cycle, but marine carbon data are scarce in this basin. Additionally, this region is influenced by Agulhas eddies. However, their effects on ocean biogeochemistry are not yet fully understood. Thus, we aimed to model the carbonate parameters in this region and investigate the anthropogenic carbon (Cant) content in 13 eddies shed by the Agulhas retroflection. We used in situ data from the CLIVAR/WOCE/A10 section to elaborate total dissolved inorganic carbon (CT) and total alkalinity (AT) models and reconstruct those parameters using in situ data from two other Brazilian initiatives. Furthermore, we applied the Tracer combining Oxygen, inorganic Carbon, and total Alkalinity (TrOCA) method to calculate the Cant, focusing on the 13 identified Agulhas eddies. The CT and AT models presented root mean square errors less than 1.66 and 2.19 μmol kg−1, indicating Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network climate precision. The Cant content in the Agulhas eddies was 23% higher than that at the same depths of the surrounding waters. We observed that Agulhas eddies can play a role in the faster acidification of the South Atlantic Central Water.