bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Anatomy of Income Distribution in Urban Ethiopia
Authors: Bigsten Arne , Makonnen Negatu 
Published: March 2003

Poverty is gradually spreading to the urban areas of Ethiopia, although it remains more extensive in the rural areas. This paper presents the first substantial analysis, since the 1960s, of the distribution of urban incomes and their determinants. It uses data for 1994 for an analysis of the economic well‐being of urban households; it shows that income diversification is a typical characteristic of the poor, while those who are better off derive more than 75 per cent of their income from wage employment. Multiple activity remains less common in urban Ethiopia than in comparable countries, which is not surprising, since the two‐decade socialist rule ruined the private sector.—La pauvreté, déjà généralisée dans les régions rurales de l’Ethiopie, se répand progressivement dans les zones urbaines de ce pays. Cet article présente la première analyse approfondie relative à la distribution des revenus dans les villes et aux déterminants de ces revenus, depuis les années 60. Les données pour 1994 sont utilisées pour analyser les conditions de vie des ménages urbains; l’article montre que la diversification du revenu est une caractéristique des pauvres tandis que les couches de la population mieux nanties tirent plus de 75 pour cent de leurs revenus d’un emploi salarié. Par rapport à d’autres pays analogues, la multiplicité de l’activité reste peu courante dans les zones urbaines d’Ethiopie, ce qui n’est guère surprenant étant donné que les deux décennies de régime socialiste ont ruiné le secteur privé.
Supply Determinants of Mining Companies: Evidence for Gold and other Minerals in South Africa
Authors: Mainardi Stefano 
Published: March 2003

Supply determinants of mining companies have been identified in several factors, with no consensus on their relative importance. These factors, which include mineral commodity prices, the institutional framework, geological characteristics, the scale of mine operations, and specific features of the controlling holdings, can influence the objectives of the mines, and their ability to achieve these objectives. Following a brief overview of alternative literature hypotheses concerned with mineral supply determinants, statistical and econometric analyses are applied to partly pooled cross‐mine data over the period 1984–95, for gold and other major export minerals in South Africa.—Des déterminants de l’offre des sociétés minières ont été identifiés dans différents facteurs sans qu’un consensus se dégage quant à leur importance relative. Ces facteurs, au nombre desquels figurent les prix des produits minéraux, le cadre institutionnel, les caractéristiques géographiques, la taille de l’exploitation minière et les caractéristiques de la société de holding majoritaire, peuvent influer sur les objectifs des mines et sur leur aptitude à atteindre ces objectifs. Après une brève revue des hypothèses sous‐tendant diverses théories relatives aux déterminants de l’offre des produits minéraux, une analyse statistique et économétrique est effectuée à partir de données partiellement communes, portant sur la période 1984–95, concernant l’or et d’autres importants produits minéraux d’exportation en Afrique du Sud.
Weak Form Efficiency of the Nigerian Stock Market: Further Evidence
Authors: Olowe R. Ayodeji 
Published: March 2003

This study provides further evidence on the weak form efficiency of the Nigerian stock market, that is, whether security prices on the Nigerian stock market adjust to historical price information. Using correlation analysis, monthly stock returns data over the period January 1981–December 1992 were employed in the analysis. The results provided support for the work of Samuels and Yacout (1981) and Ayadi (1983), that is, the Nigerian stock market appears to be efficient in the weak form.—Cet article traite de la faible efficacité de la Bourse des valeurs du Nigeria, à savoir que, à partir de nouveaux éléments, il cherche àétablir si les cours des titres cotés à la Bourse du Nigeria sont réajustés pour tenir compte des données chronologiques. A l’aide d’une analyse de corrélation, un examen des données mensuelles sur le rendement des titres, pour la période allant de janvier 1981 à décembre 1992, a été réalisé. Les résultats corroborent les travaux de Samuels et Yacout (1981) et ceux de Ayadi (1983), à savoir que la Bourse des valeurs du Nigeria semble être faiblement efficace.
Structural Adjustment Programmes and Technical Efficiency in the Malawian Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Chirwa Ephraim W. 
Published: March 2003

This paper examines the efficiency of firms within the structural adjustment period in four sub‐sectors in Malawian manufacturing industry: food processing, tea processing, clothing and footwear, and pharmaceuticals and soaps. We first estimate stochastic production frontiers for each sub‐sector and predict firm level efficiencies using panel data between 1984 and 1988. Secondly, we attempt to associate predicted firm level efficiencies with firm‐specific and industry characteristics using a censored Tobit regression analysis. Results reveal that the average annual technical efficiency ranges from 53 per cent in the pharmaceuticals and soaps sub‐sector in 1984 to 83 per cent in the clothing and footwear sub‐sector in 1984. Technical efficiencies decline over time in the food processing, tea processing, and clothing and footwear sub‐sectors while those in the pharmaceuticals and soaps sub‐sector increase over time. We also find that technical efficiency significantly declines with firm size, domestic monopoly power and tariffs, while it is a positive function of factor intensity and skills of workers.Cet article examine l’efficience des entreprises en période d’ajustement structurel dans quatre sous‐secteurs de l’industrie manufacturière au Malawi: agroalimentaire, transformation du thé, vêtements et chaussures, produits pharmaceutiques et savons. Nous estimons d’abord pour chaque sous‐secteur des frontières stochastiques des possibilités de production et nous prédisons le niveau d’efficience des entreprises sur la base des données recueillies au moyen d’un panel entre 1984 et 1988. En second lieu, nous tentons d’associer le niveau d’efficience prédit à des caractéristiques propres à l’entreprise ou au métier en utilisant une analyse de régression censurée. Les résultats montrent que l’efficience technique varie en moyenne de 53% dans le sous‐secteur des produits pharmaceutiques et savons en 1984 à 83% dans le sous‐secteur des vêtements et chaussures en 1984. L’efficience technique diminue avec le temps dans les sous‐secteurs de l’agroalimentaire, de la transformation du thé ainsi que des vêtements et chaussures, tandis qu’elle s’améliore dans celui des produits pharmaceutiques et savons. On constate également que l’efficience technique baisse sensiblement avec l’accroissement de la taille de l’entreprise, l’acquisition d’une position de monopole et la protection tarifaire, tandis qu’elle augmente avec l’intensité des facteurs et la qualification de la main‐d’oeuvre.
The Economic Effects of Integration in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community: Some General Equilibrium Estimates for Cameroon
Authors: Bakoup Ferdinand , Tarr David 
Published: March 2003

In this paper we quantitatively assess the impact of the CEMAC on its largest member, Cameroon. We find that Cameroon will gain between 0.41 and 0.62 percent of its GDP. Our decomposition shows that the part of the agreement that calls for further preferential reduction of tariffs is immiserizing, although given the low level of intra‐regional imports, the quantitative impact is quite small. Improved access to partner country markets accounts for about one‐quarter of the gains. We find, however, that about three‐quarters of the gains come from reduction of Cameroon’s tariff against the rest of the world. Moreover, our estimates for Cameroon’s unilateral trade liberalization show that it can gain marginally even more from full unilateral trade liberalization than it can from implementation of the CEMAC arrangements. Our results incorporate, in an otherwise small open economy model, the fact that Cameroon may possess regional market power, and we assess the difference in results with models that have no regional market power.Dans cet article, nous évaluons quantitativement l’impact de la CEMAC sur son pays membre le plus important par son poids économique: le Cameroun. Nos estimations indiquent que le Cameroun enregistrera un gain compris entre 0,41% et 0,62% de son PIB. La décomposition de cet impact montre que l’approfondissement des préférences tarifaires réduit le bien‐être, même si compte tenu du faible niveau des importations intra‐régionales, son impact quantitatif apparaît assez faible. L’amélioration de l’accès aux marchés des partenaires régionaux explique environ un quart des gains. Cependant, environ trois quarts des gains sont expliqués par la réduction par le Cameroun de ses tarifs vis‐à‐vis du reste du monde. De plus, nos estimations indiquent qu’àla marge, le Cameroun gagnerait plus d’une libéralisation commerciale unilatérale que de la mise en oeuvre des accords de la CEMAC. Nos résultats incorporent dans ce qui est par ailleurs un modèle d’une petite économie ouverte, le fait que le Cameroun puisse posséder un pouvoir de marché régional, et nous comparons les résultats àceux des modèles sans pouvoir de marché régional.
How to Reduce Corruption
Authors: Collier Paul 
Published: March 2003

Africa has not always been corrupt, and some African societies are not corrupt. Nevertheless, for much of Africa, the reduction of corruption is currently an important priority. I review the lessons from Africa’s history, from experience elsewhere, and from economic theory, to develop an agenda for action. Since Africa became corrupt, part of the solution is to understand what caused that change so that the causal factors can be reversed. For example, both widespread economic regulation and weak checks on the performance of public sector employees encouraged corruption. However, once corruption becomes normal, reversing the policies that caused it is not enough. The society needs a ‘big push’ to shock it out of a high‐corruption equilibrium.La corruption n’a pas toujours sévi en Afrique et certaines sociétés africaines ne sont pas victimes de ce fléau. Toutefois, pour une grande partie du continent, la lutte contre la corruption revÃt actuellement un caractère hautement prioritaire. Le présent article passe en revue les leçons tirées de l’histoire de l’Afrique, fait le point de l’expérience acquise dans d’autres régions du monde et analyse les théories économiques en vue d’élaborer un plan d’action. La corruption étant devenue l’apanage de l’Afrique, l’un des moyens de la faire reculer consiste à appréhender les facteurs à l’origine de ce phénomène afin de les inverser. Par exemple, la réglementation économique généralisée et la faiblesse des contrôles sur le travail des agents de l’État sont des facteurs qui ont incitéà la corruption. Néanmoins, lorsque la corruption entre dans les moeurs, il ne suffit pas, pour y mettre un terme, d’inverser les politiques qui en sont les causes. La société doit subir un ‘grand choc’ pour la faire sortir du cycle de la corruption.
The External Debt Problem in Africa: A Comparative Study of Nigeria and Morocco
Authors: Edo Samson E. 
Published: March 2003

In this paper, the African external debt problem with particular reference to Nigeria and Morocco is extensively analysed, and statistical indicators show that it is severe and has adverse effects on investment. The analysis also finds that fiscal expenditure, balance of payments and global interest rate are the crucial factors in explaining the accumulation of external debt in the two countries. Although the problem tends to exhibit some differences in characteristics between the two countries, the fact remains that they both belong to the same category of highly indebted countries. It is therefore necessary they embark on a rapid programme of privatization aimed at reducing fiscal expenditure, and a sustained export promotion programme to improve balance of payments. At the same time, both countries should restructure and develop their capital markets to reduce exposure to the vagaries of global interest rate. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank could also assist by modifying the International debt relief programme (HIPC Initiative) to accommodate both countries.Cet article étudie en détail le problème de la dette extérieure de l’Afrique, en se centrant en particulier sur les exemples du Nigeria et du Maroc. Les indicateurs statistiques montrent que le problème est grave et a des effets négatifs sur l’investissement. L’analyse a également mis à jour le fait que les dépenses fiscales, la balance des paiements et le taux d’intérÁt global sont des facteurs essentiels dans l’accumulation de la dette extérieure dans ces deux pays. Si le problème présente des caractéristiques différentes dans les deux pays, le fait n’en demeure pas moins qu’ils appartiennent tous deux à la mÁme catégorie des pays très endettés. Il leur est donc nécessaire d’engager rapidement un programme de privatisation visant à réduire les dépenses fiscales, et un programme intensif de promotion des exportations pour améliorer la balance des paiements. Dans le mÁme temps, les deux pays doivent restructurer et développer leurs marchés financiers pour réduire leur exposition aux caprices des taux d’intérÁt mondiaux. Le Fonds monétaire international (FMI) et la Banque mondiale pourraient également les aider en modifiant le programme international d’allégement de dette (Initiative PPTE) de manière à ce qu’ils puissent en profiter.
The Creation and Spread of Technology and Total Factor Productivity in China's Agriculture
Authors: Jin Songqing , Huang Jikun , Hu Ruifa , Rozelle Scott 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe overall goal of this study is to create a framework for assessing the trends of China's national and international investment in agricultural research and to measure its impact on total factor productivity. The main methodological contribution is to provide more convincing measures of crop‐specific technologies from China's national research program and of those imported from the international agricultural research system. Our results find that from 1980 to 1995, China's total factor productivity for rice, wheat, and maize grew rapidly and new technology accounts for most of the productivity growth.
Efficiency Wages, Deferred Payments, and Direct Incentives in Agriculture
Authors: Moretti Enrico , Perloff Jeffrey M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractEmpirical evidence from agricultural labor markets is consistent with efficiency‐wage theory and inconsistent with several alternative explanations. According to this theory, the higher wage or deferred payment (benefits) that direct‐hire growers pay relative to that of farm labor contractors is an efficiency wage. Growers use this extra compensation to lower their monitoring expenses and reduce shirking by workers.
What is the Value of Agricultural Economics Research?
Authors: Schimmelpfennig David E. , Norton George W. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe output of agricultural economics research is information, much of it aimed at designing or improving institutions. Bayesian decision theory and economic surplus analysis have been suggested as possible approaches to evaluate that information. This article takes a critical look at the strengths and weaknesses of combining those approaches for empirical evaluation of agricultural economics research. It presents three case studies, utilizing prior and posterior probabilities elicited from key decision makers. Direct application of the probabilities to a simple set of states and actions is best suited to situations involving a single policy‐making center, or a consensus decision‐making process.
Do Single Mothers Face Greater Constraints to Workforce Participation in Non‐Metropolitan Areas?
Authors: Mills Bradford F. , Hazarika Gautam 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIncreasing workforce participation among single mothers is the primary goal of recent welfare reform measures. This article shows that increased workforce participation in the mid to late 1990s led to improvements in the economic well‐being of non‐metropolitan and metropolitan area families headed by single mothers. Differential benefits and costs of workforce participation of single mothers in non‐metropolitan and metropolitan areas are then examined. Single mothers are found to face lower costs to workforce participation and receive lower hourly earnings in non‐metropolitan areas than in metropolitan areas. Young children do, however, raise workforce participation costs more in non‐metropolitan areas.
Random Profits and Duality
Authors: Pope Rulon D. , Just Richard E. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractDual production specifications derived under certainty are typically randomized for econometric purposes with ad hoc error specifications. This article shows that such approaches can cause integrability conditionsto fail. In particular, if errorsin input demands represent errorsin optimization that affect output, then typical dual approachesdo not yield congruent suppliesand demands.
Consumption of Economic Information in Agriculture
Authors: Just David R. , Wolf Steven A. , Wu Steve , Zilberman David 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe develop a model of decision makers' demand for agricultural economic information services. This modeltreats choice of externaldecision‐support services as a function of actors' assessment of how alternative investments in information complement their internal competencies. Data from a survey in four commodity systems are used to evaluate hypotheses as to how human capital, and functional role of actors in commodity systems affect demand for variously formatted information. By focusing on three axes of heterogeneity—diversity among decision makers, information service providers, and information—we are able to identify key structuraland functional relationships in agricultural economic information systems.
Marketing Orders, Grading Errors, and Price Discrimination
Authors: Chalfant James A. , Sexton Richard J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSome marketing orders allow an agricultural industry to regulate the flow of product to market. We examine a more common, but less controversial, aspect of marketing orders, the setting and enforcement of grades, and show that purposefully introducing error into the grading process reduces farmers' incentives to produce high‐quality product, thus partially sustaining the adverse selection problem that would exist in the absence of grades. Because demand for high‐quality product is generally inelastic relative to demand for low‐quality product, grading error can increase industry profit. In principle, an industry can achieve through grading error the same allocation of product between high‐ and low‐quality outlets as attainable through direct volume regulation.
Demand Estimation in the Presence of Stochastic Trend and Seasonality: The Case of Meat Demand in the United Kingdom
Authors: Fraser Iain , Moosa Imad A. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIf budget shares have stochastic trend or seasonality or both, then demand equations based on the assumption of deterministic trend and deterministic seasonality will be mis‐specified. We test this proposition by estimating a Linearized Almost Ideal (LAI) demand system for meat demand in the United Kingdom using Harvey's structural time series methodology. We demonstrate that the model specification allowing for stochastic trend and deterministic seasonality performs best in terms of diagnostic tests and goodness of fit measures. It is also shown that the model with stochastic trend is better at out‐of‐sample forecasting.
Pigs in Space: Modeling the Spatial Structure of Hog Production in Traditional and Nontraditional Production Regions
Authors: Roe Brian , Irwin Elena G. , Sharp Jeff S. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe posit a spatially explicit, county‐level model of the hog production sector and estimate how numerous firm‐specific, locality‐specific, and spatial agglomeration factors affect the location, movement, and intensity of hog production within 15 key hog production states. Spatial agglomeration, urban encroachment, input availability, firm productivity, local economy, slaughter access, and regulatory stringency variables affect the sample regions' spatial organization. Analyses suggest that western states in the sample may shape hog production levels by wielding traditional business recruitment and retention tools (e.g., tax rates, environmental stringency) while Corn Belt states may shape hog production via nontraditional tools (e.g., land use controls).
Distinguishing between Equilibrium and Integration in Spatial Price Analysis
Authors: Barrett Christopher B. , Li Jau Rong 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThis article introduces a new spatial price analysis methodology based on maximum likelihood estimation of a mixture distribution model incorporating price, transfer cost, and trade flow data. This method permits differentiation between market integration and competitive market equilibrium and derivation of intuitive measures of intermarket tradability, competitive market equilibrium, perfect integration, segmented equilibrium, and segmented disequilibrium. One can also use these estimates to derive semiparametric measures of time‐varying regime probabilities to track changing market conditions. An application to trade in soybean meal among Pacific Rim economies demonstrates the usefulness of the method.
Planting Decisions and Uncertain Consumer Acceptance of Genetically Modified Crop Varieties
Authors: Saak Alexander E. , Hennessy David A. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThere exists much uncertainty about consumer attitudes toward genetically modified foods. If it happens that sufficient (insufficient) acres are planted under nonmodified seed to meet postharvest demand, then a price premium will not (will) emerge for the nonmodified varieties. A nonlinearity originates in the fact that a price premium may not be supported. This nonlinearity interacts with demand uncertainty to determine equilibrium plantings and the probability that postharvest varietal prices differ. Also, as planting approaches signals will be broadcast about the nature of postharvest demand. We show how the nonlinearity affects the types of signals that growers will prefer to receive.
Optimal Producer Behavior in the Presence of Area‐Yield Crop Insurance
Authors: Chambers Robert G. , Quiggin John 
Published: March 2003

AbstractOptimal producer behavior in the presence of area‐yield insurance is studied. The producer's optimal production and insurance choices are characterized. The effect of the provision of area‐yield insurance on production patterns is studied, and sufficient conditions for the provision of area‐yield insurance to increase the riskiness of the individual producer's decisions are derived. A separation result is derived for area‐yield insurance contracts and stochastic technologies.
Testing the Validity of Contingent Behavior Trip Responses
Authors: Grijalva Therese C. , Berrens Robert P. , Bohara Alok K. , Shaw W. Douglass 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWhile a number of validity tests exist for contingent valuation data, to date there are very few literature examples for contingent behavior (CB) data. The objective of this study is to test the validity of CB trip data for different levels of rock climbing access using data from surveys implemented before and after a policy restricting recreational access was imposed. Results from generalized Negative Binomial and seemingly unrelated Poisson regression models show significant sensitivity to scope, and suggest that CB data may be a valuable supplement to revealed preference data when policy proposals are outside the range of historical conditions.