Location and Pricing Decisions of a MultiStore Monopoly in a Spatial Market

Abstract.  This article presents an analysis of location and pricing decisions of a monopolist about to open several stores in a compact geographical space. The number of stores is made endogenous by the introduction of fixed costs. A novel methodology is developed, by which the firm's location and price decisions are represented as continuous functions defined over the geographical space. This modeling artifact generates a negligible error but simplifies the solution considerably and allows the derivation of several intuitive results. Although the focus is on one‐dimensional markets, it is shown that the method can easily be adapted to two‐dimensional markets.     

Local Institutions and Environmental Outcomes: Evidence from Wetlands Protection in Massachusetts

Community‐based efforts to address environmental problems occupy an increasingly large space on the environmental policy landscape. Advocates argue that local environmental institutions (LEIs) can deliver both procedural and environmental quality benefits. Yet, despite over a decade of expansive support, the performance of LEIs remains largely unknown, particularly with regard to environmental outcomes. In this article, we consider new environmental outcome data we compiled from local efforts to implement the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. We find that stronger forms of LEIs generate both quantitatively and qualitatively better environmental outcomes, which suggests that LEIs may live up to their advocates’ expectations.     

Environmental Regulations and Multinational Corporations' Foreign Market Entry Investments

In this study, we examine how differences in environmental regulation characteristics are linked to multinational corporations' (MNCs) foreign market entry (FME) investments decisions around the world. We rely on a data set with 29,303 observations from 94 European Fortune Global 500 companies operating across 77 countries during the period 2001–2007. We found that MNCs are more likely to enter countries with more certain—i.e., clearer and more stable—environmental regulations than those of their home countries. Results also suggest that there is a higher level of MNC entry into foreign countries with environmental regulations that are more stringent than those of their home countries. This finding challenges the controversial but commonly held view that more stringent environmental regulations deter MNCs' FME investments. Notably, the magnitude of the regulatory certainty relationship with MNCs' FME investments is larger than that of regulatory stringency. Findings also indicate that the increased tendency of MNCs to enter countries with more stringent environmental regulations is higher in more democratic countries and for cleaner industry firms.     

Office and Plant Location With Transport Costs of Information

In this paper, under the framework of profit maximization office and plant locations are analyzed, taking into account the existing cost of transporting information between the market and the office, and between the office and the plant. The conclusion is that if the office and the plant are located separately, the value of the unit transmission cost of information on production significantly decreases.     

The Impact of Proportional Representation on Turnout: Evidence from New Zealand

Theories of voter turnout assume that institutional arrangements can alter incentives for participation. Countries with proportional representation (PR) are assumed to increase the incentives to participate because they reduce the proportion of votes that are wasted, giving voters a stronger incentive to participate and parties a stronger incentive to mobilise voters. This paper departs from previous cross-national studies by employing individual-level data during a transition between electoral systems in one country. We used survey data collected before and after electoral reform in New Zealand to examine patterns of participation among political minorities. As a direct test of individual change, the analysis was supplemented with survey data from the last election held under first past the post (FPP) merged with validated participation data from the following election held under PR. We found that the adoption of PR in New Zealand has succeeded initially in fostering more positive attitudes about the efficacy of voting. In New Zealand's first election held under PR, voters who were on the extreme left were significantly more likely to participate than previously, leading to an overall increase in turnout.     

Rowing Ancient Warships: Evidence from a Newly-Published Ship-Model

A clay model of the 6th or 5th century BC may be evidence for the nature of ancient Mediterranean warships in general.
© 2007 The Author     

新形势 新需求 新规程：新修订《田野考古工作规程》的相关说明

现行的《田野考古工作规程》（试行）是上个世纪80年代初期国家文物局组织专家,在全面分析研究当时考古学的现状、学术发展方向以及学科环境的基础上制定的,1984年5月由中华人民共和国文化部颁布试行。《规程》自颁布以来,得到普遍和认真的执行,对整齐各地田野考古工作的质量,总体提升中国考古学的田野考古水平,发挥了积极和重要的作用。     

马家浜文化生业模式初探——来自杨家遗址和马家浜遗址的植物考古学证据

马家浜文化的稻作农业研究是学术界较为关注的问题,基于此前对古水稻和水稻田的研究,研究者多认为其稻作农业已经处于较为发达的阶段.本文通过近年对杨家、马家浜遗址出土大量植物遗存的分析,推测马家浜文化稻作农业发展的关键阶段应始于马家浜晚期,水稻在此阶段成为主要食物资源.并根据对水稻粒型的统计学分析,发现在马家浜晚期,粒型的增大出现一个飞跃,应与耕种技术的进步有关.粟的发现暗示着旱作农业的南传可能存在陆路的传播路线,是将来工作中需要关注的问题.     

On the Question of Iron and Steel Plant Location in Kazakhstan

Among the iron-ore deposits of Kazakhstan, current attention is focused on the deposits of central Kazakhstan, as a raw-material source for the Karaganda steel plant, and on the Kustanay deposits, as an ore supply source for the steel plants of the southern Urals. The author discusses the potential utilization of a third iron-ore area situated on the north shore of the Aral Sea.     

Complex Contagions and the Diffusion of Innovations: Evidence from a Small-N Study

The recent literature on “complex contagions” challenges Granovetter’s classic hypothesis on the strength of weak ties and argues that, when the actors’ choice requires reinforcement from several sources, it is the structure of strong ties that really matters to sustain rapid and wide diffusion. The paper contributes to this debate by reporting on a small-N study that relies on a unique combination of ethnographic data, social network analysis, and computational models. In particular, we investigate two rural populations of Indian and Kenyan potters who have to decide whether to adopt new, objectively more efficient and economically more attractive, technical/stylistic options. Qualitative field data show that religious sub-communities within the Indian and Kenyan populations exhibit markedly different diffusion rates and speed over the last thirty years. To account for these differences, we first analyze empirically observed kinship networks and advice networks, and, then, we recreate the actual aggregate diffusion curves through a series of empirically calibrated agent-based simulations. Combining the two methods, we show that, while single exposure through heterophilious weak ties were sufficient to initiate the diffusion process, large bridges made of strong ties can in fact lead to faster or slower diffusion depending on the type of signals circulating in the network. We conclude that, even in presence of “complex contagions,” dense local ties cannot be regarded as a sufficient condition for faster diffusion.     

Bronze Age Textiles from the North Caucasus: New Evidence of Fourth Millennium BC Fibres and Fabrics

Summary.   Textiles from the North Caucasus Majkop culture (3700–3200 cal BC) site of Novosvobodnaya were selected for a programme of examination. Wool, flax and cotton-like plant-fibre threads were identified. This is the oldest example of wool so far identified in the archaeological record. Weaving techniques employed in making the textiles included the use of tablets or discs, and a simple frame. In addition, two dyeing techniques using tannin dyes have been determined.     

Urban Neighborhoods as a National Resource: Irreversible Decisions and Their Equity Spillovers

The differential timing and pace of private versus public sector disinvestments in declining neighborhoods have some positive spillovers for their residents. Public services are not withdrawn or reduced as rapidly as private investments and the opportunity is preserved for future redevelopment or rehabilitation. This “public service bonus” is vulnerable, however, during periods of austerity and general retrenchment. During such crises, the pressures to rationalize service provision are able to overcome local political and bureaucratic resistance to service reallocations. The analysis is based upon the investment theory literature dealing with irreversible decisions and is exemplified by the reallocation of services in New York City's declining neighborhoods during the past decade.     

Transport Rate Uncertainty and the Optimal Location of the Firm: Some New Conclusions

This paper presents standard microeconomic models that are designed to be used in the cost-benefit analysis of local land use decisions. The models connect these allocation decisions to outcomes in the urban land and labor markets so that costs and benefits can be measured. Benefits to the local jurisdiction of allocating land to industrial use exist if unemployed workers are employed, land values increase, or local tax revenues increase beyond the amount needed to provide the additional public services required.     

圆明园新证——乾隆朝圆明园全图的发现与研究

故宫博物院图书馆藏1704号圆明园地盘图是迄今仅见的唯一一张完整记录乾隆朝圆明园盛况的绝世孤本,也是现存圆明园图档中绘制年代最早、使用时间最长、表现内容最丰富、记载变化最全面的国宝级珍贵档案。该图极有可能是清代著名样式雷家族的第三代传人——雷声澂执掌清宫样式房楠木作事务之时,于乾隆四十四年(1779)前后绘制的圆明园本部平面。此后该图一直作为档案图纸使用达半个多世纪之久,几乎囊括了一部全盛时期圆明园的变迁史,是研究圆明园在乾隆、嘉庆、道光三朝发展变化的最权威、最完整的档案记录。