SPATIAL HEDONICS AND THE WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR RESIDENTIAL AMENITIES*

ABSTRACT We investigate the role of spatial multipliers when using spatial‐lag hedonic models to measure the benefits of residential amenity improvements. Such benefits are commonly measured using the product of the coefficient of the amenity in question and a spatial multiplier. We show this is correct only when the spatial spillovers transmitted through the multiplier are strictly technological. If they are instead strictly pecuniary, then benefits are fully measured using the coefficient with no spatial multiplier. In either case, or in intermediate cases where both types of spillovers exist, a spatial‐lag specification is required to obtain valid benefits measures.     

Are governmental culture departments important? An empirical investigation

It has been often claimed that governmental culture departments are not particularly significant or important for governments as a whole. The extent to which this is true is investigated through a combination of quantitative and qualitative assessments of departmental significance using the United Kingdom and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as a case study. Departments are assessed across a number of criteria incorporating expenditure, law‐making, policy centrality, ministerial career trajectories, press coverage, departmental age, executive centrality, manifesto coverage and staffing patterns. On these the British example demonstrates that culture departments are not significantly important for governments as a whole. The comparative implications of this finding are identified, and potential new research areas are indicated.     

South American problems: A review

ABSTRACT

Tourism can be potentially disruptive for the recipient communities; particularly for residents who do not directly benefit from the spending of tourists. To this end in the 1970s George Doxey derived an ‘irridex’, and this is assessed in this paper in the Manx context. The Isle of man Tourist Trophy Motorcycle Races involve road closures and are potentially disruptive to the lives of many residents. Survey results show that Manx residents do not, however, find the races unacceptably disruptive or intrusive. As such, questions are raised on the nature of environmentally disruptive tourism.