THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HIGH‐TECH ECONOMY: CONVENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT INDEXES VERSUS A PERFORMANCE INDEX*

ABSTRACT Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is employed to construct an index of relative efficiencies by maximizing two proxies of high‐tech output subject to minimizing five specific resources often associated with high‐tech infrastructure. This approach ranks the 50 U.S. states from the most robustly efficient to the most robustly inefficient. The DEA approach avoids using equal or subjective weights employed in the New State Economy Index rankings. The ranking of the 50 states yields some interesting differences between some states' dominance in high‐tech industries and their economic performance.     

The Demolition of the Roman Tetrapylon in Caerleon: An Erasure of Memory

Excavations in Caerleon, the headquarters of the Second Augustan Legion, have demonstrated the existence of a tetrapylon at the centre of the Roman fortress. Evidence indicates that the structure survived into the medieval period when it was undermined and demolished. A recent review of ceramic finds associated with the demolition horizon suggests that the tetrapylon was razed in the thirteenth century. While stone-robbing for reconstruction of the medieval castle in Caerleon may provide a partial explanation for the destruction, political circumstances at the time provided additional incentives. Association of the Roman remains with resurgent Welsh lordship appears to have created a political reason for removal of the structure.