Moral Hazard and the Internal Organization of Joint Research

Revised 2006-06

Endogenous Formation of Competing Partnership with Moral Hazard

Published as an article in: Games and Economic Behavior, 2003, vol. 44, issue 1, pages 183-194.

How much efficiency gains and price reductions for an efficiency defense? 'Quanto Basta'

Potential efficiency gains due to a merger can be used by competition authorities to judge upon proposed mergers. In a world where agents’ efforts, observable or unobservable, affect the success of a production cost reducing project that may be conducted as a stand-alone firm or in a merger, we characterize the merger decision and the type of errors a competition authority may make when it relies on an efficiency defense. In addition, we show that the occurrence of either type of errors is always smaller under the unobservable efforts assumption, than under the observable efforts one.

Comportamiento de las empresas respecto a la formación contínua de sus directivos

Este trabajo ha sido previamente presentado en las XVII Jornadas Luso-Espanholas de Gestao Científica, celebradas en Evora (Portugal) en febrero de 2006.

Familias monoparentales: satisfacción vital en madres jóvenes inmigrantes

[SPA] Conocer el bienestar psicológico subjetivo y satisfacción vital de quienes asumen la responsabilidad de las familias monoparentales mejora la acción educativa, ayudando a prevenir situaciones de riesgo y exclusión social. Este trabajo presenta el análisis de la satisfacción vital expresada por un grupo de madres jóvenes inmigrantes al frente de familias monomarentales usuarias del Programa Beregain de la Fundación Itaka-Escolapios (Bilbao). Se realizaron entrevistas individuales semiestructuradas a las madres que integran la muestra. El análisis e interpretación de datos se llevaron a cabo conforme a una metodología cualitativa, específicamente el estudio de casos. Los resultados revelaron la escasa satisfacción en ciertos ámbitos vitales relacionados con las relaciones interpersonales, el ocio, la conciliación del cuidado de sus hijos/as con la propia formación, y la imposibilidad de hacer frente a los gastos económicos sin la ayuda que reciben por parte de la fundación.

Initiatives for the improvement of continuous management training

[EN] Purpose. This work aims to present, from the company viewpoint, a structured account of management proposals and practices directed toward improving the intensity and effectiveness of continuous management training (CMT). Design/methodology/approach. The article takes as its main theoretical referents the Theory of Human Capital, the Resource-Based Vision and the contributions made via the new institutional economy with regard to the problems of information asymmetry between companies, employees and training providers and completes the proposals that derive from this theoretical approach. To do this, experience-based contributions are collected from a selection of company training and HR managers from twelve Basque companies characterised by their strong investment in management training. The methodology used was qualitative and obtained by different qualitative techniques: Focus Groups, Nominal Groups and the Delphi Method, which make up the so-called Hybrid Delphi. Findings and implications. The proposals are aimed at the main agents in training activity: training providers, associations and public agents engaged in management training and, particularly, companies themselves. The initiatives seek above all to increase training market transparency, to improve mutual commitments between companies and managers, and to link training and development with culture and strategic management, so that firms make optimal investment in management training. Originality/value. The methodology used is original, and the contributions are consistent with the theory, have a proven practical utility, and are presented in a hierarchy, which facilitates decision making.

Análisis de la influencia de los sistemas de puesta a tierra en la eficiencia de instalaciones eléctricas de baja tensión residenciales e industriales.

[EN]Nowadays, global society is more aware of electrical energy’s risks than never before, and electrical safety has turned a priority when a new installation is designed. So, a great protection to an unwanted electric hazard is required, being specially careful with indirect contacts. If a circuit has an insulation failure and an indirect contact is produced, there is risk of an accidental electrocution, risk that must be avoided by making a good choice of the grounding methodology and properly coordinating the electrical protections in the installation. In order to minimize that risk, a study of low voltage industrial and residential installation’s grounding methodologies is introduced, analyzing the tree grounding methodologies internationally accepted (TT, TN, IT). In addition, two real examples are solved (using a computer-aided engineering software), confirming the results of the theoretical study.

PGPRs and nitrogen-fixing legumes: a perfect team for efficient Cd phytoremediation?

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic, biologically non-essential and highly mobile metal that has become an increasingly important environmental hazard to both wildlife and humans. In contrast to conventional remediation technologies, phytoremediation based on legume rhizobia symbiosis has emerged as an inexpensive decontamination alternative which also revitalize contaminated soils due to the role of legumes in nitrogen cycling. In recent years, there is a growing interest in understanding symbiotic legume rhizobia relationship and its interactions with Cd. The aim of the present review is to provide a comprehensive picture of the main effects of Cd in N-2-fixing leguminous plants and the benefits of exploiting this symbiosis together with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria to boost an efficient reclamation of Cd-contaminated soils.