Supply side interventions and redistribution

In this paper we study the welfare impact of alternative tax schemes on laborand capital. We evaluate the e_ect of lowering capital income taxes on thedistribution of wealth in a model with heterogeneous agents, restricting ourattention to policies with constant tax rates.We calibrate and simulate the economy; we find that lowering capital taxeshas two effects: i) it increases effciency in terms of aggregate production, andii) it redistributes wealth in favor of those agents with a low wage/wealth ratio.We find that the redistributive effect dominates, and that agents with a lowwage wealth ratio would experience a large loss in utility if capital income taxeswere eliminated.

E-supply chain management: Review, implications and directions for future research

This paper analyses the interaction of two topics: Supply Chain Management (SCM) andInternet. Merging these two fields is a key area of concern for contemporary managers andresearchers. They have realized that Internet can enhance SCM by making real timeinformation available and enabling collaboration between trading partners. The aim of thispaper is to define e-SCM, analyze how research in this area has evolved during the period1995-2003 and identify some lines of further research. To do that a literature review inprestigious academic journals in Operations Management and Logistics has beenconducted.

Incomplete markets, labor supply and capital accumulation

In this paper we explore the accumulation of capital in the presence oflimited insurance against idiosyncratic shocks, borrowing constraintsand endogenous labor supply. As in the exogenous labor supply case(e.g. Aiyagari 1994, Huggett 1997), we find that steady states arecharacterized with an interest rate smaller than the rate of timepreference. However,wealsofind that when labor supply is endogenous thepresence of uncertainty and a borrowing limit are not enough to giverise to aggregate precautionary savings .

Drivers and sources of supply flexibility: An exploratory study

Purpose - There has been much research on manufacturing flexibility, but supply chain flexibility is still an under-investigated area. This paper focuses on supply flexibility, the aspects of flexibility related to the upstream supply chain. Our purpose is to investigate why and how firms increase supply flexibility.Methodology/Approach An exploratory multiple case study was conducted. We analyzed seven Spanish manufacturers from different sectors (automotive, apparel, electronics and electrical equipment).Findings - The results show that there are some major reasons why firms need supply flexibility (manufacturing schedule fluctuations, JIT purchasing, manufacturing slack capacity, low level of parts commonality, demand volatility, demand seasonality and forecast accuracy), and that companies increase this type of flexibility by implementing two main strategies: to increase suppliers responsiveness capability and flexible sourcing . The results also suggest that the supply flexibility strategy selected depends on two factors: the supplier searching and switching costs and the type of uncertainty (mix, volume or delivery).Research limitations - This paper has some limitations common to all case studies, such as the subjectivity of the analysis, and the questionable generalizability of results (since the sample of firms is not statistically significant).Implications - Our study contributes to the existing literature by empirically investigating which are the main reasons for companies needing to increase supply flexibility, how they increase this flexibility, and suggesting some factors that could influence the selection of a particular supply flexibility strategy.

Female labour supply in Spain: The importance of behavioural assumptions and unobserved heterogeneity specification

We estimate four models of female labour supply using a Spanish sampleof married women from 1994, taking into account the complete form of theindividual s budget set. The models differ in the hypotheses relating tothe presence of optimisation errors and/or the way non-workers contributeto the likelihood function. According to the results, the effects of wagesand non-labour income on the labour supply of Spanish married women dependon the specification used. The model which has both preference andoptimisation errors and allows for both voluntarily and involuntarilyunemployed females desiring to participate seems to better fit the evidencefor Spanish married women.

The impact of tax credits on labour supply

One of the principle aims of the Working Families' Tax Credit in the UK was to increase the participation of single mothers. The literature to date concludes there was approximately a five-percentage-point increase in employment of single mothers. The differences-in-differences methodology that is typically used compares single mother with single women without children. However, the characteristics of these groups are very different, and change over time in relative covariates are likely to violate the identifying assumption. We find that when we control for differential trends between women with and without children, the employment effect of the policy falls significantly. Moreover, the effect is borne solely by those working full-time (30 hours or more), while having no effect on inducing people into the labor market from inactivity. Looking closely at important covariates over time, we can see sizeable changes in the relative returns to employment between the treatment and control groups.

Immigration, family responsibilities and the labor supply of skilled native women

This paper investigates the effects of Spain s large recent immigration wave on thelabor supply of highly skilled native women. We hypothesize that female immigration led to an increase in the supply of affordable household services, such as housekeeping and child or elderly care. As a result, i) native females with high earnings potential were able to increase their labor supply, and ii) the effects were larger on skilled women whose labor supply was heavily constrained by family responsibilities. Our evidence indicates that over the last decade immigration led to an important expansion in the size of the household services sector and to an increase in the labor supply of women in high-earning occupations (of about 2 hours per week). We also find that immigration allowed skilled native women to return to work sooner after childbirth, to stay in the workforce longer when having elderly dependents in the household, and to postpone retirement. Methodologically, we show that the availability of even limited Registry data makes it feasible to conduct the analysis using quarterly household survey data, as opposed to having to rely on the decennial Census.

Supply chain management as a competitive advantage in the Spanish grocery sector

Adversarial relationships have long dominated business relationships,but Supply Chain Management (SCM) entails a new perspective. SCM requiresa movement away from arms-length relationships toward partnership stylerelations. SCM involves integration, co-ordination and collaborationacross organisations and throughout the supply chain. It means that SCMrequires internal (intraorganisational) and external (interorganisational)integration. This paper analyses the relationship between internal andexternal integration processes, their effect on firms performance andtheir contribution to the achievement of a competitive advantage.Performance improvements are analysed through costs, stock out and leadtime reductions. And, the achievement of a better competitive positionis measured by comparing the firm s performance with its competitors performance. To analyse this, an empirical study has been conducted inthe Spanish grocery sector.

Gestión operaciones logísticas : planificación, gestión y control on-line de operaciones de descarga

Aplicación en entorno web para facilitar la planificación, control y gestión de operaciones logísticas de descarga en un almacén regulador que gestione diferentes clientes con varios orígenes y destinos. Permite el acceso concurrente de varios usuarios previamente autorizados con diferentes niveles de acceso a datos y actualizaciones. Su utilización y actualización de los datos permite mantener un control on-line de la actividad y dar visibilidad a los clientes. Los datos almacenados se convierten en una fuente única, compartida y exportable para posteriores usos en análisis de datos y procesos de mejora. Incorpora informes de actividad y de indicadores de calidad.

Desenvolupament d'una aplicació per a la creació de pressupostos on-line

En aquests moments, el mercat no es troba en una bona situació, per aquest motiu les empreses han de buscar noves maneres de créixer, expandir-se i noves formes d’interactuar amb els clients. La idea original d’aquest projecte sorgeix de la necessitat de disposar d’una manera diferent de promocionar-se i oferir nous serveis a través d’internet mitjançant una pàgina web. Degut a la situació actual, el preu és un aspecte molt important i influent a l’hora de realitzar una obra. Per aquest motiu es va pensar que seria molt interessant que el client pogués demanar de forma fàcil i ràpida un pressupost, i a l’instant tingués un preu orientatiu del que li pot costar la obra. D’aquesta manera l’interessat s’estalvia i agilitza molts passos previs abans de començar una obra. Després d’analitzar quina era la millor manera de portar a terme el projecte informàtic, s’ha determinat que la pàgina web es desenvoluparà utilitzant els llenguatges HTML i PHP combinant-lo amb el framework CodeIgniter. El disseny de la web es realitzarà mitjançant fulles d’estil CSS conjuntament amb el framework BootStrap. Per realitzar l’aplicació web que realitza els pressupostos s’utilitzarà AJAX i jQuery perquè d’aquesta manera el procés sigui dinàmic. L’entorn de desenvolupament escollit és el NetBeans i per provar el projecte s’utilitza el XAMPP. Un usuari només necessitarà un navegador i connexió a internet per fer servir totes les funcions de la web. Podrà realitzar pressupostos, concertar visites, contactar i per suposat veure tota la part informativa de la pàgina.

Disseny i elaboració d'un gimnàs on-line

L’evolució que ha experimentat la societat, les grans ciutats, la industrialització i molts altres factors han modificat l’estil de vida de les persones accentuant-ne, irremediablement, el sedentarisme i l’abstinència de realitzar exercici físic. La pràctica esportiva i/o d’exercici físic realitzada sota les condicions recomanades pels professionals, és beneficiosa per millorar el nivell de salut o mantenir-lo en tot el possible, ja que provoca modificacions beneficioses sobre el metabolisme, el sistema cardiovascular i l’aparell locomotor. Lamentablement, l’hàbit de realitzar exercici físic no és comú en totes les persones, ja sigui per l’estil de vida que genera incompatibilitats d’horaris amb la feina, fills i familiars o bé per mandra o desgana d’haver d’aprofitar aquelles estones de temps lliure per dedicar-los al culte del cos i de la salut. Els efectes negatius que suposa una modalitat de vida sedentària per a la salut són notablement elevats, amb la qual cosa, cal buscar sistemes per augmentar l’ interès de la població per la pràctica de l’esport i l’activitat física. La creació d’aquest projecte neix de la idea d’unir el fet d’enginyar un mètode per incrementar l’interès de les persones per l’exercici físic amb els avenços tecnològics que s’han realitzat aquesta última dècada relacionats amb el desenvolupament web i multimèdia. A grans trets, la idea general d’aquest projecte es basa en el cas d’un gimnàs real i en actiu, amb necessitat de crear un portal web que serveixi alhora de pàgina web informativa i d’eina de gestió acadèmica del centre proporcionant certes funcionalitats als clients tot presentant-los una nova modalitat de realitzar exercici físic dirigit: realitzar-lo des de casa. Per desenvolupar tot el sistema informàtic que ho durà a terme, després de realitzar una recerca, anàlisi i elecció de les eines mitjançant les quals poder-ho realitzar, s’ha optat per crear l’entorn web mitjançant els llenguatges HTML i PHP en combinació amb els fulls d’estil CSS. Pel que fa a l’entorn de desenvolupament, s’ha utilitzat Notepad++ i com a entorn de proves, WAMP Server. Per últim, pel que fa a la transmissió del contingut multimèdia (vídeos de les sessions d’activitats) s’ha utilitzat Flash Media Interactive Server en combinació de Flash Media Live Encoder per codificar-ne el contingut. L’usuari final, des de qualsevol punt del planeta, podrà realitzar (sempre i quan disposi del temps i el material necessari i una connexió a Internet) en temps real i en directe les classes dirigides que es realitzen al centre. Tanmateix, també s’ha desenvolupat una botiga virtual on qualsevol persona podrà comprar-hi, entre d’altres coses relacionades amb la pràctica de l’exercici físic, tot el material necessari per realitzar qualsevol de les activitats que s’imparteixen al gimnàs i ho rebrà còmodament a casa. Aprofitar unes circumstàncies econòmiques adverses per generar una nova manera de captar clients proporcionant-los una alternativa econòmica, diferent, nova i original d’anar al gimnàs. Temps de crisis, temps d’oportunitats. Aquesta és la moralitat que pretén donar aquest projecte.

Assembly and disassembly of the Golgi Complex: two prodesses arranged in a cis to trans direction

We have studied the disassembly and assembly of two morphologically and functionally distinct parts of the Golgi complex, the cis/middle and trans cisterna/trans network compartments. For this purpose we have followed the redistribution of three cis/middle- (GMPc-1, GMPc-2, MG 160) and two trans- (GMPt-1 and GMPt-2) Golgi membrane proteins during and after treatment of normal rat kidney (NRK) cells with brefeldin A (BFA). BFA induced complete disassembly of the cis/middle- and trans-Golgi complex and translocation of GMPc and GMPt to the ER. Cells treated for short times (3 min) with BFA showed extensive disorganization of both cis/middle- and trans-Golgi complexes. However, complete disorganization of the trans part required much longer incubations with the drug. Upon removal of BFA the Golgi complex was reassembled by a process consisting of three steps: (a) exist of cis/middle proteins from the ER and their accumulation into vesicular structures scattered throughout the cytoplasm; (b) gradual relocation and accumulation of the trans proteins in the vesicles containing the cis/middle proteins; and (c) assembly of the cisternae, and reconstruction of the Golgi complex within an area located in the vicinity of the centrosome from which the ER was excluded. Reconstruction of the cis/middle-Golgi complex occurred under temperature conditions inhibitory of the reorganization of the trans-Golgi complex, and was dependent on microtubules. Reconstruction of the trans-Golgi complex, disrupted with nocodazole after selective fusion of the cis/middle-Golgi complex with the ER, occurred after the release of cis/middle-Golgi proteins from the ER and the assembly of the cis/middle cisternae.

Clathrin Assembly Lymphoid Myeloid Leukemia (CALM) Protein: Localization in Endocytic-coated Pits, Interactions with Clathrin, and the Impact of Overexpression on Clathrin-mediated Traffic

The clathrin assembly lymphoid myeloid leukemia (CALM) gene encodes a putative homologue of the clathrin assembly synaptic protein AP180. Hence the biochemical properties, the subcellular localization, and the role in endocytosis of a CALM protein were studied. In vitro binding and coimmunoprecipitation demonstrated that the clathrin heavy chain is the major binding partner of CALM. The bulk of cellular CALM was associated with the membrane fractions of the cell and localized to clathrin-coated areas of the plasma membrane. In the membrane fraction, CALM was present at near stoichiometric amounts relative to clathrin. To perform structure-function analysis of CALM, we engineered chimeric fusion proteins of CALM and its fragments with the green fluorescent protein (GFP). GFP-CALM was targeted to the plasma membrane-coated pits and also found colocalized with clathrin in the Golgi area. High levels of expression of GFP-CALM or its fragments with clathrin-binding activity inhibited the endocytosis of transferrin and epidermal growth factor receptors and altered the steady-state distribution of the mannose-6-phosphate receptor in the cell. In addition, GFP-CALM overexpression caused the loss of clathrin accumulation in the trans-Golgi network area, whereas the localization of the clathrin adaptor protein complex 1 in the trans-Golgi network remained unaffected. The ability of the GFP-tagged fragments of CALM to affect clathrin-mediated processes correlated with the targeting of the fragments to clathrin-coated areas and their clathrin-binding capacities. Clathrin-CALM interaction seems to be regulated by multiple contact interfaces. The C-terminal part of CALM binds clathrin heavy chain, although the full-length protein exhibited maximal ability for interaction. Altogether, the data suggest that CALM is an important component of coated pit internalization machinery, possibly involved in the regulation of clathrin recruitment to the membrane and/or the formation of the coated pit.

Temporal changes in the expression and distribution of adhesion molecules during liver development and regeneration

We have compared by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting the expression and distribution of adhesion molecules participating in cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions during embryonic development and regeneration of rat liver. Fibronectin and the fibronectin receptor, integrin alpha 5 beta 1, were distributed pericellularly and expressed at a steady level during development from the 16th day of gestation and in neonate and adult liver. AGp110, a nonintegrin fibronectin receptor was first detected on the 17th day of gestation in a similar, nonpolarized distribution on parenchymal cell surfaces. At that stage of development haemopoiesis is at a peak in rat liver and fibronectin and receptors alpha 5 beta 1 and AGp110 were prominent on the surface of blood cell precursors. During the last 2 d of gestation (20th and 21st day) hepatocytes assembled around lumina. AGp110 was initially depolarized on the surface of these acinar cells but then confined to the lumen and to newly-formed bile canaliculi. At birth, a marked increase occurred in the canalicular expression of AGp110 and in the branching of the canalicular network. Simultaneously, there was enhanced expression of ZO-1, a protein component of tight junctions. On the second day postpartum, presence of AGp110 and of protein constituents of desmosomes and intermediate junctions, DGI and E-cadherin, respectively, was notably enhanced in cellular fractions insoluble in nonionic detergents, presumably signifying linkage of AGp110 with the cytoskeleton and assembly of desmosomal and intermediate junctions. During liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, AGp110 remained confined to apical surfaces, indicating a preservation of basic polarity in parenchymal cells. A decrease in the extent and continuity of the canalicular network occurred in proliferating parenchyma, starting 24 h after resection in areas close to the terminal afferent blood supply of portal veins and spreading to the rest of the liver within the next 24 h. Distinct acinar structures, similar to the ones in prenatal liver, appeared at 72 h after hepatectomy. Restoration of the normal branching of the biliary tree commenced at 72 h. At 7 d postoperatively acinar formation declined and one-cell-thick hepatic plates, as in normal liver, were observed.

Lobbying, political competition, and local land supply: recent evidence from Spain

We analyze whether local land supply is influenced by the degree of political competition, and interpret the findings as being indicative of the influence wielded by land development lobbies. We use a new database including both political and land supply data for more than 2,000 Spanish municipalities for the period 2003-2007. In Spain, land use policies are largely a local responsibility with municipalities having periodically to pass compre- hensive land use plans. The main policy variable in these plans, and the one analyzed here, is the amount of land classified for potential development. We measure local political competition as the margin of victory of the incumbent government. We instrument this variable using the number of votes obtained by parties represented in local government when standing at the first national legislative elections following the re-establishment of democracy, and the number of votes they actually obtained regionally at the national legislative elections. The results indicate that stiffer political competition does indeed reduce the amount of new land designated for development. This effect is found to be most marked in suburbs, in towns with a high percent of commuters and homeowners, and in municipalities governed by the left.