Causes of subcontracting: Evidence from panel data on construction firms

This paper examines factors explaining subcontracting decisions in the construction industry. Rather than the more common cross-sectional analyses, we use panel data to evaluate the influence of all relevant variables. We design and use a new index of the closeness to small numbers situations to estimate the extent of hold-up problems. Results show that as specificity grows, firms tend to subcontract less. The opposite happens when output heterogeneity and the use of intangible assets and capabilities increase. Neither temporary shortage of capacity nor geographical dispersion of activities seem to affect the extent of subcontracting. Finally, proxies for uncertainty do not show any clear effect.

Materials ecobioconstructius sostenibles

Sobre materials ecobioconstructius sostenibles

Construcció sostenible amb arcs i voltes

Avui dia cal destacar els arcs i voltes com a tecnologia estructural de baix cost econòmic i ambiental, i que pot facilitar la resolució de cobertes sense un ús excessiu d’acer. La seva durabilitat, versatilitat i senzillesa donen fe d’una saviesa tradicional que va ser abandonada injustificadament i que cal recuperar i actualitzar com a nova via sostenible d’edificar. Aquest article dóna informació i eines de treball basades en l’experiència pròpia de construir i investigar en noves tecnologies més ecològiques durant els darrers vint anys, recuperant alhora un patrimoni tecnològic herència directa d’arquitectes com Ignasi Bosch o Gaudí, del modernisme en general, del gòtic, del romànici en definitiva de tota relectura de les formes que treballen a compressió modelades per la mateixa natura. Es descriuen diferents tipus de voltes segons el sistema constructiu utilitzat

Uranium reserve, nuclear fuel cycle delusion, CO2 emission from the sea, and electricity supply: reflections after the fuel meltdown of Fukushima nuclear power units

The Great Tohoku-Kanto earthquake and resulting tsunami has brought considerable attention to the issue of the construction of new power plants. We argue in this paper, nuclear power is not a sustainable solution to energy problems. First, we explore the stock of uranium-235 and the different schemes developed by the nuclear power industry to exploit this resource. Second, we show that these methods, fast breeder and MOX fuel reactors, are not feasible. Third, we show that the argument that nuclear energy can be used to reduce CO2 emissions is false: the emissions from the increased water evaporation from nuclear power generation must be accounted for. In the case of Japan, water from nuclear power plants is drained into the surrounding sea, raising the water temperature which has an adverse affect on the immediate ecosystem, as well as increasing CO2 emissions from increased water evaporation from the sea. Next, a short exercise is used to show that nuclear power is not even needed to meet consumer demand in Japan. Such an exercise should be performed for any country considering the construction of additional nuclear power plants. Lastly, the paper is concluded with a discussion of the implications of our findings.