Quality and Competition: An Empirical Analysis across Industries, March 2006

This paper empirically explores the link between quality and concentration in a cross-section of manufactured goods. Using concentration data and product quality indicators, an ordered probit estimation explores the impact of concentration on quality that is defined as an index of quality characteristics. The results demonstrate that market concentration and quality are positively correlated across different industries. When industry concentration increases, the likelihood of the product being higher quality increases and the likelihood of observing a lower quality decreases.

The Minimum Safety Standard, Consumers��� Information, and Competition, February 2007

This paper explores the effects of a standard influencing care choice. Firm(s) may increase the probability of offering safe products by incurring a cost. Under duopoly, they compete either in prices or in quantities. Under perfect information about safety for consumers, the selected standard that corrects a safety underinvestment is always compatible with competition. Safety over investment only emerges under competition in quantities and relatively low values of the cost. Under imperfect information about safety for consumers, the standard leads to a monopoly situation. However, for relatively large values of the cost, a standard cannot impede the market failure coming from the lack of information.

Iowa Department of Economic Development, Agency Performance Plan

Annual Report, Agency Performance Plan

International Update, Iowa Department of Economic Development, March/April, 2003

Department Report for Economic Development

Telecommunications Competition Survey for Retail Local Voice Services in Iowa, January 26, 2004

Survey of retail local voice services for Iowa Utilities Board

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Department of Economic Development, June 30, 2002

State Agency Audit Report

Report on Special Investigation of the Parkersburg Economic Development Corporation in Parkersburg Iowa, May 1, 1999 - October 16, 2003

City Audit Report

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Department of Economic Development, June 30, 2003

State Agency Audit Report

Biosciences Path for Development: Economic and Core Competency Analyses, March 2004

Report produced by Iowa Department of Economic Development

IDED Strategic Plan For State Economic Growth, March 2004

Strategic Plan for Iowa Department of Economic Development

An Analysis of Regional Economic Growth in the U.S. Midwest, April 2005

In this paper we examine some of the economic forces that underlie economic growth at the county level. In an effort to describe a much more comprehensive regional economic growth model, we address a variety of different growth hypotheses by introducing a large number of growth related variables. When formulating our hypotheses and specifying our growth model we make liberal use of GIS (geographical information systems) mapping software to ���paint��� a picture of where growth spots exist. Our empirical estimation indicates that amenities, state and local tax burdens, population, amount of primary agriculture activity, and demographics have important impacts on economic growth.

Economic Impact of Closures on Displaced Workers, May 2002

Iowa Workforce Development research conducted in 2001 on Iowa workers displaced by layoffs indicated that post-layoff wages remained at or above pre-layoff levels. During the layoff quarters selected for analysis ��� first, second, and third quarters of 1998 ��� there were twenty-one layoff events, none of which were closures. The research at that time did not discriminate between closures or permanent layoffs for which no recall was expected and those layoff events expected to recall workers. The post/pre ratios1 of the affected workers in manufacturing were at or above 100%, while remaining slightly below the universe pre/post ratios for the same time period.

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Department of Economic Development, June 30, 2004

State Audit Reports

Tools & Trends from the Iowa Department of Economic Development, September 2005

Community Development News

Lithuania���s Food Demand During Economic Transition, January 2000

The linear approximate version of the AIDS model is estimated using data from the Lithuanian household budget survey covering the period from July 1992 to December 1994. Price and real expenditure elasticities for twelve food groups were estimated based on the estimated coefficients of the model. Very little or nothing is known about the demand parameters of Lithuania and other former socialist countries, so the results are of intrinsic interest. Estimated expenditure elasticities were positive and statistically significant for all food groups while all own-price elasticities were negative and statistically significant, except for that of eggs which was insignificant. Results suggest that Lithuanian household consumption did respond to price and real income changes during their transition to a market-oriented economy.