Centrality and investment strategies at the beginning of industrialisation in mid-nineteenth-century Catalonia

We apply social networks analysis to the study of an important database on investment and companies" share in the Catalonia (Spain) of the nineteenth century. In contrast with most of the existing related literature, usually addressing power relationships across administration boards, we focus on the structure of interactions among individual investors and firms. Centrality analysis uncovers interesting roles played by certain economic sectors (e.g. textile and financial). Furthermore, the diverse composition (in terms of economic activity) of communities in the network (subgroups more densely connected internally than with the rest of the network) reveals a high investment diversification, which nicely agrees with a known characteristic of traditional Catalan business strategies.

Laskentatoimen tutkimus Suomessa vuosina 1985-1999

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on analysoida laskentatoimen kauppatieteellisiä väitöskirjatutkimuksia vuosilta 1985-1999. Väitöskirjoista tutkitaan: missä yliopistoissa ne on tehty, ketkä tutkimuksia ovat tehneet, mitä on tutkittu ja mitä tutkimusmetodologiaa on käytetty. Lisäksi suoritetaan vertailua edellisiin vuosikymmeniin sekä USA:n ja Euroopan tutkimuksiin. Tutkimusote on nomoteettinen. Laskentatoimen väitöskirjat vuosilta 1985-1999 luokitellaan ja analysoidaan tutkimusten aihepiirin, tutkimusotteen ja tutkimusten ongelma-alueen perusteella. Analyyseistä saatuja tiivistettyjä tuloksia vertaillaan Juha ja Salme Näsin (1985) vuosien 1940-1984 laskentatoimen väitöskirjojen tutkimustuloksiin. Lopputuloksena todetaan, että vuosien 1985-1999 väitöskirjatutkimusten aihepiirit ovat keskittyneet johdon päätöksentekoon, väitöskirjojen tutkimusotteissa nomoteettinen tutkimusote on menettänyt johtoasemansa toiminta-analyyttisella tutkimusotteelle sekä ongelma-alueidensa perusteella väitöskirjat ovat suuntautuneet yrityksen taloudelliseen toimintaan.

Èquids i gossos en l"economia i en els rituals. Resultats de l"estudi dels materials dipositats en el sitjar iberoromà del Serrat dels Espinyers (Isona, Pallars Jussà)

[cat]El Serrat dels Espinyers constitueix, per si mateix, un punt important en el poc conegut poblament ibéric del Pallars. En el panorama arqueològic català esdevé un cas únic pel que fa a la utiliztzació dels animals en activitats rituals vinculades tant a espais funeraris com domèstics, en particular pel volum i la qualitat de les dades aportades. L'anàlisi de les restes òssies animals i d'altes materials associats han procurart un conjunt de dades que permeten establir hipòtesis sobre els comportaments rituals de la societat ibèrica que va ocupar el jaciment. D'altra banda, es posa en evidència la importància de dos tàxons: els èquids i els gossos, i la seva relació amb l'activitat econòmica que hi va poder tenir lloc. [eng]Serrat dels Espinyers is an important site within the little known Iberian culture settlement of the Pallars area in Catalonia. Regarding the use of animals in ritual activities related to both domestic and funerary spaces, the data provided by this site are unique within the Catalan archaeology. The results obtained in the analysis of animal bones and other associated materials have allowed us to establish new hypotheses about the ritual behavior in Iberian society. Moreover, the importance of two taxa: horses and dogs, has been highlighted, as well as their relationship with the economic activity that could have taken place on the site.

Fiscal sustainability and fiscal shocks in a dollarized and oil-exporting country: Ecuador

This paper investigates the fiscal sustainability of an emerging, dollarized, oil-exporting country: Ecuador. A cointegrated VAR approach is adopted in testing, first, if the intertemporal budget constraint is satisfied in Ecuador and, second, in identifying the permanent and transitory shocks that affect a fiscal policy characterized by inertia and a heavy dependence on oil revenues. Following confirmation that the debt-GDP ratio does not place the Ecuadorian budget under any pressure, we reformulate the model and identify two forces that push the fiscal system out of equilibrium, namely, economic activity and oil revenues implemented in the government budget. We argue that Ecuador needs to recover control of its monetary policy and to promote the diversification of its economy in order that non-oil tax revenues can replace oil revenues as a pushing force. Finally, we calculate quarterly elasticities of tax revenues with respect to Ecuador’s GDP and that of eight Eurozone countries. We illustrate graphically how the Eurozone countries with low positive or high negative elasticities’ levels suffer debt problems after the crisis. This finding emphasizes the pressing need for Ecuador to strengthen the connection between its tax revenues and output, and also suggests that the convergence of these elasticities in the Eurozone might contribute to the success of an eventually future fiscal union.

Dollarization and the relationship between EMBI and fundamentals Latin American countries

This paper presents empirical evidence on the interrelationship that exists between the evolution of the Emerging Markets Bonds Index (EMBI) and some macroeconomic variables in seven Latin American countries; two of them (Ecuador and Panama), full dollarized. We make use of a Cointegrated Vector framework to analyze the short run effects from 2001 to 2009. The results suggest that EMBI is more stable in dollarized countries and that its evolution influences economic activity in non-dollarized economies; suggesting that investors confidence might be higher in dollarized countries where real and financial economic evolution are less tied than in non-dollarized ones.

Dollarization and the relationship between EMBI and fundamentals Latin American countries

This paper presents empirical evidence on the interrelationship that exists between the evolution of the Emerging Markets Bonds Index (EMBI) and some macroeconomic variables in seven Latin American countries; two of them (Ecuador and Panama), full dollarized. We make use of a Cointegrated Vector framework to analyze the short run effects from 2001 to 2009. The results suggest that EMBI is more stable in dollarized countries and that its evolution influences economic activity in non-dollarized economies; suggesting that investors confidence might be higher in dollarized countries where real and financial economic evolution are less tied than in non-dollarized ones.

Infrastructure and nation building: The regulation and financing of network transportation infrastructures in Spain (1720-2010)

This paper analyzes Spanish infrastructure policy since the early 1700s: Road building in the eighteenth century, railway creation and expansion in the nineteenth, motorway expansion in the twentieth, and high speed rail development in the twenty-first. The analysis reveals a long-term pattern, in which infrastructure policy in Spain has been driven not by the requirements of commerce and economic activity, but rather by the desire to centralize transportation around the country’s political capital.

La protecció de dades a l'àmbit empresarial: el dret a l'oblit

Anàlisi sobre la protecció de dades en l’àmbit empresarial i del destí d’aquelles dades que es troben a la xarxa. Concretament s’analitza la possibilitat de l’existència d’un dret a l’oblit que permeti, tant a persones físiques com jurídiques, eliminar part de la seva història digital a Internet. La finalitat d’aquest treball és investigar i proposar una possible solució per a totes aquelles persones jurídiques que vulguin oblidar aquelles informacions que perjudiquin el desenvolupament de la seva activitat econòmica.

Eixos mobilizadores em química

Over the last five years there have been significant changes in higher education in Brazil as well as in research funding. As a contribution to the development of Science and Technology, and aiming to portray Chemistry today in Brazil, in the context of last year´s elections for President, State Governors, National Congress and Legislative Chamber, the Directors and Consulting Council of the Brazilian Chemical Society, SBQ, initiated in 2002 a series of activities to produce a document entitled Mobilizing Axes in Chemistry. This discusses undergraduate and graduate teaching in Chemistry, a new model for research funding, and the overall state of the art, and future perspectives. Six mobilizing axes have been identified and discussed to date: 1. Training of highly qualified personnel; 2. Decentralization, and discouragement of institutional in-breeding; 3. Stimulation of entrepreneurship and interdisciplinarity; 4. A guaranteed budget for Science and Technology; 5. Proactive interaction of academics with economic activity; and 6. Removal of institutional bottle-necks of all sorts. The Brazilian Chemical Society hopes that the new administration will in the near future begin the task of improving the national education system and increase funding for Science and Technology.

Enhancing the efficiency of freight transport by using simulation

The role of transport in the economy is twofold. As a sector of economic activity it contributes to a share of national income. On the other hand, improvements in transport infrastructure create room for accelerated economic growth. As a means to support railways as a safe and environmentally friendly transportation mode, the EU legislation has required the opening of domestic railway freight for competition from beginning of year 2007. The importance of railways as a mode of transport has been great in Finland, as a larger share of freight has been carried on rails than in Europe on average. In this thesis it is claimed that the efficiency of goods transport can be enhanced by service specific investments. Furthermore, it is stressed that simulation can and should be used to evaluate the cost-efficiency of transport systems on operational level, as well as to assess transportation infrastructure investments. In all the studied cases notable efficiency improvements were found. For example in distribution, home delivery of groceries can be almost twice as cost efficient as the current practice of visiting the store. The majority of the cases concentrated on railway freight. In timber transportation, the item with the largest annual transport volume in domestic railway freight in Finland, the transportation cost could be reduced most substantially. Also in international timber procurement, the utilization of railway wagons could be improved by combining complementary flows. The efficiency improvements also have positive environmental effects; a large part of road transit could be moved to rails annually. If impacts of freight transport are included in cost-benefit analysis of railway investments, up to 50 % increase in the net benefits of the evaluated alternatives can be experienced, avoiding a possible inbuilt bias in the assessment framework, and thus increasing the efficiency of national investments in transportation infrastructure. Transportation systems are a typical example of complex real world systems that cannot be analysed realistically by analytical methods, whereas simulation allows inclusion of dynamics and the level of detail required. Regarding simulation as a viable tool for assessing the efficiency of transportation systems finds support also in the international survey conducted for railway freight operators; operators use operations research methods widely for planning purposes, while simulation is applied only by the larger operators.

Wages and productivity: the role of labour market institutions in OECD countries

In the context of a monetary union, to keep a territorial equilibrium in terms of economic activity and employment, the relationship between real wages and productivity is crucial. In this paper, empirical evidence about the response of wages to productivity is obtained for 20 OECD countries and the role of labour market institutions to explain differences in this response is analysed.

Pienen kokoluokan CHP-tuotannon kannattavuus kunnallisen lämpölaitoksen yhteydessä

Fossiiliset polttoainevarannot ovat ehtymässä. Nykyisen talouskasvumme perustuessa fossiilisten polttoaineiden kestämättömään käyttöön, on energiantuotantorakenteen muututtava. Euroopan Unioni on asettanut tavoitteet uusiutuvan energian osuuden lisäämiseksi. Näistä syistä johtuen kiinnostus uusiutuvaa energiaa ja hajautettua energiantuotantoa kohtaan on kasvanut viime aikoina. Tämän globaalin ilmiön rinnalla yhteiskuntarakenteen muutos Suomessa on johtanut tilanteeseen, jossa taloudellinen aktiviteetti kasvukeskusten ulkopuolella on hiipumassa. Loogisena ratkaisumallina on syntynyt hankkeita kuten Keski-Karjalan Kehitysyhtiö Oy:n Puhos 2013 - ympäristöalasta uutta liiketoimintaa - hanke. Tämä työ on Puhos 2013 - hankkeeseen tilattu tutkimus, jonka tavoitteena on puuta ja biokaasua polttoaineenaan käyttävän mikroturbiinitekniikkaan pohjautuvan pienen kokoluokan CHP tuotannon kannattavuuden selvittäminen kunnallisen lämpölaitoksen yhteydessä. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin aluksi pienen kokoluokan CHP tuotannon kannattavuuteen vaikuttavat tekijät, jonka jälkeen opittua tietoa sovellettiin Kiteen Lämmön Arppentien lämpölaitoksen tapaukseen. Kiteen Lämmön taloudellisen kannattavuuden ohella tutkimuksessa huomioitiin uusien liiketoiminta mahdollisuuksien syntyminen alueelle. Käytetyt tutkimusmenetelmät olivat kvalitatiivinen analyysi ja perinteinen investoinnin kannattavuuslaskenta. Tutkimuksen tuloksena muodostettiin strategia, joka maksimoi molemmat edellä mainitut kannattavuuden näkökulmat. Kehitetyn strategian Kiteen Lämmön tulosta maksimoiva osuus muodostuu oman käyttösähkön tuottamisen aloittamisesta Arppentien lämpölaitoksella 30 kWe mikroturbiinilla käyttäen polttoaineena Bio10 Oy:n toimittamaa biokaasua. Uusien liiketoiminta mahdollisuuksien synty alueelle mahdollistetaan puolestaan kehittämällä puun kaasutukseen perustuva modulaarinen CHP laitos yhteistyössä Mekrijärven tutkimusaseman ja suomalaisten laitevalmistajien kanssa.

Ammattimainen taloudellinen toiminta suomalaisessa huippujoukkueurheilussa

Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitetään suomalaisen koripallosarjan Korisliigan seurojen taloudellista toimintaa, nykytilaa ja kehitysmahdollisuuksia kohti ammattilaisuutta. Tutkimuksen teoriaosuudessa selvitetään yleisiä menestyvän urheiluliiketoiminnan peruspiirteitä. Seurojen tilinpäätöksistä tehdään kevyt tilinpäätösanalyysi ja lisäksi haastatellaan suomalaisen koripallon ja urheilun asiantuntijoita. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittivat, että Korisliigan seurojen taloudellinen tilanne on hyvin epävakaa ja seurojen talous- ja strategiaosaaminen on heikkoa. Etenkin seurojen toiminnan suunnittelemattomuus ja lyhytjänteisyys nousivat esille tutkimuksessa. Tutkimuksen lopussa esitellään vielä mahdollisuuksia, miten Korisliigan toimintaa voitaisiin kehittää.

Determination of presence and quantification of cadmium, lead and copper in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets obtained from three cold storage plants in the state of Parana, Brazil

Pisciculture is an economic activity that is steadily growing in the state of Parana, Brazil, and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is one of the widely cultivated species in this state. Tilapia is not only a very nutritious food, but also an important indicator of environmental contamination. This study aimed to verify contamination by cadmium, copper and lead in tilapia fillets, and to compare the found values to international legislations. Were collected 135 samples of tilapia fillets, between July 2006 and May 2007, in three fish stores located in regions west and north of Paraná State. Samples of tilapia fillet were analyzed in relation to the presence of cadmiun, lead and copper, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Lead has not been detected in the analyses. Cadmium has been detected in three samples, on concentrations of 0.012 µg.g-1, 0.011 µg.g-1 and 0.014 µg.g-1. Copper has been detected in all fillets, and the average concentration of each cold storage plant was of 0.122 µg.g-1, 0.106 µg.g-1 and 0.153 µg.g-1. The concentrations found in this study are within the limits allowed by both the European and the Australian legislations.

Molecular characterization and evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) isolated from minas soft cheese

Foodborne disease caused by microorganisms is a problem of public health. Minas soft cheese is a national product manufactured using simple technology; it has high level of acceptance in the country making its production an important economic activity. Many microorganisms may be present in foods including the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). Overall, E. coli is a harmless commensal bacterium; however, some strains may have a pathogenic potential. Several outbreaks of foodborne diseases associated with consumption of contaminated cheese have been reported, and the presence of pathogenic strains of E. coli has increased. The objective of this study was to isolate, evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility, and characterize, by Multiplex PCR, the pathogenic E. coli strains isolated from Minas cheese commercialized in Rio de Janeiro. Thirty samples were analyzed and five strains of E. coli (EPEC) were identified. The assessment of antimicrobial susceptibility revealed 40% of the isolates resistant to ampicillin and 40% with intermediate resistance to ampicillin-sulbactam combination. These findings are a warning signal to health authorities since Minas cheese is a ready to eat food product, and therefore should not pose health risks to the population.