The Spanish motor industry in the first third of the 20th Century: A lost opportunity

The Spanish automobile industry had a late start. Although the country proved capable of short production runs of high-quality vehicles during the first third of the century it never managed to build up its own industry, unlike Great Britain, France, or Italy. What then, were the critical shortcomings that prevented the establishment of large Spanish motor manufacturers? Put another way, why did all of the companies set up during the first half-century fail to survive? This paper attempts to shed some light on these questions, employing a wide-ranging analysis of both internal and external factors affecting the industry. A feeble internal market, lack of resources and production factors are usually adduced as reasons, as are Spain's general economic backwardness and the role played by the public authorities. However, this paper mainly focuses on the internal factors concerning company strategy and organisation. A comparison with the Italian case helps put the traditional arguments in proper perspective and highlights those covering business strategies. Finally, we argue that a broad range of factors needs to be analysed to fully understand why Spain failed to establish a motor industry.

European research funding and regional technological capabilities: Network composition analysis

We use network and correspondence analysis to describe the compositionof the research networks in the European BRITE--EURAM program. Our mainfinding is that 27\% of the participants in this program fall into one oftwo sets of highly ``interconnected'' institutions --one centered aroundlarge firms (with smaller firms and research centers providing specializedservices), and the other around universities--. Moreover, these ``hubs''are composed largely of institutions coming from the technologically mostadvanced regions of Europe. This is suggestive of the difficulties of attainingEuropean ``cohesion'', as technically advanced institutions naturally linkwith partners of similar technological capabilities.

Evaluating the impact of public subsidies on a firm's performance: a quasi-experimental approach

Many regional governments in developed countries design programs to improve the competitiveness of local firms. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of public programs whose aim is to enhance the performance of firms located in Catalonia (Spain). We compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with respect to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which retain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, change their business practices, improve their performance, and increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs.

Evaluating the impact of public subsidies on a firm's performance: a quasi-experimental approach

Many regional governments in developed countries design programs to improve the competitiveness of local firms. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of public programs whose aim is to enhance the performance of firms located in Catalonia (Spain). We compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with respect to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which retain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, change their business practices, improve their performance, and increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs.

Pageantry for Iowa Communities, 1923

George O. Hurley is the author and Ben J. Shambaugh is the editor of this document, which is also called Bulletin of Information Series No.10 published by the State Historical Society of Iowa. The purpose of this bulletin is to offer a practical discussion of some of the problems involved in the writing, organization and production of a community pageant which is defined as a community institution, such as churches, schools, chambers of commerce, woman's clubs, lodges and other organizations may us pageantry to advantage and profit. A bibliography is included.

Una vez más sobre la eutanasia

La discusión sobre la eutanasia continúa siendo una de las más candentes en el ámbito de la bioética. En este artículo, analizaremos el debate entre quienes rechazan la eutanasia amparándose en la santidad de la vida humana y quienes la defienden propugnando como ideas fundamentales la calidad de vida y la autonomía individual. Tras estas visiones enfrentadas, subyace una discusión más profunda entre una concepción antigua de los derechos humanos, basada en el respeto a un orden «natural» y una concepción moderna de los mismos, heredera de un humanismo laico, que considera la autonomía el principal valor.

El Teatro Español bajo la mirada Crítica de Emilia Pardo Bazán en 'La Vida Contemporánea'

Desde 1896 hasta 1916, Emilia Pardo Bazán colaboró periódicamente en el semanario barcelonés La ilustración artística con una sección fija titulada «La vida contemporánea». Este trabajo se centra en la crítica teatral que la autora vertía en estas crónicas. Asimismo, al final se recoge un índice temático de aquellas colaboraciones en las que trataba sobre cualquier aspecto relacionado con las artes escénica. Abstract: From 1896 to 1916, Emilia Pardo Bazán collaborated regurarly in the weekly from Barcelona La ilustración artística with a permanent column entitled «La vida contemporánea». This work focuses on the theatrical criticism that the author poured into these chronicles. Also, at the end, I give a thematic index of those collaborations in which it was about any aspect of the performing arts

Transversalitat i participació juvenil : estratègies per promoure que els joves esdevinguin agents actius en les polítiques locals de joventut : proposta d’intervenció al municipi de Caldes de Malavella

Proposta metodològica que té com a element central la participació juvenil. La participació entesa com l’impuls d’estructures democràtiques entre els joves. Aquest treball està centrat en el manteniment de la consolidació de les polítiques de joventut al municipi de Caldes de Malavella. La pèrdua de recursos econòmics és un element que dificulta la realització de projectes que incideixin de manera positiva en els joves. La creació d’estructures de participació entre els joves és una manera de motivar als joves i fer-los membres actius en el desenvolupament de les polítiques locals

Endogenous growth with capital in R&D production functions

[eng] In this paper we claim that capital is as important in the production of ideas as in the production of final goods. Hence, we introduce capital in the production of knowledge and discuss the associated problems arising from the public good nature of knowledge. We show that although population growth can affect economic growth, it is not necessary for growth to arise. We derive both the social planner and the decentralized economy growth rates and show the optimal subsidy that decentralizes it. We also show numerically that the effects of population growth on the market growth rate, the optimal growth rate and the optimal subsidy are small. Besides, we find that physical capital is more important for the production of knowledge than for the production of goods.

R&D poverty traps

In this paper we show that the R&D effort of a country and its economic growth are highly correlated. In order to analyze this relationship, we study the nature of the researching activity. In particular, we focus on the following characteristics of research: the inherent uncertainty of researching, the existence of a wage premium associated to innovative activities, and moral hazard. Assuming that a higher R&D effort translates into a higher R&D success probability, we show that when the R&D success probability is low, the economy is not willing to bear the risk associated to R&D activities. As a consequence, few researchers are hired and the economy stays in an R&D poverty trap, a situation where the economy is stacked in a low growth environment due to the uncertainty associated with the researching activity.

Endogenous growth with capital in R&D production functions

[eng] In this paper we claim that capital is as important in the production of ideas as in the production of final goods. Hence, we introduce capital in the production of knowledge and discuss the associated problems arising from the public good nature of knowledge. We show that although population growth can affect economic growth, it is not necessary for growth to arise. We derive both the social planner and the decentralized economy growth rates and show the optimal subsidy that decentralizes it. We also show numerically that the effects of population growth on the market growth rate, the optimal growth rate and the optimal subsidy are small. Besides, we find that physical capital is more important for the production of knowledge than for the production of goods.

R&D poverty traps

In this paper we show that the R&D effort of a country and its economic growth are highly correlated. In order to analyze this relationship, we study the nature of the researching activity. In particular, we focus on the following characteristics of research: the inherent uncertainty of researching, the existence of a wage premium associated to innovative activities, and moral hazard. Assuming that a higher R&D effort translates into a higher R&D success probability, we show that when the R&D success probability is low, the economy is not willing to bear the risk associated to R&D activities. As a consequence, few researchers are hired and the economy stays in an R&D poverty trap, a situation where the economy is stacked in a low growth environment due to the uncertainty associated with the researching activity.

F/OSS to promote vendor independence/avoid lock-in in the enterprise

This paper focuses on the use of FLOSS to promote vendor independence/avoid lock-in in the enterprise. It looks at how FLOSS projects follow open standards, how forking prevents lock-in if a project threatens to migrate to a closed-source strategy and how FLOSS lowers the barrier to entry for SMEs wishing to implement and support software. However it also looks at how the adoption of policies mandating open standards instead of FLOSS and how the success of cloud computing threatens to erode those benefits. It discusses ways in which cloud computing can be adopted in the enterprise without forfeiting those advantages and urge corporate and government policy makers to mandate FLOSS rather than be satisfied with open standards.

Una propuesta de evaluación de las políticas públicas de juventud. El SIAPJoven: Sistema de indicadores para la evaluación de políticas municipales de juventud

El reto de la plena ciudadanía es uno de los objetivos actuales en los discursos sociales y, entre ellos, los discursos relativos a las políticas de juventud. El objetivo es justamente superar el debate teórico y discursivo y entrar en el análisis de la práctica experimentada de la ciudadanía, aquella que capacita justamente para el ejercicio práctico de los derechos reconocidos y que no tiene otra forma de lograrlo que a través del ejercicio práctico y aplicado de este derecho. Desde esta posición la finalidad de las políticas de juventud es garantizar la posibilidad y la calidad de todos los procesos que permiten hablar del ejercicio de una plena ciudadanía. Por eso hay que favorecer la emancipación juvenil entendida como el acceso a una vivienda y a un trabajo digno, pero también haber recibido una educación de calidad, tener acceso a la cultura o no estar sometido a ningún tipo de exclusión social. Por tanto, la evaluación de toda política de juventud deberá incorporar elementos para considerar la efectividad de las acciones emprendidas desde una perspectiva de integridad para favorecer la plena ciudadanía. En esta aportación presentamos una propuesta de evaluación desde esta perspectiva. El SIAPJove se concibe como una herramienta para la autoevaluación y para el análisis de la propia acción municipal en políticas de juventud. Útil para ayudar a describir la situación en que se encuentran las políticas municipales de juventud, detectar tendencias, contribuir a establecer objetivos y medir la eficacia de las políticas y los programas de juventud en el ámbito municipal. Presentamos los principales objetivos de evaluación de este sistema, el proceso de validación realizado para la construcción de este instrumento y su estructura básica como herramienta útil para la evaluación de políticas municipales de juventud

Juventud, políticas públicas y crisis en España: ¿Triángulo mágico o triángulo de las Bermudas?

In times of crisis, the youth policies are experiencing enormous cutbacks and transformations to the point that we are wondering whether they really exist as public policies with their own entity. The situation in which many young people find themselves in Spain leads them to wonder where the traditional protection networks are: The family, the NGO’s or the Welfare State, when they are really needed. Our objective in this article is to show and discuss the situation of the youth policies in Spain in the present context of social austerity and drastic cutbacks. We carry out this analysis from the parameters of the magical triangle that unite policies, research and social work with young people