Asymmetric flow networks

This paper provides a new model of network formation that bridges the gap between the two benchmark models by Bala and Goyal, the one-way flow model, and the two-way flow model, and includes both as particular extreme cases. As in both benchmark models, in what we call an "asymmetric flow" network a link can be initiated unilaterally by any player with any other, and the flow through a link towards the player who supports it is perfect. Unlike those models, in the opposite direction there is friction or decay. When this decay is complete there is no flow and this corresponds to the one-way flow model. The limit case when the decay in the opposite direction (and asymmetry) disappears, corresponds to the two-way flow model. We characterize stable and strictly stable architectures for the whole range of parameters of this "intermediate" and more general model. We also prove the convergence of Bala and Goyal's dynamic model in this context.

El incierto futuro del empleo femenino en la maquila centroamericana y dominicana

Durante las últimas décadas la industria maquiladora ha sido la principal fuente de empleo industrial femenino en Centroamérica y el Caribe. Las precarias condiciones de trabajo, los bajos salarios y la falta de respeto de los derechos laborales han recibido numerosas críticas. No obstante, más allá de las controversias sobre los posibles efectos positivos del acceso al trabajo asalariado en el sector formal, hoy en día la situación de las mujeres empleadas en la maquila se enfrenta a un difícil porvenir. Por una parte, la posible desaparición de muchos de estos empleos, particularmente en el ensamblaje de prendas de vestir, debido a un nuevo marco regulador y la competencia de China y otros países asiáticos. Por otra parte, en los empleos que sobrevivan al ajuste, las condiciones laborales de las mujeres difícilmente van a mejorar en un sector principal fuente de ventaja competitiva es la continua rebaja de los costes de la mano de obra.

Approximate knowledge of rationality and correlated equilibria

We extend Aumann's [3] theorem deriving correlated equilibria as a consequence of common priors and common knowledge of rationality by explicitly allowing for non-rational behavior. We replace the assumption of common knowledge of rationality with a substantially weaker notion, joint p-belief of rationality, where agents believe the other agents are rational with probabilities p = (pi)i2I or more. We show that behavior in this case constitutes a constrained correlated equilibrium of a doubled game satisfying certain p-belief constraints and characterize the topological structure of the resulting set of p-rational outcomes. We establish continuity in the parameters p and show that, for p su ciently close to one, the p-rational outcomes are close to the correlated equilibria and, with high probability, supported on strategies that survive the iterated elimination of strictly dominated strategies. Finally, we extend Aumann and Dreze's [4] theorem on rational expectations of interim types to the broader p-rational belief systems, and also discuss the case of non-common priors.

Pasado, presente y futuro de la Ictiología Argentina.

En este documento se publica la conferencia inaugural del II Simposio de Ictiología: La Perspectiva Neotropical (II SIA), dictada por el Dr. Roberto Carlos Menni el día 23 de octubre de 2006 en el auditorio del Museo de La Plata.

Evolution of Cooperation in the Snowdrift Game with Incomplete Information and Heterogeneous Population

Differently from previous studies of tag-based cooperation, we assume that individuals fail to recognize their own tag. Due to such incomplete information, the action taken against the opponent cannot be based on similarity, although it is still motivated by the tag displayed by the opponent. We present stability conditions for the case when individuals play unconditional cooperation, unconditional defection or conditional cooperation. We then consider the removal of one or two strategies. Results show that conditional cooperators are the most resilient agents against extinction and that the removal of unconditional cooperators may lead to the extinction of unconditional defectors.

To appove or not to approve: this is not the only question

This paper deals with electing candidates. In elections voters are frequently offered a small set of actions (voting in favor of one candidate, voting blank, spoiling the ballot, and not showing up). Thus voters can express neither a negative opinion nor an opinion on more than one candidate. Approval voting partially fills this gap by asking an opinion on all candidates. Still the choice is only between approval and non approval. However non approval may mean disapproval or just indifference or even absence of suffcient knowledge for approving the candidate. In this paper we characterize the dis&approval voting rule, a natural extension of approval voting that distinguishes between indifference and disapproval.

The von Neumann-Morgenstern stable sets for 2x2 games

We analyze the von Neumann and Morgenstern stable sets for the mixed extension of 2 2 games when only single profitable deviations are allowed. We show that the games without a strict Nash equilibrium have a unique vN&M stable set and otherwise they have infinite sets.

Learning in Network Games

We report the findings of an experiment designed to study how people learn and make decisions in network games. Network games offer new opportunities to identify learning rules, since on networks (compared to e.g. random matching) more rules differ in terms of their information requirements. Our experimental design enables us to observe both which actions participants choose and which information they consult before making their choices. We use this information to estimate learning types using maximum likelihood methods. There is substantial heterogeneity in learning types. However, the vast majority of our participants' decisions are best characterized by reinforcement learning or (myopic) best-response learning. The distribution of learning types seems fairly stable across contexts. Neither network topology nor the position of a player in the network seem to substantially affect the estimated distribution of learning types.

The coincidence of the kernel and nucleolus of a convex game: an alternative proof

In 1972, Maschler, Peleg and Shapley proved that in the class of convex the nucleolus and the kernel coincide. The only aim of this note is to provide a shorter, alternative proof of this result.

Irlanda: euroa, higiezinen burbuila eta gaur egungo egoera

90. hamarkadaren hasieran Gobernu irlandarrak bertako ekonomian eragin positiboa izango zuten hainbat erabaki estrategiko hartu zituen. Erabaki hauek zergen murrizketak eta ekonomiaren liberalizazioa suposatzen zituzten. Honi esker esportazioak hazkunde ekonomikoaren bultzatzaile nagusi bihurtu ziren. XXI. mendearen hasieran higiezinen sektoreak kanpo sektorea ordezkatuko du ekonomiaren dinamizatzaile nagusi bezala. Euroan sartzeak, atzerriko aurrezkia etxebizitzen erosketara bideratuz, higiezinen burbuilaren sorrera ahalbidetu zuen. Higiezinen sektorean oinarritutako hazkunde ekonomikoa 2007. urtean eztanda egin zuen finantza krisi globalaren ondorioz bukatu egingo da. Gaur egun, Irlandako ekonomia hazkunde jasangaitzeko garai horren ondorioak pairatzen ari da. Hau dela eta, krisi sakoneko egoera bat igarotzen ari da, Europar Batasunak erreskatatu behar izan du eta bere fi nantza sektorearen zati handi bat sektore publikoaren esku dago.

Long-Term Growth and Persistence with Endogenous Depreciation: Theory and Evidence

Previous research has shown a strong positive correlation between short-term persistence and long-term output growth as well as between depreciation rates and long-term output growth. This evidence, therefore, contradicts the standard predictions from traditional neoclassical or AK-type growth models with exogenous depreciation. In this paper, we first confirm these findings for a larger sample of 101 countries. We then study the dynamics of growth and persistence in a model where both the depreciation rate and growth are endogenous and procyclical. We find that the model s predictions become consistent with the empirical evidence on persistence, long-term growth and depreciation rates.

Las empresas españolas ante la innovación

El objetivo de este artículo es identificar las principales dificultades a las que se enfrentan las empresas españolas a la hora de realizar actividades de innovación, para con posterioridad tratar de determinar qué características tienen aquellas empresas que mayores dificultades muestran a la hora de emprender dichas actividades. Para realizar este estudio se han utilizado estadísticas basadas en la Encuesta sobre Innovación de las Empresas del año 2009 pertenecientes al Panel de Investigación Tecnológica (PITEC). De entre las dificultades a las que han de hacer frente las empresas destacan el factor coste y el de la financiación. Del análisis realizado se puede concluir que existen características comunes entre aquellas empresas que encuentran mayores dificultades a la hora de emprender actividades innovadoras y serían las siguientes: empresas que operan en un mercado local o autonómico, que no pertenecen a ningún grupo empresarial y que no son de nueva creación.

Conceptuación y medición del constructo capacidad de absorción: hacia un marco de integración

Las ideas novedosas pueden encontrarse tanto en el interior de las organizaciones como en su entorno, o en los agentes con los que se relaciona. Las organizaciones deben establecer flujos internos y externos de conocimiento para extraer el mayor valor posible de su potencial innovador. La capacidad de reconocer, valorar, asimilar y aplicar el nuevo conocimiento externo es una predicción significativa del éxito de la necesaria transformación organizativa. Este trabajo pretende contribuir a profundizar en la conceptuación, la aplicación práctica y la medición de la capacidad de absorción a través de su análisis en todas las fases y dimensiones que la componen.

A reflection on the future of the quality management paradigm in the EU

In recent years, the Quality Management Paradigm has successfully taken root in the European Union’s business environment. Quality management besides being a multivariate issue including matters from management and economics till engineering may be called a global knowledge in permanent bubbling. This theoretical article is an eclectic effort to analyse the evolution of the Quality Management Paradigm. More specifically, the article deals with this management Paradigm evolution and change according to the present and future expected business environments.

A monotonic core concept for convex games: The SD-prenucleolus

We prove that the SD-prenucleolus satisfies monotonicity in the class of convex games. The SD-prenucleolus is thus the only known continuous core concept that satisfies monotonicity for convex games. We also prove that for convex games the SD-prenucleolus and the SD-prekernel coincide.