Essays on Firm Heterogeneity with Empirical Applications in Economic History and Agricultural Economics

This thesis uses models of firm-heterogeneity to complete empirical analyses in economic history and agricultural economics. In Chapter 2, a theoretical model of firm heterogeneity is used to derive a statistic that summarizes the welfare gains from the introduction of a new technology. The empirical application considers the use of mechanical steam power in the Canadian manufacturing sector during the late nineteenth century. I exploit exogenous variation in geography to estimate several parameters of the model. My results indicate that the use of steam power resulted in a 15.1 percent increase in firm-level productivity and a 3.0-5.2 percent increase in aggregate welfare. Chapter 3 considers various policy alternatives to price ceiling legislation in the market for production quotas in the dairy farming sector in Quebec. I develop a dynamic model of the demand for quotas with farmers that are heterogeneous in their marginal cost of milk production. The econometric analysis uses farm-level data and estimates a parameter of the theoretical model that is required for the counterfactual experiments. The results indicate that the price of quotas could be reduced to the ceiling price through a 4.16 percent expansion of the aggregate supply of quotas, or through moderate trade liberalization of Canadian dairy products. In Chapter 4, I study the relationship between farm-level productivity and participation in the Commercial Export Milk (CEM) program. I use a difference-in-difference research design with inverse propensity weights to test for causality between participation in the CEM program and total factor productivity (TFP). I find a positive correlation between participation in the CEM program and TFP, however I find no statistically significant evidence that the CEM program affected TFP.

The New Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II): Less Accession, More Assistance?. EIPA Working Paper 2014/W/01

The EU enlargement engine seems to have run out of political steam. Support within the member countries for future enlargement is at all-time low, while some of the candidate countries have also seemed to put the enlargement process on the backburner. However, at least rhetorically, the EU is still committed to the enlargement process and maintains its entire enlargement tool box, such as the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) – one of the most important EU external financial instruments. The new IPA regulation (IPA II), adopted in March 20141, clearly reflects the fact that the enlargement process is on a holding pattern.

To be or not to be an EU member state – A question for the Balkan aspirants as well? EPC Commentary, 13 July 2016

Last month, a majority of British voters decided that the UK should leave the European Union (EU). In the wake of the Brexit result, anti-EU politicians in a host of member states began to float the idea of putting the same ‘in-out’ option to electorates in their own countries. As the economic and political fallout of the UK’s choice to withdraw from the EU continues to unfold, an acute sense of uncertainty gathers steam and ripples not just through the remaining member states but also their EU-hopeful neighbours in the Balkans. What will the departure of the UK from the EU mean for the Balkan enlargement process?

Annotated record of the detailed examination of Mn deposits from the cruise of the SS Amra in the Maldives

In this volume, Agassiz gives a detailed account of the results of the cruise the steamer "Amra" chartered from the British India Steam Navigation Company. The cruise covered the attols of the Maldives archipelago. The deep sea formations are described in detail.

Ann Arbor (Mich.) residence and businesses, 1874

Left to right: Res. of Wm. P. Brown, Sec. 6, Ann Arbor, Mich.; J.G. Miller, Manufacturer of sash, doors, blinds, mouldings, scroll work &c. ... Ann Arbor, Mich.; Ann Arbor Steam Planing Mill , Bracket, Scroll & Fancy Sawing, cor. of North & Fifth Sts., Ann Arbor, Mich. (na8635); Marble Works & Res. of Anton Eisele, the largest marble works in Washtenaw Co. Mich.; City Market, G.F. Gwinner, cor. of Fourth & Washington Sts., Ann Arbor, Mich.; L.C. Risdon, 31 South Main St., Ann Arbor, Mich. (na8635; na6707). Publication information: Chicago, Ill. : Everts & Stewart, 1874.

Charter, articles of association, and rules of the Savannah Cotton Exchange.

Mode of access: Internet.

Underground insulated piping systems : excluding walk-in tunnels.

"Prepared under Contract No. CST 263 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Bureau of Standards."

The charter, general ordinances, etc. /

Includes index.

The bronzers', gilders', platers', polishers', and painters' guide book /

Mode of access: Internet.

Macbeth, a tragedy,

Without music.

School law of 1865. An act to establish and maintain a system of free schools, in the state of Illinois, as amended February 16, 1865.

Mode of access: Internet.

The great river. Notes on the Amazon and its tributaries and the steamer services ...

Mode of access: Internet.

The Saratoga favorite /

Includes index.

Impacts of coal-fired power plants on local ground-water systems : Wisconsin power plant impact study /

Mode of access: Internet.

Geological survey of Illinois.

A.H. Worthen, director.