世界経済・社会統計 = World development indicators

Offering a unifying theoretical perspective not readily available in any other text, this innovative guide to econometrics uses simple geometrical arguments to develop students' intuitive understanding of basic and advanced topics, emphasizing throughout the practical applications of modern theory and nonlinear techniques of estimation. One theme of the text is the use of artificial regressions for estimation, reference, and specification testing of nonlinear models, including diagnostic tests for parameter constancy, serial correlation, heteroscedasticity, and other types of mis-specification. Explaining how estimates can be obtained and tests can be carried out, the authors go beyond a mere algebraic description to one that can be easily translated into the commands of a standard econometric software package. Covering an unprecedented range of problems with a consistent emphasis on those that arise in applied work, this accessible and coherent guide to the most vital topics in econometrics today is indispensable for advanced students of econometrics and students of statistics interested in regression and related topics. It will also suit practising econometricians who want to update their skills. Flexibly designed to accommodate a variety of course levels, it offers both complete coverage of the basic material and separate chapters on areas of specialized interest.

Estimation and Inference in Econometrics

▶ Addresses a wide range of timely environment, economic and energy topics ▶ A forum to review, analyze and stimulate the development, testing and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies at regional, national and global scales ▶ Contributes to real-time policy analysis and development as national and international policies and agreements are discussed and promulgated ▶ 94% of authors who answered a survey reported that they would definitely publish or probably publish in the journal again

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change

Although public interest in sustainability increases and consumer attitudes are mainly positive, behavioral patterns are not univocally consistent with attitudes. This study investigates the presumed gap between favorable attitude towards sustainable behavior and behavioral intention to purchase sustainable food products. The impact of involvement, perceived availability, certainty, perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE), values, and social norms on consumers’ attitudes and intentions towards sustainable food products is analyzed. The empirical research builds on a survey with a sample of 456 young consumers, using a questionnaire and an experimental design with manipulation of key constructs through showing advertisements for sustainable dairy. Involvement with sustainability, certainty, and PCE have a significant positive impact on attitude towards buying sustainable dairy products, which in turn correlates strongly with intention to buy. Low perceived availability of sustainable products explains why intentions to buy remain low, although attitudes might be positive. On the reverse side, experiencing social pressure from peers (social norm) explains intentions to buy, despite rather negative personal attitudes. This study shows that more sustainable and ethical food consumption can be stimulated through raising involvement, PCE, certainty, social norms, and perceived availability.

Sustainable Food Consumption: Exploring the Consumer “Attitude – Behavioral Intention” Gap

The ‘attitude–behaviour gap’ or ‘values–action gap’ is where 30% of consumers report that they are very concerned about environmental issues but they are struggling to translate this into purchases. For example, the market share for ethical foods remains at 5 per cent of sales. This paper investigates the purchasing process for green consumers in relation to consumer technology products in the UK. Data were collected from 81 self-declared green consumers through in depth interviews on recent purchases of technology products. A green consumer purchasing model and success criteria for closing the gap between green consumers' values and their behaviour are developed. The paper concludes that incentives and single issue labels (like the current energy rating label) would help consumers concentrate their limited efforts. More fundamentally, ‘being green’ needs time and space in people's lives that is not available in increasingly busy lifestyles. Implications for policy and business are proposed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

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Sustainable consumption: green consumer behaviour when purchasing products

Consumers’ buying behavior is not consistent with their positive attitude toward ethical products. In a survey of 808 Belgian respondents, the actual willingness to pay for fair-trade coffee was measured. It was found that the average price premium that the consumers were willing to pay for a fair-trade label was 10%. Ten percent of the sample was prepared to pay the current price premium of 27% in Belgium. Fair-trade lovers (11%) were more idealistic, aged between 31 and 44 years and less “conventional.” Fair-trade likers (40%) were more idealistic but sociodemographically not significantly different from the average consumer.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1745-6606.2005.00019.x

Do Consumers Care about Ethics? Willingness to Pay for Fair-Trade Coffee

On the basis of a sample of 808 Belgian citizens and using conjoint analysis, the importance of a ‘fair trade’ label for the coffee buying decision is studied, as well as the willingness-to-pay for such a label. Furthermore, the size of the consumer segment willing to buy ‘fair trade’ coffee and their characteristics are studied. On average, a fair trade label is considered to be the second most important coffee attribute, together with flavor, and almost as important as the brand. Ten percent of the sample is willing to pay at least the actual price premium for fair trade coffee (27%). On the basis of the relative importance they attach to various coffee attributes, coffee buyers can be divided into four segments: fair trade lovers (11%), fair trade likers (40%), flavor lovers (24%) and brand lovers (25%). A number of demographic characteristics are measured, as well as the personal values of the respondents (Rokeach). Five basic dimensions of personal values can be distinguished: civic spirit, competence, sincere and social, idealistic, and personal gratification. Fair trade lovers are relatively highly educated, and the 31-44 years age group is over represented. They score higher than the other segments on personal values such as idealism, but lower on the dimension ‘civic spirit’. The characteristics of fair trade likers are not significantly different from the average in the sample, except for their higher degree of idealism.

Are fair trade labels good business ? Ethics and coffee buying intentions

In this paper, we assess the impact of international trade on union bargaining power in five EU countries, using a two-step estimation procedure. In the first step, we use firm-level data to estimate union bargaining power at sector level within a production function framework. We simultaneously test for the bargaining regime and estimate, rather than impose, union preferences. We find that a labour-hoarding regime is clearly favoured over an efficient bargaining or a right-to-manage framework. Overall, unions appear to be wage-oriented. In the second step, the bargaining power estimates are regressed on variables reflecting the level of foreign competitiveness of OECD countries and Newly Industrialized Countries (NIC), as well as on a number of other potential determinants of union power. We find a significant negative impact of internationalization on union bargaining power that is comparable in NIC and OECD countries. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.

Does internationalization affect union bargaining power? An empirical study for five EU countries

Governments in developing countries play an important role in the growth process, most notably through their budgetary policies. This potentially beneficial role is, however, hindered by government expenditure inefficiency. This is illustrated in a basic model of public spending and economic growth. Government efficiency is estimated for 52 developing countries using data envelopment analysis and subsequently employed in a general to specific approach in order to identify its determinants. We find government expenditure efficiency is primarily determined by structural country variables and governance indicators. Economic policy determinants apparently count less. The Asian countries and low income European countries in the sample have a significantly higher and lower efficiency, respectively.

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/19823/1/Van_der_Sijpe.pdf

Measuring and explaining government efficiency in developing countries

Every step towards the completion of European integration appears to be greeted with renewed, not to say increasing, concern over its possible unwanted negative social side-effects, particularly as regards protection against social risks (unemployment, sickness and invalidity, age, ...) and poverty. Not only the governments of the different Member States but also the two EU Commissions headed in the past by Delors were deeply worried about the ability of the Member States, by applying incomes policies and social security measures, to pursue beggar-my-neighbour policies in an integrated market and all the more so in a monetary union. The EMU would provide an even greater temptation for them to do so because other economic policy instruments such as trade policy or monetary policy are kept under tight control, thereby increasing the relevance of incomes policy as an instrument at their disposal. Moreover the very creation of a single market would allow potentially more substantial gains from a competitive advantage as competition and the price elasticity of the demand of “tradables” increases. This applies in particular in a monetary union in which international transparency increases with the removal of transaction costs.

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Glenn Rayp

Papers

Do Consumers Care about Ethics? Willingness to Pay for Fair-Trade Coffee

Are fair trade labels good business ? Ethics and coffee buying intentions

Does internationalization affect union bargaining power? An empirical study for five EU countries

Measuring and explaining government efficiency in developing countries

Social protection competition in the EMU