Showing papers by "Economic and Social Research Institute published in 2011"

Diagnosis-related groups in europe: moving towards transparency, efficiency and quality in hospitals

Abstract: Hospitals in most European countries are paid on the basis of diagnosis related groups. Reinhard Busse and colleagues find much variation within and between systems and argue that they could be improved if countries learnt from each other

Measuring discrimination facing ethnic minority job applicants: an Irish experiment

Abstract: The role of employer discrimination in labour market matching is often acknowledged but challenging to quantify. What part of the ‘ethnic penalty’ in the labour market is due to recruitment discrim...

Higher Education Expansion and Differentiation in the Republic of Ireland.

Abstract: This article explores social class and gender differences in entry to the two main higher education sectors, universities and institutes of technology, among school leavers in Ireland over the period 1980–2006 A rational choice perspective is adopted, with participation hypothesised to reflect the costs and benefits attaching to attending the two types of institution The initial expansion of higher education resulted in a widening of the participation gap between the higher professional and other groups, with some reduction thereafter as higher professional groups reached near-saturation levels The removal of higher education tuition fees in 1996 was not sufficient to increase working-class participation in a context where other direct costs remained high and employment represented an attractive option The period analysed saw a significant shift in the gender composition of higher education entrants, with young women now making up the majority This article points to the value of taking a dynamic approach to analysing higher education participation, unpacking the effects of expansion in provision and of the costs and benefits attached to higher education entry

Economic Impacts of Changes in Fish Population Dynamics: The Role of the Fishermen’s Harvesting Strategies

Abstract: Using a bioeconomic model of the cod (Gadus morhua) and capelin (Mallotus villosus) fisheries of the Barents Sea, this study assesses the role of the fishermen’s behavior in reducing or intensifying the effects on the stocks caused by altered population dynamics. The analysis focuses on the economic development of the fisheries employing a coupled stock size–hydrography-based fishing strategy, which attempts to maximize returns from fishing over a given number of fishing periods. Results show that if the fishing strategy is based on a short optimization period of only two fishing periods, changes in population dynamics have a direct influence on the returns from fishing due to the strong pressure on the stocks applied by the fisheries. If the strategy is based on a longer optimization period, fishing activities may be deferred to allow for stock regrowth, which improves the economic performance of the fisheries. However, in that case, the relationship between population dynamics and fishing activities becomes less clear, as even a reduction of the carrying capacities of the two species allows for an increase in the amount of fish landed without causing a stock collapse due to an increased efficiency of fleet utilization. The simulations indicate that management considerations and the time horizon of the fishing strategy dominate the influence of altered population dynamics on the development of the stocks considered in the model.

Determinants of ICT adoption: evidence from firm-level data

Abstract: We analyse factors driving inter- and intra-firm diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) using data from Irish manufacturing firms over the period 2001 to 2004. We find that the path of ICT diffusion has been uneven across firms, industries and space, which is consistent with the theory of new technology adoption. Our results suggest that firms that are larger, younger, fast growing, skill-intensive, export-intensive and firms located in the capital city region have been relatively more successful in adopting and using ICT. We find positive technology spillovers from firms that have adopted ICT located in the same industry and region.

Estimating the extra cost of living for people with disabilities

Abstract: Addressing the extra economic costs of disability is a logical step towards alleviating elements of social exclusion for people with disabilities. This study estimates the long-run economic cost of disability in Ireland in terms of the additional spending needs that arise due to disability. It defines and estimates models of the private costs borne by families with individuals who have a disability in Ireland when compared with the wider population, both in general and by severity of disability. Our modelling framework is based on the standard of living approach to estimating the cost of disability. We extend on previous research by applying panel ordered probit models to living in Ireland survey data 1995-2001 in order to control for the effects of previous disability and income and correlated unobserved heterogeneity. The approach allows us to quantify, for the first time, the additional long-run economic costs of living associated with disability. Our findings suggest that the extra economic cost of disability in Ireland is large and varies by severity of disability, with important implications for measures of poverty.

Sociodemographic, health and lifestyle predictors of poor diets

Abstract: Objective: Poor-quality diet, regarded as an important contributor to health inequalities, is linked to adverse health outcomes. We investigated socio- demographic and lifestyle predictors of poor-quality diet in a population sample. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of the Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition (SLAN). Diet was assessed using an FFQ (n 9223, response rate 5 89 %), from which a dietary score (the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) score) was constructed. Setting: General population of the Republic of Ireland. Subjects: The SLAN survey is a two-stage clustered sample of 10 364 individuals aged 18 years. Results: Adjusting for age and gender, a number of sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related variables were associated with poor-quality diet: social class, education, marital status, social support, food poverty (FP), smoking status, alcohol consumption, underweight and self-perceived general health. These associations persisted when adjusted for age, gender and social class. They were not significantly altered in the multivariate analysis, although the association with social support was attenuated and that with FP was borderline significant (OR 5 1?2, 95 % CI 1?03, 1?45). A classical U-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and dietary quality was observed. Dietary quality was associated with social class, educational attainment, FP and related core determinants of health. Conclusions: The extent to which social inequalities in health can be explained by socially determined differences in dietary intake is probably underestimated. The use of composite dietary quality scores such as the DASH score to address the issue of confounding by diet in the relationship between alcohol consumption and health merits further study.

Foreign Firms and Host-Country Productivity: Does the Mode of Entry Matter? ∗

Abstract: Foreign direct investment is considered an important source of knowledge spillovers. We argue that the efiects of foreign presence on host country productivity may difier depending on the mode of foreign entry. Using a long panel from the Norwegian Manufacturing Census, we flnd that greenfleld entry both in the same industry and in the same labour market region has a negative impact on the productivity of domestic plants, while entry via acquisition afiects the productivity of domestic plants in the same industry positively. The positive efiect from acquisitions is consistent with knowledge spillovers as these plants have pre-established linkages within the industry. The negative efiects from greenfleld entry can be attributed to increased competition both in the product market and for qualifled employees in a tight labour market. This may help to explain the ambiguity of results in the empirical literature that relates overall foreign presence to host country productivity.

Irish exceptionalism? local food environments and dietary quality

Abstract: Objective To explore whether distance to and density of food outlets within the local area have an impact on individual dietary quality, controlling for the socioeconomic characteristics of individuals and their households. Methods An analysis of the Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition in Ireland (SLAN), a two-stage clustered sample of 10 364 individuals aged 18+ from the Republic of Ireland. Socioeconomic status was measured using net household income and highest level of education. Diet was assessed via a food frequency questionnaire and the results scored in terms of cardiovascular risk. Food availability was measured in terms of distance to (Euclidean and network) and density of different types of food outlets. Dietary quality was decomposed using fixed effects regression models. Results There is a pronounced gradient in distances to nearest food store and quality of diet by socioeconomic status. Controlling for individual and household socioeconomic status and demographic characteristics, individuals who live closer to a larger food outlet or who live in an area with a higher density of larger food outlets have a significantly better diet in terms of cardiovascular risk. Conclusions Studies outside of North America have failed to find that the physical availability of food plays a significant role in socioeconomic gradients in diet and nutrition. This study suggests that food availability in the Republic of Ireland plays a small but statistically significant role in influencing the diets of individuals and communities and, as such, may also influence socioeconomic inequalities in health.

Credit where credit's due: accounting for co-authorship in citation counts

Abstract: I propose a new method (Pareto weights) to objectively attribute citations to co-authors. Previous methods either profess ignorance about the seniority of co-authors (egalitarian weights) or are based in an ad hoc way on the order of authors (rank weights). Pareto weights are based on the respective citation records of the co-authors. Pareto weights are proportional to the probability of observing the number of citations obtained. Assuming a Pareto distribution, such weights can be computed with a simple, closed-form equation but require a few iterations and data on a scholar, her co-authors, and her co-authors' co-authors. The use of Pareto weights is illustrated with a group of prominent economists. In this case, Pareto weights are very different from rank weights. Pareto weights are more similar to egalitarian weights but can deviate up to a quarter in either direction (for reasons that are intuitive).

"The Sooner the Better I Could Get out of There": Barriers to Higher Education Access in Ireland.

Abstract: As economic circumstances in Ireland, as elsewhere, remain difficult and applications for higher education entry reach record numbers, there has been renewed focus on higher education access. This article draws on the findings of a major Irish study which focuses on a group that has not shared in the general trend towards increased higher education participation – the offspring of the ‘lower non manual’ group. This article draws on the findings of that study to examine the barriers such young people face in accessing higher education. It is based on a combined analysis of 10 years of School Leavers’ Survey data and in-depth life-history interviews with school leavers whose parent(s) were employed in such non-manual jobs. Overall, the study points to the role of cultural, educational and economic factors shaping the higher education entry patterns of young people. It addition it highlights the importance of examining within as well between class patterns of educational attainment.

Equity in health care: the Irish perspective

Abstract: Equity is espoused in many national health policy statements but is a complex concept and is difficult to define. The way in which equity is defined in policy has implications for how the health-care system should be structured. Conflicts between different definitions of equity are identified in theory and policy. This paper discusses these issues, with specific focus on the equity principles underpinning the Irish health-care system. The complex mix of public and private funding in the Irish system brings the challenges in identifying (and achieving) equity objectives more sharply into view, and serves as a warning system for other countries.

The GTAP-W model: accounting for water use in agriculture

Abstract: Water and agriculture are intrinsically linked. Water is essential for crop production and agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater resources. However, this link is commonly ignored by economic models mainly because water use is not reported in the national economic accounts. Few regions have markets for water. This paper describes the new version of GTAP-W, a multi-region, multi-sector computable general equilibrium model of the world economy. The new version of GTAP-W distinguishes between rainfed and irrigated agriculture and introduces water as an explicit factor of production for irrigated agriculture. Moreover, the new production structure accounts for substitution possibilities between irrigation and other primary factors. The new model has been used to study a variety of topics including: irrigation efficiency, sustainable water use, climate change and trade liberalization. This paper is a technical description of the data and features added to the standard GTAP model.

Estimation of the economic impact of temperature changes induced by a shutdown of the thermohaline circulation: an application of FUND

Abstract: The integrated assessment model FUND 2.8n is applied in an assessment to estimate the magnitude of the general market and non-market impacts of temperature changes caused by a possible shutdown of the thermohaline circulation (THC). The monetized impacts of this change in environmental conditions are determined for 207 individual countries for two scenarios: one warming scenario in which the THC weakens but remains intact, and another in which the THC breaks down. Eight different response patterns are identified. The dominant pattern is that a THC shutdown has an offsetting effect on the underlying warming trend. Depending on whether the impacts of warming are initially beneficial or detrimental, the economic effects of a THC shutdown show distinct regional variability. Key economic sectors affected are water resources and energy consumption, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases among health impacts. The maximum national impact of a shutdown of the THC turns out to be of the magnitude of a few per cent of GDP, but the average global impact is much smaller. The results indicate that the temperature effect of a THC shutdown does not create an insurmountable economic threat on a global scale, but may cause severe damages to individual countries. However, a consideration of other climatic impacts such as precipitation and sea level changes is likely to alter the identified trends in economic development.

Regulating Knowledge Monopolies: The Case of the IPCC

Abstract: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has a monopoly on the provision of climate policy advice at the international level and a strong market position in national policy advice. This may have been the intention of the founders of the IPCC. I argue that the IPCC has a natural monopoly, as a new entrant would have to invest time and effort over a longer period to perhaps match the reputation, trust, goodwill, and network of the IPCC. The IPCC is a not-for-profit organization, and it is run by nominal volunteers. It therefore cannot engage in the price-gouging that is typical of monopolies. However, the IPCC has certainly taken up tasks outside its mandate. The IPCC has been accused of haughtiness. Innovation is slow. Quality may have declined. And the IPCC may have used its power to hinder competitors. There are all things that monopolies tend to do, against the public interest. The IPCC would perform better if it were regulated by an independent body which audits the IPCC procedures and assesses its performance; if outside organizations would be allowed to bid for the production of reports and the provision of services under the IPCC brand; and if policy makers would encourage potential competitors to the IPCC.

An international comparison of the TFP levels and the productivity convergence of Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese and Chinese listed firms

Abstract: Focusing on Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Chinese firms in the manufacturing sector, this paper examines productivity catch-up at the firm level using the distance from the technology frontier as a direct measure of the potential for catch-up. We also examine the role of absorptive capacity for technological catch-up by including variables such as R&D expenditure and foreign ownership in our empirical estimation. We find that the national frontier has a stronger pull on domestic firms than the regional frontier, which is in line with findings by Bartelsman, Haskel, and Martin (2008). This result indicates that policies to raise the technology level of national frontier firms are beneficial for all firms in that country.

Regional output growth synchronisation with the Euro Area

Abstract: This paper investigates the patterns and determinants of the co-movement of economic activity between regions in the European Union and the Euro Area. We use a panel dataset of 208 regions over the period 1989–2002 and estimate a system of simultaneous equations to analyse the impact of regional trade integration, industry specialisation and exchange rate volatility on regional output growth synchronisation with the Euro Area. We find that deeper trade integration with the Euro Area had a strong direct positive effect on the synchronisation of regional output growth with the Euro Area. Industrial specialisation and exchange rate volatility were sources of cyclical divergence. Industrial specialisation had however an indirect positive effect on regional output growth synchronisation via its positive effect on trade integration, while exchange rate volatility had an indirect additional negative effect on regional output growth synchronisation by reducing trade integration.

Do you believe in magic? improving the quality of pharmacy services through restricting entry and aspirational contracts, the Irish experience.

Abstract: A constant refrain of policy makers and public representatives is the necessity of improving the quality of public health services. In this paper, two inter-related policies designed to raise the quality of pharmacy services in Ireland are considered. The first was to restrict the opening of new pharmacies, the second to increase the quality of pharmacy services through contract specification. While the first policy restricted entry and raised returns to existing pharmacies, there is no evidence it raised service quality. Equally, the second policy appears to have had little effect on the quality of pharmacy services. The contractual provision itself is largely unenforceable, does not recognize the conflicting motivations of a pharmacist and results in no measurable output. Drawing on this experience, several lessons as presented as to how service quality can be improved, which are likely to have application beyond Ireland.

The impact of wage bargaining and worker preferences on the gender pay gap

Abstract: This article examines the gender pay gap in Ireland from a comparative perspective, using an employer-employee matched dataset from 2003. The research assesses the magnitude and drivers of the gap separately for both the full-time and part-time labour markets. The results suggest that a wage bargaining system centred on social partnership was of benefit to females within both labour markets. Trade union membership was associated with a wider gap in the full-time labour market but a narrower differential among part-time workers.