One market, one number? A composite indicator assessment of EU internal market dynamics.

We consider the lack of consensus about an appropriate theoretical framework linking sub-indicators as a defining characteristic of composite indicators. This intrinsic feature implies uncertainties about the appropriate normalisation and aggregation of the raw data. The two are related: index theory offers some valuable guidelines about their connection. Yet these do not fully solve the basic problem of expert disagreement. We embed such (residual) disagreement in the aggregation method itself. Specifically, we apply an impartial benefit-of-the-doubt weighting procedure, where weight restrictions incorporate the available information on experts’ opinions. We apply this procedure to the dynamic performance assessment of EU Internal Market effects, thereby highlighting its capacity to disaggregate member states’ observed performance shifts into changes relative to benchmarks and performance changes of the benchmarks (i.e. catching up versus genuine progress). Our results indicate that the latter factor is more important in explaining the observed progress.Dynamics; Market;

One Market, One Number? A Composite Indicator Assessment of EU Internal Market Dynamics

We consider the lack of consensus about an appropriate theoretical framework linking sub-indicators as a defining characteristic of composite indicators. This intrinsic feature implies uncertainties about the appropriate normalisation and aggregation of the raw data. The two are related: index theory offers some valuable guidelines about their connection. Yet these do not fully solve the basic problem of expert disagreement. We embed such (residual) disagreement in the aggregation method itself. Specifically, we apply an impartial benefit-of-the-doubt weighting procedure, where weight restrictions incorporate the available information on experts’ opinions. We apply this procedure to the dynamic performance assessment of EU Internal Market effects, thereby highlighting its capacity to disaggregate member states’ observed performance shifts into changes relative to benchmarks and performance changes of the benchmarks (i.e. catching up versus genuine progress). Our results indicate that the latter factor is more important in explaining the observed progress.composite indicators, aggregation, weighting, Internal Market

A review of the characteristics of 108 author-level bibliometric indicators

An increasing demand for bibliometric assessment of individuals has led to a growth of new bibliometric indicators as well as new variants or combinations of established ones. The aim of this review is to contribute with objective facts about the usefulness of bibliometric indicators of the effects of publication activity at the individual level. This paper reviews 108 indicators that can potentially be used to measure performance on the individual author level, and examines the complexity of their calculations in relation to what they are supposed to reflect and ease of end-user application.Comment: to be published in Scientometrics, 201

Assessing social performance of construction companies in public-works procurement: Data envelopment analysis based on the benefit of the doubt approach

[EN] There is an urgent need to improve the assessment of construction companies' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in public-works procurement. Current procurement procedures assign a high level of subjectivity to CSR assessment and lack transparency. Existing research basically highlights the need to define weighting systems in which the importance of each social criterion is objective and based on the social weaknesses in the context of a project. In order to fulfill this gap, this research proposes a composite indicator for assessing CSR in public construction procurement. A Data Envelopment Analysis based on the Benefit of Doubt Approach (DEA-BOD) was chosen to define the weighting system based on the main social weaknesses that exist in the country where the contract is procured. The research employs simulation to assess the validity of this indicator. The results highlight that the use of national indices as a proxy for CSR indicators can be helpful in determining the level of importance of CSR in public procurement. The simulation showed that the proposed approach allows the objective comparison of CSR performance of construction companies, regardless of their size. This research assists decision-makers in properly integrating social sustainability in procurement procedures.The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (PAID -00-17) . The authors are grateful to the expert panel for their participation in this research.Montalbán-Domingo, L.; García-Segura, T.; Sanz-Benlloch, A.; Pellicer, E.; Torres-Machí, C.; Molenaar, K. (2022). Assessing social performance of construction companies in public-works procurement: Data envelopment analysis based on the benefit of the doubt approach. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 96:1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2022.1068441159

What's good for GM...? Using auto industry stock returns to forecast business cycles and test the Q-theory of investment

Business cycles ; General Motors Corporation ; Investments

An Examination of the Productivity of Irish Agriculture in a Decoupled Policy Environment

End of project reportThe Single Farm Payment (SFP) scheme came into effect in the EU from the first of January 2005. This scheme replaced the many ‘coupled’ livestock and arable aid schemes available to farmers and was heralded as a significant move towards decoupling. This thesis explores the initial effects of this policy on total factor productivity (TFP) and its components (technical efficiency change, technical change, and scale efficiency change) in the main farming sectors in Ireland

Alcohol/Leisure Complementarity: Empirical Estimates and Implications for Tax Policy

This paper provides a first attempt to estimate the cross-price elasticity between alcoholic beverages and leisure, which is critical for assessing how much alcohol taxation might be warranted on fiscal grounds. We estimate an Almost Ideal Demand System defined over alcohol, leisure, and other goods, using data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey and other sources. Our results suggest that alcohol is a relative complement for leisure over a range of specifications. This implies that the optimal alcohol tax may substantially exceed the Pigouvian tax, reinforcing the efficiency case for higher taxation. These findings should be viewed as preliminary however, given a number of data and other limitations of the analysis.alcohol tax, demand system, alcohol, labor supply, labor tax