Organisational change and the computerisation of British and Spanish savings banks, 1965-1985

In this article we explore organisational changes associated with the automation of financial intermediaries in Spain and the UK. This international comparison looks at the evolution of the same organisational form in two distinct competitive environments. Changes in regulation and technological developments (particularly applications of information technology) are said to be responsible for enhancing competitiveness of retail finance. Archival research on the evolution of savings banks helps to ascertain how, prior to competitive changes taking place, participants in bank markets had to develop capabilities to compete

Observations of First Occurrence and Severity of Potato Leafhopper, \u3ci\u3eEmpoasca Fabae\u3c/i\u3e (Harris), (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in the North Central and Eastern United States.

This paper presents available data on the first occurrence dates and the damage severity of the potato leafhopper in the north central and north eastern United States collected during the past 47 years (1951-1997). The data were collected from a variety of sources including: potato leafhopper literature review; published reports; pest alerts; pest surveys; and delphi surveys. First occurrence and severity data show that the arrival time of potato leafhopper and subsequent damage severity varies substantially from year to year. A correlation analysis between date of first occurrence and severity of damage for Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the north central region and the northeastern region indicated no significant relationship between first arrival dates and damage severity. The lack of a relationship between the time of arrival of the migrant leafhopper and severity indicate that other factors, including frequency and magnitude of arrivals, weather conditions during the growing season and crop management contribute to the eventual severity of damage caused to crops by this migratory pest. The analysis of potato leafhopper severity data showed significant differences between years. There were no significant differences in severity among states within the north central region, indicating that potato leafhopper severity is a regional phenomenon

Engines of Growth in the U.S. Economy

There is good reason to believe that R&D influences on TFP growth in other sectors are indirect.For R&D to spill over, it must first be successful in the home sector.Indeed, observed spillovers conform better to TFP growth than to R&D in the upstream sectors.Sectoral TFP growth rates are thus interrelated.Solving the intersectoral TFP equation resolves overall TFP growth into sources of growth.The solution essentially eliminates the spillovers and amounts to a novel decomposition of TFP growth.The top 10 sectors are designated engines of growt led by computers and office machinery.The results are contrasted to the standard, Domar decomposition of TFP growth.Spillovers;input-output;sources of growth

Interventions, Productions and Collaborations:the relationship between RAI and visual artists

On 17 May 1952, before RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana Studios began their regular broadcast from Milan, the Spatialist painter and sculptor Lucio Fontana broadcast his own experimental 'artwork' on Italian television, beginning a fruitful relationship between RAI and visual artists. For some, such as the painter Mario Sasso and the Arte Povera artist Pino Pascali, it provided careers as designers and art directors. For others, such as Carlo Quartucci and Gianni Toti, who were given unique access to RAI's television apparatus, it was an opportunity to explore their own artistic experimentations with an expensive and exclusive medium. RAI also hosted seminal artists' performances on-screen including John Cage and Fabio Mauri. This article, based on documents and interviews collected during the Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project REWINDItalia, discusses these and other seminal cases as well as tracing and assessing the history of this fruitful and complex exchange between RAI and visual artists