Gender Pay Gap: A Macro Perspective

This paper examines the factors influencing the gender wage gap by using an unbalanced cross-country aggregated panel data set for a sample covering 53 economies for the period 1995–2010. Using robust estimators proposed by Lewbel (2012) to correct for heterogeneity and endogeneity, results suggest that a higher female share in the industry sector tends to widen the gender wage gap regardless of a country’s development stage. While having more children widens the gender wage gap, as expected, the effect is only statistically significant for developing countries. In developed countries, more labor force participation by women seems to narrow the gender wage gap, probably due to the number of female labor market entrants taking up higher-paying service sector jobs. For developing countries, closing the gender gaps in labor force participation and education is not sufficient to achieve gender wage parity. Higher-paying jobs should be created by developing the service sector in these economies

Distributed Event-Triggered Control for Asymptotic Synchronization of Dynamical Networks

This paper studies synchronization of dynamical networks with event-based communication. Firstly, two estimators are introduced into each node, one to estimate its own state, and the other to estimate the average state of its neighbours. Then, with these two estimators, a distributed event-triggering rule (ETR) with a dwell time is designed such that the network achieves synchronization asymptotically with no Zeno behaviours. The designed ETR only depends on the information that each node can obtain, and thus can be implemented in a decentralized way.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figues, 1 tabl

Evidence of crossover phenomena in wind speed data

In this report, a systematic analysis of hourly wind speed data obtained from three potential wind generation sites (in North Dakota) is analyzed. The power spectra of the data exhibited a power-law decay characteristic of $1/f^{\alpha}$ processes with possible long-range correlations. Conventional analysis using Hurst exponent estimators proved to be inconclusive. Subsequent analysis using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) revealed a crossover in the scaling exponent ($\alpha$). At short time scales, a scaling exponent of $\alpha \sim 1.4$ indicated that the data resembled Brownian noise, whereas for larger time scales the data exhibited long range correlations ($\alpha \sim 0.7$). The scaling exponents obtained were similar across the three locations. Our findings suggest the possibility of multiple scaling exponents characteristic of multifractal signals

Validity evidence of the organizational justice scale in Spain

Resumen tomado de la publicaciónEvidencias de validez de la Escala de Justicia Organizacional en España. Antecedentes: el interés por la medición de la percepción de justicia organizacional ha aumentado en los últimos años debido a su demostrada relación con resultados organizacionales significativos, como el bienestar y el agotamiento emocional. En España, se puede destacar la Escala de Justicia Organizacional (OJS) como un instrumento que ha mostrado buenas propiedades psicométricas en estudios previos en el sector hotelero. Este estudio complementa la evidencia de las características de la OJS utilizando una amplia muestra multisectorial. Método: los participantes fueron 849 empleados de diferentes sectores ocupacionales. La estructura de la OJS se estudió mediante análisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio dividiendo la muestra en dos submuestras aleatorias. Además, se analizó la fiabilidad y validez de cada dimensión. Resultados: los resultados indicaron que la escala está constituida por tres factores (distributiva, procedimental y en la interacción), con una fiabilidad y validez adecuadas. Por otra parte, como era de esperar, se encontraron correlaciones positivas entre la percepción de justicia organizacional y el bienestar, y negativas con el agotamiento emocional. Conclusiones: la OJS es una herramienta adecuada para su uso por parte de académicos y profesionales en el estudio de la percepción de justicia organizacional en España, garantizando una validez y fiabilidad adecuadas.Universidad de Oviedo. Biblioteca de Psicología; Plaza Feijoo, s/n.; 33003 Oviedo; Tel. +34985104146; Fax +34985104126; [email protected]

The Empirical Properties of Some Popular Estimators of Long Memory Processes

We present the results of a simulation study into the properties of 12 different estimators of the Hurst parameter, H, or the fractional integration parameter, d, in long memory time series. We compare and contrast their performance on simulated Fractional Gaussian Noises and fractionally integrated series with lengths between 100 and 10,000 data points and H values between 0.55 and 0.90 or d values between 0.05 and 0.40. We apply all 12 estimators to the Campito Mountain data and estimate the accuracy of their estimates using the Beran goodness of t test for long memory time series.Strong dependence; global dependence; long range dependence; Hurst parameter estimators

Impact of farmer field schools on agricultural productivity and poverty in East Africa

Farmer field schools (FFSs) are a popular education and extension approach worldwide. Such schools use experiential learning and a group approach to facilitate farmers in making decisions, solving problems, and learning new techniques. However, there is limited or conflicting evidence as to their effect on productivity and poverty, especially in East Africa. This study is unique in that it uses a longitudinal impact evaluation (difference in difference approach) with quasi-experimental methods (propensity score matching and covariate matching) together with qualitative approaches to provide rigorous evidence to policymakers and other stakeholders on an FFS project in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The study provides evidence on participation in FFSs and on the effects of FFSs on various outcomes. The study found that younger farmers who belong to other groups, such as savings and credit groups, tended to participate in field schools. Females made up 50 percent of FFS membership. Reasons for not joining an FFS included lack of time and information. FFSs were shown to be especially beneficial to women, people with low literacy levels, and farmers with medium-size land holdings. FFS participants had significant differences in outcomes with respect to value of crops produced per acre, livestock value gain per capita, and agricultural income per capita. FFSs had a greater impact on crop productivity for those in the middle land area (land poverty) tercile. Participation in FFSs increased income by 61 percent when pooling the three countries. FFSs improved income and productivity overall, but differences were seen at the country level. Participation in FFSs led to increased production, productivity, and income in nearly all cases: Kenya, Tanzania, and at the project level (all three countries combined). The most significant change was seen in Kenya for crops (80 percent increase) and in Tanzania for agricultural income (more than 100 percent increase). A lack of significant increases in Uganda was likely due to Uganda’s National Agricultural Advisory Services. When disaggregating by gender, however, female-headed households benefited significantly more than male-headed households in Uganda.farmer field schools, agricultural productivity, adoption, extension services,

Using Matching Estimators to Evaluate the Effect of Unit-Based Pricing on Municipal Solid Waste Disposal

The delivery of municipal services for the collection, transfer, and disposal of household solid waste is often provided by local governmental units; typically at the town or city level. Unit-based pricing, also known as pay-as-you-throw (PAYT), is a residential solid waste collection program requiring households to pay a fee per bag of trash disposed. Unit-based pricing represents a significant departure from the historical practice of financing solid waste service from property tax revenues in which the marginal cost to a household for disposing solid waste is effectively zero. Local governments are motivated to adopt unit-based pricing for the purpose of creating a financial incentive for households to reduce the quantity of solid waste disposed and concurrently increasing the level of recycled materials. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of unit-based pricing of household solid waste disposal. A counter-factual model is used to estimate the program effect. The study area for this paper consists of the 234 incorporated towns and cities in the state of New Hampshire. As of 2008, 40 towns had adopted a form of unit-based pricing of household solid waste. Results from propensity score matching suggest there is an average annual reduction of 466 pounds of household solid waste due to unit-based pricing.Propensity score matching, unit-based pricing, pay-as-you-throw, municipal solid waste, Environmental Economics and Policy,