INTERNAL LEARNING BY DOING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

This paper analyses the consequences for growth during the transitional period of considering the learning-by-doing process proposed by Arrow (1962) as internal, instead of as an externality. To do this, it develops a simple endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation through external and internal learning processes. The calibrated model delivers two features of the Japanese growth experience: slow convergence, and negative correlation between the growth rate of per capita GDP and investment share. The crucial implication of internal learning-by-doing is the double role of physical investment that operates reducing diminishing returns to physical capital.Internal LBD, Endogenous Growth, Return to Saving, Convergence Speed, Investment Share and Growth Rate

Human capital and consumation over the live cycle: a synthesis

This paper presents a life cycle model that contains the Beckers (1975) and Heckmans (1976) models as special cases. Contrary to the previous literature, the model can explain the life cycle hypothesis and the maximum in the consumption profile without appealing to the rupture of typical neoclassical assumptions and for any value of intertemporary elasticity of substitution. An estimation of the consumption demand for Spanish case shows that current earning is a significant and robust variable explaining the consumption pattern.consumption profile, life cycle hypothesis, human capital

Solution-processed organic devices developed by a novel cost-effective patterning technique based on electrical erosion

Application of arc erosion to the patterning of metallic contacts in organic devices is presented. A home-made systems and details of the working principles are described. Advantages and drawbacks of this novel technology are discussed

The management of schools’ websites in Cantabria, Spain

School websites are not only sources of information and documentation, but also means of communication that are increasingly being accessed by members of society, especially by the different educational communities, thanks to the democratisation of Internet access. This paper deals with a qualitative research project in which information and communication technology coordinators of infant and primary publicly funded private schools (concertados) and state schools in urban, rural and semi-urban/rural areas within the Region of Cantabria (Spain) were interviewed in order to understand how school websites are managed. The findings show a range of views and practices in the schools’ management of their websites, some positive developments in their uses and functions, and numerous opportunities for improvement. School websites are essential communication tools, which need to be continuously improved/updated by their managers, with the support of the education authorities

Spatial projection of input-ouput tables for small areas

Studies on regional economy have achieved a huge expansion in the last decades. In particular, from an input-ouput optic many efforts have been devoted to carring out a suitable methodology, which enable us to cover the overall and exhaustive knowledge of the economic reality of one region. Given that a input-output table (IOT) gathers both intersectorial relationships and the final demand of the economy, it allows us to provide a reliable picture of one economy in a certain moment of time. Nonetheless, the elaboration of a IOT is a complex task, which needs many human and economic resources. Thus, most of the tables elaborated using direct methods have as a benchmark frame either a country or a region, although it is difficult to find matrices related to smaller geografic spaces like, for instance, counties. So, if we attempt to perform a deeper study of both spaces, it would be of great help if we could dispose of estimation methods, which enable us to make tables with less information, i.e, indirect (semidirect) methods of estimation. Let´s say that the economy of a region is determined by the relations among productive structures of their counties, therefore a previous knowledge of these productive structures can be interesting. The basic aim of this work consists of estimating a TIO for each one of the eight Asturian Counties in 1995, since this is the last period in which we possess published information relative to regional accounts. To this end, a technique focused on mathematical theory of the information: cross entropy, will be employed. Such a technique has lately been applied to the construction of regional tables, largely for two reasons: one, flexibility as regards the information it needs; the other, to produce some rather suitable empiric results. From the tables estimates by this method we will be able to know the characteristics of economic structures of the counties. To achieve this scope, tools related to the graph theory, have been applied. Their application in input-output analisis has a great potential to provide a simple vision of the relations between the different sectors, as well as being able to integrate matters as important as the relative positions of the sectors, their orientation or paths in which drive the economic influence inside the corresponding structure.

Lo que Darwin descubrió al admirar la naturaleza

Las efemérides del nacimiento de Darwin y de la publicación de su obra “El origen de las especies” han removido el sedimento de su legado. Se analiza la aportación de su teoría a la visión actual de la evolución biológica en el contexto de la genética modern