Messages from Cape Town

While still in the midst of their study abroad experiences, students at Linfield College write reflective essays. Their essays address issues of cultural similarity and difference, compare lifestyles, mores, norms, and habits between their host countries and home, and examine changes in perceptions about their host countries and the United States. In this essay, Camila Arguello describes her observations during her study abroad internship program at IE3 Global in Cape Town, South Africa

A survey on colombian agriculture during the 1990s

This survey reviews some of the key developments in Colombian agriculture during the 1990s. While economic reform and macro policy appear to largely determine the evolution of the sector throughout most of the decade, the impact of sectoral policy is not that clear. The long-run significance of changes brought about in the structure of agricultural production, trade balance, and social conditions in rural areas is unclear. Whether they are the product of a transitional period between two macro and sectoral policy perspectives, of a temporarily distorted set of incentives, or a combination of the two is an open question. Hopefully, a set of interrogations may arise that help improve our understanding of Colombian agriculture.

Revisiting the Relationship between Income Distribution and Economic Growth

Most models exploring the exploring the relationship between income inequality and economic growth postulate the existence of a ngative correlation between the two operating through diverse channels. Parallel to the theoretetical models a number of empirical studies have attempted to appraise this relationship. A broad consensus had built validating the existence of such negative correlation until some panel data studies tended to show the opposite result. The review of the ensuing debate as well as the empirical estimation undertook in this paper show that estimates may not be as robust as believed. It is suggested that country case studies may be a way to more appropriately explore this issue.********************************************************************************************************La mayoría de los modelos que exploran la relación entre la desigualdad en la distribución del ingreso y el crecimiento económico, postulan la existencia de una correlación negativa entre las dos que es generada a través de diferentes mecanismos. Paralelamente a los modelos teóricos, un número importante de estudios empíricos han tratado de evaluar esta relación. De este esfuerzo ha surgido un consenso amplio que valida la existencia de dicha relación negativa. No obstante, estudios recientes basados en el uso de datos de panel han producido el resultado contrario, documentando la presencia de una relación positiva entre desigualdad y crecimiento. El examen del debate generado a partir de estos resultados, así como el trabajo empírico adelantado en este estudio, indican que las estimaciones obtenidas en diversos trabajos pueden no ser tan robustas como se creía. En consecuancia, se sugiere que la realización de estudios de caso por país puede ser una mejor vía para explorar este tema.Income Distribution, Economic Growth, Panel Data Econometrics, Multiregional

Agricultural sector and competition in Colombia

In this chapter we provide a summary description of Colombian Competition Policy with an emphasis on the agricultural sector. Key developments and recent changes in institutional arrangements affecting competition policy, as it applies to the agricultural sector, are highlighted. Illustrative case studies are depicted to show the richness and complexity of policy developments and enforcement. Some general conclusions are drawn from this examination.Competition Policy, Agriculture, Colombia

Heat asymmetries in nanoscale conductors: The role of decoherence and inelasticity

We investigate the heat flow between different terminals in an interacting coherent conductor when inelastic scattering is present. We illustrate our theory with a two-terminal quantum dot setup. Two types of heat asymmetries are investigated: electric asymmetry $\Delta_E$, which describes deviations of the heat current in a given contact when voltages are exchanged, and contact asymmetry $\Delta_C$, which quantifies the difference between the power measured in two distinct electrodes. In the linear regime, both asymmetries agree and are proportional to the Seebeck coefficient, the latter following at low temperature a Mott-type formula with a dot transmission renormalized by inelasticity. Interestingly, in the nonlinear regime of transport we find $\Delta_E\neq\Delta_C$ and this asymmetry departure depends on the applied bias configuration. Our results may be important for the recent experiments by Lee et al. [Nature (London) 498, 209 (2013)], where these asymmetries were measured.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. Minor changes; published versio

Poverty impacts of increased openness and fiscal policies in a dollarized economy: a CGE-micro approach for Ecuador

We quantify the effects on poverty and income distribution in Ecuador of bilateral tradeliberalization with the US and a budget-neutral value added tax increase which seeks to compensatetariff revenue losses. We stress the study of fiscal policies that the government couldtap in order to compensate for tariff revenue loss. This is a very important issue for Ecuadorbecause this country adopted the US dollar as its currency in 2000, forgiving the use of importantpolicy instruments. To study these issues we combine a reduced-form micro householdincome and occupational choice model (using 2005/6 data from the Ecuadorian LSMS) with astandard single-country computable general equilibrium model (employing a 2004 SAM). Wefollow a sequential approach that simulates the full distributional impact of trade and tax policies.We find that the impact of these policy changes on extreme poverty and income distributionis small but positive.

Fiscal Policies and Increased Trade Openness: Poverty Impacts in Ecuador

This research quantifies the effects on poverty in Ecuador of bilateral trade liberalization with the U.S. and fiscal changes (value added tax and direct taxes) which seek to compensate tariff revenue losses, so that the government deficit remains constant. This is a very important issue for Ecuador because it adopted the U.S. dollar as its currency in 2000, forgoting the use of monetary and exchange rate policy instruments. This paper highlights labor market effects and fiscal policies as the main mechanisms through which trade impacts poverty. The paper combines a reduced-form micro household income and occupational choice model (using the 2005/6 Ecuadorian household survey) with a standard single-country computable general equilibrium model (employing a 2004 Social Accounting Matrix). A sequential approach that simulates the full income and distributional impact of trade and tax policies is followed. The impact of these policy changes on the economy is small. Indigence and income distribution effects are small but positive. There are mixed results on poverty. The best poverty reduction outcomes are attained when only direct taxes are used for making up tariff revenue losses and the worst when a flat VAT rate is employed, including the elimination of current VAT exemptions (mostly for agricultural goods). A key contribution of this research is to illustrate the significance for poverty of policy choices available to the government.Poverty, free trade agreement, fiscal policy, CGE, micro simulation

Service quality in a post-crisis context: emotional effects and behaviours

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of service quality dimensions as determinants of the emotional and relational behaviours experienced by the client in bank branches in the post-crisis context experienced by Spanish financial institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Data taken from a total of 1,125 customers were analysed through structural equations modelling (EQS6.1) to test the relationships of the proposed model’s variables. Findings – The results support the hypotheses stated, with the exception of the influence of a service quality dimension (servicescape) on emotions during the service. In fact, the dimensions of the service quality of an intangible nature (personnel, outcome and social) are determinants of the positive emotions and relational behaviours of clients around the service provided by the branches. For its part, servicescape quality, of a more tangible nature, exerts indirect influence on the other dimensions that compose the quality of service. Practical implications – This paper provides senior bank executives established evidence on the degree of influence of the different dimensions in relation to the quality of service in the bank branch. Furthermore, it emphasises the importance of emotional factors during service as essential elements in strengthening customer–staff relationships under a non-transactional dynamic. Originality/value – This paper has adopted an analytical holistic, theoretical and empirical perspective on the impact of the different dimensions of service quality (servicescape, personnel, outcome and social) as well as to the emotions experienced by banking customers during services and its lasting effect on customer engagement and customer advocacy