Organic food in schools and kindergartens in Trondheim. A case study report.

In October 2007, the municipality of Trondheim, Norway decided to increase the public consumption of organic food. The share of public schools and kindergartens offering organic food should be increased by 20 % within 2011, as compared to 2007. Trondheim has for several years had an ambitious aim to increase the consciousness among children and youth about environmental issues, and the project “Children‟s Green City” had been an important tool in this work. The decision made it relevant for the research project “innovative Public Organic food Procurement for Youth” (iPOPY) to use Trondheim as a research case. This report describes the background for the municipal decision about organic food, and what has been done to implement it. Several employees in the municipality and other stakeholders have been interviewed. Even if the decision puts up a quite modest goal, there are several challenges to achieve it. The point of departure (how much organic food was served by kindergartens and schools in 2007) is unknown, and hence the progress is difficult to measure. In the public purchasing agreement, the municipality has obliged its appointed wholesaler to offer organic products. The intention was that the units (e.g. schools) would get easier access to organic food, and that the demand would increase, making it possible for more local farmers to convert to organic. Purchasing agreements are an important tool, but they have to be carefully designed and developed with time. The largest challenge to achieve the organic goal in Trondheim is to motivate actors who may influence the purchase of food, and to anchor the intentions in the decision in such a large organisation as the municipality is. A committed and continuous effort is required. Education and training of staff in charge of food serving in schools and kindergartens is a fruitfu

Asymmetric unemployment rate dynamics in Australia

The unemployment rate in Australia is modelled as an assymmetric and non-linear function of aggregate demand, productivity, real wages and unemployment benefits. Negative changes in aggregate demand cause the unemployment rate to rise rapidly, while real wage rigidity contributes its to slow adjustment back towards a lower level of unemployment. The model is developed by exploiting recent developments in automated model-selection procedures.

A smooth-transition model of the Australian unemployment rate

Models of the aggregate unemployment rate have traditionally been estimated from structural models of the labour market or in a linear single-equation framework. However, theory as well as evidence suggest that the unemployment rate is asymmetric and should be modelled in a non-linear framework. In this paper the unemployment rate in Australia is modelled as a non-linear function of aggregate demand and real wages. Negative changes in aggregate demand cause the unemployment rate to rise rapidly, while real wage rigidity contributes its to slow adjustment back towards a lower level of unemployment. The model is developed by exploiting recent developments in automated model-selection procedures.unemployment;non-linearity;dynamic modelling;aggregate demand;real wages

The Generic Properties of Equilibrium Correction Mechanisms

Linear dynamic equilibrium correction mechanisms are shown to follow from the discretisation of continuous economic processes with steady-state solutions. In addition, the proposed procedure on the coefficients of the dynamic econometric model.Equilibrium correctionn dynamic modelling; difference schemes; power series representation

“Asset Partner” Service model – Challenges and Opportunities for service industry. - A case from Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS)

The oil and gas (O&G) industry is facing numerous challenges, including fluctuating oil prices, increasing regulatory pressures, and a growing demand for cleaner energy sources. To remain competitive and maximize value creation, companies must adopt customized and flexible approaches to their offshore operations and think of new solutions to solve tomorrow’s challenges. Examining the concept and implications of an Asset Partner reveals various opportunities and challenges for both operator- and service companies. In recent years, operational partnerships have emerged as a strategic solution for companies aiming to optimize their operations, minimize risks, and enhance their competitive edge. The Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) presents a unique operating environment, combining harsh climatic conditions, advanced technologies, and stringent safety and environmental standards. Operating in this challenging environment requires specialized knowledge, strong regulatory compliance, and a commitment to sustainable practices. By forming alliances with third-party service providers, O&G companies can leverage external expertise, share risks, and pool resources to achieve common objectives. While partnerships offer several benefits, there are also notable challenges in the collaboration between operator companies and oil service companies on the NCS. This thesis will examine various perspectives, including those of operator companies that typically manage their assets independently, as well as the viewpoints of oil service companies, trade unions, and governmental authorities. The thesis aims to investigate the following research questions: 1. What are the benefits and challenges of implementing an "Asset Partner" model in the Oil and Gas (O&G) industry, and how can it be used to increase competitiveness in the market? 2. How do regulations and authorities, such as the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) impact the implementation and success of the "Asset Partner" model in the O&G industry? 3. How does the "Asset Partner" model compare to traditional contractor and partnership models such as Technical Service Provider (TSP) model. 4. What are the specific business models and strategies that can be used to effectively implement the "Asset Partner" model in the O&G industry? A case study was conducted, involving data collection through interviews with professionals representing various roles in the industry. These included individuals from operator companies, oil service companies, trade unions, and government or regulatory authorities. The insights gathered from their responses have served as the base for addressing the research questions. The study reveals the complications and aspects related to the Asset Partner model. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and potential future implications of this model from the perspectives of operator companies, trade unions, oil service companies, and governmental authorities. It reveals that the Asset Partner model in the O&G industry offers the potential of significant benefits, including increased efficiency, cost savings, and access to specialized resources I terms of competence and capacity. However, challenges such as the loss of control over critical activities and potential erosion of core competencies must be carefully managed. The green transition and technological advancements can also have an impact in the future of the Asset Partner model in the future, emphasizing the need for regulatory adjustments for its sustainable implementation and alignment with environmental goals. To effectively implement the Asset Partner model, clear contractual agreements, open communication, performance monitoring, risk management, and competence development are essential. The research suggests a need for further research and collaboration among stakeholders to develop best practices, guidelines, and regulatory frameworks for the successful operation of the Asset Partner model in the O&G industry

Monetary policy and asset prices: To respond or not?

We investigate whether there is a case for asset prices in interest rates rules within a small econometric model of the Norwegian economy, modeling the interdependence of the real economy, credit and three classes of assets prices: housing prices, equity prices and the nominal exchange rate. We compare the performance of simple and efficient interest rate rules that allow for response to movements in asset prices to the performance of more standard monetary policy rules. We find that including housing prices and equity prices in the policy rules can improve macroeconomic performance in terms of both nominal and real economic stability. In contrast, a response to nominal exchange rate fluctuations can induce excess volatility in general and prove detrimental to macroeconomic stability.Monetary policy, asset prices, simple interest rate rules, econometric model

A European-type wage equation from an American-style labor market: Evidence from a panel of Norwegian manufacturing industries in the 1930s

Using a newly constructed panel of manufacturing industry data for interwar Norway, we estimate a long-run wage curve for the 1930s that has all the modern features of being homogeneous in prices, proportional to productivity, and having an unemployment elasticity of -0.1. This result is more typical of contemporary European than U.S. wage equations, even if the labour market in interwar Norway possessed distinctively more ‘American’ features than those associated with present-day European welfare states. We also present some new Monte Carlo evidence on the properties of the estimators used.wages, depression, panel data, dynamics

The Empirical (ir)Relevance of the New Keynesian Phillips Curve

We give an appraisal of the New Keynesian Phillips curve (NPC) as an empirical model of European inflation. We show that existing evidence reported in favour of the NPC on Euro-area and country data is due to a corroborative research strategy. In particular, goodness-of-fit is a weak criterion, since the NPC-fit is well approximated by a random walk. Instead we report the outcome of more critical tests, and the importance of modelling a system that includes the forcing variables as well as the rate of inflation is emphasized.Finally, encompassing tests are applied to open economy versions of the NPC for UK and Norway.New Keynesian Phillips curves; Euro inflation; UK inflation; Norwegian inflation; Monetary policy; Dynamic stability conditions; Evaluation; Encompassing tests

A European-type wage equation from an American-style labor market: Evidence from a panel of Norwegian manufacturing industries in the 1930s

Using a newly constructed panel of manufacturing industry data for interwar Norway, we estimate a long-run wage curve for the 1930s that has all the modern features of being homogeneous in prices, proportional to productivity, and having an unemployment elasticity of -0.1. This result is more typical of contemporary European than U.S. wage equations, even if the labour market in interwar Norway possessed distinctively more ‘American’ features than those associated with present-day European welfare states. We also present some new Monte Carlo evidence on the properties of the estimators used.wages, depression, panel data, dynamics