Regulation of the Electricity Industry in Bolivia: Its Impact on Access to the Poor, Prices and Quality

This paper takes stock with the results of utility privatization in Bolivia. This paper deals with the process of structural reforms in this country and the specific results that have to date been accomplished in the electricity industry. It is mostly interested in exploring whether the reformation of this industry contributed to lessen poverty levels and whether in light of the obtained results, a reversal or a continuation of the reform process should take place. The paper shows that coverage of electricity users has grown faster in urban areas ever since the establishment of regulation. Although it is not argued that regulation has caused the increase in electricity consumers, the data does show that a comparatively faster urban growth rate of users takes place after 1995. In this sense, it seems plausible that regulation of the electricity industry has indeed lessen poverty levels in urban Bolivia by making this utility more accessible to larger segments of the urban population. The same cannot be said, however, about rural Bolivia. The results show that coverage has remained about the same in the last 10 years, with no discernible improvement after the transformation of the industry in 1995. When rural Bolivia is divided into income groups, the data shows that some of the poorest groups have indeed experienced a decline in coverage during the regulation period, which sheds doubts about the purportedly positive effects that structural changes in this industry were to have in the livelihoods of the poorest people in the country. Alternative ways which may improve the poverty reduction outcome of electricity regulation are explored.Regulation, Poverty Reduction, Bolivia, Food Security and Poverty, Public Economics, L51, O20, O54,

TOURIST AREA LIFE CYCLE STAGE AND THE IMPACT OF A CRISIS

This paper examines the relationship between the tourist area life cycle and the recovery period following a crisis. There have been many studies of the tourist area life cycle theory and its application to the evolution of a tourism destination or resort. While it is clear that a tourism destination follows an asymptotic curve from its inception through development and stagnation, it is not clear how destinations in various stages of the tourist area life cycle are impacted by a crisis. This study focuses on two countries in Southeast Asia (Singapore and Vietnam) that are indifferent stages of the life cycle. The purpose of the study is to examine the relative impact of the SARS epidemic on the visitor arrivals of the two nations. Both ASEAN nations were exposed to the crisis, and the results show that the impact of the crisis, and the resulting recovery, did vary according to the life cycle stage

Hospitality Marketing Mix and Service Marketing Principles

The Concept of Marketing is based on the Premise that Firms Should Determine Consumer Wants and Needs Before Designing Products and Services. This Consumer-Orientation Results in Greater Demand for a Firm\u27s Products and Services and Higher Levels of Customer Satisfaction after the Purchase. Marriott International Followed This Approach in Developing their Courtyard and Residence Inns Hotels. for Example, the Courtyard Concept is Supposed to Attract Business Travelers and Transient Customers Who Do Not Really Like Staying at Hotels (Wind Et Al, 1992; Hart, 1986). the Researchers Recruited Individuals for Focus Groups Representing These Two Market Segments to Determine the Hotel Attributes that Were Most Important to Them. Next, a Tradeoff Analysis Was Performed on a Larger Sample of People from the Target Groups to Determine the Utility, or Value, Placed on Each of the Attributes and its Possible Level. the Final Result of This Study Was the Concept of a Hotel that Would Have a High Level of Appeal to the Target Markets, Created using Consumer Inputs.. the Hotel Possessed All of the Attributes that Were Important to the Target Market in Adequate Levels, at a Price They Were Willing to Pay

“We” who dwell: how is cohabitation in the city?

In the paper I analyze Heidegger’s important text on dwelling, along with several fragments from various philosophers specifically inspired by this text, in an attempt to show that dwelling is not treated as the communal life of group of people in a given time or place. Dwelling is individual, does not assume life with others, nor indeed counts on there being conversation or communication. My intention is to uncover forms of communal life and joint responsibility in the city –a new philosophy of care for the community.En este artículo analizo el texto de Heidegger sobre “habitar” junto a otros fragmentos de varios filósofos inspirados específicamente en este, en un intento por ilustrar cómo el “habitar” no es tratado como la vida comunitaria de un grupo de personas en un momento y espacio determinado. “Habitar” es individual, no supone la vida con otros ni requiere de la conversación o la comunicación. Mi intención es desvelar formas de vida comunitaria y responsabilidad conjunta en la ciudad –una nueva filosofía del cuidado para la comunidad

The effect of coca and FDI on the level of corruption in Bolivia

This paper analyzes the causes of corruption in contemporary Bolivia. It argues that, along with the well-documented observation that richer countries tend, on average, to be less corrupt than poorer ones, corruption is directly dependent on FDI inflows, with higher levels of FDI associated with lower levels of corruption and vice versa. Additionally, the findings reveal that a less controlled, more permissive market for coca leaves actually reduces the level of corruption in the country, supporting the hypothesis that the way to a less corrupt Bolivia is by lowering government intervention into this controversial market

Global Pricing Strategy for a Quick-Service Restaurant Chain

The purpose of this paper is to compare prices for a popular quick-service restaurant chain (i.e. McDonalds’) across countries throughout the world using the “Big Mac Index” published by “The Economist.” The index was originally developed to measure the valuation of international currencies against the U.S. dollar. The analysis in this study examines the relationship between the price of a Big Mac and other variables such as the cost of beef, price elasticity, and income. Finally, these relationships are reviewed to draw inferences concerning the use of demand, costs, and competition in setting prices

Regulation of the electricity industry in Bolivia: Its impact on access to the poor, prices and quality

This paper takes stock with the results of utility privatization in Bolivia. This paper deals with the process of structural reforms in this country and the specific results that have to date been accomplished in the electricity industry. It is mostly interested in exploring whether the reformation of this industry contributed to lessen poverty levels and whether in light of the obtained results, a reversal or a continuation of the reform process should take place. The paper shows that coverage of electricity users has grown faster in urban areas ever since the establishment of regulation. Although it is not argued that regulation has caused the increase in electricity consumers, the data does show that a comparatively faster urban growth rate of users takes place after 1995. In this sense, it seems plausible that regulation of the electricity industry has indeed lessen poverty levels in urban Bolivia by making this utility more accessible to larger segments of the urban population. The same cannot be said, however, about rural Bolivia. The results show that coverage has remained about the same in the last 10 years, with no discernible improvement after the transformation of the industry in 1995. When rural Bolivia is divided into income groups, the data shows that some of the poorest groups have indeed experienced a decline in coverage during the regulation period, which sheds doubts about the purportedly positive effects that structural changes in this industry were to have in the livelihoods of the poorest people in the country. Alternative ways which may improve the poverty reduction outcome of electricity regulation are explored

Consumer Attitudes Toward Travel Risks by Regulatory Focus Orientation and Gender

The leisure travel industry continues to thrive as consumer expenditures on travel have steadily increased. While travel has always carried with it some level of inherit risk, ever-increasing news of safety threats in tourism areas has been a troubling reality. This study sought to examine the importance of risk-related factors in leisure travel planning. A main objective of the study was to explore the role that an individual’s regulatory focus or gender may play in how one assesses various types of travel risk. Study participants, segmented based on regulatory focus and gender, evaluated a series of prospective travel risks. The results indicate that there is a relationship between an individual’s regulatory focus and attitude towards travel risk factors. Gender differences were also observed in the results

Regulatory Focus and Risk Factors in Travel Planning

Pending publicatio