Identifying the Socioeconomic Determinants of Crime in Spanish Provinces

In this paper we study, having as theoretical reference the economic model of crime (Becker, 1968; Ehrlich, 1973), which are the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of crime in Spain paying attention on the role of provincial peculiarities. We estimate a crime equation using a panel dataset of Spanish provinces (NUTS3) for the period 1993 to 1999 employing the GMM-system estimator. Empirical results suggest that lagged crime rate and clear-up rate are correlated to all typologies of crime rate considered. Property crimes are better explained by socioeconomic variables (GDP per capita, GDP growth rate and percentage of population with high school and university degree), while demographic factors reveal important and significant influences, in particular for crimes against the person. These results are obtained using an instrumental variable approach that takes advantage of the dynamic properties of our dataset to control for both measurement errors in crime data and joint endogeneity of the explanatory variables.demographics, socioeconomic factors, panel data, crime

Growth, Convergence and Public Investment. A Bayesian Model Averaging Approach

The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we study the determinants of economic growth among a wide set of potential variables for the Spanish provinces (NUTS3). Among others, we include various types of private, public and human capital in the group of growth factors. Also, we analyse whether Spanish provinces have converged in economic terms in recent decades. The second objective is to obtain cross-section and panel data parameter estimates that are robust to model speci cation. For this purpose, we use a Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) approach. Bayesian methodology constructs parameter estimates as a weighted average of linear regression estimates for every possible combination of included variables. The weight of each regression estimate is given by the posterior probability of each model.convergence, public investment, growth, bayesian model averaging

Healthy, Educated and Wealthy: Is the Welfare State Really Harmful for Growth?

In this paper, we study how public and private expenditures in health and education affect economic growth by their influence on peoples health, abilities, skills and knowledge. We consider a growth accounting framework in order to test whether welfare expenditures more than offset the efficiency losses caused by distortionary taxation, and whether the effects of public expenditure on economic growth differ from those of private expenditure. Our empirical analysis is based on a panel of 19 OECD countries observed between 1971 and 1998. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the contribution of welfare expenditures more than compensates for the distortions caused by the tax system; and the estimated positive impact is stronger for health than for education. We also find some evidence that public expenditure influences GDP growth more than private expenditure.health, economic growth, education, public and private expenditure

Evaluating the Impact of Public Subsidies on a Firms Performance: a Quasi-experimental Approach

Many regional governments in developed countries design programs to improve the competitiveness of local firms. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of public programs whose aim is to enhance the performance of firms located in Catalonia (Spain). We compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with respect to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which retain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, change their business practices, improve their performance, and increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs.public policy, evaluation studies, firm performance, propensity score matching

Evaluating the impact of public subsidies on a firm's performance : a two-stage quasi-experimental approach

In this paper we evaluate the effectiveness of regional R&D public programs in Catalonia (Spain) with a two-stage procedure. Firstly, we compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with regard to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which maintain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Secondly, and once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm using regression techniques. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, seem to increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs

Design of Steel Structure

Tématem diplomové práce je návrh a posouzení ocelové konstrukce průmyslové budovy pro úpravu sklářského písku. Budova má půdorysný rozměr 12,0 x 12,0 metrů a výšku v hřebeni střechy 15,6 metrů. Rozvržení jednotlivých prvků bylo navrženo dle požadavků technologie a výrobního procesu Práce se zaměřuje na vytvoření výpočetního modelu a posouzení na mezní stav použitelnosti a únosnosti jednotlivých prvků. Dále práce obsahuje navržení několika styčníků, které byly navrženy a optimalizovány.Topic of the master’s thesis is design and assessment of steel construction of the industrial building used to glass sand treatment. The building has the top view dimensions 12,0 x 12,0 m and roof ridge height 15,6 m. Disposition if the individual elements was designed according to conditions of the technology and production process. The thesis focus on creating of computational model and assessment to ultimate and serviceability limit states of individual elements. Further thesis contains of design and optimisation of some joints.

Els qüestionaris com a instruments per a l'avaluació de competències transversals

Background of INCASI Project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015 GA 691004. WP1: CompilationEn la present comunicació es presenta l'experiència desenvolupada en l'ensenyament de Gestió i Administració Pública de la Universitat de Barcelona en l'ús dels qüestionaris com a instruments d'avaluació del grau de satisfacció de l'alumnat en el desenvolupament de les competències transversals de treball en equip i capacitat d'aprenentatge

Productive efficiency and regulatory reform : the case of vehicle inspection services

Measuring productive efficiency provides information on the likely effects of regulatory reform. We present a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) of a sample of 38 vehicle inspection units under a concession regime, between the years 2000 and 2004. The differences in efficiency scores show the potential technical efficiency benefit of introducing some form of incentive regulation or of progressing towards liberalization. We also compute scale efficiency scores, showing that only units in territories with very low population density operate at a sub-optimal scale. Among those that operate at an optimal scale, there are significant differences in size; the largest ones operate in territories with the highest population density. This suggests that the introduction of new units in the most densely populated territories (a likely effect of some form of liberalization) would not be detrimental in terms of scale efficiency. We also find that inspection units belonging to a large, diversified firm show higher technical efficiency, reflecting economies of scale or scope at the firm level. Finally, we show that between 2002 and 2004, a period of high regulatory uncertainty in the sample's region, technical change was almost zero. Regulatory reform should take due account of scale and diversification effects, while at the same time avoiding regulatory uncertainty

Evaluating the impact of public subsidies on a firm's performance : a quasi-experimental approach

Many regional governments in developed countries design programs to improve the competitiveness of local firms. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of public programs whose aim is to enhance the performance of firms located in Catalonia (Spain). We compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with respect to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which retain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, change their business practices, improve their performance, and increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs

Assessing the assignation of public subsidies : do the experts choose the most efficient R&D projects?

The implementation of public programs to support business R&D projects requires the establishment of a selection process. This selection process faces various difficulties, which include the measurement of the impact of the R&D projects as well as selection process optimization among projects with multiple, and sometimes incomparable, performance indicators. To this end, public agencies generally use the peer review method, which, while presenting some advantages, also demonstrates significant drawbacks. Private firms, on the other hand, tend toward more quantitative methods, such as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), in their pursuit of R&D investment optimization. In this paper, the performance of a public agency peer review method of project selection is compared with an alternative DEA method.La implementación de un programa de subvenciones públicas a proyectos empresariales de I+D comporta establecer un sistema de selección de proyectos. Esta selección se enfrenta a problemas relevantes, como son la medición del posible rendimiento de los proyectos de I+D y la optimización del proceso de selección entre proyectos con múltiples y a veces incomparables medidas de resultados. Las agencias públicas utilizan mayoritariamente el método peer review que, aunque presenta ventajas, no está exento de críticas. En cambio, las empresas privadas con el objetivo de optimizar su inversión en I+D utilizan métodos más cuantitativos, como el Data Envelopment Análisis (DEA). En este trabajo se compara laactuación de los evaluadores de una agencia púlica (peer review) con una metodología alternativa de selección de proyectos como es el DEA