Estimating Investment Functions for a Small-Scale Econometric Model

This note summarises the results of an exercise in estimating investment functions for inclusion in a small-scale econometric model of the economy. The overall exercise in model-building is a joint project involving three staff from Economic Analysis, Research and Publications. Its aim is to produce a small-scale model of the economy with reasonably good forecasting and policy simulation properties. One of the main difficulties with previous versions of the model and, indeed, with some other models of the Irish economy is their relatively unsatisfactory modelling of investment. The estimated equations generally have poor fit compared to other areas of the model resulting in rather large forecast errors and undermining confidence in policy simulations.

Beckett's Spectral Silence: Breath and the Sublime

Of Samuel Beckett’s late plays, the one that most eloquently resists presentation, that retires from visibility, remaining almost completely hidden except for faint light and a brief cry over a glimpse of detritus is Breath. Though regarded as a ‘logical terminal point in Beckett’s writing for theatre’ when it appeared, it wrong-footed critical expectation, pointing instead to the much reduced plays of the 1970s. The paper examines Beckett’s Breath, theatre productions of the play––in particular that of Amanda Coogan––and the film version of Breath directed by Damien Hirst, in terms of Kant’s analytic of the sublime, in particular Kant’s idea of the sublime as that which is beyond the limits of size and representability. Drawing on Longinus, Lyotard and Derrida, the paper argues, through Beckett, for a reconfiguration of the sublime in terms of an absolute minimum

Evaluation of the Ballyfermot Strengthening Families Programme.

The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) is an internationally recognised parenting and family skills initiative for high-risk families. It was developed by Dr. Karol Kumpfer, a Professor of Health Promotion and Education in the University of Utah. Initially, it was designed as a prevention strategy for 6 – 12 year old high risk children of substance abusing parents. It has now developed as an evidence-based family skills training programme which has been found through research to significantly reduce problem behaviours, delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse in children. It has also been shown to improve the families’ social competencies and child’s school performance. It reduces the risk of child neglect as parents strengthen the bonds they have with their children and learn more effective parenting skills. The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) along with fifteen other independent studies have found positive results in thefollowing key areas: Improved parenting knowledge and skills, Improved family relationships, Improved children’s social skills and behaviour

SH!TIFICATION or the Tendency to Fix the Wrong Things

Abstract When facing crucial decision-making, many managers tend to fix the wrong things, leading to a SH!TIFICATION of the products and customer experiences. This article reviews eleven SH!TIFICATION tendencies we have and provides recommendations on how to overcome them. A particular focus is given to the silent update tendency, which consists in making changes without telling customers. The changes are not supposed to have an impact on the customer experience, but the chocolate bar and the GPS navigation cases highlight how and why these silen

Vain Reasonings: Not I

A critical analysis of Samuel Beckett's play Not I that integrates the performative and the textual