The Impacts of Demographic Variables on the Price and Income Coefficients of the Travel Cost Model

Economic and sociological studies have obtained significant statistical results for determinants of participation in recreation. We develop a recreational demand function incorporating socio-psychological factors. Economic value estimates of Ohio's Lake Erie water-oriented recreation activities with and without socio-psychological factors are compared. Consumer's surplus is over-estimated when socio-psychological factors are excluded

Imbalanced Educational Loans for Agricultural Sector: Evidence from Thailand

This paper addresses issues on educational loans of Thai households to formulate policies to improve the loan schemes in Thailand. Analysis is focused on comparing educational loans to households in rural and urban areas. Results suggested that it is important for the educational loans to achieve the balance between areas and income levels. Results from this paper can support the education policy of increasing the efficiency of the student loan scheme and of being fairer to agricultural households

The Effects of Demographic Variables on Measuring the Cost of Time in Recreation Demand Analysis

The McConnell and Strand Method in evaluating time cost in recreational model requires that the percentage of average income at which individual values recreational time be constant for all sample observations.· We modify the McConnell and Strand model which allows the value of time cost to vary with the individual's demographic characteristics. Economic value estimates of Ohio's Lake Erie private-boat fishing with and without demographic factors are compared. Consumer's surplus is over-estimated when demographic factors are excluded

Food safety control system in Taiwan--the example of food service sector

Abstract The World Trade OrganizationÕs Sanitary Phytosanitary Agreement facilitates the scrutiny of the benefits and costs of countrylevel regulatory programs and encourages regulatory rapprochement on food safety issues. In Taiwan, food safety control system (FSCS), which includes good hygienic practice (GHP) and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP), has been developed to embody principles of safe food processing. From 1998 to 2001, the total number of factories that supply box meals and food service sectors that implemented HACCP was 139 and 46, respectively. TaiwanÕs FSCS is fully compatible with international codes adopted by CODEX alimentarius and will play an important role in maintaining the safety of foods not only in domestic market but also in international trade. This paper illustrates the development and implementation of FSCS system for the food service sector in Taiwan, which sets a good example for the country-level regulation on food-safety system, especially for those factories that export their agricultural products