Output subsidies and quotas under uncertainty and firm heterogeneity

This paper studies the relative efficiency of two kinds of regulations, quantity restrictions (quotas) and output subsidies, in an imperfectly competitive market under the existence of two sources of uncertainty: uncertainty in both costs and prices. We find that when the two sources of uncertainty are independently distributed, the output subsidy instrument has comparative advantage over the quantity instrument. However, when we take into account the possibility of correlation between the random components and across firms marginal costs, we find that a positive (negative) correlation tends to favor the quantity (subsidy) instrument. Finally, we show that when the correlation is positive, it is possible to find situations in which the quantity instrument has comparative advantage over the subsidy instrument.Cost uncertainty, demand uncertainty, firm heterogeneity, output subsidy and quantity instruments

The effect of psychological detachment from work on well-being and life satisfaction: a longitudinal study

El distanciamiento psicológico del trabajo permite unos procesos de desconexión física y psicológica del trabajo cuyos efectos sobre la salud han sido poco estudiados en estudios longitudinales. El objetivo de este trabajo es profundizar en el conocimiento del papel del distanciamiento psicológico y sus relaciones con la ansiedad, la satisfacción con la vida y el vigor en el trabajo. Se ha efectuado un estudio longitudinal con seis meses de intervalo en dos tiempos en una muestra de 348 sujetos, comparando cuatro modelos de interacción en el tiempo: modelo de estabilidad, de causalidad normal, causalidad inversa y causalidad recíproca. La inclusión de un modelo de causalidad recíproca entre el distanciamiento y las variables dependientes mejora notablemente la explicación de los resultados, según la bondad de ajuste de la metodología de ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados indican que los procesos de distanciamiento y de bienestar emocional mantienen una relación de influencia mutua a lo largo del tiempo, lo que abre nuevas líneas de intervención y prevención del estrés en las organizaciones.The psychological detachment from work provides a physical and psychological disconnection, the effects of which on job’s health have been little studied in longitudinal studies. The aim of this paper is to understand the role of psychological detachment and its relationship with anxiety, satisfaction with life, and vigor at work. A longitudinal study has been conducted in two times with six-month of interval in a sample of 348 subjects, comparing four models of interaction over time: a model of stability, causality normal, reverse causality, and reciprocal causation. The inclusion of a model of reciprocal causality between the psychological detachment and the dependent variables significantly improves the explanation of the results, according to the goodness of fit of structural equation methodology. The results indicate that the processes of psychological detachment and emotional well-being maintain a relationship of mutual influence over time, opening new lines of intervention and prevention of stress in organizations

The relevance of psychological flexibility in the context of cancer: a review of the literature

La flexibilidad psicológica ha sido relacionada con diversos indicadores positivos en individuos con problemas de salud mental y enfermedades crónicas, y ha sido identificada como un importante mecanismo de cambio psicoterapéutico. Sin embargo, la atención prestada a la flexibilidad psicológica en la psicooncología ha sido limitada, a pesar de su potencial relación con el distrés relacionado con el cáncer. El objetivo de la presente revisión descriptiva fue reunir los estudios que han examinado la asociación entre la flexibilidad psicológica y distintos indicadores de bienestar en pacientes con cáncer, o evaluado el impacto de intervenciones destinadas a incrementar el nivel de flexibilidad psicológica en pacientes con cáncer. A pesar del bajo número de estudios, los resultados demuestran de forma consistente que la flexibilidad psicológica está asociada a altos niveles de bienestar en pacientes con cáncer, incluso en presencia de deterioro físico. Para finalizar, se presentan algunas implicaciones para la práctica clínica en psico-oncologíaPsychological flexibility has been related to a wide number of positive outcomes among individuals with mental health problems and chronic illnesses, and it has been identified as an important mechanism of change in psychotherapy. However, the attention given to psychological flexibility within psycho-oncology has been quite limited, even though it may offer new alternatives in the treatment of cancer-related distress. The objective of the present descriptive review was to bring together the studies that have examined the association between psychological flexibility and outcomes among cancer patients, or have carried out interventions aiming to increase the level of psychological flexibility among cancer patients. Even though the research base in this area is still small, the findings consistently show that higher levels of psychological flexibility are associated with increased levels of wellbeing among cancer patients, even in the presence of health deterioration. Implications for clinical practice in psycho-oncology are discusse

Development and cross-national validation of the Emotional Effort Scale (EEF)

Background: Researchers define Emotional Labour (EL) as the effort associated with meeting the emotional requirements of the job, yet nobody has ever directly tested this effort. Building on classic stress and ego depletion theory, this study develops the Emotional Effort Scale (EEF). Methods: In Study 1, exploratory (N = 197) and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 182) were conducted with a British sample. In Study 2, the instrument was adapted to Spanish and measurement invariance was tested (N = 304). In Study 3, (N = 185), we tested convergent and divergent validity with the EL strategies (i.e., surface acting and deep acting) and the relationship between EEF and emotional exhaustion. Results: The final scale is a two-dimensional measure (explicit and implicit emotional effort) with good reliability levels in all samples (N = 818). Additionally, it shows adequate convergent, divergent and nomological validity. Conclusions: The Emotional Effort construct adds unique value to the literature. Thus, explicit effort seems to be the mechanism that explains the association between EL and exhaustion. Additionally, this study adapts and translates the measure to two of the most used languages in the world, enabling the emergence of cross-national studies in the field of emotions at work

Factors and occupational psychosocial risks: concept, history and current changes

Especial[ES El trabajo ha sido históricamente un riesgo para la salud. Las condiciones laborales han supuesto habitualmente una amenaza a la salud que han ocasionado accidentes y enfermedades relacionadas con la salud de todo tipo. La imagen popular l asociada al trabajo ha sido claramente negativa. Los tiempos han cambiado de forma muy importante, pero las condiciones laborales siguen siendo preocupantes. La preocupación por los riesgos laborales se ha centrado históricamente en los riesgos físicos y ambientales, pero se ha producido una atención creciente en los riesgos psicosociales que exigen un mayor esfuerzo de definición en sus diferentes formas. En los tiempos actuales, debido a la expansión del mercado de servicios y a la globalización los riesgos psicosociales se han incrementado e intensificado. Los datos actuales muestran que sus efectos sobre la salud son amplios e importantes. Por ello, una atención integral a la salud laboral necesita cuidar de forma especial atención a los factores y riesgos psicosociales.[EN] Work has been historically a health risk. Working conditions have usually been a threat to health causing accidents and many kind of health-related diseases. The popular image associated with work has clearly been negative. Times have changed very significantly, but working conditions remain a concern. Concern about occupational risks has historically focused on environmental and physical risks, but there has been increasing attention on psychosocial risks which require a greater effort to be defined. In modern times, due to services market expansion and globalization, psychosocial risks have increased and intensified. Current data show that psychosocial risks cause important health effects. Therefore, it is important make special attention to psychosocial factors and risks.N

Versión española de la Escala de Justicia Organizacional de Colquitt

Organizational justice (OJ) is an important predictor of different work attitudes and behaviors. Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Scale (COJS) was designed to assess employees’ perceptions of fairness. This scale has four dimensions: distributive, procedural, informational, and interpersonal justice. The objective of this study is to validate it in a Spanish sample. Method: The scale was administered to 460 Spanish employees from the service sector. 40.4% were men and 59.6% women. Results: The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the four dimensions structure for Spanish version of COJS. This model showed a better fi t to data that the others models tested. Cronbach’s alpha obtained for subscales ranged between .88 and .95. Correlations of the Spanish version of COJS with measures of incivility and job satisfaction were statistically significant and had a moderate to high magnitude, indicating a reasonable degree of construct validity. Conclusions: The Spanish version of COJS has adequate psychometric properties and may be of value in assessing OJ in Spanish settingLa justicia organizacional (JO) es un predictor importante de diferentes actitudes y conductas organizacionales. La Escala de Justicia Organizacional de Colquitt (EJOC) fue desarrollada para evaluar las percepciones de justicia de los empleados. Tiene cuatro dimensiones: justicia distributiva, procedimental, informativa e interpersonal. El objetivo de este estudio es validarla en una muestra española. Método: la escala fue administrada a una muestra de 460 trabajadores españoles del sector servicios. El 40,4% fueron hombres y el 59,6% mujeres. Resultados: el Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio (AFC) apoyó la estructura de cuatro dimensiones para la versión española de la EJOC. Este modelo mostró un mejor ajuste de los datos que los otros modelos probados. El alfa de Cronbach obtenido para las subescalas varió entre .88 y .95. Las correlaciones de la versión española con las escalas de incivismo y satisfacción laboral fueron estadísticamente signifi cativas y de una magnitud moderada a alta, lo que indica un grado razonable de validez de constructo. Conclusiones: la versión española de la EJOC tiene propiedades psicométricas adecuadas y puede ser de utilidad en la evaluación de la JO en el entorno españo

The uniform rule in economies with single-peaked preferences, endowments and population-monotonicity

We consider the problem of fair allocate an infinitely divisible commodity among agents with single-•peaked preferences and private endowments. First, we show that the adaptation of the uniform rule to this context is the only selection from the no-envy in redistributions and Pareto efficient solution to depend only on peaks and endowments. Second, we examine the implications of the requirement that a change in the population affect all agents that are present befare and after the change in the same direction. We show there is no selection from the noenvy and Pareto efficient solution satisfying this requirement. However, if a mild additional restriction on the domain is imposed, there are selections from the individually rational and Pareto efficient solution satisfying it. Finally, we relax the population-monotonicity requirement by applying it only when the direction of the inequality between the sum of the endowments and the sum of the peaks does not change. Our main result is that there is only one selection from the no-emy and Pareto efficient solution satisfying this property. It is the uniform rule.Single-peaked preferences, endowments, population-monotonicity, uniform rule

Business Telephone Traffic Demand in Spain; 1980-1991, An econometric Approach

In this paper we use a theoretical model for the demand of telecommunication services to derive econometric models of the business demand for telephone traffic in Spain for the period 1980-1991. Using quaterly data, we estimate separate equations for the different types of toll traffic: local, long distance, national and international. We use cointegration techniques to obtain long run and short run equations, both estimated separately in two steps and jointly, in one step. A battery of diagnostics is applied to each of the equations, Price and output elasticies agree with previous findings and could be used for analizing the revenue effects of changes in tariffs and medium term forecasting of traffic and revenues

Pigouvian taxes: A strategic approach

This paper analyzes the problem of designing mechanisms to implement efficient solutions in economies with externalities. We provide two simple mechanisms implementing the Pigouvian Social Choice Correspondence in environments in which coalitions can be formed. Finally, we study economies in which agents are incompletely informed, and provide a mechanism that implements this social choice correspondence in Bayesian equilibrium.Pigouvian taxes, mechanism design, implementation