Trade in value-added and the welfare gains of international fragmentation

In order to take profit from the differences in factor endowments and technology that exist between countries, firms delocalize or externalize a share of their goods’ production process to other countries. This phenomenon is so widespread today that very few manufactured goods are produced entirely within the borders of a single country. We examine in this paper the macroeconomic gains related to this phenomenon by calculating the net share of international fragmentation in the welfare gains of trade. To do so, we propose a model that allows us to identify all the components related to international fragmentation in these welfare gains, something that most of the classical trade models fail to do. We show that the net share of international fragmentation in the welfare gains of trade represents on average 22% of the gains of trade, a way lower figure than the share that could be inferred from standard trade models. The shutdown of international fragmentation would, therefore, only reduce the average real wage by 3%

Trade in value-added and the welfare gains of international fragmentation

In order to take profit from the differences in factor endowments and technology that exist between countries, firms delocalize or externalize a share of their goods’ production process to other countries. This phenomenon is so widespread today that very few manufactured goods are produced entirely within the borders of a single country. We examine in this paper the macroeconomic gains related to this phenomenon by calculating the net share of international fragmentation in the welfare gains of trade. To do so, we propose a model that allows us to identify all the components related to international fragmentation in these welfare gains, something that most of the classical trade models fail to do. We show that the net share of international fragmentation in the welfare gains of trade represents on average 22% of the gains of trade, a way lower figure than the share that could be inferred from standard trade models. The shutdown of international fragmentation would, therefore, only reduce the average real wage by 3%

Intent at Day Case Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Owerri, Nigeria: Initial Experiences

Background and Objective: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been the default operation for cholelithiasis at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri for the past 2 years and the outcomes have been good. The duration of post operative stay has been decreasing. We therefore initiated a preliminary 2.year prospective study in May 2010 to determine the feasibility of carrying out day case laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our hospital.Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in the study if they satisfied the following criteria: Age < 65 years, body mass index < 35 kg/m2, American Society of Anaesthesiologyphysical status class I and II, patient residence within 20 km radius of the hospital, patient acceptance of the procedure and absence of previous complicated upper abdominal surgery.Results: Twelve patients (10 females, 2 males) were worked up with the intent of achieving same.day discharge of the patients. Five of the patients (41.7%) were discharged on the day of operation. The reasons for overnight stay included inadequate pain control, insertion of drain and patient wishes. There was no conversion to open surgery, no major complications and no case of readmission to the hospital.Conclusions: Day case laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our environment could be safely promoted but will dependon improved facilities and patient enlightenment.  Keywords: Day case, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, cholelithiasi

Development of a two-storey model eco-house from rammed earth

The use of conventional building materials is facing two main challenges of excessive cost and large-scale depletion of the sources thus creating environmental problems. These challenges demand that alternative building materials be explored that are not only affordable but are also environmentally friendly. In this regard and inspired by the global need for sustainable development, earth(soil) is re-emerging as the grand eco-material for building construction due to its availability, environmental/cultural appropriateness, structural adequacy, familiarity to the local people, “breathability”, health benefits, amongst others. This paper presents results of experimental work in Kenya aimed at utilizing earth in formal housing constructions with a view to alleviating the severe housing shortage in the country. Studies were conducted on structural performance of various types and blends of earth material, from which a suitable blend was selected and used to construct a model two-storey rammed earth building. The model house had load-bearing walls of rammed earth, and a hollow-pot reinforced concrete slab containing light-weight stabilized soil blocks. The rammed earth two-storey model house was tested for vertical load resistance using sacks of sand. Results obtained from this study indicate that certain blends of local earth materials had higher stabilized block strengths than the standard dressed stones which are normally used in construction in Kenya. Further, the model ecohouse was able to resist applied vertical loading with minimal deflections within the standard requirements. The model house has been in use as an office building for over four years with negligible deterioration in terms of material erosion or cracking or deflections

Potential of Quarry Dust and Cow Dung as stabilisers for Black Cotton soil Eco-blocks for Housing

Present concerns for sustainable development have led to a revival of traditional building practices using natural or recycled resources. There is a perception that buildings constructed from such materials are environmentally benign. The use of earth on site as a building material saves manufacturing cost, time, energy, environmental pollution and transportation cost.  Due to the atmospheric condition change, blocks made with black cotton soil swell, shrink and crack. This research work reports on the effect of waste material such as quarry dust and cow dung on the strength and stability of soil blocks made with black cotton soil. Black cotton soil is a soil in which there is a high content of expansive clay known as montmorillonite that forms deep cracks in drier seasons or years owing to extensive swelling and shrinkage. The shrinking and swelling of black cotton soil can significantly damage buildings and roads, leading to extensive subsidence. Accordingly, black cotton soil is never used as a construction material. The key objective of this research study was to determine the effect of various eco-friendly additives on the structural performance of black cotton soils in Kenya, and hence the potential of stabilized black cotton soil as an eco-block for buildings. Experimental work has delved into basic material properties, as well as strength tests on specimens. Accordingly, the research work has conducted numerous tests such as atteberg limit, particle density, particle size distribution compaction test and linear shrinkage on material as well as strength test on blocks. From the results obtained, it is established that the addition of 20% quarry dust to black cotton soil increases the compressive strength of the block from 0.6 to 2.7 MPa, and with further the addition of 6% cement this value increases up to 3 MPa. The addition of Cow dung to black cotton soil reduces the number of cracks and the amount of shrinkage on blocks, and also increases the strength of the blocks from 0.6MPa to 2MPa. It is thus confirmed that the addition of quarry dust and cow-dung have significant positive effects on black cotton soil, rendering them suitable for use sustainable eco-blocks for construction. Keywords: Black cotton soil, quarry dust, cow dung, compressive strength, cracks, shrinkage, eco-blocks, compressed earth blocks, stabilized soil block

Import processing zones, tools for regional integration? The case of the free trade zone of Manaus (Brazil)

Characterised by low-quality transport infrastructures and located quite far from the country economic centre, the Amazonian region in Brazil was almost wholly disconnected from the rest of the country for several decades. In conjunction with other factors, this motivated the creation of a Free Trade Zone in the region by Brazilian authorities to foster economic linkages with the country’s other states. We examine in this article whether this challenging goal of connecting an isolated region marked by lowquality transport infrastructures to a distant economic centre has been accomplished and if the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) has played a role in the process. Using a gravity model to assess each Brazilian state trade performance and level of trade costs, we found that the two entities representing the state of Amazonas (Manaus where the Free Trade Zone is implanted and the rest of Amazonas) were among the most effective intra-national exporters in Brazil in 2008 despite facing the highest level of trade costs in the country. These apparently counter-intuitive findings indicate a potentially significant role of the FTZ in this process of integration

Controle Et Performance Des Reseaux De Pme Camerounaises : Une Approche Transactionnelle

Nowadays, companies, and especially SMEs, are engaged in fierce competition. One of the solutions to this strong competition is for these companies to reduce the number of potential suppliers and to establish strategic partnership relationships. This is how a networked organization allows them to be more flexible and better able to adapt to this environment. Research, however, reveals a very weak life experience of business networks. The objectives of this work are to present the control in the transactional approach within SME networks, to check whether it can explain the performance of these SMEs. From an observation of 54 Cameroonian SMEs in the manufacturing and logistics sectors, it is clear that among the tools of the transactional control mode, contracts less than six months are the most used and these negatively influence the performance of network SMEs. This important use of contracts of less than six months may be due to non-compliance with the terms of the contract by the partners, legal and judicial insecurity which leads the partners to evaluate first the performance of a contract less than six months, before moving on to another contract