Empirical investigation into market power, markups and employment

In this paper I use the production function approach popularized by De Loecker et al. (2020) to analyze the evolution of market power in Slovakia and some of its micro and macro implications. In contrast to other studies, I calculate markups from both value added and sales and empirically test whether some of the global trends in market power can be seen in Slovak firm level data as well. I find that the markups in Slovakia in fact declined since 2010, both in terms of value added and sales. Although the decrease in sales markups is negligible, the value added aggregate markup declined by 25% from 2.35 in 2012 to 1.78 in 2018. Value added markups tend to be higher for relatively value-added larger firms and they are also higher in larger sectors. Smaller firms (size indicated by number of employees) tend to have higher markups. It seems that a typical high markup firm is relatively small (in terms of number of employees) but produces relatively larger output. Correlations between markups and various measures of profitabality show that there is indeed a relationship between markups and market power. Markups strongly correlate with profits and they do not significantly react to changes in costs. Markups in Slovakia evolve in excess of marginal costs. Slovak firm data shows that markups are also inversely associated to labor shares. Correlation is statistically strong and empirically well established

THE USE OF DEM SIMULATION FOR CONFIRMING THE PROCESS OF PARTICULATE MATERIAL MIXING

At the present time in the research of particulate materials, computer methods that work independently with individual particles are coming to the forefront. One such method is the Discrete Element Method – DEM, which is already widely used. Its usage, however, is complex, mostly due to the input data – what the properties of the researched material are, plus their interaction in processes. And despite the progress, it is still always necessary to validate the experimental equipment and to verify the individual simulations by an experimental measuring or by theoretical knowledge. This study focuses on the verification of the simulation of the mixing of a particulate material with the help of the DEM method, whereby simulations are compared with an experimental measurement and theoretic calculations. The theoretical calculation was carried out by the Novosad model, while the experimental material was granulated polyethylene with strictly defined mechanical-physical properties

STUDY OF SAMPLES STRENGTH OF MATERIAL FORMED BY THE PROCESSES OF COMPACTION, EXTRUSION AND TUMBLING GRANULATION

In a period of industrial expansion, protection of the environment is often neglected during the mass manufacture of products. One of the problems of our society that is necessary to face at present is the provision, processing and then usage of waste composed of fine particles that are extremely dangerous for mankind. This study looks at the processing of the fine dust resulting from the manufacture of brake pads. The selected technologies for the process of dust treatment were compaction, extrusion and tumbling granulation, and their consequent comparison with the strength of a break and disintegration of agglomerates from fine dust. The experiments were performed on a unique equipment that made it possible to process such dust in the form of larger units and thus reduce their dustiness, with this dust being reintroduced into the technologies for repeat processing or used for energy processing, in a cement kiln, for example

MODIFICATION OF POWDER MATERIAL BY COMPACTION PROCESSING

There are different criteria for assessing the appropriateness of an agglomeration technology in the deployment processing of dry, fine and dirty dust burdening in the communal and working environment. Besides the benefit of the environment components, the agglomeration technology offers the possibility of re-processing the material as the primary raw material within a wide range of industries. Preliminary tests have shown that the compressed material remains in the memory from the previous compression. For returning the already processed material into a primary production, it is essential that it is reformed without the need for additional materials, a requirement that can be problematic. This article deals with the modification of a powder material (powder dust from the manufacture of friction components) and the investigation of its properties before and after the compaction processing

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW ADSORPTION-DESORPTION DEVICE

The aim of this work was to construct a new adsorption-desorption device based on the principle of separation of volatile organic compounds, e.g., ethanol. As an adsorbent, it is possible to use granulated activated carbon (GAC) in the adsorption and desorption process. In this study, two kinds of GACs were used and marked as GAC1 and GAC2. A particle size distribution and water vapour sorption for the selected GACs were measured. An experiment with distilled water was performed as a preliminary study of the new device’s functionality. After the determination of the time necessary for the adsorption and desorption, the experiments were carried out with a model mixture (5% v/v ethanol-water mixture), which resulted in a product with the ethanol content of 39.6 %. The main advantage of this device would be the potential competition of conventional distillation

DESIGN OF PARTICULATE MATERIAL COMPACTOR ROLLS DIAMETER

At present, in a period of an industrial expansion great emphasis is placed on the environment. That means aiming for a reduced energy consumption, and also lessening dustiness from very fine powder material. This category also includes particulate material agglomeration processes. Because this process is very energy-intensive, it is necessary to correctly design these devices. The aim of this paper is to focus on a theoretical design of a production compactor with the rolls diameter for an experimental particulate material, based on Johanson’s theory and experimentally measured material properties. The material used for experimental measurements was an NPK-based industrial fertilizer consisting of several components. The results of this paper is the dependence of the ratio of the maximum compression pressure to the initial compression pressure from the rolls diameter of the proposed compactor

ANALYSIS OF STATIC ANGLE OF REPOSE WITH RESPECT TO POWDER MATERIAL PROPERTIES

This paper investigates the Angle of Repose (AoR) of powder materials with respect to their morphological and rheological properties. Glass beads, sand, flour and semolina of different particle sizes were used as the experimental materials. The investigated material was analysed with respect to particle shape and size. The rheological properties of the material were obtained by a shear cell test. The AoR was analysed in terms of cohesion, bulk density, particle size and circularity. More cohesive materials such as the flour samples exhibited the largest AoR > 40°, indicating their poor flowability. Glass bead samples with a high circularity value had significantly lower AoR than the flour. The Angle of Internal Friction values were not dependent on those of the AoR. Using a dimensional analysis, a mathematical model was developed to determine the AoR values based on the material properties. By the application of this model, highly accurate calculation of the value of AoR is made possible

PESQUISANDO A CIDADE ALGUNS APONTAMENTOS SOBRE A CAMINHADA NARRATIVA

Neste ensaio exponho o que denominei em minha tese doutoral como caminhada narrativa. Trata-se de uma técnica de pesquisa nova, elaborada para efetivar a interpretação de um espaço público em termos de espaço urbano, desde a perspectiva dos aportes teóricos da antropologia urbana. A técnica foi empregada no espaço público de uma rua, e o processo de sistematização de sua apresentação ainda está em curso

A EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR UNIVERSITÁRIA FRENTE AOS DESAFIOS DAS MUDANÇAS DO MUNDO DO TRABALHO NO CONTEXTO DO NEOLIBERALISMO

Este artículo surge de la preocupación en relación a los cambios en el mundo del trabajo, ocurridos a partir de los años 70, relacionados al advento de reestruturación productiva presente en el contexto neoliberal, y sus repercusiones en el ambito de la educación superior universitária. Se considera aquí, que la reflexión sobre la función de la educación superior y de las universidades, en este panorama de cambios acelerados, especialmente en relación a la producción del saber y la formación de recursos humanos, es un importante desafio, no solamente para docentes y discentes preocupados con la calidad de la enseñanza y de la formación de los ciudadanos, pero como para la sociedad como un todo. Actualmente se nota presente el discurso de que quanto mayor el nivel de educación formal de una persona, mayor serán sus habilidades cognitivas y, por consecutivo, su productividad. Conforme se trata en este artículo, se puede avaliar que este presupuesto es basado en la ideologia de la “Teoria del Capital Humano”. La inversión en “capital humano” u en educación formal, por parte del trabajador, pasó a constituyrse en la “llave de oro” para la solución del enigma del subdesarollo y de la desigualdades sociales. Sin embargo, por las colocaciones de los autores elegidos para la realización de este trabajo, se analisa y se cuestiona la forma con que la políticas neoliberales vienen reflejando en la enseñanza superior y determinando la función de la universidad, una vez que el principal objetivo de estas es el de aportar en el aumento de la productividad y de la competitividad de acuerdo a la economia de mercado. Palabras-llave: Educación Superior; Universidad; Cambios en el Mundo del Trabajo; Neoliberalismo; Teoría del Capital Humano.Este artigo surge da inquietação quanto ao evento das mudanças no mundo do trabalho, a partir dos anos 70, em função do processo de reestruturação produtiva presente no contexto neoliberal, e suas repercussões no âmbito da educação superior universitária. Considera-se aqui, que a reflexão sobre o papel da educação superior e das universidades, nesse panorama de mudanças aceleradas, especialmente no tocante à produção de conhecimento e formação de recursos humanos, torna-se um importante desafio, não só para docentes e discentes preocupados com a qualidade do ensino e a formação dos cidadãos, mas como para a sociedade como um todo. Atualmente, evidencia-se o discurso de que, quanto maior o nível de educação formal de uma pessoa, maior suas habilidades cognitivas e, por conseguinte, sua produtividade. Conforme é tratado neste artigo, pode-se aferir que este pressuposto é fundamentado sobre as bases ideológicas da “Teoria do Capital Humano”. O investimento em “capital humano”, ou em educação formal, por parte do trabalhador, passou a constituir-se na “chave de ouro” para a resolução do enigma do subdesenvolvimento e das desigualdades sociais. Entretanto, através das contribuições dos autores escolhidos para a realização deste trabalho, é analisada e questionada a forma como as políticas de cunho neoliberal vem refletindo no ensino superior e redefinindo o papel da universidade, uma vez que as mesmas possuem como principal objetivo contribuir para o aumento da produtividade e da competitividade empresariais condizentes com a economia de mercado. Palavras-chave: Educação Superior; Universidade; Mudanças no Mundo do Trabalho; Neoliberalismo; Teoria do Capital Humano