Corruption as a Barrier to Entry: Theory and Evidence

Conventional wisdom depicts corruption as a tax on incumbent firms. This paper challenges this view in two ways. First, by arguing that corruption matters not so much because of the value of the bribe ("tax"), but because of another less studied feature of corruption, namely bribe unavoidability. Second, we argue that the social costs of corruption arise not because corruption hurts incumbent firms, but mostly because it acts as a powerful barrier to the entry of new firms. Corruption sands and greases in tandem: it helps incumbent firms (on balance) and it hurts potential entrants. We put forward a model in which a bureaucrat chooses entry barriers to optimize bribe revenues. When the capacity to collect bribes is high, it is optimal to allow high levels of oligopoly power to incumbents. Conversely, the more avoidable are the bribes, the more firms are allowed into the market. These ideas are tested using a unique, representative sample of Brazilian manufacturing firms. Consistently with our theoretical model, we show that corruption (a) is ranked as the most important barrier to entry (above finance, taxes and regulation) and (b) while bribes' unavoidability is positively related to firm performance, the size of the bribe is not.corruption, barriers to entry, firm performance

The Symbolic Challenge of Architecture

In this interview Francesco Proto, an architect, theorist and renown Baudrillard’ scholar, retraces the deep and underestimate relationship between Baudrillard’s theory of simulacra and simulation and the architectural field, also giving an account of his theoretical outlook about using Baudrillard to produce a theory of the contemporary. Moving from a general reconsideration of geometrical perspective as simulacrum, he shows the several crossing between the encoding process of space, simulation and the modern ideology of humanism, also debating the differences between arts and architecture within Baudrillard’s theory, also regarding their respective symbolic and seductive dimension

An innovative agro-forestry supply chain for residual biomass : physicochemical characterisation of biochar from olive and hazelnut pellets

Concerns about climate change and food productivity have spurred interest in biochar, a form of charred organic material typically used in agriculture to improve soil productivity and as a means of carbon sequestration. An innovative approach in agriculture is the use of agro-forestry waste for the production of soil fertilisers for agricultural purposes and as a source of energy. A common agricultural practice is to burn crop residues in the field to produce ashes that can be used as soil fertilisers. This approach is able to supply plants with certain nutrients, such as Ca, K, Mg, Na, B, S, and Mo. However, the low concentration of N and P in the ashes, together with the occasional presence of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cd, Se, Al, etc.), has a negative effect on soil and, therefore, crop productivity. This work describes the opportunity to create an innovative supply chain from agricultural waste biomass. Olive (Olea europaea) and hazelnut (Corylus avellana) pruning residues represent a major component of biomass waste in the area of Viterbo (Italy). In this study, we evaluated the production of biochar from these residues. Furthermore, a physicochemical characterisation of the produced biochar was performed to assess the quality of the two biochars according to the standards of the European Biochar Certificate (EBC). The results of this study indicate the cost-effective production of high-quality biochar from olive and hazelnut biomass residues

Dialéctica y kénosis kafkiana

Intentaremos una interpretación de Die Verwandlung de Franz Kafka, a la luz de los instrumentos teóricos que conforman el corpus marxiano, y en relación con la dialéctica master-slave esbozada por Hegel. Nos serviremos para tal propósito del ensayo de Rodolfo Lemos Morgan El tema del hombre en Franz Kafka y de la antología de ensayos compendiada por el Centro de Estudios Germánicos de Buenos Aires, a 100 años del nacimiento del escritor de Praga.Palabras Clave: Kafka, dialéctica, Marx, kénosis, MetamorfosisAbstract:We will try to explain The Metamorphosis, written by Franz Kafka, using Marx´s concepts, in relation with Hegel´s master-slave dialectic. In this sense, we will accept some of the arguments demonstrated by Rodolfo Lemos Morgan in his essay The human topic in Franz Kafka, and the anthology of essays edited by The Germanic Center Studies of Buenos Aires.Keywords: Kafka, dialectic, Marx, kénosis, Metamorphosis</p

Preferential use of the perchlorate over the nitrate in the respiratory processes mediated by the Bacterium Azospira sp. OGA 24

Here we report the results obtained for a strain isolated from a polluted site and classified as Azospira sp. OGA 24. The capability of OGA 24 to utilize perchlorate and nitrate and the regulation of pathways were investigated by growth kinetic studies and analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the genes of perchlorate reductase alpha subunit (pcrA), chlorite dismutase (cld), and periplasmic nitrate reductase large subunit (napA). In aerobic conditions and in a minimal medium containing 10 mM acetate as carbon source, 5.6 ± 0.34 mmol L-1 perchlorate or 9.7 ± 0.22 mmol L-1 nitrate were efficiently reduced during the growth with 10 mM of either perchlorate or nitrate. In anaerobiosis, napA was completely inhibited in the presence of perchlorate as the only electron acceptor, pcrA was barely detectable in nitrate-reducing conditions. The cell growth kinetics were in accordance with expression data, indicating a separation of nitrate and perchlorate respiration pathways. In the presence of both compounds, anaerobic nitrate consumption was reduced to 50% (4.9 ± 0.4 vs. 9.8 ± 0.15 mmol L-1 without perchlorate), while that of perchlorate was not affected (7.2 ± 0.5 vs. 6.9 ± 0.6 mmol L-1 without nitrate). Expression analysis confirmed the negative effect of perchlorate on nitrate respiration. Based on sequence analysis of the considered genes and 16S ribosomal gene (rDNA), the taxonomic position of Azospira sp. OGA 24 in the perchlorate respiring bacteria (PRB) group was further defined by classifying it in the oryzae species. The respiratory characteristics of OGA 24 strain make it very attractive in terms of potential applications in the bioremediation of environments exposed to perchlorate salts

Whole tree system evaluation of thinning a pine plantation in southern Italy

In Italy, some silvicultural treatment as thinning could be carried out in an economic way adopting systems based on small-scale mechanization. This paper examines the productivity standards of wood biomass in coniferous plantation thinning in Southern Italy under the conditions of small-scale forestry. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the incidence of different silvicultural treatments on productivity and harvesting costs and create productivity models for typical harvesting system used for wood thinned from Calabrian pine. Three different sites were monitored on the Sila Massif forest, and the experimental plan included three area tests, subjected in the last thirty years to intermediate cuttings with different thinning grade: light thinning (A thesis), moderate thinning (B thesis), heavy thinning (C thesis). The authors developed a productivity model for motor-manual felling and skidding timber with wheeled farm tractors, equipped with winch using a time motion study. Whole tree extraction system in coniferous plantation applied with typical felling system traditional has guaranteed productivity standards at a reasonable cost reducing high operational cost per unit harvested. The results, therefore, underlined that it economic possible to wood biomass harvest relatively small-diameter from thinning stands favoring moderate and heavy thinning

A tomographic approach to assessing the possibility of ring shake presence in standing chestnut trees

AbstractRing shake is a widespread phenomenon affecting a great number of species of both softwood and hardwood and is found in trees grown in temperate and tropical climates. Chestnut (Castanea sativaMill.) represents one of the most important hardwood timbers that is very often affected by ring shake. This defect seems to be the only real limit to the spread and use of chestnut wood worldwide on a scale closer to the availability of this wood. The aim of this study was to examine the potential of tomographic measurement as a non-destructive method for predicting the possibility of the presence of ring shake in standing chestnut trees. For this reason, the experiments were carried out in a chestnut coppice stand where one hundred chestnut standards were monitored using an acoustic tomographic device, and subsequently harvested by a local company and cross-sectioned corresponding to the acoustic tests. This work proposed an applied approach to predicting and determining wood quality (sound wood vs. defective wood) from tomographic data. The model, based on a non-linear approach, showed that sonic tomography can identify ring shake in a tree trunk without affecting its biological activity, overcoming the difficulties of predicting ring shake using only visual inspection

Concettualizzazione e contestualizzazione dei beni culturali archeologici

This report describes the observations made while developing a new methodology for historic surveys used for the re-contextualisation of archaeological finds. This particular methodology avails itself of both traditional historic surveys as well as the representation of knowledge through ontology. The methodology described here was developed in reference to specific cases of re-contextualisation of archaeological artefacts from Pompeii which are now in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples

Georadar investigations to detect cavities in a historical town damaged by an earthquake of the past

This paper aims to highlight the use of the georadar as a useful prospecting technique to identify the areal density and the geometrical features of the grottoes placed in a historical town characterised by high seismic hazard. <br><br> The town considered here is Rionero in Vulture (Southern Italy) that was hit by several historical earthquakes, among which the 1930 Irpinia earthquake (Me=6.7, Is=VIII MCS). <br><br> For this event a damage map was already available from a previous study (Gizzi and Masini, 2006). This map shows that some sectors of the town suffered higher damage. One factor causing the uneven distribution of the effects is considered to be the presence of grottoes. <br><br> To strengthen this work hypothesis it was necessary to in-depth investigate the subsoil of Rionero in Vulture. Therefore, geophysical data were correlated and integrated with data obtained from field surveys and historical documentary sources. All these investigations allowed to obtain more insights about the influences of the man-made caves on seismic damage