Trade and Wages: A Deeper Investigation

A new presentation of the specific factors model shows how labor fares under international trade by considering how the price elasticity of the nominal wage rate responds to the terms of trade as well as factor endowments. Gains to labor are decomposed into measurable terms of trade effects and production bias effects. If trade is caused by differences in technology, trade can harm the interests of labor when the elasticities of substitution are sufficiently small. If trade is caused by differences in labor endowments, trade raises real wages in the labor abundant country, even if exports are capital intensive.trade, real wages, beta function, specific factors

Rural sustainability in the face of climate change: Consultation and adaptation in Australia's South West corner

The Margaret River region is within a biodiversity ‘hot spot’ and is an agricultural region famous for its premium wine production and wine, gastronomic and ecotourism. These activities are vulnerable to climate change, especially to reductions in rainfall and runoff. The region has experienced demographic growth as the wine and tourism industries have expanded, and as an educated and affluent population of retirees, second home owners, ‘electronic cottagers’ and alternative lifestylers has moved into the area. Two projects, a local study as part of a national evaluation of the adaptation of tourist areas to climate change and a more focused identification of vulnerable locations and activities were supported by local government, business and community organisations and several adaptive strategies were identified. The success of these projects can in part be attributed to the relatively high levels of both education and environmental awareness possessed by the local population as a matter of happenstance. Nevertheless, the original contention of this paper is that these initiatives also allow communities like Margaret River to take on the role of front-runners, providing demonstrations and learning opportunities on how to manage the transition to sustainability and guidance on how such methods might be adapted in other rural areas facing the challenges of climate change

Objetividad, subjetividad y contextualidad: aproximaciones al estudio del cambio rural en Australia Occidental y en otros lugares

Aquest article explora la importància del context com a variable que intervé entre l’investigador subjectiu i el (els) món(s) objectiu(s) en què opera. Considera tant el context intel·lectual dinàmic dels paradigmes canviants, i en conflicte, empirista, positivista, humanista i estructuralista de la Geografia humana, d’ençà mitjan segle xx fins al present, com el context organitzatiu acadèmicament pertorbador d’un sistema universitari queha esdevingut cada vegada més economicista, gerencialista i neoliberal durant el mateix període de temps. S’hi descriuen els canvis de paradigma en la disciplina, en part a través de la lent de les modificacions introduïdes en les successives edicions dels textos clàssics Geografia i geògrafs, de Ronald J. Johnston, i Geografia política, de Peter J. Taylor. Una consideració específica sobre la neoliberalització de l’acadèmica se centra en el tema més subjectiu de l’estrès i la precarietat experimentats pels acadèmics i les acadèmiques. Tot seguit, l’autor descriu com aquests contextos canviants han impactat en la seva pròpia carrera de recerca, tot utilitzant un enfocament autobiogràfic.This article explores the importance of context as an intervening variable between the subjective researcher and the objective world(s) in which they operate. It considers both the dynamic intellectual context of the shifting and colliding empiricist, positivist, humanistic and structuralist paradigms of Human Geography from the mid twentieth century to the present and the academically disturbing organisational context of a university system which has become increasingly, economistic, managerialist and neoliberal over the same time period. It describes the paradigmatic shifts in the discipline, in partthrough the lens of the changes made to successive editions of the classic texts, Geography and Geographers by Ronald J. Johnston and Political Geography by Peter J. Taylor. A specific consideration of the neoliberalisation of academia focuses on the more subjective topic of the stress and precarity experienced by individual academics. The author then outlines how these changing contexts have impacted on his own research career, using an autobiographical approach.Este artículo explora la importancia del contexto como variable que interviene entre el investigador subjetivo y el (los) mundo(s) objetivo(s) en el (los) que opera. Considera tanto el contexto intelectual dinámico de los paradigmas cambiantes, y en conflicto, empirista, positivista, humanista y estructuralista de la Geografía humana, desde mediados del siglo xx hasta el presente, como el contexto organizativo académicamente perturbador de un sistema universitario que se ha vuelto cada vez más economicista, gerencialista yneoliberal durante el mismo período de tiempo. Se describen los cambios de paradigma en la disciplina, en parte a través de la lente de las modificaciones introducidas en las sucesivas ediciones de los textos clásicos Geografía y geógrafos, de Ronald J. Johnston, y Geografía política, de Peter J. Taylor. Una consideración específica acerca de la neoliberalización de la academia se centra en el tema más subjetivo del estrés y la precariedad experimentados por los académicos y las académicas. A continuación, el autor describe cómo estos contextos cambiantes han impactado en su propia carrera de investigación, utilizando un enfoque autobiográfico

Dimebon disappointment

Dimebon (latrepirdine) has received widespread publicity as a potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease following a very positive phase 2 study carried out in Russia and published in the Lancet in 2008. In this study there were improvements over 6 months in all endpoints (cognitive, global, daily function and behaviour), with continuing improvement at 12 months in cognition and daily function. A more recent multinational phase 3 study, however, showed no improvements whatsoever and no difference between the two drug-treated groups and the placebo group. Of note, there was little deterioration in any of the groups after 6 months in contrast to the placebo group in the phase 2 study. The potential reasons for these disappointing results are discussed, as well as the implication for dimebon and drug treatment in Alzheimer's disease

A Comparison of Present Position of Selected College and University Personnel Administrators in the Southeastern United States to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

The problem was to determine whether a significant relationship existed among the present positions, career goals, and results of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator using selected college and university personnel administrators in the Southern Region of the College and University Personnel Association (CUPA). Literature was reviewed in order to determine the previous research of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as it applies to college and university personnel administrators. The standard Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was chosen as the personality inventory instrument. Colleges and universities surveyed were selected using the Southern Region of the College and University Personnel Association (CUPA) as the group. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was administered to one hundred personnel administrators either in person or through the mail. Personal data and demographic data were reported in tables. Nonparametric statistics were utilized to analyze the degree of relationship among the ordinal level data obtained from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Agreement was tested intra-group by Kendall\u27s coefficient of concordance, and agreement between groups was tested by the Spearman rank-order correlation. The .05 level of significance was applied in all cases using the two-tailed test. Data was analyzed according to the results of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the demographic data, the career position, and the career goal. The results indicated a significant relationship between the present position and Myers-Briggs, age and Myers-Briggs, sex and Myers-Briggs, location of institution and Myers-Briggs, career goals and Myers-Briggs, and between the present position and career goals

Revisiting Duffus and Dearden's wildlife tourism framework

This paper revisits Duffus and Dearden (1990) article 'Non-Consumptive Wildlife-Oriented Recreation: a conceptual framework' published in Biological Conservation two decades ago. This model was developed as a tool to assist managers and researchers in achieving the best outcomes for both environmental conservation and the provision of wildlife tourism experiences. The body of literature examining wildlife tourism has grown significantly over the intervening period; however, this highly respected model has not been subject to critical review even though a number of recent empirical studies have successfully applied the concept. This has created an opportunity for reflection on its merits and potential. In particular, this paper discusses these findings to assess the contemporary value of this approach. It is contended that the framework still provides an appropriate means of predicting and managing change in a wildlife tourism system. Given the ability of the model to combine theoretical perspectives with practical outcomes and the now emerging body of literature based upon it, continued application and refinement of this model is more pertinent than ever

Maize Yield Response to Fertilizer and Profitability of Fertilizer Use Among Small-Scale Maize Producers in Zambia

Multi-year nationwide survey data is used to estimate maize yield response functions and determine profitability of fertilizer use by small-scale farmers in Zambia. There has been a dearth of empirical studies on economics of fertilization in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper we identify major methodological issues arising from using survey data and estimate maize yield response functions for small-scale rural households that have various management practices and soil conditions in two major agro-climatic zones. Profitability of fertilizer use is determined for each group of households. Our findings provide the following key messages. First, households that obtained fertilizer on time and used animal draught power or mechanical power for land preparation are more likely to find fertilizer use profitable than other households with similar agro-ecological and market access conditions. Second, farmers' proximity to the provincial centers has a significant impact on the profitability of fertilizer use. Greater distances and transport costs from provincial centers erode the profitability of fertilizer use. Third, high interest rates also reduce the profitability of fertilizer use. Small farmers may find fertilizer use unprofitable until efforts are made to reduce transportation costs and interest rates as well as to ensure more timely delivery of fertilizer.Maize, Yield, Fertilizer, Profitability, Survey data, Crop Production/Industries,