PRESSURE FACTORS AFFECTING LOMBARDY AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM: THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE FISCHLER REFORM

This paper presents a regional model, based on Positive Mathematical Programming, which aims to evaluate the consequences of Fischler reform on the agricultural sector of the Lombardy irrigated lowland (Northern Italy). The model main focus is to quantify the agricultural land use changes due to the farmers reaction to the CAP reform main issues, such as single payment, and to simulate possible scenarios for the future. The model takes into account also the Water Frame Directive principles, in order to combine the assessment of both CAP issues and the potential irrigation water supplies reduction, which could deeply affect the area. The model input are obtained by means of the integration between FADN and SIARL (Agricultural Information System of Lombardy Region) information, in order to fit the territorial dimension. The simulation results of 11 different scenarios are discussed.CAP modelling, Fischler Reform, Positive Mathematical Programming, Regional model, Water Frame Directive, Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q18, Q15, C61,

Communities, Knowledge, and Innovation: Indian Immigrants in the US Semiconductor Industry

This paper investigates the influence of technological, geographic, and ethnic communities on the innovativeness of Indian inventors. We study Indian inventors in the semiconductor industry in the US and examine their patenting profiles between 1975 and 1999 to identify the influences on the quantity and quality of their innovations. We find that inventors who rely on knowledge from technological and geographic communities enhance their innovativeness. Knowledge from the ethnic Indian community is related to inventor innovativeness in the form of an inverted U. The negative effect of knowledge gained from the ethnic community on innovativeness is pronounced for experienced inventors.innovation, knowledge, semiconductor industry

Intangible resources, agglomeration effect of FDI intensity, and firm performance: Evidence from Chinese semiconductor firms

This study analyzes the impact of intangible resources on firm performance in an emerging economy context. Intangible resources are considered essential to firms? competitive advantage; however, we argue that firms? intangible resources can be negatively related with performance in emerging economies, due to their weak intellectual property rights protection. Furthermore, we incorporate the resource-based view and geographical agglomeration perspective to propose that geographical locations with dense foreign direct investment can affect the appropriability of intangible resources, thereby moderating the relationship between intangible resources and firm performance. We find empirical evidence to support our argument by examining 70 semiconductor firms in China from 1999 to 2006 period.intangible resources, intellectual property, agglomeration, foreign direct investment, emerging economy

Political Consensus: A crucial and key element of political organization

The following material will focus initially on determining the concept of consensus, as defined by different scholars and different philosophical beliefs, role played by consensus in the establishment and functioning of the rule of law, in operation of international organizations, such as the UN, NATO and the EU. Also, we will discuss briefly the role of consensus in the process of running and organization of these organizations and functioning of the structures of national security in the process of making important decisions, in achieving the standards for Euro-Atlantic integration, and in the closing of this paper we will provide some conclusions which might be of some help in contributing, even theoretically, in the establishment, consolidation and strengthening of the national security structure. Finally, the conclusion part of this paper is thought to offer some recommendations, as well. Of course, due to the scope of this paper, the recommendations are being addressed to the political class, as an attempt to encourage it to use consensus in all areas of its activity