On the First Singularity for the Upsilon Invariant of Algebraic Knots

We show that the location of the first singularity of the Upsilon function of an algebraic knot is determined by the first term of its Puiseux characteristic sequence. In many cases this gives better bounds than the tau invariant on the genus of a cobordism between algebraic knots

Emerging Countries: Converging or Diverging Economies?

International Relations/Trade,

South Korean Millers’ Preferences for the Quality Characteristics of Hard White Wheat that is Used in Producing All-purpose Flour

Using the choice-based conjoint analysis and self explicated approach, I elicited South Korean millers’ preference and willingness to pay for the quality characteristics of hard white wheat that is used in producing all-purpose flour. In specified seven attributes, test weight, moisture, and price significantly affect to South Korean millers’ utility but protein contents, ash, dockage, and falling number does not. South Korean millers are more willing to pay to change the quality characteristics related to the milling yields and profitability, such as test weight, moisture and dockage. But their willingness-to-pay for protein content is not as big as common expectation. Along with the research of Srinivasan (1997), we found that the self-explicated approach yields a slightly (but not statistically significantly) higher predictive validity than does the choice-based conjoint analysis. The results of this study provide not only guideline of quality standards of hard white wheat, but also focus point that U.S. producers have to intensify among quality characteristics of hard white wheat to create demand in South Korean market.Hard White Wheat, South Korean wheat market, Choice-based conjoint analysis, Self-explicated approach, Conditional logit model, Willingness-to-pay, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Crop Production/Industries, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade, Marketing, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

EMERGING ROLES FOR FOOD LABELS: INFORM, PROTECT, PERSUADE

Every day, food producers and processors provide products consumed by 250 million people in this country. Each of those consumers is affected by the content of their foods. With advances in food production, processing, and distribution technology, the role of food labels has become increasingly important. Current research and views related to food labeling issues were discussed at a conference held in Washington, D.C. on March 20-21, 2003. This article gives an overview of food-labeling issues and summarizes the research findings presented at the conference. Issues discussed in this paper include the impact of food labels on consumer purchase decisions, the role of the private versus the public sector in providing credibility to marketing claims, the costs and benefits of voluntary and mandatory labels, and the implications of country-of-origin labeling.Agribusiness,

Competitiveness of U.S. Meats in Japan and South Korea: A Source Differentiated Market Study

The restricted source differentiated almost ideal demand system (RSDAIDS) is used to estimate the parameters of the Japanese and South Korean source differentiated meat demand models. Expenditure and own-price elasticities indicate that Japanese beef, Canadian and Danish pork, and Brazilian and Thai poultry have a competitive advantage in Japan. The BSE outbreak in Japan decreased the shares of Japanese and U.S. beef. Regarding South Korea, the results indicate that imported beef from the U.S. and Australia, Danish pork, and South Korean and Thai poultry have a competitive advantage. The U.S. BSE outbreak decreased the market shares of U.S. beef in the South Korean beef market.BSE, competitive advantage, FMD, Japanese meat demand, RSDAIDS, South Korean Meat Demand, Demand and Price Analysis,

NAFTA Impacts on the U.S. Competitiveness and Trade: Beef, Pork, and Poultry

The restricted source differentiated almost ideal demand system (RSDAIDS) is used to estimate source differentiated meat demand for U.S. NAFTA partners. In the Canadian meat market, the estimated price and expenditure elasticities indicate that Canadian beef has a competitive advantage compared to U.S. beef, while U.S. pork has a competitive advantage compared to Canadian pork. In the Mexican meat market, the estimated expenditure elasticities indicate that an increase in Mexican meat expenditures would lead to an increase in the demand for meats from all sources. Seasonality and Canadian and U.S. BSE outbreaks had small impacts on Canadian and Mexican meat demand.AIDS, BSE impacts, Competitive advantage, Canadian meat demand, Mexican meat demand, source differentiation, International Relations/Trade,

WILL THE VOLUNTARY CHECKOFF PROGRAM BE THE ANSWER? AN ANALYSIS OF OPTIMAL ADVERTISING AND FREE-RIDER PROBLEM IN THE U.S. BEEF INDUSTRY

Replaced with revised version of paper 04/21/04.Marketing,