Efficiency and utility : an evolutionary perspective

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop the argument that the link between efficiency and utility was strongest in the twentieth century. This would not only explain the growing focus on efficiency in the past, but also suggest that the importance of efficiency in society is set to decrease from now on. Design/methodology/approach: The two arguments in support of the claim were: first, the growing importance of the service sector where an exaggerated focus on efficiency may decrease utility and second, the utility that is generated by different working environments and identities where heterogeneity is increasing. Findings: Good reasons are found why the strong correlation between utility and efficiency that could be found in the process of industrialization is loosening. Research limitations/implications: The findings imply that the role of economic science is probably rather decreasing. Social implications: Social indicators for utility will probably gain importance. Originality/value: This paper puts the importance of efficiency into a historical context

Estimating the Value ofUrban Green Space

Urban Green Space (UGS) such as parks and forests provide a wide range of environmental and recreational benefits. One objective in the conservation efforts of UGS is to analyse the benefits associated with UGS in order to make them more visible and to provide support for landscape planning. This paper examines the effects of UGS on house prices applying a Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM). The data set contains over 85,046 geo-coded apartment transactions for the years 1995- 2012 and contains information on three intrinsic variables of the real estate (e.g. transaction price, floor area and age). In order to examine the capitalization of UGS in real estate prices we further incorporate crosssection geo-coded data for the different types of UGS: forests, parks, farmland and fallow land drawn from the European Urban Atlas (EUA) of the European Environment Agency for the year 2006. In order to control for additional open space categories we further incorporated geo-coded data on water bodies and fallow land. Using a Geographical Information System (GIS) we calculated the coverage of UGS in pre-defined buffers around households as well as the distance in a continuous fashion (Euclidian distance) between UGS and the households. Our results show a capitalization of UGS in real estate prices but the effect of the structural variables is higher. We found a positive price effect of parks, forests and water and an inverse relation between the price variable and the presence of fallow land and farmland

ESTIMATING THE VALUE OF URBAN GREEN SPACE: A HEDONIC PRICING ANALYSIS OF THE HOUSING MARKET IN COLOGNE, GERMANY

Urban Green Spaces (UGS), such as parks and forests, provide a wide range of environmental and recreational benefits. One objective in the conservation efforts of UGS is to analyse the benefits associated with UGS in order to make them more visible and to provide support for landscape planning. This paper examines the effects of UGS on house prices applying a Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM). The data set contains over 85046 geo-coded apartment transactions for the years 1995-2012 and contains information on three intrinsic variables of the real estate (e.g. transaction price, floor area and age). In order to examine the capitalisation of UGS in real estate prices, we further incorporated cross-section geo-coded data for the different types of UGS: forests, parks, farmland and fallow land drawn from the European Urban Atlas (EUA) of the European Environment Agency for the year 2006. In order to control for additional open space categories, we further incorporated geo-coded data on water bodies and fallow land. Using a Geographical Information System (GIS), we calculated the coverage of UGS in pre-defined buffers around households as well as the distance in a continuous fashion (Euclidian distance) between UGS and the households. Our results show a capitalisation of UGS in real estate prices, but the effect of the structural variables is higher. We found a positive price effect of parks, forests and water and an inverse relation between the price variable and the presence of fallow land and farmland

The fading scope of labour – remarks about the lost rationale of a common term

Work and labour describe activities with a redistributional and a reproductive component. In addition, the terms have gained the function of creating social status and self-esteem. This paper argues that the shifts on the labour market during the past decades question both the redistributive and the reproductive functions of labour. An increasing number of activities are taking place both in paid and unpaid settings simultaneously. And the productivity of employed persons, particularly in the growing management sector, is increasingly difficult to judge. Moreover, the strong social esteem of paid work has led to economic misjudgements, inefficient political measures and consequences for our individual well-being. While it would be helpful to speak of paid and unpaid activities instead of labour, it is likely that the term will continue to be used due to its esteem-generating function

The greener, the happier?: the effect of urban land use on residential well-being

We investigate the effect of urban land use on residential well-being in major German cities, using panel data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and cross-section data from the European Urban Atlas. We reduce concerns about endogeneity by employing fixed-effects (within) estimators, with individual and city of residence fixed effects, while controlling for a rich set of observables. The results show that access to green urban areas, such as gardens and parks, is positively associated with, whereas access to abandoned areas, such as waste or leftover land, is negatively associated with life satisfaction. The effects are strongest for residents who are older, accounting for up to a third of the size of the effect of being unemployed on life satisfaction. We calculate the marginal willingness-to-pay of residents in order to have access to green urban and abandoned areas in their surroundings, as well as the life-satisfaction maximising amounts of them. Finally, we provide a policy case study, while discussing limitations and avenues for future research

Gesundheitswirkung städtischer Grünräume: eine empirische Analyse

Neben der positiven Wirkung für die Luftqualität, den Klimaschutz und die Biodiversität, wird seit Längerem auch auf die Potenziale des städtischen Grüns für die menschliche Gesundheit verwiesen. Demgegenüber steht die sehr lückenhafte empirische Basis bezüglich des Zusammenhangs zwischen städtischen Grünflächen und der Gesundheit in Deutschland. Im Mittelpunkt dieses Beitrags steht eine evidenzbasierte Untersuchung des Zusammenhangs von städtischen Freiflächen und dem menschlichen Wohlbefinden. Dazu wurden ­Gesundheitsdaten des Sozioökonomischen Panels (SOEP) für die Jahre 2000 – 2012 mit georeferenzierten Landnutzungsdaten des European Urban Atlas (EUA) verschnitten. Die Ergebnisse belegen einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen einer verbesserten Verfügbarkeit von städtischem Grün und der Lebenszufriedenheit sowie der mentalen und physischen Gesundheit. Demgegenüber übt die Anwesenheit von städtischen Brachflächen einen negativen Einfluss auf das Wohlbefinden der befragten Haushalte aus. Obwohl die konkreten Wirk­mechanismen der positiven Effekte von Grünflächen auf die Gesundheit nicht Gegenstand der Untersuchung waren, kann vermutet werden, dass die Grünflächen als Bewegungs

Towards a national ecosystem assessment in Germany

We present options for a National Ecosystem Assessment in Germany (NEA-DE) that could inform decision-makers on the state and trends of ecosystems and ecosystem services. Characterizing a NEA-DE, we argue that its cross-sectoral, integrative approach would have the advantages of increased scientific understanding, addressing specific policy questions and creating science-policy dialogues. Challenges include objections against a utilitarian perspective, reservations concerning power relations, and responsibilities concerning the funding

Użytkowanie ziemi i wartość rekreacyjna niemieckich krajobrazów: podejście hedoniczne cen

Rural landscapes provide a high variety of environmental and recreational benefits, yet knowledge of the amenity values associated with land use is still limited. This paper analyses the amenity values associated with different land uses by applying the Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM). The sample consists of 986 rental prices for holiday apartments and cottages in Germany for 2013. The data set provides detailed information on several structural variables such as size and capacity of the accommodation. In order to analyse the impact of land use on rental prices, we incorporated coverage variables for the six land use and ecosystem types: forest, arable land, grassland, freshwater (rivers and lakes), marine water and wetlands. We further investigated the impact of the distance to the nearest major city on rental prices to control for additional location variables. The results show a capitalisation of structural and land use variables in rental prices. Among the land use variables, the coverage of rivers and lakes, marine waters and wetlands in a 20 km-buffer around the accommodation in particular has a high positive impact on the price variable. Additionally, the results show an inverse relation between rental prices and high shares of pastures, arable and forestland, suggesting tourists’ preferences towards more diverse landscapes.W wiejskich krajobrazach można dostrzec wielką różnorodność środowiska, co zapewnia zwiększanie wartości rekreacyjnych, związanych z użytkowaniem gruntów, które jednak w dalszym ciągu są ograniczone. W artykule analizuje się wartości rekreacyjne związane z różnym użytkowaniem gruntów wykorzystując metodę wyceny hedonicznej (HPM). Próba składa się z 986 wakacyjnych cen wynajmu apartamentów i domków w Niemczech w roku 2013. Zestaw danych zawiera szczegółowe informacje na temat kilku zmiennych strukturalnych, takich jak wielkość zakwaterowania. W celu przeanalizowania wpływu użytkowania ziemi na ceny wynajmu, możliwe jest włączenie sześciu rodzajów użytkowania typów gruntów i ekosystemów, tj.: lasy, grunty orne, łąki, wody świeże (rzeki i jeziora), wody morskie i tereny podmokłe. Następnie zbadano wpływ odległości od najbliższego większego miasta na ceny wynajmu po to, aby kontrolować dodatkowe zmienne lokalizacji. Wyniki wskazują na kapitalizację zmiennych strukturalnych i odpowiadających za wykorzystanie ziemi. Wśród zmiennych użytkowania gruntów duży, pozytywny wpływ na zmienną cenową dla buforu 20 km, mają przede wszystkim odległość do rzek i jezior, wód morskich i terenów podmokłych. Wyniki pokazują również odwrotną zależność między ceną wynajmu, a wysokim udziałem gruntów ornych, lasów i pastwisk, co sugeruje preferencje turystyczne dla bardziej zróżnicowanych krajobrazów

Szacowanie wartości miejskich przestrzeni zielonych: analiza hedoniczna cen na rynku mieszkaniowym w Kolonii, Niemcy

Urban Green Spaces (UGS), such as parks and forests, provide a wide range of environmental and recreational benefits. One objective in the conservation efforts of UGS is to analyse the benefits associated with UGS in order to make them more visible and to provide support for landscape planning. This paper examines the effects of UGS on house prices applying a Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM). The data set contains over 85046 geo-coded apartment transactions for the years 19952012 and contains information on three intrinsic variables of the real estate (e.g. transaction price, floor area and age). In order to examine the capitalisation of UGS in real estate prices, we further incorporated cross-section geo-coded data for the different types of UGS: forests, parks, farmland and fallow land drawn from the European Urban Atlas (EUA) of the European Environment Agency for the year 2006. In order to control for additional open space categories, we further incorporated geocoded data on water bodies and fallow land. Using a Geographical Information System (GIS), we calculated the coverage of UGS in pre-defined buffers around households as well as the distance in a continuous fashion (Euclidian distance) between UGS and the households. Our results show a capitalisation of UGS in real estate prices, but the effect of the structural variables is higher. We found a positive price effect of parks, forests and water and an inverse relation between the price variable and the presence of fallow land and farmland.Miejskie Przestrzenie Zielone (UGS), takie jak parki i lasy, zapewniają szeroki zakres korzyści środowiskowych i rekreacyjnych. Jednym z celów w działaniach ochronnych UGS jest analiza korzyści związanych z nimi, aby stały się one bardziej widoczne i zapewniać im wsparcie w zakresie planowania krajobrazu. Artykuł analizuje wpływ UGS na ceny domów, z wykorzystaniem metody ceny hedonicznej (HPM). Zestaw danych zawiera ponad 85 046 transakcji dla mieszkań, geograficznie kodowanych, w latach 19952012 i zawiera informacje dotyczące trzech istotnych zmiennych nieruchomości (np. ceny transakcyjnej, powierzchni użytkowej i wieku). W celu zbadania kapitalizacji UGS w cenach nieruchomości, włączone zostały geokodowane dane przekrojowe dla różnych typów UGS: lasy, parki, pola uprawne i ugorów, pochodzące z Europejskiego Atlasu Miejskiego (EUA), Europejskiej Agencji Ochrony Środowiska z roku 2006. W celach sterowania, dla dodatkowych kategorii otwartych przestrzeni, włączono dane geokodowane dla zbiorników wodnych i ugorów. Korzystanie z Systemu Informacji Geograficznej (GIS) umożliwiło obliczenie zasięgu UGS w predefiniowanych buforach wokół gospodarstw domowych, jak również odległości, wyrażonej w sposób ciągły (odległość euklidesowa) pomiędzy UGS i gospodarstwami domowymi. Wyniki wskazują na kapitalizację UGS w cenach nieruchomości, ale efekt zmiennych strukturalnych jest wyższy. Wykazano pozytywny wpływ cen parków, lasów i wody oraz odwrotną zależność między zmienną cen, a obecności ugorów i gruntów rolnych

Effects of Small Sustainable Land Use Systems in Developing Countries

Especially when viewed in the context of the ongoing market liberalization, small land use systems are often considered to be inefficient in terms of commodity production because further externalities, which might also be welfare-relevant, are not sufficiently accounted for. The assessment of all outputs connected with small land use systems can deliver a more comprehensive view on their economic, ecological and sociocultural impacts. This paper reports on a case study carried out in India which investigated the outputs of small sustainable land use systems. Based on the empirical evidences, we show the high complexity of outputs—commodities and externalities—linked with small sustainable land use systems in developing countries