What is the impact of Private and Public R&D on Clean Technology Firms’ Performance? An International Perspective.

Research and Development (R&D) has often been cited as key to promote the development of clean technologies in both the short and long run. Robust economic performance for clean technology firms may occur in countries in which research and development is conducted by governments as well as by businesses. The goal of this paper is to examine how private and public R&D affects firm profitability. Utilizing an international data set of clean technology firms, this study finds performance of clean technology firms to be quite favorable when compared to firms in the MSCI World index. The study examines how different countries perform in these industries. Finally, the impact both corporate and public R&D have had on these firms’ performance is analyze

Sustainability as corporate culture of a brand for superior performance

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in the Journal of World Business. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2012 Elsevier B.V.Sustainability research highlights new challenges and opportunities for businesses. This paper reviews the literature to understand the ability of sustainable green initiatives when practiced as a corporate culture to individually create new opportunities for operations, management and marketing. According to current research, business opportunities exclusively available to different functions of a firm can drive its performance. The role of marketing in the achievement of superior performance by virtue of sustainability practices is also explained by the existing literature. Branding literature, however, fails to explain the influence of a brand on sustainability-driven opportunities available to a firm for superior performance. The objective of this study is to explore if a brand can strengthen the ability of sustainability-based green initiatives of managers to drive opportunities available to a firm for superior performance. A conceptual framework grounded in the triple bottom line theory is presented based on the assumption that brand as a stimulating factor can accelerate the conversion of opportunities available to a business into superior performance. Academic and managerial perspectives have been used to draw upon the implications of the model. Both practitioners and academic researchers will benefit from future research on this topic

Using contingent valuation with undergraduate students to elicit a community's preferences for wind farm development

This article presents the results of a survey that elicited the value of the perceived net benefits associated with the implementation of a wind farm in a rural community in upstate New York. The survey was designed and administered by upper level undergraduate students enrolled in an environmental economics course at Saint Lawrence University. Results may give instructors interested in introducing more applied research in the classroom an idea of what to expect. The analysis of this project may also suggest policy implications for the implementation of wind farms.

Cost Analysis of a Home Visiting Program to Cost Analysis of a Home Visiting Program to Cost Analysis of a Home Visiting Program to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect

In a time of fiscal cutback, analysis of program costs can help decision makers allocate resources. This paper presents the results of an economic cost evaluation of a countywide universal home visiting program to reduce child abuse and neglect. Results indicate that the average cost amounted to $4,378/family/year. This includes an average of 2.1 visits by a Public Health Nurse and 29 home visits by Family Visitors. The full cost of professional services appeared to be significantly higher than that of paraprofessionals. Families with more risk factors were more likely to accept services than families with fewer risk factors. These findings can be helpful in planning the costs associated with similar program implementation.cost analysis; home program; child abuse and neglect

Does ecological footprint impede economic growth? An empirical analysis based on the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis

This paper examines the relationship between income and environmental quality using environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. The hypothesised link is tested using time-series analysis of 22 countries over the period 1961–2011. The degree of environmental impacts of economic activity is measured using ecological footprint (EF) per capita as explanatory variable, while real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and its quadratic and cubic forms are used as predictor variables in these countries. First, the EKC hypothesis is tested through examining the relationship between EF and GDP using linear, quadratic and cubic functions. Further, the long-run relationship between EF and GDP is investigated using a vector error correction model. It was found that there is a cointegrated relationship between the variables in almost all countries, which was statistically significant, and EKC supported in 10 countries. Additionally, almost all error correction terms are correct in sign and are significant, which implies that some percentage of disequilibria in EF in the previous year adjusts back to the long-run equilibrium in the current year. Therefore, an efficient trade-off between environmental protection and economic benefits should be taken, and EF should be reduced through changing consumption patterns, improving the efficiency of use of resources and cleaner technology choices