Border Price Shocks, Spatial Price Variation, and their Impacts on Poverty in Uganda

How does an increase in food prices at the border impact poverty in Uganda given the strong spatial heterogeneity of the country and its limited domestic transportation and communication networks? Recently, a number of studies on the impact of international food prices on poverty in developing countries have been published. However, the role of spatial price transmission in this context remains largely unexplored. This paper targets that niche. We assess the spatial variability and transmission of prices through the analysis of time series and household data using descriptive statistics and regression methods. Subsequently, we apply the findings in a simulation experiment to determine the first-order poverty impacts of a hypothetical 50% increase in border prices for food under the assumption of imperfect spatial price transmission. The poverty results show impacts substantially different from those of a perfect price transmission scenario and also display strong regional differentiation.Uganda, food prices, poverty, spatial price transmission

A general solution framework for component commonality problems

Component commonality, the use of the same version of a component across multiple products, is increasingly considered as a promising way to offer high external variety while retaining low internal variety in operations. However, increasing commonality has both positive and negative cost effects, so that optimization approaches are required to identify an optimal commonality level. As a more or less of components influences nearly every process step along the supply chain, it is not astounding that a multitude of diverging commonality problems is investigated in literature, each of which developing a specific algorithm designed for the respective commonality problem considered. The paper on hand aims at a general framework, flexible and effcient enough to be applied to a wide range of commonality problems. Such a procedure basing on a two-stage graph approach is presented and tested. Finally, flexibility of the procedure is shown by customizing the framework to account for different types of commonality problems.Product variety, Component commonality, Optimization, Graph approach

The Economic Partnership Agreement between Uganda and the EU: Trade and Poverty Impacts

This paper analyses the poverty impacts of an economic partnership agreement (EPA) between Uganda and the EU. As Ugandan exports are also eligible for duty-free access to the EU under the Everything But Arms scheme the main EPA-induced change will be the requirement to liberalise EU exporters' access to the Ugandan market. Fears have been raised that this could threaten the livelihoods of poor people through lower prices for agricultural commodities, crowding out of vulnerable industries, and loss of government revenue. In an attempt to address these concerns, we assess the impact potential of an EPA using descriptive statistics of Ugandan trade, social accounting matrix, and household budget survey data. Subsequently, we quantify the impacts on the economy and poverty, in particular, by conducting a simulation study based on a combined CGE-microsimulation model. The descriptive analysis suggests very limited scope for trade liberalisation with the EU and that the poor, in particular, have only weak links to formal markets. The results from the simulation of alternative EPA scenarios show minor but positive macroeconomic impacts indicating potentially low economic adjustment costs. Whether the very small poverty effects emerge positive or not depends on the selection of sensitive products in the EPA. Nevertheless, the very poorest appear to lose under all scenarios.economic partnership agreements, Uganda, poverty, CGE, microsimulation

Economies of Scale in Production versus Diseconomies in Transportation: On Structural Change in the German Dairy Industry

This paper analyzes the structural change in the German dairy sector using a sector-wide optimization model. In particular, the model includes a spatially explicit representation of dairy processing farms and dairy farming regions to account for the trade-off between economies of scale in dairy production and diseconomies of scale in transportation. We simulate cost-optimal sectoral structures for different time horizons and various transport cost levels. The results demonstrate that the model is able to explain the trend towards fewer but larger dairies as currently observed in reality and indicate, ceteris paribus, a continuation of this trend. However, if the importance of transport costs increases relative to other costs in dairy production this trend might level off. The structural impacts found differ markedly by region.Capacitated facility location problem, structural change, transportation, simulation

A bayesian approach to model-based clustering for panel probit models

Consideration of latent heterogeneity is of special importance in non linear models for gauging correctly the effect of explaining variables on the dependent variable. This paper adopts the stratified model-based clustering approach for modeling latent heterogeneity for panel probit models. Within a Bayesian framework an estimation algorithm dealing with the inherent label switching problem is provided. Determination of the number of clusters is based on the marginal likelihood and out-of-sample criteria. The ability to decide on the correct number of clusters is assessed within a simulation study indicating high accuracy for both approaches. Different concepts of marginal effects incorporating latent heterogeneity at different degrees arise within the considered model setup and are directly at hand within Bayesian estimation via MCMC methodology. An empirical illustration of the developed methodology indicates that consideration of latent heterogeneity via latent clusters provides the preferred model specification compared to a pooled and a random coefficient specification. --Bayesian Estimation,MCMC Methods,Panel Probit Model,Mixture Modelling

The Car Resequencing Problem with Pull-Off Tables

The car sequencing problem determines sequences of different car models launched down a mixed-model assembly line. To avoid work overloads of workforce, car sequencing restricts the maximum occurrence of labor-intensive options, e.g., a sunroof, by applying sequencing rules. We consider this problem in a resequencing context, where a given number of buffers (denoted as pull-off tables) is available for rearranging a stirred sequence. The problem is formalized and suited solution procedures are developed. A lower bound and a dominance rule are introduced which both reduce the running time of our graph approach. Finally, a real-world resequencing setting is investigated.mixed-model assembly line, car sequencing, resequencing

Kærlighed og væren

At selvforståelse må gå vejen gennem fremmederfaringer som dens negative fremdrift – dvs. gennem det, der ikke går uproblematisk i ét med JEG og MIG – er en grundtanke, som den tyske tænker G. W. F. Hegel for alvor gav en bevidsthedsfænomenologisk ramme. Mere jordnært – og så netop alligevel ikke – er det tillige en model for de grænseoverskridende erfaringer, som sproglige væsener kan gøre sig i kærligheden, mener Benjamin Boysen i artiklen Kærlighed og væren. Men kærligheden er også ”et forsøg på at assimilere den andens fremmedhed, at besidde den anden som et frit subjekt, og at være sig selv og den anden på én og samme tid.” Det er kærlighedens paradokser og disses artikulation i såvel psykoanalytiske som filosofiske og litterære værker, der har Boysens overvejende interesse