Snow Removal Auctions in Montreal: Costs, Informational Rents, and Procurement Management

Using semiparametric and nonparametric estimation techniques we infer cost distributions and informational rents from 457 snow removal contracts o¤ered for tender by the City of Montreal. Our results are compatible with standard received theory of competitive auctions: there is a positive correlation between costs and bids, and rents increase with the variance of costs. Bids and costs have decreased over the sample period while rents remained relatively constant. The City deserves credit for these results, as it has succeeded in exploiting economies of scale and triggering innovations while maintaining competition. Further, it has been successful in adjusting its reserve prices to keep up with the decreasing cost of snow removal.microeconomics ;

Analyse économique de la rénovation urbaine

Cette revue de la littérature est consacrée à la rénovation urbaine. Elle aborde successivement la question de l’évaluation de projets, de l’intervention du gouvernement et des effets des politiques menées. Elle montre aussi comment il est possible d’évaluer les impacts d’opérations de rénovation urbaine sur le marché immobilier et sur le peuplement. Enfin, elle replace la rénovation urbaine en perspective par rapport aux autres politiques publiques qui visent à requalifier un quartier et/ou redistribuer la richesse vers les plus défavorisés socialement. Tout au long de l’analyse, elle pointe les apports possibles de l’analyse économique à la mise en oeuvre et à l’évaluation des politiques de rénovation urbaine.This article is a survey of applied and theoretical work on urban renewal. The rationale of public intervention, project evaluation and the effects of urban renewal policies are successively studied. Moreover, to provide deeper insight into urban renewal achievements, we review their impacts on housing prices and on neighborhood dynamics. Finally, we put urban renewal policies into perspective by comparing them to other public policies designed to redevelop an area or to reduce poverty or inequality. The article systematically highlight how economic analysis can contribute to enlighten urban renewal decision, design and evaluation

Snow Removal Auctions in Montreal: Costs, Informational Rents, and Procurement Management

Using nonparametric estimation techniques adapted from Guerre et al. [2000], we infer cost distributions and informational rents, from 666 snow removal contracts offered for tender by the City of Montreal. Our results are compatible with standard received theory of competitive auctions: there is a positive correlation between costs and bids; rents increase with the variance of costs and decrease with the number of bidders. Bids and costs have decreased over the sample period, while informational rents remained stable. The City deserves credit for these results, as it has succeeded in exploiting economies of scale while maintaining competition.Procurement auction, nonparametric estimation, informational rents, task design, municipal contracts

Snow Removal Auctions in Montreal: Costs, Informational Rents, and Procurement Management

Using nonparametric estimation techniques adapted from Guerre et al. [2000], we infer cost distributions and informational rents, from 666 snow removal contracts offered for tender by the City of Montreal. Our results are compatible with standard received theory of competitive auctions: there is a positive correlation between costs and bids; rents increase with the variance of costs and decrease with the number of bidders. Bids and costs have decreased over the sample period, while informational rents remained stable. The City deserves credit for these results. It has succeeded in exploiting economies of scale while maintaining competition; and it was instrumental in promoting above Canadian average technological progress by its design of snow-removal territories. Par des méthodes non paramétriques adaptées de Guerre et al. [2000], nous évaluons la distribution des coûts et les rentes informationnelles correspondant à 666 contrats de déneigement mis aux enchères par la Ville de Montréal. Les résultats sont conformes à la théorie des enchères concurrentielles : corrélation positive entre soumissions et coûts; rentes croissantes avec la variance des coûts et décroissantes avec le nombre d’enchérisseurs. Tant les soumissions que les coûts diminuent au cours de la période, tandis que les rentes sont stables. Ces résultats sont à mettre au crédit de la Ville : elle a su exploiter les économies d’échelle sans réduire la concurrence, et susciter un progrès technologique plus élevé que la moyenne nationale grâce au découpage des territoires.procurement auction, nonparametric estimation, informational rents, task design, municipal contracts, enchères d’approvisionnement, estimation non paramétrique, rentes d’information, conception des tâches, contrats municipaux

Dating as leisure

Partner selection occurs naturally and informally, but it may also be organized through commercial intermediaries facilitating mating and dating. This paper focuses on the relationship between online dating and the business cycle . We rely on monthly data covering the period from January 2004 to August 2008 on the demand for online dating in France to study whether economic recession tends to stimulate the online dating industry. We find that during economic downturns, people tend to to increase their demand for online dating, which is consistent with anedoctal evidences suggesting that some people have more time to invest in online dating and that the marginal utility of dating increases during economic recession

Dating as leisure

Partner selection occurs naturally and informally, but it may also be organized through commercial intermediaries facilitating mating and dating. This paper focuses on the relationship between online dating and the business cycle . We rely on monthly data covering the period from January 2004 to August 2008 on the demand for online dating in France to study whether economic recession tends to stimulate the online dating industry. We find that during economic downturns, people tend to to increase their demand for online dating, which is consistent with anedoctal evidences suggesting that some people have more time to invest in online dating and that the marginal utility of dating increases during economic recession

Choix individuels et impacts sur l’efficacité des politiques publiques. D’une meilleure compréhension de la décision individuelle pour informer les politiques publiques locales/urbaines

This paper for the HDR focuses on human behavior and its impact on the effectiveness of local or urban public policies. It analyzes the causes of state intervention and its consequences.Market failures occur in the production of public goods, in the presence of information asymmetry or externalities. These deficiencies can be addressed by public policies.The evaluation of the performance of policies put in place complements the impact evaluation. It is part of a concern to achieve the desired objectives, the proper allocation of resources and citizen social participation (understanding the policies for which we vote). To understand the impacts of these policies in a comprehensive way, it is often necessary to look at the direct and indirect mechanisms triggered and to analyze individual behavior.The prospective part of this paper focuses more on behaviors, particularly from a behavioral economics perspective. The latter suggests other modes of public intervention, based on behavioral incentives, nudges, designed for everyone to work for the common good. Evaluations of these new forms of public policy are still in their infancy.These themes are at the heart of my work in public economics (urban/local).Ce mémoire pour la HDR s’intéresse aux comportements humains et à leurs impacts sur l’efficacité des politiques publiques locales ou urbaines. Il analyse les causes de l’intervention de l’État et ses conséquences.Les défaillances de marché se manifestent dans le cadre de la production de biens publics, en présence d’asymétrie informationnelle ou d’externalités. Ces défaillances peuvent être corrigées par des politiques publiques.L’évaluation de la performance des politiques mises en place complète l’évaluation d’impact. Elle participe d’un souci d’atteinte des objectifs souhaités, de bonne allocation des ressources et de participation sociale citoyenne (comprendre les politiques pour lesquelles on vote). Pour saisir de manière globale les impacts de ces politiques, il faut souvent s’intéresser aux mécanismes directs et indirects déclenchés et analyser les comportements individuels.La partie prospective de ce mémoire se tourne davantage vers les comportements, en particulier à partir de l’économie comportementale. Cette dernière suggère d’autres modes de l’intervention publique, basés sur des incitations comportementales, des nudges, conçus pour que chacun œuvre à l’intérêt commun. Les évaluations de ces nouvelles formes de politiques publiques sont encore balbutiantes.Ces thématiques sont au cœur de mes travaux en économie publique (urbaine/locale)

Housing allowances: still struggling to make ends meet

International audienc

Housing allowances alone cannot prevent rent arrears

International audienc

Choix individuels et impacts sur l’efficacité des politiques publiques. D’une meilleure compréhension de la décision individuelle pour informer les politiques publiques locales/urbaines

This paper for the HDR focuses on human behavior and its impact on the effectiveness of local or urban public policies. It analyzes the causes of state intervention and its consequences.Market failures occur in the production of public goods, in the presence of information asymmetry or externalities. These deficiencies can be addressed by public policies.The evaluation of the performance of policies put in place complements the impact evaluation. It is part of a concern to achieve the desired objectives, the proper allocation of resources and citizen social participation (understanding the policies for which we vote). To understand the impacts of these policies in a comprehensive way, it is often necessary to look at the direct and indirect mechanisms triggered and to analyze individual behavior.The prospective part of this paper focuses more on behaviors, particularly from a behavioral economics perspective. The latter suggests other modes of public intervention, based on behavioral incentives, nudges, designed for everyone to work for the common good. Evaluations of these new forms of public policy are still in their infancy.These themes are at the heart of my work in public economics (urban/local).Ce mémoire pour la HDR s’intéresse aux comportements humains et à leurs impacts sur l’efficacité des politiques publiques locales ou urbaines. Il analyse les causes de l’intervention de l’État et ses conséquences.Les défaillances de marché se manifestent dans le cadre de la production de biens publics, en présence d’asymétrie informationnelle ou d’externalités. Ces défaillances peuvent être corrigées par des politiques publiques.L’évaluation de la performance des politiques mises en place complète l’évaluation d’impact. Elle participe d’un souci d’atteinte des objectifs souhaités, de bonne allocation des ressources et de participation sociale citoyenne (comprendre les politiques pour lesquelles on vote). Pour saisir de manière globale les impacts de ces politiques, il faut souvent s’intéresser aux mécanismes directs et indirects déclenchés et analyser les comportements individuels.La partie prospective de ce mémoire se tourne davantage vers les comportements, en particulier à partir de l’économie comportementale. Cette dernière suggère d’autres modes de l’intervention publique, basés sur des incitations comportementales, des nudges, conçus pour que chacun œuvre à l’intérêt commun. Les évaluations de ces nouvelles formes de politiques publiques sont encore balbutiantes.Ces thématiques sont au cœur de mes travaux en économie publique (urbaine/locale)