The diffusion of process innovation in the UK financial sector: an empirical analysis of automated teller machine (ATM) diffusion

Recent policy initiatives have identified that the diffusion of innovation constitutes an important component in technical change and progress and is the impetus behind changes in firm productivity. To date, however, the main emphasis of economists has been on the diffusion of process innovations in the industrial sector with diffusion in the financial sector either ignored or, at best, summarised by a number of stylised facts relating to the spread of information. The objective of this thesis is to explore the inter-firm determinants of ATM adoption and diffusion in the UK financial sector and identify firm-specific and market factors in the diffusion process. The empirical analysis draws on duration analysis which represents the current state-of-art modelling approach to inter-firm diffusion. This approach conceptualises inter-firm diffusion as a cross-section of durations of nonadoption from which, most importantly, hypothesised factors (or `covariates') can be examined by their significance or otherwise on the conditional probability of adoption. The main findings of this thesis support the stylised fact often made in the diffusion literature that the inter-firm diffusion curve is sigmoid and characterised by a nonmonotonic hazard function. Furthermore the empirical analysis supports the hypothesis that firm-specific characteristics and expectations have played a crucial role in the interfirm diffusion of ATMs. In addition, the results indicate that the diffusion of ATMs in the UK has been characterised by the existence of positive network externalities. The results are also shown to be robust across a number of model specifications and assumptions concerning the time-path of covariates

SMEs and Regional Economic Growth in Brazil

This paper examines the relationship between the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector and economic growth for an annual panel of Brazilian states for the period 1985-2004. We investigate the importance of the relative size of the SME sector measured by the share of the SME employment in total formal employment and the level of human capital in SMEs measured by the average years of schooling of SME employees. The empirical results indicate that the relative importance of SMEs is negatively correlated with economic growth, a result that is consistent with previous studies examining developing countries. In addition, our results also show that human capital embodied in SMEs may be more important for economic growth than the relative size of the SME sector.Firm size, market structure, economic growth, human capital.

The determinants of technology diffusion: evidence from the UK financial sector

This paper investigates the role of firm and industry-specific factors in the diffusion of automated teller machines (ATMs) in the UK financial sector. A duration model of technology adoption is employed in the empirical modelling and is applied to an annual panel of adoption histories over the period 1972 - 1997. The main factors affecting the diffusion of new technology are found to be endogenous learning, cumulative learning-by-doing effects, firm size, growth and profitability, and price expectations. There is, however, little evidence to support the role of stock effects in the diffusion process. The results are found to be robust across a number of specifications of the baseline hazard function

Regional growth and SMEs in Brazil:a spatial panel approach

Cravo T. A., Becker B. and Gourlay A. Regional growth and SMEs in Brazil: a spatial panel approach, Regional Studies. This paper examines economic growth for a panel of 508 Brazilian micro-regions for the period 1980-2004, using spatial econometrics and paying particular attention to the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The findings indicate the presence of spatial dependence in the process of economic growth and the existence of two spatial regimes in Brazil. The human capital level of the whole population is an important growth determinant, but does not generate positive spillovers. Furthermore, human capital embodied in SMEs is more important than the size of this sector for regional growth and SME activity generates positive spatial spillovers

Believe or not believe: generalising the Azzi-Ehrenber model

This paper presents an economic model of consumer behaviour within a religious framework. The individual is defined as being religious so, for him God exists with absolute certainty. We distinguish two separate aims of the individual: human welfare and spiritual welfare. Joint maximisation of these two targets subject to time and budgetary constraints yields a solution in which the optimal values of consumption and religiosity are obtained. Allowance is also given to the compulsory payment of a religious tax. We show that the shape of the interchange curve between these two optimal values depends upon the relative shapes of the human welfare and spiritual welfare functions

Non-parametric analysis of efficiency gains from bank mergers in India

This paper offers an insight into the effectiveness of economic policy reforms in the Indian Banking System by examining the efficiency benefits of mergers among Scheduled Commercial Banks in India over the post-reform period 1991-92 to 2004-05. It does this by using the methodology developed by Bogetoft and Wang (2005). We also provide a metric for judging the success or failure of a merger. Overall, we find that bank mergers in the post reform period possessed considerable potential efficiency gains stemming from harmony gains. Post merger efficiency analysis of the merged bank with a control group of non-merging banks reveals an initial merger related efficiency advantage for the former that, while persistent, did not show a sustained increase thus failing to provide the merging banks with a competitive advantage vis-à-vis their non-merging counterparts. To-date there have been relatively few studies focusing on the mergers and acquisitions scenario in India and even fewer focusing on the efficiency benefits of mergers involving SCBs. This paper addresses this current weakness in the literature

SMEs and regional economic growth in Brazil

This paper examines the relationship between the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector and economic growth for an annual panel of Brazilian states for the period 1985-2004. We investigate the importance of the relative size of the SME sector measured by the share of the SME employment in total formal employment and the level of human capital in SMEs measured by the average years of schooling of SME employees. The empirical results indicate that the relative importance of SMEs is negatively correlated with economic growth, a result that is consistent with previous studies examining developing countries. In addition, our results also show that human capital embodied in SMEs may be more important for economic growth than the relative size of the SME sector

Economic implications of alternative scholarly publishing models : exploring the costs and benefits. JISC EI-ASPM Project. A report to the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)

A knowledge economy has been defined as: “…one in which the generation and exploitation of knowledge has come to play the predominant part in the creation of wealth. It is not simply about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge; it is also about the more effective use and exploitation of all types of knowledge in all manner of economic activities” (DTI 1998). In a knowledge economy, innovation and the capacity of the system to create and disseminate the latest scientific and technical information are important determinants of prosperity (David and Foray 1995; OECD 1997). Scholarly publishing plays a key role, as it is central to the efficiency of research and to the dissemination of research findings and diffusion of scientific and technical knowledge. But, advances in information and communication technologies are disrupting traditional models of scholarly publishing, radically changing our capacity to reproduce, distribute, control, and publish information. The key question is whether there are new opportunities and new models for scholarly publishing that would better serve researchers and better communicate and disseminate research findings (OECD 2005, p14)

SMEs and regional economic growth in Brazil

This is a working paper. It is also available at: http://ideas.repec.org/p/lbo/lbowps/2010_01.htmlThis paper examines the relationship between the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector and economic growth for an annual panel of Brazilian states for the period 1985-2004. We investigate the importance of the relative size of the SME sector measured by the share of the SME employment in total formal employment and the level of human capital in SMEs measured by the average years of schooling of SME employees. The empirical results indicate that the relative importance of SMEs is negatively correlated with economic growth, a result that is consistent with previous studies examining developing countries. In addition, our results also show that human capital embodied in SMEs may be more important for economic growth than the relative size of the SME sector