The Diffusion of Microgeneration Technologies. Assessing the Influence of Perceived Product Characteristics on Home Owners' Willingness to Pay
Marius Claudy, Claus Michelsen, A. O´Driscol
Energy Policy,
Nr. 3,
2011
Abstract
This study presents empirical insight into willingness to pay (WTP) for microgeneration technologies and the relative influence of subjective consumer perceptions. First, we apply a double-bounded-contingent valuation method to elicit Irish home owners’ willingness to pay for micro wind turbines, wood pellet boilers, solar panels and solar water heaters. Utilizing findings from the adoption of innovation literature, in a second step, we assess the influence of different antecedents on WTP for each of the four technologies, including (1) home owners’ perception of product characteristics, (2) normative influences, and (3) socio demographic characteristics. Our results show that WTP varies significantly between the four technologies. More importantly, however, home owners’ hold different beliefs about the respective technologies, which significantly influence their WTP. The results provide valuable information for marketers and policy makers, aiming to promote microgeneration technologies more effectively in consumer markets.
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Interest Rate Convergence in the Euro-Candidate Countries: Volatility Dynamics of Sovereign Bond Yields
Hubert Gabrisch, Lucjan T. Orlowski
Emerging Markets Finance and Trade,
2010
Abstract
We argue that a “static“ specification of the Maastricht criterion for long-term bond yields is not conducive to assessing stability of financial systems in euro-candidate countries. Instead, we advocate a dynamic approach to assessing interest rate convergence to a common currency that is based on the analysis of financial system stability. Accordingly, we empirically test volatility dynamics of the ten-year sovereign bond yields of the 2004 EU accession countries in relation to the eurozone yields during the January 2, 2001-January 22, 2009, sample period. Our results show a varied degree of the relationship between domestic and eurozone sovereign bond yields, the most pronounced for the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Poland, and weaker for Hungary and Slovakia. We find some divergence of relative bond yields since the EU accession.
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Innovation and Skills from a Sectoral Perspective: A Linked Employer-Employee Analysis
Lutz Schneider, Jutta Günther, Bianca Brandenburg
Economics of Innovation and New Technology,
2010
Abstract
Natur- und ingenieurwissenschaftliche Fähigkeiten sowie Management- und Führungskompetenzen werden häufig als Quelle von betrieblichen Innovationsaktivitäten betrachtet. Der vorliegende Artikel untersucht die Rolle von Humankapital im Sinne des formalen Bildungsabschlusses und des tatsächlich ausgeübten Berufes für die betriebliche Innovationstätigkeit im Rahmen eines Probit-Ansatzes, wobei zwischen sektoralen Innovationsregimen unterschieden wird. Die Analyse basiert auf einem Mikrodatensatz deutscher Betriebe (LIAB), welcher detaillierte Informationen über die Innovationsaktivitäten und die Qualifikation der Beschäftigten, verstanden als formaler Ausbildungsabschluss, ausgeübter Beruf und Erfahrung, enthält. Es zeigen sich signifikante Unterschiede der Humankapitalausstattung zwischen Sektoren, welche nach der Pavitt-Klassifikation unterschieden wurden. Sektoren mit einem hohen Anteil hochqualifizierter Beschäftigter sind überdurchschnittlich oft unter den Produktinnovatoren zu finden (spezialisierte Zulieferer und wissenschaftsbezogene Branchen). Indes lassen sich in den realisierten Regressionen keine signifikant positiven Effekte der Beschäftigtenqualifikation auf die Innovationstätigkeit eines Betriebes nachweisen.
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Limited Investor Attention and the Mispricing of American Depositary Receipts
Stefan Eichler
Economics Letters,
Nr. 3,
2012
Abstract
I test whether more investor attention leads to a better exploitation of arbitrage opportunities and, in turn, to less mispricing of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). Using data on 536 stocks I find that more investor attention significantly reduces ADR mispricing.
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The Impact of R&D Collaboration Networks on the Performance of Firms and Regions: A Meta-analysis of the Evidence
Gunnar Pippel
International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations,
Nr. 4,
2013
Abstract
Wissensintensive Interaktionen sind mit einer Reihe von Vor- und Nachteilen für die beteiligten Akteure verbunden. Deshalb hat sich ein Literaturstrang entwickelt, welcher der Fragestellung nachgeht, wie sich FuE-Kooperationen auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von Firmen und Regionen auswirken. Diese Studien kommen zu unterschiedlichen Ergebnissen. Das Papier versucht die verschiedenen Ergebnisse der Literatur zusammenzufassen. Ein weiteres Ziel ist es, die in der Literatur verwendeten Methoden zur Bearbeitung der Fragestellung kritisch zu diskutieren. Zudem geht das Papier der Frage nach, inwiefern die in der Literatur verwendeten Methoden und Ansätze die Ergebnisse der Studien beeinflussen. Zur Bearbeitung dieser Fragestellungen wird eine Metaanalyse der relevanten Literatur durchgeführt. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass FuE-Kooperationen einen positiven Effekt auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von Firmen und Regionen haben. Zudem gibt es starke Evidenz dafür, dass die verwendeten Methoden und Ansätze die Ergebnisse der Studien beeinflussen.
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Kommunale Investitionen, Gute Geschäfte für eine saubere Umwelt
Walter Komar
Externe Publikationen,
1995
Abstract
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Investor Rationality and House Price Bubbles: The Case of Berlin and the German Reunification
Oliver Holtemöller, R. Schulz
German Economic Review,
2010
Abstract
We analyze the behavior of investors in the Berlin rental apartment house market over the years 1980–2004. Using constant-quality multipliers (price–rent ratios), we reject the hypothesis that multipliers in the market were set in a rational manner. Supported by narrative evidence, we conjecture that investors misjudged the economic effects of the German reunification. To examine this, we employ a stylized structural economic model and analyze the effects of shocks on rational multipliers. It seems that investors confused the reunification with a permanent supply side shock to the economy. By basing their investment decisions on this misjudgement, investors behaved irrationally, but in a very uncertain and unprecedented environment.
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Impact of Personal Economic Environment and Personality Factors on Individual Financial Decision Making
S. Prinz, G. Gründer, R. D. Hilgers, Oliver Holtemöller, I. Vernaleken
Frontiers in Decision Neuroscience,
Nr. 158,
2014
Abstract
This study on healthy young male students aimed to enlighten the associations between an individual’s financial decision making and surrogate makers for environmental factors covering long-term financial socialization, the current financial security/responsibility, and the personal affinity to financial affairs as represented by parental income, funding situation, and field of study. A group of 150 male young healthy students underwent two versions of the Holt and Laury (2002) lottery paradigm (matrix and random sequential version). Their financial decision was mainly driven by the factor “source of funding”: students with strict performance control (grants, scholarships) had much higher rates of relative risk aversion (RRA) than subjects with support from family (ΔRRA = 0.22; p = 0.018). Personality scores only modestly affected the outcome. In an ANOVA, however, also the intelligence quotient significantly and relevantly contributed to the explanation of variance; the effects of parental income and the personality factors “agreeableness” and “openness” showed moderate to modest – but significant – effects. These findings suggest that environmental factors more than personality factors affect risk aversion.
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May Cities in De-Industrialized Regions Become Hot Spots for Attracting Cultural Businesses? The Case of Media Industry in Halle an der Saale (Germany)
Christoph Hornych, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
European Planning Studies,
2010
Abstract
Policy-makers from many regions where old industrial structures in the field of manufacturing have collapsed are trying to stimulate entrepreneurial activities of businesses in the cultural industry. The question is whether this strategy could be successful. This article examines the strategy of supporting the sector of media industry (“MI”) by policy-makers in the region of Halle in East Germany, where a strong de-industrialization has taken place after the German reunification. Stimulated by the policy-makers' support measures, there actually was a remarkable development of MI. However, the number of MI firms and their employees did not further increase in recent years, after having reached a certain level. This illustrates the limits of political measures for turning a city's path of industrial development voluntarily.
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David and Goliath in the Poll Booth: An Empirical Test of the Effect of Absolute and Relative Group Size on Voter Turnout
Peter Bönisch, B. Geys, Claus Michelsen
European Journal of Political Economy,
2013
Abstract
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