Multinational Corporations as a Vehicle for Productivity Spillovers in Turkey

This paper examines the role of multinational corporations (MNCs) as the creator and diffuser of new and superior technologies. If these firms fulfil this attributed role, then they are expected to generate some spillovers to domestic industries in host economies. Theoretical and empirical studies propose that domestic technological capability is also important in this process. Our study addresses the question of productivity spillovers from the activity of MNCs, whether size of the recipient firms and the R&D intensity matter in this respect, and do spillovers change by time. The analysis utilizes a longitudinal data for the Turkish manufacturing industry in 28 3- digit level industries over the 1983-2000 period. Our results suggest that the spillovers from MNCs for the domestic sector of the Turkish manufacturing industry differentiate with respect to size of the recipient domestic firms and by time. Despite that, the evidence tends to speak in favor of negative spillovers in the Turkish manufacturing industry.Productivity spillovers, Multinational Corporations, Turkey.

Superheat Stability of an Evaporator and Thermostatic Expansion Valve

In some refrigeration applications, difficulties arise in establishing stable evaporator operating conditions, especially when using a thermostatic expansion valve. The unstable superheat signal, sometimes called hunting, of an evaporator was investigated by developing a mathematical model of a thermostatic expansion valve and a two-passage concentric-tube evaporator. The model was then used to study the dynamic response of the evaporator and valve in response to changes in the system operating conditions. The evaporator model was based on a two-passage concentric-tube heat exchanger configuration. Equations for the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy were used to simulate the flow and heat transfer, where differential equations for the length of the two-phase region and mean void fraction allowed the dynamic behavior of the evaporator to be investigated. The model also has the capability to examine the effects of refrigerant and heat flux maldistribution among the passages. The thermostatic expansion valve model takes into account the pressure forces on the diaphragm as well as the pressure drop across the orifice when predicting the refrigerant mass flow rate. The geometrical parameters that were varied in this study included the orifice size, obstructing pin-tip angle, and diaphragm area. The model also includes the effects of the spring constant, bulb time constant, and offset temperature-as determined by the force applied by the obstructing pin when the valve is closed. Superheat response was investigated by imposing suction line pressure oscillations that varied over a range of frequencies. Large superheat fluctuations were found to exist in a given frequency band, where the period was found to be on the order of 50 to 100 seconds, and pressure oscillations in this range should be avoided in operation. Disturbances outside of this frequency band did not produce significant superheat responses. Factors influencing the magnitude of the superheat response depend on the frequency of the perturbations: at high frequencies the valve does not respond to superheatfluctuations (feedback), but is very sensitive to the slope of the flow rate versus superheat curve as detennined by valve geometry; on the other hand, at low frequencies the valve behavior is dominated by the superheat feedback, and the flow rate versus superheat curve is insignificant. The effect of the valve parameters was also investigated by imposing a step increase of the suction line pressure and simulating the response of?? the evaporator superheat over time. This approach allowed comparison of the steady-state and transient behavior of superheat with different valve designs.Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center Project 7

Rekonstruktive Forschungsmethoden in der deutschen Volkswirtschaftslehre: Eine explorative Erhebung zugrunde liegender Repräsentationsmuster

Die Zweckmäßigkeit qualitativer bzw. rekonstruktiver Forschungsmethoden ist in sozialwissenschaftlichen Fächern seit langem anerkannt, entsprechend wird diese Methodik in der Forschungspraxis umfassend eingesetzt. Im wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Feld hingegen spielen qualitative Methoden, wie z. B. leitfadengestützte Interviews oder teilnehmende Beobachtungen, praktisch keine Rolle. Vor dem Hintergrund, dass eine Mehrzahl deutscher Ökonomen Interesse und Kenntnisse in empirischen Forschungsmethoden für sehr wichtig halten, sollte es umso mehr überraschen, dass qualitative bzw. rekonstruktive Forschungsmethoden in wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Publikationen so gut wie keine Verwendung finden. Um uns diesem Phänomen auf empirische Weise anzunähern, haben wir eine qualitative Befragung unter deutschsprachigen Ökonomen durchgeführt, um mehr über den Stellenwert und die Repräsentationsmuster qualitativer Forschungsmethoden herauszufinden. Ursache für die systematische Ablehnung des qualitativen Forschungsparadigmas - so unser Befund - sind die unzureichenden Kenntnisse über die Logik und den Nutzen qualitativer Forschungsansätze, der fehlende Umgang mit qualitativen Verfahren sowie eine unzulässige Methodenfixierung auf quantitative bzw. mathematische Designs. Entsprechend gilt es herauszuarbeiten, welche Gründe und Entwicklungen für eine solch rigorose Ablehnung qualitativer Forschungsmethoden in der Volkswirtschaftslehre verantwortlich sind. Es ist das Ziel des vorliegenden Beitrags, die fachspezifische Einstellung und das allgemeine Wissenschaftsverständnis deutscher Ökonomen darzustellen sowie Aussagen über Bedeutung, Relevanz und insbesondere Potentiale qualitativer und auch rekonstruktiver Forschungsmethoden für ökonomische Fragestellungen herauszuarbeiten.The usefulness of qualitative research methods has gained much recognition in the disciplines of Social Sciences. Consequently, its methods are implemented frequently in the practical course of research. Contrary to this, in economics, qualitative methods, such as semistructured and group interviews or participant observation, have no significance. Considering the fact that a majority of German economists have a vast knowledge and interest in empirical research methods it is very surprising that qualitative research methods are not applied for research in economic publications. To become more familiar with these phenomena on an empirical level, a qualitative census with German economists is conducted, in order to find out more about the significant values and representational samples of qualitative research methods. According to our results, the cause of the systematic disaffirmation of the qualitative research paradigm is the result of insufficient knowledge on the logic and accounts of qualitative research appendage. Moreover, the cause is also due to the missing association with qualitative procedures as well as an existing fixation of methods of quantitative or mathematical designs. Consequently, the causes and developments being responsible for such a rigid rejection of qualitative research methods in the field of economics are elaborated. It is the aim of the paper to present the specific attribution of German economists and to lay out the potential of qualitative research methods for economic reasoning

Evaluierung des Unternehmensgründungsprogrammes (UGP) des AMS

Das Unternehmensgründungsprogramm (UGP) des Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich (AMS) unterstützt arbeitslose Personen auf dem Weg in eine selbständige Erwerbstätigkeit. Neben einer finanziellen Existenzsicherung in der Gründungsphase beinhaltet dieses Programm auch eine professionelle Gründungsberatung durch externe Beratungsunternehmen und die Möglichkeit der Teilnahme an individuell zu vereinbarenden gründungsrelevanten Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen

Choosing inequality: An experimental analysis of the impact of social immobility on the democratic election of distribution rules

Mainstream economists usually identify a fundamental conflict between efficiency and justice in re-source allocation: markets are generally considered an efficient allocation tool, but create unequal results. Corresponding governmental redistribution shall equalize some of these market results, but leads to inefficiency due to disincentives both for net payers and net receivers. Consequently, this pa-per analyses the impact of social inequality on distributive choices in an experimental democracy. In our experiment, we find that stark inequality is generally accepted provided a strong egalitarian in-come floor is ensured. Even though our samples showed a very strong egalitarian inclination, complete egalitarianism was not a stable outcome. Some degree of differentiation always emerged on an initial egalitarian base

Haltung exotischer Rinder in Deutschland

Exotic cattle keeping in Germany is increasing (zebu, domestic water buffalo, bison). The aim of the study was to collect key features of German farms with these cattle species. Questionnaires from 20 farms keeping zebu and 21 farms keeping bison were evaluated. Five farms keeping dairy buffaloes were visited. No differences between conventional and organic farms were found