Technology shape, distance to frontier, or frontier shift? Modeling the determinants of TFP growth

We investigate the determinants of TFP growth of Italian manufacturing firms. Using stochastic frontier techniques, we consider three approaches to take into account the influence of external factors, i.e., the determinants of growth. First, external factors may affect the shape of the technology. Second, they may influence the distance from the frontier. Third, in a novel approach, the external factors influence the technological progress, that is the shift of the frontier. Using a sample of manufacturing firms in 1998-2003, we find that the exports, technological investments and spillovers, public infrastructures, and banking efficiency all have a positive effect on TFP growth. We also find that the first model best fits the data.TFP, growth accounting, stochastic frontiers, R&D spillovers, banking efficiency, infrastructures

Be productive or face decline. On the sources and determinants of output growth in Italian manufacturing firms

We investigate the sources and determinants of output growth of Italian manufacturing firms. Applying stochastic frontier techniques, we decompose output growth into factor accumulation and TFP growth from 1998 to 2003. TFP growth is further decomposed into technological change, efficiency change, and scale effects.We find that both input accumulation and TFP growth are important in explaining output growth. In addition, efficiency change (technological catch-up) is the most significant component of TFP growth. Finally, using a specific formulation of the asymmetric error component, we find that R&D spillovers, banking efficiency and public infrastructures have statistically significant and economically relevant effects on the technological catch-up.growth accounting, stochastic frontiers, TFP, R&D spillovers, banking efficiency, infrastructure, Italian manufacturing firms

La parodia dell’Andromeda euripidea nelle Tesmoforiazuse di Aristofane

Sulla base di una puntuale analisi dei vv. 1009-1135 delle Tesmoforiazuse, in cui viene parodiata l’Andromeda di Euripide, questo contributo mostra che la parodia aristofanea consisteva nella ripresa e nello stravolgimento comico di lingua, metrica, musica e scena del modello tragico.On the ground of a detailed analysis of Thesmophoriazusae 1009-11135, where Euripides’ Andromeda is parodied, this paper shows that Aristophanes’ parody consisted in comic recovering and twisting of tragic model’s language, metre, music and staging

Rule Changes and Competitive Balance in Formula One Motor Racing

This paper provides an economic explanation of the frequent rule changes in the Formula One (F1) motor racing series. In a two-stage model, the FIA (as the organizer of the F1) first decides whether to change the rules or not, and then the racing teams compete in a contest. It turns out that a rule change reduces the teams' performances, but also improves competitive balance between the teams. The rule change is implemented, if the FIA's revenue gain from the latter effect overcompensates the FIA's revenue loss from the former effect. We provide empirical evidence from F1 seasons in the period 1950-2003 which supports the main implications of the model.Formula One ; Competitive Balance ; Contest

Rule Changes and Competitive Balance in Formula One Motor Racing

This paper provides an economic explanation of the frequent rule changes in the Formula One (F1) motor racing series. In a two-stage model, the FIA (as the organizer of the F1) first decides whether to change the rules or not, and then the racing teams compete in a contest. It turns out that a rule change reduces the teams' performances, but also improves competitive balance between the teams. The rule change is implemented, if the FIA's revenue gain from the latter effect overcompensates the FIA's revenue loss from the former effect. We provide empirical evidence from F1 seasons in the period 1950-2003 which supports the main implications of the model

Experimental setup and procedure for the measurement of the 7Be(n,p)7Li reaction at n_TOF

Following the completion of the second neutron beam line and the related experimental area (EAR2) at the n_TOF spallation neutron source at CERN, several experiments were planned and performed. The high instantaneous neutron flux available in EAR2 allows to investigate neutron induced reactions with charged particles in the exit channel even employing targets made out of small amounts of short-lived radioactive isotopes. After the successful measurement of the 7Be(n,) cross section, the 7Be(n,p)7Li reaction was studied in order to provide still missing cross section data of relevance for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), in an attempt to find a solution to the cosmological Lithium abundance problem. This paper describes the experimental setup employed in such a measurement and its characterization.Séptimo Programa Marco de la Comunidad Europea de la Energía Atómica (Euratom)-Proyecto CHANDA (No. 605203)Narodowe Centrum Nauki (NCN)-UMO-2012/04/M/ST2/00700-UMO-2016/22/M/ST2/00183Croatian Science Foundation-HRZZ 168

The 236U neutron capture cross-section measured at the n-TOF CERN facility

The 236U isotope plays an important role in nuclear systems, both for future and currently operating ones. The actual knowledge of the capture reaction of this isotope is satisfactory in the thermal region, but it is considered insufficient for Fast Reactor and ADS applications. For this reason the 236U(n, γ) reaction crosssection has been measured for the first time in the whole energy region from thermal energy up to 1 MeV at the n TOF facility with two different detection systems: an array of C6D6 detectors, employing the total energy deposited method, and a 4π total absorption calorimeter (TAC), made of 40 BaF2 crystals. The two n TOF data sets agree with each other within the statistical uncertainty in the Resolved Resonance Region up to 800 eV, while sizable differences (up to 20%) are found relative to the current evaluated data libraries. Moreover two new resonances have been found in the n TOF data. In the Unresolved Resonance Region up to 200 keV, the n TOF results show a reasonable agreement with previous measurements and evaluated data