Second-best Congestion Pricing Schemes in the Monocentric City

This paper considers second-best congestion pricing in the monocentric city, with endogenous residential density and endogenous labour supply. A spatial general equilibrium model is developed that allows consideration of the three-way interactions between urban density, traffic congestion and labour supply. Congestion pricing schemes are analyzed that are second best ‘by design’ (and not because distortions exist elsewhere in the spatial economy), like cordon charging and flat kilometre charges. Both for Cobb-Douglas utility and for CES utility, the analyses suggest that the relative welfare losses from second-best pricing, compared to first-best pricing, are surprisingly small. *Affiliated to the Tinbergen Institute, Roetersstraat 31, 1018 WB Amsterdam. Key words: Traffic congestion, second-best pricing, urban structure, spatial general equilibrium JEL codes: R41, R48, D62

"Global since Gold" The Globalisation of Conglomerates: Explaining the Experience from South Africa, 1990 - 2009

The internationalisation of enterprises is one of the essential ways to strengthen the competitiveness of firms from developing countries (UNCTAD, 2005c: 3). Strong growth in outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from developing countries has become the distinguishing feature of the twenty-first century. This OFDI flows from state-owned enterprises, sovereign wealth funds (SWF) as well as private enterprises operating as multinational companies from a home base or as free-standing companies. Multinational corporations have commenced activities since the 1960s by moving operations to resource-rich, low-cost labour and capital markets (Wilkins, 1970; 1974; 1988; Jones, 1994; 2005). The first wave of OFDI during the 1960s and 1970s was motivated by efficiency and market-seeking factors. This wave was dominated by firms from Asia and Latin America. A second wave of OFDI followed in the 1980s, led by strategic assetseeking enterprises from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea (Dunning et al., 1996; UNCTAD, 2005b: 3s). Since the 1990s China, Brazil, India, Russia (the so-called BRIC countries) Malaysia, Turkey and South Africa are among the countries expected to add significantly to OFDI growth (UNCTAD, 2005c: 4). The flow of investment funds from developed countries was expected, but the reverse trend displayed the emerging capacities in countries and firms outside the core of the international economy, which challenged the dominance of developed countries and companies from developed countries. These developments have prompted several questions: how do developing country firms succeed in entering global markets? Do these firms improve their competitiveness through OFDI? This paper investigates this phenomenon from the experience of South Africa. The emergence of EMNC (Emerging Market Multinational Corporations) prompted extensive analysis and debates about the nature of and motives for EMNCs, but has also led to more in-depth analysis of specific country characteristics and firm-specific reasons for OFDI.overseas foreign direct investment internationalisation business history conglomerates competitiveness industrial protection management strategy

Suppression of local haze variations in MERIS images over turbid coastal waters for retrieval of suspended sediment concentration

Atmospheric correction over turbid waters can be problematic if atmospheric haze is spatially variable. In this case the retrieval of water quality is hampered by the fact that haze variations could be partly mistaken for variations in suspended sediment concentration (SSC). In this study we propose the suppression of local haze variations while leaving sediment variations intact. This is accomplished by a multispectral data projection (MDP) method based on a linear spectral mixing model, and applied prior to the actual standard atmospheric correction. In this linear model, the hazesediment spectral mixing was simulated by a coupled water-atmosphere radiative transfer (RT) model. As a result, local haze variations were largely suppressed and transformed into an approximately homogenous atmosphere over the MERIS top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance scene. The suppression of local haze variations increases the number of satellite images that are still suitable for standard atmospheric correction processing and subsequent water quality analysi

Time, speeds, flows and densities in static models of road traffic congestion and congestion pricing

This paper deals with some of the features of static models of road traffic congestion that have caused much debate in the literature. It first focuses on the difficulties arising with the backward-bending cost curve defined over traffic flows in the context of `continuous congestion'. The relevance of the backward-bending segment of this curve is questioned by demonstrating that the `equilibria' on this segment of the cost curve are dynamically infeasible. Next, the implications for static models of `peak congestion' are considered. In doing so, attention is paid also to the implicit assumptions, particularly on the nature of scheduling costs, that are necessary to render static models of peak congestion internally consistent. The paper ends with a brief discussion of the implications for dynamic models of peak congestion.

Further Thoughts on CRM

Skepticism and disappointment have replaced the initialenthusiasm about CRM. The disappointing results ofCRM-projects are often related to difficulties thatmanagers encounter in embedding CRM in their strategyand organization structure. In this article we presenta classification scheme on how CRM can be strategicallyembedded in organizations using the value disciplinesof Treacy and Wiersema. We use the findings from threecase studies to illustrate our classification. Based onthese case studies and interviews with managers wedistinguish between strategic and tactical CRM, andderive important issues that managers should considerbefore successfully implementing CRM.customer relationship management;marketing strategy;marketing performance

Energy policies in spatial systems: A spatial price equilibrium approach with heterogeneous regions and endogenous technologies

This paper presents a framework for analysing spatial aspects of environmental policies in the regulation of trans-boundary externalities. A spatial price equilibrium model for two regions is constructed, where interactions between these regions can occur via trade and transport, via mutual environmental spill-overs due to the externality that arises from production, and via tax competition when the regions do not behave cooperatively. Explicit attention is also given to the additional complications arising from emissions caused by the endogenous transport flows.

Changing Perceptions and Changing Behavior in Customer Relationships

We formulate a theoretical model in which we postulate that if a customers' behavior is perceived as not optimal, customers will adjust this behavior based on their current satisfaction and payment equity. Furthermore, customers will also include new experiences. In our empirical study we particularly investigate customer referrals and the amount of services purchased. Our results show positive effects of current satisfaction and payment equity on referrals, while also changes in satisfaction and payment equity affect customer referrals. With respect to the amount of services purchased, our estimation results reveal a positive significant effect of only changes in satisfaction.satisfaction;customer relationships;dynamic modeling;preference updating

Estimating specific inherent optical properties of tropical coastal waters using bio-optical model inversion and in situ measurements: case of the Berau estuary, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Specific inherent optical properties (SIOP) of the Berau coastal waters were derived from in situ measurements and inversion of an ocean color model. Field measurements of water-leaving reflectance, total suspended matter (TSM), and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations were carried out during the 2007 dry season. The highest values for SIOP were found in the turbid waters, decreasing in value when moving toward offshore waters. The specific backscattering coefficient of TSM varied by an order of magnitude and ranged from 0.003 m2 g-1, for clear open ocean waters, to 0.020 m2 g-1, for turbid waters. On the other hand, the specific absorption coefficient of Chl a was relatively constant over the whole study area and ranged from 0.022 m2 mg-1, for the turbid shallow estuary waters, to 0.027 m2 mg-1, for deeper shelf edge ocean waters. The spectral slope of colored dissolved organic matter light absorption was also derived with values ranging from 0.015 to 0.011 nm-1. These original derived values of SIOP in the Berau estuary form a corner stone for future estimation of TSM and Chl a concentration from remote sensing data in tropical equatorial water