Volume XXIII, No. 2, 1997
TARIFF-RATE QUOTAS AND THE URUGUAY ROUND
Robert Carbaugh
As a result of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, participating nations agreed to open world agricultural markets to promote increased trade. This liberalization includes the conversion of nontariff barriers to tariffs over a period of fifteen years. As part of this transition, nontariff barriers have been replaced by tariff-rate quotas which will eventually be replaced by tariffs. This paper analyzes the economic effects of a tariff-rate quota and its implications for trade liberalization of trade in agriculture. (F10, F13, Q17)
THE ACCURACY AND EFFECT ON MARKET VALUE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS
Arthur T. Cox and Kerry Studer
The State of Iowa requires tax assessed values to be equal to market value. [See Iowa Code 441.21.] The accuracy of assessed values relative to market values for individual properties, however, is a subject of much debate. The issue is the equity of a system of taxation in which the accuracy of the assessed value is affected by characteristics of the property. The purpose of this study is to examine the relative accuracy of assessed values of residential properties. Variables considered are the market value, the type of financing used by the last purchaser of each respective property, and the location of each property. (H71)
A TAXONOMY OF MONIES FROM THE CONSUMER'S PERSPECTIVE
William D. Gerdes
Because the consumer ultimately decides what is used as an exchange medium, it is reasonable that the consumer also serves as arbiter when making distinctions between monies. That is the rationale for this taxonomy of monies based on the theory of consumer choice. The taxonomy clearly and precisely distinguishes between commodity, fiduciary, and fiat monies. In doing so, it provides a framework for facilitating the understanding of real-world monetary events. (E40, E42)
WRITING FOR ECONOMICS JOURNALS: STRATEGIC ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS
Charles C. Fischer and Janice E. Lawrence
This study investigates the strategic elements of research publication success, with a focus on economics journals. A distinction is made between success factors specific to the talents of the individual (e.g., innate ability, training, experience), and those that are somewhat generic in nature and thus attainable by most authors (e.g., topic selection, timing, care in preparing manuscript, journal targeting). This study focuses on the latter in hope of providing authors with practical, strategic insights into publication success. Strategies proposed are based on: (1) a review of the literature, and (2) survey data and qualitative comments obtained from economics journal editors and manuscript reviewers. Little research has been done in this important area, and it appears that this study is unique in that it examines the perspectives of both editors and reviewers. Several common themes emerge from the literature and this survey data regarding the strategic elements of publication success. These themes should be of value to new, aspiring authors as well as experienced researchers. (A10)
DETERMINANTS OF FACULTY UNION SUPPORT
Timothy O. Bisping
This paper examines the factors which may influence faculty support for union representation. The data for this research was collected from a questionnaire sent to all faculty of a mid-size public university in December of 1992. The questionnaire was designed to obtain demographic information in addition to measures of satisfaction in the areas of university governance, compensation, and overall job satisfaction. In addition, faculty members were asked to state the manner in which they would vote if an election for union representation were held at the time of the survey.
The results of the study reveal that academic discipline, age, rank, satisfaction with university governance, satisfaction with compensation, and overall job satisfaction could be shown to affect union support. (J50)
THE EFFECT OF UNION FINANCIAL STRENGTH AND LIQUIDITY ON STRIKE PROPENSITIES
Jack W. Skeels and Paul McGrath
Union financial strength and liquidity, though long recognized as significant factors in collective bargaining, have been commonly missing from most recent bargaining/strike models and empirical tests of strike propensities. This paper examines the role of union funds in several prominent bargaining and strike models, derives predictions and tests these hypotheses with a sizable micro-data set. In particular, we examine whether the unusual liquidity of union assets is systematically related to strike propensities. Our findings are that union funds have an impact on the likelihood of a dispute and that union liquidity is positively related to strike propensity. (J50, J52)
THE EFFICIENCY OF TAX ABATEMENT IN THE MARKET FOR JOBS
Thomas M. Kelly, James W. Henderson, and Samuel L. Seaman
This paper examines the intensity of tax abatement use as a competitive location incentive in the State of Texas. Using a model depicting the "market for jobs," the study examines the effectiveness of tax abatement subsidies in attracting business to a community. Data from 374 tax abatement projects, provided by the Texas Department of Commerce, are used to estimate the "price" paid for each job attracted by tax abatement subsidies. (H71)
AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF LIQUIDITY AND CONSUMPTION COMMITMENT CONSTRAINTS OF INTERTEMPORAL LABOR SUPPLY
Kenneth G. Dau-Schmidt
This article presents empirical evidence with respect to two constraints on workers' intertemporal labor supply: the liquidity constraint which prevents workers from borrowing against future consumption to accommodate wage changes; and consumption commitments which, due to transaction costs, cannot be changed in the short-run to accomodate wage changes. The author reports tentative evidence of a modest impediment to intertemporal labor supply due to the liquidity constraint. The author also estimates the intertemporal substitution elasticity for workers with different levels of consumption commitments and determines that such commitments substantially reduce a worker's intertemporal substitution elasticity. (J20, J22)
THE OPTIMAL LOCATION OF TWO RECYCLING CENTERS
Jannett Highfill, Michael McAsey, and Libin Mou
Suppose a municipality optimally locates two recycling/sorting centers to minimize the sum of the transportation costs from 1) households to the recycling centers and 2) recycling centers to the landfill. Assume that all household waste is taken to a recycling center, sorted, and the non-recyclables are subsequently transported to the landfill. The landfill location and the proportion of waste recycled are exogenous. The paper shows that the location of the recycling centers is chosen to equalize the marginal costs of the two transportation stages, unless an endpoint condition obtains, in which case one recycling center is located at the landfill. (R1, H7)