Search results

This chapter presents a quantitative description of the living conditions in a slum area of an intermediate Argentinean city during the outburst of the Covid-19 crisis using primary data collected four months after the lockdown measures had been introduced. The sample represents 1,500 households which claimed food assistance over this period, and whose deprivations and presence of young members are similar to that of 13% of the city’s population and 23% of the country’s population. Rough estimates suggest a disproportionate drop in employment and a disproportionate increase in unemployment in the area compared to those registered in the aggregate of the main urban agglomerations of the country. Cash transfers implemented during the lockdown, together with in-kind food aid from schools, the municipal government, and the church with non-governmental organizations, entailed a substantial average increase in the coverage of the cost of the basic food basket. However, non-trivial fractions of households were not covered by any of the main cash transfers. Also, and despite efforts, food insecurity could not be avoided. Considering the similarity of the sample to significant fractions of the country’s urban population, the deprivations experienced over 2020 by groups which were already in poverty before the Covid-19 arrival, raise alarms on the future well-being of these populations, especially for infants and children. Novel policies are required, addressing the various critical needs in an interconnected way, integrating the different stakeholders that have proven to be key in assisting these households during such an unprecedented covariate shock.

Based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)-based insurance developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina (MAGyP) with technical assistance of the World Bank (WB), the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the out-of-sample performance of the NDVI-based insurance in Bahía Blanca Department of the south west of Buenos Aires (SWBA) Province in Argentina, by calculating the technical premium with the methodology developed by MAGyP-WB and NDVI information up to 2007, and analyzing the results that would have been obtained in 2008 and 2009.

With the available NDVI information (1982-2009), the authors uses the out-of-sample method to analyze the rating of the contract and the reasonability of the premium payment through a comparison of the frequency and severity of payouts in the NDVI coverage with the losses suffered by droughts in SWBA. Specifically, it has been taken the data until 2006 to set the Triggers and Exits values and to calculate the premium rates, and the payout and loss ratio in 2007 was then analyzed. A similar analysis was done for years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.

According with the rating methodology described in this paper, payouts determined by the NDVI-based insurance fit with falls in forage production and reduced meat production yields, which confers reasonability to this tool as a coverage option for cattle and fodder producers. Definite technical premiums based on 1982-2007 period, capture the occurrence of severe drought events, defining a risk profile that is consistent with the used information. Adding more observations to the sample, this profile is redefined, showing the sensitivity of the results to the quality and quantity of data used in the analysis.

There is a subjective assessment in the determination of the sample and the weighting of this information. The election of the period to be considered, how to incorporate the changes in the patterns of climate behavior in the medium- and long-term and the expected effects in the NDVI, etc. will impact on the values of resulting technical premiums. In the specific case of this analysis, the fact of not having considered in the sample two extreme years (2008 and 2009) has a concrete implication in the obtained premiums. In this paper, only the Bahía Blanca Department was considered. Rainfall pattern and extensive grazing of natural grassland in the SWBA area might vary from Department to Department, so the results and payouts might change according to these circumstances.

The situation shown in the findings could be seen as an underestimation of the risk to which the producer is exposed and should be taken into account for further researches and insurance products to be designed. When the considered data series shows atypical or extreme values and these are incorporated into the sample, significant changes can be registered in the triggers and premiums.

This paper analyzes how a risk profile is redefined depending on the sample considered and shows the sensitivity of the results to used data when using index-based insurance.

The purpose of the study is to investigate micro determinants for dynamic wine pricing in Argentina. We test whether attributes and time affect the price rate of change. The rate of change is selected given the inflationary context of the country. The analysis provides valuable information for wine marketing decisions.

The modeling approach relies on panel data analysis for exploiting the data cross-section and time dimension. The contribution explores a massive price dataset at a weekly frequency. The dependent variable is the weekly price variation rate for product/wine and covariates are attributes, time and nominal variables. Given that endogeneity issues arose, the estimations rely on a two-stage least squares and instrumental variables with cluster-robust errors.

Estimations show that attributes, time and cost variables are statistically significant, with clear seasonal patterns and quality segmentation affecting pricing: wines made out of specific grapes such as Chenin, Merlot and Seedling or composing a broad category such as red wine, exhibit price undershooting (price rate of change below average). On the other hand, wines out of grapes such as Bonarda, Margaux, Mistela, Moscatel, Oporto, Tannat and Sauvignon Blanc show price overshooting (rate of change above average). In summary, wine made from determined grapes and specific wineries show divergent pricing.

Covariates such as alcohol content, label descriptor information, winery history, substitute competition and vintage, among others, have not been considered given that the research analyzes more than 750 wine products. Another limitation is that the work does not explore many time-series covariates, such as promotions and idiosyncratic shocks.

The contribution presents new information on wine pricing patterns affected by weeks, months and years, including the effect of the prolonged 2020 Argentine lockdown. It also analyzes estimations on pricing at the level of grape/blend and wineries previously unknown in this market. The information can influence inventory decisions on the side of the sellers and purchase decisions on the side of consumers.

The analysis includes fine but also low-cost wines that form part of the diet of low-income families in the country. The work detects a divergent pattern in pricing divided by the quality/price of the wine. It also presents information on price timing that may help consumers in the best moment to buy.

The contribution analyzes unprecedented information on weekly wine prices and presents evidence of pricing tactics from a point-of-sale perspective: It identifies different adjustment speeds related to product features and time effects.

The purpose of this paper is to report on a study that was done among older adults in the city of Bahia Blanca, Argentina regarding their awareness and use of cultural heritage and commercial recreational sites.

This exploratory study among this historically understudied segment of the population used interviews and historical images to analyze their perceptions about such spaces and to establish a link between those perceptions and their civic identity.

The study found that appreciation of local cultural heritage sites was considerably lower than appreciation of commercial recreational areas and suggests possible interventions to enhance the use and appreciation of cultural heritage sites.

This paper about Bahia Blanca derives its relevance from venturing into an analysis of the opinions about such sites among an age segment, the elderly, that has been poorly addressed in other studies, in particular in the Latin American context. The study reported here generated firsthand information that may serve public servants in making decisions in the context of locally developed cultural policies and presents a methodological model and data collection and analysis techniques that may be of interest for development elsewhere.

In Argentina there is a lack of research studies in the “older adults” age bracket. The contribution of this manuscript lies in creating a connectivity among concepts such as recreation/leisure, heritage and lived space, by using new contributions in the geography of leisure that are associated with the geography of everyday life. The concepts are integrated in the study of subjective spaces of individuals.

The purpose of this study is to design a fluid formulation with good lubricant properties by using an environmentally friendly additive for: high and low contact pressure conditions and steel/steel and polymer/steel systems.

Bismuth (III) sulfide (Bi₂S₃, “green chemistry” synthesis) is added to a commercial vinyl-terminated silicone fluid (PDMS-Vi) to obtain different weight-per cent mixtures. Tribological performance of formulations is studied from Reichert’s tests (steel/steel system) and block on ring tests (polymer/steel). The results are compared with formulations prepared with commercial bismuth (III) sulfide (Bi₂S₃), molybdenum (IV) sulfide (MoS₂) and graphite.

An orthorhombic crystal lattice (XRD ) and a high-purity product (XRF) are evidenced for synthesized Bi₂S₃. Lubricant properties increase when the weight-per cent of the synthesized Bi₂S₃ increases in formulations. The wear area decreases up to 90 per cent according to Reichert’s tests. The synthesized Bi₂S₃ shows a better tribological behavior when compared to commercial Bi₂S₃, MoS₂ and graphite.

Replacement of lead derivatives by an environmentally friendly lubricant in extreme pressure (EP) formulations and excellent performance compared to commercially used additives are achieved.

The purpose of this paper is to study the determinants of the use of personal loans in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

Personal loans are addressed as a function of the borrower and collateral. To empirically test the hypothesis of this study, a probit model was applied to a group of companies in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, with a previous analysis of the possible effects of sample selection.

Older companies, firms with lower expected growth rates, younger owners, those who seek to create value or growth, and owners who perceive low emotional costs associated with bankruptcy, are less likely to use personal loans to finance their operations.

This study is limited by the availability of data on SMEs in Argentina.

The results highlight the importance of financial aid programmes that focus on SME scarce availability of collateral.

This study makes three principal contributions: first, it investigates the phenomenon of personal loan utilisation in SMEs; second, it analyses financing decisions from both the supply and demand perspectives; and third, it presents a database that includes variables that have not been previously studied in Argentina or other emerging economies.

This paper aims to develop a cross-country analysis of the similarities and differences in the debt maturity structure of listed SMEs from the point of view of corporate governance (CG) attributes in two different economic environments: an OECD (Spain) country and a non-OECD (Argentina) country.

Using data from listed SMEs in the Argentinian SME segment (pooled data from 2012 to 2015) and 31 listed SMEs in the Spanish Mercado Alternativo Bursátil for growing firms (MAB_GE)(2014), bivariate and multivariate analyses are performed.

Spanish firms with a higher ownership concentration and a large controlling shareholder have higher short-term liabilities (STL) ratios. Participation of women on the board has a negative relation with the STL ratio only for Spain. The participation of corporations in ownership and a Big4 auditor have a negative relation with the STL ratio for both countries.

These results will help SME managers understand the effects of the application of good governance policies. The study also gives regulators a guideline to develop standards to assist in efficient borrowing in terms of seeking funding in alternative capital markets.

First, the results provide evidence about the financial impact on the STL ratio of CG attributes in listed SME. Second, as far as the authors know, this is the first paper to analyse the CG attributes of listed SMEs in an OECD country and a non-OECD country. Third, the paper presents CG data derived from an ad hoc basis elaborated from different websites and databases.

The purpose of this study is to select a proper surface treatment to enhance wear resistance of engine camshafts. The camshaft is a relevant part of a diesel engine which works under torsion, fatigue and wear efforts. They are usually manufactured by casting, forging or machining from forged bar of low alloy steels, and in most cases, the machined surfaces are quenched and tempered by induction heating. After that, in many cases, to withstand the efforts imposed on the active surfaces and improve tribology and fatigue properties, the industry used for decades, thermochemical technologies such as salt bath or gaseous nitriding and nitrocarburizing processes.

This paper studied the effects of plasma nitriding and plasma nitrocarburizing, on the tribological behaviour of the steel SAE 1045HM3 proposed to produce camshafts. After the plasma treatments, the change in surface roughness was measured; the modified layers were studied by X-ray techniques and its thickness by optical microscopy. The diffusion zone was evaluated by Vickers microhardness determinations. Tribology tests were performed by pin-on-disc configuration using WC ball as a counterpart.

Results show that plasma nitrided samples present the best tribological behaviour compared with the nitrocarburized ones; also, the influence of the roughness produced by the thermochemical processes appears to be important.

Although both the plasma treatments have been applied for many years, and also reported separately in the scientific literature, there was no information comparing these two treatments for carbon steels, and also, there is not much about tribology in lubricated conditions of nitrided and nitrocarburized carbon steels. In fact, it is not proved that the porosity of the nitrocarburized layer is beneficial for wear resistance in lubricated conditions. In this paper, it was proved that at least in the tested conditions, it is not.

Gas or plasma nitrocarburizing is usually recommended for this kind of applications, although the modified layer is porous. This paper attempts to prove that nitriding could be better than nitrocarburizing, even with a thinner white layer.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a goodness index based on Hamming distance and ordered weighted averaging distance (OWAD), which is useful to make decisions. These alternative measures enrich the results of diagnostic fuzzy models and facilitate the experts’ task in decision-making. An application to a set of firms to verify the results is also presented.

The paper follows the basis of OWA operators to design a methodology to reduce the map of causes of business failure into monitoring key areas.

The present paper introduces two alternative measures to test the proposal of grouping. In the empirical application, the superiority of the minimum T-norm over other decision rules is verified. The ordered weighted averaging distance (OWAD) goodness index predicts a better adjustment over the index built using OWA and Hamming distance measures.

A useful mechanism to reduce the map of causes or diseases detected in key areas is added through this analysis. At the same time, these key areas can be disaggregated once some alert indicator is identified; this allows knowing the causes that require special attention. This application of OWA can encourage the development of suitable computer systems for monitoring the firm’s problems, alerting regarding failures and easing decision-making.

A comparison of grouping causes into key areas through a goodness index based on Hamming distance and OWAD is proposed. These contributions enrich the Vigier and Terceño (2008) model and could be applied to any model of fuzzy diagnosis to test the results.