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This study attempts to provide a systematic theoretical analysis of the portfolio selection approach to the determination of inter‐regional and international capital flows, and to identify the implications of this analysis for the appropriate specification of short‐run econometric models of the foreign exchange market.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the specification of hedonic pricing models can be improved by using insights generated from qualitative research. In doing so, it seeks to address one of the main problems in the specification of hedonic models, namely that theory yields little guidance in the selection of the characteristics that should be included on the right-hand side.

Building on the behavioural tradition in real estate research, this paper introduces a research approach that integrates insights from qualitative analysis in an econometric model of land values. The empirical segment explores the way in which asking prices of building plots for industrial purposes are determined in The Netherlands. It draws from interviews with municipal land developers, who dominate supply in this market. The information secured during these interviews relates to the characteristics considered important and the kind of information used in the valuation process. Based on these qualitative data, an econometric model is developed and estimated.

The estimation results confirm qualitative evidence that the typical developer considers only a limited number of features of the land in the valuation process and that the primary source of information in setting asking prices relates to the prices charged in neighbouring municipalities.

This paper represents a novel attempt to examine the determination of land and property values by merging qualitative and quantitative, econometric analyses.

This study attempts to discover effective strategies for mobile commerce applications (apps) to grow their consumer base by releasing app strategic updates. Drawing on the landscape search model from strategy research, this study conceptualizes mobile app update strategy as three interdependent decisions, i.e. what business elements are changed in an app strategic update, how substantial the changes are and when strategic updates are released relative to the competitive environment.

Using a field data set of 1,500 strategic updates of seven rival apps in the mobile travel market, this study integrated fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) with econometric analysis to analyze how app strategic update decisions interdependently influence app performance.

This study identified three effective and one ineffective mobile app update strategies from the mixed-method analysis, which verified the complex interdependency of app strategic update decisions. A general takeaway from these strategies is that a complex strategy problem on the mobile platform must be solved with respect to the constraints and capabilities of mobile technology.

This study moves beyond a linear view of the relationship between app update frequency and app performance and provides a holistic view of how and why app strategic update decisions mutually influence one another in their impact on app performance. This work makes contributions by identifying interdependency as a conceptual bridge between strategy and mobile app literature and developing an empirically testable version of the landscape search model.

The TRIP (TouRism International Panel) Forecasting Models (1), the first regarding international tourist departures from each country of origin, the second international tourist flows to Italy and the third international departures from Italy, represent, through an appropriate mathematical and econometric analysis, the fixed effect approach of the panel data analysis, the economic process behind the foreign tourist's decision to holiday in Italy and the Italian tourist's decision to holiday abroad.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of entrepreneurial activity in the Nordic countries over the period of years 2004-2013 to provide supportive material for the Nordic entrepreneurial policy makers with specific focus on the role of necessity/opportunity-driven entrepreneurship, administrative barriers and the research and development (R&D) sector.

Quantitative study employed panel regression analysis with fixed effects estimator to test the impact of determinants on entrepreneurial activity operationalized as a rate of registered business activity and as an established business ownership rate.

The results obtained for the both dependent variables did not substantially differ from each other or the supported hypothesis stating a positive relationship between unemployment rate, GDP per capita and entrepreneurial activity. Also a negative impact of administrative barriers was found. However, no statistically significant positive impact of the R&D sector was observed.

Nordic entrepreneurial policy makers should put more effort into the reduction of administrative barriers towards founding enterprises and support entrepreneurship during the times of higher unemployment rates. Further evaluation of Nordic R&D policies is strongly needed, since no positive impacts towards entrepreneurship were found.

The empirical analysis was conducted based on the research gap in the studies related to the Nordic entrepreneurial policies and perceived need for the policy recommendations that are provided.

The paper examines the factors that influence the production of cash flows in a sample of Italian farm accountancy data network (FADN) farms to generate information useful for calibrating policies to support farmers' investments.

An econometric analysis on the sample estimates the influence of structural, economic, commercial and financial variables on CAFFE, i.e. the cash flow that includes the payments to the farmer's resources and the free cash flow on equity (FCFE). The econometric problem of endogeneity is treated by adopting the Hausman test to choose between fixed and random effects models. The results for Italian agriculture and its types of farming (TFs) are examined based on the FCFE/capital depreciation ratio, where FCFE subtracts from CAFFE the opportunity cost payments to the farmer's resources. This ratio identifies TFs with problems of sustainability of the production system.

The results show that increasing the productive dimension, in particular the endowment of farmland and working capital, is still essential to stimulate the production of cash flows of Italian agriculture. Without this growth, increasing the depreciable capital base is ineffective. FCFE does not compensate for depreciation in several TFs, which in various cases could also improve by improving economic efficiency and commercial position.

Assessing the factors that most influence cash flows can help to better calibrate rural development measures to the territories and farming types that most need public support. Our analysis procedure can be applied to all production systems equipped with farm accounting networks; however, the criteria for rewarding farmer resources and calculating the replacement value of agricultural capital need to be better discussed.

The specification of rural development policies rarely takes into account the financial sustainability conditions of farms, as well as the factors that determine them, in defining the support parameters and the selection criteria for funding. Our approach, based on the analysis of FADN data, considers these aspects and provides ideas for better calibrating public support for investments among agricultural territories, sectors and types of farms.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the discharge volume of domestic solid waste in rural China and to explore the potential impact of various factors that contribute to it.

The data used in this study come from a large-scale field survey conducted in six Chinese provinces. Based on the collected survey data, econometric model on the determinants of domestic solid waste discharge was constructed and used for analysis.

Results from the study show that the per capita daily discharge of rural domestic solid waste was close to 1 kg in 2010, slightly less than the urban level of 1.2 kg. Results from descriptive statistical analysis and econometric estimation indicate that by implementing selected policy measures, the discharge of solid waste can be significantly reduced. In addition, the discharge of domestic solid waste is also closely related with local socio-economic development. In particular, the results show an obvious inverted U-shaped curve between discharge volume and income. The increase of off-farm labor opportunities would also reduce solid waste discharge in rural China.

This paper focuses on domestic solid waste discharge and its determinants in rural China, a research area very important but seldom reported.

This study aims to identify the factors which influence the change in the volume of shadow economy in the countries of Europe to explain its growth or reduction through the change in the identified factors. This would help to determine which factors are worth impacting to reduce the volume of shadow economy in the countries of Europe.

This work sets out an econometric analysis. For the purpose of making research calculations, MS Excel software package has been chosen. It has been decided to use linear multiple regression and several auxiliary tools allowing research accuracy to be increased.

Final model has shown that the levels of corruption and inflation have a positive effect on the volume of shadow economy. Also, with the low level of significance it has been proved that foreign direct investments have a negative impact on the volume of shadow economy. From the hypotheses, it has also been ascertained that the rule of law and gross domestic product influence the volume of shadow economy negatively. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that the magnitude of shadow economy can be controlled by increasing the efficiency of the rule of law and the economy’s growth.

Because of the limited data on such an indicator as the shadow economy, in this work, this study used data for only one year – 2015, which may reduce the objectivity and reliability of the results obtained. But because of the fact that 38 European countries were taken and, as a result, the selection was larger, objectivity is preserved. As a result, three hypotheses were confirmed.

From the point of view of practical implications, this study should help determine the number of parameters, which affect the volume of the shadow economy in a particular country in Europe. Understanding of such correlations will help to regulate the volume of the shadow economy, which will mostly affect the overall development of the country.

From a point of view of social implications, this study will help to solve some problems in Europe countries. Because this study is focused on finding parameters that affect the shadow economy, it is possible to reduce the volume of shadow economy. This changes can lead to a number of social improvements, such as a reduction of crime, a reduction of poverty, a reduction of unemployment, an increase of revenues to the country's treasury and a general increase of living standards.

Within the framework of this work, unique empirical research has been undertaken. This work helps to establish the factors which are the most influential in respect of the volume of shadow economy and which graphically indicate the following: what precisely needs to be prioritized to overcome one of the crucial socioeconomic problems for the majority of European countries.

The purpose of this study is twofold, being the first to grasp a broad picture of entrepreneurship determinants in Qatar, and second, to explore the intermediate effect of gender upon other factors affecting the propensity to become an entrepreneur and highlight gender heterogeneity. Combining theories on entrepreneurship determinants and gender, the study analyses the role of education (general and specific to enterprise), skill perception, social context and fear to fail as determinants of new venture creation in Qatar. The objective of the study is to appraise the determinants of the entrepreneurial activity in Qatar and understand if they hold across genders in terms of significance and magnitude. If so, policy actions can be adjusted to overcome gender gaps. This study aims to design policy recommendations to reinforce the Qatari entrepreneurial ecosystem and promote positive discrimination towards women initiatives in the Gulf region.

To understand male and female propensity to entrepreneurial activity in Qatar, a database from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) was used, considering data from 2014, with a sample that includes 4,272 individuals. To explore how the explanatory variables affect entrepreneurial propensity and if they hold significance across genders, three logistic regressions were run, the first including the entire sample, and the second and third separating individuals according to the gender. Then, to statistically appraise the differences among groups, a Kruskal–Wallis test was run to evidence group heterogeneity. Marginal effects of the model reinforce gender differences. The analysis was performed using Stata.

Different patterns of entrepreneurial propensity can be found among genders, allowing the exploration male and female determinants. The analysis shows that Qatari women are less prone to start a business when compared to men in equal conditions. For women, age is a deterring factor, contrarily to men. Both genders seem to be unconstrained by the fear to fail, still the self-perception of skills has a stronger effect on women.

First, this study is restricted to the GEM database and covers 4,272 individuals whose representativeness cannot be statistically proved, despite the robustness of the sample size. Second, due to data limitations, the inclusion of theoretically relevant additional variables to the explanation of gender differences, such as economic and institutional determinants of entrepreneurial activity in the country under study, becomes infeasible.

Despite the conceptual and empirical limitations, the conclusions of the study fulfil literature gaps and offer quantitative and econometric evidences and which allow drawing policy recommendations.

This study sheds a new light about the policy specificities needed to overcome gender differences and to equalise male and female entrepreneurial activity.

The study identifies gender differences in entrepreneurial propensity. The potential differences are firstly put in theoretical terms and followed by an exploratory analysis comprising statistical analysis and econometric estimations. The results allow examining the profile of male and female entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs, the determinants of entrepreneurial initiatives and gender gaps. The study helps policy makers to elaborate adequate strategies to foster gender equality on entrepreneurship, aiming to increase overall entrepreneurial activity and consequently socio-economic development.

Renewable energy (RE) is an important component to the complex portfolio of technologies that have the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions and to enhance the security of energy supplies. Despite RE's potential to reduce CO₂ emissions, the expenditure on renewable energy research, development, and demonstration (RERD&D) as a percentage of total government energy research, development, and demonstration (ERD&D) investment remains low in developed countries. The declining ERD&D expenditure prompted this research to explore the relationship between CO₂ emissions per capita and RERD&D as opposed to ERD&D.

An econometric analysis of annual CO₂ emissions per capita during the period 1990‐2004 for the 15 pre‐2004 European Union (EU15) countries was carried out. It was hypothesized that the impact of RERD&D expenditure on the reduction of CO₂ emissions would be higher than that of ERD&D expenditure, primarily due to several RE technologies being close to carbon neutral. Country‐level gross domestic product per capita and an index of the ratio between industry consumption and industrial production were introduced in the analysis as proxies to control for activities that generate CO₂ emissions. A number of panel data econometric models that are able to take into account both country‐ and time‐specific unobserved effects were explored.

It was found that random effect models were more appropriate to examine the study hypothesis. The results suggest that expenditure on RERD&D is statistically significant and negatively associated with CO₂ emissions per capita in all models, whereas expenditure on ERD&D is statistically insignificant (ceteris paribus).

The findings of this paper provide useful insight into the effectiveness of RERD&D investment in reducing CO₂ emissions and are of value in the development of policies for targeted research, development, and demonstration investment to mitigate the impacts of climate change.