Suchergebnisse

We report findings from a choice experiment survey designed to estimate the economic benefits of policy measures to improve the rural landscape in the Republic of Ireland. Using a panel mixed logit specification to account for unobserved taste heterogeneity we derived individual-specific willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates for each respondent in the sample. We subsequently investigated the spatial dependence of these estimates. Results suggest the existence of positive spatial autocorrelation for all rural landscape attributes. As a means of benefit transfer, kriging methods were employed to interpolate WTP estimates across the whole of the Republic of Ireland. The kriged WTP surfaces confirm the existence of spatial dependence and illustrate the implied spatial variation and regional disparities in WTP for all the rural landscape improvements investigated.

The growing rate of obesity has recently required governments to divert considerable resources in the promotion of healthy lifestyles. We explored the relative effectiveness in inducing healthy behaviour change of three different communication strategies about the benefits of an intervention that reduces the mortality risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and encourages respondents to embrace healthier lifestyles. We designed a Discrete Choice Experiments questionnaire to analyse the trade-off between lifestyles, defined in terms of diet and exercise, and reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk. We set three ways of framing an identical benefit: (A) as a reduction in mortality risk from cardiovascular disease, (B) as an increase in months of life expectancy, and (C) as an increase in the probability of reaching an individual's full lifespan. The experiment was tailored for each subject in the sample according to his/her individual's baseline information on diet and physical activity. During the period February 2010 - July 2011, we interviewed 1,008 individuals in Northern Ireland, split randomly into three samples for the three CVD risk reduction frames. Considering the models' goodness of fit and significance, we conclude that the most effective way of communicating these CVD health benefits is using an increase in life expectancy, since with this frame individuals are more inclined to state that they would change to a healthier lifestyle.

The dairy sector is the most important agricultural sub-sector in Northern Ireland both in terms of size and contribution to the economy. However, the abolition of the milk quota regime in 2015 and the government's initiative for industry growth has given rise to concerns about environmental pollution, especially in terms of phosphorus (P) balance. In light of these concerns, this study analyses the level and determinants of P balance and use efficiency on Northern Ireland's dairy farms. The study employs the OECD/ EUROSTAT nutrient balance methodology and the within-between farm random effects modelling technique on a balanced panel data set. The results show that P balance in dairy farms in the study area is relatively high. However, the more profitable dairy farms have relatively lower P balance. We also found that the amount of grass grazed, and fertilizer price have a negative and statistically significant relationship with P balance, while stocking density was found to have a positive relationship with P balance. On the other hand, the age of the farmer and the amount of grass grazed where found to have a positive and statistically significant relationship with P use efficiency. The study demonstrates that increasing the percentage of grass-based feeds reduces phosphorus surplus and also has a positive impact on the profitability of the dairy farms. The study recommends that farmers in the study area should increase the percentage of grass-based feeds alongside feeding concentrates with lower phosphorus contents. A moderate level of intensification should also be maintained.

AbstractThis paper explores bidding behaviour under risk and uncertainty using the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak mechanism (BDM) and second price auction (SPA). It investigates whether values elicited via the two mechanisms are consistent and whether bidding behaviour can be influenced by differences in the number and type of sources of risk and uncertainty that people face when exposed to the two mechanisms. In our experiment, subjects are exposed to non-monetary lotteries where they bid for a high-quality seafood product, but there is a chance (known or unknown) that they receive a lower quality seafood product instead. Results indicate that bidding behaviour can be influenced by the number and type of sources of risk and uncertainty that subjects face and subjects' bidding behaviour is only consistent with standard theories of decision making under risk and uncertainty when they bid on a risky product in the SPA. Despite this, BDM and SPA elicit equal values under risk and uncertainty in this study.