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on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Lale Berkoz; Ömer Kellekci |
| Abstract: | In this study, in order to assess the factors that improve dwelling and environmental quality satisfaction, the concepts of dwelling and its environment, and the subject of dwelling and environmental quality satisfaction have been investigated; the conceptual model of dwelling and environmental quality satisfaction has been developed, which takes up the subject of user satisfaction in dwelling and environment quality as a whole; and the factors increasing level of satisfaction in dwelling and environment quality have been specified. Also the independent variables that increase the level of user satisfaction in dwelling and environment quality have been determined. This level is dependent on the analyses implemented with independent variables. These independent variables include accessibility, the characteristics of household members, security, neighbor relationships, and appearance of the environment. Totally, 400 questionnaire inquiries have been made in planned housing estate areas in Istanbul Metropolitan Region. Applying factor analysis to the data that have been gathered as a result of questionnaire inquiries, the following factors have been determined, according to their level of importance, to increase the level of user satisfaction in dwelling and environmental quality: in the subject of convenient accessibility centrality, accessibility to educational institutions, accessibility to open areas, accessibility to health institutions, and accessibility to public transportation; in the subject of environmental quality variants satisfaction in recreational areas, satisfaction in centrality, satisfaction in the social structure – physical features of the settlement, satisfaction in transportation and accessibility, and satisfaction in social facilities; in the subject of environmental security structural and environmental security of the dwelling as well as life and property security; in the subject of neighbor relationships social homogeneity and distanced neighbor relationships; in the subject of appearance of dwelling environment and economic value the compatibility between the physical appearance of the dwelling area and user status. Taking into consideration all the characteristics that determine dwelling and environmental quality satisfaction as a result of analyses, new perspectives to this subject have been opened by obtaining these factor groups as the determinants of user satisfaction in dwelling and environmental quality. It has, also, been revealed that throughout their work planners and designers need to take into consideration the factors that will increase user satisfaction in dwelling and environmental quality. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p143&r=cwa |
| By: | Funda Yirmibesoglu |
| Abstract: | Due to migration and rapidly increasing urban population settlement in urban land, lacking any planning or infrastructure, in addition to the destruction of the 17th August 1999 earthquake, it is necessary to examine uncertainty of housing demand and supply in Istanbul. After the 17th August earthquake, Istanbul has been adversely affected economically and socially. Significant differentiation in urban housing demand and supply has been observed. In the paper, this differentiation will be scrutinized for the 1995-2005 period before the earthquake, and the period after the earthquake until present. The distribution of real estate agencies will be examined with the help of GIS and the changes in the real estate market with questionnaires. The purpose of the research is to analyse; Housing production in the housing market in Istanbul; Differentiation of housing demand and supply; Distribution of real estate agencies; Differentiation of housing value and land value in neighbourhoods before and after the earthquake. The study provides an insight into the housing and real estate market in Istanbul, results and proposals of which will be presented. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p562&r=cwa |
| By: | Avigail Ferdman; Dani Shefer; Shlomo Bekhor |
| Abstract: | Light Rail Transit (LRT) has been gaining popularity as a means of decreasing private automobile dependency and thus reducing car pollutants, relieving congestion and enhancing community liveability. LRT is also perceived as an important generator of economic growth, mainly in old urban centers. Through the improvement of accessibility to CBDs (Central Business Districts) planners and decision makers expect to revitalize central cities' vis-a-vis the increasing competition from the growing suburban shopping malls. More specifically, the objective of this paper is to explore the complex relationship between transportation and land use by analyzing the optimal composition of land use around the proposed light rail stations. Density and diversity are the two most important characteristics of urban land use development. We examine changes in land use adjacent to the LRT stations in metropolitan Tel-Aviv, and their impact on the demand for total travel in particular. These changes include hypothetical scenarios of alternative land use compositions, densities and intensities of residential, employment, and commercial land uses. In order to measure the impact of these changes on travel, a demand model is calibrated. The traditional four-step transportation model is retrofitted with alternative land use density and diversity variables. Among these are: residential density, job-population balance etc. As such, the re¬structured model is more sensitive to the different hypothetical land use scenarios and is expected to predict ridership demand changes more accurately. The results have shown that some of the land use variables are extremely important for trip generation trends forecasts, especially trip attraction trends. Furthermore, the simulations of the various land use policies are able to display the spatial reaction of trip rates to land use function, density, degree of mix, and household characteristics. The results of this study could serve to better assess urban transportation ridership demands, especially since they serve as input for mode choice analyses. Moreover, by exploring this subject even further, planners and decision makers will be able to attain a clearer and more comprehensive picture of optimal land use patterns surrounding station areas, and in doing so, improving the quality of life of urban dwellers, commuters and visitors. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p401&r=cwa |
| By: | Ebru Kerimoglu; Hale Ciraci |
| Abstract: | It is s common fact that tourism is a leading sector in progress of under-developed and developing regions. Consistent with the policies to ensure tourism variety and spreading tourism activities throught out the country in to the four seasons, efforts to find and develope natural, historical, archeological and cultural resources in different regions of Turkey are continuing. In spite of the various tourism potentials of the cities that are developed in urban scale and socio-economic progress, their tourism development levels are not as required. In this study, the tourism policies followed in Turkey since 1970’s and influence of those policies on the investment distrubition and space are investigated and the socio-cultural and socio-economic reasons underlying the failure of Turkey’s developed cities to reach the required level in the tourism development are stated. Depending on the time, the touristic development levels and socio-economic development levels of Turkish provinces are designated and the relation between them are evaluated. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p580&r=cwa |
| By: | Lale Berkoz; Sevkiye Sence Turk |
| Abstract: | Turkey adopted neo-liberal policies in order to increase economic integration into international relation after 1980. As a result of these policies, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows increased greatly. In 1980 there were 78 FDI firms in Turkey whereas the number increased by 9749 at the end of 2004. Turkey has become a hub of vast hinterland that extends from Balkans to Caucasus and represented a prime focus for foreign investment. For this reason, it is very important to know the characteristics and spatial distribution of FDI firms in Turkey. This study analyzes the spatial distribution of FDI (foreign direct investment) firms among the provinces in Turkey from 1990 to 2004. A model is developed to test the agglomeration economies as a demand, urbanization economies, market size, employment structure, government incentivies, information cost, locational wealth and infrastructure. The results support that agglomeration economies resulting from the concentration of manufacturing activities and density in the provinces; information cost and market size are stronger locational determinants in Turkey. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p434&r=cwa |
| By: | Sevkiye Sence Turk; Lale Berkoz |
| Abstract: | Within the context of the foreign capital- orientation programme having been implemented since 1980, the regulation concerning the foreign investments in Turkey were freed and this has paved the way for important developments in terms of the entrance of foreign capital into the country and foreign investments. As a result of this, there was a dramatic increase in number of foreign investment firms in Turkey and, especially, Istanbul. The increase in foreign investments had major impacts on the spatial transformation of Istanbul Metropolitan Area. In this paper, change in FDI firm population in Istanbul has been viewed between 1990- 2004. An explanatory model has been applied to determine causes factors affecting change at the district level. Foreign firms were generally in parallel with the development of CBD ( the central business district) of Istanbul and Foreign Capital firms in Istanbul appear to demonstrate a trend towards accumulating in CBD. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p437&r=cwa |
| By: | M. Oguz Sinemillioglu; Can Tuncay Akýn; Havva Özyýlmaz |
| Abstract: | The aim of this study is to analyze changings in housing demand, especially in term of house size in Diyarbakýr case, in Turkey. Though Housing in Turkey is in a free market system, there is a Mass Housing Administration (TOKÝ) has been doing mass houses for, relatively, middle class income people. Diyarbakýr, one of the cities that TOKÝ has done two thousand houses, has taken too much migration, so that the demand in housing form and structure has different alterations. This process should be under control not only for the economy but also for sustainable housing environment and for sustainable urbanism. Immigration from rural areas to cities for better living conditions has started with urbanization and resulted with overpopulation in the cities of Turkey. Mass housing fact is formed in order to satisfy shortage of housing. The quantity as well as the quality of housing has reached seriously to a high degree. There are many slums in Diyarbakýr which has density of wraped urbanization. Since 1994, Mass Houing Management has started new projects to prevent such an unhealthy settlement being consructed and to supply more houses for the homeless Iiving in the town. In this work, inhabitants in different settlements wiil be questioned to identify their economic, social and spatial needs comparing with mass housing. Besides, comparison between the people’s preferences on housing those don’t live never in mass housing and the people’s desire alterations those live in mass housing by investigation of their settlement process will be done. The level of coorelation between the function and house size will be examined for decreasing the housing ownership process and cost. The proposals about sustainable housing environment will be given. Such research is considered to be helpful for future house planing in Turkey’s cities like Diyarbakýr. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p547&r=cwa |
| By: | Seda Kundak; Turkoglu Handan |
| Abstract: | The 1999 earthquakes occurred in Turkey caused destructions in every field and level in nation wide with the high number of deaths and injuries, the remarkable rates of collapsed and heavily damaged buildings and the interruption of business activities in long-term. In the last 5 year-period, various scientific researches focusing on seismic issues have investigated the relationships among seismicity, site conditions and vulnerability. Moreover, with the co-operations of central and local governments, universities and international agencies, many comprehensive projects have been carried out, such as “A Disaster Prevention/Mitigation Basic Plan for Istanbul” by Istanbul Greater Municipality - Japan International Cooperation Agency. Despite 1999 earthquakes had slight effects on Istanbul, the probability of a great earthquake (estimated to occur up to 30 years), has accelerated the attempts on risk evaluation, development of mitigation strategies, readjustment of disaster management system and so on. The primary studies on this field are focused on understanding seismicity and site conditions at large scale so that the earthquake maps produced show risky zones related to geological indicators. Aftermath of many great disasters, it has been observed that land-use decisions, demographic and economic pattern are the key components which increase or decrease the vulnerability level of settlements. In this context, the aim of this paper is to evaluate vulnerability components affecting risk levels and to explore risky zones of Istanbul. In this paper, urban and seismic indicators (i.e. site conditions, demography, land use, economy) have been aggregated and factor analysis has been used in order to reveal principal components of earthquake risk in Istanbul. According to these main factors, using cluster analysis, the critical zones of Istanbul have been indicated on urban pattern. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p408&r=cwa |
| By: | Cihan Ahmet Tutluoðlu; Vedia Dokmeci |
| Abstract: | Inspired by the gravitational attraction of the masses in Physics, the gravitational pull between the settlements has been proven to be an important phenomenon in explaining potentials that arise among towns. Again inspired by the Electro-magnetic fields in Physics, in this paper, the gravitational attraction between the cities is assumed to be exerted on a city with a certain “charge” on a map of superimposing “charges” of different cities. Following this line, an attraction field has been presented for different census years on city basis in Turkey and possible implications have been evaluated. The values for the year 2000 on the other hand have been tested with other factors including the GNP per head, population and the literacy rate to see the impact of these forces on the tendencies to move in and out of the cities, that is the migrationary effects. The study is as well done seperating the country into a West and an East to see if there are striking differences in between. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p340&r=cwa |
| By: | Cihan Ahmet Tutluoðlu; Vedia Dokmeci |
| Abstract: | The centre of gravity and tendency of the mass to concentrate around it, is an important element in Physics as well as in Statistics. When it comes to population studies, they may be used to allocate governmental posts as well as to have a good grasp of the dynamics in the country. When it is a country of high changes in population, these statistics may be exploited to see the impact of these changes and enable due alignment to meet the shifting demand. Large shifts in population have marked the history of Turkey as that of many other parts of the developping world. In this paper, the change in the weighted average and the variance of population centres has been calculated for Turkey for each census at city-level and for settlements of above 10,000 inhabitants. The same was done for the GNP. The changes in the mentioned centre of gravity were then regressed on suitable trend functions and meaningful yet different dependencies have been shown. It is worthwhile to note the tendencies to converge and to draw cycles on the data set. Since all of these calculations were accompanied by huge variance terms regarding the relatively high area and population of Turkey, clusters based on variance caps have also been proposed. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p311&r=cwa |
| By: | Ferhan Gezici; Berna Keskin |
| Abstract: | The changing economic processes in the world have been affected on both the regions within a country and regions as a group of countries. In the regional development literature, although it is emphasized that globalization will enhance the development of advantages-rich regions, there are some other approaches assuming that increasing economic interaction and technological improvements will help to develop relatively less developed-peripheral regions as well. Furthermore, the studies, which are analyzing interregional disparities, put forward the significant impact of factor movements. Interregional migration has been considered as a significant issue of metropolitan regions on the one hand and the loss of workforce in the less-developed regions on the other hand. Migration has been one of the significant factors in order to explain the spatial aspects of economic development. The aim of this paper is, to evaluate inter-provincial migration related to their development levels and their geographical locations in Turkey. In order to measure the interaction between interregional disparities and migration pattern, the findings of regression analysis, which are constituted by using several socio-economic indicators, will be displayed. Furthermore, it is examined the assumption that geographical locations of provinces have an effect and cause not only their levels of development, but migration trends as well. Therefore, locating in the western regions, being a coastal province and being close to the metropolitan cities are the main locational advantages for immigration. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p132&r=cwa |
| By: | M. Oguz Sinemillioglu; Nese Karacay |
| Abstract: | The aim of this study is to analyze Central Business District (CBD) of Diyarbakýr and its evolution and by which the future possibilities of CBD location(s) will be search for. The city of Diyarbakir with almost 800 thousand inhabitants, needs to be evaluated for urban services and its location of Central Business District. This evaluation is necessary because there has been a rapid urbanization and changing in urban services in last three decades. In addition, The demand of urban services by cities around Diyarbakýr is increasing and inevitably new search for better urban services CBD of Diyarbakýr is questioning. The study will try to explain this process by using questionnaires, Analyzing urban land use plans, Studying on demographic and economic data of the city. Finally, we expect to have some ideas of new location(s) CBD of Diyarbakýr. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p331&r=cwa |
| By: | Emine Ümran Topçu |
| Abstract: | There is growing interest among academics and policy makers in both Turkey and abroad to monitor social progress. As a result of this, much activity is focused on measuring quality of neighborhood life, via the development and implementation of subjective indicators. Neighborhood satisfaction would appear prima facie to be a more appropriate variable to use as a measure of the overall quality of neighborhood life. This paper undertakes a case of satisfaction on the Anatolian side of Ýstanbul.The objective of the paper is to determine how the characteristics of a neighborhood influence quality of life in a traditional locale. A second objective of this paper is how to develop and use quality of life indicators to achieve a healthier and more sustainable community. Finding out who is most satisfied with the neighborhoods should provide policy makers with information on where to target neighborhood improvements. In this paper , a regression model of an individual neighborhood satisfaction is developed by using data from a 2002 survey, neighborhood satisfaction being used as the dependent variable. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p512&r=cwa |
| By: | Sinan Zeyneloglu; Seda Kundak; Vedia Dokmeci |
| Abstract: | Since Zipf, research on rank-size distribution of settlements has generally dealt with the upper tail of the distribution. Previously Turkish rank-size distribution was examined only for the upper part by Dökmeci and others. Parr had pointed on the similarity between the log-normal distribution and the rank size distribution at the upper tail. Within this paper the whole dataset of Turkish settlements (over 36.000 units) is employed for the period 1980-2000, thus, an analysis with no threshold population is undertaken. The results reveal a lognormal distribution. Furthermore the rank-size distribution from 1927 until present is also examined using a threshold of 1.000 population. With every successive census, the convex distribution of 1927 gradually evolves into a linear distribution reaching the slope of unity at the 1990’s. For recent censuses there is a point of refraction at population size 2.000 which is the threshold population for municipal incorporation and it seems that the unnatural refraction is a sign of fraud in census caused by localities over-enumerating with the aim of municipal incorporation. Another focus is on proper delimitation of boundaries of settlements in order to eliminate the possible distortion caused by administrative boundaries irrelevant to the unity of settlements. Methods applying international standards of urban area delimitation to the Turkish context, urban-rural differentiation and proper selection of threshold figures are discussed. Also definitions of administrative units (provinces, districts) and settlement units (cities, towns, villages) are given for the Turkish legal system compared with other countries. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p330&r=cwa |
| By: | Tüzin Baycan-Levent; Aliye Ahu Gulumser |
| Abstract: | Gated housing areas have increasingly become a profitable segment in the real estate market as well as a new marketing angle for developers to meet the demand for security, status/prestige, and lifestyle. The development patterns of gated communities in many countries show that developers recognize the opportunity to sell safety and security to a niche market. Against this background, the aim of this paper is to investigate the development process of gated communities in a metropolitan city, Istanbul, from the perspective of developers. The data and information used for evaluation are based on the extensive survey questionnaires filled out by developers of gated communities. A “logistic regression method” is deployed to identify the most important factors on approaches and behaviors of developers. Therefore, the motivating factors both in the decision-making and production-marketing process of developers are evaluated. This evaluation enables us to highlight the characteristics of the real estate market. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p782&r=cwa |
| By: | Beckstead, Desmond; Brown, Mark |
| Abstract: | This paper describes per capita employment income disparities across provinces and across the urban-rural continuum, from larger to small cities and between cities and rural areas. Its first objective is to compare the degree of income disparities across provinces to income disparities across the urban-rural continuum. Its second objective is to determine the extent to which provincial disparities can be tied to the urban-rural composition of provinces. The paper also seeks to determine whether urban-rural disparities in per capita employment income stem from poorer labour market conditions in smaller cities and rural areas compared to large cities. |
| Keywords: | National accounts, Labour, Economic conditions, Salaries and wages |
| Date: | 2005–07–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:stc:stcp2e:2005012e&r=cwa |
| By: | Vyacheslav Vashanov; Jahan Orazdurdiyeva |
| Abstract: | Among the CIS countries Turkmenistan is known as one of the most closed state, information about which could hardly be found. At the same time these dates are contrary to each other. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan, a former Soviet Central Asian republic of almost 5 million people, has a lot of potential. It is rich in oil and gas. Proven gas reserves amount to at least 100 trillion cubic feet, and possibly 260 trillion, putting Turkmenistan among the world’s top 10 countries in terms of such reserves. Untapped oilfields lie off the coast in the Caspian Sea, the size of which is yet to be quantified. Being among the richest countries in the world in terms of hydrocarbon resources, Turkmenistan represents unquestionable interest for European community as an oil and gas exporter and interests at the world’s energy markets as well. The page gives some aspects of foreign economic activity based on analysis of the regional co-operation between Russian Federation and Turkmenistan. The paper puts to the center of research the following issues: a) classification of the Russia’s regions according to the level of commodity circulation; b) peculiarity of the trade links between Russia and Turkmenistan at the oil and gas, food, chemical and mechanical engineering fields; c)to determine export/import oriented regions. The purpose of the page is to investigate the present level of Russia-Turkmenistan co-operation, find out the ways to be integrated to the European’s energy markets. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p36&r=cwa |
| By: | Subrata Mandal |
| Abstract: | The paper proposes to analyze the problem of choice of land use and technology for forest regeneration with minimum adverse impacts on the ecosystem. As the nature of the problem of such choice of land use and technology would depend upon the local characteristic of the ecosystem we propose to take up a case study through developing a model of analysis at the watershed level economies in the Himalayan mountains. The issue of choice, which is involved in the analysis of the particular case study, is supposed to yield valuable analytical and policy insights, which can be generalized for rural situations with similar geomorphic, eco-regional and agro-climatic conditions. This work develops a quantitative optimization framework of analysis using the mathematical tool of linear programming for structuring and articulating the problem of choice. The modeling framework essentially focuses on optimal use of land and energy resources in two alternate exercises of net revenue maximization and cost minimization. The range of options that the model would attempt to articulate through the case study would cover the following aspects: (a) Use of land for agriculture, pasture and forestry including conversion from one use to the other. (b) Choice of technology as determined by (i) seed (ii) water (iii) fertilizer (iv) animal energy and (vi) human labour. (c) Choices in commercial and non commercial fuel use for household and agriculture in the rural system taking account of the nexus between food and energy linked with the pattern of land use. The scope of analysis also covers the implication of choice in terms of the following impact on the global and local ecosystem. (a) Emissions in the form of carbon di oxide and methane from agricultural process and fuel use. (b) Soil erosion. While the model based case study work out the total water requirement for any land use pattern it has not considered any choice of source of water use, as there was no effective choice for the case study considered. The constraint of water availability has been taken into account to show how it drives the choice of technology and land use. A dynamic analysis of the problem would have been insightful however due to paucity of time series data on certain variables dynamic analysis wouldn’t be possible, instead the attempt here is to determine an alternate combination of inputs and land use pattern in an optimization exercise for a given year under different technologies. The attempt is to identify cost effective technologies, optimal land use pattern, input combinations and prescribe policies for adopting these technologies and help in attaining the optimal land use and input combinations for various outputs such that the impact on ecosystem is minimal. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p485&r=cwa |
| By: | Amnon Frenkel; Dani Shefer; Michal Miller |
| Abstract: | The Public Technological Incubator Program (PTIP) was initiated by the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Israel in the wake of a large influx of immigrants from the former USSR, many of whom were scientists and engineers. This massive immigration of highly skilled labor bolstered the Israeli high-tech industry which in the early 1990’s blossomed in an unprecedented manner. Between 1990 and 1993, 28 incubators were established. Today there are 24 incubators that are still in operation and they can be found near metropolitan areas and in peripheral areas, as well. Since the year 2000, private technological incubators began operating in Israel. This development owes its activity to the rapidly growing private (venture) capital (VC) that traditionally did not funded such projects. This study examines the differences and similarities between these two types of technological incubators – public vs. private. It addresses the question weather there is still a need for PTIP. The study points to the unique role played by VC funds and private investment companies in sponsoring projects in the private and the public technological incubators. VC funds tend to invest more in projects within private incubators than in projects in public incubators. However, they are only of secondary in importance compare to the financial support rendered by the (CSO) to public incubators and to the owner/sponsor in the private incubators. Thus, these sources of funds serve as complementary rather than as a substitute of funding for projects. Based on our empirical analysis and our findings, the main conclusion is that private incubators cannot substitute public incubators program; even after the entrance of the private sector into the area of technological incubator activity, there is still justification for the continuation of the TPIP. Private incubators tend to concentrate in selected fields while public incubators sponsor a large variety of fields. The PTIP is found to be the only answer to advance national objectives such as the geographical distribution of economic activities and providing special incentives to some selected population groups (such as new immigrants) for whom such activities would otherwise be out of reach. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p388&r=cwa |
| By: | Michael Sonis; Maxim Shoshany; Naftali Goldschlager |
| Abstract: | The spatial redistribution of the land uses can be measured by remote sensing conventional methods in the form of the matrices of the land uses redistributions within a given set of regions in a given time period. Two new methods of analysis of such land uses redistribution matrices are proposed. The first method represent the geometric and analytical algorithm of decomposition of the land use redistribution matrix into the convex combination of the land use matrices which represents the main tendencies of land use redistributions in a given set of regions in a given time period. Thus, each empirically given land use redistribution can be presented as a superposition of the land uses redistributions connected with the optimal solutions of some extreme land use redistributions corresponding to the parsimonious behavior of land users in a given set of regions in a given time period. The second method represents the construction of the artificial land use landscape corresponding to the minimum information land use redistribution with fixed initial and final land use distributions. The comparison of the empirical land uses landscape with the artificial oner can be acheived by measurement of the entropy limitator of homogenuity of land uses redistribution. This limitator represents the spatial specifics of an actual land use redistributions connected with different parsimonious behavior of the land users themselves. As an empirical validation of these new methods the set of 10 different regions in the vicinity of Haifa Carmel area is chosen for different time intervals and the main tendencies of land use redistributions are identified together with their minimum information artificial landscapes. The new methodology and modeling approach will assist future planning in the rural-urban fringe. Optimal solutions for nature conservation and urban development conflicts can be learned through the application of these models. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p19&r=cwa |
| By: | María Consuelo Pucheta (Universitat Jaume I); Mondher Fakhfakh (University of Sfax) |
| Abstract: | This article examines the form and content of auditor¿s report published by Tunisian auditors who represent international auditing firms. It measures the compliance of these reports with elements enumerated by International standard on auditing (ISA700). To reach this objective, an empirical study has been conducted based on an analysis of 42 audit reports published in the Tunisian context. The results show that in Tunisia audit reports issued by the international auditing firms are not equally compliant with five of the twenty-six elements enumerated by International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). This difference of conformity to ISA700 can be explained by characteristics of the Tunisian environment (inefficient stock market and a weak number of large holding corporations, among others), which may induce auditors to disregard some elements followed by the same ISA. |
| Keywords: | compliance, form of auditor’s report, content of auditor’s report, auditing in Tunisia |
| JEL: | M00 M40 M49 |
| Date: | 2005–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2005-19&r=cwa |
| By: | Christophe Muller (Universidad de Alicante); Christophe Nordman (DIAL, París) |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we study the return to human capital variables for wages of workers observed in Tunisian matched worker-firm data in 1999. This reveals us how returns to human capital in a Less Developed Country like Tunisia may differ from the industrial countries usually studied with matched data. We develop a new method based on multivariate analysis of firm characteristics, which allows us most of the benefits obtained by introducing firm dummies in wage equations for studying the effect of education. It also provides a human capital interpretation of the effect of these dummy variables. Moreover, in the studied data, using three firm characteristics easily collectable yields results close to those obtained by using the matched structure of the data. The workers with low wages or low conditional wages experience greater returns to human capital than workers belonging to the middle of the wage distribution, while their return to schooling is significantly lower than that of high wage workers. The estimates support the hypothesis that human capital is associated with positive intra-firm externality on wages. Therefore, a given worker would be more productive and better paid in an environment strongly endowed in human capital. However, the low wage workers do not take advantage of the human capital in the firm. Conversely, the low wage workers benefit from working in the textile sector in terms of wages unlike the middle and high wage workers. Finally, the low wage workers and high wage workers benefit from an innovative environment, while the middle wage workers do not. |
| Keywords: | Wage, returns to human capital, matched worker-firm data, quantile regressions, factor analysis, Tunisia |
| JEL: | J24 J31 O12 |
| Date: | 2005–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2005-30&r=cwa |
| By: | Christophe Muller (Universidad de Alicante); Christophe Nordman (DIAL, París) |
| Abstract: | We study the relationship of wages and education and training practices in Morocco in a context of trade and liberalisation reforms in a matched worker-firm data of eight exporting firms in two industrial sectors: Metallurgical-Electrical industries and Textile-Clothing. We find that the specific characteristics of the surveyed firms little affect worker wages. Moreover, the textile sector does not appear to be a significant channel for promoting skills in the economy. The minimal wage legislation is found to exert a positive pressure on wages. Also, some evidence of gender wage gap exists in the data. In these data, the effects of education and experience on wages are quite limited below the third quantile of wages, as well as the role of apprenticeship. In contrast, On-the-Job Training (OJT) much contributes to labour productivity as measured by wage levels. Most of the OJT is concentrated in the Metallurgical-Electrical industries. Education is positively correlated to OJT. Moreover, estimates of explanatory relationships of task organisation (chain gangs, teams, supervision and executive workers) show the powerful sector and educational determinations of job organisation in the firms. Then, our results suggest that the impact of worker education may take indirect routes and not only appear through education coefficients in wage regressions. |
| Keywords: | wage, returns to human capital, matched worker-firm data, quantile regressions, Tunisia |
| Date: | 2005–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2005-14&r=cwa |
| By: | Maria Nijnik; Arie Oskam; A. Nijnik |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the establishment of forest plantations on bare lands and marginal agricultural lands: a multifunctional afforestation programme for Ukraine is elaborated. The multiple forest functions are limited in this research to wood production and erosion prevention. Ukraine is faced with erosion on 35% of its arable lands. Some 20 million ha of lands are experiencing various stages of erosion, and it is increasing with time. Erosion is especially harmful in the Carpathian Mountains where it causes windthrows and floods, and in the Steppe zone where it results in blowing up sands. Along with exploration of the expanded timber supply from the newly created forest plantations, soil protection forest functions therefore are examined. The proposition that forest cover affects the rates of soil erosion is tested empirically by means of regression analysis. The results of the estimations show a statistically significant negative relationship between soil erosion and forest cover in Ukraine and across the forestry zones. Using the results of the analysis, indicative estimates of the soil protection role of the forests are computed. Further discussion focuses on the proposed expansion of forest cover and on the potential positive effects for agriculture due to erosion prevention. Calculations have been made at different levels of detail. By using a simulation technique and cost-benefit analysis, in combination with LP modelling, it is revealed that for the discount rate of 4%, planting trees on bare lands, except in the Polissja and the Crimea, is an economically efficient means to address wood production and erosion prevention. Results are highly dependent on the relevant discount rate. For marginal agricultural lands mixed results are obtained. Moreover, there is a difference between estimated benefits for agriculture and benefits for the planter of the trees. It seems therefore necessary that e.g. the government balances costs and benefits to provide incentives for the planter of the trees. Finally, the research comes up with some practical suggestions for forest management decisions. |
| Date: | 2005–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa05p746&r=cwa |