nep-ppm New Economics Papers
on Project, Program and Portfolio Management
Issue of 2015‒11‒07
five papers chosen by
Arvi Kuura
Tartu Ülikool

  1. Generically distributed investments on flexible projects and endogenous growth. By Mauro Bambi; Cristina Di Girolami; Salvatore Federico; Fausto Gozzi
  2. Do development projects link smallholdrs to markets? By Ebata, Ayako; Huttel, Silke
  3. The determinants of the public R&D cofinancing rate An empirical assessment on agricultural research By Esposti, Roberto; Materia, Valentina
  4. Innovative finance for development - Instruments of social integration and responsibility in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) By Tamas Novak
  5. Smart guide on regional transport innovation strategy: Transport innovation roadmaps By Ana Condeco-Melhorado; Aris Christodoulou; Panayotis Christidis

  1. By: Mauro Bambi (University of York, Department of Economics and Related Studies, York, UK); Cristina Di Girolami (Università di Pescara, Dipartimento di Economia Aziendale, Pescara, Italy; Département de Mathèmatiques, Avenue Olivier Messiaen 72085 Le Mans Cedex 9, France); Salvatore Federico (Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Italy); Fausto Gozzi (Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche ed Aziendali, Università LUISS - Guido Carli, Rome, Italy)
    Abstract: In this paper we study an endogenous growth model where investments are (generically) distributed over multi-period flexible projects leading to new capital once completed. Recently developed techniques in dynamic programming are adapted and used to unveil the global dynamics of this model. Based on this analytical ground, several numerical exercises are performed to show the quantitative relevance of the analytical findings with an emphasis on the relation between project features and economic growth and speed of convergence toward the balanced growth path.
    Keywords: Endogenous growth, investment projects, distributed delays, optimal control, dynamic programming, infinite dimensional problems.
    JEL: E22 E32 O40
    Date: 2015–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:flo:wpaper:2015-04&r=ppm
  2. By: Ebata, Ayako; Huttel, Silke
    Abstract: The objective of this paper is to understand the mechanisms by which development projects facilitate market linkage of smallholder farmers based on panel data from Nicaragua. We find that activities related to entrepreneurial practices have positive and statistically significant effect on commercialization. We also find that increased commercialization is positively correlated with total bean sales income, suggesting a positive indirect effect of the activities. Other activities demonstrate no positive and robust effect on commercialization while direct positive effects on sales income can be observed. This implies that market linkage of smallholder farmers require different sets of intervention tools than traditional farm technical assistance.
    Keywords: Central America, NGO project, Market linkage, International Relations/Trade, Marketing, O13, Q17, Q18,
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae15:211583&r=ppm
  3. By: Esposti, Roberto; Materia, Valentina
    Abstract: This paper empirically analyses how a public institution chooses the cofinancing rate in funding competitive agricultural R&D research projects. The public funding institution observes some objective features of the selected research projects and of the proponents. The paper puts forward some testable hypotheses about how the funding institution uses this available information to decide the cofinancing rate. An empirical model is then specified and estimated to test these hypotheses. The empirical application refers to the real case of the agricultural R&D program funded by an Italian region (Emilia-Romagna) over years 2001-2006. Results suggest that the cofinancing rate actually responds to the observed features but this response is not always consistent with the formulated hypotheses.
    Keywords: Public R&D Funding, Agricultural R&D, Censored-Normal Regression., Agribusiness, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,
    Date: 2015
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iaae15:211624&r=ppm
  4. By: Tamas Novak (Institute of World Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences)
    Abstract: Existing proposals for transforming the system of development assistance and especially in relation to middle income countries are manifold. The idea of cutting assistance to middle income countries gained ground parallel with the questioning of the rationale to use only per capita income as an eligibility criterion for assistance. LMICs3 have much in common with LDCs but the operation and structure of their domestic economy and politics may be significantly different. My proposal is not to disregard middle income countries as potential targets of development assistance as a whole; rather my study argues that focus should be placed on lower-middle-income economies. The LMIC strategy would be different from the one that targets the least developed countries. I tend to coin this policy with the term of “convergence assistance” – an innovative allocation and spending mechanism. Convergence means the reduction of internal disparities and the elimination of the dual structure of these economies. Against this backdrop successful adaptation of development banking models of developing andadvanced economies can support the establishment of an economic incentive system based on efficiency requirements coupled with concentration, expertise, the knowledge of the local market and people. By incorporating the best practices of microfinance institutions from the developing world and those of the institutions with the objective of economic inclusion in advanced countries, a development bank may be a good choice in LMICs. This institution ideallymay function as a window for all development or convergence financing independently from their origin and nature. The proposal is not meant to prefer LMICs to LDCs but a pilot project is more likely to be feasible in their case.
    Keywords: development assistance, innovative finance, middle income countries, development institutions
    JEL: F35 G23 P41
    Date: 2015–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iwe:workpr:212&r=ppm
  5. By: Ana Condeco-Melhorado (European Commission – JRC - IPTS); Aris Christodoulou (European Commission – JRC - IPTS); Panayotis Christidis (European Commission – JRC - IPTS)
    Abstract: This guide provides regions with information and guidelines useful for the development of smart specialisation strategies (RIS3) in transport. The guide follows the six steps for Smart Specialization with a special focus in transport. The six steps include the analysis of the regional context and potential for innovation, the discussion of governance structure, the development of a shared vision about the future of the region, approaches for the selection of transport related priorities for regional development, policy mixes and options for the integration of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The recommended process consists of a bottom-up analysis of regional capabilities of the industry and scientific community that needs to be aligned with national and European objectives. At the European level, the Strategic Transport Technological Plan (STTP) identifies ten innovation areas that will be extremely important for the future competitiveness of the transport sector. The guide also analyses different innovation area in the context of RIS3 methodology, showing specific examples and roadmaps on how these could be implemented in the regional innovation strategies. Finally tools are offered to analyse the innovation potential, performance and priorities in the transport sector, such as data and indicators regarding regional transport innovation, as well as methodologies to analyse innovation capabilities of European regions.
    Keywords: transport, industry, competitiveness, research
    JEL: L90 L99 R23 R40 R49
    Date: 2015–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc96777&r=ppm

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