nep-ppm New Economics Papers
on Project, Program and Portfolio Management
Issue of 2018‒11‒05
five papers chosen by
Arvi Kuura
Tartu Ülikool

  1. Disentangling link formation and dissolution in spatial networks: An application of a two-mode STERGM to a project-based R&D network in the German Biotechnology industry By Tom Broekel; Marcel Bednarz
  2. The Political Economy of Transportation Investment By Edward L. Glaeser; Giacomo A.M. Ponzetto
  3. Public-private partnerships for the provision of public goods: theory and an application to NGOs By Besley, Timothy; Ghatak, Maitreesh
  4. Cost Effective Analysis of Interventions in Nigeria to Provide Access to Potable Water, Sanitation Services and to Promote Exclusive Breast Feeding Practices By Glenn P. Jenkins; Mikhail Miklyaev; Gift Khozapi; Elly Preotle
  5. Cost Benefit Analysis of Agricultural Interventions to Enhance the Production of Cowpea, Groundnuts, Maize and Soybeans Value Chains in Nigeria By Glenn P.Jenkins; Mikhail Miklyaev; Primrose V. Basikiti; Elly Preotle

  1. By: Tom Broekel; Marcel Bednarz
    Abstract: The analysis of spatial networks' evolution has predominantly concentrated on the formation process of links. However, the evolution of networks is similarly shaped by the dissolution of links, which has thus far received considerably less attention. The paper presents separable temporal exponential random graph models (STERGMs) as a promising method in this context, which allows for the disentangling of both processes. Moreover, the applicability of the method to two-mode network data is demonstrated. We illustrate the use of these models for the R&D collaboration network of the German biotechnology industry as well as for testing for the relevance of different forms of proximities for its evolution. The results reveal proximities varying in their relative importance for link formation and link dissolution.
    Keywords: STERGM, inter-organizational network structure, bipartite, proximity, dissolution, R&D subsidies
    JEL: R11 O31 O38 D83 D85
    Date: 2018–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:egu:wpaper:1837&r=ppm
  2. By: Edward L. Glaeser; Giacomo A.M. Ponzetto
    Abstract: Will politics lead to over-building or under-building of transportation projects? In this paper, we develop a model of infrastructure policy in which politicians overdo things that have hidden costs and underperform tasks whose costs voters readily perceive. Consequently, national funding of transportation leads to overspending, since voters more readily perceive the upside of new projects than the future taxes that will be paid for distant highways. Yet when local voters are well-informed, the highly salient nuisances of local construction, including land taking and noise, lead to under-building.This framework explains the decline of urban mega-projects in the US (Altshuler and Luberoff 2003) as the result of increasingly educated and organized urban voters. Our framework also predicts more per capita transportation spending in low-density and less educated areas, which seems to be empirically correct.
    Keywords: infrastructure, political economy, transportation investment, nuisance mitigation, elections, imperfect information
    JEL: D72 D82 H54 H76 R42 R53
    Date: 2017–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:1058&r=ppm
  3. By: Besley, Timothy; Ghatak, Maitreesh
    Abstract: When will a public good or service be provided by the government, when will it be provided by a NGO, and when will we see a private-public partnership? This paper provides a model where a typical public good requires different inputs which raises the possibility of partnerships to exploit comparative advantages of different parties. But hold-up problems due to contractual incompleteness in specifying tasks discourage separation of ownership and management. The fact that public goods have the property of non-rivalry and non-excludability and that NGOs tend to be non-profits drives our key results. We apply the framework to NGOs in developing countries which, in the last few decades, have been increasingly involved in various capacities in the provision of a wide range of public goods and services.
    Keywords: public goods; NGOs; incomplete contracting; public-private partnerships
    JEL: D23 H40 L30 O12
    Date: 2017–06
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:75216&r=ppm
  4. By: Glenn P. Jenkins (Department of Economics, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada and Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus); Mikhail Miklyaev (JDINT’L Executive Programs Department of Economics, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and Senior Associate/ Economist Cambridge Resources International Inc.); Gift Khozapi (Senior Analyst Cambridge Resources International Inc.); Elly Preotle (LEAP-II Chief of Party/Contract Manager International Development Group LLC)
    Abstract: The objective of the program being analyzed is to promote optimal nutrition of infants, provide water and sanitation access, and improve hygiene practices. This cost effectiveness analysis undertaken here, demonstrates that there is a substantial financial and economic gain from investing in integrated interventions that improve water and sanitation services as well as promote child health and nutrition through exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months. The expected incremental health benefits far outweigh the incremental costs of investing in these interventions. The impact of this project has been substantial as demonstrated by the result of the cost effectiveness analysis. Acknowledgements This analysis was completed through the financial support of USAID’ through their “Learning, Evaluation, and Analysis Project (LEAP II). And its contract with the International Development Group. Contract Number: AID-OAA-I-12-00042/AID-OAA-TO-14-00046. The assistance of Muhammad Bello, Abdoul Murekezi, and Marzhan Tazhenov during the completion of this report is greatly appreciated. Disclaimer The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. bank which is likely to gather the NPLs of the banks but rather a reconstruction and development financing institution which can provide solutions and spin back into the economy economically viable projects.
    Keywords: : Nigeria, cost effectiveness analysis, potable water, sanitation services, exclusive breast feeding.
    JEL: D6 D D62 D I38 I32
    Date: 2018–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:qed:dpaper:400&r=ppm
  5. By: Glenn P.Jenkins (Department of Economics, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada and Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus); Mikhail Miklyaev (JDINT’L Executive Programs Department of Economics, Queen’s University, Canada and Cambridge Resources International Inc.); Primrose V. Basikiti (Cambridge Resources International Inc.); Elly Preotle (International Development Group LLC)
    Abstract: This report presents the results of the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of a series of agriculture production and productivity enhancing interventions in Nigeria. More than 20,000 impoverished farmers have received assistance under this program. A CBA was undertaken to assess the financial and economic benefits of adopting best agricultural practices by these farmers in growing crops. While these interventions do improve the households’ incomes across all VCs, the assistance alone will not allow the households to move above the poverty line threshold. Households need to rely on other economic activities, including livestock husbandry, or non-farm employment to graduate from extreme poverty. Acknowledgements This analysis was completed through the financial support of USAID’ through their “Learning, Evaluation, and Analysis Project (LEAP II). And its contract with the International Development Group. Contract Number: AID-OAA-I-12-00042/AID-OAA-TO-14-00046. The assistance of Abdoul Murekezi, during the completion of this report is greatly appreciated.
    Keywords: cost-benefit analysis, Nigeria, USAID, households.
    JEL: D D62 Q12 Q13
    Date: 2018–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:qed:dpaper:402&r=ppm

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