This paper employs a maximizing framework, consistent with the axioms of consumer preference, to analyze local government's choice of spending on different social services. Within this framework, it is possible to include both block-funding and cost-sharing intergovernment transfer schemes....

The authors investigate a consumer's decision of whether or not to join a bookclub, and once his/her contractual obligations are fulfilled, whether to remain as a member, cancel his/her membership outrights or cancel his/her membership and subsequently rejoin the bookclub. Since the consumer's...

This paper uses constituency-level political campaign expenditures to analyze the impact of competition on advertising. A theoretical model, based on expected utility maximization, predicts an uncertain impact of increased competition on campaign spending. The direction of this impact is tested...