We argue that the workings of world metal markets can be characterised by three facts: Fact One: Global determinants of prices do not dominate market-specific ones. Fact Two (in its simplest form): The relative price of a metal is inversely proportional to its relative volume of production. If,...

Long-term projections of global food demand are heavily dependent on which functional form of the food demand equation is used. Given that real incomes can change substantially over the long-term, key elements are the dependence of the income elasticity on income, which ensures that the food...

Food occupies a role of particular importance in the consumer’s budget, especially in poor countries. This paper deals with special issues arising from modelling food consumption patterns in 138 countries, where per capita incomes differ by as much as a factor of 100. We explore various forms...

One measure of the change in the “quality” of consumption is the degree to which the consumption basket as a whole moves towards more luxurious goods, away from necessities. We introduce two related measures based on the luxury/necessity distinction. One is an index of the extent to which...

The dispersion of the distribution of relative prices in poor countries is substantially higher than that in the rich. As in 130+ countries relative prices are closely related to incomes, we develop a model that shows that the prices of luxuries (necessities) rise (fall) with income growth. This...

We investigate the quality of public and private information environments between Western European or Eastern European firms. We find that the quality of private information is higher for Eastern European than for Western European firms and the quality of public information is higher for Western...

One measure of the change in the “quality” of consumption is the degree to which the consumption basket as a whole moves towards more luxurious goods, away from necessities. We introduce two related measures based on the luxury/necessity distinction. One is an index of the extent to which...

At any given instance there are many indicators of the state of the economy or the state of a sector and frequently the signals are mixed – some may point to an expansion, others to a contraction, for example. We consider how best to combine this conflicting information into an overall index...

Half a century ago, Barten (1964) and Theil (1965) formulated what is now known as the Rotterdam model. A path-breaking innovation, this system of demand equations allowed for the first time rigorous testing of the theory of the utility-maximising consumer. This has led to a vibrant, on-going...

Summary This article provides new knowledge on how women manage small companies in the context of the Finnish ICT sector. Adopting a social constructionist perspective on management and gender, and drawing on ethnographic research methodology, the article examines how women owner-managers of...