Firms within a state, states within a country, and countries across the world are continuously striving to enhance their competitiveness in the present age of globalization. This paper defines competitiveness of a production unit as the relative cost of production per unit of output. Basic...

In this study, we attempt to identify the channels through which economic reforms enhanced the productivity growth in total manufacturing sector in India. Because one possible channel is better utilization of plant capacity, we estimate capacity utilization rate in Indian manufacturing....

Courts require royalty rate calculations based on rigorous economic foundations. The licensing literature provides limited guidance for royalty rate determination, leaving appraisal report readers wanting a more tangible and objective lens through which to understand and judge the credibility of...

The recent increase in the number of criminally accused politicians elected to state assemblies has caused much furor in India. Despite the potentially important consequences and the widely divergent views, the implications of their elections to state legislative assemblies on constituency-level...

We examine the housing market, residential mobility, and academic performance changes that occur soon after a school fails to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) (for the second time) in the Charlotte, NC school district. Charlotte is a school district with substantial opportunities for...

Cigarette taxation has long been a policy tool used to incentivize healthier behavior. Pregnant women are a group of particular interest in this context due to their unique position to pass health capital down to the next generation. This paper reviews the literature on the tax and price...

Evidence suggests that excise taxes on tobacco improve fetal health. It remains unknown if smoke exposure causes lasting harm to children. I find that a one dollar increase in the state cigarette excise tax causes a 10% decrease in sick days from school, and a 4.5% decrease in the likelihood of...

This paper incorporates the reality that the bulk of law enforcement is decentralized while sanctions are chosen centrally, and explores the implications for the socially optimal sanction level. The presence of interregional externalities in the form of crime diversion induces socially excessive...

In most countries the government is empowered by the Constitution to acquire privately owned land for public use on payment of fair compensation for the land acquired. For infrastructure projects like a highway or a dam, the land acquired remains under public ownership. In many cases, however,...

Generally-accepted appraisal practice assumes the Hypothetical Buyer is not well-diversified because the typical real-world buyer does not possess sufficient wealth to own a well-diversified portfolio with assets each in similar value to the subject closely-held interest under appraisal (e.g.,...