Economic theory is replete with causal hypotheses that are scarcely tested because economists are generally constrained to work with observational data. This article describes the use of causal inference methods for testing a hypothesis that one random variable causes another. Contingent on a...

Many conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), use indices to select offers. When modeling how changes in the index weights effect program outcomes, one must account for the attributes of available land, and which landowners chose to participate. This paper...

Replaced with revised version of paper 07/21/06.

This essay develops a new method to diagnose inconsistency in dichotomous choice contingent valuation with follow-up questions: in particular, downward bias in the mean WTP. It is shown that the previous methods aimed to explain this inconsistency in responses have ignored statistical...

Given the current situation with the high price of oil (an average of $53 per barrel in 2005) and the risk of global warming, the European Union (EU) is reinforcing its objectives related to the production of biofuels: they should account for 5.75% of the overall fuel consumption by 2010 in...

In a model with two basic innovations that are fundamental to the development of an application, we investigate whether a patent pool can rectify the lack of incentives for developers to invest in applications when basic innovators themselves cannot develop follow-up applications. Furthermore,...

Organic production, while still a niche market in U.S. agriculture, is growing at a rapid rate. This paper argues that organic producers, particularly those seeking certification to sell at the retail level, share many characteristics with conventional producers who opt for contracting over...

Land-use change is arguably the most pervasive socioeconomic force driving the change and degradation of watershed ecosystems. This paper combines an econometric model of land use choice with three models of watershed health indicators (conventional water pollution, toxic water pollution, and...