https://www.econ.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:ffffffff-9758-127f-0000-00004797af07/iewwp106.pdf

Third Party Punishment and Social Norms

Does individual well-being depend on the absolute level of income and consumption or is it relative to one’s aspirations? In a direct empirical test, it is found that higher income aspirations reduce people’s utility, ceteris paribus. Individual data on reported satisfaction with life are used as a proxy measure for utility, and income evaluation measures are applied as proxies for people’s aspiration levels. Consistent with processes of adaptation and social comparison, income aspirations increase with people’s income as well as with the average income in the community they live in.

/pdf/the-role-of-income-aspirations-in-individual-happiness-2h3p8dcabp.pdf

The role of income aspirations in individual happiness

One can be independent, or subject to decisions made by others. This paper empirically tests whether individuals attach an intrinsic value to the institutional difference between independence and hierarchy. Taking self-employment as an important case of independence, it is shown that the self-employed derive more utility from their work than people employed by an organization, irrespective of income gained or hours worked. This is evidence for procedural utility: people do not only value outcomes, but also the conditions and processes leading to these outcomes.

Being Independent is a Great Thing: Subjective Evaluations of Self-Employment and Hierarchy

One can be independent, or one can be subject to decisions made by others. This paper argues that this difference, embodied in the institutional distinction between the decision-making procedures ‘market’ and ‘hierarchy’, affects individual wellbeing beyond outcomes. Taking self-employment as an important case of independence, it is shown that the self-employed derive higher satisfaction from work than those employed in organizations, irrespective of income gained or hours worked. This is evidence for procedural utility: people value not only outcomes, but also the processes leading to outcomes.

/pdf/being-independent-is-a-great-thing-subjective-evaluations-of-3v6tqvhd5p.pdf

Being independent is a great thing

The periodical re-auction of a water monopoly concession causes the danger of underinvestment. If the life-time of specific assets such as water pipes exceeds the contract length and transferring the ownership of assets is difficult, the incumbent franchisee faces a hold-up problem. Using a simple auction model that considers the specifics of the piped water sector this paper shows that investment incentives may vary depending on the applied auction scheme. The model is designed as a two stage game, where the franchisee decides about investment on the first and competes with a potential market entrant on the second stage. Investment tends to be higher in sealed bid auctions than in an English auction, since the incumbent benefits from an information advantage. Additionally investment may vary in a first- and a second-price sealed bid auction depending on several factors such as costs or effectiveness of investment. The analysis is extended by a vertical separation.

/pdf/franchise-bidding-in-the-water-industry-auction-schemes-and-su4he5ifb6.pdf

Franchise Bidding in the Water Industry- Auction Schemes and Investment Incentives

Radical Tectonics is a multi-scalar approach to improving the short- and long-term outcomes of sustainable design and circular economies. Community empowerment, building reuse, and material regeneration are three fundamental principles of a radical tectonics which operates simultaneously at the macro, meso, and micro scale. Three tactics define our integrated approach to radical tectonics: building material choices and labor practices which favor the health, safety, and prosperity of communities; urban design policies which favor the re-habilitation, re-use, re-programming and re-mining of existing structures; building construction innovations that channel the adoption of traditional, craft-based, local, low-energy, and regenerative materials. Not only does each scale introduce an original interpretation of tectonics (as a form of built justice, a practice of urban re-mining, and regenerating matter) but their integration speaks to the question of ‘radicality’ which at its simplest form references change or action with essential, fundamental, and all-encompassing outcomes. In this sense, this collaboratively written paper introduces a methodological approach whose multi-scaler insistence on circularity is essential to its role as transformative agent. 

/pdf/radical-tectonics-a-multi-scalar-approach-to-material-1uvs92vq.pdf

Radical Tectonics – a multi-scalar approach to material circularity through community empowerment, building re-use, and material regeneration

Kosteneinsparungen einerseits und die Erlangung von Marktmacht andererseits sind die beiden zentralen Motive fur Unternehmenszusammenschlusse und -separationen. In der Praxis durften sowohl die Existenz als auch das Ausmas der beiden Effekte nur sehr schwer festzustellen sein. Bei genauerem Hinsehen zeigt sich namlich, dass Kosten- und Marktvorteile durch eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Determinanten begrundet werden. Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass diese Determinanten vielfach gegenlaufige Effekte auslosen und aus diesem Grunde nicht vollig getrennt voneinander betrachtet werden konnen. Der Folgende Beitrag analysiert die Festlegung optimaler Unternehmensgrenzen unter Zuhilfenahme von Instrumenten aus der Industrieokonomik.

Vertikale und Horizontale Unternehmenszusammenschlüsse- Ökonomische Grundlagen der Entscheidung über die Unternehmensgrenzen

Since the middle ages celibacy is a necessary commitment when considering becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. In the ongoing discussions about reforms, a wide range of church members ask for the abolishment of celibacy in order to meet believers? changed social and moral standards and to increase the quality and the quantity of priests. However, this paper shows that from a rational point of view, there are good reasons for the Catholic Church to keep or even to increase the role of celibacy for its priests. Using celibacy as a resource selection device, it allows the church to signal credibly its religious orientation to believers. Based on a game theoretic model this paper analyses the optimal use of celibacy in the market for religious services. Additionally we discuss the relevant impacts of higher income levels, higher opportunity costs, increasing aging or changed moral standards related to homosexuality.

/pdf/strategic-choice-of-celibacy-in-the-catholic-church-17ckfg9zi3.pdf

Strategic Choice of Celibacy in the Catholic Church

Since franchise bidding in the piped water industry is problematic due to extensive investment requirements, product-market competition or common carriage is a valuable alternative for the introduction of competition. This paper analyses product-market competition by considering a simple model of interconnection where competition is introduced between vertically integrated neighbouring water suppliers. The model contains water markets specificities such as local and decentralised networks and related difficulties of regulating access charges. Even without any regulation, we show that: (i) an inefficient incumbent will give up its monopoly position and lower the access price far enough so that the low-cost competitor can enter his home market; (ii) efficiency of production will rise due to liberalisation; and (iii) in contrary to prejudicial claims, investment incentives are not destroyed by the introduction of competition for the market. Investments of low-cost firms may even increase.

https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/52015/1/iewwp115.pdf

Product-Market Competition in the Water Industry: Voluntary Non-discriminatory Pricing

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