1,721,194 research outputs found
Risk Perception, Learning, and Willingness to Pay to Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Full text linkThe paper investigates the validity of individual perceptions of heart disease risks, and examines how information and risk perceptions affect marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) to reduce risk, using data from a stated preference survey. Results indicate that risk perceptions held before receiving risk information are plausibly related to objective risk factors and reflect individual- specific information not found in aggregate measures of objective risk. After receiving informa- tion, individuals’ updates of prior risk assessments are broadly consistent with Bayesian learning. Perceived heart disease risks thus satisfy construct validity and provide a valid basis for inferring MWTP to reduce risk. Consistent estimators of the relationship of MWTP to endogenously perceived risk are developed. Estimating MWTP based on objective rather than subjective risks causes misleading inferences about benefits of risk reduction. An empirical case study shows that estimated benefits may be as much as 60–98 % higher when estimated using individuals’ heterogeneous perceptions of risk than when using aggregate estimates of objective risk. The main contributions include assessing the validity of risk perceptions and their updating, consistently estimating the relationship between MWTP and endogenously perceived risk, and demonstrating the importance of employing risk perception information for accurate benefit measurement
Baseline Risk and Marginal Willingness to Pay for Health Risk Reduction
No full textEmpirical results presented in this paper suggest that parents’ marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for a reduction in morbidity risk from heart disease is inversely related to baseline risk (i.e., the amount of risk initially faced) both for themselves and for their children. For instance, a 40% reduction from the mean of baseline risk results in an increase in MWTP by 70% or more. Thus, estimates of monetary benefits of public programs to reduce heart disease risk would be understated if the standard practice is followed of evaluating MWTP at initial risk levels and then multiplying this value by the number of cases avoided. Estimates are supported by: (1) unique quantitative information on perceptions of the risk of getting heart disease that allow baseline risk to be defined at an individual level and (2) improved econometric procedures to control for well-known difficulties associated with stated preference data
Homeowners' Risk Perceptions and Preferences for Property-Level Flood Protection
Full text linkEvidence suggests that property-level risk reduction against natural hazards is worthwhile, however households often don’t make these investments. The overall objective of this thesis was to understand the decision-making process concerning household investment in property-level flood protection (PLFP) measures, analyze whether specific PLFP devices were beneficial from a household perspective, and learn which factors were most salient to household choice. Data were collected through a survey of Edmonton homeowners in four mature neighbourhoods. The principal method used was stated preference to elicit the homeowners’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for two PLFP devices: backwater valves and sump pump systems. In addition to preferences, the survey collected information on several factors that were deemed likely to influence choice regarding investment in flood protection, including households’ risk perceptions and previous flood experience. We evaluated these data using econometric analysis. A household-level cost benefit analysis was also conducted to see whether these devices were economically efficient from the homeowner’s perspective. Key findings show that the average market cost to purchase and install these devices, as stated by local plumbers, was higher than the average WTP of households in our sample. Through the econometric analysis we found that WTP was influenced by household size, age, monetary incentives, and risk perceptions. Through the cost-benefit analysis we found that the average household would have a net benefit from having PLFP devices based on their risk perception for experiencing a flood event and their expected losses, however, they were still unlikely to invest. The results of this thesis add to the empirical literature on property-level climate adaptation and resilience, the effectiveness of incentives for private goods with positive externalities, and the economic efficiency of property-level risk reduction
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Kotitalouksien preferenssit energiahyödykkeisiin ja -palveluihin : Valintakoesovellus
No full textAbstractThis thesis includes three studies on household preferences for energy goods and services. The first study examines determinants of households’ heating system choices using a choice experiment. The choice sets include six main heating alternatives (district heating, ground heat pump, exhaust air heat pump, solid wood boiler, wood pellet boiler, and electric storage heating) that are described by five attributes (supplementary heating systems, investment costs, operating costs, comfort of use and environmental friendliness). The results imply that hybrid heating appears to be accepted among households. The results also reveal differing preferences for the main heating alternatives and show that they are affected by demographic characteristics. The studied attributes also play a significant role when heating systems are being chosen.The second study is a methodological one that extends the analysis of the first study. The second study explores the effect of perceived choice complexity on the randomness of choices in choice experiments. The study investigates how different self-evaluated factors of choice complexity affect mean scale and scale variance. The findings suggest that perceived choice complexity has a systematic impact on the parameters of econometric models of choice. However, differences exist between alternative self-evaluated complexity-related covariates. The results indicate that individuals who report that answering the choice tasks is more difficult have less deterministic choices. Perceptions of the realism of home heating choice options also affect scale and scale variance.The third study utilizes the choice experiment to analyze households’ willingness to participate in demand side flexibility. The study examines whether individuals are willing to time their electricity usage and heating; whether they are interested in dynamic pricing contracts such as real-time pricing, two-rate tariffs, or power-based tariffs; and how emissions reductions affect their choices. The results indicate that households’ sensitivity to restrictions in electricity usage is much stronger than their sensitivity to restrictions in heating. Households also require compensation to choose real-time pricing over fixed fees. The findings suggest that room may exist for new dynamic electricity distribution contracts, such as power-based tariffs, in the market. Other value-creating elements besides monetary compensation also exist that could incentivize households to offer demand side flexibility because households value power system level reductions in CO2 emissions.Original papersOriginal papers are not included in the electronic version of the dissertation.Ruokamo, E. (2016). Household preferences of hybrid home heating systems – A choice experiment application. Energy Policy, 95, 224-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.04.017Ruokamo, E., Czajkowski, M., Hanley, N., Juutinen, A., & Svento, R. (2019). Linking perceived choice complexity with scale heterogeneity in discrete choice experiments: home heating in Finland. Manuscript in preparation.Ruokamo, E., Kopsakangas-Savolainen, M., Meriläinen, T., & Svento, R. (2019). Towards flexible energy demand – Household preferences for dynamic contracts, services and emissions reductions. Manuscript in preparation. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3263517TiivistelmäTämä väitöskirja koostuu kolmesta tutkimuksesta, joissa tarkastellaan kotitalouksien preferenssejä energiahyödykkeitä ja -palveluita kohtaan. Ensimmäinen tutkimus keskittyy kotitalouksien lämmitysjärjestelmävalintoihin ja niitä määrittäviin tekijöihin. Tämä tutkimus on tehty valintakoemenetelmällä, jonka valintatilanteet sisältävät kuusi eri päälämmitysjärjestelmävaihtoehtoa (kaukolämpö, maalämpöpumppu, puulämmitys, pellettilämmitys, varaava sähkölämmitys ja poistoilmalämpöpumppu). Päälämmitysjärjestelmiä kuvataan viiden ominaisuuden avulla, jotka ovat tukilämmitysjärjestelmä, investointikustannukset, käyttökustannukset, käyttömukavuus ja ympäristöystävällisyys. Tulosten mukaan kotitalouksien preferenssit päälämmitysjärjestelmävaihtoehtoja kohtaan ovat vaihtelevia. Valintaan vaikuttavat sekä tarkastellut ominaisuudet että kotitalouden demografiset tekijät. Tulokset myös paljastavat, että kotitaloudet suhtautuvat myönteisesti hybridilämmitykseen.Toinen tutkimus on menetelmällinen, missä hyödynnetään ensimmäisen tutkimuksen aineistoa. Tämä tutkimus keskittyy yksilöiden kokeman vastaamisen vaikeuden vaikutuksiin valintakoemenetelmässä. Vastaamisen epätarkkuus tunnistetaan valintakoemenetelmässä skaalan ja skaalavarianssin avulla. Tutkimus tarkastelee, kuinka itsearvioidut vastaamisen vaikeutta mittaavat tekijät vaikuttavat keskimääräiseen skaalaan ja skaalavarianssiin valintojen ekonometrisissa malleissa. Tulosten mukaan koettu vastaamisen vaikeus vaikuttaa systemaattisesti ekonometrisen valintamallin parametreihin. Vastaamisen vaikeutta mittaavien tekijöiden välillä on kuitenkin eroja. Tuloksien perusteella vastaajat, jotka kokevat valintatilanteisiin vastaamisen keskimääräistä vaikeampana, tekevät satunnaisempia valintoja. Myös valintatilanteiden koettu realistisuus vaikuttaa skaalaan ja skaalavarianssiin.Kolmannessa tutkimuksessa arvioidaan kotitalouksien halukkuutta osallistua energian kysyntäjoustoon valintakoemenetelmällä. Tämä tutkimus selvittää ovatko kotitaloudet halukkaitta siirtämään sähkönkulutusta ja lämmitystä, ja kuinka kiinnostuneita he ovat dynaamisista sähkön hinnoittelusopimuksista kuten pörssisähkösopimuksesta, yösähkösopimuksesta tai tehoperusteisesta sopimuksesta. Lisäksi tutkitaan vaikuttavatko järjestelmätason päästövähennykset kotitalouksien valintoihin. Tulosten perusteella kotitaloudet suhtautuvat sähkönkulutuksen rajoituksiin selvästi negatiivisemmin kuin lämmityksen rajoituksiin. Kotitaloudet myös vaativat rahallista korvausta valitakseen pörssisähkösopimuksen kiinteähintaisen sopimuksen sijaan. Tulosten mukaan markkinoilla voisi olla tilaa uudenlaisille sopimustyypeille, kuten tehoperusteiselle vaihtoehdolle. Tulokset osoittavat, että kotitaloudet arvostavat järjestelmätason hiilidioksidipäästövähennyksiä. Täten rahallisen korvauksen lisäksi on olemassa myös muita arvoa luovia tekijöitä lisätä kotitalouksien osallistumista kysyntäjoustoon.OsajulkaisutOsajulkaisut eivät sisälly väitöskirjan elektroniseen versioon.Ruokamo, E. (2016). Household preferences of hybrid home heating systems – A choice experiment application. Energy Policy, 95, 224-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.04.017Ruokamo, E., Czajkowski, M., Hanley, N., Juutinen, A., & Svento, R. (2019). Linking perceived choice complexity with scale heterogeneity in discrete choice experiments: home heating in Finland. Manuscript in preparation.Ruokamo, E., Kopsakangas-Savolainen, M., Meriläinen, T., & Svento, R. (2019). Towards flexible energy demand – Household preferences for dynamic contracts, services and emissions reductions. Manuscript in preparation. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3263517Academic dissertation to be presented with the assent of The Doctoral Training Committee of Human Sciences, University of Oulu for public defence in the Arina auditorium (TA105), Linnanmaa, on 22 March 2019, at 12 noonAbstract
This thesis includes three studies on household preferences for energy goods and services. The first study examines determinants of households’ heating system choices using a choice experiment. The choice sets include six main heating alternatives (district heating, ground heat pump, exhaust air heat pump, solid wood boiler, wood pellet boiler, and electric storage heating) that are described by five attributes (supplementary heating systems, investment costs, operating costs, comfort of use and environmental friendliness). The results imply that hybrid heating appears to be accepted among households. The results also reveal differing preferences for the main heating alternatives and show that they are affected by demographic characteristics. The studied attributes also play a significant role when heating systems are being chosen.
The second study is a methodological one that extends the analysis of the first study. The second study explores the effect of perceived choice complexity on the randomness of choices in choice experiments. The study investigates how different self-evaluated factors of choice complexity affect mean scale and scale variance. The findings suggest that perceived choice complexity has a systematic impact on the parameters of econometric models of choice. However, differences exist between alternative self-evaluated complexity-related covariates. The results indicate that individuals who report that answering the choice tasks is more difficult have less deterministic choices. Perceptions of the realism of home heating choice options also affect scale and scale variance.
The third study utilizes the choice experiment to analyze households’ willingness to participate in demand side flexibility. The study examines whether individuals are willing to time their electricity usage and heating; whether they are interested in dynamic pricing contracts such as real-time pricing, two-rate tariffs, or power-based tariffs; and how emissions reductions affect their choices. The results indicate that households’ sensitivity to restrictions in electricity usage is much stronger than their sensitivity to restrictions in heating. Households also require compensation to choose real-time pricing over fixed fees. The findings suggest that room may exist for new dynamic electricity distribution contracts, such as power-based tariffs, in the market. Other value-creating elements besides monetary compensation also exist that could incentivize households to offer demand side flexibility because households value power system level reductions in CO2 emissions.Tiivistelmä
Tämä väitöskirja koostuu kolmesta tutkimuksesta, joissa tarkastellaan kotitalouksien preferenssejä energiahyödykkeitä ja -palveluita kohtaan. Ensimmäinen tutkimus keskittyy kotitalouksien lämmitysjärjestelmävalintoihin ja niitä määrittäviin tekijöihin. Tämä tutkimus on tehty valintakoemenetelmällä, jonka valintatilanteet sisältävät kuusi eri päälämmitysjärjestelmävaihtoehtoa (kaukolämpö, maalämpöpumppu, puulämmitys, pellettilämmitys, varaava sähkölämmitys ja poistoilmalämpöpumppu). Päälämmitysjärjestelmiä kuvataan viiden ominaisuuden avulla, jotka ovat tukilämmitysjärjestelmä, investointikustannukset, käyttökustannukset, käyttömukavuus ja ympäristöystävällisyys. Tulosten mukaan kotitalouksien preferenssit päälämmitysjärjestelmävaihtoehtoja kohtaan ovat vaihtelevia. Valintaan vaikuttavat sekä tarkastellut ominaisuudet että kotitalouden demografiset tekijät. Tulokset myös paljastavat, että kotitaloudet suhtautuvat myönteisesti hybridilämmitykseen.
Toinen tutkimus on menetelmällinen, missä hyödynnetään ensimmäisen tutkimuksen aineistoa. Tämä tutkimus keskittyy yksilöiden kokeman vastaamisen vaikeuden vaikutuksiin valintakoemenetelmässä. Vastaamisen epätarkkuus tunnistetaan valintakoemenetelmässä skaalan ja skaalavarianssin avulla. Tutkimus tarkastelee, kuinka itsearvioidut vastaamisen vaikeutta mittaavat tekijät vaikuttavat keskimääräiseen skaalaan ja skaalavarianssiin valintojen ekonometrisissa malleissa. Tulosten mukaan koettu vastaamisen vaikeus vaikuttaa systemaattisesti ekonometrisen valintamallin parametreihin. Vastaamisen vaikeutta mittaavien tekijöiden välillä on kuitenkin eroja. Tuloksien perusteella vastaajat, jotka kokevat valintatilanteisiin vastaamisen keskimääräistä vaikeampana, tekevät satunnaisempia valintoja. Myös valintatilanteiden koettu realistisuus vaikuttaa skaalaan ja skaalavarianssiin.
Kolmannessa tutkimuksessa arvioidaan kotitalouksien halukkuutta osallistua energian kysyntäjoustoon valintakoemenetelmällä. Tämä tutkimus selvittää ovatko kotitaloudet halukkaitta siirtämään sähkönkulutusta ja lämmitystä, ja kuinka kiinnostuneita he ovat dynaamisista sähkön hinnoittelusopimuksista kuten pörssisähkösopimuksesta, yösähkösopimuksesta tai tehoperusteisesta sopimuksesta. Lisäksi tutkitaan vaikuttavatko järjestelmätason päästövähennykset kotitalouksien valintoihin. Tulosten perusteella kotitaloudet suhtautuvat sähkönkulutuksen rajoituksiin selvästi negatiivisemmin kuin lämmityksen rajoituksiin. Kotitaloudet myös vaativat rahallista korvausta valitakseen pörssisähkösopimuksen kiinteähintaisen sopimuksen sijaan. Tulosten mukaan markkinoilla voisi olla tilaa uudenlaisille sopimustyypeille, kuten tehoperusteiselle vaihtoehdolle. Tulokset osoittavat, että kotitaloudet arvostavat järjestelmätason hiilidioksidipäästövähennyksiä. Täten rahallisen korvauksen lisäksi on olemassa myös muita arvoa luovia tekijöitä lisätä kotitalouksien osallistumista kysyntäjoustoon
Risk Perception, Learning and Willingness to Pay to Reduce Heart Disease Risks
No full textThe paper investigates the validity of individuals’ perceptions of heart disease risks, and examines how information and risk perceptions affect marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) to reduce risk, using data from a stated preference survey. Results indicate that risk perceptions individuals held before receiving risk information are plausibly related to objective risk factors and reflect individual-specific information not found in aggregate measures of objective risk. After receiving information, individuals’ updates of prior risk assessments are broadly consistent with Bayesian learning. Perceived heart disease risks thus satisfy construct validity and provide a valid basis for inferring MWTP to reduce risk. Estimating MWTP based on objective rather than subjective risks causes misleading inferences about benefits of risk reduction. An empirical case study shows that benefits are 36% to 62% higher when estimated using objective rather than subjective risks, showing the importance of employing risk perception information to improve validity of benefit measures
Non-Timber Values in Canadian Forests: An Assessment of Uses, Techniques and Data Availability
No full textIn 1989 the Canadian forest industry shipped nearly 3.5 billion in government revenues, and accounted for $19.5 billion of Canada's trade surplus (Forestry Canada, 1991). The forest provides the products which are used to generate trade surpluses and employment in the forest industry. However, the value of the forest itself goes well beyond the generation of this economic activity. The forest also provides other goods and services. These goods and services, so-called non-timber goods and services, also have value and are important to Canadians and the world. Wildlife habitat, wilderness, recreational spaces, and a vast array of other services are provided by the forest and are not typically traded on markets. The purpose of this paper is to define non-timber values, examine the use of these values in decision making and planning, explain the common methods used to measure non-timber values, and provide an assessment of the availability of non-timber information and the state of the art in non-timber valuation techniques in Canada. Several approaches to valuing non-timber services are examined and critically assessed. There are a host of techniques and each has its own set of limitations. The contingent valuation, travel cost and hedonic price approaches are reviewed. One of the most difficult problems in non-timber valuation is the development of a technique that reliably estimates non-use values such as existence values and bequest values. These values undoubtedly exist, but their measurement is problematic. Other limitations of non-timber valuation techniques are addressed including the treatment of irreversible changes. Appendix 2 contains a summary of non-timber activities and values by Province for Canada. These data were collected to provide a baseline data set of non-timber activities and values. They were also collected to identify gaps in existing data sets and identify research needs. The data on non-timber activities (fishing, camping, etc.) are provided as indicators of the quantity of non-timber related activities. There are a number of \"gaps\" in the non-timber value database. First and foremost is the lack of non-market value information for most services provided by the forest. Some consumptive values (hunting, fishing) have been collected on a national basis. There are very few measures of non-consumptive values or non-use values. Typically, the studies measuring non-consumptive and/or non-use values are small scale, regional efforts. There must be more research in the area of evaluating the tradeoffs between various mixes of services provided by the forest. These forests should try to concentrate on a larger geographical level than previous valuation efforts. Site specific valuation efforts are useful for site specific management (stocking lakes, changing local regulations, etc.) but they are limited in their usefulness in national management of forests. A second major gap in the non-market valuation area is a measurement of the impact of changes in the physical environment on the non-market values. Only a few studies have been performed in Canada. Information on the impact of environmental changes is essential to evaluate decisions on harvesting approaches, buffer zones, etc. Collection of the bio-physical information also revealed a number of gaps. Most gaps are due to definitional difficulties. \"Old Growth Forest\" is difficult to define and a variety of definitions exist. Differing definitions of parks, wilderness areas, recreation areas and historic sites makes the calculation of the areas in each of the designations difficult. Additional effort should proceed on two fronts. First, non-market valuation studies should be extended so that they can be incorporated into national level planning. These non-market values should include baseline estimates as well as estimates of the values associated with environment change. Second, consistent definitions of item such as old growth forests would aid in the collection of data on the biophysical elements. In the current political and social environment there is considerable support for exercises which attempt to reflect the true worth of environmental services. Non-timber valuation is one such exercise. There is no doubt that values for environmental services will vary across individuals or jurisdictions nor is there any doubt that values will change over time, just as they do for market goods. The task of non-timber valuation is to try to capture the tradeoff between market goods and environmental services in an attempt to reflect the demand for these services. Such information should be useful to policy makers and resource managers alike
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