234 research outputs found
Spillovers, Linkages, and Productivity Growth in the US Economy, 1958 to 2007
Full text linkI speculate that technological spillover effects may have become more important over time as IT penetrated the U.S. economy. The rationale is that IT may speed up the process of knowledge transfer and make these knowledge spillovers more effective. Using US input-output tables for years 1958, 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, and 2007, I compare my new results with Wolff and Nadiri (1993) covering years 1947-1977 and Wolff (1997) covering 1958- 1987. I estimate that the direct rate of return to R&D is now 22% and the indirect rate of return to R&D is 37%. The former is higher than in the previous studies. The indirect rate of return to R&D is now significant at the one percent level, in comparison to a 10 percent significance level in Wolff (1997). The newly estimated social rate of return to R&D is 59%, compared to 53% in Wolff (1997). In contrast to the earlier studies, the coefficients of R&D embodied in new investment are now statistically significant at the five percent level. Separate regressions on the 1958-1987 and 1987-2007 periods and the addition of successive periods to the sample also suggest a strengthening of R&D spillovers between the 1958-1987 and 1987-2007 periods. A decomposition of TFP growth also indicates a higher contribution from R&D spillovers in the later period. These results suggest a strengthening of the R&D spillover effect over time.
In: Eileen Appelbaum, Annette Bernhardt and Richard J. Murnane, Editors, Low-Wage America: How Employers Are Reshaping Opportunity in the Workplace, New York: Russell Sage Foundation (2003) pp. 535, xiii, Price $45.00, ISBN 0-87154-025-8.
No full textRecent Trends in Household Wealth, 1983-2009: The Irresistible Rise of Household Debt
No full textI find here that the early and mid 2000s (2001 to 2007) witnessed both exploding debt and a consequent middle class squeeze. Median wealth grew briskly in the late 1990s and even faster in the 2000s. The inequality of net worth was up slightly during the 2000s. Indebtedness, which fell substantially during the late 1990s, skyrocketed in the early and mid 2000s. Among the middle class, the debt-income ratio reached its highest level in 24 years. The disparity in wealth holdings between African-American and white households was about the same in 2007 as in 1983, though Hispanics did show some relative gains on non-Hispainc whites over the years 2001 to 2007. Young households (under the age of 45) after some relative gains from 1983 to 1989, saw their relative wealth position deteriorate over the years 1989 to 2007. Projections to July 2009 on the basis of changes in stock and housing prices suggest that median wealth plunged by 36 percent and there was a fairly steep rise in wealth inequality, with the Gini coefficient advancing from 0.834 to 0.865.household wealth, inequality, racial inequality, portfolio composition
Medical Mapping Methods: Designing Interactions for Self-Care
Full text linkThis project addresses how information and interaction design can create new data collection and interpretation methods that will improve individual efficacy in the management of the chronic illness type 2 diabetes. Medical journaling is an important method of recording and tracking the diabetes condition. Diabetics who journal to self-manage their condition can prolong their lives, gain a better understanding of their disease, and communicate more effectively with medical professionals. To address these issues, this project aims to create a software journaling application on a hand-held personal digital assistant (PDA), where diabetics can journal their day-to-day health-related information, such as blood glucose, diet, exercise and medications. Once data is input into the application, individuals can output the data in the form of visual maps. This allows the individual to look for patterns and trends in the hope of discovering something new about what works for managing the condition. Since health literacy and numeracy are issues for some, the use of an iconic visual language to navigate the user interface makes this application simple, easy to use and interactive. The individual’s effortless gathering of personal data and the ability to see that data in new visual forms offers an alternative to current self-management systems.DiabetesPictogramsHealth literacyJournalingSelf-managementMappin
Nurturing the Accumulation of Innovations: Lessons from the Internet
Full text linkThe innovations that became the foundation for the Internet originate from two eras that illustrate two distinct models for accumulating innovations over the long haul. The pre-commercial era illustrates the operation of several useful non-market institutional arrangements. It also illustrates a potential drawback to government sponsorship – in this instance, truncation of exploratory activity. The commercial era illustrates a rather different set of lessons. It highlights the extraordinary power of market-oriented and widely distributed investment and adoption, which illustrates the power of market experimentation to foster innovative activity. It also illustrates a few of the conditions necessary to unleash value creation from such accumulated lessons, such as standards development and competition, and nurturing legal and regulatory policies.
Nurturing the Accumulation of Innovations: Lessons from the Internet
Full text linkThe innovations that became the foundation for the Internet originate from two eras that illustrate two distinct models for accumulating innovations over the long haul. The pre-commercial era illustrates the operation of several useful non-market institutional arrangements. It also illustrates a potential drawback to government sponsorship – in this instance, truncation of exploratory activity. The commercial era illustrates a rather different set of lessons. It highlights the extraordinary power of market-oriented and widely distributed investment and adoption, which illustrates the power of market experimentation to foster innovative activity. It also illustrates a few of the conditions necessary to unleash value creation from such accumulated lessons, such as standards development and competition, and nurturing legal and regulatory policies.
Daily Reflections (Meditations) on the Scriptures from the Roman Catholic Lectionary.
No full textAs the Advent season draws to a close, today's readings take us back to our forbearers in the faith who also struggled to see the promises of God take form. We continue to share much with these early followers of God, including their struggle to maintain faith and hope when God's promises yet seem far off, when their fulfillment depends on what is yet to come.|The readings from Samuel show us a king who became uncomfortable with his personal success. Most kings do not think it odd for them to live in luxurious accommodations – isn't that one of the perks of the job? But David's reflection on the comparison between his house and the house of the Lord disrupted his comfortable existence. He wanted to do something. Through Nathan the prophet, God brought David another message. David the king was not going become the author of change that he preferred. Instead, he would have to wait and watch for God alone to bring about an even greater change, all in the manner that God desired, in His time, and His way. |God chose to fulfill his promises through David's offspring, after he had "rested with his fathers." Our children are gifts from God, and we cannot control either their existence or their destiny. We have a role to play, to be sure, but once they launch into the world, we must generally stand by and watch their lives unfold. Some of that watching apparently occurs after we are gone from this life! This truth likely seems as uncomfortable for us as it is for a successful king like David, who is used to getting things done his way. But God requires this kind of patience from all of us, from the greatest to the least.|Zechariah sees the time of fulfillment moving forward in history, but still not yet within his sight. Zechariah knew the scriptures and tried to live them. He also had the benefit of an encounter with the angel Gabriel when he was performing his priestly duties. His skeptical response to Gabriel earned him a time of silence, which was also a sign to those around him. Zechariah would wait for months for his wife, Elizabeth, to conceive and to bear a son, John, in their old age. And in the meantime, Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, would be experiencing a similar visitation from Gabriel and a miraculous conception, too, but of a different nature.|During his time of silent reflection, Zechariah was able to connect the dots in the stream of history that was moving his way. He knew that God was working in a big way, but he could not yet know how God's promises would be fulfilled. Still more years would pass before his son, John, started his ministry, preparing the way for the Messiah. Yet Zechariah trusted the God that he knew, finding faith and hope that God would bring to pass what he had promised.|There may be advantages to living downstream in history, as there are more data points to connect that can confirm progress as the promises of God are revealed. But the flow of history is still moving in our time, too. We know that God has fulfilled his promises through the revelation of his Son, Jesus. This was David's offspring. But the fullness of our Lord's reign, including rest and peace, require us to wait, to be patient, and to hope, trusting in the goodness and mercy of God to continue moving us along. Let us remind one another in this season to wait patiently as we look for his return. Thanks be to God
Recent Trends in Household Wealth, 1983-2009: The Irresistible Rise of Household Debt
Full text linkI find here that the early and mid 2000s (2001 to 2007) witnessed both exploding debt and a consequent “middle class squeeze.” Median wealth grew briskly in the late 1990s and even faster in the 2000s. The inequality of net worth was up slightly during the 2000s. Indebtedness, which fell substantially during the late 1990s, skyrocketed in the early and mid 2000s. Among the middle class, the debt-income ratio reached its highest level in 24 years. The disparity in wealth holdings between African-American and white households was about the same in 2007 as in 1983, though Hispanics did show some relative gains on non-Hispainc whites over the years 2001 to 2007. Young households (under the age of 45) after some relative gains from 1983 to 1989, saw their relative wealth position deteriorate over the years 1989 to 2007. Projections to July 2009 on the basis of changes in stock and housing prices suggest that median wealth plunged by 36 percent and there was a fairly steep rise in wealth inequality, with the Gini coefficient advancing from 0.834 to 0.865.  
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