Suchergebnisse

This study examines the impact of the determinants of new firm formation in New England at the county level from 1999 to 2009. Based on the Spatial Durbin panel model that accounts for spillover effects, it is found that population density and human capital positively affect single-unit firm births within a county and its neighbors. Population growth rate also exerts a significant positive impact on new firm formation, but most of the effect is from spatial spillovers. On the contrary, the ratio of large to small firm in terms of employment size and unemployment rate negatively influence single-unit firm births both within counties and among neighbors. However, there is no significant impact of local financial capital and personal income growth on new firm formation.

AbstractThis paper examines the spatial clustering and correlation of epicentres of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake and its spatial relationship to the telecommunications infrastructure of Nepal. Ripley's K function analysis suggests that epicentres of the main earthquake shock and aftershocks and base stations of worldwide Interoperability for microwave access are generally clustered. However, the cluster patterns decline over distance. Moran's I statistics further suggested that the epicentres and base stations at the district level are spatially significant and positively correlated. As Nepal is one of the most earthquake‐prone countries in the world, this paper recommends that the Government of Nepal, operators, and other concerned parties should identify the importance of telecommunications infrastructure and develop a critical infrastructure plan including location and redundancy options to mitigate and minimize the detrimental impacts of earthquakes and other disasters on telecommunications services in the country.

AbstractData envelopment analysis is used to assess the efficiency of broadband Internet adoption and use in the U.S. Analyses at the state level from 2005 to 2007 suggest that broadband adoption and use is not equally efficient across the U.S. states. Although the instantaneous efficiencies are relatively high for many states, the changes in total factor productivity suggest that the efficiency of broadband adoption and use still increases over time. Moreover, it is observed that efficiency values are often spatially autocorrelated, which suggests spatial dependency from spillovers or interstate competition. This leads to a particular spatial diffusion pattern in broadband adoption. Although states have different strategies in support of broadband expansion they need to identify their shortcomings and use the appropriate mix of inputs (and outputs) to improve their efficiencies.