Suchergebnisse

This article considers some of the implications for social welfare of bundling in the Australian telecommunications industry. The practice of bundling—offering two or more products for sale as a single package—is a strategy used in many industries. Although common, there are circumstances when the practice can be used anti‐competitively. Yet bundling does not always harm consumers; at times, the practice benefits both consumers and producers, and it can even advantage consumers to the detriment of producers. The general literature on bundling suggests that its effect on social welfare depends on several factors such as market structure, the elasticity of demand for the products, the marginal cost of production, economies of distribution and the use of complex menus. We consider these factors when assessing the likely welfare effects of bundling in the Australian telecommunications industry, concluding that the potential effects of bundling on competition and the information costs imposed on consumers by complex menus of services seem the most significant considerations for social welfare. It is desirable that regulatory authorities monitor developments closely, although heavy‐handed regulation of bundling seems undesirable.

As a result of climate change, scientists predict that the Philippines will experience fewer but stronger tropical cyclones. In addition to wind, tropical cyclones trigger floods that disrupt economic activities and livelihoods, cause emotional stress, and increase public health risks. But without knowing who is most adversely flood affected and where they reside, it is difficult for local governments to determine whether they should prioritise adaptation or mitigation initiatives in their region. We help fill that information deficit, investigating the relationship between individuals' flooding experiences (e.g. personal property damages, loss of employment opportunities and/or opportunities to grow/catch food, stress from flooding experience and perceived effectiveness of flood disaster management) and self-reported life satisfaction. We use data collected via interviews with six hundred (600) residents in thirty-three (33) locations during July and August 2013. Amongst other things, our analysis shows that monetary damages are a function of floodwater depth. There is also a negative and significant relationship between trauma and life satisfaction. Evidently, policies, such as floodway installations and relief operations should not be the only priority of governments; they should also consider mental health responses so as to improve the overall well-being of residents.

AbstractThroughout the world, there is growing recognition of the important role Indigenous people play in natural resource management and conservation. Indigenous Land and Sea Management Programs (ILSMPs; which provide funds to Indigenous people to support Indigenous land management activities) are also known to generate social and economic benefits, although relative few of these co‐benefits have been quantified. Using northern Australia as a case study, we analysed data on ILSMP expenditure within three regional input–output tables, learning more about the size and distribution of their associated regional economic benefits. We found ILSMPs make a significant contribution to regional economies—with multipliers commonly exceeding that of other key regional industries such as agriculture and mining. We also found ILSMP expenditures make a larger contribution to Indigenous household incomes than they do to non‐Indigenous incomes—thus helping to close the (income) gap. They will continue to do so, provided the proportion of ILSMP money spent on Indigenous (compared to non‐Indigenous) incomes does not fall below a threshold amount. Rather than finding evidence of a trade‐off between socio‐ecological and financial/economic goals, our results suggest ILSMPs, known for their ecological importance, can also make a vitally important contribution to economic development in rural areas.