Suchergebnisse

AbstractWinners in online auctions frequently fail to complete purchases. Major auction platforms therefore allow "second‐chance" offers (the runner‐up bidder pays his own bid price) and let sellers leave negative feedback on buyers who default. We show theoretically that (i) all else equal, the availability of second‐chance offers reduces bids; (ii) sellers have no incentive to exclude bidders, even if they are nearly certain to default; (iii) buyer reputation systems reward bidders known to default with a positive probability. Our experiments show that the economic forces identified in the theoretical model are important enough to have predictive power for bidder behavior.

Demanding EU targets for renewables create challenges for governmental decisions regarding energy sources and plant sitting. In this study we explore perceptions of the Portuguese general population regarding renewable energy power plants. In particular we study how these are affected by dimensions such as home distance to the power plant and its visibility, familiarity with the different energy sources, involvement in terms of employment, and socioeconomic characteristics. We find considerable differences in perception depending on familiarity and involvement with energy sources, environmental friendliness, and specific environmental impacts. Assessment of public perceptions of renewables should thus include these different dimensions. ; The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from FCT Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia with Grant Number ...

Research on the health status and on socio-economic inequality in the health status of Portuguese adults with 50 years of age or more is scarce, but urgent, so that policy-makers can better understand the type of burdens that this ageing process will place on social welfare policies. We use data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe Wave 6 to investigate the role of gender, income and education in self-reported health status and in morbidity amongst adults aged 50+ in Portugal by means of a multivariate analysis. Results from this exploratory study reveal a negative self-perception of health status amongst older individuals; high prevalence of chronic diseases since an earlier age; high levels of depression problems reported by women; and high disability amongst the oldest old. The results also show a prevalence of chronic diseases, mental health problems, and high disability, which will challenge the Portuguese social welfare system in terms of long-term care and pensions, and will additionally require an adequate (re)organization of the healthcare supply to older adults. Furthermore, the evidence calls for a gendered perspective of health and social policy in Portugal, particularly concerning mental health.

The demanding EU target regarding the share of renewables in primary energy consumption poses challenges to European governments regarding the choice of renewable energy sources and the sitting decisions of new power plants. Environmental impacts of renewable energy power plants are mostly negative for residents in the vicinity of power plants (e.g. noise, glare or visual annoyance). Nevertheless, impacts such as those on landscapes and on the fauna and flora may also affect the value that the general public attributes to renewables. Several authors have focused on the question of land availability for sitting large-scale power plants, and on the social acceptability of renewable power plants in general, and have emphasized the importance of the relationship between social acceptability and distance to power plants. This paper proposes to analyze how the perceptions of the general Portuguese population regarding the environmental friendliness of renewable and non-renewable energy power plants is affected by home location in relation to the power plant, visibility of power plants, familiarity with the different energy sources, involvement in terms of employment, and socioeconomic characteristics. The data consists of a sample of 1800 residents in mainland Portugal. Preliminary results show considerable variation regarding: the familiarity and involvement with energy sources, the degree of environmental friendliness, and the perception of specific environmental impacts by renewable energy source. In addition, visibility of renewable energy power plants varies significantly by district of residence. The understanding of public perceptions regarding renewable energy sources and of the socio-demographic characteristics of those in favor, or against, renewable energy power plants is crucial for the future feasibility and acceptability of new and eventually larger or more dispersed power plants projects.