Knowledge that Transforms

The paper argues that variance components models are very useful in pooling cross section and time series data because they enable us to extract some information about the regression parameters from the between group and between time-period variation-a source that is often completely eliminated in the commonly used dummy variable techniques. The paper studies the applicability and usefulness of the maximum likelihood method and analysis of covariance techniques in the analysis of this type of model, particularly when one of the covariates used is a lagged dependent variable.

[This paper is an attempt to study optimal savings policy in a world where the growth rate of labor responds to economic factors. This modification makes the form of society's social welfare function important--its elasticity affects "real" economic variables. In addition, a rule for direct population control is investigated.]

[An economic framework is presented for measurement of the net social benefits that can be attributed to development of a new outdoor recreation site, taking into consideration the influence that existing recreation developments have on the demand for services from the newly developed site. Methods are given for statistically estimating the empirical measures needed to apply the model, and an application is made to water-oriented outdoor recreation in Missouri. Results of the application suggest that investments in outdoor recreation can be evaluated under an objective economic decision criterion.]

[Different policies regarding allocation of foreign exchange to sectors producing grains, tractors, and machine tools give rise to different time profiles of consumption on account of irreversibility of investment. In this paper we try to find the best way this allocation may be done in order to optimize a social objective function over a finite and infinite planning horizon.]