This paper develops a two-sector growth model in which institutional investors play a significant role. A necessary and suffi cient condition is established under which these investors own the entire capital stock in the long run. The dependence of the long-run growth rate on the behaviour of such investors, and the effects of a productivity increase are analysed. JEL classification. O41, O43 A...

Background: Rapidly increasing residential electricity demand has made raising energy efficiency an important policy issue in controlling electricity demand. Methods: This study uses a stochastic frontier model to estimate the residential electricity demand function and analyse electricity energy efficiency levels and their determinants using regional data on Japan. Results: The results confirm...

To investigate the energy performance of solar shading devices, this paper carried out a survey on the current status of solar shading utilization in buildings in Ningbo and performed building simulations to evaluate the energy savings potential by adopting different solar shading devices. Results show that solar shading utilization in this area is not popular and effective, and should be consi...

“Optimal Nonlinear Taxation of Income and Savings in a Two Class Economy”

This article discusses the possibility of an economic foundation for a work and savings ethic. In particular, James M. Buchanan has, in his late works, endorsed traditional ‘Puritan’ demands for working and saving more, while arguing that this is beneficial for all members of a society. I will question Buchanan’s analysis of the ‘Puritan’ ethic both in normative and methodological respects befo...

From an analysis of the long-run electric generating requirements of several representative utilities, it is concluded that the energy supplied by solar photovoltaic power devices will displace primarily base-load, and to a lesser extent intermediate, generating plants, even at relatively modest penetrations corresponding to several percent of the utility peak load. Attaching photovoltaic devic...

Following the initial shocks associated with the collapse of communism, and the probolems of implementing a broad range of market-oriented reforms, achieving sustained growth requires an economic environment favouring high rates of savings and investment, encouraging for foreign investors, and conducive to profitable, highly productive investment. This is especially hard in the transition econo...

We present evidence from randomized field experiments that 401(k) savings choices are significantly affected by one- to two-sentence anchoring, goal-setting, or savings threshold cues embedded in emails sent to employees about their 401(k) plan. Even though these cues contain little to no marginal information, cues that make high savings rates salient increased 401(k) contribution rates by up t...

Based on anecdotal evidence—both verbal and written—from nurses, they appreciate the value these services have on their personal and professional lives. On average, a single nurse will save as many as five hours per month by using a hospital’s concierge service. When that number is multiplied by an average of 500 requests per month placed by a hospital’s staff, a hospital can save its nurses as...