The significance of the market structure, in particular the role of the market maker, on the overall success of a marketplace is still an unresolved issue. This paper examines market structures with a focus on the role of the market maker to identify the implications for participants of the various structures and mechanisms employed in electronic markets. Market maker strategies are classified ...

This paper describes research supporting the development of a conceptual model for understanding the sources of business value of Business-to-Business (B2B) Electronic Markets. Based on six case studies and an analysis of current literature, Aggregation, Matching, and Integration emerged as the three key sources of business value. The framework provides a structured and systematic approach for ...

The design of the microstructure of electronic markets is crucial for their success. Less effort has been made in this area, especially for commodity markets. This paper illustrates five key problems of market design and introduces the concept of cascading dynamic market models as a promising solution to cope with most of them. Taking the multi-dimensional character of commodities into consider...

This paper is motivated by the fact that (part-time) individual farming is commonly observed among rural households in a number of transition economies but it is not clear prima facie if such resource allocation is optimal. A conceptual model of household labor allocation between individual farming and off-farm wage employment is developed. The model explicitly accounts for the role of househol...

Tropical rainforest regions are urbanizing rapidly, yet the role of emerging metropolises in driving wildlife overharvesting in forests and inland waters is unknown. We present evidence of a large defaunation shadow around a rainforest metropolis. Using interviews with 392 rural fishers, we show that fishing has severely depleted a large-bodied keystone fish species, tambaqui (Colossoma macropo...

This commentary sketches out the politics of the expansion of affordable, fast-moving nutraceutical products into rural India, with a focus on fortified foods and beverages. It examines the relationships between industry, government and humanitarian organisations that are being forged alongside the development of markets for nutraceuticals; the production of evidence and the harnessing of scien...

This paper examines the prospects for rural areas within the Information Society, referring particularly to the EU experience. Among these are the diminishing e!ects of distance from core markets and enhancing the learning capacities of rural areas by improving access to relevant information. EU policy to date has been in#uenced by a strong technology dimension with an emphasis on the installat...

The expansion of the cities into the rural-urban fringes is creating direct and indirect impacts with those living there facing new challenges and opportunities in meeting their life needs and accommodating the by-products of urbanization. Although urbanization in these areas provides opportunities for employment, better housing, education, knowledge and technology transfer, and ready markets f...

REDUCTION THROUGH POLICY CHANGES This chapter deals with various strategies to improve the asset holdings of the rural poor. In most cases, if the poor get a bigger share of asset control or benefits, efficiency and economic growth also improve. For many types of asset, reducing inequality between rural and urban areas slows down outmigration to the cities, and increases rural farm and non-farm...