scholarly journals The impact assessment of the EU pre-accession funds on agriculture and food companies: The Croatian case

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. e0107
Author(s):  
Marin Kukoč ◽  
Bruno Skrinjaric ◽  
Josip Juračak

Aim of study: This paper evaluates the effect of pre-accession EU grants on beneficiaries in the agri-food sector using a quasi-experimental approach on the case of Croatia. An insight into the available literature reveals a lack of rigorous research and evaluation of the results of using these funds in Croatia as well as in other beneficiary countries.Area of study: Republic of Croatia, Europe (2006–2017).Material and methods: Two datasets were used: (1) financial and structural data on the population of Croatian enterprises for the 2003–2017 period, and (2) data on SAPARD and IPARD grants in the 2007–2016 period. Data were analyzed using counterfactual impact analysis, i.e., a combination of difference-in-difference approach and propensity score matching.Main results: The grants showed to have a positive effect on firm survival, as well as positive effects on obtaining bank loans and increasing turnover, value added, employment, and total factor productivity. Heterogeneous treatment effects show that the grants resulted in the greatest additionality for micro-sized firms located in Central Croatia. Cost-benefit analysis estimates an increase in the value added, which outweighs scheme-induced costs by 120% in the short run and 90% in the mid run.Research highlights: Pre-accession programs in Croatia had a positive impact on the beneficiaries’ growth and business performance indicators in both short and mid term. This paper also promotes the application of similar research in other EU candidate countries where the same or similar funds are implemented.

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
David H. Greenberg

This article presents findings from a cost-benefit analysis of the Tulsa Individual Development Account (IDA) program, a demonstration program that was initiated in the late 1990s and is being evaluated through random assignment. The program put particular emphasis on using savings subsidies to help participants accumulate housing assets. The key follow-up data used in the evaluation was collected around 10 years after random assignment, about 6 years after the program ended. The results imply that, during this 10-year observation period, program participants gained from the program and that the program resulted in net costs to the government and private donors, and that society as a whole was probably worse off as a consequence of the program. The article examines in some detail whether these findings are robust to a number of different considerations, including the assumptions upon which the results depend, uncertainly reflected by the standard errors of the impact estimates used to derive the benefits and costs, and omitted benefits and costs, and concludes that they are essentially robust. For example, a Monte Carlo analysis suggests that the probability that the societal net benefits of the Tulsa program were negative during the observation period is over 90% and that the probability that the loss to society exceeded $1000 is 80%. Further analysis considered benefits and costs that might occur beyond the observation period. Based on this analysis, it appeared plausible, although far from certain, that the societal net benefits of the Tulsa program could eventually become positive. This would occur if the program’s apparent positive net impact on educational attainment generates substantial positive effects on the earnings of program participants after the observation period ended. However, there was no evidence that the educational impacts had yet begun to produce positive effects on earnings by the end of the observation period.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135481662199443
Author(s):  
Stjepan Srhoj ◽  
Vanja Vitezić ◽  
Janette Walde

This study provides new evidence on the impact of tourism grants for service-standard improvement on tourism firm performance. Small matching grants provided to firms in two economically different regions are considered. We study additionality caused by the grants in the performance indicators of firms while taking into account regional heterogeneity and differing tourism demand. In the context of tourism firms in Croatia, we estimate the causal effect via a matching difference-in-differences estimator. We find a positive effect on tourism firm sales, value-added, capital, and labor in the region with higher tourism demand but not in the one with lower tourism demand. A cost–benefit analysis suggests that, in more developed regions, the benefits of the grant scheme for tourism outweigh the grant’s direct costs.


Author(s):  
J.-P. Widmer ◽  
C. Hidber

The effects of rail stations, including high-speed rail, at airports in Europe are discussed in terms of a cost-benefit framework. Rail stations are operational at many European airports and are at the center of interest when road access relief at airports is considered, as well as when rail and air transport complementarity is considered. As public budget deficits are under more scrutiny than in the past and privatization of state-owned public transport companies is being considered, it is of interest to know the extent to which rail stations at airports improve the performance of the rail companies and have a positive impact on the economy as a whole (are of value to taxpayers). The study is based on a cost-benefit analysis of rail stations at five major airports (Brussels, Zurich, Frankfurt, Paris-Orly, and Paris-Charles de Gaulle) and two medium-sized airports (Geneva and Stuttgart). The results of case studies of several rail stations (those in Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland), which had wide spectra of technology and operating system backgrounds, showed that the overall effects of rail stations, by taking into account investment costs and the partial effects on the railways, were positive for the major (hub) airports analyzed [except in particular cases for particular reasons (Brussels and Paris-Orly)] but were balanced or negative for the medium-sized airports analyzed. The results show not only the impact of airport size but also that of distance to the airport by rail, because the benefit to users in terms of time and fare savings played a significant role and highlighted the benefits of having access to a rail network as much as possible. Finally, the effects on public transport as a whole (i.e., the effects on all public transport companies at the airport, including taxi and parking operators) were negative.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 106-116
Author(s):  
Andrea Sujová ◽  
Ľubica Simanová ◽  
Katarína Marcineková

Abstract The current competitive environment is only favourable to those companies that can cope with changes and use them to their advantage. The innovation of business processes is required to improve financial performance. Scientific works have not yet offered an effective solution to the monitoring of the impact made by process reengineering on corporate financial results. This work presents the case of a business process reengineering in a particular company to improve its performance. The results of implemented reengineering are analysed from the point of view of the impact made on the financial situation of the company. The paper aims to demonstrate the implementation of reengineering and evaluate its impact on the financial standing of a company and its performance. The practical application of reengineering was made according to Hammer and Champy methodology, which is based on the analysis of production processes in the company, the implementation of selected reengineered production processes and the evaluation of the reengineering impact on the corporate financial situation and performance. During the evaluation, the selected indicators of financial performance, activity indicators, the indebtedness indicator, business performance indicators as a cash flow to measure financial flows and the economic value-added (indicator EVA) were calculated and analysed. Subsequent to financial analyses and based on the selected indicators, the authors concluded that the implemented reengineering of the production process increased the performance and value of the company, which had a positive impact on the company’s financial situation. The funds spent on the proper implementation of the reengineering steps were effectively used, and the reengineering process was also timed. This contribution to the body of theoretic knowledge links the implementation of reengineering and the part of the financial analysis, which is related to the preparation, implementation and reengineering results.


Author(s):  
Genís Majoral ◽  
Francesc Gasparín ◽  
Sergi Saurí

The number of e-commerce transactions is increasing worldwide. Deliveries of goods purchased online generate externalities throughout the whole supply chain and, particularly, the increasing concern about the last-mile distribution of goods. The escalating presence of vans in cities contributes to poor air quality, climate change, noise, and congestion. So far, the majority of solutions to address this issue are based on the supply side, such as electric vans, optimizing the routing and pick-up-points, and so forth. Even in other transport sectors, pricing solutions are well known, yet they have not been extended to e-commerce delivery. This paper aims to propose an environmental tax falling on the demand side and equaling the externalities from this activity. The analysis has been particularized for the case of Barcelona. A cost–benefit analysis to assess the impact of such a tax has been carried out. When revenue collection is reinvested in the logistics sector, and for subsidizing electric distribution vehicles, the results indicate that the levying of the tax can generate positive outcomes.


2021 ◽  
pp. 016264342198997
Author(s):  
Sojung Jung ◽  
Ciara Ousley ◽  
David McNaughton ◽  
Pamela Wolfe

In this meta-analytic review, we investigated the effects of technology supports on the acquisition of shopping skills for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) between the ages of 5 and 24. Nineteen single-case experimental research studies, presented in 15 research articles, met the current study’s inclusion criteria and the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards. An analysis of potential moderators was conducted, and we calculated effect sizes using Tau-U to examine the impact of age, diagnosis, and type of technology on the reported outcomes for the 56 participants. The results from the included studies provide evidence that a wide range of technology interventions had a positive impact on shopping performance. These positive effects were seen for individuals across a wide range of ages and disability types, and for a wide variety of shopping skills. The strongest effect sizes were observed for technologies that provided visual supports rather than just auditory support. We provide an interpretation of the findings, implications of the results, and recommended areas for future research.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1019
Author(s):  
Barbara Frączek ◽  
Aleksandra Pięta ◽  
Adrian Burda ◽  
Paulina Mazur-Kurach ◽  
Florentyna Tyrała

The aim of this meta-analysis was to review the impact of a Paleolithic diet (PD) on selected health indicators (body composition, lipid profile, blood pressure, and carbohydrate metabolism) in the short and long term of nutrition intervention in healthy and unhealthy adults. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of 21 full-text original human studies was conducted. Both the PD and a variety of healthy diets (control diets (CDs)) caused reduction in anthropometric parameters, both in the short and long term. For many indicators, such as weight (body mass (BM)), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC), impact was stronger and especially found in the short term. All diets caused a decrease in total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG), albeit the impact of PD was stronger. Among long-term studies, only PD cased a decline in TC and LDL-C. Impact on blood pressure was observed mainly in the short term. PD caused a decrease in fasting plasma (fP) glucose, fP insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in the short run, contrary to CD. In the long term, only PD caused a decrease in fP glucose and fP insulin. Lower positive impact of PD on performance was observed in the group without exercise. Positive effects of the PD on health and the lack of experiments among professional athletes require longer-term interventions to determine the effect of the Paleo diet on athletic performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e004292
Author(s):  
Jung Ho Kim ◽  
Jiyeon Suh ◽  
Woon Ji Lee ◽  
Heun Choi ◽  
Jong-Dae Kim ◽  
...  

BackgroundRapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are widely used for diagnosing Plasmodium vivax malaria, especially in resource-limited countries. However, the impact of RDTs on P. vivax malaria incidence and national medical costs has not been evaluated. We assessed the impact of RDT implementation on P. vivax malaria incidence and overall medical expenditures in South Korea and performed a cost–benefit analysis from the payer’s perspective.MethodsWe developed a dynamic compartmental model for P. vivax malaria transmission in South Korea using delay differential equations. Long latency and seasonality were incorporated into the model, which was calibrated to civilian malaria incidences during 2014–2018. We then estimated averted malaria cases and total medical costs from two diagnostic scenarios: microscopy only and both microscopy and RDTs. Medical costs were extracted based on data from a hospital in an at-risk area for P. vivax malaria and were validated using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data. We conducted a cost–benefit analysis of RDTs using the incremental benefit:cost ratio (IBCR) considering only medical costs and performed a probabilistic sensitivity analysis to reflect the uncertainties of model parameters, costs and benefits.ResultsThe results showed that 55.3% of new P. vivax malaria cases were averted, and $696 214 in medical costs was saved over 10 years after RDT introduction. The estimated IBCR was 2.5, indicating that RDT implementation was beneficial, compared with microscopy alone. The IBCR was sensitive to the diagnosis time reduction, infectious period and short latency period, and provided beneficial results in a benefit over $10.6 or RDT cost under $39.7.ConclusionsThe model simulation suggested that RDTs could significantly reduce P. vivax malaria incidence and medical costs. Moreover, cost–benefit analysis demonstrated that the introduction of RDTs was beneficial over microscopy alone. These results support the need for widespread adoption of RDTs.


2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunsang Ha ◽  
Richard C. Feiock

This article investigates why cities use fiscal analyses such as cost–benefit analysis and/or fiscal impact analysis to manage offers of economic development incentives to business. We advance an approach to understanding economic development subsidies and control mechanisms that integrate political bargaining and network theories. Municipal bargaining power, institutional incentives, and organizational networks are hypothesized to influence development subsidy decisions. The results confirm that local governments’ bargaining power and political institutions influence the degree to which cities use fiscal analyses. In addition, public/private organizational networks that bridge public and private sectors by linking quasigovernmental organizations and local governments increase information and credibility thus leading to greater use of fiscal analyses.


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