Liability for robots II: an economic analysis

This is the second of two companion papers that discuss accidents caused by robots. In the first paper (Guerra et al., 2021), we presented the novel problems posed by robot accidents, and assessed the related legal approaches and institutional opportunities. In this paper, we build on the previous analysis to consider a novel liability regime, which we refer to as ‘manufacturer residual liability’ rule. This makes operators and victims liable for accidents due to their negligence – hence, incentivizing them to act diligently; and makes manufacturers residually liable for non-negligent accidents – hence, incentivizing them to make optimal investments in R&D for robots' safety. In turn, this rule will bring down the price of safer robots, driving unsafe technology out of the market. Thanks to the percolation effect of residual liability, operators will also be incentivized to adopt optimal activity levels in robots' usage.

Politics, Disability Governance and Inclusiveness of Parasport Athletes in a Coronavirus Pandemic Aftermath in Africa: Observations from Nigeria

The paper evaluates politics and governance underlining disability inclusion development using reflections in parasport. Its thesis-of-thesis derives from the presentation of surveyed explanations from Nigerian stakeholders in the Paralympics sector to generalize for Africa. Before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, politics in Africa shows an abysmal scorecard in terms of combating discrimination against disabled persons. Accordingly, the continent's disability inclusiveness governance shows it is effectual. Thus, there is perhaps ample indication to adduce that sports politics will continually fail to achieve the inclusiveness of parasports athletes in a coronavirus epidemic aftermath. Using the Nigerian context, the paper gathers evidence from interviews with stakeholders and evaluative-secondary data in parasports concerning not only to responding to disability inclusion in sports but also to the wider politics of sustaining inclusiveness of Paralympic athletes in a post-COVID-19 era. The paper argues that the character of politics in Africa generally has not resulted in optimal investments, considerations, and willpower from political leaders to advance outcomes in the aspect of inclusivity of athletes with disabilities. It considers contextual factors that militate against achieving all-inclusiveness of disabled sports persons and how politics can be channelled to achieve their optimum well-being in the sports arena.

On Optimal Leader’s Investments Strategy in a Cyclic Model of Innovation Race with Random Inventions Times

In this paper, we develop a new dynamic model of optimal investments in R&D and manufacturing for a technological leader competing with a large number of identical followers on the market of a technological product. The model is formulated in the form of the infinite time horizon stochastic optimization problem. The evolution of new generations of the product is treated as a Poisson-type cyclic stochastic process. The technology spillovers effect acts as a driving force of technological change. We show that the original probabilistic problem that the leader is faced with can be reduced to a deterministic one. This result makes it possible to perform analytical studies and numerical calculations. Numerical simulations and economic interpretations are presented as well.

Optimal Transport Networks in Spatial Equilibrium

We study optimal transport networks in spatial equilibrium. We develop a framework consisting of a neoclassical trade model with labor mobility in which locations are arranged on a graph. Goods must be shipped through linked locations, and transport costs depend on congestion and on the infrastructure in each link, giving rise to an optimal transport problem in general equilibrium. The optimal transport network is the solution to a social planner's problem of building infrastructure in each link. We provide conditions such that this problem is globally convex, guaranteeing its numerical tractability. We also study cases with increasing returns to transport technologies in which global convexity fails. We apply the framework to assess optimal investments and inefficiencies in the road networks of European countries.

Optimal Investments for Burning and Recycling of Plastics

Now a day’s plastic has become necessity of human being. In this model, we have deliberated to budget in health policy and recycling of plastic garbage instead of plastic usage; using the system of non-linear differential equations. This study has been elaborated by optimizing investment policy. Health policy for the community and recycling policy in advantages of plastic usage have been invested with a limited budget. Existences of equilibrium points are computed as it play an important role for the decision maker. Local stability of equilibrium points has been performed to scrutinize this dynamical model. Global dynamical behavior is established using graph theory results. Invested optimality system is numerically simulated.

Do Earnings Management Leads to Sub-optimal Investments by Firms? Empirical Evidence From the Textile Sector of Pakistan

This study empirically investigates the impact of earnings management on investments of the firm. In this study, we also check the moderating role of audit quality between the above said relationship. We hypothesize that audit quality will not only weakens the relationship between earnings management and inefficient investments but also help the firm to invest reduction in over and under investments by the firm. Textile sector of Pakistan is selected for the study as it is one of the most important sectors of the country. The role of audit quality cannot be ignored to improve the information quality which ultimately helps the firm to make optimal decisions for the firm shareholders. The earning management activities are performed by firm managers due to moral hazard and adverse selection problem which leads to sub-optimal investments.