International Journal of Sustainable Economy http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=301&year=2012&vol=4&issue=1 Inderscience Publishers Ltd en-uk International Journal of Sustainable Economy 1756-5804 1756-5812 © 2012 Inderscience Publishers Ltd editor@inderscience.com https://www.inderscience.com/images/files/coverImgs/ijse_scoverijse.jpg http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=301&year=2012&vol=4&issue=1 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43992 Sustainability of public deficit and debt in the long run has received much attention in the international political agenda. This paper analyses whether Austrian fiscal policies have been sustainable during the last five decades. Tests indicate that Austrian fiscal policies were sustainable from 1960 to 1974, while from 1975 onwards public debt grew much more rapidly. Starting in 1975, the rate of unemployment played a significant role in the sense of a counter-cyclical orientation of Austrian fiscal policy as part of the concept of ‘Austrokeynesianism’. The development of public debt in Austria seems to be driven not only by ideology, but also by structural causes and a shift of the budgetary policy paradigm. We find some empirical evidence that governments in Austria dominated solely by one party run higher deficits than coalitions of the two large parties or the two conservative parties. There are no indications of a political business cycle. Is the Austrian public debt sustainable?
Reinhard Neck; Gottfried Haber
International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 1 - 16
Sustainability of public deficit and debt in the long run has received much attention in the international political agenda. This paper analyses whether Austrian fiscal policies have been sustainable during the last five decades. Tests indicate that Austrian fiscal policies were sustainable from 1960 to 1974, while from 1975 onwards public debt grew much more rapidly. Starting in 1975, the rate of unemployment played a significant role in the sense of a counter-cyclical orientation of Austrian fiscal policy as part of the concept of ‘Austrokeynesianism’. The development of public debt in Austria seems to be driven not only by ideology, but also by structural causes and a shift of the budgetary policy paradigm. We find some empirical evidence that governments in Austria dominated solely by one party run higher deficits than coalitions of the two large parties or the two conservative parties. There are no indications of a political business cycle.

]]> 10.1504/IJSE.2012.043992 International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 1 - 16 Reinhard Neck; Gottfried Haber Department of Economics, Klagenfurt University, Universitätsstrasse 65-67, A-9020 Klagenfurt, Austria ' Department of Economics, Klagenfurt University, Universitätsstrasse 65-67, A-9020 Klagenfurt, Austria fiscal policy debt sustainability time series econometric tests stationarity public debt government budget Austria public deficit policy sustainability unemployment budgetary policy. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 1 16 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43993 Assumptions about the future development of people’s longevity have a crucial impact on the long-term sustainability of the public pension system. The use of standard methods to estimate longevity has led to systematically underestimates of increase in longevity. We use the Lee Carter (LC) model to forecast demographics projections for the Slovenian population which leads to results much closer to the actual development of mortality. The assumptions about people’s longevity made in the latest Eurostat projections from 2008 more closely resemble the results of the LC model than earlier versions of its population projections. However, they still project somewhat lower increases in longevity than our results using LC model. This translates to about 0.9 percentage points higher public pension expenditure in 2060 if we use our results about mortality development in the future instead of the Eurostat assumptions. Testing the sustainability of the Slovenian (PAYG) pension system using the Lee Carter method
Darko Medved; Aleš Ahcan; Jože Sambt
International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 17 - 34
Assumptions about the future development of people’s longevity have a crucial impact on the long-term sustainability of the public pension system. The use of standard methods to estimate longevity has led to systematically underestimates of increase in longevity. We use the Lee Carter (LC) model to forecast demographics projections for the Slovenian population which leads to results much closer to the actual development of mortality. The assumptions about people’s longevity made in the latest Eurostat projections from 2008 more closely resemble the results of the LC model than earlier versions of its population projections. However, they still project somewhat lower increases in longevity than our results using LC model. This translates to about 0.9 percentage points higher public pension expenditure in 2060 if we use our results about mortality development in the future instead of the Eurostat assumptions.

]]> 10.1504/IJSE.2012.043993 International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 17 - 34 Darko Medved; Aleš Ahcan; Jože Sambt JMD Consulting, Perovo 2a, SI-1241 Kamnik, Slovenia ' Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva plošcad 17, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ' Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva plošcad 17, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia pension system sustainability Lee Carter model mortality life expectancy demographic projections demographics pension expenditure pay as you go pension systems PAYG population ageing Slovenia population longevity public pensions. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 17 34 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43994 The global financial crisis hit the economies of most commodities exporting countries of Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) mainly through trade and commodities prices collapse. Theoretical and empirical literature postulates debilitating effects of these on growth, poverty and sustainable development outcomes. This study utilised aggregate data on selected SSA countries and panel vector autoregressions method to obtain an empirical gauge of these effects. This study documents a positive influence of trade on growth rates, while both trade and growth indicate potentials for poverty reduction in SSA. These findings raise important policy concerns for sustainable development, growth and poverty outcomes in SSA countries. For policy, this study recommends efforts directed at a pro-poor trade expansionist policies, diversification of the export base and spending programmes that create jobs, ensure the delivery of core services and provide safety nets at country levels, while at global level, efforts to support trade finance in developing countries, including SSA should be invigorated. Global financial crisis and trade slowdown in Sub-Sahara Africa: panel VAR analysis for growth and poverty outcomes
Taiwo Ajilore; Sylvanus Ikhide
International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 35 - 52
The global financial crisis hit the economies of most commodities exporting countries of Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) mainly through trade and commodities prices collapse. Theoretical and empirical literature postulates debilitating effects of these on growth, poverty and sustainable development outcomes. This study utilised aggregate data on selected SSA countries and panel vector autoregressions method to obtain an empirical gauge of these effects. This study documents a positive influence of trade on growth rates, while both trade and growth indicate potentials for poverty reduction in SSA. These findings raise important policy concerns for sustainable development, growth and poverty outcomes in SSA countries. For policy, this study recommends efforts directed at a pro-poor trade expansionist policies, diversification of the export base and spending programmes that create jobs, ensure the delivery of core services and provide safety nets at country levels, while at global level, efforts to support trade finance in developing countries, including SSA should be invigorated.

]]> 10.1504/IJSE.2012.043994 International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 35 - 52 Taiwo Ajilore; Sylvanus Ikhide University of Fort Hare, East London Campus, East London 5200, South Africa ' University of Fort Hare, East London Campus, East London 5200, South Africa financial crisis trade slowdown economic growth poverty reduction sustainable development SSA Sub-Sahara Africa sustainability trade expansion export diversification developing countries government expenditure trade finance. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 35 52 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43995 Once tea was the major source of export earnings for India, but now India is trailing behind in the field of tea production and exports. Darjeeling tea is considered as India’s pride and almost entire production are exported. The depressed tea export of India actually caused the breakdown of the tea industry in West Bengal. Under such circumstances, it is appropriate to verify whether the tea gardens of West Bengal are efficient or not. This is so because efficient utilisation of economic resources can reduce the cost of production and thus make the industry more competitive. For the sustainability of the development of the tea gardens of West Bengal, efficient utilisation of economic resources is necessary as well as sufficient condition. In this paper, an attempt has been made to measure simultaneously technical and allocative efficiency for large, medium and small tea gardens in West Bengal. Farm size and economic efficiency: a case study of tea production in West Bengal
Shrabanti Maity
International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 53 - 70
Once tea was the major source of export earnings for India, but now India is trailing behind in the field of tea production and exports. Darjeeling tea is considered as India’s pride and almost entire production are exported. The depressed tea export of India actually caused the breakdown of the tea industry in West Bengal. Under such circumstances, it is appropriate to verify whether the tea gardens of West Bengal are efficient or not. This is so because efficient utilisation of economic resources can reduce the cost of production and thus make the industry more competitive. For the sustainability of the development of the tea gardens of West Bengal, efficient utilisation of economic resources is necessary as well as sufficient condition. In this paper, an attempt has been made to measure simultaneously technical and allocative efficiency for large, medium and small tea gardens in West Bengal.

]]> 10.1504/IJSE.2012.043995 International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 53 - 70 Shrabanti Maity Assam University (A Central University), Silchar, Assam, India sustainable development tea gardens West Bengal technical efficiency allocative efficiency simultaneous approach SPF stochastic production frontier India tea exports farm size economic efficiency tea production sustainability. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 53 70 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43996 Biogas is typically burned to produce electricity or used as vehicle fuel. This case study analyses possibilities to utilise biogas directly in industrial applications to replace current fossil raw materials. True industrial cases are analysed by considering economic impacts of using either landfill gas or gas produced from biomass. Utilisation of biogas is economically viable and technically possible. However, for biogas to be an economical alternative as a raw material, investment supports for biogas production and farming subsidies are required in the same manner as currently for food production. Landfill gas is a real option for large landfills or small industrial needs. Biogas as an option for industrial applications
Jouko Arvola; Pekka Belt; Janne Harkonen; Pekka Kess; Ritva Imppola
International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 71 - 88
Biogas is typically burned to produce electricity or used as vehicle fuel. This case study analyses possibilities to utilise biogas directly in industrial applications to replace current fossil raw materials. True industrial cases are analysed by considering economic impacts of using either landfill gas or gas produced from biomass. Utilisation of biogas is economically viable and technically possible. However, for biogas to be an economical alternative as a raw material, investment supports for biogas production and farming subsidies are required in the same manner as currently for food production. Landfill gas is a real option for large landfills or small industrial needs.

]]> 10.1504/IJSE.2012.043996 International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 71 - 88 Jouko Arvola; Pekka Belt; Janne Harkonen; Pekka Kess; Ritva Imppola Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, Oulu FI-90014, Finland ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, Oulu FI-90014, Finland ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, Oulu FI-90014, Finland ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, Oulu FI-90014, Finland ' School of Renewable Natural Resources, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Metsakouluntie, FI-90660 Oulu, Finland renewable energy biogas landfill gas synthesis gas farming subsidies chemical industry sustainability sustainable development biomass production support industrial needs. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 71 88 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=43997 This paper discusses transparency as an instrument with the potential to improve efficiency and legitimacy in the public sector. In this paper, elements of transparency in administration of scientific research in Slovenia by Slovenian Research Agency are taken under consideration. Responses of researchers and directors of research organisations are analysed regarding agency internet site with the data on published rules, schedules of all public calls, the results of research work, the results of public calls and financial data. Data show that transparency of a public institution has a positive effect on sustainable efficiency in the area of work of the public institution and improves perception of the system’s legitimacy. Transparency as an instrument for improved efficiency and legitimacy of the public sector: a case of scientific research
Mojca Kastelc Selan; Franci Demšar
International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 89 - 110
This paper discusses transparency as an instrument with the potential to improve efficiency and legitimacy in the public sector. In this paper, elements of transparency in administration of scientific research in Slovenia by Slovenian Research Agency are taken under consideration. Responses of researchers and directors of research organisations are analysed regarding agency internet site with the data on published rules, schedules of all public calls, the results of research work, the results of public calls and financial data. Data show that transparency of a public institution has a positive effect on sustainable efficiency in the area of work of the public institution and improves perception of the system’s legitimacy.

]]> 10.1504/IJSE.2012.043997 International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 89 - 110 Mojca Kastelc Selan; Franci Demšar Slovenian Research Agency, Bleiweisova 30, Ljubljana 1231, Slovenia ' Slovenian Research Agency, Bleiweisova 30, Ljubljana 1231, Slovenia transparency public sector management sustainability public sector efficiency public sector legitimacy public research institutions public agency websites internet sustainable efficiency. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 89 110 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00