Claudio A. Piga

R&D Investment, Credit Rationing and Sample Selection

We study whether R&D-intensive firms are liquidity-constrained, by also modeling their antecedent decision to apply for credit. This sample selection issue is relevant when studying a borrower-lender relationship, as the same factors can influence the decisions of both parties. We find firms with no or low R&D intensity to be less likely to request extra funds. When they do, we observe a higher probability of being denied credit. Such a relationship is not supported by evidence from the R&D-intensive firms. Thus, our findings lend support to the notion of credit constraints being severe only for a sub-sample of innovative firms. Furthermore, the results suggest that the way in which the R&D activity is organized may differentially affect a firms’ probability of being credit-constrained.

Sample selection in estimating the determinants of cooperative R&D

This article treats the selectivity issue in the analysis of cooperative R&D and also presents some new results, e.g. that a firms organization, vertical relationships and innovation strategy are important drivers of a decision to engage in R&D both independently and with external partners.

Network Positioning and R&D Activity: A Study of Italian Groups

Traditionally, R&D studies focus on organisational characteristics and internal context factor effects on a firms R&D activities. This paper extends previous research by analysing firm-level R&D expenditures in the wider context of inter-organisational networks. Using sample of 2002 manufacturing firms in Italy, it provides evidence that R&D intensity is linked to a firms positioning within an industrial groups hierarchy. Further tests on the antecedents of R&D expenditures are carried out in relation to the effects of firm characteristics and industry factors. Important findings include a significant and positive association between R&D intensity and the firms size, performance, intangible assets and industry concentration. These findings suggest that, in addition to firm-level factors and its market environment, network resources and organisation may play an important role in driving the intensity of the firms R&D expenditures.

Competition in a duopoly with sticky price and advertising

Abstract This paper develops a differential duopolistic game where price is sticky and firms can invest in market-enlarging promotional activities which have a public good nature. One finding indicates that advertising, and not output as in Fershtman and Kamien (Econometrica 55 (1987) 1151–1164) is responsible for the higher stationary price found in the open loop equilibrium relative to the linear feedback one. That is, free-riding is more intense when firms play linear Markov feedback strategies. However, the collusive outcome can be approximated, and opportunism eliminated, if firms can engage in preplay negotiations where they select a nonlinear Markov perfect strategy for output and advertising. Achieving the collusive outcome requires (as in the Folk Theorem for infinitely repeated games) the discount rate to be sufficiently small.

Assessing the returns to collaborative research: Firm-level evidence from Italy

We use firm-level data from Italian manufacturing firms to assess the relationship between various types of R&D and total factor productivity growth, including collaborative research with other firms and universities. A novel twist to our empirical analysis is that we estimate a sample selection model, which allows us to treat the decision to conduct R&D as endogenous. We find strong evidence of positive returns to collaborative research with other companies, whereas collaborative research with universities does not appear to enhance productivity. This result implies that firms may conduct R&D with universities when appropriability conditions are weak and the outcomes of such research projects do not yield direct strategic benefits.

Debt and Firms' Relationships: The Italian Evidence

Theories that predict the strategic use of debt by players engaged in a verticalrelationship are tested using an empirical model of debt usage. It is found thatfirms selling mainly to other firms are characterised on average by a higherlevel of debt. No evidence supports the notion that buyers increase their leverageto commit themselves not to behave opportunistically towards their suppliers. Theresults in the paper also suggest that group organisation limits the incentive to usedebt strategically within the holding-subsidiaries relationship.

Territorial planning and tourism development tax.

Abstract An economic model of land taxation involving a local government and a private developer constitutes the theoretical framework in this research. The model hinges around a two-tier approach including both a conservation and an efficiency criterion. The analysis indicates that sustainable tourism calls for the use of land taxation and planning legislation simultaneously geared to the achievement of efficiency and the signaling of the government’s commitment to conservation policies. To provide support for the theoretical conclusions, an Italian case study is discussed, showing how the local government chose not to yield to a developer’s requests by not changing a norm prohibiting construction near of the coastline.

Combined Effects of Capacity and Time on Fares: Insights from the Yield Management of a Low-Cost Airline

Based on two strands of theoretical research, this paper provides new evidence on how fares are jointly affected by in-flight seat availability and purchasing date. As capacity-based theories predict, it emerges that fares monotonically and substantially increase with flight occupancy. After controlling for capacity utilization, our analysis also supports time-based theories, indicating a U-shaped temporal profile over a two-month booking period, as well as a sharp increase in fares in the two weeks prior to departure.

Combined Effects of Load Factors and Booking Time on Fares: Insights from the Yield Management of a Low-Cost Airline

Based on two strands of theoretical research, this paper provides new evidence on how fares are jointly affected by in-flight seat availability and purchasing date. As capacity-driven theories predict, it emerges that fares monotonically and substantially increase with the flights occupancy rate. Moreover, as suggested in the literature on intertemporal price discrimination, the adoption of advance purchase discounts is widespread as the departure date nears, but it may be part of a U-shaped temporal profile, where discounts are preceded by periods of relatively higher fares. Finally, the intervention of yield management analysts appears to play a substantial role.

On the Relationship between R&D and Productivity: A Treatment Effect Analysis

This study uses firm level data from two detailed surveys of Italian manufacturing firms to study the relationship between R&D expenditures and productivity growth. The analysis considers the different contributions of various forms of R&D (product, process, internal, external in collaboration with universities, research centres and other firms) to Total Factor Productivity (TFP). Thus, this paper answers the call for more research on the links between a firms external R&D and its productivity. In the cross-section econometric analysis, we estimate a Treatment Effects model based on the assumption that the decision to carry out R&D is endogenous. We found evidence supporting such a methodological approach. The main results reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between the detailed measures of R&D and TFP. It is noteworthy that among external R&D investments, only expenditures for projects run in collaboration with other firms turn out to be highly significant, while cooperation in R&D with universities does not seem to lead to productivity enhancements. Because of the public good nature of research, firms may resort to do R&D within laboratories run by universities only when the outcome of the research does not have important strategic consequences.