Damien Bazin

Market structure and equilibrium

Comments on the Translation.- 1 Stating the Economic Problem and Basic Principles.- 2 General Analysis of Typical Market Structures.- 3 Analysis of the Relationship between Dual Markets and Multiple Markets.- 4 Dyopolistic Market Share Ranking.- 5 Landmark History of Economic Thought.- 6 Market Structure and Economic Policy.- Mathematical Appendix.- Bibliography.

Cultural heterogeneity, Inequalities, Power, and the Management of natural resources: How the capability approach contributes to the debate

Cultural heterogeneity is considered to be a plausible explanatory factor in the management of natural resources. We show that the capability approach can nuance this argument. By contextualizing the role of cultural heterogeneity, arguing that inequalities of opportunity often take precedence over cultural differences, we show how the capability approach modifies the role of this factor. We then underline that cultural heterogenity is often a mask for differences in opportunities based on three dimensions of power: strategic power, institutional power, and domination power.

Energy Analysis and Potentials of Biodiesel Production from Jatropha Curcas in Tunisia

Oleaginous plants such as Jatropha Curcas Linnaeus (JCL), not intended for human consumption but used for biodiesel production, could contribute to beneficial outcomes. This plant grows on poor land (arid and marginal land) and is drought resistant. Jatropha Curcas is native to South America and widely grown in South and Central America, Africa, and Asia (Achten et al., 2007; Kumar et al., 2011). Some areas in Tunisia may be suitable for JCL, although not for food production. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the energy performance and potential of Jatropha Curcas for biodiesel production in Tunisia. The evaluation will be completed through the elaboration of an energy balance using life cycle assessment (LCA), which will facilitate the decision making process. Therefore, the cultivation of JCL production in Tunisia will be an experiment with uncertain results. The energy assessment reveals a negative energy return (EE = 0.42). Because of high investment costs and low yield per hectare, Jatropha is not a sound economic choice.

Mountain guides: between ethics and socioeconomic trends

This study analysed mountain guides’ representations of environmental responsibility and explored the paradox that these professionals face: using nature as a source of income while trying to preserve it. The study was mainly guided by the philosophical literature on this topic and made use of the concepts of sustainable development and nature. This exploratory work therefore contributes to the new field of environmental social psychology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and the qualitative analysis showed that mountain guides have a very sensitive and contemplative approach to moral aspects of our relationship with nature, which they try to transmit to their clients. They believe that this is a way to educate people about sustainable development, but this term emerged as quite vague for them, and they expressed the opinion that it might hide other concerns, such as to make translating it into moral conduct a difficult matter and to compromise their identity as moral actors.

Taking Moral Motivations into Consideration: An Internalist Point of View

Economic theory has of late begun to include moral and social factors into the analysis of human behaviour. A key factor in this process of integration is the role of motivations. This role is discussed in the field of moral philosophy through the opposition of internalism and externalism. The first part of the present article deals with this issue. Economic theory, insofar as standard developments are concerned, does not take the internalist point of view seriously into account. This is illustrated in the second section through the discussion of models which integrate the sense of guilt. We then conclude on the weaknesses of these models. The internalist position is defended in the third part. We highlight the effects that such a position could have on economic reasoning. Amongst these effects, special importance is given to demonstrate that rationality regarding economic calculation is subordinate to individual responsibility. JEL classification: B40.

Environmental Ethics as Applied to Outdoor Physical Practices: An Analysis Through the Lens of Hans Jonas

Abstract In times of social and moral crises, sport has often been called to boost individual moral development. By the same token, outdoor activities are viewed as good educational practices to enhance environmental responsibility. However, the present paper argues that these physical activities are currently following the same technological development trend as the mainstream society, and challenges this trend itself in terms of sustainability by critically asking this question: Do outdoor activities really enhance environmental responsibility? The research supporting this paper is based on a qualitative inquiry using interviews with outdoor activities practitioners: mountain guides and white water sports instructors. The findings of this research show that environmental responsibility development depends on the sport contexts. It is fostered in slow and none-technological activities (e.g. trekking) and lowered in fast and technological activities (e.g. canoeing, kayaking). The paper concludes with the following paradox reached by the preliminary research results: the birth of modern technology calls for greater need of environmental responsibility, but it may also prevent its development at the same time.

A Note on Cooperative Strategies in Gladiators’ Games

Gladiatorial combat was in reality a lot less lethal than it is depicted in the cinema. This short paper highlights how cooperative strategies could have prevailed in the arenas, which is generally what happened during the Games. Cooperation in the arena corresponded to a situation of the professionalization of gladiators, who been trained in gladiatorial schools. This case provides an analogy of the conditions under which cooperation occurs in a context of competition between rival companies.

Corporate Strategy in Relation to Environmental protection issues

Firms have a reputation for caring only about profits and for showing scant regard when it comes to the consequences of their actions or their behaviour in relation to environmental protection. We wish to put forward a renewed vision of firms in terms of their corporate social responsibility, one in which the above dichotomy becomes less marked. We will explain in detail the fact that in order to take environmental issues seriously, it is necessary to consider them with regard to structural and paradigmatic corporate change. For this reason we will carry out a critical analysis of the use of an environmental tax and we will broaden the discussion to include the need for a greater responsibility among economic agents.