John W Sawkins

Church attendance in Great Britain: An ordered logit approach

The church attendance decision of individual economic agents is analysed within a Becker-style allocation of time framework. Using an ordered logit model with data derived from the British Household Panel Study (BHPS) separate attendance equations are estimated for males and females. The empirical results, in line with previous North American studies, suggest that labour income variables do account for some of the variation in attendance. In addition, attendance is found to be correlated with factors such as denominational affiliation, educational attainment and intensity of belief.

The Economics of Religious Participation: A Cross‐country Study

Levels of participation in organized religion differ markedly across countries, a stylized fact which has resisted a general theoretical explanation. The claim of this paper is that the international variation in religious attendance can be understood in terms of systematic differences in socioeconomic variables. In particular, national religious participation is modeled as a function of investment in religious human capital, social interactions, and religious market structure. Using data for eighteen countries derived from the religious questionnaire of the International Social Survey Programme, the empirical significance of these variables is demonstrated by estimating simple regression equations. Copyright 1998 by WWZ and Helbing & Lichtenhahn Verlag AG

The contract state, trust distortion, and efficiency

Abstract In this paper we challenge the Public Choice-Agency Theory approach, which characterizes economic transactions as a series of discrete, unique events. We argue that the policy implications flowing from this view of the world are flawed, as they ignore the role of trust in contract formation and execution. Evidence is drawn from health, local authority, and water service sectors of the economy to illustrate the way in which the efficiency-enhancing properties of contract-based provision may be attenuated if trust is distorted by institutional change.

National Lottery participation and expenditure: preliminary results using a two stage modelling approach

Using data from the Family Expenditure Survey, this paper analyses participation in, and expenditure on, the UK National Lottery by individuals for the period 1995/1996 to 1999/2000. Probit and truncated Tobit models are employed in a two part estimation. The results highlight the importance of gender, age, education, marital status and occupation in individual participation and expenditure decisions.

The economics of regional variation in religious attendance

Developments in modelling the demand for religion have identified both religious human capital and religious market structure as fundamental determinants of levels of formal religious practice. In this paper, these theories are confronted with survey data drawn from 163 regions across 16 countries. Although there are clearly political, historical and other country specific factors that affect levels of participation in organized religion, estimates from modified logit regression equations demonstrate the empirical significance at the regional level of variables suggested by recent innovations in the economics of religious behaviour.

Regulatory Uncertainty and Share Price Volatility: the English and Welsh Water Industry's Periodic Price Review

This paper models the London stock market’s response to the 1994 Periodic Review of prices in the English and Welsh water industry using both GARCH and stochastic volatility models. The results indicate that a significant reduction in the volatility of share prices for eight of the ten water and sewerage companies followed the announcement of revised industry price-caps. Investor expectations adjusted rapidly, reflecting confidence in the credibility and political sustainability of the settlement.

Balancing multiple interests in regulation: An event study of the English and Welsh water industry

In this paper, an event study methodology is used to identify and analyze the key regulatory initiatives taken by the economic regulator of the English and Welsh water industry during the period 1989–1994. An analysis of the movements of water company share returns relative to aggregate stock market returns suggests that regulatory interventions did affect investor expectations. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the regulators actions balanced the often conflicting interests of the water industrys stakeholders, and that this balance reflected the regulators statutory duties.

Examination performance in Scottish secondary schools: an ordered logit approach

This paper analyses the determinants of educational outcomes for Scottish secondary schools. Using an ordered logit model with data on school examination performance for pupils in the last year of compulsory education, separate equations are estimated for 1993–1994 and 1998–1999. The empirical results, in line with previous British studies, underline the importance of family, peer group and school influences in determining educational outcomes. They cast doubt, however, on suggestions that there is an ‘optimal’ size of school.

Competition and Participation in Religious Markets: Evidence from Victorian Scotland

Abstract In 1885, the largest churches in Scotland were engaged in a dispute about state funding. We use data generated in the course of that dispute to test two related hypotheses. First, as market size (proxied by population) increases, the competitiveness (or complexity) of the religious market structure will not decrease. Second, religious activity, as measured by giving per member, church income and participation, will not decrease as market competitiveness (or complexity) increases. Empirical evidence lends support to the first hypothesis, but casts doubt on the second, and the supply-side theories underpinning it, which posit a causal link between increased competitiveness (complexity) and higher levels of religious activity. In interpreting the results the importance of a rich understanding of institutional arrangements—particularly market structure, governance and financing—is underlined.

Money, Sex and Religion: The Case of the Church of Scotland

This empirical study addresses whether the gender of a minister has any effect on remuneration in the Church of Scotland in 2004. The data set merges three cross-sectional sources, namely denominational data, church census information and local geographic (postcode) characteristics. We find that male ministers are more likely to be matched to affluent churches permitted to pay a voluntary stipend premium all else equal. Moreover, conditional on eligibility, there is evidence that male clergy are more likely to receive this bonus. The data are unable to discriminate between demand and supply side explanations of these findings.