Jordi Guilera

Regional Incomes in Portugal: Industrialisation, Integration and Inequality, 1890-1980

The analysis of the evolution of the location of economic activity in Portugal between 1890 and 1980 depicts a strong concentration of productive activity in the coastal regions. We estimate data for regional GDP per capita, which show that the evolution of regional inequality followed an inverted U-curve, in line with that observed in other regions of Europe, but with a rather late peak, in 1970. The reasons for this behaviour may be found in the limits to industrialisation in the interior regions and the benefits generated by the agglomeration economies in the more developed coastal regions.

The evolution of top income and wealth shares in Portugal since 1936

This paper presents new statistical evidence on the long-term evolution of economic inequality in Portugal. Portuguese tax sources have been employed to estimate top income and wealth shares (TIS and TWS) from 1936 onwards. The new series shows that the Second World War had a negative and non-permanent effect on the evolution of TIS, but not on TWS, which increased until the mid 1950s. From the mid 1950s to the early 1980s, there was a sharp decline in TIS and TWS. Finally, during the 1990s, TIS increased again. The reasons behind the Portuguese distributive pattern seem to be more economic than political.

Synthesis of ethyl hexyl ether over acidic ion-exchange resins for cleaner diesel fuel

The synthesis of ethyl hexyl ether as a suitable diesel additive was investigated using 1-hexanol and diethyl carbonate as reactants and acidic ion-exchange resins as catalysts. Liquid-phase experiments were performed in a batch reactor at the temperature range of 403–463 K and 2.5 MPa. The formation of ethyl hexyl ether proceeded from two routes: thermal decomposition of ethyl hexyl carbonate and intermolecular dehydration of 1-hexanol with ethanol. Both pathways require a previous transesterification reaction between diethyl carbonate and 1-hexanol. It was revealed that this reaction is favoured in polymer zones of 0.4 nm nm−3 polymer density (equivalent to 2.6 nm diameter pores in inorganic materials). Acidic ion-exchange resins containing a significant volume fraction of this polymer density are Dowex 50W×2 and Amberlyst 70. By using this kind of catalyst, reaction rate and selectivity are significantly increased. Finally, it was observed that working at low temperature would favour the selectivity to ethyl hexyl carbonate and hinder the undesired formation of alkenes.

Wage inequality in a developing open economy: Portugal, 1944–1984

This paper estimates and analyses wage inequality trends in Portugal, from 1944 to 1984, a period that comprises the Estado Novo dictatorship and the first decade after the transition to democracy. Wage inequality is measured by the gap between skilled and unskilled labour, and reveals a downward trend in most of the period in analysis. We provide an explanation for the observed trends by looking at the influence of domestic and international forces on changes in the relative supply and demand of skilled labour. According to our findings, the skill premium declined due to the combined influence of two major forces: an increase in the relative supply of skilled labour due to the mass emigration of unskilled labour, and the decrease in the relative demand for skills, related to trade-induced changes stemming from the countrys increasing openness, which followed the countrys unskilled labour comparative advantages. Our findings point to the conclusion that the impact of openness on wage inequality is related to the countrys relative level of development among its major trading partners.