SPOUDAI - Journal of Economics and Business

16-28

Authors: Elias Sanidas

This paper is an important and necessary extension of the recent study by Lim and Sanidas (2011) where it was rigorously shown that both types of technology positively affect firms and industries in South Korea. How is this technological impact differentiated between SMEs and larger firms? The present paper answers this question and provides policy recommendations accordingly. Following the same methodology as in the just mentioned study, we put emphasis on the role of technological innovations which consist of two components: technical innovations (TIs) and organizational innovations (OIs). We use firm based data and the econometric method of Fixed Effects (FE) to measure the relationship between OIs, TIs and productivity. In these regressions we included some standard control variables such as wage efficiency, educational level, and capital to labor ratio to accommodate for other important influences. Some industries such as electrical machinery, motor vehicles, and non-electrical machinery have become more efficient in terms of OIs and TIs and thus improved productivity considerably. The results indicate that in general the size of firms is rather neutral to the influence of technology and all other factors on productivity. Thus, overall SMEs as well as large firms behave similarly in terms of the established relationships in this paper. However some significant differences which are detected in this study still exist. JEL Classifications: C23, L23, O33 Keywords: organizational and technical innovations; technology; Just-in-time; panel data, SMEs

42-52

Authors: Dionysios D. Ithakisios, Athanassios Vozikis

This article presents the situation of public health in the 19th century Greece, with an emphasis on the financing of lazarettos. Due to “ignorance” and lack of therapeutic means and hospitals, isolation was the predominant practice for dealing with illness, both on the level of local society and also on the level of state intervention. The vast majority of the research data came from the study and the analysis-decomposition of the Annual National Reports and Annual National Budgets for the years 1822-1911. From the research findings it was unveiled that for the years up to 1863 spending on “Lazarettos and Quarantine Services” represented more than three-quarters of total health expenditures, whereas from 1864 on, due to the unfavourable financial situation, implementation of public health policy was seen to be lagging far behind. As the state became more effectively involved in the issues of health and social protection after the first decade of the 20th century, public health was not one of the top priorities of Greek governments throughout the 19th century. JEL Classification: N33; I18 Keywords: 19th century; Greece; Public Health; Quarantine; Lazarettos; Diseases and epidemics; Public Health expenditure and financing of Lazarettos.

63-77

Authors: Alexandros M. Goulielmos, Agisilaos Anastasakos, Androniki Gatzoli

The efforts of IMO on the security of ports and ships after 11/9 are presented. IMO’s resolution on fatigue of crews -cause of marine accidents- is also presented. The introduction of ISPS code -carried out under the pressure of USA- made by a non holistic approach, created a number of issues involving and affecting seafarers. IMO and ILO, and other industry’s organizations, but USA, tried subsequently to correct this repercussion. ISPS created four issues: the fair treatment of seafarers –especially serious in USA ports; shore leave; SUA and PSI conventions, which all changed seafarers’ working conditions, analyzed here. Important is also the ‘criminalization of seafarers’, which had the most serious impact on crews. Moreover, examined is the possible impact of MLC 2006 Convention -in force since 2013- on seafarers supply. The efforts of OECD countries and EU, to reverse the falling supply of well qualified marine officers in last 10 years or so, showing in 2010 a deficit of 13,000 officers, are shown. This problem is more acute when world fleet grows, as this was the situation between 2003 and early 2013. OECD, EU, but Greece, also worried for the possible transfer of “shipowning know-how” from them… JEL Classification: J22; J81; J88; J830; J880. Keywords: Impact of ISPS on Supply of Seafarers (2004); Inadequate Supply of Seafarers by 2010; MLC impact.