This study empirically analyzes the effects of a cluster policy on firms' productivity, exports, employment and capital in the French optic/photonic industry. Exploiting firm-level data, we first analyze the selection process of the French cluster policy through a logit model, before combining a propensity score matching procedure and a differences-indifferences estimation in order to capture its impact on firms' performance in the optic/photonic industry. We first show that larger firms are more likely to be selected by the French public policy in the optic/photonic industry. Second, the firms that have received the competitiveness cluster label have become more productive. We also found a positive and significant impact of the public policy on exports, total fixed assets and employment, but no evidence has been found localization economies. Third, when compared to an industrial cluster that only benefits form agglomeration economies, we found that firms from the competitiveness clusters have experienced a labor productivity gain, greater employment and an increase in total fixed assets.

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Cet article a pour objectif d’évaluer la viabilité du projet d’unification des pays du Conseil de coopération du golfe Persique (CCG). L’objectif commun de l’Arabie saoudite, de Bahreïn, des Émirats arabes unis, du Koweït, d’Oman et du Qatar était d’établir une intégration économique complète par le biais de la création d’une monnaie unique à l’horizon 2010. Suite à la suspension du processus d’unification monétaire en mai 2010 et au regain de l’euroscepticisme, cet article étudie les perspectives d’avenir du projet des pays du golfe Persique qui s’apprêtaient à former la deuxième union monétaire mondiale par la taille, en étudiant les structures économiques des monarchies du CCG, la synchronisation de leurs cycles économiques et l’optimalité de la zone monétaire. La viabilité de la future union monétaire est également évaluée à travers la parité du pouvoir d’achat (PPA) généralisée, afin d’étudier le comportement de long terme des taux de change réels.

Background Frequent or repeat ED visits make up over 20% of the total ED visits, while frequent users constitute up to 8% of all ED users. While some studies have analyzed ED encounters over a single healthcare system, a single year or a condition, this study examines frequent and recurrent ED utilization for the state of Maryland over three years. Methods Using 2017–2019 State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD), we conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses and identified patient/community level characteristics associated with frequent (> 4 visits/year) and recurrent frequent ED users (two and three consecutive years) in Maryland. Results Of the total 5,331,843 ED visits, frequent visits were 24.4% (1,301,301) while frequent users made up 7.16% (234,973) of all ED users. Females [OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.24, 1.36] and patients aged 21–44 [OR = 2.41, 95% CI 2.24,2.60] were more likely to visit the ED recurrently than males, children and adolescents respectively. Compared to those with private insurance and no chronic conditions, Medicaid beneficiaries were 2.41 (95% CI 2.24,2.60) and those with multiple chronic conditions was 2.34 [95% CI 2.14,2.54] times more likely to be recurrent frequent ED users respectively. The NH Blacks were 26% [95% CI 1.25,1.28] more likely to be frequent users than NH White patients while those from the lowest income quartile were 69% [95% CI 1.66,1.71] and 33% [95% CI 1.21,1.46] more likely to be frequent and recurrent frequent ED users compared to the highest income quartile. Compared to residents of large metropolitan areas, patients from micropolitan areas were 43% [95% CI 1.38,1.48] while those living further from an ED were 9% [95% CI 1.09, 1.10] were more likely to be frequent ED users. Conclusions Frequent and recurrent frequent ED users in the state of Maryland were associated with being female, 21–44 years old, NH Black, Medicaid beneficiaries, with multiple chronic conditions and reside in a lower income zip code. Frequent ED users were also more likely to reside micropolitan areas, and further from an ED facility. We propose recommendations to stakeholders to invest in care coordination and IT infrastructure, and expand community access to outpatient care.

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This paper explores how music can be used to teach macroeconomic concepts, such as economic growth, unemployment, inflation, monetary policy, and fiscal policy. While economists and educators have examined the relationship between economics and music, the focus has largely been on microeconomic concepts rather than macroeconomics. The purpose of this article is to connect economic-themed music directly to course content. This article provides educators with a sample set of relevant lyrics, core macroeconomic concepts, and suggested discussion questions. This paper shows how instructors can use music as a pedagogical tool in lower-level macroeconomics courses.

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