Rapid prototyping is an important technique for manufacturing. This work refers to the manufacture of hollow patterns made of polymeric materials by rapid prototyping technologies for its use in the preparation of ceramic molds in the investment casting process. This work is focused on the development of a process for manufacturing patterns diff erent from those that currently exist due to its ...

A survey of empirical studies relating mating and parental investment reveals as many unpredicted patterns as results supporting existing hypotheses. This leaves us with individual post hoc explanations of observed patterns rather than an ability to make strong a priori predictions. I argue here that our ability to explain and predict empirical patterns can be improved by considering how social...

This paper analyses the link between venture capitalists’ sources of funds, such as banks and pension funds, and the specialization pattern of venture capital investments in particular industries and stages of enterprises’ development. Based on a panel data set of Western European countries, the results of the analysis show that sources of funds and investment specialization patterns are linked...

Th is paper analyses the nature and causes of the patterns of inequality and poverty in India. Since the economic liberalization in the early 1990s, the evidence suggests increasing inequality (in both spatial and vertical terms) as well as persistent poverty. Th e macroeconomic policies possibly responsible for these trends include—fi scal tightening, regressive tax policies and expenditure cu...

We analyze the evolution of economic institutions during the process of industrialization. In particular, we focus on the institution of contract enforcement. Empirically, we show that, during the process of industrialization, countries tend to shift their manufacturing production towards industries that require more relationship-specific investment. Theoretically, we build a dynamic model with...