Noelina Rodríguez-Ferrero’s research while affiliated with University of Granada and other places

This paper proposes the Ramsey pricing methodology as a useful tool for water managers. As a case study, first we propose an alternative calculation of the annual depreciation charge for the investment in water infrastructure to that currently made by public administration, and then we apply the Ramsey contribution to the calculation of the price or regulatory tariff charged in 2009 by the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority (Andalucía, Spain) for providing water for urban supply and irrigation. According to Ramsey’s formula, its greatest effect is felt by domestic users, whose demand is relatively inelastic, compared to those whose demand is for agricultural purposes.

This paper uses a simple model of third-degree price discrimination assuming two independent linear demands and discusses the effects of price discrimination on monopoly profit, consumer surplus, and social welfare.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Spain introduced a pioneering system of water management by river basins, which was later endorsed by the EU Water Framework Directive. Recently, for a variety of political and administrative reasons, a number of fierce territorial disputes and debates have arisen that challenge the validity of this system. Changes have also taken place in the way water is managed, with a shift towards a more environmentally friendly approach. It is recommended that the river basin remain the basic territorial unit for any water management system, although this will require a National Water Agreement.

The participation of Spain in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) involves a number of important challenges for academics. Adapting to an educational model characterized by competence-based teaching is a difficult task, yet it is of paramount importance in the context of current reforms. In an educational system in which the traditional lecture is the predominant pedagogical procedure, learning-centered teaching represents a major cultural change with significant consequences. The objective of this study is to offer economics lecturers some practical techniques for use in the classroom. Specifically, it includes some suggestions for the planning, preparation and teaching of lectures, seminars, tutorials, case studies, debates, and computer based learning. It also contains some practical advice in terms of student assessment.

Expansionist policies in irrigation in Andalusia have led to an intensive use of water, which has depleted rivers and aquifers and led to high added costs in terms of hidden subsidies for irrigation farming. Water scarcity has become an increasing social and economic worry for those responsible for regulating water policies and has created problems among users, especially when it is an important factor for production purposes. This empirical study analyses the differences that exist in terms of economic efficiency in the 156 irrigation areas of Andalusia. To achieve rational management of irrigation water it is essential to consider economic efficiency and carry out comparative studies to identify the causes that contribute to differences in terms of efficiency. This paper describes the conclusions of a study into economic rationality in the use of such a scarce resource as water.