Fee-for-service payments and consultation length in general practice: a work–leisure trade-off model for French GPs

This article presents an adaptation of the labour supply model applied to the independent medical sector. First, we model simultaneous General Practitioner (GP) decisions on both the leisure time and the consultation length for two payment schemes: fixed fees and unregulated fees. The objective of this econometric study is to validate the theoretical prediction that doctors under unregulated fees may make choices about the length of patient consultations independent of their personal leisure decision. Indeed, according to our empirical results, the bidirectional link between leisure choice and consultation length – verified with fixed fees – does not hold any longer under unregulated fees. Our findings can be seen as a necessary but not a sufficient condition to legitimize unregulated fees in general practice.     

Understanding Markov-switching rational expectations models

We develop a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for equilibria to be determinate in a class of forward-looking Markov-switching rational expectations models and we develop an algorithm to check these conditions in practice. We use three examples, based on the new-Keynesian model of monetary policy, to illustrate our technique. Our work connects applied econometric models of Markov-switching with forward looking rational expectations models and allows an applied researcher to construct the likelihood function for models in this class over a parameter space that includes a determinate region and an indeterminate region.     

MODELLING EXPECTATIONS: A REVIEW OF LIMITED INFORMATION ESTIMATION METHODS

The plethora of limited information estimation methods applied to expectations models are presented within a coherent framework based on standard econometric estimators. It is then possible to isolate those problems that arise solely because of the inclusion of expectations variables. The relationship between the economic solution of RE models and the appropriate choice of estimator is examined.     

计量经济学应用研究的可信性革命

可信性是计量经济学应用研究的重要问题,其核心在于实现经济理论、统计学、数学在实证研究中的科学结合。本文基于国际计量经济学界对可信性问题的三次大讨论取得的重要进展,厘清了计量经济学探索客观经济世界过程的本质特征;进而针对应用研究中存在的滥用和错用现象,从计量经济模型的随机性设定、经济变量之间的因果关系识别以及模型的统计适切性评价等三个方面阐述计量经济学应用研究的可靠性来源。我国计量经济学的应用研究面临进一步提高可信性的重要问题,需要全面吸收和借鉴国际计量经济学界对于可信性问题的成果,改变研究模式和教学模式。     

Weighted symmetric tests for a unit root: response functions,power, test dependence and test conflict

The most frequently applied test statistics for a unit root are the Dickey–Fuller tests, which are built into many econometric packages along with MacKinnon's empirical response functions. This article provides empirical response functions for some easy to compute alternative test statistics that are generally much more powerful than the Dickey–Fuller tests; specifically, these are the Dickey–Fuller tests and the weighted symmetric versions of the and tests. The empirical response functions presented here take into account adjustments for lag length in the maintained regression, and also extend the design of the simulation experiments compared to previous work. A second aspect of this study concerns the widespread practice in applied econometrics of using more than one test for the same feature without an assessment of the implications for the cumulative significance level and probability of test conflict. Tests for a unit root being are a leading example of this practice. Using the extended set of unit root tests considered here, the extent of test dependence is simulated and overall type one error calculated. Two empirical applications illustrate the key principles.     

Econometric diagnostics to distinguish between the IS curve and the Ricardian equivalence

In this article two different specifications of a macroeconomic model are analysed. The first model is the Keynesian IS (Investments–savings) curve. The second is derived from the New Classical Ricardian equivalence. Since the two specifications are observationally equivalent, including the same set of variables, the econometric diagnostics of the regression equations are used to differentiate between the two of them. Six statistical criteria are compared: serial correlation, heteroscedasticity, specification tests, fit, randomness, and normality. The results support much better Ricardian equivalence than the Keynesian IS model.     

河南经济内生增长的实证分析——基于传统要素和内生要素的多要素经济增长模型

在对经济增长投入要素进行分类的基础上,建立了河南经济内生增长评价指标体系,旨在选取科学合理、有代表性的指标建立模型.对同一准则层指标进行了相关性分析和筛选,并运用灰色关联度检验保证投入指标与产出指标的关联性,最终建立包括传统要素和内生要素在内的多要素计量经济模型,对河南经济内生增长进行了实证分析.研究表明技术进步、人力资本存量、经济结构、制度等内生经济增长因素对河南经济增长作用较小,对经济增长有较强乘数效应的教育提高幅度也很小.     

Local and global spatial effects in hierarchical models

Hierarchical models have a long history in empirical applications; recognition of the fact that many datasets of interest to applied econometricians are nested; counties within states, pupils within school, regions within countries, etc. Just as many datasets are characterized by nesting, many are also characterized by the presence of spatial dependence or spatial heterogeneity. Significant advances have been made in developing econometric techniques and models to allow applied econometricians to address this spatial dimension to their data. This article fuses these two literatures together and combines a hierarchical model with the two general spatial econometric models.     

外部风险对中国地方政府规模的影响

本文利用我国28个省市区1978—2006年的数据,分析了我国外部风险对地方政府规模的影响。研究发现,在当前我国更为开放的市场经济中,外部风险导致了地方政府规模的扩大,且外部风险与社会保障和社会福利支出显著正相关。为了抵御外部风险,必须把一部分经济资源配置到政府部门,以增加社会保障和社会福利等方面的支出。     

Deficits, Money Growth and Inflation in Italy: 1875–1994

In this paper, we examine econometrically the "fiscal dominance" model of the Monetary History of Italy proposed by Spinelli and Fratianni (1996). We test the proposition that monetary policy is endogenous to fiscal policy, and that such an endogeneity creates a specificity in the process generating Italian inflation. We perform our econometric tests by estimating a small structural linear econometric model, addressing carefully the issues of data-congruency of the specification, non-stationarity, cointegration, and credibility of the over-identifying restrictions. Our econometric investigation is based on a sample of annual observations from 1875–1994 and exploits the structural break which occurred in 1975, when Baffi became Governor of the Bank of Italy and the lack of independence of the central bank was first perceived as a problem. Baffi started the slow evolution process leading to the independence of the central bank, which was institutionally ratified by his successor Ciampi, when, in 1981, the Bank of Italy interrupted his commitment to buy all the government bonds left unsold in the public tenders (the "divorce"). Our empirical analysis over the sample 1875–1975 confirms the existence of a link between government deficit and money growth, and of a long-run relationship between the quantity of money and the price level; the evidence also stresses the relevance of supply side factors in the determination of inflation. When the model estimated for the sample 1875–1975 is applied to the period 1975–1994, a clear structural break in the relation between government deficits and money growth emerges. (J.E.L.: E5, E6).     

Pre-test estimation under squared error loss

This paper specifies a pre-test estimator for conditions normally fulfilled in econometric practice, analytically evaluates its risk and demonstrates it is, under a squared error loss measure, superior to other traditional and non-traditional pre-test estimators.     

The Threshold Effect of Exchange Rate Volatility on Trade Volume: Evidence from G-7 Countries

Abstract

This paper uses a threshold model to examine a possible threshold effect in the impact of exchange rate volatility on trade volume for the bilateral trade volumes between the US and other G-7 countries. A grid-searching method is used to obtain the threshold points, and time-series econometric techniques are applied to estimate the long run stable relationships as well as short-run dynamics. The results support the existence of nonlinearity in the effect of exchange rate volatility, and indicate that trade volume tends to increase when exchange rate volatility surpasses a certain threshold point.     

Diagnostic Testing in Applied Econometrics*

Economic policy formation and the development of economic theory both rely ultimately upon empirical analysis for their direction and sustenance. Recent contributions from econometric theory suggest that the quality of the advice obtained from applied econometric research can be considerably improved by more systematic testing of empirical models. These new tests help identify both strengths and weaknesses of the models. Though fundamental economic theory and good knowledge of data are the primary ingredients of applied economic research, these new diagnostic tests are an important adjunct to existing methodology. This survey introduces the non-specialist econometrician to diagnostic model testing, and thoughout emphasizes the heuristic rather than the mathematical underpinnings of the testing strategy.     

行政垄断、放松规制与产业绩效——基于原油开采业的实证分析

我国原油开采业是行政垄断而不是自然垄断,而行政垄断下原油开采业的市场绩效表明了其危害性.通过对我国原油开采业1998年的隐性放松规制进行界定,建立计量模型对这次放松规制的效果进行了实证分析,从理论和实践两方面证实了放松规制有利于我国原油开采业产业绩效的提升.     

政府支出与对外贸易风险规避——来自中国的经验证据

文章使用边界检验和自回归分布滞后模型等计量和时间序列方法分析了1980-2008年间我国政府支出规模与对外开放程度之间的长期影响关系和关联机制.研究结果显示:我国的政府支出规模与对外贸易开放程度之间存在显著的长期影响关系,规避由贸易条件波动而引致的对外贸易风险是二者长期影响关系的内在关联机制,这一结论与Rodrik(1998)使用截面数据方法得到的研究结论相一致.这也意味着,自1997年亚洲金融危机以来,我国所实施的积极财政政策在防范和抵御对外贸易风险过程中起到了积极的作用.     

Corporate tax competition: A meta-analysis

Do jurisdictions compete over corporate taxes? The extent of uncooperative strategic government interactions in corporate tax policy remains unclear, because the results reported in relevant econometric studies vary considerably. This paper applies meta-analysis and meta-regression methods to a novel dataset consisting of 604 observations on corporate tax competition reported in 33 primary studies. The results point to the presence of corporate tax competition effects, and there is no consistent evidence for publication selection bias. The analysis, however, reveals that several data and specification choices systematically affect the results reported in the literature: the choice of the weighting scheme applied in estimating the corporate tax function and details of the econometric estimation strategy are significant when it comes to explaining variation in reported results. Furthermore, we find that accounting for partisan politics and country size matters.     

Inflation and Productivity: Empirical Evidence from Europe

The paper investigates the empirical association between inflation and productivity in 15 European countries over the period 1960–97. Modern econometric techniques based on integration and cointegra– tion analysis are used to test for the existence of a long–run relationship between inflation and productivity. Recently developed causality tests for possibly cointegrated VAR models are also applied instead of relying on standard Granger causality tests which are inappropriate in the presence of nonstationary variables.     

Anticipated monetary policy and real output: evidence from Latin American countries

This paper is an empirical investigation of the effects of anticipated and unanticipated monetary policies on real output for 13 LDCs in Latin and Central America. The well-know Mishkin econometric procedure is applied to the annual IMF date for the decomposition of actual money growth into anticipated and unanticipated components and the evidence of significant relation between anticipated money supply and real output for each country is reported. The results derived in this paper thus provide additional empirical support for the validity of the ‘non-classical rational expectations’ macro models of Fisher, and Phelps and Taylor.     

投资、投资效率与投资制度:文献视角的探讨

本文从文献角度对投资相关研究进行了概括性地描述与讨论,将现有的研究概括为研究视角、研究方法和投资环境等几个方面,着重分析了投资计量模型发展的内在逻辑关系和以我国为对象的转轨经济投资研究.鉴于目前对投资制度理论研究较少,论文探讨性地分析了利用演进博弈分析转轨投资制度的可能性,并对CES生产函数特征进行了解析,说明了借用其对转轨投资制度效率进行实证分析的可能性.     

The econometrics of markets with quantity controls

This paper presents econometric methods for single markets with quantity controls or quotas. A theory of quotas based on disequilibrium/bargaining nations is outlined. Maximum likelihood methods are described for these theories. The methods are applied to the Australian tobacco-leaf market. It is argued that cigarette manufacturers gain slightly more from bargaining proces than tobacco-growers.