No matter how it is measured, income declines with global warming

The contemporaneous relationship between temperature and income is important because it enables economists to estimate the economic impact of global warming without assuming a structural model. Until recently, empirical evidence generally suggests that there is a negative relationship between temperature and income, and, therefore, global warming has an adverse impact on economic activity. However, Nordhaus (2006) argues that the temperature-income relationship depends on how income is measured. We show in this paper that the results of Nordhaus (2006) may be due to an omitted-variable problem. Based on a well-motivated temperature-income model, we find that the relationship between temperature and income is not dependent on income measurement. Our regression results show that the adverse impact of an increase of 1 °C in temperature can be as much as a 3% decrease in total income for the G-7 nations. Therefore, our results suggest an aggressive climate mitigation policy.     

收入增长、劳动力外出与农村居民财产分布——基于四省农村的住户调查分析

本文在四省农村住户调查数据的基础上讨论了农村居民收入和外出行为对于家庭财产积累的影响。结果表明,农村居民的财产分布不均等程度要高于收入的不均等性,金融资产的不均等性尤其要高一些;财产不均等与收入不均等之间具有非常密切的关联性,收入不均等将转化为财产不均等。本文的结果也发现,家庭的外出决策对于财产积累,特别是金融资产的积累具有重要影响。     

持久收入假说与我国城镇居民消费——基于省级面板数据的实证分析

运用基于持久收入和暂时收入的两种分解方法的省际面板模型检验持久收入假说的三个假设.结果发现,我国城镇居民消费与持久收入和暂时收入均存在显著的相关关系,暂时收入的边际消费倾向不为零;就诸省份而言,暂时收入的边际消费倾向不同.进一步探讨了持久收入假说不能完全解释我国城镇居民消费行为的原因."λ假说"检验表明,城镇居民消费对当期收入过度敏感,其呈现理性化趋势.     

社会收入对西部城乡收入差距的影响——基于11省市2000户居民的调查数据

对城乡收入差距的研究最终将关注于真实收入的差异,本文依据对西部地区11个省市的2000个镇(村)2000户居民的调查数据的统计分析,发现西部地区社会收入的差距比经济收入的差距大得多;社会收入会对城乡收入差距产生直接影响,使西部地区城乡收入比扩大10.4%。因此,建议重视缩小西部地区城乡社会收入差距的政策设计、增加西部地区农村居民的社会收入、推行城乡一体化的社会保障体系、改革收入统计。     

收入不平等、政策偏向与最优财政再分配政策

本文构建的理论模型探讨了收入不平等、政策偏向与最优财政再分配之间的关系。模型显示:政策偏向是收入不平等与财政再分配恶性循环的决定因素。当政策偏向于穷人时,最优财政再分配系统的选择是提高税率,扩大对穷人的转移支付;当政策偏向于富人时,最优财政再分配系统的选择是降低税率,减少对穷人的转移支付。依据中国数据的实证研究发现:(1)中国收入不平等不断恶化,针对恶化的不平等而采取的财政再分配政策效果差,没能扭转不平等恶化趋势,政策偏向严重。(2)税收再分配政策偏向富人,使富人税负相对轻于穷人,居民收入不平等加剧;偏向于穷人的转移支付多为消费券(物),导致越扶越贫。为此,需要从调整所得税和转移支付政策等方面采取相关对策。     

我国个人所得税再分配效应及累进性的实证分析

税收是调节收入分配差距的有效手段之一。本文循着层层递进的逻辑,建立了税收再分配效应及累进性分解的数学理论模型,实证分析了1995年到2008年间我国个人所得税的再分配效应,剖析了影响其变动的深层次原因。结果表明:除2006年外,我国个人所得税起到了正向、且进一步加强的再分配效应,但调节效果非常有限;平均税率明显偏低,累进性基本呈下降趋势;分类征收模式导致总体累进性下降,工资薪金所得税是个人所得税累进性的主要来源;免征额在工资薪金所得税的累进性中起主导作用,其次是税率结构,而社会保障支出起较小的累进(或累退)效果。因此,在公平视角下改革与完善我国个人所得税制迫在眉睫。     

“中等收入陷阱”的国际背景、成因举证与中国对策

中国已步入上中等收入国家行列,但困扰众多发展中国家的中等收入陷阱问题也逐渐凸显。通过深入分析世界各国发展进程中形成中等收入陷阱的普遍现象与中国当前出现的一些特殊表象,探究各国不同的发展类型与体制特征,借鉴各国应对中等收入陷阱的经验教训,可以得出明确的结论:唯有深化体制改革和制度创新,改善制度供求关系和供给质量,加快推进经济发展方式的转变,才能顺利跨越中等收入陷阱,成功地跨入高收入国家的行列。     

Consumer demand for nutrition versus taste in four major food categories

This study addresses the trade‐off between nutrition and taste in expenditure on breakfast cereal, milk, bread, and soft drinks. Within each category, products have similar cost and convenience, but have markedly different flavor and nutritional content. Using annual expenditure data for a large sample of households participating in the ACNielsen Homescan system, we regress a measure of “healthiness” on household demographics and market prices, and find that households with college‐educated heads and higher incomes made significantly healthier choices in all four categories. These effects are puzzling in that the nutritional differences between products were well known to consumers, and there are no cost or convenience differences between them. The presence of children was associated with less healthy choices, especially for cereal and bread, while older households made healthier choices in all categories except milk.     

1952～2007年我国地区收入差距变化趋势——基于省际面板数据的单位根检验

本文利用1952～2007年我国31个省际地区人均GDP数据,对地区间收入差距的变化趋势进行检验。结果发现:从整个样本期间来看,我国地区收入差距在逐渐缩小;以改革开放为节点分不同时段,检验结果表明改革前我国省际地区收入差距不断缩小,而改革后,我国地区收入差距不断扩大。     

Topical coverage in internal auditing: academic versus practitioner perceptions

This study reports the results of research that investigates whether a gap may exist between academic content and practitioner needs in the area of internal auditing within the USA. Questionnaires were sent to internal auditing faculty and practitioners to identify and quantify the perceived importance of 25 different internal auditing topics, as well as the use of case studies and practitioner classroom visits as pedagogical techniques. Groups were in substantial agreement on the relative importance of the topics. However, some specific topic differences were noted, with educators placing more importance on items including engagement planning, preliminary surveys, audit programmes, risk management and fraud. Practitioners placed more importance on the qualities desired in staff internal auditors, Certificate in International Auditing (CIA) examination preparation, and computer auditing. In addition, there was considerable agreement between the two groups on the use of case studies in the classroom, as well as classroom visits from practicing internal auditors.