Effects of pro-growth policies on employment: evidence of regional disparities

The main objective of our research is to study the direct impact of pro-growth economic policies on employment creation globally and regionally, as evidence has countered policy-makers’ expectation that output growth leads automatically to job creation. We innovate by using the ratio of employment to the population above 25 years as dependent variable instead of the customary employment elasticity. We apply generalized methods of moments’ econometrics on dynamic panel data models and find that growth stimulates employment creation on average across 76 countries. The policies promoting private sector credit, investments, openness, services, education spending, tertiary enrollment, and a fixed exchange rate are the ones that create employment. Larger government size undermines job creation, while policies promoting FDI and industrial development fail to stimulate employment. However, we establish that the effect of pro-growth policies on employment varies significantly across regions, with evidence of weaker links between economic policies and employment in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.     

普惠金融发展的地区差异、收敛性及影响因素研究*——基于中国省级面板数据的检验

本文利用2005—2016年省级面板数据，对我国各地区普惠金融发展水平进行测度，并在此基础上探讨其收敛性及影响因素。结果表明：（1）我国普惠金融发展水平在考察期内总体偏低，并且呈现出显著的地区差异性。（2）绝对β收敛在全国、中部和西部均存在，而东部不存在；条件β收敛在全国、东部和西部均存在，而中部不存在。（3）政府干预程度、市场化程度、人力资本质量、非正规金融以及外商直接投资对普惠金融发展均具有重要的影响。     

中国柑橘主产区的区域比较优势及其影响因素研究*——基于省级面板数据的实证分析

[目的]通过研究我国柑橘主产区的区域比较优势及其影响因素,为我国柑橘产业的发展提供科学依据。[方法]利用2005—2015年全国柑橘产业的相关数据,采用综合比较优势指数模型和资源禀赋系数模型,定量测算了2005—2015年我国柑橘主产区的区域比较优势指数及资源禀赋系数,结合动静态面板数据模型实证分析了柑橘主产区区域比较优势的影响因素。[结果](1)我国柑橘各主产区比较优势明显但差异较大,柑橘产业有从东南沿海地区向中西部转移的强劲趋势;(2)我国柑橘生产的资源禀赋优势较为集中且在不断的发生变化,福建、浙江、四川及湖南4省处于下降趋势,其他主产区均有所上升;(3)资源禀赋、资本投入对柑橘区域比较优势有正向的影响,技术创新的正向影响在动态中显现,经济水平对区域比较优势有负向影响。[结论](1)我国柑橘主产区的区域比较优势受到资源禀赋、资本投入、技术创新、经济水平等因素的综合影响;(2)要根据各主产区的现状条件进一步优化柑橘产业区域布局,提高科技含量,并且要结合当地的经济发展情况以及资源禀赋条件使柑橘产业能够在主产区脱贫和乡村振兴中发挥更大作用;(3)南方沿海地区柑橘产业近年受黄农病影响严重,柑橘产业向中西部转移。     

我国丘陵山区农机化水平影响因素及区划研究*——基于全国丘陵山区238个县（市）的调研数据

[目的]通过对全国丘陵山区县(市)与农机化有关的社会、经济和自然条件等因素进行调研所获取的238个有效样本进行分析,研究影响我国丘陵山区农机化水平的因素及其贡献,进而对我国丘陵山区进行区域划分。[方法]运用线性回归法对影响丘陵山区农机化水平的影响因素进行分析,进而对农机化水平产生显著影响的因素进行聚类分析。[结果]国内生产总值、农业劳动力数量对农机化水平产生极显著影响,耕地禀赋条件、务工工资、耕地规模、农机合作社数量和农机推广人员数量对农机化水平产生显著影响。对我国丘陵山区农机化水平呈正相关关系的因素有国内生产总值、务工工资、耕地规模、农机合作社数量,呈负相关的因素有耕地禀赋条件、农业劳动力数量、农机推广人员数量和农机化水平。[结论]我国可丘陵山区划分为中西、东南部地区,北部地区和东部沿海地区3大类地区。     

Shocking news and cognitive performance

We study how shocking news affects cognitive performance. Identifying these effects makes societies more resilient by helping to adjust policy responses to reduce indirect costs of future atrocities. Our analysis is based on a school shooting that coincided with national matriculation exams, allowing a difference-in-differences analysis. We find a substantial negative effect on males: their average performance dropped by seven percent. The average performance of females was unaffected. Our findings suggest that a shocking event may call for psychological support for young people even in communities that are not directly affected.     

Political Economy of Regional Integration: The Northeast Asian Model Revisited

It is found that the intra-regional trade share or functional integration plays an important role in the institutionalization of regional integration not only in the European Union (EU) but also in Northeast Asia. The crisis factor, which is measured by the regional economic growth rates, is empirically significant in Northeast Asia but not in the EU. This situation confirms the crisis model for Northeast Asia that emphasizes the stimulating role of crisis for the institutionalization of regional integration. However, the political leadership factor is not empirically significant in Northeast Asia and in the EU, and this finding does not support the political leadership model that emphasizes the facilitating role of political leadership for the institutionalization of regional integration.     

Collaboration for R&D Projects between the Industry and External Agents: Evidence from Manufacturing Companies in Peru

In this article we use the innovation survey of the manufacturing industry of Peru to identify cooperation behaviors for research and development (R&D) projects among companies and external agents in general. Likewise, we also find cooperation behaviors among the industry and the following external agents: university, technical centers, suppliers, customers, and companies of the same group, competitors, guilds, and consultants. Within the specific agents, the university is considered a cooperation agent for R&D projects. We use the survey of innovation in the manufacturing industry of Peru conducted in 2015, which resulted in 1447 Peruvian companies being surveyed. Evidence was obtained as to the degree of the tie between the industry and external agents for cooperation in R&D projects, giving relevance to variables such as investment, resources, and degree of innovation. Our results show that investment is an important factor for cooperation with external agents. Additionally, companies that have innovated at some point seek to cooperate with external agents. Finally, the importance of the university is demonstrable, thus, companies that invest in R&D seek to cooperate with the university.     

基于引力模型的省域创新产出空间联系研究

基于引力模型，结合社会网络分析法的凝聚子群分析，对31个省（区、市）的创新产出空间联系进行探究，研究发现：我国省域创新产出空间联系主要集中于京津冀和长三角一带，呈现出严重的分布不均状况，具有较强的区域集中性和空间依赖性；北京、天津、上海、浙江、江苏作为区域创新产出引力较强的节点省（区、市），对周边区域的创新产出具有较强的辐射作用；总体来看，省域创新产出空间联系并没有形成贯穿东西南北的交叉网状结构，中心省（区、市）数量较少且分布不均，辐射范围有限。基于此，提出加大区域创新投入、减少区域创新产出联系的政策性障碍、营造区域创新产出联系的良好环境等政策建议。     

Sibling gender and wage differences

Family influences on economic performance are investigated. In particular, sibship sex composition is related to hourly wages using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. The wages of men are increasing in the proportion of siblings who are brothers, but the wages of women are insensitive to sibling gender. Nonwage outcomes are generally unaffected. Contrasts by age structure and demographic group are also presented. The analysis addresses econometric challenges like the endogeneity of fertility and selection into the workforce. In addition, mechanisms such as labour market interactions, human capital investment and role model effects are documented. A questionnaire on job search indicates a same-gender bias in the use of brothers and sisters in obtaining employment. Developmental and psychological assessments suggest that brothers may be associated with worse childhood home environments and more traditional family attitudes among women. The findings are policy relevant and contribute to an understanding of gender differences and earnings inequality.     

Gender wage gaps and economic crisis in Greece

ABSTRACT

We examine gender wage gap (GWG) in Greece for 2013, by using a survey data set. Our findings show first, that the unadjusted GWG is 15.3%, while European Commission reports a value of 15%. Secondly, we derive the ‘adjusted’ GWG, using the Oaxaca and Ransom (OR) and the Juhn, Murphy and Pierce (JMP) methods to be ranging from 10% to 13.6%. Thirdly, looking into the behaviour of the full population, we find a decreasing trend for the discrimination effects, an increasing trend for the residuals effects and a ‘random’ endowments effects while moving to higher deciles. These three effects are associated to the economic crisis 2008–2015. Fourthly, our findings do not show evidence of either a ‘glass ceiling’ effect or a ‘sticky floor’ effect. Finally, that there is strong evidence that investing in higher education reduces the wage discrimination between sexes.