Export Sophistication: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach

In this article, we analyze export sophistication based on a large panel dataset (2001–2015; 101 countries) and using various estimation algorithms. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluate the bias properties of estimators and show that GMM-type estimators outperform instrumental-variable and fixed-effects estimators. Based on our analysis we document that GDP per capita and the size of the economy exhibit significant and positive effects on export sophistication; weak institutional quality exhibits negative effect. We also show that export sophistication is path-dependent and stable even during a major economic crisis, which is especially important for emerging and developing economies.     

International Transmission Channels of U.S. Quantitative Easing: Evidence from Canada

The U.S. Federal Reserve responded to the great recession by implementing quantitative easing, or large‐scale asset purchases, when its conventional policy rate reached the zero lower bound. We assess the international spillover effects of this quantitative easing program on the Canadian economy in a factor‐augmented vector autoregression (FAVAR) framework, by considering a counterfactual scenario in which the Federal Reserve's long‐term asset holdings do not rise in response to the recession. We find that U.S. quantitative easing boosted Canadian output, mainly through the financial channel.     

Hot Money and Quantitative Easing: The Spillover Effects of U.S. Monetary Policy on the Chinese Economy

We develop a factor‐augmented vector autoregression (FA‐VAR) model to estimate the effects that unanticipated changes in U.S. monetary policy and economic policy uncertainty have on the Chinese housing, equity, and loan markets. We find the decline in the U.S. policy rate since the Great Recession has led to a significant increase in Chinese housing investment. One possible reason for this effect is the substantial increase in the inflow of “hot money” into China. The responses of Chinese variables to U.S. shocks at the zero lower bound are different from those responses in normal times.     

U.S. Monetary Regimes and Optimal Monetary Policy in the Euro Area

Monetary policy in the United States has been documented to have switched from reacting weakly to inflation fluctuations during the 1970s, to fighting inflation aggressively from the early 1980s onward. In this paper, I analyze the impact of the U.S. monetary policy regime switches on the Eurozone. I construct a New Keynesian two‐country model where foreign (U.S.) monetary policy switches regimes over time. I estimate the model for the U.S. and the Euro Area using quarterly data and find that the United States has switched between those two regimes, in line with existing evidence. I show that foreign regime switches affect home (Eurozone) inflation and output volatility and their responses to shocks, substantially, as long as the home central bank commits to a time‐invariant interest rate rule reacting to domestic conditions only. Optimal policy in the home country instead requires that the home central bank reacts strongly to domestic producer‐price inflation and to international variables, such as imported goods relative prices. In fact, I show that currency misalignments and relative prices play a crucial role in the transmission of foreign monetary policy regime switches internationally. Interestingly, I show that only marginal gains arise for the Euro Area when the European Central Bank (ECB) adjusts its policy according to the monetary regime in the United States. Thus, a simple time‐invariant monetary policy rule with a strong reaction to Producer Price Index (PPI) inflation and relative prices is enough to counteract the effects of monetary policy switches in the United States.     

Foresight and innovation in the context of industrial clusters: The case of some Italian districts

The “territory” is widely recognized in the literature on business strategy as a critical driver of industrial competitiveness (see, as an example, Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations). The generation and exploitation of new knowledge, both tacit and explicit, through the process of socialization, articulation, combination and internalization (see Nonaka and Takeuchi, The Knowledge-Creating Company) is essential to enable innovation of processes and products of “local” firms.Our recent Foresight exercises in the metal working and machinery district of Lecco and in the silk district of Como show that Foresight can play an important role in creating and exploiting new knowledge, and that different methodologies can be more or less effective to this aim.Critical technology list and interactive workshops, with the participation of entrepreneurs of SMEs and technologists, are more suited to foster the transfer of technologies that have overcome the initial stage of the life cycle and that have been already applied in other sectors. However, when radical innovations are needed in order to face the challenges posed by global competition, other methodologies, as Scenarios, are more appropriate. Even if these approaches are complex and time and resource consuming, they may be very effective in actively involving the most relevant private and public stakeholders of a district, and in making them to envisage the long term future of the economic, social, and cultural structure of their district. In this way Foresight drives the small entrepreneurs, the district stakeholders and the medium and large size firms to play the critical roles of Nonaka and Takeuchi's “frontline employees”, “senior managers” and “middle managers” in their “knowledge creating company”: the first ones grasp what the district is; the second ones build the vision of what it ought to be; the third ones, serve as a bridge between the future and the present.     

虚拟水贸易及其影响因素研究

由于水资源的分布不均和大量消耗,水资源短缺成为很多国家和地区经济社会发展的约束。虚拟水贸易作为一种解决水资源短缺的方式被提出,成为水资源研究领域的热点。以农产品的国际贸易为主体的虚拟水国际贸易也不仅仅涉及水资源的平衡问题,还涉及到很多政治、经济等因素。本文从政治、经济、社会、生态四方面对虚拟水贸易的影响因素进行分析,从而对虚拟水贸易展开研究。     

透视国际趋同背景下的欧盟等效会计标准认可

欧盟坚持等效的理念并积极推行"等效会计标准"认可,是基于自身利益考虑和会计准则国际趋同的实际情况做出的理性选择.欧盟已经把美国、日本和加拿大三国列作等效会计标准候选国.我国内地与香港会计准则实现等效有利于今后与欧盟、美国等国家和地区开展会计准则等效工作.我国应坚持"趋同是第一步,等效才是目标"的理念,积极推进我国会计准则国际等效,并力争早日成为欧盟的第四个等效标准候选国家.     

国际热钱进入与国家粮食安全

2006年末以来,世界农产品价格大幅上涨,围绕粮食、食品的国内外投资和交易成为新的经济热点。作为世界粮食大国和人口大国,为控制通货膨胀,实施低粮价政策,这为国际热钱进入粮食领域提供了条件。本文分析了我国现有粮食管理体制下热钱进入的可能性、规模、方式和途径,在此基础上提出了打击热钱进入粮食领域的长效措施。     

日本增强ICT国际竞争力的新政策

日本政府于2007年5月出台了增强信息通信国际竞争力的一揽子政策--ICT国际竞争力强化计划.该计划作为日本增强信息通信国际竞争力的总体框架,包括:七大基础项目和8个个别项目.     

承担社会责任提升企业竞争力

企业社会责任是20世纪以来经济学、管理学等诸多学科共同研究的热点问题。国际社会对企业的社会责任要求已经从号召转变成一种具体行动。本文以国内外理论界对企业社会责任的研究作为切入点,紧紧围绕企业承担社会责任对企业竞争力提升有何影响展开论述,并提出强化我国企业社会责任建设提升企业竞争力的建议。