Real income convergence and the patterns of financial integration in the EU

We analyse real income convergence among the EU28 countries throughout 1995–2017 and the relationship with the convergence patterns of financial systems. We apply the nonlinear latent factor model of Phillips and Sul (2007, 2009) to real incomes and the IMF financial development indices for financial markets and financial institutions (Svirydzenka, 2016), and identify convergence clubs endogenously. We have several results. First, income disparities narrowed significantly over the last twenty years; yet, the growth convergence process lost momentum triggered by the global financial crisis and countries legacies shaped up asymmetries that have crystallised. Second, countries' financial systems exhibit high fragmentation, especially for financial markets, with the new EU member states at a lower financial development, confirming the existence of a two-tier Europe. Overall, the convergence patterns for real incomes and financial development are strongly correlated. Finally, the financial structure matters and market-oriented economies feature higher long-run growth, indicating the need to implement pan-European policy actions that increase the opportunities of risk diversification, enhance capital raising and channel large-scale financing to firms.     

粤港澳大湾区创新生态系统内部耦合时空演化及空间收敛分析

在构建以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进的新发展格局下，高效协同的区域创新体系有助于将粤港澳大湾区三地建设成为具有全球影响力的科技创新中心。通过构建创新生态系统综合评价指标体系，采用耦合协调模型和空间计量模型，实证检验大湾区10个城市2007-2019年创新生态系统内部耦合协调水平、时空跃迁特征以及收敛性。研究发现，大湾区整体及各城市耦合协调度呈上升趋势，基本实现从失调衰退区到协调过渡区的转化，具体可划分为4个等级层次；大湾区创新生态系统协调耦合度存在显著的绝对β与条件β收敛趋势，即最终收敛于同一稳态水平，且城市间差距逐渐缩小。其中，经济发展水平、对外交流水平、人力资本水平对创新生态系统协调耦合度起显著正向作用。     

Hands-off? Lessons from high-touch professionals about going virtual

The COVID-19 crisis has fundamentally changed how many businesses operate and connect with their customers. Previously unheard-of government restrictions and sheltering-in-place requirements forced most professional services to transition to remote delivery methods (e.g., email, telephone, video consults, Shopify storefronts). Providers of low-touch services (e.g., lawyers, accountants) naturally lent themselves to remote delivery; however, those that offer high-touch services, particularly those in healthcare (e.g., doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists), experienced a drastic change in working conditions when going virtual. Despite a long history of resistance to virtual delivery, the pandemic created an unprecedented incentive for these high-touch professionals to experiment with underutilized care models such as telehealth: the provision of healthcare services remotely using telecommunications technologies. We examine the rapid adoption of telehealth during COVID-19 through the coming together or convergence of previously unrelated technologies, spaces, and practices. Our analysis reveals opportunities and challenges associated with going hands-off that apply to many other professionals providing high-trust services. Specifically, we offer nine guiding principles for building and protecting cognitive and affective trust in virtual and hybrid delivery models. This is important given the pace of compounding technology convergences that lie ahead for service professionals.     

产业融合对中国装备制造业创新效率的影响:结构嵌入的调节作用

从理论和实证两个方面探讨了产业融合对中国装备制造业创新效率的影响，以及网络中心性和网络异质性对二者关系的调节作用。基于2006—2015年省际装备制造7个子行业面板数据，采用ISCNFI指数测度模型和基于产出距离函数的超越对数前沿分析方法，分别测度装备制造业产业融合程度及创新效率变化情况，进而利用面板回归模型对理论假设进行实证检验。结果显示：产业融合程度与中国装备制造业创新效率存在倒“U”型曲线关系，即随着产业融合程度提升，中国装备制造业创新效率呈现出先上升后下降的变化趋势；网络中心性强化了产业融合对装备制造业创新效率的提升作用，而网络异质性削弱了产业融合对装备制造业创新效率的提升作用。     

China and international market integration: Evidence from the law of one price in the Middle East and Africa

We model market integration in the Middle East and Africa by analyzing price dispersion and testing the law of one price (LOP) on highly-comparable actual local retail prices of 135 goods and services across 23 countries in the region over the period of 1990–2016. Second-generation panel estimators are applied to four price benchmarks: Regional average, South Africa, China, and US prices. Cross-regional price dispersion diminishes considerably over time up to 2008, particularly for non-tradeables around China price. The test of LOP indicates the percentage of convergent prices is highest in China price benchmark, followed by US, South Africa, and regional average benchmarks. Direct estimation of the convergence speed confirms this order. Overall, the results show evidence of increasing market integration in Middle East and Africa but it appears to be driven by global forces and, especially, the rise of China as a new economic power. The results show that some emerging market economies, such as China, can step up and promote integration while traditional economic powerhouses, such as the USA and UK, disengage from international economic relations.     

The heterogeneity of convergence in transition countries

For two groups of post-communist countries (CEE and CIS) we estimated the parameters of convergence equations on the basis of annual data. We depart from standard econometric theory, which involves panel regression techniques. We test cross-country heterogeneity of parameters within a system of Seemingly Unrelated Regression Equations (SURE). We show empirical evidence in favour of the variability of parameters describing the convergence effect and productivity growth rates across countries. Our approach seems a convincing alternative to the panel regression approach where random effects can be estimated, imposing an assumption about the constancy of structural parameters within the group of countries under analysis. We discuss the role of the global financial crisis in the heterogeneity of convergence processes and productivity at the country level. The aforementioned SURE model was estimated based on two datasets, one containing observations prior to the crisis and the second containing the whole sample.     

经济政策不确定性与企业投资趋同行为

文章以2003-2017年A股非金融类上市公司为研究样本,考察经济政策不确定性对企业投资趋同行为的影响。研究发现,经济政策不确定性的升高会显著增强企业投资趋同行为,该影响效应在信息优势企业有所减弱,在资产不可逆程度较高企业有所增强。分行业检验发现,在管制性行业以及景气度较低行业中,经济政策不确定性对企业投资趋同行为的影响减弱。进一步研究发现,在经济政策不确定性不断攀升的背景下,实体投资趋同性会带来更为严重的金融化,特别是在行业实体投资总体趋于放缓的情况下,企业金融化现象更加严重。该研究为宏观经济波动下企业投资趋同行为提供了经验证据。     

数字经济、城市创新与区域收敛

当前，数字经济蓬勃发展，数据已成为除劳动、土地和资本等传统生产要素之外的新要素，能否依托数字经济发展赋能城市创新？文章在对数字经济的概念和内涵进行基本界定后，借助微观大数据构造的"互联网+数字经济"指数，实证分析了2015-2018年中国283个地区数字经济发展对城市创新及创新差距的影响。研究结果显示，数字经济发展能够显著促进城市创新水平提升。其中，人力资本集聚效应和创业活力增强效应是数字经济赋能城市创新的两条重要路径。在替换被解释变量、消除样本选择偏差、选择分位数回归，以及创新性地采用各地级市市长过去修习的专业作为历史工具变量检验后，这一结论依然稳健成立。进一步空间杜宾效应分析表明，数字经济发展具有显著的空间溢出效应特征，不仅促进了本地区创新水平提升，而且对相邻地区的创新产出也产生了实质性影响，有利于缩小区域创新差距，实现区域创新收敛。此外，相较于实用新型专利和外观设计专利，数字经济发展对城市发明专利的影响更显著，说明数字经济发展推动的创新是真正意义上的质量创新而非策略创新。文章为评估数字经济发展的影响效果提供了理论依据和经验支撑，也为理性看待数字经济、防止出现数字鸿沟，实现区域创新均衡发展提供了有益启示。     

Technology spillover through trade and TFP convergence: 135 years of evidence for the OECD countries

Using a new dataset on imports of technology and total factor productivity (TFP) over 135 years for the OECD countries, this paper tests whether knowledge has been transmitted internationally through the channel of trade. The empirical estimates show that there is a robust relationship between TFP and imports of knowledge and that 93% of the increase in TFP over the past century has been solely due to imports of knowledge. Furthermore, it is shown that knowledge spillovers have been an important contributing factor behind the TFP convergence among the OECD countries over the period 1870 to 2004.     

创新价值链视角下的区域创新活动收敛分析

基于创新价值链视角,将我国创新活动分为知识创新、科研创新、产品转化创新3个阶段,运用空间面板收敛模型对各类创新活动进行收敛检验,研究结果显示：①空间自回归因子和扰动项的空间滞后因子对创新增长率有显著正向影响,说明创新水平增长在地区间具有显著的空间效应,存在空间示范效应和外生冲击传递效应,同时空间面板模型拟合效果整体上优于普通面板模型,说明我国创新活动收敛中有必要考虑空间因素;②知识创新和知识转化创新水平存在稳定的绝对β收敛,科研创新水平不存在收敛,通过基尼系数时序图验证了我国科研创新活动存在“马太效应”,另外两类创新活动水平则朝着收敛的趋势发展;③高校资源、市场化水平分别对知识创新和产品转化创新收敛有显著促进作用,信息化水平对三大创新活动收敛都有显著的促进作用。