The changing nature of inflation persistence in Switzerland

This note analyzes the persistence of inflation in Switzerland. In particular, we assess the impact of the new monetary framework adopted by the SNB in 2000 on inflation persistence. A set of rolling-window estimates shows that inflation persistence has fallen significantly since the end of the 1990s.     

The changing nature of the OECD shadow economy

Traditionally, the presence of the shadow economy (SE) has been associated, mainly and positively, with taxation. Recently, some authors have suggested that the SE may be also linked to the institutional setting (efficiency of the bureaucracy, regulations, corruption, etc.) so that just two stable equilibria are possible. In the “good” one, there is a small hidden sector, large fiscal revenues and honest/appreciated institutions. The other, “bad”, equilibrium is the opposite. Unlike the traditional approach, therefore, the recent literature argues that the tax burden and SE can be negatively correlated. Examining the links between these variables in relatively uncorrupt systems, this paper reconciles the two views. Theoretically, it claims that many different good equilibria can emerge whereby SE and its determinants are linked in complex and different ways. For instance, taxation and SE can go hand-in-hand, even taking into account the institutional framework. Empirical evidence for OECD countries supports both the model and the changing nature of the SE.     

The credibility game: Reputation and rational cooperation in a changing population

Labor-managed firms often depend on voluntary cooperation to generate efficient levels of labor input. This paper shows how cooperation in Prisoner's Dilemma-like situations can be an equilibrium outcome, when rational individuals act so as to preserve reputations for cooperating. The theory developed here implies that (a) voluntary cooperation will be negatively related to population turnover, and (b) the relationship of community size to voluntary cooperation will have an inverted-U shape.     

The changing composition of academic majors and wage dynamics: Beyond mean returns

This paper studies the effects of the changing composition of academic majors during expansion of higher education on the dynamics of wage distribution. Using a unique dataset constructed from open-ended responses in the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey, we conduct a structural analysis of wage distribution dynamics for higher education graduates over 2002–2016. In addition to the standard mean wage estimations across majors we explore within-major and across-cohort variation, as well as major-specific permanent and transitory variance components and their time paths.The results suggest that changing wage inequality among university graduates is due to both changes in skill prices and wage shocks induced by economic fluctuations. Moreover, variation in skill prices relates to equilibrium effects induced by changes in the supply of graduates specialized in different fields. Uneven expansion in certain majors induces labor market saturation and leads to an increase in the wage variance of graduates from the fastest growing majors. The estimation results also show the importance of accounting for within-major heterogeneity across cohorts, which could reflect differences in student ability distribution, changes in academic content, and changes in educational quality over time. Finally, this study suggests that focusing only on mean wage returns, without assessing the distributional implications, might substantially understate the labor market impact of the changing major composition.     

The changing nature of the real exchange rate: The role of central bank preferences

We investigate the sources of real exchange rate fluctuations. We do so, first, in the context of a DSGE model that explicitly considers the central bank's preferences. Then we estimate SVAR models, where shocks are identified by sign restrictions derived from the DSGE model. We perform this exercise for twelve countries, nine of which have adopted inflation targeting during the period analyzed. In sharp contrast to the previous evidence in the literature, we find that exchange rate (country risk premium) shocks have become the main drivers of real exchange rate dynamics, while real shocks play a less important role. Evidence from the DSGE model reveals that, as the central bank becomes more averse to inflation movements, and cares less about nominal exchange rate fluctuations, the impact of nominal shocks on the real exchange rate tends to increase, while the impact of real shocks decreases. Our results suggest that the adoption of inflation targeting, along with a floating exchange rate, contributes to a shift in the relative importance of demand and country risk premium shocks in determining the RER.     

Conflict or collaboration: the changing nature of inter-firm relationships in the UK Oil and Gas industry

Changes in contracting customs in the UK offshore oil and gas industry have led to changed relationships between companies, including the small, technology-based, oil-related companies which have been a source of much innovation. Issues raised by the research reported here include the impact of these changes on the industrial network and supply relationships of the industry. Continuing innovation is regarded by all industry members as being of gret importance for reducing costs and undertainsties in the North Sea industry. The changes within the industry have broken many of the linkages between firmsd which nediated this innovation in the past. This paper presents the initial findings of a project to analyze the new relationships which are developing, and their impact on innovation. Early conclusions include, in accordance with predictions from theory, that personal relationships assume relatively great importance when industry norms are poorly established, and that multiple relationships between firms under these circumstances are characterized by little trust, imcomplete intergration of network knowledge and conflicts of interest.     

Long-term unemployment and short-term unemployment benefits: The changing nature of non-employment subsidies in Central and Eastern Europe

Non-employment rates in all central and eastern European countries have increased dranatically thoroughout the transition and are currently larger than those of the lowest income OECD countries. Non-employment benefits other than unemployment benefits are providing income support to this growing number of able-bodied individuals out of work. Under the present design of unemployment benefits and social assistance, there may be serious incentive problems related to the shift from unemployment benefits to other, means-tested, non-employment benefits and this shift occurs in transition countries at rather early stages of an unemployment spell; these incentive problems are bound to become particularly acute in a less inflationary environment.     

制度变迁中土地产权的性质与合约选择:一个有关合作经济的案例分析

This paper discusses an evolutionary process of rural collective property rights or agricultural cooperation economy in detail. We convince that both the evolution of the household contract system and the rural cooperation economy in the market elaborate the key position of property rights’ multi-attribute in the formation of contract structure and organization shape. If there were strong externality between several elements of household, the collective property rights should be chosen. __________ Translated from Guanli Shijie 管理世界 (Management World), 2008, (6): 61–67, 94     

Technology commercialization intelligence: Organizational antecedents and performance consequences

External technology commercialization, e.g., by means of technology licensing, has recently gained in importance. Despite imperfections in technology markets, out-licensing constitutes a major technology commercialization channel. Although the identification of licensing opportunities represents a significant managerial challenge, prior research has relatively neglected these activities. Therefore, we develop the concept of ‘technology commercialization intelligence’ (TCI), which refers to the observation of a firm's environment with particular focus on identifying technology licensing opportunities. Grounded in a dynamic capabilities perspective, we test five hypotheses regarding organizational antecedents and performance consequences of TCI, drawing on data from a survey of 152 companies. The empirical findings provide strong support for the importance of the TCI concept. The findings deepen our understanding of the discrepancies between successful pioneering firms active in technology licensing and many others being less successful. The results have major implications for technology exploitation in open innovation processes.     

农业企业化经营的国际经验对中国的启示

西方发达国家在农业现代化发展过程中,农业企业化经营的特徵越来越明显。本文封美、法、日三国农业生产经营组织的构成及其发展趋势进行了分析,指出该三国农业生产经营的共同特点及其封中国现代农业建设的有益启示。     

加快我国高校科技成果转化的步伐

高校是创新人才和资源的集聚地、科技成果的重要源泉,是国家科技创新的关键力量。我国高校拥有的智力资源和国际科技论文数量均处于世界前端,但一直以来,我国高校的科研成果转化率低于国际平均水平。通过梳理美、英、日等高校科技成果转化较为成功国家的做法,分析我国高校科研成果转化存在的问题,提出促进我国高校科研成果快速有效转化的措施,以期为加快我国高校科技成果的产业化提供有针对性的意见和建议。     

Good standing and cooperation

Indirect reciprocity is generally considered one of the leading mechanisms to explain how cooperation may emerge by natural selection. The basic intuition is that establishing a reputation of being a helpful individual increases the probability of being in turn helped. Two models have been proposed to describe how indirect reciprocity may work: the standing model (Sugden 1986/2004 in The economics of rights, cooperation and welfare. Blackwell, Oxford.) and the image-scoring model (Nowak and Sigmund 1998a in Nature 393:573–577, b in J Theoretical Biol 194:561–574). Although there is evidence that the former model would perform better under a wide set of circumstances, it is often maintained that it requires individuals with an implausibly large capacity of processing recursive information. In this paper, I argue that this is not actually the case. I further emphasize that even if the hypothesis of indirect reciprocity is unable to give a fair account of the ecological bases of cooperation, it has inspired a deal of research precious to social sciences.     

Judicial error and cooperation

Cooperation can be induced by an authority with the power to mete out sanctions for free riders, but law enforcement is prone to error. This paper experimentally analyzes preferences for and consequences of errors in formal sanctions against free riders in a public goods game. With type I errors, even full contributors to the public good may be punished. With type II errors, free riders may go unpunished. We find that judicial error undermines cooperation and that the effects of type I and II errors are symmetric. To investigate their relative (dis-)like for error, we let subjects choose what type of error to prevent. We find that subjects prefer type II over type I errors. However, the strength of preferences for preventing type I errors is fully in line with a motive to maximize income and does not indicate any additional psychological or fairness bias against type I errors.     

学术规范化与学术环境的建构——对《高等学校哲学社会科学研究学术规范（试行）》之合法性的质疑

呼吁国家机关发布这类《规范》的诉求本身是大有疑问的,因为学术规范乃是由知识分子构成的学术共同体在其知识实践的过程之中就如何进行知识生产及再生产和如何进行知识传播及交流等具体的学术活动所达成的一系列共识。     

美国推出大学科研成果初期转化的新模式

美国奥巴马政府于2009年发布创新战略,明确提出要增加联邦科研投入对美国经济的影响力,要加速大学科研成果的转化以促进经济发展和提高就业水平.为此,美国联邦机构和大学都在积极探索科研成果商业化转化的有效途径.美国近年来出现了一种新型科研成果转化模式,即“概念证明中心”,旨在支持初期的技术开发,扶持初期企业度过“死亡谷”阶段,进入商业化的中后期.本文对其产生背景、功能定位、具体实例、发展趋势和绩效评价等进行了研究和分析.     

Kinked norms of behaviour and cooperation

Using a country panel of domestic terror attacks from 1998 to 2004, we empirically analyze the impact of government decentralization on terror. Our results show that expenditure decentralization reduces domestic terror, while political decentralization has no impact.     

Political polarization and international cooperation

We analyze the consequences of political polarization between domestic policymakers for international policy coordination or delegation to a common agency. Coordination is preferred under political polarization if it allows to constrain the policy of policymakers with different policy targets, while delegation allows to determine policies in the future by selecting the appropriate agent. Policymakers have different preferences concerning international coordination and which form it should take. These differences are increasing in political polarization. They agree on delegation if election outcomes are close to being random.     

Regimes of ordering: the commercialization of intellectual property in industrial-academic collaborations

This paper examines a diversity of regulatory mechanisms and negotiation processes involved in attmpts to commercialize university research which provide direct and indirect means of linking the activities o f individuals and organizations in the acquisition and exchange of commodified goods. The key,question addressed is how is an activity that is always uncertain —the production of knowledge —is 'packaged' by intellectual property management and intellectual property rights so that it is controllable, commod$able and enhs into exchange reidiomhips. This paper addresses the acquisition and stabilization of proprietaly claim to knowledge between public and priuate organizations by considering a detailed case o f a unwersip spin-off and in doing so raises a number of more general issues about the translation of knowledge.     

The evolutionary origins of cooperation and trade

The neural mechanisms that enable human trade and cooperation are just beginning to be understood. This paper proposes an evolutionary research agenda in rodents that could elucidate how such neural mechanisms arose, and could help scientists understand the variation in them that we find in humans. The evolutionary protocol outlined here is likely to provide deep insights into the human condition.     

Neighborhood structure and the evolution of cooperation

This paper deals with the problem of explaining the survival of cooperative behavior in populations in which each person interacts only with a small set of social ‘neighbors’, and individuals adjust their behavior over time by myopically imitating more successful strategies within their own neighborhood. We identify two parameters—the interaction radius and the benefit–cost ratio—which jointly determine whether or not cooperation can survive. For each value of the interaction radius, there exists a critical value of the benefit–cost ratio which serves as the threshold below which cooperation cannot be sustained. This threshold itself declines as the interaction radius rises, so there is a precise sense in which dense networks are more conducive to the evolution of cooperation.