Investment cash flow sensitivity and financial constraint: a cluster analysis approach

This article sheds light on the mixed empirical evidence concerning financial constraint and investment sensitivity to cash flow. The literature suggests that measuring financial constraint is far from straightforward, and we therefore propose a cluster analysis procedure to identify unambiguous groups of constrained firms. We found the investment results to be highly sensitive to cash flow for financial constraint firms. Moreover, in line with previous research, our results showed that the traditional criteria used to identify financially constrained firms led to ambiguous interpretations. Overall, our results propose that the cluster analysis can be used to encompass the various single-criterion approaches, thereby providing a finer measurement of the financial constraint construct and deeper insight into the relationship between investment sensitivity to cash flow and financial constraint.     

Fiscal transparency,government effectiveness and government spending efficiency: Some international evidence based on panel data approach

The global financial crisis and the debt crisis of the EU countries revealed serious weaknesses in fiscal reporting. As a consequence, uncertainties regarding the real situation of the public accounts of the countries raised doubts in relation to the effectiveness of government policies. Since then, countries are undertaking reforms in order to improve fiscal transparency. This paper analyzes whether countries are making efforts to enhance fiscal transparency, and whether fiscal transparency affects government effectiveness and government spending efficiency. We consider two channels through which this effect occurs. The first channel is indirect and it works through public debt. The second channel is the direct effect that transparency has on government effectiveness and government spending efficiency once transparency enhances accountability and thus the task of resource allocation. We use a sample of 82 countries (68 developing and 14 developed) for the period 2006–2014, and panel data analysis. Comparing the scores of fiscal transparency between 2006 and 2014, we observe that approximately 80 per cent of the countries made efforts to improve fiscal transparency. The results suggest fiscal transparency is important to reduce public debt and to improve government effectiveness and government spending efficiency.     

研发费用加计扣除、融资约束与创业企业研发投入强度：基于中国新能源行业的研究

创业企业研发投入强度受到研发费用加计扣除等政策和内外部融资约束等诸多因素的影响。基于信号传递理论、优序融资理论和委托代理理论,选取2014—2019年新能源行业164家创业企业面板数据,采用固定效应模型实证研究融资约束和研发费用加计扣除对创业企业研发投入强度的影响效应,并进一步验证股权集中度对研发费用加计扣除与研发投入强度间关系的调节效应。结果发现：融资约束在一定程度上会削弱创业企业研发投入强度;研发费用加计扣除不仅对创业企业加大研发投入强度具有直接促进作用,还可削弱融资约束对创业企业研发投入强度的负面影响;创业企业股权集中度负向调节研发费用加计扣除优惠强度与研发投入强度之间的关系。     

Empirical research on monetary policy,asset prices and inflation: an analysis based on provincial panel data in China

In this article, we investigate the dynamic correlations among monetary policy, asset prices and inflation and assess the regional effects of monetary policy in China for the period October 2007 to July 2013. We focus on the interdependencies among monetary policy and asset price fluctuations by using the Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate as the preferred variable for analysing monetary policy movement. In particular, we apply a vector autoregressive model in a panel setting, which allows researchers to examine variations over time or across individual regions. The empirical results presented herein indicate that monetary policy reacts actively to asset prices, although it is still shown to be ineffective. In addition, we find that asset prices display some regional differences in their response to an unexpected monetary policy shock.     

The development of research and innovation policies based on a benchmarking assessment: the case of mobile communications technology R&D in the new member states of the EU

This paper presents the process and the results that led to an objective assessment of 34 research programmes from 14 countries based on a multifactor analysis. The programmes that were analysed come from the EU's new member states and the accession countries. The methodology used was specially developed for policy development purposes and for the design of the roadmaps leading to an open and successful R&D programme in the area of mobile communications. The method and the results obtained and later used for the policy development and road mapping are discussed. The policies designed and strategic objectives derived are briefly described. The consequences expected to follow the policy implementation in the relevant countries are evaluated and discussed.