Public versus private provision of liquidity: Is there a trade-off?

To what extent is public debt private liquidity? Much policy advice given in the aftermath of the financial crisis rests on the assumption that increasing public debt relaxes borrowing constraints of private households. This is the case for ad-hoc debt limits, which are exogenous to public policy. Instead, if debt limits are fully endogenous, as e.g. in the case of the natural borrowing limit, public debt has no impact. We assume that borrowing limits arise because of limited contract enforceability and are therefore determined as equilibrium outcomes. Using an incomplete markets economy in which households are subject to uninsurable earnings shocks, we show that public debt provides some liquidity, but less so than it would if constraints were imposed ad-hoc. We show that generating borrowing constraints as an equilibrium outcome substantially alters the answers to other important questions, such as for the welfare effects of government debt or its impact on real economic activity.     

Is there a difference in performance by the legal status of microfinance institutions?

Based on some cases of notable successes in Latin America, some microfinance practitioners advocate a transformation of non-profit microfinance organizations into private and regulated companies. The performance of the latter is supposed to be higher than those of non-profit organizations. From this point of view, there is a relationship between the legal status of MFIs and their performance. This article's main objective is to test this relationship from the comparison of performance of 202 MFIs in the period from 2001 to 2006. Rather than restricting the comparison to NGOs and private companies, cooperatives have also been taken into account to compare the performance by the dominant legal forms of MFIs. The results show that the performance of private corporations is better than that of NGOs only when portfolio quality is used as an indicator for measuring performance. Also, our results show that for profit MFIs are more socially efficient than not-for-profit MFIs. The commercial approach of microfinance does not seem inconsistent with the social mission of MFIs.     

Spanish Internal Migration: Is there Anything New to Say?

Abstract

Spanish internal migration has long been resistant to traditional economic explanations. However, this paper examines the data for the period 1999–2006 after considerable changes in the Spanish economy. Moreover, it examines migration at the disaggregated level of Spanish provinces rather than regions, the usual unit of measurement. Using a spatial error model as well as a spatial autoregression model it finds the differentials in wages and unemployment between provinces to be significant explanatory variables. House prices are also important in accounting for the dynamics of internal migration.

Les migrations internes en Espagne: qu'y a-t-il de nouveau?

Les migrations internes en Espagne résistent, depuis toujours, à des explications économiques traditionnelles. Cependant, la présente communication examine les données relatives à la période 1999–2006, dans le sillage des changements considérables qui sont survenus dans l’économie espagnole. Elle se penche également sur la migration au niveau désagrégé de provinces espagnoles plutôt que de régions, unité de mesure traditionnelle. En utilisant un modèle d'erreur spatiale ainsi qu'un modèle à autorégression spatiale, elle en conclut que les différences sur le plan des salaires et du chômage entre les différentes provinces constituent des variables explicatives significatives. En outre, le prix de l'immobilier résidentiel joue également un rôle important dans l'examen de la dynamique des migrations internes.

Migracin interior espaola: Queda algo nuevo por decir?

La migración interior española lleva mucho tiempo resistiéndose a las explicaciones económicas tradicionales. No obstante, este artículo examina los datos de 1999–2006, después de considerables cambios en la economía española. Asimismo, examina la migración al nivel desagregado de provincias españolas, en lugar de regiones, que representa la unidad típica de medida. Utilizando un modelo de error espacial, así como un modelo de autorregresión espacial, se descubre que los diferenciales en salarios y empleo entre las provincias son importantes variables explicativas. Los precios de la vivienda también son importantes a la hora de comprender la dinámica de la migración interior.

     

What Is the Economic Meaning of FDH?

The central feature of the FDH model is the lack of convexity for its production possibility set, TF. Starting with n observed (distinct) decision making units DMU_k , each defined by an input-output vector p _k = [y _k -x _k], domination is defined by ordinary vector inequalities. DMU_k is said to dominate DMU_j if p _k ≥ p _j , p _k ≠ p _j . The FDH production possibility set TF consists of the observed DMU_j together with all input-output vectors p=[y_k,?x_k] with y ≥ 0, x ≥ 0, y ≠ 0, x ≠ 0 which are dominated by at least one of the observed DMU_j. DMU_k is defined as “FDH efficient” if no DMU_j dominates it. In the BCC (or variable return to scale) DEA model the production possibility set TB consists of the observed DMU_k together with all input-output vectors dominated by any convex combination of them and DMU_k is DEA efficient if it is not dominated by any p in TB. In the DEA model, economic meaning is established by the introduction of (non negative) multiplier (price) vectors w = [u,v]. If DMU_k is undominated (in TB) then there exists a positive multiplier vector w for which (a) w ^T p _k = u ^T y _k ? v ^T x _k ≥ w ^T p for every p ∈ TB. In everyday language, the net return (or profit) for DMU_k relative to the given multiplier vector w is at least as great as that for any production possibility p. On the other hand, if DMU_k is FDH but not DEA efficient then it is proved that there exists no positive multiplier vector >w for which (a) holds, i.e. for any positive w there exists at least one DMU_j for which w ^T p _j > w^T p _k . Since, therefore, FDH efficiency does not guarantee price efficiency what is its economic significance? Without economic significance, how can FDH be considered as being more than a mathematical system however logically soundly it may be conceived?

     

Determinants of the capital structure of Chinese non-listed enterprises: Is TFP efficient?

This paper investigates the relationship between TFP (Total Factor Productivity) and leverage measures (total, short-term and long-term leverage) of Chinese non-listed firms during the period 1999–2007. First, TFP is significantly and positively associated with the three leverage measures of private and foreign owned enterprises, but insignificantly correlated with state-owned enterprises. Second, financial constraints, leverage costs, and the institutional environment can affect the relation between TFP and leverage; this relation tends to be much stronger when enterprises face stronger financial constraints, higher leverage costs, and an underdeveloped institutional environment. Third, we show that TFP also plays a significant and positive role on formal and informal leverage. Our research offers new evidence that TFP is an important determinant of capital structure choices.     

On credit and output: Is the supply of credit relevant?

The consensus that changes in the supply of credit were irrelevant to making monetary policy decisions existed among macroeconomists during the second half of the twentieth century. Transmission of shocks to the real economy through changes in the supply of credit, however, played an important role in the recent U.S. financial crisis. This paper explores the extent to which policymakers should consider changes in the supply of credit when making forecasts and monetary policy decisions. More specifically, it considers whether a measure of real credit balances offers consistent and stable information, beyond that of a real interest rate and real money balances, about future output gaps during the U.S. post-war era. Results yield evidence that changes in real credit balances are the only variable, among those considered, to provide consistent and stable information about future output gaps over the entire sample period. Each information variable, however, provides relatively little value added for forecasting future output gaps, beyond a simple autoregressive model. To improve upon forecasts and monetary policy decisions, policymakers therefore should consider a broader range of information variables and occasionally reassess the relative weightings assigned to each.     

The evolution to electronic data interchange: are there benefits at all stages of implementation?

Many companies implement electronic data exchange (EDI) as part of their customer-supplier partnerships. Both the customers and suppliers expect to gain operational and competitive benefits. This article describes why a midsize midwestern supplier company received only minimal benefits from its EDI installation.     

Performance evaluation of retail banking services: Is there a trade-off between production and quality?

We propose a two-stage data envelopment analysis model to give an insight on the internal structure of the banking sector and study the important role of service quality in the production process. The first stage deals with the production performance and is related with the optimal use of resources to produce banking services, whereas the second stage deals with the service quality performance using customer-reported satisfaction and loyalty measures. This paper analyzes the efficiency and productivity of 36 branches of a single bank of Greece over the period 2016–2018. The results indicate the existence of a strong trade-off between production and service quality. Further insights of the study indicate that the branch size significantly affects the service quality and overall efficiency. Moreover, the employee assessments by the performance appraisal system of the bank are mainly associated with the service production and not with service quality. Finally, this study presents a managerial decision-making matrix and makes recommendations to help bank managers to improve the retail network performance.     

The frequency of visiting a doctor: Is the decision to go independent of the frequency?

In his analysis of the effects of the reform of the German healthcare system, Winkelmann (Journal of Applied Econometrics 2004; 19 : 455–472) investigates the number of doctor visits. He makes a distinction between the decision to go to a physician and the number of times the physician is visited in the observed time period. Winkelmann finds that there is no correlation between both decisions. This result appears to be far from straightforward since the primary driving force in both decisions will be the health of the patient. From this perspective a significant correlation is expected. In this paper, I first replicate part of Winkelmann's research. I then set out to analyse whether the zero correlation is actually true or comes from the way the relation between both decisions is modelled. My empirical analysis confirms the latter, but nevertheless also corroborates Winkelmann's main conclusions on the relevance of the explanatory variables used in his investigation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Is there a third way to EMU for the EU accession countries?

The actual mainstream view of academics emphasizes the so-called “two-corner solution” with either completely fixed or independently floating exchange rates. We will argue in this paper that the requirements for fixed rates are rather too restrictive to be successful. On the other hand, the advantage of an independent float is only valid for small open economies under the assumption of exchange rate movements closely related to movements in the fundamentals. We suggest as a “third way”, a strategy of flexible exchange rate targeting where central banks simultaneously manage interest rates and exchange rates in a way that guarantees both the achievement of domestic macroeconomic objectives and an equilibrium on the international financial markets.     

Is there a minimum wage biting in Puerto Rico? Updating the debate

This research evaluates the repercussions on employment in Puerto Rico of the latest increases in the minimum wage (made between 2007 and 2009). We find that the increases in the minimum wage to $7.25 had a negative impact on employment in a few small sectors only, and that employment was significantly more affected by output.     

Family size and child outcomes: Is there really no trade-off?

We study the impact of family size on intermediate and long-term outcomes using twin births as an exogenous source of variation in family size in an unusually rich dataset. Similar to recent studies, we find no evidence of a causal effect on long-term outcomes and show that not taking selection effects into account will likely overstate the effects. We do, however, find a small but significant negative impact of family size on grades in compulsory and secondary school among children who are likely to be vulnerable to further restrictions on parental investments.     

Future of capitalism: Is it failing?

This special issue includes six papers on issues regarding the recent 2007–2009 global financial crisis. They discuss the underlying reasons for the crisis, offer reforms for preventing future crises, and provide some empirical estimates of the unit price of risk associated with the crisis. In addition, the experience of some individual countries and the European Union dealing with the crisis is explored. Regarding future prospects, the appetite of Chinese and Indian citizens for a capitalistic society is evaluated, and it is investigated whether capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom.     

Did the introduction of Bitcoin futures crash the Bitcoin market at the end of 2017?

At the end of 2017, the Bitcoin price dropped significantly by approximately 70% over the two months. Since the introduction of Bitcoin futures coincided with this market crash, it is said that the new financial instrument might have caused the market crash. The literature states that the futures enabled investors to easily take a short position and hypothesizes that the selling pressure from futures could have potentially crashed the Bitcoin market. To evaluate this assumption, we investigate the empirical relationship between futures trading and the Bitcoin price by using high-frequency data. We find that Bitcoin futures trading was not significantly related to the returns on Bitcoin futures and spot returns. Therefore, we conclude that Bitcoin futures did not lead to the crash of the Bitcoin market at the end of 2017.     

Are we there yet? On the convergence of financial reforms

Since the 1970s, there have been substantial financial reforms across the world, however little research has been devoted to studying the convergence path of these reforms. While Abiad and Mody (Am Econ Rev 95:66–88, 2005) find that there is movement towards a global ‘norm’ of financial reform, their findings are based upon a cross-sectional approach that has been widely criticized in the literature. In this paper we offer new time-series evidence on the convergence of financial reforms both across and within regions, which can also act as a metric to measure the degree of globalization among countries’ financial systems. We find that some regions of the world have fully converged, but the advanced economies and Sub-Saharan Africa are not converging. In addition, while most countries have fully converged within their own region, notable exceptions are also identified. These results suggest that while financial reforms have largely become homogenized, important distinctions still remain.