贸易公平还是贸易保护：对多国遭受反倾销 次数的回归分析

通过对反倾销的主要对象国遭受反倾销的数量进行回归分析,本文发现:仅仅通过控制8个重要的"反倾销受害国特征",我们便能很精准地解释和预测各国每年遭受反倾销的数量;一个国家遭受反倾销的数量与其竞争实力的强弱存在着惊人的"巧合"。在贸易实践中,反倾销的根本目的往往是"反竞争"。虽然该制度的初衷是打击违规贸易行为、促进贸易发展,其结果却仅仅是惩罚了那些具有生产成本优势、经贸快速发展的国家,阻碍了全球范围内的技术和生产力进步。我们需要重新反思和设计与反倾销有关的制衡机制,让该制度真正成为保障贸易秩序、促进贸易公平和世界经济发展的正面力量。     

Individual,Organizational, and Institutional Determinants of Formal and Informal Inter‐Firm Cooperation in SMEs

Inter‐firm cooperation has been considered an important strategy for SMEs to overcome competitive difficulties. Despite the relevance of this strategy there are no studies that jointly consider how entrepreneurs' characteristics, organizational factors, and institutional features influence SMEs to establish cooperative agreements. In order to bridge this gap, we analyze what factors at these three levels explain inter‐firm cooperation and whether formal and informal inter‐firm agreements are explained by different factors. Our research is based on a survey of 1,587 Spanish SMEs and the results show that individual, organizational, and institutional factors contribute to jointly shape the decisions concerning inter‐firm cooperation.     

Determinants of capital structure in Irish SMEs

This paper presents an empirical examination of determinants of the capital structure of a sample of 299 Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Results suggest that age, size, level of intangible activity, ownership structure and the provision of collateral are important determinants of the capital structure in SMEs. A generalisation of Zellner’s (Journal of the American Statistical Association 57, 348–368, 1962) seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) approach is used to examine industry effects and to test the stability of parameter estimates across sectors. We find that the influence of age, size, ownership structure and provision of collateral is similar across industry sectors, indicating the universal effect of information asymmetries. Firms overcome the lack of adequate collateralisable firm assets in two ways: by providing personal assets as collateral for business debt, and by employing additional external equity to finance research and development projects.     

Bank market power and the intensity of borrower discouragement: analysis of SMEs across developed and developing European countries

Small Business Economics - This paper analyzes the effect of bank market power on the financial constraints of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the study of borrower...     

法制、融资环境与中小企业竞争策略的选择--来自中国东、中、西部七省市的调查分析

本文利用2001年北京、辽宁、江苏、浙江、广东、湖北、云南七省市中小企业的问卷调查数据,在控制地区、所有制和行业变量的情况下,对影响中小企业竞争策略选择的制度环境因素进行了实证分析.结果显示,中国中小企业竞争策略选择中的"价格策略"倾向与企业所处的法制环境、融资环境的健全与完善程度之间存在着显著的负相关性,从而证实了本文所提出的假说:中小企业所处的法制环境越健全、资金环境愈好,则企业越不倾向于采用价格策略,而企业所处的市场环境、信用环境和社会环境对企业竞争策略选择的影响却并不是完全确定的.     

Determinants of Export Performance: An Institutional Approach

This study evaluates the impact of institutional factors and innovation on the export performance of firms, from the assumption that the basic institutional framework of a country affects the export performance of firms through three transmission mechanisms: innovation, modes of entry to foreign markets, and network. The study comprises a qualitative, multicase study of five firms in the metalworking industry in the state of Santa Catarina (southern Brazil). The results of the study show the limitations of the institutional framework of the country of origin, particularly in terms of stimulating innovation in firms. On the other hand, the study points to strong evidence of the role of networking as a critical factor in determining the performance of innovation activities and export performance. Specifically, the findings highlight foreign-established networks, especially in regard to customers to drive innovation, and distributors to expand participation in markets. Finally, in terms of the effect of the institutional framework on the selection of internationalization strategies, for the cases studied, the findings suggest that the institutional frameworks of destination countries seem to exert greater influence than do the institutions of the country of origin.     

对我国垂直专业化贸易影响因素的实证研究

本文在经济理论分析的基础上,选取开放度、关税等制度性因素和国民生产总值、外商直接投资、邮电业务总量等非制度因素作为代表性变量,建立垂直专业化影响因素的计量模型;利用SPSS统计软件,对变量数据进行相关性分析和主成分分析,得到了合理的计量经济模型;通过实证分析明确了各因素对促进我国垂直专业化贸易的不同作用及影响机制,并提出了相关政策建议。     

Infrastructure Endowment and Corporate Income Taxes as Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Central and Eastern European Countries

This paper analyses the importance of taxes on corporate income and production‐related tangible infrastructure as determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs). We operationalise taxes using effective average tax rates on the bilateral level and employ indices derived from principal component analysis as a proxy for the infrastructure endowment. In the empirical analysis we control for a possible interrelation between taxes and infrastructure as determinants of FDI – an issue usually neglected in the literature. Specifically, a favourable infrastructure endowment may compensate for relatively high taxes. Hence, higher taxes may not deter FDI. The results from our panel econometric analysis of bilateral outward FDI flows of seven home countries in eight CEECs for the 1995–2004 period in an augmented gravity model setting show that (i) both taxes and infrastructure play a role in the location decisions made by multinational enterprises; (ii) telecommunication and transport infrastructure are of special significance to FDI; and (iii) the tax‐rate sensitivity of FDI indeed decreases with the level of infrastructure endowment.     

制度质量、制度稳定性与对外贸易:一项实证研究

高质量的制度是贸易促进型的,而制度变迁对贸易的影响却是不确定的。即使是正向制度的变迁,在短期内也可能会因为制度的不稳定性而产生阻碍对外贸易发展的转型成本。文章利用1995～2009年105个国家的样本平均每5年期的面板数据,从法律制度、微观经济制度和宏观经济制度三个维度来综合考察制度质量和制度稳定性对一国对外贸易的影响,结果表明:一国的制度质量越高、稳定性越强,其对外贸易增长就越快。制度质量对国际贸易促进作用的发挥,需要制度的稳定性作保障,制度质量和制度稳定性在促进对外贸易的发展方面具有协同作用。     

中国逆向型FDI决定因素的实证分析

发展中国家地区流向发达国家地区的逆向型FDI不是基于产业技术与管理的所有权优势,而是以本国产业比较成本优势为基础的获取战略资源为目标的投资。对中国大陆逆向型FDI的实证研究表明:出口倾向、技术研发水平差距、华人数量等因素与中国逆向型FDI成正相关,而进口倾向、劳动生产率差距、距离等因素与逆向型FDI成负相关。研究还表明,中国当前的逆向型FDI的主要战略目标是促进出口和获得先进技术,验证了理论界提出的出口促进型FDI、学习型FDI或技术获取型FDI的理论假设。     

农业企业制度效率的理论分析与实证检验

农业企业制度安排及其经济效率是经济运行中一个值得关注的问题。基于农业企业制度安排的现实,可以将农业企业合作生产和剩余分配的制度安排概括划分为固定工资契约制、分成地租契约制和固定地租契约制等三种形式。针对这三种形式,文章在运用逻辑推理、边际分析等方法进行理论分析的基础上,对这三种企业制度安排进行了历史考察、统计分析和实验检验,以说明和论证这三种企业制度安排的经济效率。文章认为,马歇尔税收等价理论和张五常佃农理论有关农业企业制度安排的研究并非完全对立,这两大理论可以在一定程度和范围内协调;关于这一协调,本文在垄断竞争市场的背景下,提出了融合这三种制度安排的激励效应理论,认为农业企业制度安排经过协调后会提升经济效率,并通过对农业企业的实证检验在理论分析层面证实了这一观点。     

An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of Interest Rates in Ghana

ABSTRACT

This paper provides an empirical analysis of the determinants of the bank lending rate in Ghana using annual time series data from 1970 to 2013. We found evidence of a long-run equilibrium relationship between the average lending rate charged by commercial banks and its determining factors. In the long run, bank lending rates in Ghana are positively influenced by nominal exchange rates and Bank of Ghana’s monetary policy rate but negatively with fiscal deficit, real GDP and inflation. We also find positive dependence of the bank lending rate on exchange rates, and the monetary policy rate both in the short and long run. Specifically, our findings reveal that the Bank of Ghana’s monetary policy rate and the exchange rate, by far, show strong contemporaneous effects on the average bank lending rate in Ghana.     

Determinants of Web 2.0 technologies for knowledge sharing in SMEs

Web 2.0 technologies are increasingly being used within all knowledge management processes. This paper extends previous studies on the use of internet technologies and knowledge management by analyzing factors affecting knowledge sharing through Web 2.0 technologies within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing upon the technology-organization-environment framework, a model is developed to examine how distinct contextual factors influence the use of Web 2.0 technologies for knowledge sharing. A data set of Spanish SMEs is used to test the conceptual model and hypotheses. Results show that knowledge sharing through Web 2.0 technologies emerges from internal organizational and technological resources rather than from external pressure.     

Export Performance of SMEs: An Empirical Analysis of the Mediating Role of Corporate Image

The objective of this research is to analyze empirically the role played by corporate image and core competitive of manufacturing SMEs on export performance. The results show the positive effect of competitive core on export performance, as well as the mediator effect of corporate image on internal management development to outward. The research model also incorporates the relational capital to analyze its effect on export performance, highlighting the importance of this aspect to grow and compete in the international area of manufacturing SMEs. Therefore, managers should focus on design and managing proper their corporate image, also in order to compete and grow in the international area.     

Tunisia's Lending Program to SMEs: Anatomy of an Institutional Failure?

This paper studies a case of what in many respects is an institutional failure. It is the popular lending program in Tunisia known as FOPRODI, created in 1974 for the promotion of small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) and for the decentralization of industry. FOPRODI's announced aim was to help new entrepreneurs with insufficient capital to start their businesses and thereby to create new jobs. Because of an extremely low repayment rate, the program has failed in the sense that it became unsustainable and indeed finally collapsed in 1997. While there are some bases for believing that FOPRODI may have been more successful than it might seem in social terms, at this point it seems to have been a failure. The sources of its institutional failure are traced to inappropriate incentives attributable both to the institutional structure surrounding FOPRODI and its own rules. The findings are then used to generate policy recommendations on ways in which similar programs could be better designed, transaction costs reduced and the outcomes obtained more satisfactory.     

什么影响了服务出口复杂度——基于全球112个经济体的实证研究

本文借鉴国内外学术界目前普遍采用的测度服务出口复杂度的新方法,测算了全球112个经济体2000-2011年的服务出口复杂度,并据此利用跨国面板数据对影响服务出口复杂度的可能关键因素进行实证分析。结果发现:(1)人力资本、服务贸易开放度、利用外资额、人均GDP水平、基础设施以及制度质量等,均对服务出口复杂度具有显著正向影响,而货物出口规模则产生了显著负向影响;(2)服务业发展规模以及人口规模变量对发展中经济体服务出口复杂度不具备显著正向影响,但对发达经济体却具有显著正向影响;(3)FDI对发展中经济体服务出口复杂度具有显著正向影响,而对发达经济体则不具备显著影响;(4)制度质量对发达经济体服务出口复杂度影响的程度及其显著性,均超过了对发展中经济体的影响。与现有关于制成品出口技术复杂度影响因素的研究相比,本文不仅补充分析了影响服务出口复杂度的关键因素,并且识别了同种因素对"两类"出口可能产生的不同影响。研究所得结论对于中国服务出口实现"量质齐升"的战略目标具有重要政策意涵。     

An Empirical Study of Environmental Awareness and Practices in SMEs

With increasing awareness of environmental issues, there has been rising demand for environmental-friendly business practices. Prior research has shown that the implementation of environmental management practices is influenced by existing and potential stakeholder groups in the form of external pressures from legislators, environmental groups, financial institutions and suppliers, as well as internally by employees and owner/manager attitudes and knowledge. However, it has been reported that despite business owner/managers having strong “green” attitudes, the level of implementation of environmental-friendly practices is low. In order to explore the connection between pressures for improved practices and the management actions taken, this article examines how influence from various stakeholders is related to awareness of environmental issues, and how this awareness relates to actions taken within the businesses to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. The results indicate that legislation does result in general environmental awareness, and that organizations are then willing to␣change their business processes and environmental strategies. However, despite their actions they have little awareness of the benefits that might arise from cost reductions from their environmental-friendly practices. Those influenced by their suppliers act to reduce waste, but do not put into place formal environmental management systems, or use environmental messages to market their goods or services. Nevertheless, it can be argued that they have a real commitment to environmental issues, as evidenced by a willingness to voluntarily contribute to environmental organizations.     

European monetary policy: Institutional design and policy experience

The following article examines design issues relevant to European monetary policy: central bank independence, and the accountability and transparency of monetary policy strategy. An empirical approach is then applied which allows a comparison between the ECB and other central banks. It also enables an investigation of whether the ECB simply follows the US Federal Reserve Bank, as is sometimes claimed.     

The Diffusion of E-commerce among SMEs: Theoretical Implications and Empirical Evidence

As a specific institution of distributive trades, e-commerce displays similarities with retail stores and mail order companies. As well as providing theoretical support for the assumption that e-commerce is a way to sell certain goods and services at prices potentially lower than those of traditional distributive channels, this paper analyses its inter-firm diffusion among a sample of firms (mostly SMEs) in Italy. The paper has three main purposes. Firstly, it challenges the view of e-commerce as a "technological revolution", by pointing out its nature as a cost-minimizing marketing channel. In particular, it shows how, under certain conditions, e-commerce is a source of transaction cost advantages analogous to those yielded by mail order business. Secondly, the paper identifies from a theoretical viewpoint the circumstances under which e-commerce sales might achieve a significant level of penetration among those SMEs that would otherwise incur high costs in organizing a proprietary distributive channel. Thirdly, it employs a unique data set of Italian manufacturing, service, and hospitality firms (nearly 90% of them with fewer than 100 employees) to estimate a diffusion model based on the logistic curve. According to the estimates, by the fourth quarter of 2003 nearly 50% of the population of firms in the geographical area surveyed will have introduced e-commerce among their marketing channels.