Growth is (really) good for the (really) rich

This paper analyses the relationship between mean income and the income of the rich. Our methodology closely follows that of Dollar and Kraay (Journal of Economic Growth, 2002, 7, 195), but instead of looking at the bottom of the distribution, we focus on the top. We use panel data from the World Top Incomes database, which collects top income data from several countries using tax returns as the raw source. We define the “rich” as earners in the top 10%, 1%, 0.1% and 0.01% of the income distribution. Using data since 1980, we find that economic growth is good for the rich in the sense that the mean income of the top decile of the distribution grows in the same proportion as that of the whole population. However, we also find that the income of earners in the top percentile of the distribution and above grows faster than average income: therefore, economic growth is really good for the really rich. We also find that during economic downturns the average income of top earners responds proportionally less to changes in mean income than during economic expansions. Our results are consistent with the increase in inequality that has been recently observed at the top part of the distribution in many countries, and they are robust to different specifications, country samples and time observations.     

我国教育不平等与收入分配差距扩大的动态研究——一项基于各地区教育基尼系数的实证

以教育基尼系数作为刻画教育不平等的指标,选取相关省级面板数据,采用固定效应变截距模型,对我国教育不平等与收入分配差距扩大的关系进行动态研究发现：我国教育不平等与收入分配差距显著正相关．教育不平等每上升1个百分点,收入分配差距将扩大0．412～0．618个百分点,并且,随着时间的推移,教育不平等对收入分配差距的影响越来越大;同时,随着平均受教育年限的延长,我国收入分配差距不仅没有缩小反而在不断扩大。因此,政府应加大教育投入,提高教育资源利用率,发展高级人才市场。以缩小由于教育不平等导致的收分配差距扩大。     

促进中国地区间居民收入差距缩小的因素探析

改革开放以来,中国地区间居民收入差距呈现出长期扩大的趋势。但我们没有理由认为这种趋势不会发生变化,尽管存在着多种导致地区间居民收入差距扩大的因素,但也要看到存在着多种抑制地区间居民收入差距扩大的因素。进入21世纪之后,国家区域发展战略和政策的调整,工业化、城市化的发展,收入分配制度的改革和完善,社会保障制度的改革和完善,教育的发展,户籍管理制度的改革和统一劳动力市场的发展等一系列因素都将促进地区间居民收入差距的缩小。虽然地区间居民收入差距的缩小的过程漫长,但我们相信最终会出现。     

收入差异的“倒U型”假说悖论:初次分配、再分配与政策选择

通过MLD指数分解分析,发现中国收入差异有明显扩大趋势,且地区间差异贡献率高,这与库兹涅茨"倒U型"假说相悖。收入分配的不平衡受初次分配差异与再分配差异共同影响,其中初次分配差异源于要素流动性差异和地区生产力水平差异,而再分配差异应归因于政策倾斜度。要改善中国收入分配不均现状,缩小地区收入差距水平,必须打破二元经济结构,统筹配置资源,适度推进金融自由化进程,加大教育投资,加强社会保障制度建设,并重视西部经济均衡发展。     

外商直接投资对地区收入差距影响的实证分析

随着全球化进程的加速和我国对外开放向纵深化发展,地区间经济发展不平衡的程度逐渐加剧。文章用我国1987-2003年各主要省份的Panel数据,对地区开放与地区内收入差距扩大问题进行实证分析,并且利用格兰杰因果检验分析进行了因果检验,认为地区对外开放程度是导致地区内收入差距的重要原因。     

对外开放对地区收入差距的影响分析

随着全球化的发展,中国与全球经济接轨的步伐也在加快,但是经济开放也会产生一些负面影响,因此人们也更加关注对外开放对国内不断扩大的地区间收入差距的作用。学术界对对外开放对地区收入差距的影响存在一定的争议,通过对对外开放对我国地区收入差距的影响进行实证研究,发现对外开放不是造成我国地区收入差距影响的最主要的原因。     

Top‐Down Versus Bottom‐Up Demand Forecasts: The Value of Shared Point‐of‐Sale Data in the Retail Supply Chain

Accurate demand forecasts are critical to maintaining customer service levels and minimizing total costs, yet increasingly difficult to achieve. Using weekly point‐of‐sale (POS) and order data for 10 ready‐to‐eat cereal stock‐keeping units from 18 regional U.S. grocery distribution centers, this research empirically investigates two demand forecasting issues: (1) the accuracy of top‐down versus bottom‐up demand forecasts; and (2) whether shared POS data improve demand forecast accuracy. The results reveal a previously unexplored relationship between demand forecast methodology and the use of shared POS data. We find that the superiority of the top‐down or bottom‐up forecasting as the more accurate demand forecast method depends on whether shared POS data are used.     

Social and Environmental Sustainability,Host Country Characteristics,and the Mediating Effect of Improved Working Practices: Evidence from Multinational Corporations in Malaysia

This study argues that improved working practices acquired from intra-firm technology transfers are a crucial source of organizational sustainability. This study used 252 subsidiaries of foreign-based multinational corporations located in Peninsular Malaysia as a quantitative data source. The findings revealed that market environment, cultural factors, and absorptive capacity significantly improved working practices, which in turn significantly and positively affected the social and environmental sustainability of firms. We recommend that the government of Malaysia formulate and adopt more market-friendly policies while simultaneously providing both insight on the various cultural norms of foreign nations and higher education and training for its citizens to maximize knowledge transfer following foreign investment, which is beneficial for both the host country and the organizations involved.     

居民收入差距的来源与影响因子

本文通过分解基尼系数和锡尔系数分析了浙江省居民收入差距,认为浙江省的居民收入呈现出居民收入高并持续快速增长、农民收入明显高于全国平均水平、城市居民收入两极分化、城乡居民收入差距扩大但尚处于合理区间等特点.影响浙江省居民收入差距的主要因素包括不同的收入来源,工薪收入比重大,家庭经营性收入和劳动者报酬收入、地带间和行业问收入差距大等因素.为了缩小浙江省居民的收入差距.应加快城市化进程,统筹城乡发展,缩小城乡居民收入差距;统筹区域经济协调发展,缩小地区间居民收入差距;深化收入分配制度改革,加强收入分配宏观调控;完善社会保障制度,使社会保障真正起到"减震器"的作用;加快农业生产的发展及农业产业化.实现传统农业向高效、优质、现代集约型农业转变.     

Relative Intragenerational Economic Mobility: A Cross-Period Analysis from 1968 to 2009

Recent debate about income inequality has occurred with good reason, as changes in income inequality are critically important for long-term economic prosperity, business profitability, and particularly for the quality and accessibility of labor in the market today. However, what is equally important and less discussed is economic mobility, or the capacity of an individual or a family to improve their financial standing, specifically as it relates to income and wealth. In this paper, we examine statistics on economic mobility in the United States. Our findings suggest that while economic mobility still exists, the likelihood of a household making a large jump out of poverty and into wealth declined from 1999 to 2009. The message of our findings to policymakers is that, rather than a redistribution of wealth from the top of the income distribution to the bottom, what is really needed is broader access to affordable education, better essential nutrition, more stable early childhood development experiences, and basic financial literacy training for all income groups.     

浅析新型工业化过程中的收入分配不公

改革开放20几年来,中国经济发展取得了举世瞩目的成就,但伴随着经济发展的同时,我国收入分配领域出现了收入差距拉大的现象,并且这种现象已成为社会各界普遍关注的焦点。从我国目前收入分配的现状入手,深刻分析了产生这种现象的历史原因和制度原因,探讨解决收入分配不公的措施。     

Changing consumption patterns in rural Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Despite rapid urbanization, more than 75% of the people still live in rural areas. The density of the rural population is also one of the highest in the world. Being a poor and low‐income country, however, Bangladesh's main challenge is to eradicate poverty by increasing equitable income. The gross domestic product of Bangladesh is growing steadily, and the country has outperformed many low‐income countries in terms of several social indicators. Bangladesh has achieved the Millennium Development Goal of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary school enrolment. A sharp decline in child and infant mortality rates, increased per capita income, and improved food security have placed Bangladesh on the track to achieving the status of a middle‐income country in the near future. All these developments have influenced the consumption patterns of the country. This study explored the consumption scenario of rural Bangladesh. Data were collected through direct observations and semi‐structured interviews. Information regarding the consumption of food, clothing, housing, education and medical facilities were collected, and qualitative methods were applied to the data analysis. The findings of this study suggested that the consumption patterns of rural Bangladeshis are changing over time along with economic and social development.     

Socio‐demographic determinants of gambling participation and expenditures: evidence from Malaysia

This study examined the socio‐demographic determinants of participation and expenditure decisions on gambling among non‐Muslim households in Malaysia using data from the 2005–2006 Malaysian Household Expenditures Survey. Heckman's sample selection analysis was used to obtain consistent (unbiased) empirical estimates for the regression equation of gambling expenditures in the presence of censoring (observed zeros) in the dependent variable. Marginal effects were also calculated to further explore the effects of socio‐demographic variables on the probability and levels of gambling expenditures. The results indicated that non‐Muslim households in Malaysia who are more likely to participate and spend more in gambling include Chinese, affluent, male‐headed, younger and non‐white collar households. Specifically, households of Chinese descent have higher gambling probabilities and expenditures than Indians and those of other ethnic backgrounds. While education reduces and age increases the likelihood and expenditures of gambling among Chinese households, these effects are non‐extant for Indians and other ethnic groups. Higher income and male‐headed households were more likely to partake and have higher expenditures in gambling among all non‐Muslim ethnic groups. Finally, Chinese and Indian households headed by a white‐collar worker have lower gambling likelihoods and unconditional expenditures than their blue‐collar cohorts. Based on these results, several anti‐gambling policies were suggested to target those more likely to participate and spend more in gambling activities.     

我国教育资源的递减配置及其制度分析

教育资源分布不均等将是中国教育在新世纪面临的主要发展障碍,已有的研究表明我国教育资源配置的不均等表现为教育资源分布上存在较大的地域差距、省际差距、城乡差距,本文则从另一个视角分析了教育资源配置的不均衡现象,指出在一个省的内部教育资源的配置依省会城市-地级市-县级市递减,这种配置格局是受到我国按照权力等级配置资源制度、当前的教育财政制度、社会各个不同利益集团对于资源的争夺以及各市经济发展水平差异等因素的影响。     

The role of regional formal institutions and foreign direct investment in innovation in Chinese enterprises

China features high degrees of income inequality, regional disparity and regional institutional diversity. With disparities in institutional development across regions, Chinese firms tend to have different levels of innovation as the costs, risks, efficiency and incentives of firms in innovation are affected by the regional institutional building. This article investigates the role of regional formal institutions in the innovation process in Chinese enterprises. It suggests that regional formal institutions (reflected by government support), financial institutions, educational institutions and taxation institutions promote innovation in Chinese firms, while they fail to discover such an impact from legal institutions. Also, regional formal institutions positively moderate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) spillovers on process innovation.     

中国老年人口受教育程度发展趋势前瞻

针对中国教育事业的发展如何影响未来30年老年人口的受教育结构、2050年中国建成现代化强国时老年人口的平均受教育年限是多少等问题进行分析,在运用人口普查以及1%人口抽样调查等数据对中国老年人口教育水平历史演进做出回顾的基础上着重预测未来趋势。结果显示:老年人口在改革开放以来实现了从八成不识字到八成受教育的历史性转变,且男女两性老年人口在受教育程度上的差距趋于缩小;到本世纪中叶,老年人口的平均受教育年限预计可达10年,基本具备高中教育水平,且男女两性老年人口教育不平等的状况将会显著改变,受过高等教育比例快速上升。中国老年人口规模大增长的时代同时也是老年教育水平大提升的时代,这可以为健康老龄化和积极老龄化等创造更有利的发展环境。     

城乡金融发展与收入差距研究

在剖析城乡金融发展影响城乡收入差距机理的基础上,本文设定动态面板数据模型,运用1992-2010年我国31个省级单位的面板数据进行实证分析。研究表明城乡金融发展的结构、规模和效率差异与城乡收入差距呈正相关关系,差异越大城乡收入差距越大;同时,城乡收入差距还受诸如城乡就业结构、城市化水平、政府经济政策等的制约。     

技术创新、市场分割与收入不平等——基于中国省级面板数据的分析

基于1998—2017年中国省级面板数据，分析了省级层面收入不平等程度及其影响因素，重点研究了技术创新和市场分割对收入不平等的作用。研究结果显示，样本期内基尼系数总体水平较高，呈现出了先上升后下降的走势。地区收入差距与技术创新之间存在U型关系，当前“知识溢出”效应超过了“技能溢价”效应，创新水平的提高将有助于缩小地区收入差距；市场分割不仅会加剧地区收入不平等，还会通过阻碍技术创新间接弱化创新对收入差距的缓解作用。地区收入不平等与经济发展水平之间存在倒U型关系，贸易依存度、人均受教育年限和人均社会保障支出的提高有助于缩小地区收入差距，工业化率的提高则会加剧地区收入差距，财政支出对地区收入差距的作用不明显；动态面板模型的研究结果表明，地区收入差距具有惯性特征。最后，基于研究结论，给出了有针对性的政策建议。     

中国旅游企业技术效率省际差异的实证分析

文章在跨省面板数据的基础上,运用生产函数的随机前沿技术分析了我国旅游企业技术效率的区域差异及影响因素。研究结果表明,我国旅游企业技术效率存在的显著省际差异加剧了我国省际旅游企业劳动生产率区域发展失衡,究其因,关键在于区位因素、旅游业的产业地位、劳动力素质等因素的影响。最后,文章对此做了进一步的分析,并提出了缩小省际旅游企业劳动生产率差距的政策措施。     

浙江农民收入差距特征分析

文章采用统计方法对浙江省农民收入差距的变化特征及其来源结构进行了实证研究。研究表明,浙江省农民收入差距总体上处于比较合理的范围之内并呈现阶段性上升趋势,农民内部收入差距大于城市居民内部收入差距,且这种差距呈不断扩大趋势,城乡居民收入的相对差距小于全国平均水平,不同地区农民收入的绝对差距和相对差距均呈不断扩大的趋势,家庭经营性收入和劳动者报酬收入是形成浙江省农民收入差距的主要来源。文章提出,考虑到农民收入差距扩大可能会导致一系列社会经济问题,在构建和谐社会与建设新农村的进程中,政府职能部门必须在"效率优先、兼顾公平"的前提下,高度重视不同地区农民收入差距和城乡居民收入差距扩大问题,而采取措施提高农民家庭经营性收入和劳动者报酬收入是解决问题的关键所在。