Remittances and FDI Effects on Economic Growth: A VECM and GIRFs for the Case of Albania

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes the effects of remittances and foreign direct investments (FDI) on economic growth, gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), and inflation in Albania through a vector error correction model. The results show that remittances Granger-cause positively economic growth short- and long-run and negatively inflation, while no significant relationship has been established between remittances and GFCF. The findings support that remittances, apart from affecting economic growth, disinflate the Albanian economy. With respect to FDI, there are signs that inflation Granger-causes negatively FDI, while there appears to be no relationship between FDI, economic growth, and capital formation.     

Value Diversity and Regional Economic Development

We investigate the link between culture and regional economic development within European countries. Considering a variety of cultural values, we provide evidence that it is the degree of diversity in these values at the regional level that strongly correlates with economic performance, rather than the prevalence of specific values. In particular, we show that greater value diversity is negatively associated with regional economic performance within countries, which also relates to lower institutional quality and poorer public goods provision. These patterns are robust even when diversity is measured on the basis of values expressed by emigrants residing outside their region of origin.     

Tourism and attitude change: Greek tourists visiting Turkey

This study evaluates attitude change of Greek tourists towards Turkish people inclusive of their political beliefs and institutions, as a result of their visit to Turkey. A sample of 97 Greek first-time travelers to Turkey completed a structured questionnaire measuring attitudes towards Turkey before and after their visit. A control group of 82 Greek citizens who remained in Greece also completed the questionnaire twice. The major results showed that travel to Turkey had a negative impact on Greek tourists perceptions of the host population. This was particularly true concerning such aspects as the quality of life in Turkey, Turkish institutions, and the cultural aspects of its people.     

The Effectiveness of Public Assistance Payments in Reducing Poverty

A bstract . This study investigates the effectiveness of income transfer in reducing poverty in the U.S.A It does so by applying the concepts of set theory to the population segments in poverty and under public assistance. The extent of their intersection versus either subset, i.e. , their conditional probability, as well as the extent of either of the non-intersected segments of the union versus the respective subset, are shown to be reliable indicators of this effectiveness. The last two segments, representing errors of "omission" or of "commission," are analyzed for their uniform patterns by type of residence and race . Probable reasons for their occurrence are discussed, and certain limitations of the used data are examined.     

Payoff-Improving Competition: Games with Negative Externalities

We demonstrate that more intense competition in games with production and negative externalities may be payoff-improving, and therefore welcomed by incumbents. In games that feature equilibria with strategic complements, increased competition may give rise to a new equilibrium where aggregate effort is lower, and the resulting reduced levels of externalities ultimately leaves all players better off. This setting applies to models of Cournot oligopoly, of common pool resources, and contests with endogenous prizes.

     

Chinese Students’ Perceptions of the Teaching in an Australian Accounting Programme – An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study is designed to elicit and understand the views of Mainland Chinese students concerning their learning experience in an Australian accounting education programme. The article contributes to the literature by investigating the issues and implications associated with international students’ perceptions of teaching, as little research has been undertaken in this context. Data were obtained from focus group interviews at two Australian universities, comprising students who had no prior experience of Western education. Based on an adaptation of Ramsden's 2003 model [Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.). London: Routledge], the data show that the students’ educational experience in China has a direct and negative influence on their perceptions of the teaching and learning experience in Australia. The negativity is particularly strong for entry-level students but dissipates to some extent with time. Issues concerning teachers’ enthusiasm, commitment, delivery skills and students’ expectations also emerged as important factors affecting student perceptions.     

Ethics Education in the Australian Accounting Curriculum: A Longitudinal Study Examining Barriers and Enablers

Abstract

The increasing significance of ethics in the accounting profession is evidenced by the seminal events that witnessed the collapse of major corporations (e.g. Enron and WorldCom); regulatory interventions (e.g. Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the USA and the CLERP 9 Act in Australia); and calls for increased ethics interventions in the accounting curriculum. This project has two objectives: to investigate the nature of ethics education in the Australian accounting curriculum and how it has changed from 2000 to 2012; and to analyse the barriers to enhancing ethics education by soliciting the opinions of Heads of Departments/Schools of Australian universities. Compared with early empirical evidence, universities responded to the call for ethics education with increased levels of ethics intervention, but had failed to enhance the extent of ethics education coverage in the intervening period in which the data were collected. The lack of qualified staff and research opportunities represent major obstacles to the enhancement of ethics education.