MOSES: Model for studying the economy of Sweden

MOSES is an aggregate econometric model for Sweden, estimated on quarterly data, and intended for policy simulations and short-term forecasting. After a presentation of qualitative model properties, the econometric methodology is summarized. The model properties, within sample simulations, and forecast evaluations are presented. We also address methodology and practical issues relating to building and maintaining a macro model of this type. The detailed econometric equations are reported in Appendix A.“I think it should be generally agreed that a model that does not generate many properties of actual data cannot be claimed to have any ‘policy implications’…”Clive.W. J. Granger (1992, p. 4).     

Goodwill under IFRS: Relevance and disclosures in an unfavorable environment

The accounting treatment of purchased goodwill under IFRS has been severely criticized due to the extensive use of fair value accounting. The purpose of this study is to enrich the ongoing debate upon this issue by drawing attention to the market valuation implications of goodwill in a country outside the Anglo-Saxon accounting paradigm, where the application of fair value accounting has been seen as more problematic. The results indicate that, in the case of purchased goodwill, fair value accounting generates relevant accounting numbers but only in companies that comply highly with IFRS disclosure requirements.     

Industrial policy, competence blocs and the role of science in economic development

Government is studied as supporter of science and of the transformation of scientific discoveries into new technology and firm formation. The importance of scientific discovery outside academe is recognized as is the experimental nature of the transformation process entailing frequent business failure. Competence bloc theory is used to understand the minimum set of actors with competence needed for the incentive structure to be complete and the risk of losing the winners minimized. Competence bloc analysis also helps clarify the theoretical foundations of industrial policy and useful roles for science parks. I find that to succeed as a catalyst for industrial competitiveness park management should be less concerned with science and technology and more with the economics of the transformation process.     

What is Antidumping Policy Really About?

Dumping is whatever you can get the government to act against under the antidumping law. J. Michael Finger (1993, p.viii). Antidumping policy has become one of the most important instruments for protection in the international trade system, but at the same time it is the subject of an intense, though rather chaotic, debate. This paper provides an overview of the antidumping literature and the current issues. First it describes the origins of antidumping policy and provides some basic statistics on its current use drawn from several empirical studies. Next the paper discusses the economic foundations of antidumping law by examining the traditional and modern theories of dumping, as well as the industrial organization literature on price discrimination and predatory pricing. It is demonstrated that those economic foundations are weak. The paper also considers the fairness rationales for antidumping policy. Finally, it addresses the criticisms of antidumping laws, in particular in the context of the current antidumping versus competition policy debate, and discusses a variety of proposals for reform that have been made. The paper shows that the 1997 'cease fire' agreement between Canada and Chile is a promising approach toward reform of antidumping policy.     

Techno-economic evaluation of 3G and beyond mobile business alternatives

Three business case scenarios in the context of emerging mobile access network technologies and business players have been studied and the economical results are presented. The aim is to cover some of the most interesting business alternatives in providing the new 3G and beyond services including cases where the operator may have an existing second-generation cellular network or not, and a license for the 3G UMTS network or not. The scenarios have been analyzed in different Western European country groups that are not exactly representative of any defined country, but rather share typical demographic characteristics. Investments and operational expenditures are identified and the results show how diverse business models and technologies lead to different revenue, cost, and profitability profiles. The business case scenarios include incumbent’s 3G evolution with UMTS compared to an alternative 3G technology deployment with mobile WiMAX, new entrant’s UMTS deployment business case, and a greenfield CDMA450 deployment business case.     

Integrierte Unternehmensplanung mit SAP R/3

Der betriebliche Planungsprozess betrifft alle Unternehmensbereiche. Eine Integration der Teilpl?ne ist notwendig, aber selten in Unternehmen realisiert.     

A Presumptive Pigovian Tax: Complementing Regulation to Mimic an Emissions Fee

If regulations are used to make cars and fuels cleaner, shouldgasoline taxes be used to manage demand for trips that pollute?Analysis of a well-composed program for Mexico City indicatesthat the emission reductions would cost 24 percent more if atax on gasoline was not introduced. A simple analytical framework is developed to analyze the useof abatement requirements to make cars cleaner, and a gasolinetax to economize on the use of cars. The two instruments shouldbe combined to mimic the incentives that would have been providedby an emissions fee. Thus, cleaner cars and fewer trips areanalogous to competing suppliers of emission reductions; theplanner should buy from both so that marginal costs are equal.Applying that rule, the marginal cost of emission reductionsis, simply, the gasoline tax rate divided by emissions per liter.     

The nature of economic change and management in a new knowledge based information economy

The development of management theory and practice and their informational assumptions are followed over three phases of economic development; (1) the pre-oil crisis experience 1969–1975, (2) the post oil crisis sobering up through most of the 1990s and (3) the emergence of globally distributed production organizations, blurring the notion of the firm to be managed. The change from a belief in a predictable environment and only marginally uninformed actors to an increasing recognition of the fundamental ignorance that enters all business decisions, the consequent business mistakes and that learning between the periods has been of limited value and often misleading is found to be reflected in business information systems.The increased rate of failure among large firms in recent decades appears to be related to the increasing complexity of business decisions, the decreased reliability of learning and the difficulties of controlling the value chain in globally distributed production.