Corporate tax cuts,merger activity,and shareholder wealth

We study the impact of the Domestic Production Activities Deduction (DPAD) on mergers and acquisitions. DPAD reduces corporate tax rates on income from work or goods made in the U.S. Results indicate that the quantity and quality of acquisition bids by DPAD-advantaged firms conform to the predictions of the neoclassical theory of the firm and the theory of financial constraints. Specifically, bids, particularly those cash-financed, increase substantially in industries with large DPAD-related tax cuts and for firms with financial constraints. Moreover, DPAD improves acquisition quality where acquirers and targets are likely to generate incremental DPAD tax benefits through their merger.     

Cost-effectiveness of Access to Critical Cerebral Emergency Support Services (ACCESS): a neuro-emergent telemedicine consultation program

Aims: Access to Critical Cerebral Emergency Support Services (ACCESS) was developed as a low-cost solution to providing neuro-emergent consultations to rural hospitals in New Mexico that do not offer comprehensive stroke care. ACCESS is a two-way audio-visual program linking remote emergency department physicians and their patients to stroke specialists. ACCESS also has an education component in which hospitals receive training from stroke specialists on the triage and treatment of patients. This study assessed the clinical and economic outcomes of the ACCESS program in providing services to rural New Mexico from a healthcare payer perspective.

Methods: A decision tree model was constructed using findings from the ACCESS program and existing literature, the likelihood that a patient will receive a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), cost of care, and resulting quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Data from the ACCESS program includes emergency room patients in rural New Mexico from May 2015 to August 2016. Outcomes and costs have been estimated for patients who were taken to a hospital providing neurological telecare and patients who were not.

Results: The use of ACCESS decreased neuro-emergent stroke patient transfers from rural hospitals to urban settings from 85% to 5% (no tPA) and 90% to 23% (tPA), while stroke specialist reading of patient CT/MRI imaging within 3?h of onset of stroke symptoms increased from 2% to 22%. Results indicate that use of ACCESS has the potential to save $4,241 ($3,952–$4,438) per patient and increase QALYs by 0.20 (0.14–0.22). This increase in QALYs equates to ～73 more days of life at full health. The cost savings and QALYs are expected to increase when moving from a 90-day model to a lifetime model.

Conclusion: The analysis demonstrates potential savings and improved quality-of-life associated with the use of ACCESS for patients presenting to rural hospitals with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).     

Improved estimators in some linear errors-in-variables models in finite samples

The paper uses a Monte Carlo study to demonstrate the dominance under mean squared errors or quadratic loss of a new improved estimator for some linear errors-in-variables models in finite samples. The new estimator is non-linear and biased in a conventional sense and has a smaller risk than the least squares and the Stein estimators. Standard errors for this estimator can be conveniently obtained by bootstrapping methods.     

Bayesian inference in threshold stochastic frontier models

In this paper, we generalize the stochastic frontier model to allow for heterogeneous technologies and inefficiencies in a structured way that allows for l     

Causality and wage price inflation in West Germany 1964–1979

Zusammenfassung Kausalit?t und Lohn-Preis-Inflation in Westdeutschland 1964–1979. — In diesem Aufsatz wird ein Vierteljahresmodell der Lohn- und PreisInflation in Westdeutschland (1964 bis 1978) entwickelt. Es verwendet das Konzept der Phillips-Kurve, betont aber die überprüfbare Lohndruck-Hypothese und enth?lt die folgenden sechs Variablen: Konsumentenpreise, Effektivl?hne, Streiks, Tarifl?hne, Nachfrage nach Arbeitskr?ften und die Geldmenge M 1. Mit Hilfe des Konzepts der Wiener-Granger-Kausalit?t und kürzlich entwickelter Methoden der multivariaten Zeitreihenanalyse entsteht ein empirisches Kausalit?tsmodell der Lohn-Preis-Inflation für Westdeutschland. Dieses Modell stützt in starkem Ma\e die Lohndruck-Theorie und weist der Geldversorgung eine unbedeutende Rolle zu. Eine zweiseitige Kausalit?t besteht zwischen den Effektiv- und den Tarifl?hnen, so da\ es unangebracht ist, zeitlich verteilte Lags anzunehmen für die Tarifl?hne in der Lohngleichung oder umgekehrt für die Effektivl?hne in der Gleichung der Tarifl?hne. W?hrend sich als Hauptursache der Lohninflation die Inflationserwartungen und die Tarifl?hne identifizieren lassen, geh?ren zu den wichtigsten Ursachen der Preisinflation die erwarteten Preissteigerungen und die Erh?hung der Kapazit?tsauslastung.

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Résumé Causalité et l’inflation de prix et de salaire en Allemagne de l’Ouest 1964–1979. — Dans cet article l’auteur formule un modèle trimestriel de l’inflation de salaire et de prix pour l’Allemagne de l’Ouest sur la période de 1964.1 à 1978.4. Le modèle utilise les éléments fondamentaux de la courbe de Phillips, mais souligne l’hypothèse testable des déterminants de ?wage-push? et consiste de six variables économiques principales: les prix de consommation, les salaires nominaux, les grèves, les salaires contractuels minimum, la demande de la main-d’oeuvre et les disponibilités monétaires (M1). L’auteur applique le concept de causalité de Wiener-Granger aussi bien que des méthodes des séries chronologiques multivariates développées récemment et obtient un modèle empirique de causalité. Le modèle fortement supporte la théorie de ?wage-push? et révèle un r?le insignifiant des disponibilités monétaires. Une causalité deux-voies peut être observée entre les salaires nominaux et les salaires contractuels minimum. Par conséquent, il n’est pas indiqué de spécifier une structure des décalages retards distribués pour les salaires contractuels dans l’équation de salaire ou, qui est équivalent, pour les salaires nominaux dans l’équation de salaires contractuels minimum. Pendant que l’inflation anticipée et les salaires contractuels sont regardés comme les causes principales de l’inflation de salaire les facteurs décisifs de l’inflation de prix incluent les augmentations des prix attendues et l’augmentation de l’utilisation des capacités.

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Resumen Causalidad e inflation salarios-precios en Alemania Occidental 1964–1979. — En este artícule se formula un modelo trimestral de inflatión de salarios y precios para Alemania Occidental en el período 1964.1 a 1978.4. Este modelo se basa en la racionalidad de la curva de Phillips pero pone enfasis en la hipótesis comprobable de determinantes de presión de salarios y consiste de seis variables económicas importantes: precios al consumidor, salarios monetarios, huelgas, tasas de salarios mínimos negociados, demanda por trabajo y oferta de dinero M1. Usando el concepto de causalidad Wiener-Granger y métodos de series de tiempo multivariables desarrollados recientemente se obtiene un modelo empérico causal de inflatión salarios precios para Alemania Occidental. Este modelo da fuerte apoyo a la teoría de presión de salarios y revela un papel insignificante para la oferta de dinero. Hay una doble causalidad (o de feedback) presente entre salarios monetarios y tasas salariales minimas negociadas y, tomo tal, la práctica de especificar una estructura de rezago distribuida para estas tasas salariales en la ecuación de salarios, o equivalentemente, para salarios monetarios en la ecuación de tasas salariales mínimas negociadas es inapropiada. Mientras que las principales causas de la inflatión salarial se pueden identificar como inflatión anticipada y tasas salariales mínimas negociadas, las principales causas de la inflatión de precios incluyen aumentos de precios esperados y el aumento de la capacidad utilizada.

     

APPLICATIONS OF BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMICS TO TAX EVASION

The paper reviews recent models that have applied the techniques of behavioural economics to the analysis of the tax compliance choice of an individual taxpayer. The construction of these models is motivated by the failure of the Yitzhaki version of the Allingham–Sandmo model to predict correctly the proportion of taxpayers who will evade and the effect of an increase in the tax rate upon the chosen level of evasion. Recent approaches have applied non‐expected utility theory to the compliance decision and have addressed social interaction. The models we describe are able to match the observed extent of evasion and correctly predict the tax effect but do not have the parsimony or precision of the Yitzhaki model.