Alliances and negotiations: an incomplete information example

We study a bargaining game between an individual and an ‘alliance’ in the sense of Manzini and Mariotti (J Econ Theory 121:128–41, 2005), in which the opponent of the alliance is incompletely informed about the relative strengths of its members. The best equilibrium outcome for the alliance under a unanimity rule is not attainable with a non-unanimity rule. However, unlike in the complete information model, less than optimal outcomes and delays may occur with positive probability even under unanimity, depending on the prior beliefs and the preferences of the agents. We are grateful to a careful referee for comments. We wish to thank Clara Ponsati for useful comments.     

Hours worked in selected OECD countries: an empirical assessment

In this paper, we empirically assess the evolution of the aggregate hours worked, with a particular emphasis on their age structure, in a sample of OECD countries, along the period 1970–2007. We show that the age composition of the workforce has a large and statistically significant effect on hours worked volatility. To exploit the multilevel structure of our data, we use a Mixed Linear Model to investigate the consequences of (i) demographic change, (ii) sector-specific, and (iii) country-specific factors on hours worked by ‘young’ (aged 15–29) and ‘prime-aged’ (29+) individuals. We show that changes in workforce demographics, captured by the ratio between population older than 29 and population younger than 29, are strongly and significantly correlated with the amount of hours worked by ‘young’ individuals. We also document the impact of sectoral capital intensity and profitability on the dynamics of (aggregate) hours worked. Finally, we show that productive public expenditure, here proxied by the public investment in ICT, is beneficial for the hours worked both by young and prime-aged individuals.     

Why are more redistributive social security systems smaller? A median voter approach

One of the stylized facts of unfunded social security programsis that programs are larger in size, measured relative to theGDP, the tighter the link between pension claims and past earnings.We provide a political economy explanation of this stylizedfact in a median voter model, where people vote on the socialsecurity tax rate. We compare pension systems with flat-rateand earnings-related benefit formulas. Only flat-rate benefitsredistribute within a generation from high to low income groups.If labor supply is endogenous, they also imply larger efficiencycosts than earnings-related schemes. Using data on eight Europeancountries, we find that the median voter is typically middle-agedwith high income. For these voters, earnings-related systemsare more attractive both because of less intragenerational redistributionand lower distortions in labor supply. The median voter modelis also able to account for a considerable degree of cross-countryvariation in contribution rates.     

Studio delle eliminazioni da una collettività per più case con il metodo simulativo

Vengono messe in luce alcune problematiche che si presentano quando si applichi il metodo della simulazione stocastica allo studio dell'evoluzione nel tempo di collettività chiuse ed unitarie esposte a più cause di eliminazione. Viene poi proposta un'impostazione che unifica i diversi punti di vista adottati in recenti lavori sull'argomento.

---

Summary We investigate some problems that are met when studying by stochastic simulation the evolution over time of a (closed and homogeneous) collectivity underlying to more than one cause of elimination, and propose a unifying viewpoint on the argument.

     

Alliances and negotiations

Negotiations often occur not between individuals but among groups (companies, trade unions, political parties, etc.) each representing composite interests, whose bargaining behaviour is regulated by some collective decision mechanism. In this paper we provide a natural model of such circumstances. We formalise the notion of ‘alliance’ and show how different preference aggregation procedures within the alliance affect the bargaining outcome. In particular, we find that unanimity procedures lead to ‘more aggressive’ negotiating tactics than majority procedures.     

How financial information disclosure affects risk perception. Evidence from Italian investors’ behaviour

This paper investigates how different representations of financial information may be appraised in terms of complexity and usefulness, and how financial disclosure influences individuals’ risk perception. By using a consumer testing analytical approach, we run a survey on a sample of Italian investors: 254 bank customers were submitted 4 different templates, each combining a different typology of data (historical and prospective) and framing (words, numbers and charts) to indicate the same level of risk and return of four real-life financial instruments. Representation formats partially overlap with those mandated by regulators and used within the financial industry. Results show that the perceived riskiness of financial products is affected by the way information is disclosed. Perceived complexity of the financial information disclosure intensifies perception of riskiness of the product solicited. Gender, age, personal traits, behavioural biases and financial knowledge, do also play a role. Overall, given investors’ heterogeneity and behavioural biases, neither simplifying disclosure nor a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may be sufficient to ensure correct risk perception and to prevent unbiased investment choices.     

Sul problema del reimpiego dei margini in operazioni finanziarie

Si considerano, in versione discreta, tre forme di operazioni finanziarie con reimpiego dei margini, e, con ipotesi non molto restrittive, si dà una valutazione analitica e diretta di parametri finanziari coinvolgenti i margini, senza bisogno di conoscerne le espressioni esplicite. Sul risultato economico attualizzato (r.e.a.) (v) per l'investitore dell'operazione finanziaria, valutato con fattore di sconto periodalev, si trovano poi formule che danno sue limitazioni inferiori e superiori, e, in un caso particolare, il suo valore esatto: ad illustrazione di ciò vengono dati alcuni semplici esempi numerici.

---

Summary Three kinds of discrete financial operations involving reinvestment of net margins are considered.With no restrictions a direct analytical evaluation of financial parameters involving margins is then given. This needs not to know their explicit expressions.Formulas are then given for the discounted cash flow (d.c.f.) of the financial operation. This allows to obtain simple lower and upper bounds, and, at least in onc case, its exact value.Some simple numerical examples are shown.

---

---

La ricerca à stata finanziata con fondi M.U.R.S.T.     

Mortality Inequality in the Czech Republic*

We examine the evolution of mortality and mortality inequality among the 77 districts of the Czech Republic ranked by a new poverty index, from 1994 to 2016. The country experienced dramatic improvements in mortality for all age categories and both genders, but with very little variation in inequality. Inequality in mortality has remained substantially stable, increasing only for females aged 20–64.     

Flexibility and Growth

After two decades of theoretical discussion and application of labour policies aimed at flexibility, ever-spreading unemployment in Europe has compelled some official institutions to admit that the 'rigidity' of the labour market does not suffice to account for the different trends in employment displayed by Europe and the United States. In this paper, we focus on the role played by differentials in income growth. After briefly reviewing the explanations of European unemployment based on labour market rigidity and their respective weaknesses, we look at the relationship between growth and employment, concluding that there are grounds for maintaining that the causes of Europe's higher unemployment reside mainly in its lower rate of growth.We therefore investigate the reasons that may be responsible for a more stringent macroeconomic constraint on European growth.We conclude that if a lack of growth is at the root of European unemployment, then merely dismantling labour market institutions, and replacing them with a more flexible system of industrial relations, will not only fail to produce the expected results but may also have negative effects, in both the social and productive structure.