Inference by linearization for Zenga’s new inequality index: a comparison with the Gini index

Zenga’s new inequality curve and index are two recent tools for measuring inequality. Proposed in 2007, they should thus not be mistaken for anterior measures suggested by the same author. This paper focuses on the new measures only, which are hereafter referred to simply as the Zenga curve and Zenga index. The Zenga curve Z(α) involves the ratio of the mean income of the 100α % poorest to that of the 100(1?α)% richest. The Zenga index can also be expressed by means of the Lorenz Curve and some of its properties make it an interesting alternative to the Gini index. Like most other inequality measures, inference on the Zenga index is not straightforward. Some research on its properties and on estimation has already been conducted but inference in the sampling framework is still needed. In this paper, we propose an estimator and variance estimator for the Zenga index when estimated from a complex sampling design. The proposed variance estimator is based on linearization techniques and more specifically on the direct approach presented by Demnati and Rao. The quality of the resulting estimators are evaluated in Monte Carlo simulation studies on real sets of income data. Finally, the advantages of the Zenga index relative to the Gini index are discussed.     

Speculative capital and currency carry trades

In this paper, we study a two-country general equilibrium model with partially segmented financial markets, where hedge funds emerge endogenously. Empirically, we show that the hedge fund investment strategy predicted by our model, which we call the “risk-adjusted carry trade” strategy, explains more than 16% of the overall hedge fund index returns and more than 33% of the fixed income arbitrage sub-index returns. The flow of new money to hedge funds affects market interest rates, exchange rates, and both the hedge funds’ contemporaneous and expected future returns as predicted by the model.     

Assimilation to a Welfare State: Labor Market Performance and Use of Social Benefits by Immigrants to Finland*

This paper documents the economic performance of immigrants in a country characterized by an extensive welfare state and a short immigration history. Upon arrival, immigrants to Finland have substantially lower employment rates than comparable natives. While they experience rapid employment growth, only men from OECD countries catch up with natives. Despite the persisting employment and earnings differences between non‐OECD immigrants and natives, the differences in income transfers disappear in roughly 20 years. The immigrant–native employment gaps are larger in Finland than in Australia, Canada, or the US.     

Patent citations as determinants of grant and opposition: case of European wind power industry

The grant of a patent and filing of an opposition are important events in the lifecycle of a patent. This paper tests the influence of backward citations on the likelihood of a patent grant and, if any, an opposition. Since all citations are not alike, detailed analysis is done by assessing type, nature and origin of citations in European search reports and, where needed, international search reports. The nature of citations, blocking or non-blocking, is found to have a significant impact on the likelihood of a patent being granted. The effect of citations originating during different stages of patent pendency is also explored in this study. For practitioners, the study provides a landscape of the European wind industry that is characterised by popularity of the PCT route, dearth of non-patent citations and dominance of bigger actors. For academics, the study offers novel opportunities to utilise citation based indicators.     

Income Tax, Commodity Tax and Environmental Policy

Using the self-selection approach to tax analysis, thepaper analyses the impact of environmental externalities on Pareto-efficientnon-linear income tax, proportional commodity taxes and publicexpenditure. Consideration of externalities within this frameworkreveals intuitive insights into environmental tax policy, suggestingthat some earlier conclusions drawn in the relevant literaturemight be misleading. The results indicate that, while the externalitysdirect harmful impact raises marginal tax rates, the influencethrough the self-selection constraint tends to decrease the rise.We also derive conditions under which the Pigovian tax can bedetermined purely on the basis of internalizing the externality.     

Inflation and savings: testing Deaton's hypothesis

A ‘money illusion’ savings function in which unanticipated inflation affects the savings ratio positively is tested. This is strongly supported by Finnish data. Goodness-of-fit statistics are quite high and the coefficient estimates are of the expected sign and are highly significant. Standard stability tests of both the Brown-Durbin-Evans type and of the VPR type are generally rather favourable. Finally, cross-country evidence from ten OECD countries gives further support for the suggested specification.     

Modelling crime and punishment

This paper provides an extended supply of labour model which allows for different intensities of legal and illegal (criminal) activities and in which criminal activities may be considered both as work and leisure. Heterogeneity of individuals is also taken into account. The model is estimated from Finnish aggregate time-series data, pooled Finnish municipalities data and pooled international cross-country data. With the Finnish aggregate data, a volume index of crime is constructed and then used in testing the model. All empirical results give strong support to the hypothesis that apprehension and punishment are important deterrents of crime. By contrast, the role of sosioeconomic and demographic variables turns out to be of little importance.     

Frictions in Project-Based Supply of Permits

Emissions trading in climate change can entail large overall cost savings and transfers between developed and developing countries. However, the search for acceptable JI or CDM projects implies a deviation from the perfect market framework used in previous estimations. Our model combines the search market for projects with a frictionless permit market to quantify the supply-side frictions in the CO₂ market. We also decompose the effects of frictions into the effects of search friction, bargaining, and bilateralism. A calibration using previous cost estimates of CO₂ reductions illustrate changes in cost savings and allocative implications.