Micro Foundations for Wage Flexibility: Wage Insurance at the Firm Level*

To what extent do firms insulate their workers' wages from fluctuations in product markets? Which firm and worker attributes are associated with wage flexibility at the micro level? We first rely on Guiso, Pistaferri and Schivardi (2005) to estimate dynamic models of sales and wages, finding that in Portugal, workers' wages respond to permanent shocks on firm performance, as opposed to transitory shocks. We then explore the factors associated with wage flexibility, finding that collective bargaining and minimum wages are associated with higher wage insurance by the firm, while the threat of firm bankruptcy reduces it. Managers receive less protection against permanent shocks than other workers.     

Ownership and control in shareholding networks

This paper aims to provide a network analysis of the relationships of shareholders in the Italian stock market for understanding the relevance of portfolio diversification in integrated ownership and firms control. The analysis combines both a complex network and an operational research approach. The former is used for statistical analyses on portfolio diversification. The latter estimates integrated ownership considering the paths on the network, and it emphasizes the difference between ownership and control. The dataset consists of nearly 300 companies traded on the Italian Stock Market. Data were retrieved through CONSOB and AIDA database, and they are adjourned at 2008. The dataset is completed with information on banks and insurance companies. Such data were retrieved through BANKSCOPE and ISIS databases.     

Cumulative and CUB Models for Rating Data: A Comparative Analysis

Ordinal measurements as ratings, preference and evaluation data are very common in applied disciplines, and their analysis requires a proper modelling approach for interpretation, classification and prediction of response patterns. This work proposes a comparative discussion between two statistical frameworks that serve these goals: the established class of cumulative models and a class of mixtures of discrete random variables, denoted as CUB models, whose peculiar feature is the specification of an uncertainty component to deal with indecision and heterogeneity. After surveying their definition and main features, we compare the performances of the selected paradigms by means of simulation experiments and selected case studies. The paper is tailored to enrich the understanding of the two approaches by running an extensive and comparative analysis of results, relative advantages and limitations, also at graphical level. In conclusion, a summarising review of the key issues of the alternative strategies and some final remarks are given, aimed to support a unifying setting.     

Is the Value Spread a Good Predictor of Stock Returns? UK Evidence

Abstract:  This paper explores the predictive ability of the value spread in the UK. I replicate the US analysis of Liu and Zhang (2007) using UK data. In addition, I extend their work by exploring the predictive ability of the book-to-market, market-to-book and value spread on other size and value investment strategies, namely: large-caps only; small-caps minus large-caps (SML); value stocks only; growth stocks only; value stocks minus growth stocks (VMG) and a market portfolio that includes all stocks. The results are consistent with Liu and Zhang (2007) on the value spread. The value spread shows no predictive power for portfolio returns. Therefore, I show that the predictive power of book-to-market and market-to-book spreads depend on the portfolio formation strategies and the relative proportion of small-cap, large-cap, value and growth stocks in the portfolio.     

Signaling Public Private Partnership Activities: Reporting Behavior Within Annual Reports

This empirical study examines whether, and if so, to what extent, firms report on Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects to signal PPP engagement even beyond legal obligations. The annual reports of the sample’s firms listed on the VSE in 2005 have been investigated in a qualitative and quantitative way to reveal information policy. Annual reports confirming PPP activities are examined qualitatively by an in-depth content analysis to answer the question in which way information about the revealed PPP projects is published. Further, predetermined keywords that at least indicate a PPP participation are statistically evaluated. The results outline that annual reports only give little and predominantly unspecific information on PPP which emphasizes the absence of corresponding reporting obligations and of a standardized PPP definition.     

Uncharted territory: investigating individual business ethics in Cyprus

The research purpose of the study is to investigate and identify correlates of ethical behaviour and attitudes of individuals currently working or pursuing a business‐related graduate degree in Cyprus. Analysis of the quantitative questionnaire revealed that the majority of the respondents had a concept of ‘ethical behaviour’, consider ethics important, and hold attitudes that are conducive to ethical behaviour in business. In addition, findings revealed significant differences in three correlates: age, gender and position. Finally, reflecting the findings, the authors suggest specific actions that aim to improve ethical decision making in the Cyprus business environment.     

Value investing in credit markets

We outline a parsimonious empirical model to assess the relative usefulness of accounting- and equity market-based information to explain corporate credit spreads. The primary determinant of corporate credit spreads is the physical default probability. We compare existing accounting-based and market-based models to forecast default. We then assess whether the credit market completely incorporates this default information into credit spreads. We find that credit spreads reflect information about forecasted default rates with a significant lag. This unique evidence suggests a role for value investing in credit markets.     

Too little or too much R&D?

According to the first generation models of endogenous growth based on expanding product variety, the market economy unambiguously generates too little R&D. Later, by disentangling returns to specialization from the market power parameter, it was shown that with sufficiently low returns to specialization too much R&D can occur. The present paper takes a step further, disentangling the market power parameter from the capital share in final output. At a theoretical level this helps finding too much R&D as well. On the other hand, in view of the empirically realistic order of magnitude between the parameters, disentangling market power and capital share tends to diminish the scope for excess R&D. Finally, by differentiating between net and gross returns to specialization we demonstrate what drives the differing inefficiency results in this literature.     

Performance Evaluation of Pension Funds Management Companies with Data Envelopment Analysis

This article uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the performance of Portuguese pension funds management companies from 1994 to 2003, combining operational and financial variables. We evaluate how close the pension funds management companies are to the best practices frontier, also analyzing how they manage their funds. Implications of this research for managerial purposes are then drawn.