Do people gamble more in good times? Evidence from 27 European countries

We provide evidence of a positive relationship between the intensity of gambling and economic growth in 27 European countries for 2005–2013. Our proxy for gambling is represented by government revenues from taxes on lotteries, betting and gambling. This variable is linked to GDP growth in a panel regression framework and pooled OLS. However, when we split our sample to account for the heterogeneity among European countries, we found that the positive ‘gambling – GDP growth’ relationship is driven extensively by the Central and Eastern European countries. It appears that people in these countries tend to gamble more when the economy is expanding.     

Drivers of the real effective exchange rates in high and upper‐middle income countries

This paper revisits the nexus between real effective exchange rate (REER) and total factor productivity (TFP) by controlling for trade openness, financial development and natural resources rents. We use a sample of 60 high‐income and upper‐middle income countries over the period 1995–2015 and employ the GMM estimation framework. Our results advance the empirical knowledge on the drivers of REER by providing robust evidence that the impact of TFP is not uniform across different country clusters. We find that in high‐income countries, increasing productivity causes the REER to depreciate hence becoming more trade competitive while the opposite is true for upper‐middle income countries. Furthermore, financial development and natural resources rents have no meaningful impact in the case of upper‐middle income countries but retain a significant effect in high‐income countries. Trade openness plays a key role in explaining the variation in REER in both country clusters.     

The hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth in Asian countries - evidence using an asymmetric cointegration approach

ABSTRACT

This study examines the four commonly tested hypotheses in hydroelectricity consumption – economic growth literature for 12 Asian countries. Our results from a recently developed hidden cointegration technique uncover rich and significant relationships between negative and positive components of the variables under consideration. In particular, we find evidence to support the neutrality hypothesis in five countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand), the growth hypothesis in four countries (India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan), and both growth and conservation hypotheses in three countries (China, Malaysia, and New Zealand). These findings suggest that appropriate economic policies should be elaborated on the basis of the country’s specific hydroelectricity consumption–growth nexus. Finally, our new evidence suggests that the lack of stable relationship between hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth documented in previous studies for some of these countries could be due to the failure to properly account for the nonlinearity property in the data.     

Information technology innovation and its impact on job creation by SMEs in developing countries: an analysis of the literature review

ABSTRACT

This study reviews the literature on the role of technology innovation in job creation through small businesses in developing countries. A seven-step approach to the literature review is used for synthesising relevant data. The results show that technology innovations influence employment creation in small businesses positively and act as a driving force for economic development. The effective use of information technology in small businesses has a major impact on their competitiveness and access to international markets. Thus, the need for the government to develop technology innovative strategies for small businesses to actualise their firm performance and enhance job creation is recommended. The findings and proposed theoretical model of the study enrich existing theories and would help policymakers understand the role of information technology innovation in job creation and economic development.     

发达国家林产品绿色政府采购政策兴起及发展趋势

回顾了英国、新西兰、丹麦、法国、日本等发达国家的林产品绿色政府采购政策兴起及其历程,并对未来发展趋势进行分析。虽然实施时间比较短,林产品绿色政府采购政策的实施效果尚难以得到准确评估,但从长远来看,实施林产品绿色政府采购政策将促进林产品的合法交易和相关国家木材的可持续发展,具有较好的发展前景。另一方面因国情不同,木材贸易现状各异,目前各国对林产品绿色政府采购政策分歧较大。中国作为木材贸易大国,对此应加以重视。     

Underpayment of Small Producers of Coffee and Cocoa in Sierra Leone

Fieldwork shows that many Sierra Leonean producers do not receive the official producer price for their coffee and cocoa, due to the concentration of buying stations, credit relations, the small quantities offered for sale, and the lack of marketing knowledge of the numerous and unorganized farmers. To the traders underpayment may seem economically justifiable to a certain extent, but to the farmers it means poverty and debt. A new village marketing centre project aims at remedying this situation and has already led to higher prices. Although no longer allowed to take their "just" share from the producers, traders are still willing to deal with the new centres.     

国内外土地整理项目评价研究进展

研究目的:通过查阅国内外文献,对土地整理评价的相关研究进展进行详尽梳理,指明土地整理项目评价需进一步深入研究的方向。研究方法:文献综述法,归纳分析法。研究结果:(1)国内外土地整理项目评价研究取得了丰硕的成果,但已有研究较多关注评价指标构建及评价数值的获取,而较少涉及评价结果的影响机理以及改善对策等的内容;(2)国内土地整理项目评价中绩效理念尚未植入,多项目评价的比较研究缺乏。研究结论:今后国内土地整理项目评价研究应注重比较研究方法的应用,围绕绩效评价、影响机理与改善对策、质量控制以及评价管理等主题继续完善和深化。     

Does Improved Environmental Policy Enhance Economic Growth?

The environmental impacts on an economy is studied over time using endogenous growth theory. Externalities from the environment on production are central in the analysis, and we examine whether an optimal path realizes more rapid economic growth. The paper focuses mainly on developing countries, where production is largely influenced by the environmental quality. The result of the analysis indicates that the economic growth rate may not depend on the internalization of the environmental externality, but rather on the internalization of the human capital externality. The level of economic activity, however, generally seems to depend on the internalization of both externalities.     

COMPUTABLE GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODELS FOR DEVELOPMENT POLICY ANALYSIS IN LDCs

Abstract. The use of CGE models has gained much popularity among policy analysts in LDCs and there is a fast growing body of literature on this area of economics. In this survey, the advantages of general equilibrium approach over partial equilibrium approach in analysing a wide range of policy issues are highlighted. The evolution of CGE modelling is discussed and more than 60 CGE applications related to different policy issues in LDCs are surveyed. This comprehensive survey shows that the CGE models have become quite popular analytical tools among policy analysts in LDCs over the last decade or so. The debate in the economic profession regarding the value and appropriateness of using CGE models for policy analysis is examined in the final section of this paper. Some of the criticisms levelled at CGE models are discussed and it is argued that despite this criticism such models are capable of providing insight into important policy problems.     

巴塞尔新资本协议对发展中国家潜在影响评述

巴塞尔新资本协议自1999年6月提出征求意见稿,到2004年6月26日正式公布最终稿,并于2006年底在10国集团开始实施。新资本协议从出现就成为众人关注和研究的焦点,围绕它的争论也一直没有停息过。人们纷纷对新资本协议的复杂性、风险敏感性以及在不同市场环境中的适应性,尤其对发展中国家的影响等方面进行了广泛的研究。本文将对此方面的研究成果、最新进展和现实意义进行总结和概括,并且指出存在的分歧和问题,以便更深入地研究。