Co-evolution of the strategic reorientation of port actors: insights from the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Barcelona

This paper explores changes in the strategic orientation of port authorities and terminal operators towards the hinterland network in the Ports of Rotterdam and Barcelona. Port authorities and terminal operators are economically, institutionally and geographically related organizations. The argument here is that such organizations experience a mutually influential and interactive effect in their strategy over time. The research explores the evolution of the market, institutional and governance forces behind these organizations’ strategic orientation, while acknowledging their interdependence and interrelationship. To that end, it builds a conceptual framework analysing these organizations’ strategies in different points in time. It draws upon firms and port theories to design a co-evolutionary framework, which is later refined with insights gained from an empirical study of the port context.     

Is democracy good for growth? — Development at political transition time matters

Is democracy a better political regime for economic prosperity than autocracy? This paper shows that the answer depends on the initial economic development level during the democratic transition when the foundation of institutions was laid. Democracy facilitates growth only in countries that already have adequate development at transition time. These countries are more likely to create and sustain growth-enhancing institutions than others. Without appropriate development, democracy does not improve growth; this applies to about 40% of the third-wave democratized countries. These results are based on a sample of 153 countries in 1960–2010 and robust to various specifications and endogeneity issues.     

Measuring systemic importance of financial institutions: An extreme value theory approach

This paper proposes a set of market-based measures on the systemic importance of a financial institution or a group of financial institutions, each designed to capture different aspects of systemic importance of financial institutions. Multivariate extreme value theory approach is used to estimate these measures. Using six big Canadian banks as the proxy for Canadian banking sector, we apply these measures to identify systemically important banks in Canadian banking sector and major risk contributors from international financial institutions to Canadian banking sector. The empirical evidence reveals that (i) the top three banks, RBC Financial Group, TD Bank Financial Group, and Scotiabank, are more systemically important than other banks, while we also find that the size of a financial institution should not be considered as a proxy of systemic importance; (ii) compared to the European and Asian banks, the crashes of the U.S. banks, on average, are the most damaging to Canadian banking sector, while the risk contribution to the Canadian banking sector from Asian banks is quite lower than that from banks in the U.S. and euro area; (iii) the risk contribution to Canadian banking sector exhibits “home bias”, that is, cross-country risk contribution tends to be smaller than domestic risk contribution.     

农村金融机构经营效率测算及影响因素的空间计量分析——兼论农村金融机构改革

农村金融改革的目标之一在于提升农村金融机构的经营效率,但相关研究较少考虑不良贷款约束,对农村金融机构经营效率及其影响因素的空间计量也很少涉及。基于此,本文以较具代表性的沿海地区G省为例,运用非径向EBM-Undesirable模型从多个视角测算分析了农村金融机构的经营效率,并基于空间相关性检验和空间计量模型,对经营效率进行了空间效应分析与影响因素估计。结果显示:农村金融机构经营效率总体水平较高,但起伏较大;农商行效率高于农信社,但2015年后差距有所缩小;经营效率具有空间相关性,经济水平、产业结构、行业竞争、资产规模和盈利能力是驱动因素,隐形风险是阻碍因素。鉴此,本文提出了加快推进农商行治理能力建设和产品服务创新、将经营效率作为农信社改制的重要参考指标、监管部门和省联社给予针对性经营指导、深化邻近协同经营等政策建议。     

建立和完善农村地方中小金融机构:一个适应中国农村经济发展的金融制度变迁

企业规模较小甚至以农户为单位的农村经济发展,对农村中小金融机构的建立和完善提出了强烈的需求,而以政府主导的农村金融改革却成效甚微。本文从农村经济发展引发对农村中小金融机构的诱制性制度需求与政府代表的强制性制度供给两方面的分析得出:农村地方中小金融机构制度建设,是农村经济发展的客观要求,同时也符合国家的效用函数。     

公共部门绩效管理在审计监督部门的运用——评美国审计署《2011年度绩效报告》

审计机关在深化绩效审计成果的同时,也需要加快提升自身的绩效管理水平,这对公共部门和经济社会的发展都具有重要意义。美国审计署自2001年起,每年通过发布绩效报告的形式全方位披露自身的绩效状况。本文根据美国最新发布的2011年度绩效审计报告,从绩效目标、绩效内容、指标构造等六个方面系统地归纳了美国审计署2011年度绩效报告的特点,以为改进我国审计机关的绩效报告提供参考。     

不良贷款约束下中国上市商业银行全要素生产率研究：基于Luenberger指数的分析

借助Luenberger指数法,本文测度了中国16家上市商业银行2005—2011年间考虑不良贷款约束的全要素生产率。研究表明,不考虑坏产出约束时的全要素生产率存在高估问题。与以往结论不同,我们发现中国上市商业银行的年平均全要素生产率退步了3．00％,7年间累积退步18．01％。从分类角度看,国有银行对不良贷款管理效率较差,但应对冲击能力强;股份制银行机制灵活,能有效控制不良贷款的扩张;城市商业银行具有区域优势,可对贷款进行更为有效的管理。本研究对中国银行业监管与改革具有参考意义。     

GOVERNANCE INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT: AN APPLICATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

This paper addresses the issue of the low level of private investment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with special emphasis on the role of governance. Based on the existing published reports, we categorize what types of governance institutions are more detrimental to entrepreneurial investments. We then estimate a simultaneous model of private investment and governance quality where economic policies concurrently explain both variables. Our empirical results show that governance plays a significant role in private investment decisions. This result is particularly true in the case of “administrative quality” in the form of control of corruption, bureaucratic quality, investment‐friendly profile of administration, law and order, as well as for “political stability.” Evidence in favor of “public accountability” is also found. Our estimations also stress that structural reforms like financial development, trade openness, and human development affect private‐investment decisions directly, and/or through their positive effect on governance.     

制度、增长与收敛——一个基于索洛模型的分析框架

标准的经济增长理论把制度看作是既定不变的并且不存在交易费用的,所以无法认识到制度对经济增长的重要性.将制度作为一个变量引入索洛模型,可以构造一个包含制度的、技术内生的增长模型.通过模型的推导可以得出这样的结论:制度质量越好,人均产出增长率越高;人均产出存在关于制度的条件收敛.并进一步得出这样的推论:欠发达国家想获得"后发优势"赶超发达国家,前提条件是具备良好的制度或能够持续改善其制度.     

论国际金融体系改革与布雷顿森林机构重塑

论文在回顾了国际金融体系改革主要历程的基础上探讨了现存体系的核心缺陷,并对已经进入改革日程的一些议题上存在的分歧意见进行了分析。论文认为,由于发达国家和发展中国家存在着巨大的利益差异,短期内在核心内容的改革上将难以取得突破,但是在已经提上议事日程的改革领域,将有可能取得进展。20国集团对国际金融体系改革的推动是令人鼓舞的信息,中国将为推动改革做出越来越多的贡献。