An in-sample and out-of-sample empirical investigation of the nonlinearity in house prices of South Africa

This paper tests whether housing prices in the five segments of the South African housing market, namely large-middle, medium-middle, small-middle, luxury and affordable, exhibit non-linearity based on smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) models estimated using quarterly data from 1970:Q2 to 2009:Q3. Findings point to an overwhelming evidence of non-linearity in these five segments based on in-sample evaluation of the linear and non-linear models. We next provide further support for non-linearity by comparing one- to four-quarters-ahead out-of-sample forecasts of the non-linear time series model with those of the classical and Bayesian versions of the linear autoregressive (AR) models for each of these segments, for the out-of-sample horizon 2001:Q1 to 2009:Q3, using the in-sample period 1970:Q2 to 2000:Q4. Our results indicate that barring the one-, two and four-step(s)-ahead forecasts of the small segment, the non-linear model always outperforms the linear models. In addition, given the existence of strong causal relationship amongst the house prices of the five segments, the multivariate versions of the linear (classical and Bayesian) and STAR (MSTAR) models were also estimated. The MSTAR always outperformed the best performing univariate and multivariate linear models. Thus, our results highlight the importance of accounting for non-linearity, as well as the possible interrelationship amongst the variables under consideration, especially for forecasting.     

Investigating regional house price convergence in the United States: Evidence from a pair-wise approach

In this paper we examine long-run house price convergence across US states using a novel econometric approach advocated by Pesaran (2007) and Pesaran et al. (2009). Our empirical modelling strategy employs a probabilistic test statistic for convergence based on the percentage of unit root rejections among all state house price differentials. Using a sieve bootstrap procedure, we construct confidence intervals and find evidence in favour of convergence. We also conclude that speed of adjustment towards long-run equilibrium is inversely related to distance.     

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ON THE URBAN–RURAL DISPARITY IN HUMAN CAPITAL IN CHINA

With China's economic development and capital accumulation in the industrial sectors, the human capital level of the labours moving from the rural areas could no longer meet the demand of the industrial sectors. Therefore, “structural shortage of technical labour” emerged in the labour market as a result of excess of demand for high‐skilled workers. Previous literature mostly focused on the relationship between rural human‐capital level and labour movement, income change and economic growth, but in this article, the authors focus on the study of the relative disparity of urban and rural human capital and labour movement, as well as the effect of the change of urban–rural human capital gap on industrial output, profit and social welfare. This article shows that bridging the urban–rural gap in respect of human capital level could not only improve the situation of the “structural shortage of technical labour,” but also have a positive effect on the general social welfare.     

完善我国R＆D统计制度的对策思考

我国的R＆D统计始于20世纪80年代,至今已初步建立了依托于科技统计制度的符合国际标准的R＆D统计制度。但由于开展R＆D统计的时间较短,现行R＆D统计制度中还存在一定的缺陷,影响到统计数据的质量。文章结合笔者的调查情况,指出了我国R＆D统计在统计报表设计及统计工作组织方面存在的问题,并进行了具体分析,最后提出了完善R＆D统计制度的对策建议。     

Interlocked Village Markets and Trader Idiosyncrasy in Rural India

The role of traders and traditional exchange institutions has received little attention in empirical research on rural markets in developing countries. We use detailed data on transactions in a village commodity market in India and identify two observed anomalies: first, the repeal of the law of one price, and second, a trader‐idiosyncratic effect, namely that large volumes are sold to a trader who does not offer the best price. Econometric analysis demonstrates that trader idiosyncrasy can largely be explained by reciprocity motives in interlocked village markets. Reciprocity leads to market inefficiencies and can result in unexpected supply responses.     

Cropland use,yields, and droughts: spatial data modeling for Burkina Faso and Niger

For countries with recurrent droughts, the design of drought impact mitigation measures could benefit from analyses of determinants of yields and prices of local crops at regional and district level. This study applies dynamic spatial panel data regression models to yields and prices of four major food crops across regions of Burkina Faso and Niger, over sample periods between 1984 and 2006. Results lend support to mainly simultaneous spatial spillovers, particularly for millet and cowpea prices and sorghum yields in Niger, and maize yields in Burkina Faso. After accounting for these effects, most crop yields are found to be weakly price‐responsive, as envisaged by a supply‐side geographical diffusion hypothesis. Seasonal rainfall elasticity estimates suggest that dominant food crops have slight advantage margins in terms of relative resilience to rainfall shortages. However, this result is to be weighed against low millet yields in Niger, and marked drops in sorghum yields during officially declared droughts in Burkina Faso.     

R／S分析在我国股票市场上的应用

长期以来,资本市场理论为线性范式所主宰,而近来的许多研究都表明,市场具有复杂的非线性动力系统的特征。本文通过对上海、深圳股票市场的R／S实证分析,揭示了我国股票市场波动的非线性特征,为进一步研究我国资本市场的非线性特征提供了依据。     

试论我国自主创新中的知识产权保护对策

在我国实现经济可持续发展中,加强自主创新的能力和重视知识产权的保护工作同等重要.针对目前我国知识产权保护现状存在的问题,企业应在自主创新中,提高知识产权保护意识;提倡自主开发和引进并重;加强国际合作与交流.     

中俄能源合作现状分析及对策研究

在当今世界，能源已经成为各个国家最关注的问题之一。俄罗斯有着天然的能源优势，是能源供应大国，而中国是能源需求大国，因此，中俄两国开展能源合作拥有广阔的前景。本文在分析中俄能源合作的现状及战略意义的基础上，从理论的角度分析了两国进行能源合作的可行性，并从现实的角度分析了中俄能源合作的障碍，从而对如何进一步加深中俄能源合作提出了对策建议。