Firm entry deregulation,competition and returns to education and skill

This paper studies the effect of firm entry deregulation on the returns to skill and education. We exploit a comprehensive episode of entry deregulation, unique in the industrialized world, as a quasi-natural experiment. Using matched employer–employee data for the universe of workers and firms in Portugal, we show that increased product market competition, which resulted from deregulation, increased the returns to a university degree and the returns to skill. We verify that our results are not driven by changes in employment composition, and are unlikely to be driven by skill-biased technical change, or by workers who change skill levels after the deregulation.     

Inflation Triggers in Transition Economies: Their Evolution and Specific Features

Analysis of thirty inflation episodes in sixteen European transition economies, using the probit panel model with fixed effects, uncovers inflation triggers that overlap with those obtained in either developing or developed countries or both. However, we found some transition-specific features. Thus, the relative contribution of the triggers evolves as transition progresses, such that the early dominance of the output gap, the fiscal deficit, and elections are subsequently subdued by a rise in food and oil prices, the exchange rate regime, and the current account deficit. The last two triggers could be linked to deep financial integration in Europe and the consequent large flow of capital toward European transition economies in the 2000s, a phenomenon not observed in any other part of the world. In addition, the exchange rate regime as an inflation starter in transitional Europe may be due to its convergence with developed Europe and the resulting real appreciation of currency.     

Wage differences between Austrian men and women: <Emphasis Type="Italic">semper idem?</Emphasis>

In most OECD countries, the wage gap between men and women has narrowed during the past two decades. Developments of the last 20 years, e.g., increased labour market attachment of women or the introduction of equal pay laws, may have reduced the gender wage gap. We investigate the extent, persistence, and socio-economic determinants of the gender wage gap in Austria, for the years 1983 and 1997. Using wage decomposition techniques, we find that the average gender wage gap was almost as high in 1997 as it was in 1983. Not accounting for differences, the gender wage gap dropped from 25.5 to 23.3% of men’s wages. Taking observable differences between men and women into account, we estimate that the mean gender wage gap that cannot be explained, i.e., discrimination against women, dropped from 17 to 14% of men’s wages. A decomposition of the gender wage gap over time indicates that both returns to human capital and less discrimination were responsible for the narrowing of the gender wage gap.

Unemployment disparities and regional wage flexibility: comparing EU members and EU-accession countries

This paper provides empirical evidence on regional labor market flexibility in Europe and, in particular, in the EU-accession countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Whereas substantial regional disparities in unemployment are found for pre-accession EU member countries as well as for accession countries, an empirical analysis taking account of spatial effects shows that regional wage flexibility is significantly higher for accession countries. Moreover, unemployment disparities are found to be less persistent in the accession countries.

我国货币政策中介目标研究——一个文献综述

近年来,一些西方发达国家相继放弃了货币供应量目标,转向了利率、通货膨胀等目标,进而在我国也引发了货币供应量能否继续充当货币政策中介目标的争论.本文认为,尽管大多数实证研究均已表明货币供应量作为中介目标的有效性正不断降低,然而从我国当前的经济金融发展情况来看,选择利率或通货膨胀目标还缺乏可行性.因此,我国面临的现实选择只能是继续以货币供应量为目标,同时稳步推进金融体系、金融制度的改革,为中介目标的转变奠定基础.     

Preparing for higher inflation: Portfolio solutions using U.S. equities

Investors have always been interested in reducing inflation risk in their portfolios. However, investors face different types of inflation than those measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Moreover, different asset classes can be used to hedge portfolio inflation. In this paper, we show how individual equities can be used to construct equity portfolios sensitive to customized inflation targets. We illustrate portfolios for three types of inflation: US headline CPI, Forbes Cost of Living Extremely Well Index, and the US Medical Care Price Index. We also show how alternative weighting schemes, such as minimum volatility and maximum inflation beta, can be used to construct inflation‐hedged portfolios.     

货币供给、通货膨胀、经济增长之间关系的实证研究——基于2006～2010年数据的分析

利用我国2006年12月～2010年12的月度数据,在VAR模型的基础上,对我国货币供应、通货膨胀、经济增长之间的关系进行实证分析。研究发现,短期内通货膨胀和经济增长对货币供应量的效应相反;货币供应并不影响通货膨胀和经济增长;经济增长与通货膨胀无关,通货膨胀对经济增长具有正面效应。长期来看,通货膨胀和货币供应量之间正相关;经济增长对货币供应具有负效应,货币供给量的增加促进经济增长,证实我国存在托宾效应;经济增长和通货膨胀之间作用相反,通货膨胀损害经济增长的弗里德曼假说在我国适用。同时得出我国货币供给具有非中性和内生性特点的结论。     

通货膨胀与人民币升值悖论

对通货膨胀与人民币升值"悖论"的解释分为两个方面:导致通货膨胀不能"替代"人民币升值的原因是人民币升值预期的持续性和稳定性;导致人民币升值不能"替代"通货膨胀的原因是人民币汇率升值与通货膨胀传导机制失效,本轮通货膨胀主要是受食品价格上涨拉动的结构型通货膨胀,而非输入性通货膨胀,以及物价上涨的原因的多样性。     

工资对产业结构升级的影响——基于中国经济数据的分析

经济增长过程中伴随着产业结构的优化升级。工资不但可以通过工资差异激励劳动力从低效率产业向高效率产业流动,推动产业结构升级,而且可以通过改变消费结构和投资结构进而影响产业结构演变,并为产业结构升级储备高级人才。本文对中国改革开放以来的工资与产业结构的经济数据进行实证研究得出:工资与产业结构之间是正向的相关关系,且两者之间存在双向因果关系。因此,工资水平的提高在一定程度上促进了产业结构的优化升级。