Structural reforms and fiscal adjustments: policy options for the euro area

This paper analyses the effects of structural reform and fiscal consolidation policies in the Euro Area using a stylized new-Keynesian model. A number of issues are focused upon: (i) the modelling and effects of fiscal consolidation and structural reforms, and (ii) evaluation of alternative reform and consolidation scenarios, including their joint implementation.     

How to estimate market concentration given grouped data

A novel method is proposed of estimating market concentration for the census case in which firms are grouped into size classes and all that is known about the firms in each category is their number and aggregate size. The formula arises as a way of applying an alternative expression for the concentration ratio based upon the original and first moment size distributions of firms. The semi-parametric technique, which includes a method of interval as well as point estimation, is derived, applied and validated using actual and simulated data. It is anticipated that the estimator will be of use in competition analysis as well as in academic research.     

Happiness of economists

We study the importance of economists’ professional situation towards their life satisfaction based on a unique survey of mostly academic economists. On average, economists report to be highly happy with life. Satisfaction is positively related to spending more time on doing research. The lack of a tenured position decreases satisfaction. However, the extent to which the uncertainty created by the tenure system affects satisfaction varies with the contract terms. The effect is stronger if the contract expires in the near future or cannot be extended. Publication success has no effect if it is controlled for academic rank and the contract duration. The finding suggests that publications are rather a means to an end, for example, to acquire a tenured position. While the perceived level of external pressure also has no impact, the perceived change of pressure in recent years is positively related to economists’ life satisfaction. An explanation is that economists have accepted a high level of pressure when entering academia but are not willing to cope with the recent increase.     

Emerging Consensus on Labour Market Institutions and Implications for Developing Countries: From the Debates in India

Abstract

This paper makes a critical intervention to on-going theoretical and policy debates in the economic analysis of labour market institutions (LMIs) in the context of recent debates in India. It focuses on the internal inconsistency of mainstream economic analyses of LMIs, in particular those based on the new institutional economics (NIE) approach, and what appears to be an emerging policy consensus on LMIs within the World Bank and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The paper draws out the possible ideological parallels in these two developments, despite different intellectual origins and intentions of those engaged in these debates. A corresponding modification in policy debates in India is observed in the shifting perspectives from the Second National Commission on Labour (SNCL) to the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS). The apparent emerging consensus in both the theoretical literature and policy debates reveals the tendency for researchers to focus on labour market outcomes and phenomenal forms of LMIs rather than the structures, processes, agencies and relations that underpin them. While this can be seen as an advancement from the traditional distortionist-institutionalist dichotomy, the tendency of this consensus to explain the persistence of seemingly inefficient institutions within the micro-level choice theoretic framework and its appeal to policy agendas on good governance, social capital, trust and civil society, render it vulnerable to appropriation by the mainstream. The paper argues that the emerging consensus on LMIs is an inadequate framework to inform effective policy propositions, and highlights the scope and opportunity for a political economy alternative.     

Wage and employment effects of a wage norm

Most transition countries used tax‐supported wage norms in the early 1990s, as a part of their market liberalization programmes. This article analyses how a firm‐level tax (or subsidy) on deviations from a pre‐set wage norm may promote employment by rotating the labour demand curve perceived by the workers’ union around the value of the norm. We derive the conditions under which it yields a positive employment effect. We test the effect of the norm on the wages on a sample of Polish firms in 1990 and 1991. The data support the role of the wage norm on the position of the perceived labour demand curve and the role of the tax rate on its slope.     

关于本土私募股权基金参与产业结构调整的思考

发达国家在经济危机中受到重创,原有的世界格局即将被重新洗牌。为使我国经济在全球经济调整期间迅速脱胎换骨,一场大规模的产业结构调整势在必行。产业结构调整需要巨大的资金支持,如何组建本土私募股权投资基金,合理利用好巨额储蓄与外汇储备,让其为产业结构调整服务成为当前人们研究的热点。从本土私募股权基金参与产业结构调整的必要性、优势以及如何深度结合等方面进行了相关研究。     

浅析半导体行业内企业并购动因

国内外半导体公司在本世纪展开了并购重组潮,希望通过并购带来的规模和领导力在半导体市场上获胜。本文从经济学中关于企业并购的不同角度分析,对半导体行业内的企业并购行为受规模经济,协同效应,产业集群效应等的影响进行大概的分析。     

“商业劳动创造价值”的现代分析

商业劳动包括附带的生产性劳动、纯商业劳动以及管理性、开发性商业劳动,其中开发性商业劳动是最高级的商业劳动。商业劳动能否创造价值需要具体问题具体分析,对经营的单个商品来说,对商业企业的价值总量来说,有创造价值和不创造价值之分;从社会再生产全过程来讲,所有的商业劳动都是创造价值的。因此,"商业劳动创造价值"的命题且具有重大、深远的实践意义。     

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.     

试论构建非公企业和谐劳动关系

在公有制为主体的条件下发展非公有制经济,是社会主义初级阶段生产力发展的客观要求.但是,在现实劳动关系中,非公企业不法经营、欺压劳工相当普遍,克扣、拖欠工资并造成企业员工的合法权益受侵犯的问题在某些地方还相当严重.在激烈的市场竞争中,是否构建和谐劳动关系,直接关系非公企业核心竞争力以及自身的生存与发展.构建非公企业和谐劳动关系,对于非公企业实现法治管理,以及发挥行业自律作用都有推进作用.非公企业劳动关系和谐模式的构建,可以划分为精神层、制度层和物质层.应从以下方面把握:建设和谐文化,培育和谐精神;诚实守信,不为欺诈行为;符合利益相关者的利益,实行民主管理;管理者与被管理之间相互尊重,以人为本;依靠和谐理念,增强管理的非权力影响.