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 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.     

外部经济冲击对我国进出口贸易的影响——基于新兴市场经济体的研究

本文从贸易和金融渠道对我国受到其他新兴经济体的外部冲击的可能性进行了评估,并借助GVAR(Global Vector Auto-Regressive)模型方法,考虑了世界各国的交互影响来分析新兴市场国家的宏观经济波动对中国进出口产生的影响。研究发现,区域内的新兴经济市场对我国影响更为显著,韩国、印度、中国香港发生宏观经济波动时对我国进出口贸易可能造成较大的影响。基本上,中国对外贸易对韩国遭受冲击后的反应快且大,但受影响时间较短,人民币汇率波动在应对外部冲击时发挥了一定作用。中国和印度贸易合作关系大于竞争关系。     

The optimal asset allocation of the main types of pension funds: a unified framework

The existing literature deals with the optimal investment strategy of defined benefit (DB) or defined contribution (DC) pension plans. This article’s objective is to compare the optimal policies of different types of pension plans. This is done by first defining an original framework, which is based on the distinction between the nature of the guarantee—which can be internal or external—offered by or to a pension fund. This framework allows to establish links between optimization programs of DC, DB and targeted money purchase schemes. The case of an internal guarantee appears as a standard portfolio insurer’s problem. The second kind of guarantee, not analyzed in the literature yet with regard to the resulting optimal policy, is characterized by the existence of an option in the final wealth definition. Four funds are present in the internal guarantee optimal allocation: the speculative component, the preference independent guarantee- and contribution-hedge terms and the preference dependent state variable-hedge fund. The external guarantee program, solved with an original method using the principles of standard options theory, yields an optimal policy incorporating the delta of the option embodied in the final wealth definition. The conclusion is that the resulting optimal portfolio policy becomes riskier.

Do Transition Economies and Developing Countries Have Similar Destinies?

This paper evaluates the potential of transition economies for achieving sustainable improvements in living standards vis-à-vis developing countries based on their productivity performance. The comparison is made using a bootstrapped Malmquist productivity index and its technological and efficiency change components. The results of estimation indicate that transition economies enjoy significantly higher increases in technical efficiency than developing countries with comparable rates of real GDP growth. Therefore, these results suggest that the former group of countries may have better growth prospects than the latter group, giving empirical support to Stern and Fries’ (Foreign Policy 111:164–165, 1998) optimism that transition economies are the “tiger” economies of tomorrow.

后危机时代外部冲击对我国工业品价格指数的动态传导及结构特征分析

基于SVAR模型,考量次贷危机前后外部冲击对工业品价格指数的动态影响及结构性传导。结果表明：国际金融危机爆发以来,外部冲击对我国工业品价格指数的影响呈现增强趋势,并且国际大宗商品价格冲击是最重要因素;在结构特征上,外部冲击效应具有不完全性,对生产资料PPI的影响较大,对生活资料PPI的影响较小,显示外部冲击效应的传导具有不完全性,黏滞在生产流通领域不能顺利传导至消费领域。     

外部监督、股权激励与股权代理成本

基于股权代理成本角度,采用2010年中国沪深两市发行A股的非金融类上市公司截面数据,并运用最小二乘法和logistic二元逻辑回归模型,研究了外部监督、股权激励与股权代理成本之间的关系。研究发现,股权代理成本高的公司更加倾向于寻求有效的外部监督,聘请高质量的会计师事务所;股权激励并不能起到完善公司内部治理机制的作用,反而会提高股权代理成本;股权激励会提高公司对外部审计质量的要求。     

外部市场企业文化建设初探——以江汉采油厂为例

企业不断加强和完善外部市场的企业文化建设,既是现实发展的迫切需要,也是未来发展的必然选择。外部市场企业文化在其孕育形成过程中必须与市场拓展相融共进、与管理创新相融互促、与行业文化相融互通。外部市场企业文化建设的着力点是：坚持以人为本观念,树立客户至上的理念,统筹制定企业文化建设方案;拓展企业文化理念宣贯渠道;健全企业文化建设运行机制,确保企业文化战略目标顺利实现。     

Idiosyncratic use of credit facilities by consumers in an emerging economy

A worldwide increase in household debt since the turn of the century has created considerable concern about the indebtedness of households, especially those in emerging economies that have been hit particularly hard by the global economic slump. In this study, the credit consumption of consumers in Swaziland (N = 264) was investigated by means of a survey that aimed to identify and describe factors that encouraged consumers' use of credit, the influence of credit on their buying behaviour when choosing major household appliances or furniture as well as consumers' knowledge of the conditions of credit facilities that were available for their use in retail. Findings revealed that consumers unequivocally appreciate the convenience that is associated with credit, specifically to cope with unexpected purchases, to benefit from special offers and opportunity to afford expensive goods. These advantages apparently negate the negative consequences such as high interest rates and strain on household budgets. Mean scores that were obtained in the knowledge test that only reflected upon credit agreements that respondents have actually entered into in the past, confirmed their ignorance pertaining to their contractual obligations and their consequent vulnerability. Consumers' age and gender seem to have noteworthy consequences for efforts to enhance informed consumer decision‐making. Younger females were significantly better informed that their older counterpart while the reverse was true for males, although differences were not significant. The significant inverse relationship between income and the LS‐means for the credit knowledge test differ from findings in developed countries and provide valuable opportunity for further investigation.     

长株潭国家级烟草物流园竞争力研究

长株潭烟草物流园区作为国民经济的重要基础设施,对振兴湖南烟草行业具有重要的现实意义。文中分析了物流园区的竞争力,进而从技术、制度、规模、人才、交通、经济、低碳等方面对长株潭国家级烟草物流园的竞争力进行了研究。