The EU attitude to unilateral euroization: Misunderstandings,real concerns and sub‐optimal admission criteria

European Union objections to unilateral euroization by applicant countries are categorized as either a misunderstanding of what euroization entails or as justified concern, which should be alleviated by candidates wishing to euroize. Some ways in which candidates can alleviate concerns are discussed, as well as possible adjustments to the Maastricht criteria which might better protect both sides' interests. The paper concludes that the EU would benefit if it accepted unilateral euroization by applicants. JEL classification: E42, F33, F42, P24.     

Real currency appreciation in accession countries: Balassa-Samuelson and investment demand

The Balassa-Samuelson effect is often seen as the prime explanation of the continuous real appreciation of Central and East European (CEE) transition countries' currencies against their western counterparts. A simple model shows that productivity shocks work not only through a Balassa-type supply channel but also through an investment demand channel. Therefore, empirical evidence apparently in favour of Balassa-Samuelson effects may require a re-interpretation. The model is estimated for a panel of CEE countries. The results are consistent with the model palusibly explain the observed real appreciation and support the existence of the proposed investment demand channel. JEL no. F31, F41, C33 The paper represents the author's personal opinions and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Deutsche Bundesbank.     

社会转型期的城市家庭文化－以北京市海淀区为例

利用海淀区妇女联合会组织的“海淀区家庭文化调查”所提供的资料,探讨了社会转型期城市居民家庭的人际关系、生活方式、消费理念、家庭教育以及家庭养老模式的变化及其特点。认为现在有更多的人正不断调整自己的心态以适应变动中的家庭条件和环境,把家庭作为满足情感享受和精神需求的寓所。本研究显示,尽管现在离婚率呈上升趋势,但人们的家庭观念也更浓重了。     

Economic Integration and FDI: An Empirical Analysis of Foreign Investment in the EU and in Central and Eastern Europe

Recent evidence suggests that regional economic integration provides an important stimulus not only to trade, but also to FDI. In contrast, the available theory on FDI does not yet provide empirically testable propositions on the effects of concurrent trade and investment liberalisation. Moreover, given the limits of simulation models, which rely heavily upon parameter choice, in assessing the impact of such liberalisation, there is a need for empirical analysis to identify the principal features of FDI. This paper uses a gravity model approach to assess the impact of the deepening integration between the EU and the CEECs on FDI flows in terms of three key issues. First, we provide systematic estimates of the expected long-term level of FDI in the CEECs. Second, we investigate whether FDI in the CEECs, on the one hand, and source country exports and imports, on the other hand, are complements or substitutes. Finally, we enquire whether an increase in the attractiveness of the CEECs to foreign investors has affected the magnitude of FDI going to other European countries.     

试论经济转型时期的"第三调节"--对中国道德现状的另一种思考

本文基于道德伦理对经济运行的调节作用,提出“第三调节”的概念并阐释了其作用机制。在此基础上,通过对中国目前道德伦理调节作用的失常及其原因的分析,从理论和现实两个角度提出如何在经济转型期重建道德秩序。     

Organizational slack and firm performance during economic transitions: two studies from an emerging economy

An Erratum has been published for this article in Strategic Management Journal 25(3) 2004, 307. How does organizational slack affect firm performance? Organization theory posits that slack, despite its costs, has a positive impact on firm performance. In contrast, agency theory suggests that slack breeds inefficiency and inhibits performance. The empirical evidence, largely from developed economies, has been inconclusive. Moreover, little effort has been made to empirically test whether such an impact (positive or negative) is linear or curvilinear. This article joins the debate by extending empirical work to the largely unexplored context of economic transitions. Specifically, two studies, based on survey and archival data (N = 57 and 1532 firms, respectively), are undertaken in China's emerging economy. Our results suggest (1) that organization theory generates stronger predictions when dealing with unabsorbed slack, and (2) that agency theory yields stronger validity when focusing on absorbed slack. Furthermore, we also find that the impact of slack on performance is curvilinear, which resembles inverse U‐shaped curves. Overall, our findings call for a contingency perspective to specify the nature of slack when discussing its impact on firm performance. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cost Efficiency and Product Mix Clusters across the Spanish Banking Industry

The competitive conditions under which Spanish bankingfirms operate have become much tighter. In these circumstances,inefficiencies should disappear, and if this does not occur,appropriate explanations should be explored. This paper doesexactly that, by estimating cost efficiency scores and assessingwhether they are biased by productive specialization. Thesequestions are not new, unlike the technique employed, whichenables us to evaluate firms' efficiencies by comparing them onlywith those focusing on similar specializations, without the needto specify separate frontiers for different output mixes. Resultsshow that firms' efficiency scores might be downward or upwardbiased when compared with all other firms in the industry, insteadof only with those focusing on similar activities.     

注册税务师制度及其变迁的经济学分析

我国的注册税务师制度(CTA)主要靠政府的强制性变迁推动。因制度需求和供给不足,没能形成安全、经济的制度安排和制度结构,不利于税收综合监管。因此,必须采取措施改善CTA制度环境,刺激制度需求,增加制度供给,形成合理有效的制度安排和结构,促使CTA制度继续创新发展。     

Outward FDI from Central and Eastern European Countries

In Central and Eastern Europe, outward foreign direct investment (FDI) has not yet become as a prominent factor in the regions reintegration into the world economy as trade liberalisation used to be in the early 1990s or inward foreign direct investment is currently. In the terminology of the investment–development path, with the notable exception of the Russian Federation, the region is in stage 2, whereby inward flows are still growing faster than outward flows. This article argues that a combination of the latecomer status of the regions transnational corporations and the transition shock can explain most of that laggard situation. It hypothesises that the enlargement of the European Union (EU) would give a major push to the outward foreign direct investment flows of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), on condition that adequate government policies to promote those investments are put in place. The impact on the investment–development path, however, is uncertain, because accession to the EU is often accompanied by a surge in foreign direct investment inflows, too. Finally, the article also looks at the options available to deal with the specific problems of the Russian Federation in relation to capital flight, including ways of regularisation and potential return to the home economy.     

转型经济中法律与金融的发展

本文利用1980-2004年的数据,采用面板数据分析的技术研究了中国法律与金融发展之间的关系.结果发现:(1)法律制度的完善,会促进金融中介的增长以及效率的提高,有助于金融深度的深化;(2)同时还有助于推动银行业的竞争;(3)在转型中国的股票市场中,法律的不完备性可能导致正式法律制度的失灵,反而可能是一些正式执法之外的机制在起作用.这表明:在转型时期的中国,一些正式执法之外的机制对金融发展的作用可能更明显.为了使法律体系有效地运作起来,转型经济应该发展除执法之外的机制.