The International Competitiveness of Germany and other European Economies: The Assessment of the Global Competitiveness Report

The Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum examines the relative competitiveness of economies on a broad basis of microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators. The following discussion uses the results of the Global Competitiveness Report 2004–2005 and investigates how the relative competitiveness of Germany and other European countries has developed over the recent past.     

Where hukou status matters: analyzing the linkage between supervisor perceptions of HR practices and employee work engagement

This paper highlights the interaction between intended human resource (HR) practices as perceived by supervisors and status similarity between supervisors and employees as a key source of variation in employee work engagement among 298 employees reporting to 54 supervisors at a luxury Chinese hotel. Using a multi-level, process-oriented approach to examine the relationship between intended HR practices by supervisors and engagement as perceived by employees, we show (1) that the interaction of supervisor perceptions of HR practices and supervisor–subordinate hukou (place of origin) status similarity is positively related to employee reports of Leader–member exchange (LMX), HR practices and work engagement; (2) that the interaction of supervisor perceptions of HR practices and hukou status similarity influences employee perceptions of HR practices through LMX; and (3) that the interaction of supervisor perceptions of HR practices and hukou status similarity influences work engagement through employee perceptions of LMX and HR practices. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Sense‐giving in health care: the relationship between the HR roles of line managers and employee commitment

In this article, we examine line manager prioritisation of HR roles and the consequences for employee commitment in a health‐care setting. Our analysis is based on a quantitative, multi‐actor study (509 employees and 67 line managers) in four Dutch hospitals. Using sense‐giving as a theoretical lens, we demonstrate that, in addition to the effects of high commitment HRM, prioritising the Employee Champion role alone and the Employee Champion and Strategic Partner roles in combination is associated with higher employee commitment. We argue that through performing roles that are evocative of deep‐seated values, such as excellent patient care and concern for others, line managers can have a positive effect on staff attitudes. In a sector often beleaguered by staff turnover, exhaustion and burnout, we offer an important, empirically based framework that has the potential to improve employee commitment and, from there, enhance performance.     

On the tradeoff between wage indexation and foreign exchange intervention

Zusammenfassung Zum “trade-off” zwischen Lohnindexierung und Intervention auf dem Devisenmarkt. - In diesem Aufsatz analysieren die Verfasser die Beziehung zwischen dem optimalen MaΒ für Lohnindexierung und dem für Wechselkursinterventionen. Die optimalen Gr?Βen für diese beiden wirtschaftspolitischen Instrumente werden mit Hilfe einer gemeinsamen Optimierung unter Berücksichtigung ihrer wechselseitigen Interdependenz ermittelt. Das bei der Untersuchung verwendete Modell wird gepr?gt durch die Charakteristika der stochastischen Schocks, die die Volkswirtschaft beeinflussen, und durch das Informations-bündel, das die Wirtschaftssubjekte annahmegem?Β besitzen. In der Analyse wird sowohl geprüft, wie der optimale Lohnindexierungsgrad mit dem gesamten Spektrum m?glicher Wechselkurssysteme zusammenh?ngt, als auch untersucht, wie das optimale AusmaΒ der Wechselkursinterventionen von dem gesamten Spektrum m?glicher Lohnindexierungsgrade abh?ngt. Eines der Hauptergebnisse ist, daΒ es keine monotone Beziehung zwischen den optimalen Werten der beiden wirtschaftspolitischen Instrumente gibt. Worin der “trade-off” zwischen ihnen genau besteht, wird in der Untersuchung im einzelnen dargelegt.

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Résumé Le ?trade-off? entre l’indexation salariale et l’intervention en taux de change. — Dans cet article les auteurs analysent la relation entre les degrés optimum de l’indexation salariale et l’intervention en taux de change. Les valeurs optimum des deux instruments de politique sont obtenues par une ?optimisation? jointe considérant leur interdépendance mutuelle. Le modéle utilisé est déterminé par les caractéristiques des chocs stochastiques qui affectent l’économie et par les informations des individus. L’ analyse examine la dépendance du degré optimum de l’indexation salariale du spectre total des régimes possibles de taux de change et, vice-versa, la dépendance du degré optimum de l’intervention du spectre total des degrés possibles de l’indexation salariale. Un des résultats principaux est l’absence d’une relation monotone entre les valeurs optimum des deux instruments de politique. De plus, l’analyse détermine la nature précise du ?trade-off? entre eux.

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Resumen Sobre el ?trade-off? entre la indexaci?n de salarios y la intervenci?n en el mercado de cambios. - En este trabajo los autores estudian la relaci?n entre grados óptimos de indexaci?n de salarios y de intervenci?n en el mercado de cambios. Mediante una optimizaci?n simultánea, que toma en cuenta la interdependencia de estas medidas, se obtienen valores óptimos para ambos instrumentos de politica económica. El modelo utilizado incorpora las caracterfsticas de los shocks estocásticos que afectan a la economfa y el conjunto de informaciones a disposici?n de los individuos. El análisis examina la dependencia del nivel ?ptimo de indexaci?n de salarios de todo el espectro de polfticas cambiarias posibles, como también la dependencia del nivel ?ptimo de intervenci?n en el mercado de cambios de todo el espectro de grados de indexaci?n de salarios posibles. Uno de los resultados centrales es la ausencia de una relaci?n monot?nica entre los valores óptimos de ambos instrumentos; en el análisis se détermina la naturaleza exacta del ?trade-off? que existe entre ellos.

     

Notes and Communications

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Notes and Communications     

Inflation and the formation of expectations

This paper develops a model of expectations which generates paths that are consistent with observations that an acceleration of the monetary growth rate initially raises and eventually lowers real holdings of cash balances. It introduces a two-part expectations hypothesis where individuals are assumed to form expectations about the entire path of the price level and about the short-term inflation rate. Interaction between regressive and extrapolative elements induces a transitory rise in money holdings during the initial phase of inflation as expectations are that the process will reverse itself. Subsequently, as expectations catch up, the decline in desired holdings induces an overshooting of the inflation rate.     

The Israeli approach to advertising: ethical and legal norms

The Israeli approach to advertising consists of two complementary sets of norms, legal norms and moral‐ethical norms. Advertising legislation demands honest disclosure. The Israeli legislator refrains from intervening in fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, free trade, occupation, and liberty of contract in advertising. However, there are also few interventions to prevent phenomena that are dangerous or abusive, especially to groups needing protection. The Israeli courts do try to apply moral considerations in cases tried by them, but living up to moral responsibilities is different from complying with legal obligations. Advertisers in Israel have a(i) Treatise(r), consisting of ten ethical guidelines, which neither sums up advertising ethics in its entirety nor is legally binding. Sociological and psychological features of the culture need to be examined in order to spell out what truth and honesty in advertising actually mean in this society, and the manner in which these values are practised. Lacking sanctions in public law against misleading consumers or manipulation based on false facts, consumers must find remedy in civil actions which rely on moral and ethical rules.     

Purchasing power parity: Doctrinal perspective and evidence from the 1920s

The first part of the paper traces the doctrinal origins of the purchasing power parity (PPP) doctrine and reviews the central issues of controversy. The second part is an empirical study covering the flexible exchange rates period of the 1920s. The empirical work examines the efficiency of foreign exchange markets, the absolute and the relative versions of PPP for alternative price indices, the homogeneity postulate, the relation between the short run and the long run, and the patterns of ‘causality’ between prices and exchange rates. The paper concludes with estimations of price equations and a discussion of the proper specification of PPP.     

The international debt problem: An analysis of the Brady plan

Recently the American Treasury Secretary, Nicholas Brady, launched a new initiative in which he proposed reducing the developing countries’ bank debt. What are the elements of the plan, and which countries would benefit? What problems does it entail? Can it bring about a decisive improvement in the international debt situation of the developing countries? The following two articles attempt to answer these questions.