Changes in the status of women and the demographic development of the family

The impact of changes in the status of women on the demographic characteristics and development of the family in the USSR is examined. Three stages of family development are distinguished: formation, growth as a result of the birth of children, and dissolution with the departure of grown children. The relationship between changes in women's social status and age at marriage, family size, and divorce is analyzed. The effects of factors such as educational level, type of employment, exposure to mass media, urban residence, and declining infant mortality rates on women's attitudes toward family size are discussed.     

Orderly exits from adjustable pegs and exchange rate bands

This paper examines the exit process from adjustable pegs and exchange rate bands, and the role of capital flows in these exits. It dwells on the experience of various countries, including Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, India, Poland, and Yemen. It begins by identifying conditions under which exits are sought. Next, it discusses the prerequisites for a successful exit, factors affecting the pace of exit, and the nature of the post‐exit regime. It then examines the behavior of private capital flows, interest rates, and official reserves before and after three successful exits (Chile, India, and Poland), and draws broad policy lessons.     

Making things stick: enforcement and compliance

Environmental rules and regulations are only useful insofaras firms can be persuaded to comply with them in full or inpart. We survey the rapidly growing literature on the enforcementaspects of environmental policy. The difficulties facing anyregulatory agency are likely to be exacerbated by informationproblems, penalty constraints, and the evasion efforts of firms,and we emphasize the role that recent innovative approachesto implementation can play in bolstering more traditional enforcementinstruments.     

The box spread arbitrage conditions: theory, tests, and investment strategies

This paper develops and tests arbitrage bounds for a combinationof two option spread positions known as a box spread. This strategyinvolves the simultaneous use of four options and creates aposition that is equivalent to riskless lending. The no-arbitrageconditions are compared to existing arbitrage bounds and aretested using Chicago Board Options Exchange data.     

Development institutions: Analysis and assessment of world practices

Development institutions’ practices in various countries are analyzed. A classification of development institutions by type, objective, and risk management instruments is suggested. Preliminary conclusions concerning the optimal structure of development institutions for the Russian economy are made.     

合理利用国际公约降低贷款利息支出——以哈萨克斯坦国际项目合作为例

随着中哈两国政治经济合作的日益加深,在哈中资企业的发展规模不断扩大。由于哈国银行的贷款利率较高,为节省利息支出,中资企业经常到国际市场上借贷。银行获得利息收入须缴纳相应的税款,但银行一般都要求借款人承担预提税,并将此作为贷款的一个基本条件。根据哈国税法,境外法人金融企业在哈国获得的利息收入需要支付15%的所得税,其他服务费用的所得税税率为20%。在适用国际公约之后,利息支出可享受所得税税率优惠。为此,借款企业须注意贷款人是否在避税港注册,并避免恶意使用纳税国际公约,另外还要按照程序要求及时办理境外纳税人的国民证明材料。     

Business Cycles,Economic Crises,and the Poor

This paper examines whether output contractions associated with downturns and crises have an asymmetric effect on poverty. Several potential sources of asymmetry are identified first. A vector auto-regression model (involving the output gap, unemployment, real wages, and the poverty rate) is then used to test whether the initial cyclical position of the economy, and the magnitude of the initial drop in the output gap in a downturn, matter in assessing the impact of output shocks on poverty. Empirical results for Brazil indicate that poverty shows less sensitivity to output shocks when the economy is initially in a downturn.     

Opinions about advertising in Australia: a study of complainants

Advertising expenditure has risen globally and in Australia there has been a 2.7-fold rise in the last 10 years. It is suggested that some advertisements may be ‘unacceptable’, that is unfair, misleading, deceptive, offensive, false or socially irresponsible. Industry and regulatory responses to consumer complaints about these problems must be addressed. This research is concerned with consumer behaviour and consumer complaint behaviour specifically in the area of advertising in Australia. The general findings from the reviewed literature indicated that complainants tend to be older, have attained higher levels of educational qualifications, earn a higher gross weekly income, possess greater degrees of wealth, have higher participant levels of local community involvement and, in general terms, have more resources to avail themselves of in order to allow them to take action when dissatisfied. The results from this research engender a better understanding of the complaining public. Empirical analyses were used for determining the characteristics of people who complain to the Advertising Standards Board and inferred that their opinions regarding advertising differ from members of the general population in four key areas. This research will afford regulatory bodies a better understanding of the complaining public as well as educating marketing communications strategists in effectively reaching their target markets.