Rules versus discretion - A disinflation case

This paper compares a strict inflation target regime to a conservative central bank regime to determine the monetary regime appropriate for a disinflation process. The analysis shows that in a two-period model, in which policymakers face given first-period inflationary expectations, a strict inflation target could be preferred to the appointment of a conservative central banker who has discretion. The result differs from that of Rogoff (1985), who assumed rational expectations and concluded that a conservative central banker is always preferable. The disadvantage of the conservative central banker derives from his tendency to accelerate disinflation relative to rate that maximizes social welfare.JEL Classification: E52, E58The authors are grateful to Alex Cukierman, Nissan Liviatan, Allan Drazen, Amit Friedman and Yoav Friedmann for their useful suggestions. We also thank the anonymous referees for helpful comments. Earlier versions of this paper were presented at the Tel Aviv University macroeconomic workshop, at the Research Department seminar, Bank of Israel, and at the Bank of Israels conference on Macroeconomic Policy, October 2002.     

Do constraints created by economic growth targets benefit sustainable development? Evidence from China

An economic growth target is a declaration by policy authorities of commitment to that target and the corresponding allocation of resources. The constraints created by economic growth target are an important economic management method in China, which has helped China's economy to achieve remarkable achievements. However, it has also brought about serious environmental problems, threatening China's sustainable development. Using the data about economic growth targets in the work reports of 30 Chinese provincial governments from 2006 to 2017, this paper constructs several spatial measurement methods, such as the spatial Durbin model, to examine the constraints created by economic growth target's impacts on air pollution. The main conclusions are as follows. First, a significant “U-shaped” relationship exists between the constraints created by economic growth targets and air pollution. Second, the spatial Durbin model analysis revealed that PM_2.5 across China's provinces display significant positive spatial spillover effects and spatial agglomeration characteristics. Third, the direct, indirect, and total effects of constraints created by economic growth targets on air pollution are all statistically significant and depict a “U shape.” Finally, the constraints created by economic growth targets have an apparent threshold effect on air pollution, and the inhibiting effects increase with human capital and industrial restructuring. However, with the increase in foreign direct investments, constraints created by economic growth targets may increase air pollution. The conclusions of this paper are of great significance for improving the management of local government economic growth targets and sustainable development.     

武威市凉州区农业种植结构调整的双目标优化

该文分别从经济效益最大化和生态效益最大化的目标出发,以土地资源、农作物用水量、区域各类农作物需求量和农业生产直接投入为约束条件,基于线性规划方法建立武威市凉州区农业种植业结构优化的经济效益模型和生态效益模型,并对两个模型的优化结果进行对比分析,认为以草地生态农业为生产模式的生态效益模型是凉州区实现农业可持续发展较为理想的模型。     

从耕地保护目标论耕地保护机制的功能

在明确耕地保护目标的基础上,通过耕地保护目标在耕地保护机制中3个层次的体现,提出了耕地保护机制应具备的功能。     

How can the EU climate targets be met? A combined analysis of technological and demand-side changes in food and agriculture

To meet the 2 °C climate target, deep cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be required for carbon dioxide from fossil fuels but, most likely, also for methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture and other sources. However, relatively little is known about the GHG mitigation potential in agriculture, in particular with respect to the combined effects of technological advancements and dietary changes. Here, we estimate the extent to which changes in technology and demand can reduce Swedish food-related GHG emissions necessary for meeting EU climate targets. This analysis is based on a detailed representation of the food and agriculture system, using 30 different food items.We find that food-related methane and nitrous oxide emissions can be reduced enough to meet the EU 2050 climate targets. Technologically, agriculture can improve in productivity and through implementation of specific mitigation measures. Under optimistic assumptions, these developments could cut current food-related methane and nitrous oxide emissions by nearly 50%. However, also dietary changes will almost certainly be necessary. Large reductions, by 50% or more, in ruminant meat (beef and mutton) consumption are, most likely, unavoidable if the EU targets are to be met. In contrast, continued high per-capita consumption of pork and poultry meat or dairy products might be accommodated within the climate targets. High dairy consumption, however, is only compatible with the targets if there are substantial advances in technology. Reducing food waste plays a minor role for meeting the climate targets, lowering emissions only by an additional 1–3%.     

Local interests or centralized targets? How China’s local government implements the farmland policy of Requisition–Compensation Balance

The Requisition–Compensation Balance of Farmland (RCBF) is a strict policy in China aimed at controlling farmland conversion and replenishing farmland loss caused by urban expansion through a set of top-down quotas. These conflict with local interests, since land conversion from agriculture to construction is a key tool by which local governments attract investment and raise fiscal revenue. How should local authorities respond to this centralized policy? This paper presents a framework “quantity–quality–productivity–environment” to investigate local governments’ coping strategy and the holistic performance of the RCBF. The empirical study indicated that local jurisdictions placed economic and financial growth first and continued expropriating farmland on a large-scale, including land of high quality, for development. However, impelled by compulsory quotas and supervision from governments at higher levels, local authorities would partly replenish the quantity loss through farmland exploitation, regardless of the quality of the new cropland and the possible environmental impact. Consequently, fast requisition and unqualified compensation undermined the capacity of regional agricultural output. We suggest that the RCBF is not capable of guaranteeing food security, whilst farmland supplementation threatens the local environment.     

Daily income target effects: Evidence from a large sample of professional commodities traders

We provide evidence of rational reference-dependent preferences in the proprietary trading of professional traders. We find increased trading effort and risk taking by traders following morning losses. Further analysis provides no evidence of a deterioration in trading performance subsequent to losses, as neither risk-adjusted performance nor trade execution appear to be negatively affected by prior losses. The evidence supports the existence of rational reference-dependent preferences in the form of trader daily income targets: these professional traders exhibit increased work effort subsequent to abnormal morning losses. The evidence is inconsistent with the alternative explanation of costly loss aversion.     

一种基于分数阶Fourier变换的雷达运动目标检测算法

针对雷达回波为多分量LFM信号时,时频分析存在的交叉项干扰问题,提出了一种基于分数阶Fourier变换(Fractional Fourier Transform,FRFT)的伪Wigner分布(PWD).该方法通过在参数平面按阈值进行峰值搜索确定变换域阶次,再在相应的分数阶Fourier域计算PWD,有效地抑制了交叉项的干扰,有利于更好地提取信号的时频信息.仿真实验证明了在强背景噪声下该算法的有效性.     

宏观审慎政策:选择什么目标,需要什么工具

包括逆周期性资本比率、动态准备金、贷款价值比率、资本管制等在内的现有宏观审慎政策工具,分别有不同的效果及其局限性,而且宏观审慎政策的有效实施需要与货币政策、财政政策协调配合。因此,采取谨慎还是积极的政策框架取决于理论研究和政策试验的结果。     

中国制造业并购目标的财务特征及预测

并购目标的选择关系到并购事件的成败,制造业是中国经济的重要组成部分,也是并购发生最频繁的行业,识别制造业目标公司的财务特征并对其进行预测具有很大的理论及现实意义。以2013年中国A股市场制造业并购目标为研究对象,选取代表企业各方面能力的20个财务变量,通过单因素方差分析将其与股本规模类似的制造业非目标公司和非制造业并购目标进行比较,实证分析结果表明制造业目标公司具有负债水平高、收益水平低、每股获利能力强、现金短缺、股权集中度低等特点。另外,制造业目标公司和非制造业目标公司在财务特征上不存在显著差异。采用多重共线性诊断并构建Logit回归模型以预测制造业并购目标,模型总体准确率为70.4%,表明对制造业并购目标进行预测在很大程度上是可行的。