Smuggling Illegal Goods Across the US–Mexico Border: A Political-economy Perspective
A. Buehn, Stefan Eichler
Applied Economics Letters,
Nr. 12,
2012
Abstract
We analyse the impact that political business cycles and party preferences have on smuggling illegal goods across the US–Mexico border during the years 1980–2004. We find that smuggling is significantly reduced prior to Congressional elections – but only if the incumbent President is Republican.
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Monetary Policy in a World Where Money (Also) Matters
Makram El-Shagi, Sebastian Giesen
IWH Discussion Papers,
Nr. 6,
2012
Abstract
While the long-run relation between money and inflation as predicted by the quantity theory is well established, empirical studies of the short-run adjustment process have been inconclusive at best. The literature regarding the validity of the quantity theory within a given economy is mixed. Previous research has found support for quantity theory within a given economy by combining the P-Star, the structural VAR and the monetary aggregation literature. However, these models lack precise modelling of the short-run dynamics by ignoring interest rates as the main policy instrument. Contrarily, most New Keynesian approaches, while excellently modeling the short-run dynamics transmitted through interest rates, ignore the role of money and thus the potential mid-and long-run effects of monetary policy. We propose a parsimonious and fairly unrestrictive econometric model that allows a detailed look into the dynamics of a monetary policy shock by accounting for changes in economic equilibria, such as potential output and money demand, in a framework that allows for both monetarist and New Keynesian transmission mechanisms, while also considering the Barnett critique. While we confirm most New Keynesian findings concerning the short-run dynamics, we also find strong evidence for a substantial role of the quantity of money for price movements.
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The Performance of Short-term Forecasts of the German Economy before and during the 2008/2009 Recession
Katja Drechsel, Rolf Scheufele
International Journal of Forecasting,
Nr. 2,
2012
Abstract
The paper analyzes the forecasting performance of leading indicators for industrial production in Germany. We focus on single and pooled leading indicator models both before and during the financial crisis. Pairwise and joint significant tests are used to evaluate single indicator models as well as forecast combination methods. In addition, we investigate the stability of forecasting models during the most recent financial crisis.
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The Halle Economic Projection Model
Sebastian Giesen, Oliver Holtemöller, Juliane Scharff, Rolf Scheufele
Economic Modelling,
Nr. 4,
2012
Abstract
In this paper we develop an open economy model explaining the joint determination of output, inflation, interest rates, unemployment and the exchange rate in a multi-country framework. Our model -- the Halle Economic Projection Model (HEPM) -- is closely related to studies published by Carabenciov et al. Our main contribution is that we model the Euro area countries separately. In doing so, we consider Germany, France, and Italy which represent together about 70 percent of Euro area GDP. The model combines core equations of the New-Keynesian standard DSGE model with empirically useful ad-hoc equations. We estimate this model using Bayesian techniques and evaluate the forecasting properties. Additionally, we provide an impulse response analysis and a historical shock decomposition.
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Intellectual Property Rights Policy, Competition and Innovation
Daron Acemoglu, Ufuk Akcigit
Journal of the European Economic Association,
Nr. 1,
2012
Abstract
To what extent and in what form should the intellectual property rights (IPR) of innovators be protected? Should a company with a large technology lead over its rivals receive the same IPR protection as a company with a more limited advantage? In this paper, we develop a dynamic framework for the study of the interactions between IPR and competition, in particular to understand the impact of such policies on future incentives. The economy consists of many industries and firms engaged in cumulative (step-by-step) innovation. IPR policy regulates whether followers in an industry can copy the technology of the leader. We prove the existence of a steady-state equilibrium and characterize some of its properties. We then quantitatively investigate the implications of different types of IPR policy on the equilibrium growth rate and welfare. The most important result from this exercise is that full patent protection is not optimal; instead, optimal policy involves state-dependent IPR protection, providing greater protection to technology leaders that are further ahead than those that are close to their followers. This is because of a trickle-down effect: providing greater protection to firms that are further ahead of their followers than a certain threshold increases the R&D incentives also for all technology leaders that are less advanced than this threshold.
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Internationalisation Theory and Technological Accumulation - An Investigation of Multinational Affiliates in East Germany
Björn Jindra
Studies in Economic Transition, London,
2012
Abstract
The integration of post-communist countries into the European and global economy after 1990 has led to a renewed interest in the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in economic restructuring and technological development. This book explains the expansion of MNEs into a transition economy from the technology accumulation perspective. Key assumptions of the technological accumulation approach towards firms' internationalisation are tested, using the examples of foreign and West German MNEs in East Germany. The effects of technological externalities on MNE location choice are analysed, in addition to an exploration of the factors driving the location of foreign affiliates' research and development (R&D) and innovation activities. The book provides a novel and comprehensive empirical approach to assess the developmental role of MNEs, deriving significant economic policy implications for transition and emerging economies.
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Introducing Financial Frictions and Unemployment into a Small Open Economy Model
Mathias Trabandt, Lawrence J. Christiano, Karl Walentin
Journal of Economic Dynamics & Control,
Nr. 12,
2011
Abstract
Which are the main frictions and the driving forces of business cycle dynamics in an open economy? To answer this question we extend the standard new Keynesian model in three dimensions: we incorporate financing frictions for capital, employment frictions for labor and extend the model into a small open economy setting. We estimate the model on Swedish data. Our main results are that (i) a financial shock is pivotal for explaining fluctuations in investment and GDP. (ii) The marginal efficiency of investment shock has negligible importance. (iii) The labor supply shock is unimportant in explaining GDP and no high frequency wage markup shock is needed.
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Die wirtschaftliche Leistung im Lichte von Eigentum und Selbstbestimmung der Unternehmen in Posttransformationsökonomien: Beispiel Ostdeutschland
Udo Ludwig, Brigitte Loose
Wirtschaftlicher Aufholprozess und EU-Integration in Mittel- und Osteuropa – das europäische Wachstumsmodell in der Krise? Transformation. Leipziger Beiträge zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, Bd. 27/28,
2011
Abstract
Die ostdeutsche Industrie erfüllt in starkem Maße Zulieferfunktionen im Wirtschaftskreislauf. Auch hat sich ein großer Teil der Betriebe in auswärtigem Eigentum auf die Herstellung von Produktions- bzw. Vorleistungsgütern spezialisiert. Dies lässt institutionelle Abhängigkeiten von den Mutterunternehmen im Ausland oder im früheren Bundesgebiet vermuten, die sich auch in Leistungsunterschieden zeigen. In der Studie werden die Leistungsunterschiede zwischen den institutionell gegliederten Betriebsgruppen mit bi- und multivariaten statistischen Methoden anhand von Daten des IAB-Betriebspanels untersucht. Es zeigt sich: Ostdeutsche Eigenständler liegen bezüglich der meisten Messgrößen des Leistungsniveaus zurück, holen aber im Hinblick auf die Ertragslage, die Investitionsintensität und die Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen auf. Die Klassifizierungsergebnisse zeigen dabei die Dominanz der Einteilung nach dem Eigentümerstatus. Unter zusätzlicher Berücksichtigung des Betriebsstatus erhöht sich die Trennschärfe zwischen den Gruppen nicht und die erklärenden Variablen sind ähnlich. Allerdings lässt die Kombination von Eigentümer- und Betriebsstatus die Unterschiede vor allem zwischen den Betrieben einheimischer Eigenständler und auswärtiger Niederlassungen erkennen; die auswärtigen Eigenständler nehmen eine mittlere Stellung ein.
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