Since 1975, the extent of catching-up has been very different across Southern regions. Starting from the common arguments of growth theory, the paper wishes to show whether differences in regional income and growth can be attributed to different endowment in human capital, differences in private or public investment level, to structural imbalances, and labour force participation. The investigated panel consists of regional time series for the period 1975 to 1994 and includes NUTS II level regions of Greece, Spain, and the Italian South. Estimation of the impact of the variables on regional income is effected in a dynamic panel data model applying a GMM estimation procedure. The results indicate that the income level of Southern EU regions is largely determined by employment/educational levels and past public investment, while the impact of private investment is not significant. One may follow that EU regional policies should predominately focus on the human factor. Assistance to member countries to upgrade public infrastructures may be continued, but private investment incentives should be curbed. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers Series "Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness"

The United States and Mexico share responsibility in preserving the quality of their international river system, the Rio Grande / Río Bravo, and several international treaties govern the quantity of water each country must give and take. Because no treaty establishes joint standards for the quality of the river, the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) was created in 1993 as a declaration of principles and objectives concerning the conservation and the protection of the environment as well as a guide of concrete measures to further cooperate on these matters. One particular goal of the NAAEC was to improve water quality in the US-Mexico Border Region, ensuring a clean, safe, and reliable water supply for the area. Although the US and Mexican federal governments have made substantial technical and financial commitments through binational agencies like the North American Development Bank (NADB) and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC), few empirical studies have assessed the impact of binational expenditures on wastewater infrastructure in this region. This report uses longitudinal panel data regression models to estimate the impact of capital expenditures on water quality made by binational, federal, and state water quality management institutions from 1995 to 2012. This analysis considers expenditures made on both sides of the Rio Grande watershed that constitutes the international border, beginning with El Paso, Texas and ending in the Gulf of Mexico. / text

隱含波動度不對稱效果對選擇權市場參與者是很重要的，因為隱含波動度變大可增加選擇權買方的報酬相對的會減少選擇權賣方的報酬，並且對選擇權避險者來說是一種額外的風險。過去許多文獻皆已證實股票報酬波動度具有不對稱效果，所謂不對稱效果一般是指負向衝擊對報酬波動度增加的影響較正向衝擊大。然而多數研究是以條件變異數作為波動度的衡量，本研究則打算以選擇權之隱含波動度作為波動度的衡量。研究對象為歐洲期貨交易所交易之二十四家德國公司個股選擇權，利用EGARCH模型探討股票價格變動對個股選擇權之隱含波動度不對稱效果，研究期間從2000年2月14日至2001年12月31日。在不對稱效果成立之下，進而探討公司財務槓桿及公司規模對隱含波動度不對稱程度之影響。除以最小平方法模型分析並與Koutmos and Saidi(1995)對照外，更進一步以Panel Data模型加入公司效果或時間效果作為本研究最終目的的分析依據，研究期間從2000年至2001年。 本研究實證結果如下： 1.大多數公司股票選擇權之隱含波動度具有不對稱效果，也就是負向價格變動對隱含波動度增加的影響較正向價格變動大，只有兩家公司例外。 2.以最小平方法模型分析公司財務槓桿對隱含波動度不對稱程度的影響，實證結果與Koutmos and Saidi(1995)不一致，且不能支持Black（1976）所提出槓桿效果能用以解釋隱含波動度不對稱效果之假說，產生遺漏變數偏誤。 3.以Panel Data模型加入公司效果或時間效果之考量，分析公司財務槓桿對隱含波動不對稱程度的影響。實證發現隱含波動度不對稱效果可歸因於財務槓桿假說，此外證實存在時間效果但不存在公司效果。 4.公司規模會影響隱含波動度不對稱程度，兩者呈現正向關係。也就是說規模較大的公司對負向衝擊的反應較規模較小的公司敏感，實證結果與Koutmos and Saidi(1995)一致。

This thesis consists in a collection of research works dealing with various aspects of International Economics. More precisely, we focus on three main themes: (i) the existence of a world business cycle and the implications thereof, (ii) the likelihood of asymmetric shocks in the Euro Zone resulting from fluctuations in the euro exchange rate because of differences in sector specialization patterns and some consequences of such shocks, and (iii) the relationship between trade openness and growth influence of the sector specialization structure on that relationship. Regarding the approach pursued to tackle these problems, we have chosen to strictly remain within the boundaries of empirical (macro)economics - that is, applied econometrics. Though we systematically provide theoretical models to back up our empirical approach, our only real concern is to look at the stories the data can (or cannot) tell us. As to the econometric methodology, we will restrict ourselves to the use of panel data analysis. The large spectrum of techniques available within the panel framework allows us to utilize, for each of the problems at hand, the most suitable approach (or what we think it is).

2007年中次級房貸爆發後，美國信用評等機構的中立地位，受到質疑以及攻擊。回顧過去評等的，國際信評公司對美國恩隆(Enron)，在爆發前才降為「投機等級」；在亞洲金融危機發生之後，歐美信評公司普遍給予亞洲國家過低之評等，對亞洲地區經濟復甦造成一定程度之負面效應。一連串的金融事件引發了投資人對於信用評等效力的疑慮：信用評等還是能代表中立客觀的評價嗎？是否擁有較公開財務資料更多更完整的訊息？果真如此，對於問題的發生是否有發現及反應的能力？本研究利用相對買賣價差以及Panel data、Simultaneous Model檢測信用評等對股票流動性之影響，再進一步討論信評與財務結構的關係實證分析信用評等對台灣證券市場流動性存在正向關係，並且影響財務結構。本研究實証結果的價值是提供影響市場流動性的因素中，信用評等也是促成流動性的原因之ㄧ。信用評等所帶來的流動性提供了對投資者、金融機構以及資本市場更穩定並且更有效率的機制。

On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of China's economic transition, this thesis deals with several facets of the integration of Chinese domestic market over such an exciting era. Chapter 1 discusses first a variety of institutional reforms aimed at reinforcing the central control over regional affairs and improving the integration of domestic market. Several stylised facts about the local protectionism, which come from a recent survey implemented by a respected institution, are also illustrated in the chapter. Chapter 2 offers a brief review of the literature relative to China's internal integration. Generally speaking, the studies have proceeded along six major lines: similarity of production structure, price convergence, synchronization of business cycles, domestic trade linkages, interregional capital mobility and population migration. Chapter 3 examines the trade pattern within China. In the spirit of McCallum (1995), we find that after controlling for various traditional gravity factors, the trade flows within a Chinese province are 23 to 28 times as dense as those between provinces over the period of 1992-2003. Such findings suggest a highly fragmented product market within China. A trend toward market integration is, however, derived from the evolution analysis. The regressions by sub-period samples show that since the mid-1990s, the magnitudes of border effects have exhibited a dramatic decline. Chapter 4 investigates the capital mobility and capital allocation efficiency among Chinese provinces. We show first that the provincial savings and investment rates are significantly and positively correlated over the period of 1978-2006. According to the Feldstein-Horioka's argument (1980), this relationship can be interpreted as evidence of low capital mobility. Furthermore, by testing the causality between provincial aggregate investment and income, we fail to provide consistent evidence to support the hypothesis of efficient capital allocation in China. Chapter 5 addresses the labor force migration among Chinese regions. After a short introduction of reforms of hukou system, we derive a simple wage gap equation including education level, market potential and provincial border indicator as explaining variables. In using city and sector-level data, we find that other things being equal, the wage dispersions within provincial borders are significantly less pronounced than those among provinces over the period of 2003-2005. According to the law of one price, such findings imply a weak mobility of labor force among provinces.

自從中國大陸實施改革開放以來，隨著國際貿易越趨頻繁，對外之貿易依存度也逐漸上升，而迄今已成為貿易大國。而依據國際貿易理論，在滿足了要素稟賦理論全部條件的情況之下，自由的國際貿易會造成商品的相對價格趨於均等。而像中國大陸這種勞工豐沛的大型經濟體系融入了國際貿易體系，則將會促使與中國大陸經貿往來較為密切之國家與中國大陸之薪資差距逐漸縮小。故本文將利用中國大陸貿易夥伴之實證分析來探討貿易依存度對薪資差距之影響。 本文蒐集了2000年至2011年與中國大陸貿易關係較為密切的20個國家與中國大陸經濟變數之追蹤資料（Panel Data），包括：工業化程度差距、失業率差距、女性就業人口比例差距、教育程度差距，及上述國家對中國大陸之貿易依存度及中國大陸對該國之貿易依存度作為本研究之解釋變數，並以與中國大陸之薪資差距作為被解釋變數。將各數列資料進行單根檢定，經LLC單根檢定法判定所有數列皆為定態，再將各該數列以固定效果模型進行實證分析。 實證結果顯示，貿易夥伴對中國大陸之貿易依存度和與中國大陸之薪資差距，在1%的顯著水準之下呈現負向顯著影響，表示當各貿易夥伴對中國大陸之貿易依存度越高的時候，與中國大陸之薪資差距將會越小。而此結論與要素價格均等化之定理結論一致，故整體而言，國際貿易導致的薪資牽絆效果（Lock-in effect）獲得了實證上的支持。 / Since the implementation of reform and opening up in Mainland China, with increasingly frequent international trade, the dependence of foreign trade is gradually rising, but so far has become the largest trading nation. And based on the theory of international trade, under the circumstances to meet all the conditions of the endowment theory, free international trade will cause the relative prices of goods tend to be equal. And like the Mainland China such a large labor abundant economies into the international trading system, you will be prompted more closely with Mainland China 's national economic and trade exchanges with Mainland China salary differences is gradually narrowing. Therefore, this article will be to explore the impact of trade dependence on the use of empirical analysis of the salary differences trading partners in Mainland China. This paper collected from 2000 to 2011 trade relations with Mainland China more closely panel data from 20 countries and Mainland China Economic variables, including: the differences between the level of industrialization, the unemployment rate differences, the differences between the proportion of the female workforce, education differences, and the dependence of these countries on trade in Mainland China and the Mainland China to the country's trade dependence as explanatory variables of this study, and in Mainland China with the salary differences is interpreted as a variable. The number of columns in each data unit root test conducted by LLC unit root test method determines all the series are stationary state, then the number of columns in each of the fixed effects model for empirical analysis. The empirical results show that dependence on trade of trading partners in mainland China and the salary differences with Mainland China, under the 1% significance level showed a significant negative impact, which means that when all trading partners in Mainland China 's dependence on trade higher time, and the salary differences in Mainland China will be smaller. And this conclusion is consistent with the theorem of factor price equalization, so overall, lock-in effect resulting from international trade gained empirical support.

Over the last few decades, numerous studies have adopted efficiency and productivity techniques to examine and evaluate the overall performance of banking industries to inform policy effect as well as identify the best practice. The majority of banking efficiency and productivity studies focus on the developed US and European countries. There are only limited studies in the Asian banking industries but no cross-country comparison in major Asian economies. To fill this literature gap, this thesis attempts to measure and compare the cost efficiency and total factor productivity change in ten Asian banking sectors using an unbalanced panel data set consisting of 280 commercial banks over the period of 1998 to 2005. It is widely agreed that cross-country differences play an important part in examining banks performance in international comparison. They can influence the frontier technology as additional explanatory variables or they can enter inefficiency directly as a measure of determinants or heteroscedasticity. Both cases are considered in the empirical sections of this thesis. In the former case, the empirical results from systematic comparisons of panel data stochastic frontier models with and without incorporating these cross-country heterogeneities suggests that cross-country differences are important sources to explain banks performances therefore they should not be neglected. The overall cost efficiency in these Asian banking industries is 0.5897 with a decreasing trend, despite positive technical progress and slight economies of scale. The total factor productivity change is measured by using a new cost-based total factor productivity index, an index number counterpart of Bauer's (1990) total differential approach. A five-way decomposition is also provided with the attempt to identify the main contributors to the productivity change. Overall, Asian banking industries have experienced positive but not substantial productivity change from 1998-05. In the latter case, a general model that considers exogenous influences in both inefficiency and random noise error term is constructed and compared against other alternative specifications. The empirical results favour this general model and the overall and country-specific cost efficiency and total factor productivity are then estimated and calculated.

The Southeast Order has been milk deficit for over ten years and because of this milk has to be brought in from other orders to meet processor’s demand. Transportation credits provide processors with help to cover transportation costs to bring outside milk into the order. To help keep Class I utilization and support milk prices, relative to orders in the North, Order 7 has low diversion limits. As milk produced within Order 7 has been on a downward trend, milk brought into the order has not increased as consistently. In 2000 milk pooled from farms within the order made up an average of 66% out of the total amount pooled compared to a 2012 average of 43%. The objectives of this paper are to review the history of the federal milk marketing system, describe the structure of milk pricing, examine the unique features of the southern orders, and estimate the impact of the amount of milk diverted and the amount paid in transportation credits on Order 7’s uniform price. The results showed that only Class II diverted pounds had a statistically significant impact on the uniform price.

Due to widespread decentralization of spending responsibilities, increasing revenue power and borrowing capacity of sub-national governments, sub-national borrowing has become an increasingly important source of sub-national finance. While there are arguments for and against giving sub-national authorities room for raising their own financial resources, appropriate sub-national borrowing regulatory framework can reduce chances of defaults and fiscal crises. This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of sub-national borrowing regulations in maintaining fiscal sustainability. More precisely, it tests the hypothesis that is sub-national borrowing is restricted to financing capital investments (the “golden rule”), and if the sub-national governments are provided with some measure of revenue autonomy, then the sub-national borrowing should not endanger fiscal sustainability. Based on the sub-national government panel data for 57 countries between 1990 and 2008 and applying the system GMM estimator and the survival analysis, this dissertation provides support for this hypothesis. The results suggest that the “golden rule” is effective in maintaining fiscal sustainability at both general and sub-national government level. Sub-national tax autonomy, however, seems to have positive but very small marginal effect on fiscal sustainability. The obtained results also emphasize the risk of the soft budget constraint and the moral hazard. Significant central government financing may give encouraging signs to the sub-national governments to over-borrow and to expect being bailed out by the central government. The results obtained in this dissertation imply following policy recommendations. First, sub-national government borrowing does not have to endanger fiscal sustainability if the borrowing regulation framework is well designed and according to specific country circumstances. Second, reducing fiscal dependence on central government financing reduces the risk of moral hazard and improves the effectiveness of borrowing control in maintaining fiscal balance at the sustainable level.