http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/2063 www.uab.cat/departament/economia-aplicada/ Sun, 19 May 2013 07:43:17 GMT 2013-05-19T07:43:17Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/bitstream/id/34070/ http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/2063 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209452 Análisis empírico de la discriminación salarial por género y etnia en el Ecuador en el año 2008 Torresano Melo, Daniel Iván La población femenina y la indígena del Ecuador han presentado continuamente desigualdades de ingresos respecto a la población masculina y a la no indígena, respectivamente. El presente trabajo reporta que una parte de las diferencias salariales a favor de los hombres y de la población no indígena es resultado de la discriminación salarial por razones de género y etnia. Este resultado se ha obtenido estimando ecuaciones mincerianas de ingresos corrigiendo el problema de se sgo de selección muestral y utilizando la metodología de descomposición de las brechas salariales de Oaxaca (1973) y Newmak (1988) también corregidas por el problema de sesgo de selección muestral.; La població femenina i la indígena de l'Equador han presentat contínuament desigualtats d'ingressos respecte a la població masculina i a la no indígena, respectivament. El present treball reporta que una part de les diferències salarials a favor dels homes i de la població no indígena és resultat de la discriminació salarial perraons de gènere i ètniques. Aquest resultat s’ha obtingut estimant equacions mincerianes d'ingressos corregint el problema de biaix de selecció mostral i utilitzant la metodologia de descomposició del diferencial de salaris d'Oaxaca (1973) i Newmak (1988) també corregits pel problema de biaix de selecció mostral. Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209452 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209451 Informalidad y mercados laborales urbanos: un análisis empírico para Colombia García Cruz, Gustavo Adolfo En este trabajo se estudian los determinantes macroeconómicos de la informalidad laboral en Colombia. Teniendo en cuenta varias definiciones de informalidad, se encuentra que este fenómeno tiene una relación inversa con el nivel de educación de la población ocupada y el grado de desarrollo industrial de las ciudades. También se observa que un sector público muy grande genera un efecto positivo sobre la informalidad, lo cual indica que existen posibles ineficiencias estatales o cargas institucionales que afectan la decisión de formalizarse. Así mismo se evidencia que existe un importante efecto local en la informalidad asociado con la estructura productiva e integración comercial, que dependen de la ubicación geográfica de las ciudades.; This document studies the macroeconomics determinants of the informal labour in Colombia. I use several definitions of informality and I study the main factors that affect the informality. I found that the informality is related negatively with the education of the working population and the degree of industrially developed of the cities. I also found that a big public sector has a positive effect on the informality, this indicate that public sector is not efficient or it has problems institutional that affect the decision of formalization. Furthermore,there is an important local effect related with the productive structure and commercial integration, which depends of the geographical localization of the cities. Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209451 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209327 Los determinantes de la demanda turística y sus implicaciones en términos de estacionalidad Demelas, Riccardo El análisis de los determinantes de la demanda de turística es un tema muy popular en la literatura turística y, de acuerdo con Zimmerman (1982), ha sido objeto de análisis egún diferentes dimensiones temporales (el periodo particular, a lo largo del ciclo de vda, según la generación). Este trabajo se propone analizar el tema en una perspectiva aún diferente, estudiando como varia el impacto de las restricciones económicas y familiares a lo largo de un año tomado como referencia, y por ende, de interpretar sus consecuencias en término de estacionalidad (aspecto que a pesar de la relevancia que tiene, ha recibido muy poco interés por la literatura académica). Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209327 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209326 Evolución del consumo de energía primaria en el Ecuador entre 2000 y 2006: un análisis de productos clave y descomposición estructural a través del modelo insumo-producto Artola Jarrín, Verónica Elisabeth En el presente trabajo se realiza un análisis de la situación energética del Ecuador mediante la determinación de los consumos de energía primaria (EP) usando la técnica insumo – producto, de esta forma se identificaron los productos clave en el consumo de dicha energía entre los años 2000 y 2006 así como los principales factores que influyen en el crecimiento o decrecimiento en su consumo, para lo cual se utilizó la técnica del análisis de descomposición estructural (SDA). De esta forma, los resultados encontrados muestran que de los 47 roductos analizados, solamente 4 resultaron ser clave en el consumo de energía primaria para l año 2000 y 7 para el año 2006, de éstos más de la mitad corresponden al sector servicios. El nálisis conjunto de las mercancías clave y el SDA muestra que el cambio estructural de la demanda es el factor que más influye en los cambios del comportamiento de los productos en los dos años analizados. Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209326 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208003 How effective are policies to reduce gasoline consumption? evaluating a quasi-natural experiment in Spain Asensio Ruiz de Alda, Francisco Javier; Gómez-Lobo, Andrés; Matas i Prat, Anna Using a panel of 48 provinces for four years we empirically analyze a series of temporary policies aimed at curbing fuel consumption implemented in Spain between March and June 2011. The first policy was a reduction in the speed limit in highways. The second policy was an increase in the biofuel content of fuels used in the transport sector. The third measure was a reduction of 5% in commuting and regional train fares that resulted in two major metropolitan areas reducing their overall fare for public transit. The results indicate that the speed limit reduction in highways reduced gasoline consumption by between 2% and 3%, while an increase in the biofuel content of gasoline increased this consumption. This last result is consistent with experimental evidence that indicates that mileage per liter falls with an increase in the biofuel content in gasolines. As for the reduction in transit fares, we do not find a significant effect for this policy. However, in specifications including the urban transit fare for the major cities in each province the estimated cross-price elasticity of the demand for gasoline -used as a proxy for car use- with respect to the price of transit is within the range reported in the literature. This is important since one of the main eficiency justification for subsidizing public transit rests on the positive value of this parameter and most of the estimates reported in the literature are quite dated. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208003 2013-02-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208001 The impacts of social networks on immigrants' employment prospect: the spanish case 1997-2007 Méndez Errico, Luciana This paper studies the extent to which social networks influence the employment stability and wages of immigrants in Spain. By doing so, I consider an aspect that has not been previously addressed in the empirical literature, namely the connection between immigrants' social networks and labor market outcomes in Spain. For this purpose, I use micro-data from the National Immigrant Survey carried out in 2007. The analysis is conducted in two stages. First, the impact of social networks on the probability of keeping the first job obtained in Spain is studied through a multinomial logit regression. Second, quantile regressions are used to estimate a wage equation. The empirical results suggest that once the endogeneity problem has been accounted for, immigrants' social networks influence their labor market outcomes. On arrival, immigrants experience a mismatch in the labor market. In addition, different effects of social networks on wages by gender and wage distribution are found. While contacts on arrival and informal job access mechanisms positively influence women's wages, a wage penalty is observed for men. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208001 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208002 Performance in post-compulsory education: evidence from vocational and academic tracks López-Mayan, Cristina This paper investigates the factors in_uencing grade performance in two different high school tracks (academic and vocational), including the effect of the amount of work achieved while studying. The empirical strategy analyzes grade progression through the outcomes, passing, repeating and dropping out, conditioning on previous outcomes, and dealing with the endogeneity introduced by the working variable. The analysis is based on a unique Spanish data with information on schooling and labor histories. Findings show that working reduces performance in both tracks, mainly during the first year, although the ffects are less detri- mental in the vocational path. Additionally, good performance in compulsory education, at- tending a private high school, or having high-educated parents improve outcomes, particularly in academic high school. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208002 2013-02-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208000 Tax incentives and direct support for R&D: What do firms use and why? Busom i Piquer, Isabel; Corchuelo Martínez-Azua, Beatriz; Martinez Ros, Ester This paper studies whether firms' use of R&D subsidies and R&D tax incentives is correlated to two sources of underinvestment in R&D, financing constraints and appropriability. We find that financially constrained SMEs are less likely to use R&D tax credits and more likely to obtain subsidies. SMEs using legal methods to protect their intellectual property are more likely to use tax incentives. Results are ambiguous for large firms. For both having previous experience in R&D increases the likelihood of using tax incentives, while it reduces the likelihood of using exclusively subsidies, suggesting that the latter induce entry into R&D. Results imply that direct funding and tax credits do not have the same ability to address each source of R&D underinvestment, and that on average subsidies may be better suited than tax credits at least for SMEs. From a policy perspective these tools may be complements rather than substitutes. Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208000 2012-12-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/207999 An ex-post view of inequality of opportunity in France and its regions Carpantier, Jean-François; Sapata, Christelle This paper proposes an ex-post measure of inequality of opportunity in France and its regions by assessing the inequality between individuals exerting the same effort. To this end, we define a fair income that fulfils ex-post equality of opportunity requirements. Unfairness is measured by an unfair Gini based on the distance between the actual income and the fair income. Our findings reveal that the measures of ex-post inequality of opportunity largely vary across regions, and that this is due to di_erences in reward schemes and in the impact of the non responsibility factors of income. We find that most regions have actual incomes closer to fair incomes than to average income, excepted Ile de France where the actual income looks poorly related to effort variables. Finally, we find that income inequality and inequality of opportunity are positively correlated among regions. Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/207999 2012-12-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204081 Determinants of Spanish firms' life cycle and job Gutiérrez Romero, Roxana This paper examines the role of human capital, individual entrepreneurial traits and the business environment on firms' life cycle and on job creation in Spain. For this purpose, we have constructed a pseudo-panel, by using the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey over the period 2001-2008. We have found that the creation, maturity and survival of firms were aided by the availability of bank credit and the large immigration inflows that Spain received over this period. However, of these two factors, only bank credit had a positive effect on the creation of jobs and on improving expectations of job expansion. The relatively high levels of youth unemployment experienced even before the crises of 2008 hurt the firm's chances of maturity and survival. The results also suggested that the gender gap in entrepreneurial activities had narrowed. In relative terms, women with higher levels of education were more likely to create mature firms than men. Based on the empirical findings and those of related literature, the paper offers policy recommendations to foster a sustainable entrepreneurial sector capable of contributing to the recovery of the Spanish economy. Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204081 2012-11-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204080 Empirical approaches to inequality of opportunity: principles, measures, and evidence Ramos Morilla, Xavier; Gaer, Dirk Van de We put together the different conceptual issues involved in measuring inequality of opportunity, discuss how these concepts have been translated into computable measures, and point out the problems and choices researchers face when implementing these measures. Our analysis identifies and suggests several new possibilities to measure inequality of opportunity. The approaches are illustrated with a selective survey of the empirical literature on income inequality of opportunity. Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204080 2012-07-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204079 Chaos and order in the contemporary city. The impact of urban spatial structure on population density and commuting distance in Barcelona, 1986-2001. Muñiz, Iván; García López, Miguel Angel One of the criticisms leveled at the model of dispersed city found all over the world is its unarticulated, random, and undifferentiated nature. To check this idea in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, we estimated the impact of the urban spatial structure (CBD, subcenters and transportation infrastructures) over the population density and commuting distance. The results are unfavorable to the hypothesis of the increasing destructuring of cities given that the explanatory capacity of both functions improves over time, both when other control variables are not included and when they are included. Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204079 2012-06-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204082 An Inquiry into the Use of Illegal Electoral Practices and Effects of Political Violence Gutiérrez Romero, Roxana This article investigates whether vote-buying and the instigation of violence in the disputed 2007 Kenyan elections were strategically motivated, and whether those affected by electoral violence changed their views towards ethno-politics and the use of violence. To answer these questions, a panel survey conducted before and after the elections is combined with external indicators of electoral violence. We find that political parties targeted vote-buying towards specific groups to weaken the support of their political rivals and to mobilize their own supporters. Furthermore, parties instigated violence strategically in areas where they were less likely to win. Although the victims of violence would prefer that parties are no longer allowed to organize in ethnic or religious lines, they are more likely to identify in ethnic terms, support the use of violence and avoid relying on the police to resolve disputes. The overall findings suggest an increased risk of electoral-violence reoccurring. Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204082 2012-11-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204077 Los límites de la compacidad urbana como instrumento a favor de la sostenibilidad. La hipótesis de la compensación en Barcelona medida a través de la huella ecológica de la movilidad y la vivienda. Muñiz, Iván; Calatayud, Daniel; Dobaño, Roger La hipótesis de la compensación plantea la posibilidad de que los individuos que viven en centros urbanos densos tengan una mayor propensión a disponer de una segunda residencia y/o llevar a cabo desplazamientos más frecuentes hacia destinos más alejados durante los fines de semana y las vacaciones que los individuos que viven en zonas poco densas. En este contexto, no está claro cuál es el efecto neto de la densidad en términos ambientales. En esta investigación se contrasta la hipótesis de la compensación en la Región Metropolitana de Barcelona utilizando como indicador de impacto ambiental la huella ecológica de la movilidad y de la vivienda. Los resultados obtenidos rechazan la hipótesis de la compensación en un sentido fuerte, pero se detecta la existencia de un nivel máximo de densidad a partir del cual ejerce un impacto de signo positivo. Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204077 2012-05-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204078 Openness and Technology Diffusion in Payment Callado, Francisco; Hromcova, Jana; Utrero, Natalia We study the relationship between openness and payment system development. In particular, we analyze how the existence of technology diffusion from a more developed country fosters a transformation of payment choice in a less developed country. We apply our analysis to Mexico. Economic growth in Mexico was not high enough to cause a transformation of payment choice observed in the data after 2001. We argue that the switch towards electronic payments can be attributed to openness and related payment technology spillovers from the US in the context of NAFTA. Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204078 2012-06-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204076 Economic structure and key sectors analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in Uruguay Piaggio, Matías; Alcántara, Vicent; Padilla, Emilio This paper identifies the key sectors in greenhouse gas emissions of the Uruguayan economy through input-output analysis. This allows to precisely determine the role played by the different productive sectors and their relationship with other sectors in the relation between the Uruguayan productive structure and atmospheric pollution. In order to guide policy design for GHG reduction, we decompose sectors liability between the pollution generated through their own production processes and the pollution indirectly generated in the production processes of other sectors. The results show that all the key polluting sectors for the different contaminants considered are relevant because of their own emissions, except for the sector Motor vehicles and oil retail trade, which is relevant in CO2 emissions because of its pure, both backward and forward, linkages. Finally, the best policy channels for controlling and reducing GHGs emissions are identified, and compared with the National Climate Change Response Plan (NCCRP) lines of action. Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204076 2012-04-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195726 Deuda hídrica y escasez. Análisis MRIO del uso del agua en Andalucía Navarro, Francisco; Madrid, Cristina El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar un análisis regional y sectorial del Balance Neto de agua virtual asociada al comercio entre la región de Andalucía y el resto de España para el año 2005. Para ello, desarrollamos una metodología que nos permite efectuar un análisis comparativo del uso del agua en ambas regiones, en cuanto al impacto de su producción sectorial y de su demanda final. Incluimos en el marco metodológico el nuevo concepto de Agua Virtual, ya que está tomando gran relevancia en la arena de la Gestión Hídrica. La base del marco metodológico es el análisis Input-Output. En particular, construimos un modelo Input-Output Multi-Regional (MRIO) para las regiones consideradas. Esta herramienta es el método más utilizado para los estudios en los que se asigna la responsabilidad del uso de recursos de acuerdo a la demanda final, localizada territorialmente, de cada rama productiva. Entre otras ventajas, nos permite analizar los vínculos interregionales e intersectoriales de las regiones consideradas. La incorporación de la técnica de la integración vertical o subsistemas a nivel interregional nos permite un enfoque alternativo para el Balance Neto resultante, en el que puede examinarse la importancia de una determinada rama productiva de acuerdo a su influencia en el resto de sectores de las diversas regiones. No tenemos constancia de que este enfoque haya sido utilizado con anterioridad en los análisis MRIO aplicados al estudio de los impactos medioambientales incorporados en el comercio. Tampoco la tenemos sobre la aplicación de los MRIO de forma general para estos impactos a nivel interregional de la economía española. Los estudios previos sobre el uso del agua de la región andaluza se han centrado en el comercio internacional ante la dificultad de hacer un análisis exhaustivo a nivel sectorial utilizando las estadísticas de transporte por carretera. Sin embargo, en términos monetarios, el comercio interior de la región con el resto de España supone un 52% de las “exportaciones” y un 62% de las “importaciones”. Por lo tanto, a nivel práctico, este trabajo aporta a los estudios desarrollados con anterioridad la esencial perspectiva del comercio interior. Los resultados esperados contribuyen a mejorar una información de extrema relevancia para una posible reforma estructural de la economía y el comercio interregional andaluz acorde a un mejor uso del recurso agua. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195726 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195725 Recursos naturales y desarrollo en el Chad: ¿maldición de los recursos o inserción periférica? Colom Jaén, Artur El significativo incremento de las inversiones extranjeras en el sector extractivo africano en la última década, ha hecho renacer el debate acerca de los efectos sobre el desarrollo de las rentas generadas por este sector. Desde la teoría de la maldición de los recursos se argumenta que los efectos negativos sobre el desarrollo de estas rentas tienen que ver básicamente con disfunciones internas, soslayando los elementos y actores externos que dan forma e influyen en éstas. El caso del Chad, país productor de petróleo desde 2003 con el apoyo del Banco Mundial, es presentado y analizado en este artículo, llegando a la conclusión de que el análisis de la inserción periférica es crucial para comprender las disfunciones generadas por la renta petrolera en el país.; The significant increase in foreign investment in the African extractive sector in the last decade has refuelled the debate on the effects on development of the rents generated in this sector. From the resource curse theory, it is argued that the negative effects on development of these rents have to do basically with internal disfunctions, getting around the elements and external actors that shape and influence these internal features. The case of Chad, an oil-producing country since 2003 with the support of the World Bank, is presented and analysed in this article, and we reach the conclusion that the analysis of the peripherical insertion of the country is crucial to understand the disfunctions generated by oil rent. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195725 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195724 Construcción de un modelo Multi- Regional Input-Output (MRIO) medioambiental para Cataluña y el resto de España: Estudio del balance en CO2 incorporado en el comercio Navarro, Francisco El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el impacto, en emisiones de CO2, de la demanda final de Cataluña en relación a los vínculos comerciales interregionales con el resto de España y el resto del mundo. Este proceso implica el análisis del balance en CO2 incorporado para Cataluña, lo que permitirá evaluar la responsabilidad de la economía catalana respecto a estas emisiones. Para este propósito se construye, para esta determinada desagregación regional, un modelo Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) extendido al medioambiente con sectores verticalmente integrados. La incorporación de la técnica de la integración vertical nos permite un enfoque alternativo para el Balance Neto y un análisis más detallado de los vínculos interregionales entre los diversos sectores productivos, centrado en la responsabilidad última de la demanda final de cada sector en cada región. Hasta el momento, los estudios previos sobre los impactos medioambientales incorporados al comercio español se han centrado principalmente en el ámbito nacional. No obstante, por un lado el comercio interregional con el resto de España en términos monetarios representa cerca de la mitad del comercio exterior catalán. Por otro lado, los distintos metabolismos energéticos de ambas economías tienen como consecuencia una importante diferencia en la intensidad de emisión en la producción de bienes y servicios. Esta situación genera para Cataluña un déficit en el Balance Neto estimado con el resto de España, aún teniendo un importante superávit monetario. De esto se desprende la importancia de integrar el nivel interregional en los estudios de los impactos medioambientales incorporados en el comercio y, en consecuencia, en la planificación y formalización de políticas económicas y ambientales a nivel nacional. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195724 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195723 Economic structure and key sectors analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in Uruguay Piaggio, Matías; Alcántara, Vicent; Padilla, Emilio This paper identifies the key sectors in greenhouse gas emissions of the Uruguayan economy through input–output analysis. This allows to precisely determine the role played by the different productive sectors and their relationship with other sectors in the relation between the Uruguayan productive structure and atmospheric pollution. In order to guide policy design for GHG reduction, we decompose sectors liability between the pollution generated through their own production processes and the pollution indirectly generated in the production processes of other sectors. The results show that all the key polluting sectors for the different contaminants considered are relevant because of their own emissions, except for the sector Motor vehicles and oil retail trade, which is relevant in CO2 emissions because of its pure, both backward and forward, linkages. Finally, the best policy channels for controlling and reducing GHGs emissions are identified, and compared with the National Climate Change Response Plan (NCCRP) lines of action. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/195723 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/186774 Factor shares, the price markup, and the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor. Raurich, Xavier; Sala Lorda, Hèctor; Sorolla, Valeri In a Walrasian labor market, the labor income share is constant under the assumptions of a Cobb-Douglas production function and perfect competition. Given the observed decline of the labor share in recent decades, this paper relaxes these assumptions, proposes a time-series calculation of the aggregate price mark-up reflecting the degree of imperfect competition in the product market, and provides estimates of the elasticity of substitution under such product market imperfections. We focus on Spain and the U.S. and show that the elasticity of substitution is above one in Spain and below one in the U.S. We also show that the price markup drives the elasticity of substitution away from one, upwards in Spain, downwards in the U.S. These results are used to explain the declining path of the labor income share, common to both economies, and their contrasted patterns in terms of capital deepening. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/186774 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152017 Explanatory factors of CO2 per capita emission inequality in the European Union Padilla, Emilio; Duro Moreno, Juan Antonio The design of European mitigation policies requires a detailed examination of the factors explaining the unequal emissions in the different countries. This research analyzes the evolution of inequality in CO2 per capita emissions in the European Union (EU-27) in the 1990-2006 period and its explanatory factors. For this purpose, we decompose the Theil index of inequality into the contributions of the different Kaya factors. The decomposition is also applied to the inequality between and within groups of countries (North Europe, South Europe, and East Europe). The analysis shows an important reduction in inequality, to a large extent due to the smaller differences between groups and because of the lower contribution of the energy intensity factor. The importance of the GDP per capita factor increases and becomes the main explanatory factor. However, within the different groups of countries the carbonization index appears to be the most relevant factor in explaining inequalities. Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152017 2011-05-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152016 Cross-country polarisation in CO2 emissions per capita in the European Union: changes and explanatory factors Duro Moreno, Juan Antonio; Padilla, Emilio In this study, we analyse the degree of polarisation-a concept fundamentally different from that of inequality-in the international distribution of CO2 emissions per capita in the European Union. It is analytically relevant to examine the degree of instability inherent to a distribution and, in the analysed case, the likelihood that the distribution and its evolution will increase or decrease the chances of reaching an agreement. Two approaches were used to measure polarisation: the endogenous approach, in which countries are grouped according to their similarity in terms of emissions, and the exogenous approach, in which countries are grouped geographically. Our findings indicate a clear decrease in polarisation since the mid-1990s, which can essentially be explained by the fact that the different groups of countries have converged (i.e. antagonism among the CO2 emitters has decreased) as the contribution of energy intensity to between-group differences has decreased. This lower degree of polarisation in CO2 distribution suggests a situation more conducive to the possibility of reaching EU-wide agreements on the mitigation of CO2 emissions. Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152016 2011-05-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152015 Economic growth and inequality: the role of fiscal policies Muinelo Gallo, Walter Leonel; Roca Sagalés, Oriol This paper analyses the impact of different instruments of fiscal policy on economic growth as well as on income inequality, using an unbalanced panel of 43 upper-middle and high income countries for the period 1972-2006. We consider and estimate two individual equations explaining growth and inequality in order to assess the incidence of different fiscal policies. Firstly, our approach considers imposing orthogonal assumptions between growth and inequality in both equations, and secondly, it allows growth to be included in the inequality equation, and inequality to be included in the growth equation. The empirical results suggest that an increase in the size of government measured through current expenditures and direct taxes diminishes economic growth while reducing inequality, being public investment the only fiscal policy that may break this trade-off between efficiency and equity, since increases in this item reduces inequality without harming output. Therefore, the results reflect that the trade-off between efficiency and equity that governments often confront when designing their fiscal policies may be avoided. Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152015 2011-02-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152014 Homogeneización en un sistema de tipo Leontief (o Leontief-Sraffa) Quiñoa López, Xosé Luis; Pié Dols, Laia Dado un sistema tipo Leontief (o Leontief - Sraffa), se demuestra que puede ser transformado en uno estructuralmente equivalente que denominaremos sistema homogeneizado en el que la matriz tecnológica A así como la inversa de Leontief poseen propiedades matemáticas relevantes relacionadas con el autovalor máximo a de A. Para un sistema homogeneizado es condición necesaria y suficiente para que los precios relativos en el sentido Sraffa permanezcan invariantes al modificar el tipo de beneficio, que los coeficientes de trabajo directo sean iguales. Asimismo para este tipo de sistemas, la razón entre la suma de las mercancías que componen el excedente y la suma de las mercancías utilizadas como medios de producción coincide con el tipo máximo de beneficio. Es lo que Sraffa denomino "razón patrón" (global) en su Sistema Patrón. Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152014 2011-02-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152013 Ciudades que contribuyen a la sostenibilidad global Muñiz, Iván; Masjuan, Roser; Morera, Pau; García, Miguel Ángel Trabajos anteriores han demostrado que gran parte de la variabilidad observada en la huella ecológica per cápita de los países puede explicarse a partir de las diferencias en renta per cápita y temperatura. La pregunta que nos planteamos en esta investigación es si el modelo urbano (densidad urbana y tamaño urbano) también puede ayudar a explicar dicha variabilidad. Los resultados obtenidos confirman el significativo impacto de la densidad urbana sobre la huella, por lo que controlar la dispersión urbana parece ser un mecanismo eficiente para reducir la huella ecológica de los países. En lugar de reflexionar sobre si las ciudades son o no son insostenibles por naturaleza, esta investigación se ha orientado de forma más operativa, intentando discernir qué tipo de modelo urbano contribuye en mayor medida a la sostenibilidad del planeta. Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152013 2011-02-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152012 Medición del poder de mercado en la industria del cobre de Estados Unidos: una aproximación desde la perspectiva de la Nueva Organización Industrial Empírica. Luengo, Andrés E. El estudio de la relación entre la estructura de la industria y el poder de mercado ha sido uno de los temas más discutidos en la literatura microeconómica. En esta investigación se adopta el enfoque de la "Nueva Organización Industrial Empírica" (NOIE) y se siguen los modelos desarrollados por Bresnahan (1982) y Lau (1982), y Porter (1983) para analizar el efecto de varias fusiones y adquisiciones sobre el poder de mercado de la industria del cobre en Estados Unidos durante el periodo 1994 - 2009. Se destaca que aunque el análisis de la industria muestra una mayor concentración, los resultados sugieren que las fusiones y adquisiciones no tuvieron efecto sobre el poder de mercado y que la industria mantuvo una conducta competitiva durante el periodo analizado. Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152012 2011-02-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152011 Monetary policy rules and financial stress: does financial instability matter for monetary Baxa, Jaromír; Horvath, Roman; Vasicek, Borek We examine whether and how main central banks responded to episodes of financial stress over the last three decades. We employ a new methodology for monetary policy rules estimation, which allows for time-varying response coefficients as well as corrects for endogeneity. This flexible framework applied to the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and Sweden together with a new financial stress dataset developed by the International Monetary Fund allows not only testing whether the central banks responded to financial stress but also detects the periods and type of stress that were the most worrying for monetary authorities and to quantify the intensity of policy response. Our findings suggest that central banks often change policy Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152011 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152010 Topologías en espacios de matrices y sistemas Leontief y Leontief-Sraffa Quiñoa López, Xosé Luis Se demuestra que todo sistema tipo Leontief (o Leontief-Sraffa) puede ser transformado en uno estructuralmente equivalente en el que la matriz tecnológica A tenga la propiedad de que la suma de los elementos de cada columna sea el autovalor máximo a de A; lo que equivale a transformar las unidades físicas originales en unidades que (haciendo abstracción de la componente trabajo) tengan idéntica composición de capital. A un tal sistema transformado lo denominaremos homogeneizado. En este tipo de sistemas aparecen más cómodos los estudios del sistema de precios de Sraffa, la limitación del tipo de beneficio, el reparto del excedente, la interpretación económica de 1/(I - A), la interpretación de los precios utilizando el teorema del punto fijo, la evolución de los precios al variar el tipo de beneficio, etc. Se demuestra que en un sistema homogeneizado "idéntica composición orgánica de capital" (Marx) equivale a idéntica cantidad de trabajo directo. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152010 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152009 Is monetary policy in new members states asymmetric? Vasicek, Borek Estimated Taylor rules became popular as a description of monetary policy conduct. There are numerous reasons why real monetary policy can be asymmetric and estimated Taylor rule nonlinear. This paper tests whether monetary policy can be described as asymmetric in three new European Union (EU) members (the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland), which apply an inflation targeting regime. Two different empirical frameworks are Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/152009 2010-12-01T00:00:00Z