Sovereign Default Risk and Decentralization: Evidence for Emerging Markets
Stefan Eichler, M. Hofmann
European Journal of Political Economy,
No. 32,
2013
Abstract
We study the impact of decentralization on sovereign default risk. Theory predicts that decentralization deteriorates fiscal discipline since subnational governments undertax/overspend, anticipating that, in the case of overindebtedness, the federal government will bail them out. We analyze whether investors account for this common pool problem by attaching higher sovereign yield spreads to more decentralized countries. Using panel data on up to 30 emerging markets in the period 1993–2008 we confirm this hypothesis. Higher levels of fiscal and political decentralization increase sovereign default risk. Moreover, higher levels of intergovernmental transfers and a larger number of veto players aggravate the common pool problem.
Read article
Regional Entrepreneurial Opportunities in the Biotech Industry: Exploring the Transition from Award-winning Nascent Entrepreneurs to Real Start-ups
Claus Michelsen, H. Wolf, Michael Schwartz
European Planning Studies,
2013
Abstract
Knowledge of factors that determine the transition from nascent entrepreneurship into real entrepreneurship is of major importance for policies aiming to effectively stimulate start-ups. Whereas scholars concentrated on person-specific factors to explain transition probabilities, environmental characteristics have been fairly neglected. Given that entrepreneurship is a strongly localized phenomenon, this paper argues that regional entrepreneurial opportunities are a driving force behind the transition from nascent entrepreneurship to new venture creation. Based on unique data on 103 nascent entrepreneurs in the German biotechnology industry, we empirically assess the importance of regional entrepreneurial opportunities on transition probabilities. Further, we introduce a new approach to measure nascent entrepreneurship by capturing individuals that actively participate in start-up competitions and have won at least one competition. Controlling for technology and individual characteristics, we find strong support for our hypotheses relating to the significant impact of general regional opportunities, specific regional opportunities and the entrepreneurial environment for the probability of transition from award-winning nascent entrepreneurs to real start-ups.
Read article
20.12.2011 • 54/2011
IWH: Interimsvorstand offiziell im Amt
Wechsel an der Spitze des Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH): Der Vorstandsrat hat am 19.12.2011 den in der vergangenen Woche vollzogenen Amtsverzicht von Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Ulrich Blum bestätigt und die beiden IWH-Abteilungsleiter Dr. Jutta Günther und Prof. Dr. Oliver Holtemöller als Interimsvorstand eingesetzt. Ergänzt wird das neue Leitungsteam durch Dr. Tankred Schuhmann, der ab Januar 2012 zunächst für ein Jahr vom Leibniz-Institut für Pflanzengenetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung IPK in Gatersleben abgeordnet wird und das IWH als neuer administrativer Leiter unterstützt.
Oliver Holtemöller
Regional Entrepreneurial Opportunities in the Biotech Industry: Exploring the Transition from Award-winning Nascent Entrepreneurs to Real Start-ups
H. Wolf, Claus Michelsen, Michael Schwartz
Abstract
Knowledge of factors that determine the transition from nascent entrepreneurship into real entrepreneurship is of major importance for policies aiming to effectively stimulate start-ups. Whereas scholars concentrated on person-specific factors to explain transition probabilities, environmental characteristics have been fairly neglected. Given that entrepreneurship is a strongly localized phenomenon, this paper argues that regional entrepreneurial opportunities are a driving force behind the transition from nascent entrepreneurship to new venture creation. Based on unique data on 103 nascent entrepreneurs in the German biotechnology industry, we empirically assess the importance of regional entrepreneurial opportunities on transition probabilities. Further, we introduce a new
approach to measure nascent entrepreneurship by capturing individuals that actively participate in start-up competitions and have won at least one competition. Controlling for technology and individual characteristics, we find strong support for our hypotheses relating to the significant impact of general regional opportunities, specific regional opportunities and the entrepreneurial environment for the probability of transition from award-winning nascent entrepreneurs to real start-ups.
Read article
East Germany: Change of growth forces
Udo Ludwig
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
1994
Abstract
In den neuen Bundesländern haben sich die wirtschaftlichen Auftriebstendenzen im ersten Halbjahr 1994 verstärkt. Das Bruttoinlandsprodukt ist gegenüber der ersten Jahreshälfte von 1993 um 8,9 vH angestiegen. Das seit 1992 anhaltende Produktionswachstum beginnt sich auf die Beschäftigung auszuwirken. Erstmalig übertrifft die Schaffung neuer Arbeitsplätze den Arbeitsplatzabbau. Die Beschäftigungseffekte sind allerdings gering, gemessen an 1,2 Millionen registrierten Arbeitslosen im Durchschnitt des ersten Halbjahres 1994 und über 0,5 Millionen Arbeitnehmern, die dank der verschiedenen Instrumente der aktiven Arbeitsmarktpolitik vor der offenen Arbeitslosigkeit bewahrt werden. Die Trendwende am Arbeitsmarkt scheint jedoch erreicht zu sein.
Read article