Economic worries roil Uruguay's pre-election outlook

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Economic Performance ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services

Subject Outlook for economic performance. Significance The Uruguayan government ended 2017 facing public disapproval despite having reached agreement for the largest private investment in the country’s history. Continuing growth has not been felt in the labour market. For the left that has governed Uruguay since 2005, disillusion on the part of some of its voters is a risk for the 2019 elections and is generating greater internal political tensions. Impacts Despite the government’s woes, the opposition may struggle to form a coalition in 2019. Growth will likely pick up this year as the ANCAP refinery comes back online. Price rises for key goods and services will exacerbate tensions.

Greek economy could slip into recession again

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Private Investment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Investment Climate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Real Gdp ◽  
Greek Economy ◽  
Target Set ◽  
The Government

Subject Greece’s stagnating economy. Significance The economy failed to turn a corner in 2016, registering zero real GDP growth. The ambitious 2.7% GDP growth target, set for 2017 by the government and Greece’s lenders, now looks hard to achieve. However, the economy’s stabilisation, albeit at a level much lower than before the crisis, is evident. Impacts A swift end to the bailout review might lift uncertainty and improve the investment climate, allowing both domestic and private investment. Inclusion into the ECB’s quantitative easing programme would help inject additional liquidity into the economy, stimulating credit growth. Over the medium term, rising protectionism in the United States and Europe might restrict trade, reducing Greek goods and services exports.

Swiss economic growth is set to accelerate this year

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Private Consumption ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Consumption Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Interest Rates ◽  
Economic Outlook

Subject Economic outlook for Switzerland. Significance Switzerland’s GDP growth disappointed in the first quarter of 2017: it increased by 0.3% on a quarterly and 1.1% on a yearly basis, held back by weak private consumption growth. However, exports rebounded after the long blight of the 2015 franc appreciation shock. Impacts Private consumption should improve after stagnating in 2015-16, benefiting from the labour market recovery. Low interest rates are likely to boost private investment. Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering, electrics and the watch-making industry are likely to benefit from the expected revival in exports. Inflation is likely to average around 0.4% in 2017 and 2018.

A new index to measure cost of living for expatriates in cities

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-317
Author(s):  
Khee Giap Tan ◽  
Nguyen Trieu Duong Luu ◽  
Le Phuong Anh Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Cost Of Living ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Commercial Research ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cost Of Living Index ◽  
The City

Purpose Cost of living is an important consideration for the decision-making of expatriates and investment decisions of businesses. As competition between cities for talent and capital becomes global instead of national, the need for timely and internationally comparable information on global cities’ cost of living increases. While commercial research houses frequently publish cost of living surveys, these reports can be lacking in terms of scientific rigour. In this context, this paper aims to contribute to the literature by formulating a comprehensive and rigorous methodology to compare the cost of living for expatriates in 103 world’s major cities. Design/methodology/approach A cost of living index for expatriates composed of the ten consumption categories is constructed. The results from the study covers a study period from 2005 to 2014 in 103 cities. More than 280 individual prices of 165 goods and services have been compiled for each city in the calculation of the cost of living index for expatriates. New York has been chosen as the base city for the study, with other cities being benchmarked against it. A larger cost of living index for expatriates implies that the city is more expensive for expatriates to live in and vice versa. Findings While the authors generate the cost of living rankings for expatriates for 103 cities worldwide, in this paper, the authors focus on five key cities, namely, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Zurich, as they are global financial centres. In 2013, the latest year for which data are available, Zurich was the most expensive for expatriates among the five cities, followed by Singapore, Tokyo, London and Hong Kong. These results pertain to the cost of living for expatriates, and cities compare very differently in terms of cost of living for ordinary residents, as ordinary residents follow different consumption patterns from expatriates. Originality/value Cost of living in the destination city is a major consideration for professionals who look to relocate, and organisations factor such calculations in their decisions to post employees overseas and design commensurate compensation packages. This paper develops a comprehensive and rigorous methodology for measuring and comparing cost of living for expatriates around the world. The value-addition lies in the fact that the authors are able to differentiate between expatriates and ordinary residents, which has not been done in the existing literature. They use higher quality data and generate an index that is not sensitive to the choice of base city.

Bulk and block holders herding behaviour

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-171
Author(s):  
Ganesh R. ◽  
Naresh Gopal ◽  
Thiyagarajan S.
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Institutional Investors ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Indian Market ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Block Data ◽  
Block Holders

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine industry herding among the institutional investors and to find whether their herding behaviour is intentional or unintentional. Design/methodology/approach The study uses Lakonishok et al. (1992) model to examine the presence of industry herding behaviour among institutional investors. To determine whether the herding observed is intentional or unintentional, herding measure is regressed with volatility, volume, beta and return. The period of the study is from 1 April 2005-31 March 2015. Findings The findings of the study showed that though institutional investors have herding tendency towards most of the industries, in the overall period industry herding was not significant. The herding found in some industrial sectors was linked to economic performance of those sectors in India during the period of study and hence the herding was unintentional in nature. Research limitations/implications This is the first attempt to study industry herding among institutional investors and their intent in Indian market ever since the country opened its market to foreign investors in a big way. Present study is limited to the use of only bulk/block data instead of the entire trading data for the period. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to investigate industry herding behaviour of institutional investors in the market using their bulk and block trading data. The herding observed in well performing industries has been shown to be unintentional and hence rational. The results indicate that the entry of big institutional investors, including foreign institutions into the Indian market has not destabilised the market by irrational herding.

Still focusing on the “essential 2:1”: exploring student attitudes to extra-curricular activities

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Greenbank
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Student Participation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Peer Norms ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Extra Curricular Activities ◽  
Degree Classification

Purpose – In order to compete for positional advantage in the graduate labour market students need more than a good degree classification. The evidence suggests that participation in extra-curricular activities (ECAs) can have a significant influence on labour market outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which undergraduates engage in ECAs during their studies and analyses the factors influencing their participation in such activities. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on a sample of 21 undergraduates in the Business School at a “new” university. These students completed two questionnaires in their first year of study. These were followed-up by in-depth interviews which were carried out in their first and final year of study. Findings – The study found that many of these students were not participating in ECAs because they lacked an appreciation of the value of ECAs to graduate employers. The students were also influenced by social and peer norms, especially the fact that their peers were not engaging in ECAs. Finally, the students often exhibited an extrinsic locus of control and dependency which was not conducive to engagement in ECAs. Research limitations/implications – The generalisability of the findings may be seen as limited by the fact that the study is based on a relatively small sample of students from one university. This research, however, provides detailed insights into the factors influencing student participation in ECAs and adds new perspectives to this under-researched area. Practical implications – The paper concludes by suggesting a range of inter-related approaches that higher education institutions could adopt in order to improve student participation in ECAs. These include careers education at all stages of the students’ studies; the use of unfreezing techniques in conjunction with case studies; a more substantial role for personal tutors; and the development of an institutional habitus that encourages autonomy and agency. Originality/value – Despite the importance of ECAs to graduate employers there have been relatively few studies into the factors influencing undergraduate participation in such activities.

Does tax policy fit in the portfolio of COVID-19 responses?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerrie Sadiq ◽  
Richard Krever
Keyword(s):  
Tax Policy ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Income Support ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Tax Regimes ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Tax policymakers are currently navigating a path through a delicate dialectic of macro- and micro-level policy responses to the economic dislocation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this paper is to examine initial tax measures that are aimed at helping taxpayers needing liquidity, solvency and income support. Design/methodology/approach This study undertakes a review of key tax policy responses of six jurisdictions across the globe that have similar tax regimes and virus mitigation strategies (albeit with different outcomes). Key initiatives implemented from February to April 2020 by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK are examined. Findings This study indicates that tax concessions are a crude and mostly ineffective way of assisting individuals and enterprises in difficulty. In the longer term, if the crisis prompts desirable reforms such as extending the recognition of tax losses, the income tax system will emerge fairer and more efficient. Practical implications An investigation of the short-term reforms announced relating to asset write-offs, tax deferral, tax losses and goods and services tax/value-added tax rates in light of the liquidity, income support and stimulus objectives shows that in some cases the policies may have been misguided. The findings can be used by policymakers as the basis for designing better targeted alternative non-tax responses. Originality/value Jurisdictional responses to tax policy reforms during a modern period of significant economic dislocation have yet to be documented in the literature. Specifically, this paper highlights the limitations of tax policy initiatives as a response to financial hardship.

Is it attractive to invest in alternative energy? Evidence from a five-factor Fama-French model for regional DJSI and renewable stock indexes

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Garcia-Amate ◽  
Alicia Ramírez-Orellana ◽  
Alfonso A. Rojo Ramirez
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thomson Reuters

PurposeThis study aims to examine the attractiveness of the regional Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) and several renewable energy indexes during December 31, 2010 to December 31, 2019. This study uses a risk-return analysis and a set of explanatory factors. Lastly, this study conducts a comparative analysis of these indexes with conventional indexes. Design/methodology/approachThis study uses data from Eikon, a Thomson Reuters database. To analyze the indexes’ behavior, this study uses the indexes’ annual return as of December 31 for each year. Next, this study estimates the Fama and French’s five-factor model using an ordinary least squares regression for regional DJSI and renewable energy indexes. FindingsThe results show that regional DJSIs delivered returns both above and below conventional indexes. In contrast, renewable energy indexes had high betas and negative returns, making them unattractive to investors. Practical implicationsThe results imply the need for public financing programs that support the transition to a sustainable economy and reduce risk and increase the return on private investment. Social implicationsThis study provides insights for policymakers regarding the importance of sustainability indexes in the transition to a green economy. Originality/valueThis study contributes to the growing literature on Fama and French’s five-factor model of sustainability indexes, especially in the current context characterized by intense green political changes. In particular, this study complements the few studies that have addressed the economic implications of renewable energy indexes in markets.

Prospects for the global economy in 2022

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Energy Transport ◽  
Government Intervention ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Content Type

Significance Services and investment should recover this year but all regions are vulnerable to disruptions. Many supply-side strains will persist, as will the energy, transport and labour market dislocations, which will create shortages, volatile prices and pressure for government intervention.

Community of practice: converting IT graduate students into specialists via professional knowledge sharing

Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liana Stanca ◽  
Dan-Cristian Dabija ◽  
Elena Păcurar
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Professional Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Framework

Purpose The paper aims to highlight how an applied learning framework or “community of practice” (CoP) combined with a traditional theoretical course of study enables the identification of teaching-learning processes which facilitate knowledge transfer from practitioners to graduate information technology (IT) students for quicker integration in the labour market. Design/methodology/approach CoPs are identified based on cluster analysis according to Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (1984), with data obtained through a survey. Empirical research is applied to the CoP developed within a non-formal learning framework, principal new actors being IT specialists linked to graduate IT students and teachers on a traditional university course. Graduate IT students can gain knowledge of the ideal employee and the social and emotional skills needed to integrate with the IT labour market. Findings The K-Means algorithm helps to identify clusters of graduate IT students displaying necessary knowledge acceptance behaviour to convert them into specialists. The results of the cluster analysis show different learning styles of the labour force, providing an overview of candidate selection methods and the knowledge, skills and attitudes expected by users. Research limitations/implications Although the research adds value to the existing literature on learning styles and the knowledge and core skills needed by IT specialists, it was limited to an emerging market. Originality/value The study provides a preliminary overview of graduate IT students’ attitudes from an emerging market to the re-engineering of academic learning contexts to facilitate professional knowledge transfer, converting them into IT practitioners and integrating them in the labour market of an emerging economy.

Intensifying effects of COVID-19 on economic growth, logistics performance, environmental sustainability and quality management: evidence from Asian countries

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ikram ◽  
Yichen Shen ◽  
Marcos Ferasso ◽  
Idiano D’Adamo
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Management System ◽  
Quality Management System ◽  
Iso 14001 ◽  
Iso 9001 ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services

Purpose This study aims to explore the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on exports of goods and services, logistics performance, environmental management system (ISO 14001) certification and quality management system (ISO 9001) certification in top affected Asian countries of India, Iran, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A novel grey relational analysis models’ approach is used to examine the inter-relationship between COVID-19 economic growth and environmental performance. Moreover, the authors applied a conservative (maximin) model to investigate which countries have the least intensifying affected among all of the top affected COVID-19 Asian countries based on the SS degree of grey relation values. The data used in this study was collected from multiple databases during 2020 for analysis. Findings Results indicate that the severity of COVID-19 shows a strong negative association and influence of COVID-19 on the exportation of goods and services, logistics performance, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications in all the six highly affected countries during a pandemic outbreak. Although the adverse effects of COVID-19 in exporting countries persisted until December 31, 2020, their magnitude decreased over time in Indonesia and Pakistan. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Pakistan showed comparatively better performance among the six top highly affected Asian countries due to its smart locked down strategy and prevents its economy from severe damages. While India and Iran export drastically go down due to a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Research limitations/implications The research findings produce much-required policy suggestions for leaders, world agencies and governments to take corrective measures on an emergent basis to prevent the economies from more damages and improve their logistics, environmental and quality performance during the pandemic of COVID-19. Originality/value This study develops a framework and investigates the intensifying effects of COVID-19 effects on economic growth, logistics performance, environmental performance and quality production processes.

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