An across-the-board Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) is expected to come into effect in late 2010 or later in Hong Kong. We draw on theoretical arguments for and against a SMW policy, examining empirical evidence outside Hong Kong, to suggest an agenda for empirical research. The anti-poverty...

We propose a simple, distribution-free method for pooling synthetic control case studies using the mean percentile rank. We also test for heterogeneous treatment effects using the distribution of estimated ranks, which has a known form. We propose a cross-validation based procedure for model...

Laubach and Williams (2003) employ a Kalman filter approach to jointly estimate the neutral real federal funds rate and trend output growth using an IS relationship and an output gap based inflation equation. They find a positive link between these two variables, but also much error surrounding...

Instituting an initial round of centralized wage setting before an ultimate round of decentralized wage bargaining may actually raise employment. A general multi-equilibrium model is set up with strategic complementarities in the implementation of a new technology through aggregate demand...

Focusing on the cost-reducing motive behind the use of temporary agency employment, this paper aims at providing a better theoretical understanding of the effects of temporary agency work on the wage-setting process, trade unions' rents, firms' profits and employment. It is shown that trade...