The question that this paper raise in this paper is how to choose the best mix of countries to diversify internationally? They compare several methods of asset allocation from a Swiss perspective over the period 1988-2001.

The seminal study by Fama and MacBeth (1973) initiated a stream of papers testing for the cross-sectional relation between return and risk. The debate wether beta is a valid measure of risk has been renimated by Fama and French (1992) and subsequent studies.(...)

In 2000 commentators everywhere were hailing the boom in some western economies as the dawn of a new economy. In 2001, with a slowdown biting in the US economy, dot.coms folding and information and communications technology firms feeling the pinch globally, the headline writers have swung the...

What is driving recent growth in OECD countries? Why is it that their levels of GDP per capita are no longer converging? Why is it that some countries, operating at the technological frontier, where advances are difficult, appear to be widening the gap? Whether or not it is appropriate to speak...

Foreword; Acknowledgements; Table of contents; Reader's guide; Acronyms and abbreviations; Executive summary; Chapter 1. A framework for measuring regional and local well-being; Introduction: Why measure well-being on a regional level?; A framework for measuring regional well-being; Measuring...

How’s life? The answer can depend on the region in which you live. Many factors that influence people’s well-being are local issues, such as employment, access to health services, pollution and security. Policies that take into account regional differences beyond national averages can...