In this paper we study how some characteristics of the topology of social networks affect the dynamics of output and inequality. Our main findings are: I) symmetric networks with ``strong ties'' produce higher output and lower inequality than asymmetric networks; II) the introduction of ``weak...

Effective monitoring of a minimum wage, requires that establishments potentially paying low wages are effectively identified. This paper investigates the identification of establishments paying low wages prior to the introduction of the British National Minimum Wage in 1999, through the...

The paper proposes a method that solves the non-monotonic power problem of a family of structural changes in mean tests based on an orthonormal series filtering of the error process before estimating variance of the test statistics. This method yields a consistent estimator for the variance...

We provide evidence that higher moments of the relative price distribution improve out-of-sample forecasts of inflation. Further, we show how theoretically consistent higher moments can be calculated by expanding the seminal work by Theil (1967). Results presented here are of direct relevance to...

We develop extensions of the variance-ratio statistic for testing the hypothesis a time series is uncorrelated and investigate their finite-sample performance. The tests employ an estimator of the asymptotic covariance matrix of the sample autocorrelations that is consistent under the null for...

The policies related to regional economic activity developed by European Union (EU) and the role played by regions as economic subject have determined a bigger set of disaggregated statistics at macroeconomic level. The methodologies used nowadays by the Italian national institute of statistics...

This paper analyses the asymptotic and finite sample implications of different types of nonstationary behavior among the dependent and explanatory variables in a linear spurious regression model. We study cases when the nonstationarity in the dependent and explanatory variables is deterministic...

This paper studies a Monte Carlo algorithm for computing distributions of state variables when the underlying model is a Markov process. It is shown that the $L_1$ error of the estimator always converges to zero with probability one, and often at a parametric rate. A related technique for...

A number of studies have documented a reduction in aggregate macroeconomic volatility beginning in the early 1980s. Using an empirical model of business cycles, we extend this line of research to state-level employment data, find significant heterogeneity in the timing and magnitude of the...

Non-linear modeling approaches, including Smooth Transition Autoregressive (STAR) models, have attracted a great deal of attention over the last two decades. The empirical application of these models, however, is not always a straightforward task. In particular, parameter estimation and...