SEMIFAR models introduced in Beran (1999) provide a semiparametric modelling framework that enables the data analyst to separate deterministic and stochastic trends as well as short- and long-memory components in an observed time series. A correct distinction between these components, and in...

This paper introduces new data on the term in office of central bank governors in 137 countries for 1970-2004. Our panel models show that the probability that a central bank governor is replaced in a particular year is positively related to the share of the term in office elapsed, political and...

Using panel data for 143 countries over the period 1973 - 2002, this paper empirically analyzes the influence of US aid on voting patterns in the UN General Assembly. We use disaggregated aid data to account for the fact that various forms of aid may differ in their ability to induce political...

Major DAC donors are widely criticized for weak targeting of aid, selfish aid motives and insufficient coordination. The emergence of an increasing number of new donors may further complicate the coordination of international aid efforts. On the other hand, new donors (many of which were aid...

This paper empirically analyzes the impact of aid on education for about 100 countries over the period 1970 - 2005. We estimate a system of equations to test whether and to what extent the impact of sector-specific aid on educational attainment depends on (i) the extent to which aid adds to...

By applying SEMIFAR models (Beran, 1999), we examine 'long memory' in the volatility of worldwide stock market indices. Our analysis yields strong evidence of 'long memory' in stock market volatility, either in terms of stochastic long-range dependence or in form of deterministic trends. In some...

The distinction between stationarity, difference stationarity, deterministic trends as well as between short- and long-range dependence has a major impact on statistical conclusions, such as confidence intervals for population quantities or point and interval forecasts. In this paper, recent...

Pricing of cap insurance contracts is considered for political mortgage rates. A simple stochastic process for mortgage rates is proposed. The process is based on renewal processes for modelling the length of periods with downward and upward trend respectively. Prices are calculated by...

This paper presents structural estimates for a bargaining model which nests the right-to-manage, the efficient wage bargaining, the seniority and the standard neoclassical labor demand model as special cases. In contrast to most existing models, our approach accounts for heterogeneous skill...

Dieser Beitrag stellt verschiedene ökonometrische Methoden zur Bewertung und Berechnung von Kreditausfallrisiken vor und wendet diese auf einen aus Kreditakten von sechs deutschen Universalbanken zusammengestellten Datensatz an. Im Mittelpunkt stehen dabei (i) binäre bzw. geordnete Logit- und...