We analyse patterns of national R&D and patenting activity across developed countries, accounting for factors that may impact on small, distant countries. Once we control for the effects of economic size, distance, sectoral composition and firm size, New Zealand is not an outlier in its per...

This paper examines the firm-level determinants of foreign acquisitions of New Zealand companies, and the consequences for both purchased firms and the workers within those firms. We follow a combined propensity score matching and difference-in-difference approach to identify and address...

This paper analyses the likely length of the economic downturn currently being experienced in many Asian countries following their financial crises. Past international experience following financial crises is examined, and data is marshalled to demonstrate the severity of the “credit crunch”...

Land taxes are known to be amongst the most efficient forms of taxation, as land is an immobile factor; property (capital value) taxes are less efficient owing to the tax on improvements. However there is little international (or New Zealand) evidence regarding the distributional impacts of land...

The work of Gwartney, Holcombe and Lawson (GHL, 1998) has been cited in New Zealand to demonstrate that a larger government share of GDP is detrimental for economic growth. Their work is reassessed here. We find a number of omissions in their analysis that lead to a considerable over-statement...

We place regional industry structures at centre stage in currency union analysis, decomposing differences between regional and aggregate cycles into “industry structure” and “industry cycle” effects. The industry structure effect indicates whether a region's industry structure causes its...

We examine the transmission of shocks between New Zealand and two regions of Australia, focusing on the role of the New Zealand-Australia cross exchange rate in mediating adjustment. The cross rate plays an equilibrating role in response to shocks impacting on New Zealand and to shocks impacting...

Why do some countries and regions have higher capital intensity than others? This question is at the heart of economic development analyses since capital intensity, per capita incomes and welfare are closely linked. We develop a two-sector general equilibrium model relevant to small open...