In this paper, we analyze how to utilize discount rates in intergenerational projects. Firstly, neoclassical decision-making is depicted in Ramsey and overlapping-generations models (OLG-models). Afterwards we investigate the utilization of time preference rates and opportunity cost rates in an...

This paper analyses the choice of an inter-generational discount rate as well as a method for inter-generational discounting. It is shown that the pure time preference rate is irrelevant for inter-generational comparisons. However, the application of the growth time preference rate - with...

The polychoric correlation is an ML estimator for the correlation parameter between two latent variables. Each latent variable is only observed as an ordered categorical indicator. This estimator is based on an assumption on the joint distribution for the latent variables which in this case is...

This paper investigates the effects of ordinal regressors in linear regression models. Each ordered categorical variable is interpreted as a rough measurement of an underlying continuous variable as it is often done in microeconometrics for the dependent variable. It is shown that using ordinal...

Using newly available data at the firm level, this study provides convincing evidence of the importance of financial constraints in explaining the timing of innovations in the German services sector. Based on a dynamic model of firms' optimal R&D behavior under financial constraints, we estimate...

Ecological damages have to be evaluated in monetary terms for implementation in an economic analysis. Economic theory is based upon individual preferences (methodological individualism): Ecological damages can only be socially evaluated when individual values are available. However, in sharp...

Der vorliegende Beitrag unterzieht den ETA einer kritischen Analyse hinsichtlich seiner Annahmen und Eigenschaften, der technischen Realisation und der Entscheidungsrelevanz für eventuelle Adressaten. Abschnitt 2 dient zunächst der Abgrenzung unterschiedlicher Effektivsteuerkonzeptionen und...

This paper investigates the sustainability of the German economy when reaching the Kyoto emissions reduction target. We use a special intergenerational discounting technique which actually takes into account intergenerational peculiarities in an overlapping generations modeling framework which...