Does fractionalization change over time? If so, are there any substantial implications foreconomic performance? To answer such questions, we construct a new panel data set withfractionalization measures for 26 former communist countries covering the period from 1989to 2002...

Information and communication technologies are transforming economies and societies around the world. In this respect, E-Commerce has the capability to build a new global economy. That is why government, industries, non-profit-organisations, trade unions and consumers would like to come together...

Recent organizational theories suggest that there is a tradeoff between loyalty and competence. This paper tests several such theories in the context of public agencies. Prime ministers, chancellors, and kings alike need to secure the (efficient or inefficient) loyalty of their agencies, such as...

Two recent failures of the United States intelligence system have led to thecreation of high-level investigative commissions. The failure to prevent theterrorist attacks of 9/11 prompted the creation of the 9/11 Commission, andthe mistaken belief that Saddam Hussein had retained weapons of...

This paper investigates whether the industrial relations climate inIndian states has affected the pattern of manufacturing growthin the period 1958-92. We show that states which ammendedthe Industrial Disputes Act in a pro-worker direction experiencedlowered output, employment, investment and...

This paper examines the effect of global transition to simpler, flatter income tax systems onthe size of the shadow economy. By offering a new estimation framework, the paper revivesthe traditional electricity consumption approach to measuring the shadow economy. Itovercomes the limitations of...

The report describes the current developments of the German market for Non Performing Loans/Distressed Debt as it is influenced by the financial crisis/credit crunch. Furthermore the sale of (small and medium sized) real estate portfolios since summer 2007 is analysed in more detail.

The work report first describes the current developments on the German market for nonperformingloans, which after its peak in spring 2007 is now also affected by the financialcrisis. The sale of small and medium-size portfolios is described within the scope of a casestudy. Furthermore, the...