A large number of European countries still cope with historically high unemployment rates. One line of research that has been followed to explain European unemployment and the differences among European countries is the impact labour market institutions. One important channel through which...

This paper considers the effects of central bank independence, labor market institutions and the political partisanship on economic performance. In particular, we test if the partisanship of the government and the degree of central bank independence affect the relationship between labor market...

In this paper a semiparametric stochastic metafrontier approach is used to obtain insight into firmlevel competitiveness in Europe. We differ from standard TFP studies at the firm level as we simultaneously allow for inefficiency, noise and do not impose a functional form on the input-output...

Using firm-level data for Belgium, we study the validity of Hicks neutrality in several sectors that cover the spectrum of knowledge intensity. We find that Hicks neutrality is clearly not supported by the data in different sectors. The results are not sensitive to altering the specification of...

This paper tests whether reform reversals during transition carry an economic cost. Reform is measured by an average reform index, while reform reversals are characterized by a drop in the average reform index. In the standard empirical framework the current level of reform affects growth...

We analyze productivity spillovers from MNC subsidiaries to domestic Romanian companies, both within (horizontal spillovers) and across industries (vertical spillovers). We separate labor market spillovers from other horizontal spillovers and define the supply-backward linkage spillover that...

This paper investigates the integration of internationalisation in terms of import competition and export intensity at the industry level into the FDI spillover framework for a panel of Romanian manufacturing firms. Whereas the FDI spillover discussion is framed in terms of the presence of...

We analyse how the choice of reform speed, foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth affect one another. New reforms affect economic growth negatively, whereas the level of past reform leads to higher growth and attracts FDI. We simulate the impact of big bang and gradualist strategies...