Value at risk (VaR) has become a standard measure of portfolio risk over the last decade. It even became one of the corner stones in the Basel II accord about banks' equity requirements. Nevertheless, the practical application of the VaR concept suffers from two problems: how to estimate VaR and...

Modern (endogenous) growth theory tells us that knowledge spillovers are crucial for the growth of high-income economies. Against this background the paper provides a survey of theoretical and empirical findings highlighting the question of how geographically limited knowledge diffusion can help...

This paper discusses the role of foreign exchange interventions in the inflation-targeting regime, focusing on the Czech experience since 1998. It concludes that the case for foreign exchange interventions is not clear in an inflation targeting regime both from the theoretical and empirical...

This note updates and revises the estimates provided in Sutherland, Sefton and Piachaud (2003) (SSP henceforth) of the likely reduction in poverty rates by 2004-5 - the Government's target year for reducing child poverty by one quarter - and of the impact of policy changes since 1997 on poverty.

- Weltweit nehmen Kohle-, Öl- und Erdgasvorräte ab, der Energiebedarf dagegen steigt dramatisch an. Regenerative Energien mindern zwar die steigenden Klimagefahren, können aber unseren zukünftigen Energiebedarf in Ballungszentren kaum decken. Nach Einschätzung zahlreicher Experten gehört...

As a rule, economic models assume that economic agents are rational and maximise their utility. Experimental economic research in particular attempts to verify this assumption under artificial conditions using laboratory tests. Experiment results must be carefully interpreted, as laboratory...

Non-renewable energy sources are becoming depleted. Air and water (our environment) are precious and will be under increased jeopardy without effective energy and environmental policies. A hydrogen technology based upon solar energy represents a viable solution to these problems. Silicon...

Ausgehend von neueren Befunden über die unzureichende Treffsicherheit und zunehmende Verzerrtheit der Konjunkturprognosen des Sachverständigenrats und eines führenden Wirtschaftsforschungsinstituts in den Jahren nach 1989 wird der These nachgegangen, dass staatlich finanzierte...

Nations compete for investment capital, and the assurances investors seek as they decide to provide that capital are universal. Motivated by the growing appetite for a global benchmark of corporate behaviour, this paper examines the relationship between the measured quality of corporate...

Volkswirtschaftliche Modelle unterstellen im Regelfall rationale, nutzenmaximierende Wirtschaftssubjekte. Insbesondere die experimentelle Wirtschaftsforschung versucht mit Hilfe von Laborexperimenten – also unter künstlichen Bedingungen -, diese Verhaltensannahme zu verifizieren bzw. zu...