The Laplace mixture distribution for stock share returns is derived from conditional N(0, sigma-squared) distribution. The conditioning variable, sigma-squared, is assumed to be an exponentially distributed random variable. This offers a natural stochastic interpretation of the risk involved...

The socio-economic impacts of microcredits on women's welfare were studied in northeastern South Africa using a qualitative semi-structured interviewing method. The study focuses particularly on the benefits, disadvantages and challenges obtained from The Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF)...

Realized stock return volatility is modelled with a distribution based on the Laplace distribution. The moment properties of suggested volatility distribution, η(σ|λ), are derived. The properties of distribution correspond to the empirical regularities found in the finance literature....

Enterprises in post-socialist and transition economies often participate in providing infrastructure and social services to the surrounding community which in the Russian legal setting should be local authorities’ responsibility. We propose that this bundling of social and infrastructure goods...

A non-parametric time series testing is suggested to analyse the convergence of international output per-capita gaps. Non-parametric tests are based on signs and ranks of time series properties of output differences. The methods are applied to logs of USA percapita income differences for 16 OECD...

A framework based on a linear deterministic trend function is introduced in order to model growth convergence. The approach is a practical solution to the nonlinearity and nonstationarity found in the convergence of output-per-capita gaps between the USA and 14 OECD countries in 1946-1997....

This paper investigates an empirical econometric panel data model in order to test deregulation and regional market structure effects on district heating prices in Finland for period 1996-2002. The data was collected from 76 district heating firms throughout Finland. Special emphasis is placed...

This paper discusses risky and uncertain decision-making in the framework of gambling. The well-known anomaly of favourite-longshot bias is considered. We argue that gambling behaviour can be seen as consumption. Thus, gambling behaviour is more than a risky choice. It is reasonable to assume...