This paper examines the determinants of financial dollarization in transition economies from a short-run perspective. Using monthly data of deposit and loan dollarization we study the drivers of short-term fluctuations in dollarization and test their importance at different levels of...

We examine business cycle synchronizations between the euro area and the recently acceded EU and currently negotiating countries. Strong evidence is uncovered of time-variation in the degree of comovement between the cyclical components of monthly industrial production indicators for each of...

We examine whether loan dollarization is contagious across countries and, if so, what factors contribute to such spillover effects. We analyze a unique monthly data set of loan dollarization for 23 transition economies. Using a flexible regime-switching model, we simultaneously test for shift...

Using a GARCH model we provide evidence that higher inflation uncertainty leads to higher inflation in the new European Union (EU) member states and candidate countries only prior to EU accession. During EU accession and entry inflation uncertainty has no effect on mean inflation. This result...

We analyze the causal effects of real and nominal macroeconomic uncertainty on inflation and output growth and examine whether these effects vary with the level of inflation and location on the business cycle. Employing a bivariate Smooth Transition VAR GARCH-M model for the G7 countries during...

This study extends the dynamic conditional correlation model to allow day-specific correlations of shocks across international stock markets. The properties of the resulting periodic dynamic conditional correlation (PDCC) model are examined, with the model then applied to study the intra-week...

We study the importance of the local elite as a determinant of the effectiveness of foreign aid in developing countries. An "extractive" elite will misuse aid ?ows, an issue that is probably as old as foreign aid itself. We proxy for the existence of an "extractive" elite by using an...

This paper studies optimal direct and indirect taxation in an endogenous growth framework with a productive public good and costly tax collection. Optimal (growth-maximizing) tax rules are derived under exogenous collection costs. The optimal direct-indirect tax ratio is shown to be negatively...

This paper investigates the impact of institutions on the dollarization of the domestic banking system by using a unique policy experiment: the accession process of countries to the European Union (EU). Using a dynamic factor model, we decompose fluctuations in financial dollarization for 24...

This paper empirically examines the determinants of organized crime and of common crime in a panel of Italian regions over the period 1983-2003. In line with the literature, these factors include economic, socio-demographic, and crime-deterrence indicators. The analysis shows that both organized...