This study investigates the dynamics of fiscal policy and economic stabilization using a panel dataset from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) sourced World Development Indicators (WDI) between 1985 2019. The utilized vector error correction model (VECM) rather than autoregression (PVAR) after ascertaining presence cointegrating equations (existence long-run relationships). Also, both homogenous heteroge...

This paper explains why some employees who favor unionization fail to join, and why others who wish to abandon union membership continue paying dues. Our explanation is based on a model where employees incur switching (search) costs when attempting to abandon (acquire) union membership. Empirical analysis for Britain confirms one of the main predictions from the switching-cost-model that segmen...

Though Hamilton's (1989) Markov switching model has been widely estimated in various contexts, formal testing for Markov switching is not straightforward. Univariate tests in the classical framework by Hansen (1992) and Garcia (1998) do not reject the linear model for GDP. We present Bayesian tests for Markov switching in both univariate and multivariate settings based on sensitivity of the pos...

This paper empirically compares the Markov-switching and stochastic volatility diffusion models of the short rate. The evidence supports the Markov-switching diffusion model. Estimates of the elasticity of volatility parameter for single regime models unanimously indicate an explosive volatility process, while the Markov-switching models estimates are reasonable. We find that either Markov-swit...

Scandinavian countries are often portrayed in policy debates as model examples having shown how to square concerns for efficiency and equity. The core principle of the Scandinavian welfare model is an individual entitlement to public sector provisions combined with collective financing via taxes. However, a high employment rate is needed to ensure financial viability of this model. The Scandina...

We study the design of optimal monetary policy under uncertainty in a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models. We use a Markov jump-linear-quadratic (MJLQ) approach to study policy design, approximating the uncertainty by different discrete modes in a Markov chain, and by taking mode-dependent linear-quadratic approximations of the underlying model. This allows us to apply a powerful meth...

Research from models allowing for heterogeneity in asset endowments and endogenously chosen …scal policy suggests a positive link between income inequality and both capital taxes and polarisation. However, while the second prediction receives empirical support, capital tax rates are negatively related with inequality in the data for OECD democracies. Using the basic neoclassical model with capi...