Despite of the well-known state-explosion problem, certain simple but important data-flow analysis problems known as gen/kill problems can be solved efficiently and completely for parallel programs with a shared state [7, 6, 2, 3, 13]. This paper shows that, in all probability, these surprising results cannot be generalized to significantly larger classes of data-flow analysis problems. More sp...

In this paper, I show that the increasing similarity in GDPs among OECD country pairs leads to higher bilateral trade to GDP ratios. This finding provides some support for the prediction of Helpman [J. Jpn. Int. Econ. 1 (1987) 62], whose model explains intra-industry trade that is prevalent among developed countries. I also show that Helpman’s prediction is rejected for non-OECD countries, amon...

This paper empirically evaluates whether government ideology and electoral motives influenced the growth of public health expenditures in 18 OECD countries over the 1971-2004 period. The results suggest that incumbents behaved opportunistically and increased the growth of public health expenditures in election years. Government ideology did not have an influence. These findings indicate (1) the...

Improving health care systems, while containing cost pressures, is a key policy challenge in most OECD countries. The recent economic and financial crisis has weighed heavily on fiscal positions – with gross government debt projected to exceed 100% of GDP in the OECD area by 2011 – and reinforced the need to improve public spending efficiency. Public spending on health care is one of the larges...

Many studies describe the potentially adverse impact on employment of the payroll costs of financing public pension programmes. Conventionally, empirical studies treat contributions to public pension programmes as a pure tax (in for example, calculations of the tax wedge by OECD). But this approach ignores any future rights to benefits that are perceived by contributors. In fact, public pension...

This paper studies and measures the output of sustainable (eco) innovation in the OECD area. Results are based on patent records and their use as indicators of innovation output. Two points have to be noted: First, It is of particular importance, when examining the innovation output of a broad area, which comprises of many and different countries, to identify main trends, highlight major innova...

This study employs the framework of the resource-based theory (RBT), and investigates the process by which firms can realize the potential value of their alliance management capability. In this process, co-exploration and co-exploitation are regarded as the two main strategic actions needed to leverage alliance management capability. Analyses of multisource, time-lagged data on 172 Finnish manu...

The document contains ongoing work on an OECD project that examines the role of agricultural policies in raising incomes and reducing poverty in developing countries. A key focus is on ways in which the policy recommendations that the OECD has developed for its member countries might need to be qualified in the case of lower income developing countries. The paper is divided into two parts: Part...

There are only two parts of the developing world where a massive problem of food insecurity exists, namely South Asia and Subsaharan Africa. This is where a major portion of the poor in the world reside. Increased attention to the developments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union have however diverted attention from the problems of this poor humanity. The likely short term adverse effects of ...