Louis J. Pantuosco, Darrell Parker and Gary Stone
Two measures of economic activity are unemployment rates and employment-to-population ratios. Both measures provide policy-makers with information regarding local labor markets. Typically the unemployment rate has been the measure of choice. We estimate a simultaneous equations model to determine the factors that impact both measures. We focus on two variables that are influenced by state policy officials, unemployment insurance and welfare generosity. It is determined that both factors affect state unemployment rates and employment-to-population ratios. From a state level perspective, it is important to view both labor market measures to evaluate the appropriateness of the proposed policy. A policy guideline is provided to accommodate government officials in this process. (E24, E62)
Subarna K. Samanta and Ali H. M. Zadeh
This paper provides an empirical analysis of the adjustment process that exists in the foreign exchange market, especially, between spot exchange rates and forward exchange rates. This paper uses monthly observations of Canadian and U.S. dollar exchange rates for the period of 1973-1994. Employing the threshold auto-regression and threshold co-integration methodologies; our findings indicate the presence of a strong asymmetric adjustment process. This adjustment process is more persistent when the exchange rate differential is positive. Although, we have found the existence of a weak threshold co-integrating relationship between the current spot rates and expected future rates, the error correction estimation does not provide us with any conclusive inference about the process of adjustment. These results imply that the Central Bank of Canada may formulate a more appropriate policy regarding intervention in the foreign exchange market (F31, C22)
Steven W. Dickey
In this paper, the topic of student evaluation of instruction has been addressed with a new approach. Student behavior in reporting on evaluation instruments was analyzed using a model based on utility and opportunity cost. This model carried a set of hypotheses that represent a large group of instructor preconceptions regarding student evaluation of instruction. Surprisingly, most of these preconceptions were not supported by the data. Students were not found to shift responsibility away from themselves nor were they found to be myopic in their evaluation of instruction. (A2, A22)
Janice Yee
The economic conditions facing women in the Peoples' Republic of China have changed markedly in the years since the founding of the country in 1949. This paper provides a survey of women's conditions and finds that contradictions remain between the constitutional mandate of equality for women and the reality of unequal opportunities available to women. Although women's economic status has improved since 1949, future improvements will depend upon how well economic policies are able to deal with the structural inequalities that exist between rural and urban areas as well as the national perceptions of the nature of women's work. (I30, J16, O530)
Christian Dreger, Olaf Fuchs and Jürgen Kolb
This paper deals with the effect of a reduction of weekly working time on employment. Often working time reduction is proposed to stimulate employment. We investigate this hypothesis for West German industrial branches using annual data from 1960 to 1995. The analysis is carried out by the means of panel econometric methods. The results suggest that a reduction of a weekly working time has no impact on the level of employment. Moreover, we identify a rise in the firm's demand for overtime hours as one reason for this outcome. (C23, J23)
Thomas R. Ireland
This paper considers the narrow question of whether, in a wrongful death context, the right of survivors to recover damages should be based on gross family income and household production or be limited to the income and household production of a decedent. It focuses on the interface between forensic economics and the literature of family economics. It suggests that the family bargaining literature could address measurement questions that are important to forensic economics. (J2, K4)