Number of found documents: 918
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Racial discrimination and lost innovation: evidence from US inventors, 1895–1925
Coluccia, D. M.; Dossi, G.; Ottinger, Sebastian
2023 - English
How can racial discrimination harm innovation? We study this question using data on US inventors linked to population censuses in 1895-1925. Our novel identification strategy leverages plausibly exogenous variation in the timing of lynchings and the name of the victims. We find an immediate and persistent decrease in patents granted to inventors who share their names with the victims of lynchings, but only when victims are Black. We hypothesize that lynchings accentuate the racial content of the victim’s name to patent examiners, who do not observe inventor race from patent applications. We interpret these findings as evidence of discrimination by patent examiners and provide evidence against alternative mechanisms. Keywords: discrimination; innovation; lynchings Fulltext is available at external website.
Racial discrimination and lost innovation: evidence from US inventors, 1895–1925

How can racial discrimination harm innovation? We study this question using data on US inventors linked to population censuses in 1895-1925. Our novel identification strategy leverages plausibly ...

Coluccia, D. M.; Dossi, G.; Ottinger, Sebastian
Národohospodářský ústav, 2023

Quantitative easing in the euro area: implications for income and wealth inequality
Stojanović, Dušan
2023 - English
This study examines how and to what extent quantitative easing of the ECB affects household income and wealth inequality in the euro area. Previous theoretical models have investigated the dynamics of inequality measures through differential access of households to financial/capital market (the portfolio rebalancing channel), neglecting the labor market differential (the earnings heterogeneity channel). Although the portfolio rebalancing channel may provide insight into wealth inequality and non-labor income inequality, this is not the case with labor (and thus total) income inequality. To be in line with the empirical evidence on labor income inequality, this study also considers segmented labor market on the basis of capital-skill complementarity in production and asymmetric real wage rigidities. When only financial market segmentation is considered, the quantitative results indicate a drop in total income inequality that is diminished over time, while wealth inequality experiences a rise that gradually becomes weaker. The introduction of the segmented labor market significantly mitigates the observed drop in total income inequality, while a rise in wealth inequality is largely amplified. Given the possible broadening of the ECB’s mandate towards distributional issues in the future, the analysis of segmented labor and financial markets can be more beneficial to the ECB as it provides a clearer picture of the inequality effects. Keywords: quantitative easing; capital-skill complementarity; asymmetric real wage rigidity Fulltext is available at external website.
Quantitative easing in the euro area: implications for income and wealth inequality

This study examines how and to what extent quantitative easing of the ECB affects household income and wealth inequality in the euro area. Previous theoretical models have investigated the dynamics of ...

Stojanović, Dušan
Národohospodářský ústav, 2023

Good vs. Bad Volatility in Major Cryptocurrencies: The Dichotomy and Drivers of Connectedness
Šíla, Jan; Kočenda, Evžen; Kukačka, Jiří; Krištoufek, Ladislav
2023 - English
Cryptocurrencies exhibit unique statistical and dynamic properties compared to those of traditional financial assets, making the study of their volatility crucial for portfolio managers and traders. We investigate the volatility connectedness dynamics of a representative set of eight major crypto assets. Methodologically, we decompose the measured volatility into positive and negative components and employ the time-varying parameters vector autoregression (TVP-VAR) framework to show distinct dynamics associated with market booms and downturns. The results suggest that crypto connectedness reflects important events and exhibits more variable and cyclical dynamics than those of traditional financial markets. Periods of extremely high or low connectedness are clearly linked to specific events in the crypto market and macroeconomic or monetary history. Furthermore, existing asymmetry from good and bad volatility indicates that information about market downturns spills over substantially faster than news about comparable market surges. Overall, the connectedness dynamics are predominantly driven by fundamental crypto factors, while the asymmetry measure also depends on macro factors such as the VIX index and the expected inflation. Keywords: Volatility; Dynamic connectedness; Asymmetric effects; Cryptocurrency Fulltext is available at external website.
Good vs. Bad Volatility in Major Cryptocurrencies: The Dichotomy and Drivers of Connectedness

Cryptocurrencies exhibit unique statistical and dynamic properties compared to those of traditional financial assets, making the study of their volatility crucial for portfolio managers and traders. ...

Šíla, Jan; Kočenda, Evžen; Kukačka, Jiří; Krištoufek, Ladislav
Ústav teorie informace a automatizace, 2023

Determinants of Financial Inclusion in Africa and OECD Countries
Kočenda, Evžen; Eshun, S. F.
2023 - English
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been identified as one of the least financially inclusive regions in the world with a huge disparity in comparison to highly financially inclusive regions. Using a dynamic panel data analysis, we explore the factors influencing financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as a benchmark. We employ the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator and assess 31 SSA and 38 OECD countries from 2000-2021. We show that the differences in trade openness, banks' efficiency, income, and remittances are some macro-level factors that explain the variation in financial inclusion levels. We highlight the importance of quality literacy policies, trade improvement with restrictions on cross-border capital flows, and a more efficient financial system to promote financial inclusion. Keywords: Financial Inclusion; Financial Inclusion Index; Sub-Saharan Africa Fulltext is available at external website.
Determinants of Financial Inclusion in Africa and OECD Countries

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been identified as one of the least financially inclusive regions in the world with a huge disparity in comparison to highly financially inclusive regions. Using a dynamic ...

Kočenda, Evžen; Eshun, S. F.
Ústav teorie informace a automatizace, 2023

Social ties at work and effort choice: experimental evidence from Tanzania
Chegere, M.; Falco, P.; Menzel, Andreas
2023 - English
Many firms hire workers via social networks. Whether workers who are socially connected to their employers exert more effort on the job is an unsettled debate. We address this question through a novel experiment with small-business owners in Tanzania. Participants are paired with a worker who conducts a real-effort task, and receive a payoff that depends on the worker’s effort. Some business owners are randomly paired with workers they are socially connected with, while others are paired with strangers. With a design that is sufficiently powered to detect economically meaningful effects, we find that being socially connected to one’s employer does not affect workers’ effort.\n Keywords: firms; hiring; productivity Fulltext is available at external website.
Social ties at work and effort choice: experimental evidence from Tanzania

Many firms hire workers via social networks. Whether workers who are socially connected to their employers exert more effort on the job is an unsettled debate. We address this question through a novel ...

Chegere, M.; Falco, P.; Menzel, Andreas
Národohospodářský ústav, 2023

Human capital affects religious identity: causal evidence from Kenya
Alfonsi, L.; Bauer, Michal; Chytilová, Julie; Miguel, E.
2023 - English
We study how human capital and economic conditions causally affect the choice of religious denomination. We utilize a longitudinal dataset monitoring the religious history of more than 5,000 Kenyans over twenty years, in tandem with a randomized experiment (deworming) that has exogenously boosted education and living standards. The main finding is that the program reduces the likelihood of membership in a Pentecostal denomination up to 20 years later when respondents are in their mid-thirties, while there is a comparable increase in membership in traditional Christian denominations. The effect is concentrated and statistically significant among a sub-group of participants who benefited most from the program in terms of increased education and income. The effects are unlikely due to increased secularization, because the program does not reduce measures of religiosity. The results help explain why the global growth of the Pentecostal movement, sometimes described a “New Reformation”, is centered in low-income communities. Keywords: human capital; economic conditions; religious denomination Fulltext is available at external website.
Human capital affects religious identity: causal evidence from Kenya

We study how human capital and economic conditions causally affect the choice of religious denomination. We utilize a longitudinal dataset monitoring the religious history of more than 5,000 Kenyans ...

Alfonsi, L.; Bauer, Michal; Chytilová, Julie; Miguel, E.
Národohospodářský ústav, 2023

Extrapolative income expectations and retirement savings
Cota, Marta
2023 - English
Why do employees’ retirement contributions gradually increase throughout their careers? This paper uses a structural life-cycle model based on household expectations data to explain workers’ retirement contribution decisions. The Michigan Survey of Consumers data shows that young households extrapolate from their recent income realizations and overstate the persistence and volatility of their future income. The structural life-cycle model with extrapolative expectations quantifies the difference in retirement contribution rates compared to rational expectations. Contrary to rational workers, extrapolative workers’ contributions match the data on retirement contributions over the life cycle. Consequently, mandating automatic enrollment yields negligible effects on retirement savings. Keywords: extrapolative expectations; forecast errors; illiquid savings Fulltext is available at external website.
Extrapolative income expectations and retirement savings

Why do employees’ retirement contributions gradually increase throughout their careers? This paper uses a structural life-cycle model based on household expectations data to explain workers’ ...

Cota, Marta
Národohospodářský ústav, 2023

Do pessimistic expectations about discrimination make minorities withdraw their effort? Causal evidence
Korlyakova, Darya
2022 - English
There is a long-standing concern that expected discrimination discourages minorities from exercising effort to succeed. Effort withdrawal could contribute to confirming negative stereotypes about minorities’ productivity and enduring disparities. This paper extends the findings of correlational research by exogenously manipulating individuals’ beliefs about discrimination against their group and exploring a causal link between perceived discrimination and individuals’ labor market behavior. For this purpose, we conduct an online experiment in the US with a diverse sample of 2,000 African Americans. We randomly assign individuals to two groups and inform one group about the frequency of discrimination against African Americans in a previous survey. To study the information effects on effort, we subsequently measure participants’ results on a math task. We document that most individuals initially overestimate discrimination against African Americans. The overestimation decreases strongly and significantly as a result of information provision. At the same time, treated individuals, males in particular, attempt and solve correctly fewer math problems compared to untreated individuals. Hence, our findings do not support the common concern that minorities’ inflated expectations about discrimination induce them to underperform. Keywords: perceived discrimination; racial minorities; effort Fulltext is available at external website.
Do pessimistic expectations about discrimination make minorities withdraw their effort? Causal evidence

There is a long-standing concern that expected discrimination discourages minorities from exercising effort to succeed. Effort withdrawal could contribute to confirming negative stereotypes about ...

Korlyakova, Darya
Národohospodářský ústav, 2022

Information, perceived returns and college major choices
Kudashvili, Nikoloz; Todua, Gega
2022 - English
Students may hold inaccurate beliefs about earnings and employment opportunities when making their education decisions. This paper analyzes the effects of information provision on student’s intended and actual college major choices in Georgia. Secondary school students in our experiment systematically overestimated the earnings and unemployment rates of college graduates. We find that 10 percent more students who received information on actual earnings and unemployment changed their actual college major choices than others. The changes in their majors are partly driven by differences in the perceived and actual unemployment rates, whereas the earning differences do not appear to play a role. We also estimate spillover effects on students who do not receive information directly, and show that they matter, but only for older students who are closer to high school graduation. Importantly, we find that the immediate changes in the intended choices are not linked to the final major choices, suggesting that measuring the effects of information on immediately expressed intentions may not be sufficient to understand how information affects actual real-life decisions. We find that both direct and indirect information provision have sizable effects on student college major choices. Keywords: college major; perceived unemployment; perceived earnings Fulltext is available at external website.
Information, perceived returns and college major choices

Students may hold inaccurate beliefs about earnings and employment opportunities when making their education decisions. This paper analyzes the effects of information provision on student’s intended ...

Kudashvili, Nikoloz; Todua, Gega
Národohospodářský ústav, 2022

Social networks and surviving the Holocaust
Bělín, M.; Jelínek, T.; Jurajda, Štěpán
2022 - English
Survivor testimonies link survival in deadly POW camps, Gulags, and Nazi concentration camps to the formation of close friendships with other prisoners. We provide statistical evidence consistent with these fundamentally selective testimonies. We study the survival of the 140 thousand Jews who entered the Theresienstadt ghetto, where 33 thousand died and from where over 80 thousand were sent to extermination camps. We ask whether an individual’s social status prior to deportation, and the availability of potential friends among fellow prisoners influenced the risk of death in Theresienstadt, the ability to avoid transports to the camps, and the chances of surviving Auschwitz. Pre-deportation social status protected prisoners in the self-administered society of the Theresienstadt ghetto, but it was no longer helpful in the extreme conditions of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Relying on multiple proxies of pre-existing social networks, we uncover a significant survival advantage to entering Auschwitz with a group of potential friends. Keywords: social status; social networks; Holocaust survival Fulltext is available at external website.
Social networks and surviving the Holocaust

Survivor testimonies link survival in deadly POW camps, Gulags, and Nazi concentration camps to the formation of close friendships with other prisoners. We provide statistical evidence consistent with ...

Bělín, M.; Jelínek, T.; Jurajda, Štěpán
Národohospodářský ústav, 2022

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