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AbstractThis study adopts a flexible Fourier unit‐root test proposed by Enders and Lee (2012) to revisit the tendency towards convergence in real per capita income among provinces after economic reform in China. When a data‐generating process is non‐linear, a Fourier series not only allows for the possibility of an unknown number of structural breaks with unknown forms but also allows for the use of a low‐frequency component to capture multiple changes. Contrary to what the linear statistics suggest, our results from a flexible unit‐root test indicate that China's eastern and western regions are converging to their own specific steady states.

This study sets out with the aim of determining whether there is such a thing as an optimal level of research and development (R&D) intensity within which a firm can effectively maximize its sales growth ratio. We adopt an advanced panel threshold regression model to examine the relationship between R&D intensity and the growth rate in sales based upon data on firms within the electronics industry in Taiwan. The results demonstrate that R&D intensity has a positive impact on sales growth when the level of such R&D intensity is below the threshold value, and a negative impact when the level of R&D intensity is above the threshold value.