Suchergebnisse

In this paper, we investigate the performance of a panel data stationarity test when cross-sectional correlation is modelled by a time-specific factor. Size distortions, that occurs especially when the number of cross sections is small, are documented. To eliminate these distortions, a new set of critical values is supplied. When investigating the rejection frequency under the alternative hypothesis, it is found that the panel data stationarity test that uses the supplied critical values maintain good power characteristics even when only a subset of the cross-sectional units have a unit root.

In this paper, we study the effects of fiscal policy during different fiscal policy regimes. More specifically, we investigate how different factors, such as size, duration and composition of fiscal changes, can alter the effects of fiscal policy on private consumption. Using an unbalanced panel of 19 OECD countries during the period 1960-2000, we find that transfer changes are believed to be permanent during fiscal contractions. Hence, it is more likely that an expansionary fiscal contraction will occur if the government cuts transfers. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for specific circumstances, such as the debt and deficit position, when studying expansionary fiscal contractions. The results also indicate that expansionary fiscal contractions are likely to come at a considerable social cost.

In this paper, we elaborate on the notion of effective consumption and its role in determining the outcome of fiscal changes. More specifically, we investigate whether government consumption, by acting either as a complement or a substitute to private consumption, can help explain the non-Keynesian effects of fiscal policy that have been previously documented. We let the periods, where government consumption has acted as a complement or a substitute to private consumption, constitute different regimes. By using econometric methodologies that allow the these regimes to be determined both exogenously and endogenously, we find that the notion of effective consumption can assist in understanding the non-Keynesian effects of fiscal policy that have been documented in Denmark, Ireland and Sweden.

Recently, it has been suggested that the effect of government expenditure on private consumption is dependent on the level of public debt. More specifically, a higher public debt implies a less Keynesian response in private consumption. In this paper we investigate if this theory is supported by Swedish data 1970-1997 by estimating a consumption function allowing for time-varying parameters. Our main finding is that the effect of government expenditure has become less Keynesian over time. This coincides with a large increase in public debt, lending support to the theoretical predictions.