in more recent years, it has become increasingly recognized that r&d; (research and development) is a key driver of economic growth, a source of innovation and change, and as such stimulates improvements in productivity and economic competitiveness. it is closely associated with knowledge and flexibility, two factors that have gained new significance as a source of competitiveness in an increas...

The goal of this paper is to examine whether IMF lending programs in the MENA region lead international lenders to perceive lower lending risks and generate moral hazard as reflected in a shift in the maturity composition of international debt toward long-term debt flows. We find that IMF credit in general generated moral hazard in MENA after the IMF large-scale rescue package to Mexico. The go...

Following the well-known approach by Adler and Dumas (1984) we evaluate the foreign exchange rate exposure of nations. Results based on data from 27 countries show that national foreign exchange rate exposures are significantly related to the current balance variables of corresponding economies. JEL Classification: G15, F31

Several cross-country studies have observed a negative correlation between inequality and interpersonal trust. Using data from 59 countries, I instrument for inequality using the relative size of the mature-aged cohort, and find that a rise in inequality reduces trust. JEL Classification: D3, D7

This paper is concerned with the role of the output-capital ratio in growth models. In the first part we highlight the behaviour of the output-capital ratio along the balanced growth path in the models of Solow (1956) and Romer (1986). In the second part we assess the stability of the ratio for some industrial countries. JEL classification: O40, N10

School Quality, Educational Attainment and Aggregation Bias Data from 31 countries participating in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is used to estimate education production functions for reading literacy. The analysis suggests that the probability of finding statistically significant and correctly signed class size effects increases the higher the level of aggregation ...

This paper examines convergence of real GDP per capita in the selected East Asian countries and this relationship with selected Middle East countries during the period 1950-2009. The reason behind this refers to the fact that East Asia countries (including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and South Korea) have been involved in achieving success arising from regi...

Analyzing a novel dataset we find significantly positive effects of basic, and applied and experimental knowledge stocks on domestic output and productivity for a panel of 10 OECD countries. This letter updates the work of, among others, Mansfield (1980), Griliches (1986) and Adams (1990), at an international setting. JEL Classification: F12: F2: O3.

Mena is an Ena/VASP family actin regulator with roles in cell migration, chemotaxis, cell-cell adhesion, tumor cell invasion, and metastasis. Although enriched in focal adhesions, Mena has no established function within these structures. We find that Mena forms an adhesion-regulated complex with α5β1 integrin, a fibronectin receptor involved in cell adhesion, motility, fibronectin fibrillogenes...