Showing papers in "Austrian Economic Quarterly in 2001"
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed different indicators to measure quality and applied these indicators to assess the position of European countries, the USA and Japan in quality competition, and evaluated the performance of these countries.
Abstract: High-wage countries can compete with low-wage competitors only by increasing productivity or by upgrading quality. Usually upgrading of quality is regarded as difficult to measure. The current study proposes different indicators to measure quality and applies these indicators to assess the position of European countries, the USA and Japan in quality competition.
18 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The European Central Bank will introduce a new estimator of the cyclical component of the general Austrian budget balance which modifies and extends the method recently developed by the OECD.
Abstract: The European Central Bank will introduce a new estimator of the cyclical component of the general Austrian budget balance which modifies and extends the method recently developed by the OECD. The estimation extracts the cyclical component from direct taxes on households, direct taxes on enterprises, indirect taxes, social security contributions, unemployment expenditures, and pension benefits. In a first step revenue and expenditure elasticities with respect to macroeconomic indicators are estimated. The second step combines elasticities with Hodrick-Prescott filtered macroeconomic indicators to compute the cyclical component of each revenue and expenditure category. The resulting cyclically adjusted budget balance for Austria compares well with figures published by other international organisations.
3 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, WIFO simulated three scenarios to establish a long-term forecast of the development of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Austria, assuming a continuation of current developments, while the Kyoto scenario reflects the effects of the Austrian strategy to counteract climate change.
Abstract: On the basis of its model of energy demand and energy conversion in Austria (DAEDALUS III), WIFO simulated three scenarios to establish a long-term forecast of the development of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The baseline scenario assumes a continuation of current developments, while the Kyoto scenario reflects the effects of the Austrian strategy to counteract climate change. The sustainability scenario is based on the adoption of international approaches to implement socially compatible measures aimed at minimising energy consumption and accelerating technological progress.
2 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The main framework for a national emissions trading system is formed by the structure of sectoral emissions and existing regulations such as taxes on energy as mentioned in this paper, which acts as an incentive for searching cost-effective ways to reduce emission and encouraging technical change and environmentally friendly technologies.
Abstract: Austria has committed itself to reducing its greenhouse gas emission by 13 percent below 1990 levels in order to meet the Kyoto targets. Incentive-based instruments, such as the trade with emission permits, could make a contribution towards achieving the overall goal of protecting the climate. Within the scope of emissions trading, players which exceed their own reduction targets can sell surplus permits and thus obtain monetary compensation. This acts as an incentive for searching cost-effective ways to reduce emission, and encouraging technical change and environmentally friendly technologies. The main framework for a national emissions trading system is formed by the structure of sectoral emissions and existing regulations such as taxes on energy.
2 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The discussion on pension reforms concentrates on parametric changes in the pension system, however, any long-term financial sustainability of old-age provision is not solely determined by the pension laws, but is also affected by the economic environment and in particular the labour market as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The discussion on pension reforms concentrates on parametric changes in the pension system. However, any long-term financial sustainability of old-age provision is not solely determined by the pension laws, but is also affected by the economic environment and in particular the labour market. The higher the employment level, the higher will be the number of contributors and the lower the pension dependency ratio. The level of participation therefore is a key factor for sustainability of the pension systems.
1 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed an economic model for the integration of CEECs in the European Union, which will give a boost to tourist traffic from the accession candidates.
Abstract: Accelerated economic growth, which is envisaged to ensue through integrating CEECs in the European Union, will give a boost to tourist traffic from the accession candidates. Additional passenger traffic will derive from the free movement of labour, which will in particular intensify commuter traffic in the eastern border regions of Austria. Similarly, citizens from the potential member countries currently working in western EU countries will use Austria's network of roads for commuting on a weekly or monthly basis and during the main holiday periods. Through the operation of the internal market, international trade by the accession states with the EU will grow. Liberalisation of cross-border truck transport will produce a strong growth in the share of road transport. Bilateral transports to and from the five Eastern Central European candidate states would, under the current projection, quadruple by 2015, and transit traffic would rise fivefold.
1 citations