XREAP2017-15: Eco-strategies and firm growth in European SMEs

This study investigates the effects of eco-strategies on firm performance in terms of sales growth in an extensive sample of 11,336 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in 28 European countries. Our empirical results suggest that not all eco-strategies are positively related to better performance, at least not in the short term. We find that European companies using renewable energies, recycling or designing products that are easier to maintain, repair or reuse perform better. Those that aim to reduce water or energy pollution, however, seem to show a negative correlation to firm growth. Our results, also, indicate that high investment in eco-strategies improves firm growth, particularly in new members that joined the EU from 2004 onwards. Finally, we observe a U-shaped relationship between eco-strategies and firm growth, which indicates that a greater breadth of eco-strategies is associated with better firm performance. However, few European SMEs are able to either invest heavily or undertake multiple eco-strategies, thus leaving room for policy interventions.

Jové-Llopis, E. (GRIT, XREAP); Segarra-Blasco, A. (GRIT, XREAP)

XREAP2017-15.pdf

XREAP2017-14: Housing booms and busts and local fiscal policy

This paper examines how local governments adjust their spending, savings and taxes in response to a temporary revenue windfall generated by a housing boom and how they cope with the inevitable shortfall that appears during the bust. We focus on Spanish local governments given the intensity of the last housing boom-bust experienced there and the large share of construction-related revenues they obtain. We find, first, that just a small share of the boom windfall was saved, with revenues being used primarily to increase spending (above all, current spending) and (to a lesser extent) cut taxes. Second, we find that the failure to save during the boom is higher in places with less informed voters and more contested elections. Third, we also examine what happens during the bust, and find that these governments had to cut abruptly their spending (above all, capital), raise taxes, and allow deficits to grow. Finally, in places wit less informed voters and more contested elections local governments had more trouble in adjusting during the bust, and they tend to rely more on spending cuts than on tax increases.

Solé-Ollé, A. (IEB, XREAP); Viladecans-Marsal, E. (IEB, XREAP)

XREAP2017-14.pdf

Seminars on public sector reform and its research challenges

Seminars on public sector reform and its research challenges

Barcelona 20st December 2017

Organized by

Research Group on Governments and Markets (GiM-UB)
Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada i Pública (XREAP)
Càtedra Pasqual Maragall d’Economia i Territori
Observatori d’Anàlisi I Avaluació de Polítiques (OAP/UB)

Venue: Sala de Seminaris 1 (ERE)

15:00 “Inter-municipal cooperation and local service delivery under a extremely fragmented municipal structure” Daniel Klimovsky (Masaryk University, Czech Republic)

15:45 “Big Data: A Transformational Shift for Government: So, What Next for Research?” Marc Esteve. (University College London, United Kingdom)

XREAP2017-13: The Effects of Immigration on NHS Waiting Times

This paper analyzes the effects of immigration on waiting times for the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Linking administrative records from Hospital Episode Statistics (2003-2012) with immigration data drawn from the UK Labour Force Survey, we find that immigration reduced waiting times for outpatient referrals and did not have significant effects on waiting times in accident and emergency departments (A&E) and elective care. The reduction in outpatient waiting times can be explained by the fact that immigration increases natives’ internal mobility and that immigrants tend to be healthier than natives who move to different areas. Conversely, we observe higher outpatient waiting times in places to which native internal migrants have moved. Finally, we find evidence that immigration increased waiting times for outpatient referrals in more deprived areas outside of London. The increase in average waiting times in more deprived areas is concentrated in the years immediately following the 2004 EU enlargement and disappears in the medium term (e.g., 3 to 4 years).

Giuntella, O., Nicodemo, C. (GEAP, XREAP), Vargas Silva, C.

XREAP2017-13.pdf

XREAP2017-12: Immigration and the Reallocation of Work Health Risks

This paper studies the effects of immigration on the allocation of occupational physical burden and work injury risks. Using data for England and Wales from the Labour Force Survey (2003-2013), we find that, on average, immigration leads to a reallocation of UK-born workers towards jobs characterized by lower physical burden and injury risk. The results also show important differences across skill groups. Immigration reduces the average physical burden of UK-born workers with medium levels of education, but has no significant effect on those with low levels. These findings, together with the evidence that immigrants report lower injury rates than natives, suggest that the reallocation of tasks could reduce overall health care costs and the human and financial costs typically associated with workplace injuries.

Giuntella, O., Mazzonnay, F., Nicodemo, C. (GEAP, XREAP), Vargas Silva, C.

XREAP2017-11.pdf