1,720,960 research outputs found
An Econometric Analysis of the Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Africa
This paper provides an empirical analysis on the determinants of FDI inflows in Africa. The dataset used for this paper spans from 1996-2016 and involves 48 African countries. For inferential analysis the paper employs random (RE) effect model. Both structural factors and the quality of institutions and governance indices are examined. The key findings of the paper is that openness of the economy, GDP per capita and population growth have a substantial positive explanatory power over FDI in Africa. Similarly, control of corruption and political stability tend to exert a positive influence on FDI inflows in Africa. These findings provide some valuable insights into policy makers, practitioners, and foreign investors’ decision making. More so, to attract foreign investment in the less trade liberalized countries, Government policy should encourage further market liberalization. In the same vein, an effective policy on FDI in all economies should focus on improving production efficiency so as to raise GDP per capita and increase the market size. African Governments should also improve the quality of institutions and governance, especially in terms of enhancement of corruption control and political stability
The Twin Deficits Hypothesis: An Empirical Analysis for Tanzania
This paper examines the relationship between current account and government budget deficits in Tanzania. The paper tests the validity of the twin deficits hypothesis, using annual time series data for the 1966-2015 period. The paper is thought to be significant because the concept of the twin deficit hypothesis is fraught with controversy. Some researches support the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between current account deficits and fiscal deficits in the economy while others do not. In this paper, the empirical tests fail to reject the twin deficits hypothesis, indicating that rising budget deficits put more strain on the current account deficits in Tanzania. Specifically, the Vector Error Correction Model results support the conventional theory of a positive relationship between fiscal and external balances, with a relatively high speed of adjustment toward the equilibrium position. This evidence is consistent with a small open economy. To address the problem that may result from this kind of relationship, appropriate policy variables for reducing budget deficits such as reduction in non-development expenditure, enhancement of domestic revenue collection and actively fight corruption and tax evasion should be adopted. The government should also target export oriented firms and encourage an import substitution industry by creating favorable business environments
Analysis of Budget Deficits and Macroeconomic Fundamentals: A VAR-VECM Approach
Aim/purpose - This paper examines the relationship between budget deficits and selected macroeconomic variables in Tanzania for the period spanning from 1966 to 2015. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses Vector autoregression (VAR) - Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) and variance decomposition techniques. The Johansen's test is applied to examine the long run relationship among the variables under study. Findings - The Johansen's test of cointegration indicates that the variables are cointegrated and thus have a long run relationship. The results based on the VAR-VECM estimation show that real GDP and exchange rate have a negative and significant relationship with budget deficit whereas inflation, money supply and lending interest rate have a positive one. Variance decomposition results show that variances in the budget deficits are mostly explained by the real GDP, followed by inflation and real exchange rate. Research implications/limitations - Results are very indicative, but highlight the importance of containing inflation and money supply to check their effects on budget deficits over the short run and long-run periods. Also, policy recommendation calls for fiscal authorities in Tanzania to adopt efficient and effective methods of tax collection and public sector spending. Originality/value/contribution - Tanzania has been experiencing budget deficit since the 1970s and that this budget deficit has been blamed for high indebtedness, inflation and poor investment and growth. The paper contributes to the empirical debate on the causal relationship between budget deficits and macroeconomic variables by employing VAR-VECM and variance decomposition approaches
Analysis of the determinants of dividend policy: evidence from manufacturing companies in Tanzania
This paper examines the determinants of dividend policy of manufacturing companies listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange in Tanzania. Two measures of dividend policy namely, dividend yield and dividend payout are examined over the 2008-2016 period. In addition, three proxies of profitability namely return on assets ratio, return on equity ratio, and the ratio of earnings per share are applied in separate specifications. Similarly, investment opportunities are measured using the ratio of retained earnings to total assets and market to book value ratio. Other explanatory variables are liquidity, business risk, firm size, firm growth and gearing ratio. For inferential analysis, 12 regression models are specified and estimated depending on the measurements of dividend policy, profitability, and collinearity between retained earnings to total assets and market to book value ratios. Empirical results show that the determinants of dividend policy vary across the proxies of dividend policy, profitability and investment opportunities. On one hand, return on equity, retained earnings to total assets ratio, market to book value ratio, business risk and size of the firms tend to have a significant effect on dividend yield. On the other hand, liquidity, business risk, and retained earnings to total assets ratio seem to affect dividend payout. Meanwhile, return on asset ratio tends to have an effect on both dividend yield and dividend payout when excluding liquidity in the regression models. Overall, dividend yield as a measure of dividend policy and return on equity as measure of profitability provide better results. The main implication of these results is that managers should consider the major determinants of dividend yield ratio while formulating the appropriate dividend policy for a firm.</jats:p
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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