João César das Neves

Business Cycles in a Small Open Economy

This paper discusses a dynamic model that is consistent with the main empirical regularities of economic fluctuations in open economies. While other models in this class have relied on non-separable preferences or finite horizons to generate a realistic consumption volatility, we show that there is a simple class of time separable preferences that is consistent with the cyclical volatilities of the components of the national income accounts identity as well as with the countercyclical character of the balance of trade.

Business Cycles in Portugal: Theory and Evidence

The main objective of this article is to describe the most important features of business cycles in Portugal during the period 1958-1989. We compare these features with the empirical regularities of economic fluctuations in other OECD countries and with the predictions of two benchmark dynamic general equilibrium models.

Investment Prices and Exchange Rates: Some Basic Facts

This paper documents four basic facts about investment goods and investment prices. First, investment has a very significant nontradable component in the form of construction services. Second, distributions services (wholesaling, retailing, and transportation) are much less important for investment than for consumption. Third, the import content of investment is much larger than that of consumption. Finally, in the aftermath of three large devaluations, the rate of exchange rate pass-through is, perhaps not surprisingly, highest for imported equipment and lowest for construction services. (JEL: F41) Copyright (c) 2004 The European Economic Association.

The Work Environment Scale: Baseline Data for Dental Schools

Comparisons of data from 298 preclinical and 104 clinical dental students in 1981 and 1982 on the Work Environment Scale are significant for Staff Support, Task Orientation, Work Pressure, and Clarity. Test results have been used to understand how students perceive their work environment. Baseline data should facilitate decisions about work environments.

Prediction of Group Priorities from Individual Priority Information

Abstract An experiment is reported where individual priority information was used to predict the priority information generated by a group of these individuals. The results suggest that knowledge of the individual priority information is useful in predicting the alternative most favored. The individual information is helpful to predict various other arrangements of the priority rankings about half the time. All of the predictions out perform the chance prediction.

Poverty equilibrium—An introductory systemic analysis

Abstract This paper represents an attempt to clarify the field of the studies concerning the poor stagnant economy. Using systemic analysis the original theories are reformulated in such a way as to highlight their similarities and dynamic structure. The works of Ragnar Nurkse, Gunnar Myrdal, John K. Galbraith and Harvey Leibenstein are presented as components of a general theory of stagnation at low incomes. The paper ends with an attempt to formulate a ‘modern version’ of the theory, using the ‘chaotic dynamics approach’ to depict the situation. The main purpose of this paper is to ‘formulate’ the concept or, in other words, to clarify mathematically the hypothesis in order to test it. The building of the empirical tests and of economic models to explain it is treated in other papers.