Financing Constraints and Corporate Growth

This paper analyses the dynamic investment and growth prospects of a financially constrained firm. Three types of financing constraints are examined: internal finance, debt ceiling and exponential interest costs. To study the growth dynamics of firms subject to the above constraints, numerical solutions, for assigned parameter values, are provided using the reverse shooting Runge-Kutta algorithm. The simulation results suggest that the firm"s real and financial variables are highly correlated for constrained firms, as the optimal policy of these businesses is to over-invest in capital in the initial years, and then deplete this excess capacity in future periods. This, however, results in slower rates of growth for the constrained firm, and for entities facing a debt ceiling, greater rates of fluctuation in their rates of expansionFinancing Constraints, Corporate Growth

Foreign direct investment and tourism in SIDS: evidence from panel causality tests

This study applies panel causality methods to investigate the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and tourism in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The results of the homogenous and instantaneous causality tests suggest that there is a bi-directional causal relationship between the variables. However, this causality is not homogenous for the group of countries. Indeed, heterogeneous causality procedures indicate that there exists a bi-directional causal relationship for only a small set of countries. For the most part, the causal relationship runs from FDI to tourism, implying that FDI provides much needed capacity for SIDS and therefore allows these countries to expand their tourism product.Tourism, FDI, Panel causality tests

A sectoral analysis of Barbados’ GDP business cycle

This paper has two main objectives. Firstly, to establish and characterise a reference cycle (based on real output) for Barbados over the quarterly period 1974-2003 using the Bry and Boschan algorithm. Secondly, to link this aggregate output cycle to the cycles of the individual sectors that comprises real output. The overriding conclusions are that the cycles of tourism and wholesale and retail closely resembles that of the aggregate business cycle, while the non-sugar agriculture and fishing cycle is acyclical.Barbados; Gross Domestic Product, Business Cycle

Foreign direct investment and corruption in developing economies: Evidence from linear and non-linear panel Granger causality tests

This paper determines the causal link between FDI and corruption in 42 developing countries using linear and non linear panel Granger causal methods over the period 1998 to 2009. The findings show that the outcome of the causal association depends on the method used. The linear panel methods revealed that the majority of the markets indicate a bidirectional causal link between FDI and corruption while in contrast, for the nonlinear tests, the link from FDI to corruption dominates.

Are Caribbean countries diverging or converging? evidence from spatial econometrics

After gaining political independence from the European countries and the United States, the Caribbean Basin economies have at the end of the 2000s display considerable differences in income and living standards. In this paper the concepts of convergence are used to examine whether disparities in per capita GDP of selected countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have tended to diminish or not. It was shown, based on descriptive statistical methods, and spatial statistical and econometric tests of beta-convergence and sigma-convergence that there was an absence of convergence for CARICOM countries since the early 1980s. This is so even in the OECS group which are linked in a quasi monetary union framework.Spacial Economics, Caribbean, Convergence

Does Consumer Price Rigidity Exist in Barbados?

This paper uses a unique micro data set of price records underlying the Barbados retail price index between 1994 and 2008 to provide a detailed assessment of consumer price rigidity. The major aim is to calculate price durations and the patterns of price-setting across sectors. We also check whether price cuts are as frequent as increases, and whether there is specific downward nominal rigidity. We find that prices in Barbados tend to change relatively frequently, with between 50 and 80 percent of items in every category reporting a price change every month. While there are regular monthly price reductions as well as increases, the reductions are always smaller and fewer than the increases. The paper also reports no measurable impact of changes in the money supply or national inflation on the frequency of price changes

Unemployment hysteresis in the English-speaking Caribbean: evidence from non-linear models

In the Caribbean Basin, as in many other parts of the world, unemployment, with rates between 15 and 30 percent, has become one of the major problems affecting these societies. This article highlights the specific characteristics of Caribbean unemployment, contrasting them with those observed in the industrialized and developed nations. Secondly, it summarizes the main ideas that have been proposed to explain the problem of unemployment hysteresis and discusses their appropriateness in the case of the countries under consideration. Finally, it uses the framework of threshold models and processes with nonlinearities in the mean to empirically examine the hypothesis of hysteresis. The results supported these non- linear specifications: for Barbados, an LSTAR model is preferred while in the case of Trinidad and Tobago, an ESTAR specification is selected.Unemployment persistence, Unit root tests, Non-linear models

Loan loss provisioning in the commercial banking system of Barbados: practices and determinants

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the process of loan loss provisioning within the commercial banking system of Barbados. It uses questionnaires and interviews to ascertain how banks set their provisional standards and levels. In addition, the results from this approach reveal, for the first time in Barbados, the individual banks‟ procedures for loan loss provisioning. An evaluation of the impact of macroeconomic and bank specific factors on commercial banks‟ provisions utilising panel dynamic ordinary least squares is also undertaken. Both sets of factors are found to influence the level of provisions. In particular, loan loss provisions are heavily dependent upon the performance of the real economy and competition in international markets is shown to have serious implications for the banking sector in both the short and long run. Moreover, this study asserts that larger banks in Barbados are better able to screen loans and avoid defaults.Loan Loss Provisioning; Banking System; Loan Classification

Exchange rate regimes and monetary autonomy: Empirical evidence from selected Caribbean countries

This paper uses the error correcting methodology to investigate how pegged and non-pegged exchange rate regimes in a set of Caribbean countries affect the closeness of the relationship between changes in a base country rate and the local rate. This interest rate parity condition is subjected to effects arising from capital controls and common shocks related to inflation and external debt. The results support the standard theory that peg countries (like Barbados) follow the base country interest rate more closely than the managed float or flexible rate economies (such as Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica). In addition, the paper supports the open economy macroeconomic policy trilemma proposition that only two of the following goals – stability in the exchange rate, national independence in monetary policy and free capital mobility- can be achieved simultaneously.Exchange rates, Monetary policy, Error correcting mechanisms

A review of leading composite indicators: making a case for their use in Caribbean economies

In this article, three issues relating to leading composite indicators (LCI) are discussed: their importance, methods of estimation and uses by institutions worldwide. This discussion is utilised to provide lessons that could be learnt for the application of these indicators to the countries of the Caribbean. The principal message of this material is that in this geographical area, LCI would be important tools for economic decision makers to employ to forecast the future state of the economy. This option should be pursued vigorously by putting the necessary resources into developing the high frequency real sector data that is required for a successful application of the LCI methodology.Business cycles; Leading indicators