The relationship between investment and large exchange rate depreciations in dollarized economies

We use a simple financial friction in an economy with high degree of liability dollarization to show that the negative balance-sheet effect of an exchange rate depreciation may be observable only if the magnitude of the depreciation is large enough. This result justifies the difficulty to find strong empirical evidence for balance-sheet effects and suggests the convenience of including a "large depreciation" term in empirical analyses.

Understanding the Relationship between Financial Development and Monetary Policy

In this paper we summarize the results of a broad exploratory empirical analysis where we relate the level of financial development with the effectiveness of monetary policy. The analysis is based on a panel of countries for whom we calculate measures both of financial development and of monetary policy effectiveness. We look for statistically significant relationships between the indicators of financial development, the effectiveness coefficients and other macroeconomic characteristics by estimating dynamic panels and performing a cluster analysis. We present our results in the form of a list of stylized facts that we consider deserve further attention.Financial Development, Monetary Policy Effectiveness, Dynamic Panel, Empirical Measures

What Are the Factors Behind Pay Settlements? Evidence from Spanish and British Data

This article presents a study of the determinants of pay settlements in a sample of Spanish and British establishments. We find that variables such as establishment size and age, foreign ownership, labour costs, the existence of internal labour markets, a strategic approach to human resource management and pay setting institutions are related to the factors that shape pay adjustments. Moreover, our findings show that there are significant differences in the determinants of pay settlements between Spain and Great Britain. We suggest that the labour market institutions developed in each country influence pay setting decisions.compensation systems, labor market institutions, wage settlements, establishment level data

The Diffusion of Pay for Performance across Occupations

In this paper the differences in the incidence of pay for performance plans between occupations in a sample of Spanish manufacturing establishments are analyzed. Our results show that there are significant differences between occupations in the incidence of individual, group and firm or plant pay for performance plans. The roles of establishment size, multinational ownership and the human resources management department in the incidence of pay for performance plans and their variability of use across occupations within the same firm are also studied. These factors are found to correlate to a greater use of pay for performance and, in most cases, this effect is homogenous across occupations.incentives

The Process of Wage Adjustment: An Analysis Using Establishment-Level Data

This article presents a study of the influences on the factors that shape wage adjustments. The cost of living, comparability with other firms' wages, the fulfilment of collective agreements at sector level, the need to recruit and retain employees, the performance of the organisation, and the climate of industrial relations are included as factors of interest. The analysis was carried out using a sample of Spanish manufacturing plants. Our results show that the structural characteristics of the establishment such as its size or foreign ownership, as well as the wage setting arrangements and trade unions, play a role in explaining the importance of the factors mentioned in shaping wage adjustments. The human resource management policies adopted by the employer seem to be less relevant, although the qualification of workers and the use of pay for performance have a significant impact on the process of wage adjustment.pay settlements, collective bargaining, wage negotiation

Performance Appraisal: Dimensions and Determinants

The determinants of the dimensions that shape a formal system of performance appraisal are studied in relation to a sample of Spanish manufacturing establishments. In particular, the factors that influence the measures used to evaluate performance, the person who carries out such appraisal and its frequency are analysed. Our results show that the characteristics of the establishment exert a significant influence on the configuration of performance appraisal. Specifically, we find that the use of practices complementary to performance evaluation and the structural factors of the establishment are found to correlate closely with the dimensions of formal performance appraisal.performance appraisal, monitoring, establishment characteristics, dimensions of appraisal