Foreign Direct Investment in the Philippines: A Review of the Literature

This study reviews and synthesizes the literature on foreign direct investment in the Philippines in terms of the size, composition, determinants and the benefits and costs of direct investment in the Philippines. The study shows that while the benefits from foreign investments are not extensive, the costs are quite substantial. As it lists the benefits cited by the proponents of foreign investments, it makes a qualifying statement that few have really attempted to make a comprehensive cost and benefit analysis for the Philippines. Proper analysis of many of the studies can only be possible when more studies linking the subject matter with other areas of the economy and with the country’s economic development in general are made.inflows, foreign direct investment

An Econometric Model for Forecasting Internal Taxes: A National Level Approach

Tax revenue forecasting is an essential input in the budgetary process. The ability to project and forecast future tax collections is an important element in the identification of future budgetary gaps and in the planning of new tax measures that may be needed to meet these needs. In addition, taxes play a major role in financing of the country’s economic and social development. It is the purpose of this paper to develop, specify and estimate a forecasting model for internal taxes. In particular, this paper attempts to estimate a tax-forecasting model that has a higher level of disaggregation.econometric modeling, taxation

Complex networks: new trends for the analysis of brain connectivity

Today, the human brain can be studied as a whole. Electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, or functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques provide functional connectivity patterns between different brain areas, and during different pathological and cognitive neuro-dynamical states. In this Tutorial we review novel complex networks approaches to unveil how brain networks can efficiently manage local processing and global integration for the transfer of information, while being at the same time capable of adapting to satisfy changing neural demands.Comment: Tutorial paper to appear in the Int. J. Bif. Chao

Ultrafast charge transfer and vibronic coupling in a laser-excited hybrid inorganic/organic interface

Hybrid interfaces formed by inorganic semiconductors and organic molecules are intriguing materials for opto-electronics. Interfacial charge transfer is primarily responsible for their peculiar electronic structure and optical response. Hence, it is essential to gain insight into this fundamental process also beyond the static picture. Ab initio methods based on real-time time-dependent density-functional theory coupled to the Ehrenfest molecular dynamics scheme are ideally suited for this problem. We investigate a laser-excited hybrid inorganic/organic interface formed by the electron acceptor molecule 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyano-quinodimethane (F4TCNQ) physisorbed on a hydrogenated silicon cluster, and we discuss the fundamental mechanisms of charge transfer in the ultrashort time window following the impulsive excitation. The considered interface is p-doped and exhibits charge transfer in the ground state. When it is excited by a resonant laser pulse, the charge transfer across the interface is additionally increased, but contrary to previous observations in all-organic donor/acceptor complexes, it is not further promoted by vibronic coupling. In the considered time window of 100 fs, the molecular vibrations are coupled to the electron dynamics and enhance intramolecular charge transfer. Our results highlight the complexity of the physics involved and demonstrate the ability of the adopted formalism to achieve a comprehensive understanding of ultrafast charge transfer in hybrid materials