European Accounting Harmonisation: Consequences of IFRS Adoption on Trade in Goods and Foreign Direct Investments

This paper focuses on the importance of accounting harmonisation in foreign activities at country level. The adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is considered to reduce information costs among countries and, therefore, encourage international trade in goods and investment. The results provide evidence that benefits exist in terms of trade in goods and foreign direct investments (FDI) when IFRS are adopted.IFRS, trade in goods, FDI, gravity

Self-Efficacy of First-Generation College Students and the Relationship to Academic Performance and College Adjustment

The authors examined whether self-efficacy mediated the relationship between generational status and 2 academic outcome indicators of 192 college students. A mediation effect was not found with either academic performance or college adjustment. However, high self-efficacy at the beginning of the year predicted better college adjustment at the end of the 1st year. For college students in general, high self-efficacy was related to better college adjustment. Recommendations for counselors are discussed

The Effect of Trade Facilitation on Sectoral Trade

This paper aims to analyse the effect of trade facilitation on sectoral trade flows. We use data from the World Bank’s Doing Business Database on the fees associated with completing the procedures to export or import goods in a country, on the number of documents needed and on the required time to complete all the administrative procedures to import and export. An augmented gravity equation is estimated for 13 exporters and 167 importers using a number of estimation techniques, namely OLS, PPML and the Harvey model. A common result is that trade flows increase by lowering transport costs and the number of days required to trade. The outcome supports multilateral initiatives, as that in the WTO, which encourages countries to assess their trade facilitation needs and priorities and to improve them. The measures adopted will not only benefit the country that improves trade facilitation, but also its trading partners.gravity model, trade facilitation, time, trade cost

DOES HETEROGENEITY MATTER IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GRAVITY MODEL?

This paper argues that there is a differential behaviour between the richest and the poorest economies in the gravity model framework. Results show that geographical and cultural factors are more important for developing than for developed economies, and a good economic policy in developing countries is to invest in technological innovation and in transport infrastructure.developed and developing countries