Working Paper
The determinants of aid in the post-cold war era
Bandyopadhyay, Subhayu; Wall, Howard J. (2006)
This paper estimates the responsiveness of aid to recipient countries? economic and physical needs, civil/political rights, and government effectiveness. We look exclusively at the post-Cold War era and use fixed effects to control for the political, strategic, and other considerations of donors. We find that aid and per capita income have been negatively related, while aid has been positively related to infant mortality, rights, and government effectiveness.
Working Papers , Paper 2006-021

Working Paper
Is there too little immigration? an analysis of temporary skilled migration
Bandyopadhyay, Subhayu; Wall, Howard J. (2007)
This paper presents a model of legal migration of temporary skilled workers from one source country to two host countries, both of which can control their levels of such immigration. Because of complementarities between capital and labor, the return on capital is positively related to the level of immigration. Consequently, when capital is immobile, host nations? optimal levels of immigration are positively related to their capital endowments. Further, when capital is mobile between the host nations, the common return on capital is a function of the levels of immigration in both countries, ...
Working Papers , Paper 2006-062

Working Paper
Immigration and outsourcing: a general equilibrium analysis
Bandyopadhyay, Subhayu; Wall, Howard J. (2007)
We analyze the effects of outsourcing in the presence of a minimum wage by presenting a general-equilibrium model with an oligopolistic export sector and a competitive import-competing sector. An outsourcing tax is politically popular because it switches jobs to unemployed natives. It is also economically sound because it raises national income. An export subsidy may or may not be justified on welfare grounds. Increased international competition has no effect on the level of outsourcing, but the direction of its effect on unemployment and national income depends on the relative factor ...
Working Papers , Paper 2005-058

Working Paper
A state-level analysis of the Great Moderation
Owyang, Michael T.; Wall, Howard J.; Piger, Jeremy M. (2007)
A number of studies have documented a reduction in aggregate macroeconomic volatility beginning in the early 1980s. Using an empirical model of business cycles, we extend this line of research to state-level employment data and find significant heterogeneity in the timing and magnitude of the state-level volatility reductions. In fact, some states experience no statistically-important reductions in volatility. We then exploit this cross sectional heterogeneity to evaluate hypotheses about the origin of the aggregate volatility reduction. We show that states with relatively high concentrations ...
Working Papers , Paper 2007-003

Journal Article
Is the population boom a boon?
Wall, Howard J. (2001-01)
National Economic Trends , Issue Jan

Working Paper
NAFTA and the geography of North American trade
Wall, Howard J. (2002)
Debates over the desirability a preferential trading area (PTA) begin with the supposition that it will have two effects on trade: it will increase trade between PTA members, and decrease trade between members and non-members. This paper demonstrates, however, that at the regional level the effects of NAFTA have been much more complicated than what is normally supposed. Specifically, I find that NAFTA has meant (i) less trade between Eastern Canada and the United States and Mexico, (ii) more trade between Central Canada and the United States and Mexico, and (iii) more trade between Western ...
Working Papers , Paper 2000-017

Journal Article
The effects of recessions across demographic groups
Wall, Howard J.; Engemann, Kristie M. (2010-01)
The burdens of a recession are not spread evenly across demographic groups. As the public and media noticed, from the start of the current recession in December 2007 through June 2009 men accounted for more than three-quarters of net job losses. Other differences have garnered less attention but are just as interesting. During the same period, the employment of single people fell at more than twice the rate that it did for married people and the decline for black workers was one and a half times that for white workers. To provide a more complete understanding of the effect of recessions, this ...
Review , Volume 92 , Issue Jan

Journal Article
Louisville's job growth lags on many fronts
Engemann, Kristie M.; Wall, Howard J. (2007-01)
The Regional Economist , Issue Jan , Pages 16

Journal Article
Price stability and the rising tide: how low inflation lifts all ships
Poole, William; Wall, Howard J. (2000-01)
The low and stable inflation that the Fed has relentlessly pursued over the past decade or so has buoyed virtually all demographic groups, enabling most Americans to do a lot more than just keep their heads above water.
The Regional Economist , Issue Jan , Pages 4-9

Journal Article
Regional business cycle phases in Japan
Wall, Howard J. (2007-01)
This paper uses a Markov-switching model with structural breaks to characterize and compare regional business cycles in Japan for the period 1976-2005. An early-1990s structural break meant a reduction in national and regional growth rates in expansion and recession, usually resulting in an increase in the spread between the two phases. Although recessions tended to be experienced across a majority of regions throughout the sample period, the occurrence and lengths of recessions at the regional level have increased over time.
Review , Volume 89 , Issue Jan , Pages 61-80