|
on Africa |
| By: | Ebeke, C.; Ehrhart, H. |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the sources and consequences of the instability of tax revenue in Sub-Saharan African countries. We took advantage of a unique and extraordinarily rich dataset on the composition of tax revenues for a large number of countries. Using panel data for 37 countries observed over the period 1980-2005, our results are twofold. First, the instability of government tax revenue leads to the instability of both public investment and government consumption, and also reduces the level of public investment. Second, the reliance on domestic indirect taxation-based systems appears to have a robust stabilising effect. |
| Keywords: | Tax instability; tax composition; public spending; Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| JEL: | H20 E32 O11 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bfr:banfra:418&r=afr |
| By: | Philip Osafo-Kwaako; James A. Robinson |
| Abstract: | In this paper we investigate the empirical correlates of political centralization using data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. We specifically investigate the explanatory power of the standard models of Eurasian state formation which emphasize the importance of high population density, inter-state warfare and trade as factors leading to political centralization. We find that while in the whole world sample these factors are indeed positively correlated with political centralization, this is not so in the African sub-sample. Indeed, none of the variables are statistically related to political centralization. We also provide evidence that political centralization, where it took place, was indeed associated with better public goods and development outcomes. We conclude that the evidence is quite consistent with the intellectual tradition initiated in social anthropology by Evans-Pritchard and Fortes in the 1940s which denied the utility of Eurasian models in explaining patterns of political centralization in Africa. |
| JEL: | N17 |
| Date: | 2013–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18770&r=afr |
| By: | Andreas Chai; Wolfhard Kaus |
| Abstract: | We empirically evaluate two competing explanations about how the dispersion of income within social groups affects household spending on visible goods. Using South African household expenditure data, we find evidence that precisely the reverse of the effect predicted by Charles et al. (2009) takes place in that rich households tend to reduce, rather than increase, spending on visible goods as the dispersion of social group income increases. Our results instead support rank-based models of status competition since the number of within-group peers who possess a similar income level is found to be positively correlated with household spending on visible goods. Moreover, we find that the effect of this 'local' density tends to be stronger in the tail regions of the distribution and performs better than other proxies for the overall income distribution used in recent studies. How the range of visible goods used to signal wealth expands as household income grows is also explored. |
| Keywords: | Conspicuous consumption, Signaling, Status, South Africa, Income distribution |
| JEL: | D12 D83 J15 O12 |
| Date: | 2013–01–29 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esi:evopap:2012-18&r=afr |
| By: | Boukary OUEDRAOGO |
| Abstract: | Cet article utilise des données recueillies sur 82 professeurs de l’Université de Ouagadougou et le modèle TUAUT pour évaluer les déterminants de l’acceptation et des usages éducatifs des TIC des professeurs. Il en résulte que la performance attendue des TIC (utilité attendue et résultats espérés) affecte positivement l’acceptation des TIC des professeurs. L’acceptation des TIC et l’expérience d’Internet affectent positivement les usages éducatifs des TIC. Cependant, les conditions de facilitation ont un effet négatif sur ces usages. L’expérience d’Internet des professeurs a un effet direct positif et significatif sur leurs usages spécifiques des TIC. Ces résultats pourraient aider les décideurs de cette université à élaborer des politiques efficientes d’intégration des TIC. |
| Keywords: | TIC, usages éducatifs des TIC, Modèle TUAUT, Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. |
| JEL: | C35 I21 I23 I25 O33 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grt:wpegrt:2013-08&r=afr |
| By: | Boukary OUEDRAOGO; Mamoudou HASSANE |
| Abstract: | Cet article utilise, les données de la zone UEMAO de la période 1979-2010 pour examiner les relations de causalité entre le PIB par employé et la Consommation d’énergie d’une part, et celles entre l’Emploi et la consommation d’énergie d’autre part. Les tests de Phillips Perron, permettant de déterminer le niveau d’intégration des variables, ont conduit à la conclusion que les séries sont stationnaires à l’exception du PIB par emploi qui est intégré d’ordre 1. Les tests de la version Hsiao de la méthode de causalité de Granger révèlent l’existence d’une relation à sens unique entre d’une part le PIB par employé et la consommation d’énergie et l’emploi et la consommation d’énergie d’autre part. Ce qui permet une bonne définition de la politique énergétique en zone UEMOA. |
| Keywords: | Energie, PIB, Emploi, UEMAO |
| JEL: | C50 Q41 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grt:wpegrt:2013-05&r=afr |