Consistent Space-Time Comparisons of Real Income. The project will result in internationally comparable macroeconomic data, spanning all years since 1950 and covering in excess of 120 countries. The Australian government, private sector and academic researchers will find from this project a wealth of economic information on Australia, its geographical neighbours and trading partners which can be used in assessing Australia's economic performance and role in a global context. Results from this pr ....Consistent Space-Time Comparisons of Real Income. The project will result in internationally comparable macroeconomic data, spanning all years since 1950 and covering in excess of 120 countries. The Australian government, private sector and academic researchers will find from this project a wealth of economic information on Australia, its geographical neighbours and trading partners which can be used in assessing Australia's economic performance and role in a global context. Results from this project will provide international organisations, multinationals and researchers with a much improved data set, to those currently available, thus enhancing the reputation of the research team, the University of Queensland and Australia. Read moreRead less
Construction of Consistent Panels of Real Gross Domestic Product and its Components at Current and Constant Prices. The Australian government, international organizations, private sector and academic researchers will find from this project a wealth of economic information on Australia, its geographical neighbours and trading partners which can be used in assessing Australia's economic performance and role in a global context. This project will result in internationally comparable real income, co ....Construction of Consistent Panels of Real Gross Domestic Product and its Components at Current and Constant Prices. The Australian government, international organizations, private sector and academic researchers will find from this project a wealth of economic information on Australia, its geographical neighbours and trading partners which can be used in assessing Australia's economic performance and role in a global context. This project will result in internationally comparable real income, consumption, investment and government expenditures spanning all years since 1950 and covering over 180 countries based on an econometric methodology that is superior to those currently in use. Successful completion of the project will place the research team, the University of Queensland and Australia on the international map.Read moreRead less
Protecting Australia’s brand assets and stakeholder interests. International accounting standards have recently been harmonised to allow firms to recognise the value of purchased brands on their balance sheets, subject to an annual test to verify that value has not been impaired. There are no widely accepted methodologies with which to undertake such tests, despite the requirement for the balance sheet to provide a true and fair view of financial position. This research will develop three approa ....Protecting Australia’s brand assets and stakeholder interests. International accounting standards have recently been harmonised to allow firms to recognise the value of purchased brands on their balance sheets, subject to an annual test to verify that value has not been impaired. There are no widely accepted methodologies with which to undertake such tests, despite the requirement for the balance sheet to provide a true and fair view of financial position. This research will develop three approaches to calibrate brand impairment and draw lessons from applying them over a three year period. The outputs are twofold: first, a suite of detailed methods for accountants, auditors and financial analysts to measure and diagnose brand value; second, several key indicators that can be used to monitor signs of brand impairment.Read moreRead less
Australian labour market adjustment to technology, trade and policy. This project aims to examine how the Australian labour market has adjusted over the past 30 years to several major developments: increased use of computers, growth in international trade and the mining boom, microeconomic reform, and the expansion of higher education. The analysis is designed to encompass the effect on labour market outcomes including workers’ pay, the skill composition of employment, migration flows and indivi ....Australian labour market adjustment to technology, trade and policy. This project aims to examine how the Australian labour market has adjusted over the past 30 years to several major developments: increased use of computers, growth in international trade and the mining boom, microeconomic reform, and the expansion of higher education. The analysis is designed to encompass the effect on labour market outcomes including workers’ pay, the skill composition of employment, migration flows and individuals’ decisions about acquiring education. Having a richer understanding of how the labour market has adjusted in the past may help policy-makers to infer how adjustment will happen in the future. For example, a better understanding of the effects of new technologies would provide a stronger basis for judging trends in job creation and hence the types of skills and training that will be required in Australia in future years.Read moreRead less
The socioeconomic determinants and dynamics of mental health and disorders in Australia and the United Kingdom: evidence from childhood to the elderly years. Poor mental health and specific mental disorders are prevalent in Australia, and have severe consequences for the social and economic functioning of individuals, families and communities. This project will shed new light on the long-term socio-economic determinants and dynamics of mental health, using data that tracks individuals over time.
Linear and non-linear Price Decentralization. General equilibrium theory provides the conceptual foundation for our understanding of efficiency and welfare economics. However, at present it does not provide for an adequate understanding in many seetings: for instance, in the case of incomplete financial markets and markets with imperfect information. This project is part of the ongoing and broad research program in the Economic Theory Center of The University of Melbourne on general equilibriu ....Linear and non-linear Price Decentralization. General equilibrium theory provides the conceptual foundation for our understanding of efficiency and welfare economics. However, at present it does not provide for an adequate understanding in many seetings: for instance, in the case of incomplete financial markets and markets with imperfect information. This project is part of the ongoing and broad research program in the Economic Theory Center of The University of Melbourne on general equilibrium theory and mathematical economics. It seeks to extend the classical theory of price decentralization and rectify some of the defects of modern general equilibrium theory.Read moreRead less
New Procedures for Multiple Testing of Econometric Models. In discipline areas ranging from biological and medicine sciences to economics and commerce, very important decisions are made on the basis of statistical or econometric models. There is usually a high degree of uncertainty about the exact form the model should take and the data available to help decide on the best form of the model is often limited. The new procedures developed in this project will help statisticians and econometricians ....New Procedures for Multiple Testing of Econometric Models. In discipline areas ranging from biological and medicine sciences to economics and commerce, very important decisions are made on the basis of statistical or econometric models. There is usually a high degree of uncertainty about the exact form the model should take and the data available to help decide on the best form of the model is often limited. The new procedures developed in this project will help statisticians and econometricians make better decisions about the best form of their models. Our approach gives a new method of validating an estimated model before it is put to use to make critical decisions.Read moreRead less
Nonparametric estimation of regression models with unknown error distributions. In discipline areas ranging from bioinformatics to economics and commerce, researchers make important decisions based on regression models, where the error density is often unknown. This project will result in a new sampling procedure that aims to choose bandwidth parameters for estimating the regression function and error density in nonparametric regression models. Our approach is of practical importance and can be ....Nonparametric estimation of regression models with unknown error distributions. In discipline areas ranging from bioinformatics to economics and commerce, researchers make important decisions based on regression models, where the error density is often unknown. This project will result in a new sampling procedure that aims to choose bandwidth parameters for estimating the regression function and error density in nonparametric regression models. Our approach is of practical importance and can be used to investigate relationships between variables that are observable in our economy and community. The nation will benefit from the output of this project by having its own experts in the area of proposed research, raising Australia's academic profile in econometrics and statistics. Read moreRead less
Testing for Age Discrimination in Hiring in the Australian Labour Market. This project will raise awareness in the community of the extent, or lack thereof, of age discrimination in the Australian labour market. This is particularly important as no other investigations of this nature have been made. The findings will provide a valuable and important complement to the surveys of employer's attitudes towards older workers. There will be policy implications for the structure and operation of anti-d ....Testing for Age Discrimination in Hiring in the Australian Labour Market. This project will raise awareness in the community of the extent, or lack thereof, of age discrimination in the Australian labour market. This is particularly important as no other investigations of this nature have been made. The findings will provide a valuable and important complement to the surveys of employer's attitudes towards older workers. There will be policy implications for the structure and operation of anti-discrimination legislation in Australia. The technique of using written applications to apply for jobs can highlight deficiencies in the current legislation and ways in which the legislation can be modified to make it more effective. Read moreRead less
Commodity booms and busts: Implications for the Australian economy. In 2007-08 the share of mining in Australia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was the highest for at least four decades and mining investment had more than doubled over the previous four years, now accounting for one-quarter of all private investment. This, and accompanying surges in employment and economic growth, came courtesy of a spectacular surge in global mineral, energy and agricultural commodity prices. Controversy still ....Commodity booms and busts: Implications for the Australian economy. In 2007-08 the share of mining in Australia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was the highest for at least four decades and mining investment had more than doubled over the previous four years, now accounting for one-quarter of all private investment. This, and accompanying surges in employment and economic growth, came courtesy of a spectacular surge in global mineral, energy and agricultural commodity prices. Controversy still surrounds the causes of the most recent and previous commodity booms and busts. The results from this proposed project would aid policy making and business decisions in commodity sectors, particularly with respect to the roles of supply-side constraints and the approval processes for new Australian resource development projects.Read moreRead less