Does corruption inhibit foreign direct investment?

Globalization creates new opportunities for firms to invest abroad and many economies are making active efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in order to promote economic growth. Decisions to invest abroad depend on a complex set of factors, but the least corrupt countries may attract more foreign direct investment because they provide a more favorable climate for investors. In this paper we investigate the impact of corruption on FDI inflows in 73 countries, over the period 1998-2008. Our results suggest that countries where corruption is lower, the FDI inflows are greater, and so controlling corruption may be an important strategy for increase FDI inflows.

The Main Determinants of the Use of the Cost Accounting System in Portuguese Local Government

This paper explores the main determinants of the use of the cost accounting system (CAS) in Portuguese local government (PLG). Regression analysis is used to study the fit of a model of accounting changes in PLG, focused on cost accounting systems oriented to activities and outputs. Based on survey data gathered from PLG, we have found that the use of information in decision-making and external reporting is still a mirage. We obtain evidence about the influence of the internal organizational context (especially the lack of support and difficulties in the CAS implementation) in the use for internal purposes, while the institutional environment (like external pressures to implement the CAS) appears to be more deterministic of the external use. Results strengthen the function of external reporting to legitimate the organization’s activities to external stakeholders. On the other hand, some control variables (like political competition, usefulness and experience) also evidence some explanatory power in the model. Some mixed results were found that appeal to further research in the future. Our empirical results contribute to understand the importance of interconnecting the contingency and institutional approaches to gain a clear picture of cost accounting changes in the public sector.

Tribunal Constitucional: hora de cortar nas PPP’s, contratos futuros-swap…

Veja-se aliás a recente indagação formal da Procuradoria-Geral da República junto do Governo para colocar, se necessário for, em Tribunal, todos os contratos futuros swap. A maior parte dos quais com fortes prejuízos para o Estado português. Vide art.s 227º, 334º, 437º, 762º, entre outros, do Código Civil português. Abstract: See moreover the recent formal inquiry of the Attorney General's Office with the Government to place, if necessary, in court, all future swaps. Most of them with heavy losses to the Portuguese State. See art.s 227, 334, 437, 762º, among others, the Portuguese Civil Code.

Tribunal de Contas: defesa do dinheiro público também no caso-BES

Numa altura em que continuam em vigor uma série de misteriosos e injustos contratos de PPP’s, contratos futuros-swap e rendas artificiais outorgadas a lucrativos grupos económicos – e mais desfavoráveis às contas do Estado e contribuintes, como várias instituições e personalidades têm alertado em público incluindo a imprensa internacional -, a defesa dos dinheiros públicos assume cada vez maior importância. Abstract: At a time when still in force a series of mysterious and unjust PPP contracts, future swap contracts and artificial rents granted to profitable economic groups - and more unfavorable to the state and taxpayers of all, as several institutions and personalities have warned in public including the international press - the defense of public money is increasingly important.

PODEM AS DÍVIDAS DO BES SER DO NOVO BANCO?

No ponto de vista jurídico existe um velho instituto jurídico que se chama “Levantamento ou desconsideração da personalidade colectiva” que pode permitir – por palavras breves – imputar as dívidas do BES ao Novo Banco. Também é possível nos socorrermos do instituto do Abuso do Direito (art. 334º do Código Civil): “É ilegítimo o exercício de um direito, quando o titular exceda manifestamente os limites impostos pela boa fé, pelos bons costumes ou pelo fim social ou económico desse direito”. Aplica-se o art. 11º/8 do Código Penal: «8 - A cisão e a fusão não determinam a extinção da responsabilidade criminal da pessoa colectiva ou entidade equiparada, respondendo pela prática do crime: § a) A pessoa colectiva ou entidade equiparada em que a fusão se tiver efectivado; § e § b) As pessoas colectivas ou entidades equiparadas que resultaram da cisão». § In the legal point of view there is an old legal principle called "Lifting or disregard of legal personality" which can allow - for brief words - charge the debts of the BES to the New Bank. It is also possible in socorrermos Law Abuse Institute (Article 334 of the Civil Code.): "It is illegitimate exercise of a right, where the proprietor clearly exceed the bounds of good faith, morality or the social or economic purpose this right ". Applies the art. 11/8 of the Penal Code: "8 - The split and the merger does not determine the extinction of criminal liability of the legal or related entity person, accounting for the crime: § a) The legal person or related entity in the merger if paid up; § and § b) A legal entity or similar entities resulting from the split. "

IMI: ELES COMEM TUDO E NÃO DEIXAM NADA

O IMI é aliás, em si mesmo, um imposto profundamente injusto. A sua aplicação constitui, em muitos casos, uma situação de Abuso do Direito, art. 334º do Código Civil. A sua concretização implica uma violação do fim económico e social da própria Justiça no Direito. O sistema fiscal não objectiva apenas as necessidades financeiras do Estado e doutras entidades públicas, mas também, e sobretudo uma repartição justa dos rendimentos e da riqueza: art. 103º da Constituição. É claro que, para isso, tem que existir também um controlo rigoroso e honesto da gestão e da distribuição constitucional dos dinheiros públicos. § IMI is indeed in itself a profoundly unfair tax. Its use is in many cases a right Abuse situation art. 334 of the Civil Code. Its implementation involves a violation of economic and social justice at the end of its law. The tax system does not seek only the financial needs of the state and of other public authorities, but also and especially a fair distribution of income and wealth: art. 103 of the Constitution. Of course, for this, it must also be a rigorous and honest control of the constitutional management and distribution of public funds.