Aversión al riesgo y eficiencia de escala en los bancos: Incluyendo variables de riesgo y regulación

Este artículo aplica las teorías del enfoque moderno en la medición de la actividad bancaria. Con el fin de determinar la eficiencia de escala y el nivel de aversión al riesgo en los directivos de los bancos en Colombia, utiliza una función de costos translogarítmica multiproducto, que incorpora variables de riesgo y de regulación que caracterizaron y afectaron la actividad bancaria durante el período de crisis financiera. Encuentra que los directivos son adversos al riesgo y por lo tanto, la utilidad está en función de otras variables adicionales al beneficio. Demuestra que las medidas de regulación además de incrementar los costos generan un mayor nivel de aversión al riesgo de los directivos de los bancos, aumentando la demanda de capital financiero hasta niveles que no les permiten minimizar costos. Por último, encuentra que no existen economías de escala al incluir en su medición variables de riesgo y de regulación durante el período de desarrollo de la crisis financiera

Business cycle asymmentries: An investment cost approach

In this paper, investment cost asymmetry is introduced in order to test wheter this kind of asymmetry can account for asymmetries in business cycles. By using a smooth transition function, asymmetric investment cost is modeled and introduced in a canonical RBC model. Simulations of the model with Perturbations Method (PM) are very close to simulations through Parameterized Expectations Algorithm (PEA), which allows the use of the former for the sake of time reduction and computational costs. Both symmetric and asymmetric models were simulated and compared. Deterministic and stochastic impulse-response excersices revealed that it is possible to adequately reproduce asymmetric business cycles by modeling asymmetric investment costs. Simulations also showed that higher order moments are insu_cient to detect asymmetries. Instead, methods such as Generalized Impulse Response Analysis (GIRA) and Nonlinear Econometrics prove to be more e_cient diagnostic tools.

The impact of a minimum pension on old age poverty and its budgetary cost. Evidence from Latin America

This paper examines the impact on old age poverty and the fiscal cost of universal minimum oldage pensions in Latin America using recent household survey data for 18 countries. Alleviatingold age poverty requires different approach from other age groups and a minimum pension islikely to be the only alternative available. First we measure old age poverty rates for all countries.Second we discuss the design of minimum pensions schemes, means-tested or not, as wellas the disincentive effects that they are expected to have on the economic and social behavior ofhouseholds including labor supply, saving and family solidarity. Third we use the household surveysto simulate the fiscal cost and the impact on poverty rates of alternative minimum pensionschemes in the 18 countries. We show that a universal minimum pension would substantiallyreduce poverty among the elderly except in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay where minimumpension systems already exist and poverty rates are low. Such schemes have much tobe commended in terms of incentives, spillover effects and administrative simplicity but have ahigh fiscal cost. The latter is a function of the age at which benefits are awarded, the prevailinglongevity, the generosity of benefits, the efficacy of means testing, and naturally the fiscal capacityof the country.