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Outputs (19)

Peer learning in teams and work performance: Evidence from a randomized field experiment (2023)
Journal Article
Kamei, K., & Ashworth, J. (2023). Peer learning in teams and work performance: Evidence from a randomized field experiment. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 207, 413-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2023.01.015

A novel field experiment shows that learning activities in pairs with a greater spread in abilities lead to better individual work performance, relative to those in pairs with similar abilities. The positive effect of the former is not limited to the... Read More about Peer learning in teams and work performance: Evidence from a randomized field experiment.

Competition in the political arena and local government performance (2014)
Journal Article
Ashworth, B., Geys, B., Heyndels, B., & Wille, F. (2014). Competition in the political arena and local government performance. Applied Economics, 46(19), 2264-2276. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2014.899679

Competition reduces rent extraction in private-sector firms. In this article, we empirically assess whether it similarly disciplines politicians by evaluating local-level governments’ performance in Flanders. The results indicate that electoral compe... Read More about Competition in the political arena and local government performance.

Sectoral money demand behaviour and the welfare cost of inflation in the UK. (2013)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Barlow, D., & Evans, L. (2014). Sectoral money demand behaviour and the welfare cost of inflation in the UK. Manchester School, 82(6), 732-750. https://doi.org/10.1111/manc.12047

In this paper, we estimate separate UK money demand functions for the household and corporate sectors; and calculate estimates of the welfare cost of inflation. We find that the household sector bears most of the welfare burden which is in sharp cont... Read More about Sectoral money demand behaviour and the welfare cost of inflation in the UK..

Decentralization as a Constraint to Leviathan: A Panel Cointegration Analysis (2013)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Galli, E., & Padovano, F. (2013). Decentralization as a Constraint to Leviathan: A Panel Cointegration Analysis. Public Choice, 156(3-4), 491-516. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-012-9962-8

This paper extends the empirical literature about the effects of fiscal decentralization on the growth of government along three dimensions. It distinguishes between the effects of the level of decentralization from the way local governments finance... Read More about Decentralization as a Constraint to Leviathan: A Panel Cointegration Analysis.

Expert judgements and the demand for novels in Flanders (2010)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Heyndels, B., & Werck, K. (2010). Expert judgements and the demand for novels in Flanders. Journal of Cultural Economics, 34(3), 197-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-010-9121-3

This paper analyses the effect of literary prizes and nominations on the subsequent market success using a panel dataset of Dutch-language titles from January 2003 to June 2005. The analysis indicates winning a prize generally has a positive effect o... Read More about Expert judgements and the demand for novels in Flanders.

Selection Bias and Peer Effects in Team Sports: the Effect of Age Grouping on Earnings of German Soccer Players (2007)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., & Heyndels, B. (2007). Selection Bias and Peer Effects in Team Sports: the Effect of Age Grouping on Earnings of German Soccer Players. Journal of Sports Economics, 8(4), 355-377. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527002506287695

This article analyzes how age grouping in youth competitions and soccer education programs affects wage formation at the professional level. A simple theoretical model shows that professional players born late after the cutoff date are expected to ea... Read More about Selection Bias and Peer Effects in Team Sports: the Effect of Age Grouping on Earnings of German Soccer Players.

Everyone Likes a Winner: An Empirical Test of The Effect of Electoral Closeness on Turnout in a Context Of Expressive Voting (2006)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Geys, B., & Heyndels, B. (2006). Everyone Likes a Winner: An Empirical Test of The Effect of Electoral Closeness on Turnout in a Context Of Expressive Voting. Public Choice, 128(3-4), 383-405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-005-9006-8

Under instrumental voting closer elections are expected to have higher turnout. Under expressive voting, however, turnout may increase with decreasing closeness when voters have a preference for winners. An empirical test using data on Belgian munici... Read More about Everyone Likes a Winner: An Empirical Test of The Effect of Electoral Closeness on Turnout in a Context Of Expressive Voting.

Determinants tax innovation: the case of environmental taxes in Flemish muncipalities (2006)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Geys, B., & Heyndels, B. (2006). Determinants tax innovation: the case of environmental taxes in Flemish muncipalities. European Journal of Political Economy, 22(1), 223-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2005.06.004

The setting of new taxes is a notably visible act that has potential political costs. This paper explores the setting of new environmental taxes across the 308 Flemish municipalities over the period 1991–1999. We find that first adoptions of a green... Read More about Determinants tax innovation: the case of environmental taxes in Flemish muncipalities.

Government weakness and local public debt development in Flemish municipalities (2005)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Geys, B., & Heyndels, B. (2005). Government weakness and local public debt development in Flemish municipalities. International Tax and Public Finance, 12(4), 395-422. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10797-005-2317-3

The Weak Government Hypothesis states that government fragmentation leads to higher public deficits and debt. This relation can be explained by government inaction, common pool problems or the strategic use of debt that arise in coalition governments... Read More about Government weakness and local public debt development in Flemish municipalities.

Tax structure turbulence in OECD countries (2002)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., & Heyndels, B. (2002). Tax structure turbulence in OECD countries. Public Choice, 111(3-4), 347-376. https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1014957130671

This paper analyses whether and to what extent politicians manipulate tax structures strategically in order to win elections or for ideological purposes. We introduce an indicator for tax structure turbulence which measures the degree to which a coun... Read More about Tax structure turbulence in OECD countries.

Redistribution as a local public good : an empirical test for Flemish municipalities (2002)
Journal Article
Ashworth, J., Heyndels, B., & Smolders, C. (2002). Redistribution as a local public good : an empirical test for Flemish municipalities. Kyklos, 55(1), 27-56. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6435.00176

Redistribution is typically viewed as a task of the central government. However, in most federal countries local governments do have some discretion in redistribution policy. The main theoretical argument for this is that redistribution may be a loca... Read More about Redistribution as a local public good : an empirical test for Flemish municipalities.