As people's income rises dramatically, people's happiness seems not as high as expected. In fact, there are two different arguments about the relationship between income level and happiness. The focus of the debate is whether the correlation between income and probability of happiness is positive or negative. Therefore, we hypothesizes that the relationship between income and probability of happiness presents an inverted U-shaped curve. Then, this paper sets China as an example to explore the effect of income on happiness. The data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) in 2015 is employed to conduct empirical analyses under the Probit model and the Zero-Inflation-Passion model. The empirical findings indicate that the effect of income on happiness presents an inverted U-shaped curve and significantly in statistic. Meanwhile, spouse’s income, educational level, marriage time and house property have a positive and significant effect on happiness.Conversely, age and local living standards have a negative and significant effect on happiness. Unfortunately, even though registered residence and children have a negative effect on happiness, they do not get through the significant test. In order to ensure the robustness of our empirical results, we test the robustness of the above empirical results by adjusting the sample size. The results of robustness test verify that our empirical results are robust. Moreover, this paper also makes a small contribution to the current literature with a sample from China.

Since the economic crisis sweeps across the world in 2008, the foreign direct investment of various countries has been greatly impacted. Therefore, this paper regards China as an example to analyze China’s outward foreign direct investment patterns in terms of Asian financial markets with a panel data over the period 2003-2017. We mainly focus on the money market oriented outward foreign direct investment and foreign exchange market oriented outward foreign direct investment. Using the individual fixed effect model to conduct empirical analyses, the empirical findings indicate that China will reduce its foreign direct investment amount to a country with large money supply and China will increase its foreign direct investment amount to a country with large foreign exchange reserves. Furthermore, when a country has signed Free Trade Agreement with China, China will increase more foreign direct investment amount to these countries than that of a country who has not signed Free Trade Agreement with China. Moreover, the empirical findings indicate that no matter what the money market oriented outward foreign direct investment or foreign market oriented outward foreign direct investment, China will reduce its foreign direct investment amount to these Asian countries due to the global economic crisis.

Global economic integration has provided good opportunities and conditions for the development of foreign direct investment in Finances. Therefore, this paper attempts to explore what determines foreign direct investment in Finances of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Research design, data and methodology: This paper employs the panel data over the period 2005-2017 and uses the random effect model to estimate this proposition. Results: The results indicate that the foreign direct investment in services, growth rate of GDP, interest rate and saving are positively related with foreign direct investment in finances. Conversely, the growth rate of wage and fluctuation rate of exchange rate are negatively related with foreign direct investment in finances. Moreover, the results verify that the effect of these variables on foreign direct investment in finances is different before and after 2008 (global economic crisis). In addition, the results also manifest that the regional effect exists. Namely, the effect of these variables on foreign direct investment in finances between G7 countries and G20 countries exist significant difference. Conclusions: Those variables used in this paper are related with foreign direct investment in Finances of (OECD) countries.

Along with the economic globalization and network generalization, this provides a good opportunity to the development of cross-border ecommerce trade. Based on this background, this paper sets ASEAN countries as an example to exploit the determinants of cross-border ecommerce trade including the export and the import, respectively. The panel data from the year of 1998 to 2016 will be employed to estimate the relationship between cross-border e-commerce trade and relevant variables under the dynamic ordinary least squares and the error correction model. The findings of this paper show that there is a long-run relationship between cross-border e-commerce trade and relevant variables. Generally speaking, the GDP(+) and real exchange rate(-export & +import) have an effect on cross-border e-commerce trade. However, the population (+) and the terms of trade (-) only have an effect on cross-border e-commerce import. The empirical evidences show that the GDP and the real exchange rate always affect the development of cross-border e-commerce trade. Therefore, all ASEAN countries should try their best to develop the economic growth and focus on the exchange rate regime so as to meet the need of crossborder e-commerce trade development.

Purpose - From the advanced path of development and current situation, the development of enterprises plays a tremendous role in promoting national economic growth and raising the overall national strength. Therefore, this paper aims at examining the mutual effect between small & medium enterprises and economic growth. Research design, data, and methodology - In order to address the operating mutual effect between the small & medium enterprises and economic growth more clearly, this paper sets Alibaba Group and Hangzhou as an example. Meanwhile, the annual data from 2000 to 2017 will be employed, and an empirical analysis will be performed under the vector error correction model. Results - The findings display that the total revenue of Alibaba Group has a positive effect on economic growth in city of Hangzhou. However, the Granger Causality test implies that there is only a unidirectional causality between total revenue of Alibaba Group and economic growth in Hangzhou. More specifically, 1% increase in total revenue of Alibaba Group can result in 0.272% in economic growth of Hangzhou in the long run. Conclusions - In summary, for the long run, the local governments should promulgate a series of policies to assist the small & medium enterprises like Alibaba Group to improve the local economic growth as seen in the city of Hangzhou.

Prior literature has posited that the sport industry has been effective method to drive the economic growth. Given the rationale, this study sets China as a research object with a quarterly data from the first quarter of 2003 to the fourth quarter of 2017 to explore how the sport industry affects economic growth. This study employed Johansen cointegration test and dynamic ordinary least squares as methods for an empirical analysis. The input of sport industry, the labor input, the capital input, and the economic growth are used as research variables. The results show that there is a long-run relationship among them. Johansen cointegration test’s estimation indicated that 1% increase in the input of sport industry will lead to 0.064% increase in economic growth. Dynamic ordinary least squares’ estimation showed that whenever in the one lead, in the one lag and in the present period, the input of sport industry always poses a positive effect on economic growth. Labor input also has a positive effect on economic growth. The capital input has a negative effect on economic growth. Finally, even though the input of sport industry has a positive effect on economic growth, its impact on economic growth is relative weak.

The cultural industry is treated as the sunrise industry in modern society. It has taken an increasing role in promoting the economic growth. Due to this, this paper attempts to explore the dynamic relationship between cultural industry and the economic growth. On the grounds of Cobb-Douglas production function, the cultural industry is regarded as a determinant such as the labor input and the capital input to impact the economic growth. Meanwhile, the quarterly datum form 2000-Q1 to 2017-Q4 are employed to perform an empirical analysis via the vector error correction model. The GDP is treated as an independent variable. The input of capital, the input of labor and the total input of cultural industry are treated as dependent variables. Furthermore, a menu of statistical approaches such as the co-integration test and the impulse response function will be used to testify the dynamic relationship between cultural industry and economic growth. Via the Johansen co-integration test, the results report that the cultural industry has a obviously positive effect on economic growth. Through the vector error correction estimation, the results also report that the cultural industry also has a significantly positive effect on economic growth, but less than that of the Johansen co-integration test. This paper provides a view that the cultural industry is a kind of a determinant to promote the economic growth. Therefore, the China’s government should pay much attention to the cultural industry construction.

Purpose - The artificial intelligence industry plays an increasingly significant role in stimulating the development of United States of America’s economy. On account of this background, this paper attempts to explore the impact of artificial intelligence industry on United States of America’s macroeconomy. Research design, data, and methodology - This paper mainly focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence industry on GDP, employment, real income, import, export and foreign direct investment. Furthermore, the Phillips-Perron test and Canonical cointegrating regression will be employed to examine the impact of artificial intelligence industry on United States of America’s macroeconomy with a sample form 2010-Q1 to 2017-Q4. Results - Via the empirical analysis, the results reveal that the artificial intelligence industry has a positive effect on United States of America’s GDP, employment, real income, export and foreign direct investment. Conversely, the artificial intelligence industry has a negative effect on United States of America’s import. Conclusions - In summary, the impact of artificial intelligence industry on United States of America’s macroeconomy is positive and significant in statistics. Therefore, the government of United States of America should put more input into artificial intelligence industry.

Purpose - Social welfare is a social insurance system that provides funds and services for all citizens to maximize their life quality. Its ultimate goal is to alleviate social contradictions. Therefore, this paper explores the determinants of social welfare in terms of macroeconomics. Research design, data, and methodology - Based on the vector error correction model, the annual time series from 1990 to 2017 will be used to conduct an empirical analysis. The real GDP, the real income, the inflation and the degree of openness will be treated as independent variables. The input of social welfare will be treated as a dependent variable. These variables will be used to perform the cointegration test and the vector error correction model to explore how the macroeconomic variables affect social welfare both in long run and short run. Result - Via the empirical analysis, it can be summarized that the real GDP, the real income and the degree of openness are the driving determinants to enlarge the social welfare. Conversely, the inflation is the obstructive determinant to reduce the social welfare. Conclusion - The positive and negative determinants of social welfare exist simultaneously, China’s government should take macroeconomic regulation and control to balance them to enlarge social welfare.

The rising of E-business and network trade has promoted the transform and new development of international trade. Due to this, this paper attempts to investigate the impact of E-business on international trade between China and South Korea. On the grounds of rapid development of E-business, the E-business is regarded as a determinant that can impact the international trade between China and South Korea. Meanwhile, the quarterly data form the first quarter of 2000 to the fourth quarter of 2017 are employed to conduct an empirical analysis under the vector auto-regressive model. The international trade between China and South Korea is treated as an independent variable. The E-business, the foreign direct investment and the real exchange rate are treated as dependent variables. Furthermore, a menu of statistic approaches such as the Granger causality test and the vector auto-regressive estimates will be used to testify the impact of E-business on international trade between China and South Korea. Via the Granger causality test, the results report that the E-business is major reason that can drive the development of international trade between China and South Korea. Through the vector auto-regressive estimates, the results also report that the E-business has a positive effect on international trade between China and South Korea. Furthermore, this paper provides a view that the E-business is a kind of a determinant that can promote the international trade between China and South Korea. Therefore, the China’s government should pay much attention to the infrastructure of E-business so as to enlarge the trade volume between China and South Korea.

Purpose – As an important participant in the financial markets, the commercial bank will be impacted by the interest rate marketization. Owing to the special condition of China, this paper tries to explore the impact of operating mechanisms between interest rate marketization and the profitability of the commercial Bank. Research design, data and methodology – This paper applies time series data from 2005 to 2016. Due to the short period of time series, autocorrelation often occurs. Therefore, the fully modified least squares(FMOLS) will be used to conduct an empirical analysis. The reason is that it can move off the autocorrelation between variables and disturbance term. And FMOLS also can make estimated cointegrating parameters closed to normal distribution. More importantly, in order to avoid spurious regressions, the Augmented Dickey-Fuller Test will be used to verify the stationarity of all variables. The total return of asset is treated as the profitability of commercial bank. The net interest spread is treated as a measurement of interest rate marketization. Both are regarded as dependent variables. The non-interest income or gross revenues and impaired loans or gross loans are treated as independent variables. The sixteen representative listed commercial banks are divided into three categories (state-owned, share-holding and city-owned) to conduct an estimation. Results – Via empirical analysis, the findings show that the net interest spread has a positive effect on the profitability of the commercial bank. More specifically, 1% increase in the net interest spread will lead 0.157% increase in the profitability of state-owned commercial bank, 0.269% increase in the profitability of share-holding commercial bank and 0.263% increase in the profitability of city-owned commercial bank. If regarding the sixteen listed commercial city as a whole, 1% increase in the net interest spread will lead 0.267% increase in the profitability of the commercial bank. Conclusions – As the interest rate marketization, the importance of interest rate on the profitability of commercial bank has become more and more significant. The empirical evidences also prove that the net interest spread can bring about the change of the commercial bank’s profitability. Therefore, policy-makers of commercial banks should fully understand the operating mechanism between them.

Purpose - This paper aims to verify whether the Fisher effect and the international Fisher effect are significant between China and South Korea in the long and short run, respectively. Research design, data, and methodology - The annual and monthly data, respectively, are employed to conduct an empirical estimation under the fully modified ordinary least squares(FMOLS). The nominal interest rate is treated as an independent variable. The inflation rate is treated as a dependent variable. Results - The results exhibit whenever in the long or short run, the Fisher effect exists in China and South Korea. However, the Fisher effect in South Korea is more significant than that of in China. Meanwhile, an empirical analysis is also preformed to investigate the long-run and the short-run international Fisher effect between China and South Korea. The deviation from the equilibrium relationship is that the commodity market and the Financial market have started to integrate in China. But China’s integrated level proved to be relatively lower. Conclusions - To exploit that the Fisher effect and the international Fisher effect hold between China and South Korea can help both countries deal with the sufferings from integration of the commodity market and the financial market.

Purpose - The adjustment of one country's monetary policy can cause the macroeconomic change of other countries. Due to this, this paper attempts to analyze the impact of China’s monetary policy on South Korea’s exchange rate. Research design, data, and methodology - Based on the flexible-price monetary model, sets of annual time series from 1980 to 2017 are employed to perform an empirical estimation. The vector error correction model is also used to exploit the short-run relationship between both of them. Of course, the South Korea’s real GDP, the China’s real GDP, South Korea’s interest rate, the South Korea’s interest rate and the South Korea’s monetary supply are treated as independent variables in this paper. Result - The long-run findings reveal that the China’s money supply has a negative effect on South Korea’s exchange rate. Respectively, the short-run findings depicts that the China’s money supply has negative a effect on South Korea’s exchange rate. Of course, other variables selected in this paper also have an effect on South Korea’s exchange rate whatever positive or negative. Conclusions - As the empirical evidence shows, the China’s monetary policy has a negative effect on South Korea’s exchange rate whenever in the long run or in the short run.

The interest rate is always treated as the price of capital. It plays a most significant role in a country’s capital management and economic development, which poses a vital effect on capital market and monetary market. Therein, the commercial bank that is the important participants in the financial markets will be affected by the reform of interest rate liberalization. Before that, the deposits and loans rate are determined by the People’s Bank of China. Therefore, the People’s Bank of China has the unique authority to decide the magnitude of deposits and loans rate. Namely, the profitability of commercial Banks is denominated by the People’s Bank of China. As the interest rate liberalization, the profitability of commercial Banks will be inevitably impacted by it. Due to this, this paper tries to explore the operating mechanism between interest rate liberalization and profitability of commercial Banks. additionally, the total return to asset that represents the profitability of commercial banks; the net interest spread is treated as a measurement of interest rate liberalization. both are regarded as dependent variables. Meanwhile, the non-interest income or gross revenues and impaired loans or gross loans are treated as independent variables. In order to make the relation between them more clear, the sixteen representative listed commercial banks are divided into three categories (state-owned commercial banks, share-holding commercial banks and city-owned commercial banks) to conduct an empirical analysis. The findings indicate that 1% decrease in the net interest spread will result in 0.131% decrease in the profitability of state-owned in commercial banks, 0.399% decrease in the profitability of city-owned commercial banks and 0.201% decrease in the profitability of share-holding commercial banks. If the sixteen representative listed commercial banks are treated as a whole, 1% decrease in the net interest spread will lead to 0.246% in the profitability of all commercial banks.

As the reform and opening-up policy is carried out in China for more thirty year, China’s economy has experienced a amazingly rapid development. So, this paper focuses much on the linkage between foreign trade and economic growth. Three variables (GDP, export and import) from 1980 to 2016 are used to conduct empirical analysis under VAR model. Via empirical analysis between foreign trade and economic growth, a finding is obtained that there is a long-run equilibrium relationship among GDP, export and import. Specifically, the export has a long-run significant effect on economic growth in China. However, the impact of import to promote economic growth is greatly less than that of export.