Choice for China： What Role for Vocational Education in Green Growth？

Green growth cannot succeed without significant changes in the education system and the closely related social division of labor. This paper combines historical evidence and a game-theoretic analysis to study the relation between vocational education and green growth. It is found that a low-vocation and a high-vocation equilibrium can be distinguished in the interplay between education and labor markets, and that a high-vocation equilibrium is better suited for green growth. A t the present stage of development, there are tendencies in both directions in China. Therefore, China has the possibility to successfully implement a green growth strategy by developing a strong vocational education with Chinese characteristics.     

Climate Change and Green Growth： A Perspective of the Division of Labor

This paper presents a new research agenda on climate change and green growth from the perspective of the division of labor in classical economics. The paper covers three major dimensions of green growth （i.e. carbon emissions, environmental proteetion and material resources use） and some related important topics, as well as the fresh policy implications of the new research agenda, Typical marginal analysis in a given structure of the division of labor suggests that ＂green＂ action is a burden to economic development. Therefore, climate negotiation has become a burden-sharing game and has reached a stalemate. New thinking is badly needed to rescue these negotiations and to drive a shift to a new ＂green growth＂ paradigm. The proposed new research agenda represents an effort to create a new narrative on climate change and green growth. Because the new research agenda can theoretically predict the possibility that a more competitive structure of the division of labor could be triggered by ＂＇green ＂＇ policy, it has promising policy implications for various important challenges facing us in the 21st century.     

Resilient and Inclusive Prosperity within Planetary Boundaries

The current model of economic growth generated unprecedented increases in human wealth and prosperity during the 19th and 2Oth centuries. The main mechanisms have been the rapid pace of technological and social innovation, human capital accumulation, and the conversion of resources and natural capital into more valuable forms of produced capital. However, there is evidence emerging that this model may be approaching environmental limits and planetary boundaries, and that the conversion of natural capital needs to slow down rapidly and then be reversed Some commentators have asserted that in order for this to occur, we will need to stop growing altogether and, instead, seek prosperity without growth. Others argue that environmental concerns are low-priority luxuries to be contemplated once global growth has properly returned to levels observed prior to the 2008 financial crisis. A third group argues that there is no trade-off and, instead,, promotes green growth： the （politically appealing） idea is that we can simultaneously grow and address our environmental problems. This paper provides a critical perspective on this debate and suggests that asubstantial researc＇h agenda is required to come to grips with these challenges. One place to start is with the relevant metrics： measures of per-capitawealth, and, eventually, quantitative measures of prosperity, alongside a dashboard of other sustainability indicators. A public andpoliticalfocus on wealth （a stock）, and its annual changes, could realistically complement the current focus on market-based gross output as measured by GDP （a flow）. This could have important policy implications, but deeper changes to governance and business models will be required.     

The Relevance of Place-Brand Management in Place-Marketing Strategy

Observers perceive each place through a particular image, not necessarily positive, definable in a distinctive positioning through place-marketing strategies; the relations between the actors of the territory system play an important role, and the place-brand becomes ＂the connector＂ of the relational network in place-marketing management. The aims of this article are to analyze the relations between place identity, place-brand, and place-marketing strategy; to look at case studies of bottom-up strategy as a medium for the long-term empowerment of the place-brand strategy; and to examine the relevance of place-brand positioning and interaction between governance and stakeholders in place-marketing strategy development.     

Economic Causes and Cures of Social Instability in China

China＇s leaders have often expressed concerns about social instability, viewed as a threat both to the political order and to continued rapid growth. Slower growth might, in turn, further undermine social stability. Using survey data, the present paper examines the economic determinants of social instability. Four main determinants are identified.＇past and expected growth of income, income inequality, economic insecurity and misgovernance. The paper then considers possible policies to reduce social instability, examining each of the determinants in turn.     

Innovations in the Application of Insurance-linked Securities in Non-financial Companies

Recently, capital market innovations within transferring insurable risk have grown in diversity. It initiated the development of innovative financial instruments, with the prime role of Insurance Linked Securities （ILS）. Financial institutions （insurers in particular） remain the key players on this market. However, ILS are applicable in non-financial companies as well. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to broadly discuss the application of ILS in non-financial companies. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to provide answers to the crucial questions： （1） What are the potential areas of the use of ILS in non-financial companies？ （2） What are the consequences of the use of ILS in non-financial companies？ The paper is based on the application of document analysis and literature studies as its main research methods. The literature review was directed to enable the provision of systemized characteristics of 1LS. Additionally, case studies were implemented to indicate the areas of ILS applications in non-financial companies. Overall, ILS in the class of financial instruments （including cat bonds, insurance derivatives, and contingent capital structures） may find potential use in non-financial companies. However, significant limitations of such a use are identifiable, mainly within the expert knowledge need and accessibility.     

Intercultural Competency Development in Conjunction With a Short Term Study Away Experience： Changes in Undergraduate Students

The purpose of this research was to examine whether undergraduate business students who participated in a short term study abroad course and intercultural competence building coursework demonstrated a significant increase in intercultural competence over those who only enrolled in the study abroad course. The 20 participants attended a small liberal arts College in Midwestern United States. The Intercultural Development Inventory （IDI） was administered to the participating students before and after their study away experience. The IDI （v.3） is based on the theoretical framework of the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity （DMIS） introduced by Milton Bennett. The DMIS is based on the assumption that intercultural competence can be strengthen through the development of intercultural knowledge and experience with people from other cultures. The IDI has been used in numerous scholarly studies and has demonstrated valid and reliable results. It is a self-administered 50-item series of statements in which participants are asked to rate the level of their agreement with statements that address their relationship to and evaluation of cultural difference. In the model, people progress in a linear developmental fashion through six stages： defense, denial, polarization, minimization, acceptance, and adaptation. This study was designed to determine if students who studied away and completed intercultural coursework （prior intercultural knowledge and an intercultural experience） would increase their level of intercultural competency more than those students who just studied away （intercultural experience only） as measured by the change in their IDI scores. The results of this small sample show that intercultural coursework in conjunction with a short term study away experience can have a positive impact on individual intercultural development.     

Global Cities in Process of World Economy Net-Working and Transnationalization

Cities play a key role in the modem global economy. They became full-fledged （together with states, multinational corporations, and international economic organizations） subjects of international economy relationships; concentrated financial and commodity markets, enormous productive and innovative potential of humanity. The main reasons of transformation of economic importance of cities are their advantages in comparison with State economic systems. Labor and capital in urban economy systems are more mobile and productive; cities are more predisposed to create and commercialize innovations. Moreover, cities are easier to connect with international markets and world trade, which are able to reduce transport costs, to increase own investment attractiveness, and to rapidly form new types of business activities and forms of manufacturing organization. This study analyzes a current system of global cities, an intensity of inter-cities relationships, a potential of global urban system transformations in a future.     

Are Patenting Activities in U.S. Universities Still Affected by Bayh-Dole Act？

Based on four data sources, the trends of the patent activities of US universities in the last 40 years are quantitatively assessed. It has been found that patenting activities in U.S. universities slowed down greatly after 2000 and remained flat until the period from 2010 to 2012, when activities recover to the level of strength characterizing the period before 2000 and after the enactment of the Bayh-Dole Act. The affects of the （Bayh-Dole） Act on the university patenting activities （UPAs） are specifically analyzed for the time span considered. We found that the impacts of the Act had been remaining strong until the year of 1999 and then greatly diminished. We also identify that economic recessions are the major cause to the flatness of the patenting activities during 2000s. Recently, many concerns on university patent activities have been raised; these concerns are reviewed and recommendations to resolute to these concerns are provided.     

Vehicle Industry Competitiveness in Central and Eastern Europe

By writing of this study we had an objective to set up a model which is able to explain the location decisions in the Central and Eastern European region. As an initial presumption we have connected the local capital flow to the regional competitiveness and have analysed the location factors behind the decision-makings. After uncovering the theoretical background we set up a six factors model which consists of the industrial traditions, business environment, labour market, taxation, infrastructure, and local supplier network. As a final conclusion we have tried to set up ranking with the 10 analysed countries. As a research question we wanted to prove that the competitiveness gaps are existing and are even wider in the last 10 years in the Central and Eastern Europe （CEE） region. The research based on a global vehicle industry research implemented by the Szechenyi Istvan University Hungary and participated by economists and engineers as well between 2011 and 2013. The research group with economist has been dealing with different competitiveness, location and innovation issues which are occurring in the automotive industry. Besides, the engineering group tried to solve different logistics and supply chain management problems. This article shares the results about competitiveness and location factor questions.     

An Analysis of Psyche in Ode to Psyche

Cupid and Psyche are two typical characters in the Classical Mythology. Cupid was son of Venus, the goodness of love and beauty, while Psyche was a very beautiful daughter of a king. Because of Psyche＇s beauty, Venus dispatched Cupid to punish her, but Cupid loved Psyche, then their love story started. Having gone through al kinds of hardship, they married at last. In Keats＇s poetry, Ode to Psyche, he portrayed a song to love and the creative imagination, which is the story of Psyche so beautiful that Love fel in love with her. Combining the story of Cupid and Psyche with the poetry Ode to Psyche, readers wil have a more comprehensive knowledge.     

An Introduction to the Narrative Techniques in the Book of Job

The Book of Job, as one of the most outstanding works of the wisdom literature in the Bible, has also aroused a large number of critics attentson with its dtsunctlve narrative techniques. Through close-reading and criticisim review, the author of this thesis finds that the unique narrative techniques of the Book of Job are manifested in the following three aspects： unique and subde characterization of the characters, ingenious use of focalization and the skillful arrangement of plot stages under the U-shaped narrative pattern.     

Behavioural Modification Techniques as Tools for Performance Enhancement in the Nigerian Banking Industry： A Survey of Selected Banks in Makurdi

This paper is a critical analysis of behavioral modification techniques as tools for performance enhancement in the Nigerian Banking Industry. The overriding objective of the study was to determine the impact of behavior modification techniques on performance enhancement in the Nigerian banking industry. The specific focus was on selected banks in the Makurdi metropolis, Benue State. The study employed a simple empirical survey method with a view to eliciting relevant data for analytical purpose so as to answer several questions and to obtain the objectives of the study. Both primary and secondary sources were explored in a bid to attain data which were considered to be highly germaine to the investigation under reference. Five-point Likert scale rating questionnaire was used in obtaining the views and opinions of respondents （i.e. strongly agree-5, agree-4, undecided-3, disagree-2, and strongly disagree--l）. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested. Non-parametric tools including simple percentages and Pearson Chi-square statistics were used due to their analytical simplicity and relevance. The study found that banks in Makurdi utilized behavior modification strategies translated to high organizational success or enhancement in a comparative sense. This was evident from the fact that the banks net profitability trends were observed to be upwards generically. In the light of the findings of the study, it is hereby recommended that proactive behavior modifications strategies rules guideline and the like be tailored along lines with greatest organizational profitability trends and performance enhancement profiles, both potential and actual. This will require rewarding productive behaviors that detect/report fraudulent acts with cash gifts, meritawards, prizes and discouraging unproductive behaviors such as fraudulent activities, absenteeism, drug abuse, alcoholic influences and lateness to work amongst others with punishment, extinction, and negative reinforcement.     

National Policy of Tourism in Brazil From Municipalisation to Regionalization

The decade of 1980 has been a time of changes to the world and also in Brazil. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the globalization are phenomena which marked the late 20th century. Brazil was part of this scenario as it went through structural changes, including Real Plan, which brought stability along with the possibility of growth and development. Tourism is enveloped by neoliberalism as a way of attracting investments, investors, better infrastructures, and changing the country＇s image. As far as Brazilian public policies of tourism are concerned, there are two points that constitute the objective of this present work： to analyze the national Program of Municipalisation of Tourism （PMNT） and the Program of Regionalization of Tourism （PRT） considering the context of post-democratization in Brazil and its influences on the organization of national tourism. This analysis has been focused on the content of constitutional documents which have oriented tourism public policy, as well as authors who investigate this theme. From a conceptual map, the relations between political context and the moment when documents were elaborated have been built up. By the end of this work it will be possible to point out the prevalence of the neoliberal model, along with the interest of market agents over Brazilian touristic context.     

Tax Rebate and Dividend Payout in Bangladesh

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of the introduction of 20% tax rebate in 2002 for certain firms on the dividend policy of firms potentially qualifying for this rebate in Bangladesh. A balanced panel data set of 63 non-financial firms of Bangladesh for 14 （1998-2011） years from the Dhaka stock exchange is used for this purpose Newey-West estimator is used to estimate a logit model and the specified model uses binary values of 0 and 1 to identify if it met the tax rebate threshold. The explanatory variables are finn size, log of market value to face value ratio and profitability. A dummy variable was used to separate the pre-rebate period （2003 and before） from post-rebate period （after 2003）. The dummy variable turned out to be insignificant indicating that introduction of the tax rebate had no impact on dividend policy of qualifying firms.     

Governance and Economic Development in Africa Since 1970s in Comparison with East Asian Countries

The central argument of the article is that bad governance has been both the source and the consequence of the economic underperformance of African countries. Economic development is the end to be achieved in a sustainable way and this cannot be guaranteed without strong institutions under the conditioning of good governance and if possible democracy. Thus, at the heart of achieving economic development as indicated by East Asian countries and some countries that are able to register economic development in Africa recently, such as Ethiopia and Rwanda among others, they are building the appropriate institutions and policies, which are key to the process of economic growth by affecting the incentives to accumulate, innovate, and accommodate change. The article compares and contrasts governance and economic development between Africa and East Asian countries. It also reflects the lessons learned from East Asian countries to bring rapid economic growth and development in Africa.     

Micro Econometric Analysis of Determinants of Occupational Choice in Algeria

A review of the literature on the issue of labor market participation and occupational choice allows to see that researches on this one turned more on developed countries. In underdeveloped countries, including Algeria, the determinants of participation in economic activity and individuals＇ occupational choice remain understood, despite their economic and social importance, since the degree of economic vulnerability and social development is strongly correlated with the occupied job. This work is not concerned with income from the labor market but rather the process that takes place upstream, that is to say, the integration into the labor market. This paper will study the labor market functioning by analyzing the supply and demand of labor. So the first step is to analyze the participation determinants in economic activity and in a second stage to determine the role of individual characteristics, in particular human capital for the tenure choice. The aim of this work is to answer the following questions： （1） What are the factors that influence individual＇s participation in the labor market？ Is there a difference between men and women？ （2） What are the occupational choice determinants of an individual on the labor market？ Is this the same factors for men and women？ （3） What are the causes of failure in the labor market？ To answer all the concerns, authors have exploited the employment surveys conducted by the National Office of Statistics （NOS） from Algerian households （employment surveys 1997 and 2007）. For processing and data analysis, authors applied several econometric techniques： models of discrete choice （binary logistic regression） and segmentation techniques. Four major findings emerged from this study： First, authors note that women＇s participation in economic activity is following logic quite different from that of men. For women, the education and training determine the participation in the labor market. For men, it is rather the age that determines particip     

Possibility of the Implementation of the Principle of Sustainable Development in the Sphere of Coal Processing

High-sulphur coals processing generates a great number of pollutant substances in atmosphere. This study was undertaken to obtain more definite information about the composition of sulphur coal extracts, i.e., on the quality and quantity of dormant Volatile Organic Emissions （VOCs）. Analysis of the liquid products was carried out by different protocols of extraction, adsorption chromatography, and GC/MS identification. It should be pointed out that the basic components of coal extracts are polyaromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur-containing compounds and phenols act as a basic factor of environment pollution with carcinogenic products. The complex treatment of these components will permit not only to obtain some valuable chemical products, but also to improve the ecology in the industrial regions.     

Influence of Heat Gains in Building on Pumping Energy Consumption in Boiler Plant

Heat production for space-heating and domestic hot water production is a major part of the energy consumption sector in many countries. In towns in Central and Western Europe, there are centralised district heating systems based on fossil fuels： coal, oil, and gas. In Poland a significant number of heating plants use coal boilers. As a heat source for district heating system, the combined heat-power （CHP） plant or the heating plant equipped with the coal boilers （WR, WRp type） are used. The heating plants cause atmospheric air pollution in the country, continent and on a global scale. One of the goals in contemporary economy is to decrease heat consumption and heat production. Heat consumption may be limited by thermo-modernization and designing the new buildings according to the new thermal standards, as a building of low energy consumption or zero-energetic （passive） building. Minimisation of heat production is attainable by increase of heating plants efficiency. The topic of this article is an analysis of the possibilities of minimisation of pumping energy consumption in coal boiler plant cooperating with the medium sized district heating system. A specific feature of the paper is a research study of heat gains in buildings influence on total pumping energy consumption in boiler plant. A research topic of author＇s is optimisation of energy consumption in HVAC systems, especially in district heating networks, heating plants, and district heating substations. In Europe model of district heating substation changes according to the contemporary thermal standard of buildings and domestic hot water consumption trends. A set of author＇s articles concerns the theoretical modelling for minimisation of energy consumption in heating plants.