THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF VOLUNTARY ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF FIRMS: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Abstract.  New trends in studies on the governance of natural assets include substantial consideration of the role of voluntary initiatives. A traditional economic view states that there is a trade-off between being green and being competitive. According to that view, no voluntary environmental action is expected to occur. To undertake an in-depth analysis of the scope for voluntary action, this paper reviews empirical literature that analyzes the relationship between manufacturing firms' environmental initiatives or performance and economic results. This review moves beyond the general test of the 'pay to be green' hypothesis, preferring instead to systematize empirical results in more specific research questions. Empirical findings of the reviewed literature generally support that there is no penalty for being green. In addition, the typology of firms, the methods utilized for implementing environmental initiatives, the intensity of abatement efforts and stockholders' valuation of green firms have all been shown to have a sizeable influence on the actual economic results of environmental action or management. Consequently, the findings of this paper challenge the traditional strategic theory that predicts widespread free-riding; it holds major implications for environmental policy-making and environmental business decisions.     

论中国经济长周期波动的特殊性

本文的分析表明，技术创新和制度创新是长波运行的主要动力。中国经济长波存在超长的上升期，这一特殊性源自我国技术创新和制度创新的不断进展。我们应继续以持续的技术创新和制度创新来推动我国经济长波的高位平稳运行。     

技术创新与乡镇企业二次创业

乡镇企业的二次创业是在经济全球化和发展，新科技革命突飞猛进的宏观背景下展开的，二次创业，实质上是寻求一条符合实际的发展，达到可持续发展的最大可能性，以最大可能加快富民强农的步伐。当今中国已融入世界经济贸易体系，农业发展进入新阶段，在二次创业中，技术创新是乡镇企业生存和发展的必由之路，乡镇企业要想搞好技术创新，必须建立完善的技术创新系统，创造一种技术创新的氛围和环境，才能有利于乡镇企业打开国际市场，步入国际市场大循环的轨道。     

Bounded socio-technical experiments as agents of systemic change: The case of a zero-energy residential building

Large-scale shifts in dominant technologies are the necessary components of a transition toward sustainability. Such shifts are difficult because, in addition to technological innovation, they require changes in the existing institutions, professional norms, belief systems and, in some cases, also lifestyles. In the languages of cognitive and policy sciences, higher order learning on a scale ranging from individuals to professional and business communities, to the society at large, is needed. Higher order learning is especially crucial in the types of innovations that depend mainly on synthesis of existing technologies and know-how to achieve radical reductions in energy and material consumption, as is the case with high performance buildings. One way to facilitate this type of learning is through experimentation with new technologies and services.Drawing on our earlier concept of a Bounded Socio-Technical Experiment, in this paper we propose a four-level conceptual framework for mapping and monitoring the learning processes taking place in a BSTE, and apply it to an empirical case study of a zero-fossil-fuel residential building in Boston. Three major conclusions are that: learning took place both on the individual and team level, that individual learning primarily (but not exclusively) involved changes in problem definitions; and that team learning consisted of participant turnover until congruence in worldviews and interpretive frames was achieved. This case study also shows that we must think of innovating in building design as both a process and a product, and that both must be considered in the future efforts to replicate this building.This study highlights that technological innovation about technology as much as about people, their perceptions, and their interactions with each other and with the material world. Sustainability will not be reached by technology alone, but by deep learning by individuals, groups, professional societies and other institutions.     

技术创新视角下的政府积极干预

技术创新与政府干预是紧密联系在一起的：一方面，技术创新的过程离不开政府的干预；另一方面，技术创新目标的实现需要政府的干预来协调。政府实施正确的干预方式和政策对技术创新具有积极的促进作用。     

Understanding evolutionary processes in non-manufacturing industries: Empirical insights from the shakeout in pharmaceutical wholesaling

Although the empirical pattern of industry shakeout has been documented for many manufacturing industries, we know little about the processes by which market structure evolves in non-manufacturing service industries. This paper establishes detailed empirical observations about the consolidation of a single non-manufacturing industry, the wholesale distribution of pharmaceuticals. These observations are used to explore differences between manufacturing and wholesaling in both the patterns and explanations for consolidation and analyze the explanatory power of theories that link consolidation to technological change. The analysis demonstrates that theories developed to explain consolidation in new manufacturing industries have varying degrees of applicability to the consolidation of drug wholesaling. The observed patterns of exit, innovation, and growth suggest important modifications to evolutionary theories of market structure.     

高校科技成果转化现实障碍及其破解机制

高校科技成果转化率低的现实早已引起社会各界警觉,但理论研究和实践探索都将权属改革视为破解圭臬,并未实现预期目标。事实上,高校科技成果转化的真正障碍是专利技术水平和转化价值低、专业转化人才与机构缺失、中试环节薄弱且资金匮乏。因此,为了针对高校成果转化痛点精准施策,释放创新驱动效能,我国应改革专利管理体制和科研评价机制,提升专利质量并加大科学研究对企业需求的关照;可借鉴牛津大学的做法,由高校在不增加编制的前提下,独资建立自负盈亏的专业转化服务公司;优化科研经费投入结构,引导多元风险资金进入,健全科技成果转化风险投资机制。     

银行主导型金融对制造业企业技术进步的影响——基于技术距离的视角

制造业企业的技术发展离不开适宜类型的金融支持。那么,我国以商业银行为主导的金融体系对其具有怎样的影响？本文从技术距离视角出发,通过构建熊彼特内生增长模型探究银行主导型金融体系对制造业企业技术进步的影响效应及作用机理,并运用中国工业企业数据库与城市数据库的匹配数据进行实证检验。研究发现：当制造业企业远离技术前沿时,银行主导型金融对其技术进步具有明显的促进作用,但随着企业接近技术前沿,该作用将由正转负。相较于国有和抵押资产丰富的制造业企业,银行主导型金融对技术进步的负向作用在非国有和抵押资产匮乏企业中出现较早。机制检验表明,在远离技术前沿阶段,银行主导型金融能够激励制造业企业创新从而促进其技术进步,但在接近技术前沿后,银行主导型金融难以通过激励企业创新驱动其技术进步。研究结论对如何深化金融供给侧结构性改革、增强金融服务制造业之功效具有一定的指导意义。     

"九五"物化探所科技工作若干回顾与思考

通过对“九五”物化探所科研项目执行情况，科研成果转化，科技管理工作等的回顾和分析，提出了进一步做好物化探所科技工作的几点思考和建议。     

技术追赶机制研究——一个基于吸收能力与R&D的理论模型

以Abramovitz的追赶假说为基础,构建一个包含后进地区技术吸收能力和自主R&D的技术追赶理论模型,研究表明,吸收能力的高低直接决定了技术追赶速度的快慢,过弱的吸收能力会使经济陷入进一步技术落后的状态。另一方面,当吸收能力不强时,如果后进地区能加强自身的研发积累,也能维持一定速度的技术追赶。