American institutionalism and its British connections

Abstract

This paper examines the connections between American institutionalists and a number of ‘non-Marshallian’ British economists and social scientists, several of whom were associated with the Fabian Society or the London School of Economics or both. Specifically, the links between institutionalists such as Walton Hamilton and Wesley Mitchell and British social scientists such as John A. Hobson, Henry Clay, R.A. Tawney, William Beveridge and Graham Wallas. It is argued that these connections were related to common views on the importance of institutions, compatible methodological views, common interest in questions of social value, shared policy concerns (particularly unemployment and the coal industry), shared interests in the development of new institutions for education and research in economics and shared connections with the funding activities of the Rockefeller Foundation. These connections were much more extensive than has usually been realized. Some reasons for this British group not to form into a movement similar to American institutionalism are explored.     

The Epistemic Consumption Object and Postsocial Consumption: Expanding Consumer‐Object Theory in Consumer Research

We introduce the concept of the epistemic consumption object. Such consumption objects are characterized by two interrelated features. First, epistemic consumption objects reveal themselves progressively through interaction, observation, use, examination, and evaluation. Such layered revelation is accompanied by an increasing rather than a decline of the object’s complexity. Second, such objects demonstrate a propensity to change their “face‐in‐action” vis‐à‐vis consumers through the continuous addition or subtraction of properties. The epistemic consumption object is materially elusive and this lack of ontological stability turns the object into a continuous knowledge project for consumers. Via this ongoing cycle of revelation and discovery, consumers become attached to the object in intimate and quasi‐social ways. Therefore, the concept of the epistemic consumption object brings the “object” directly into theorizations of consumer‐object relations, extending current theories of relationship, product involvement, and consumption communities. We draw from research with individual online investors to illustrate the theory of the epistemic consumption object.     

Identification of Marketing Needs and Means of Communication of Romanian Marketing Companies in the Context of the Knowledge Society

A few decades ago, academics and economic pundits used to say that information is the main source of power. However, in the Knowledge Society, as we experience it today, information is readily available for everyone, and the real challenge is to master modern and complex information analysis tools, which can make sense of the information overflow of modern society, thus constituting the true competitive advantages of major economic players. For a competent analyst, data generated by a survey, for instance, can reveal paramount information about consumer behavior, competitive strategies, or any other economic and social environment-related aspect deemed important. The marketing needs of Romanian marketing companies are very diversified, commencing with the research of the needs and demand on the target market, going down to the 4Ps (Product, Price, Promotion, and Placement) and their components. The present marketing research was performed using seven categories of information sources: specialized publications in marketing; specialized publications in economics; information provided by specialized institutions in consultancy and marketing research; information provided by individual marketing specialists; information provided by advertising agencies; information provided by the economic sections of the daily newspapers; and job Websites.     

基于“两型”指标的“两型社会”核心评价指标体系研究

笔者在阐释生产、消费、流通、科技、生态五大建设领域及政府、企业、居民三大建设主体与“两型社会”建设的关系的基础上,对“两型社会”内涵进行了界定,并据此基于“两型”生产、“两型”消费、“两型”流通、科技发展、生态建设五个方面构建了“两型社会”核心评价指标体系。由于生产、消费、流通领域的资源节约和环境保护是“两型社会”建设的根基,笔者采用“两型”指标对它们进行评价,这有助于减弱经济发展与资源、环境等指标并列设置所导致的指标问的冲突,从而增强评价指标体系的实用性。     

汉杜陵雁塔区域发展大遗址文化产业集群构想

发展政府主导型大遗址文化产业集群是汉杜陵遗址区域实现大遗址保护与区域经济社会和谐发展的一条创新途径。文章以汉杜陵遗址区为例,对文化产业集群的条件、目标定位、产业定位、集群结构模式进行了分析研究,并指出了政府应尽的重要职责。     

A Critique of ‘Neoliberal Autonomy’: The Rhetoric of Ownership Society

The rhetoric of the Ownership Society defined by the Cato Institute has been integral to framing the motivation behind the Social Security reform introduced by George W. Bush. This motivational frame involves a fierce advocacy of what we will call ‘neoliberal autonomy’ in a Hayekian and Friedmanite sense. For Hayek and Friedman, the social adequacy component of Social Security is problematized in the name of self-reliance and individual choice, which rejects any authoritative standards as morally indefensible. Nevertheless, the rhetoric of the Ownership Society, though it glorifies the neoliberal notion of autonomy, does not explicitly question the moral basis of Social Security. Rather, by defining the terms of debate, it frames the meaning of Social Security along neoliberal lines in an attempt to make a supposedly detached economic case for private retirement accounts. In this ‘pro-privatization’ framework, the social adequacy component of the Social Security system fades away as individual equity, or actuarial fairness, comes to the fore as the chief theme. We suggest a ‘pro-social’ rhetoric that recognizes the pursuit of social standards as providing the element of autonomy.

和谐社会、科学发展与统筹兼顾——迈向新改革时代的大国治理逻辑

改革开放以来,中国社会经济发展取得了举世瞩目的成就,但也产生了不少问题和矛盾。毫无疑问,中国经济发展已经到了一个关键时期。彻底冲破旧制度束缚的强烈需求必然催生中国新一轮的改革。在中共十七大精神的指引下,迈向新改革时代的大国治理必然以构建和谐社会为目标,以科学发展观为指导,以统筹兼顾为方法,引领整个社会走向全面协调可持续的发展轨道,从而实现民族复兴和大国崛起。     

新时期中国经济学伦理问题思考

在构建社会主义和谐社会政治构想,以及关注民生、促进社会公平正义的社会发展目标提出来之后,确立新的和符合社会发展要求的经济学核心伦理,就成为中国经济科学发展的关键,而科学、客观地认识与经济科学伦理相关的种种中国经济现实问题,又是确立新时期中国经济科学伦理必须认真加以研究的重大课题。     

基于“两型”社会背景下资源型经济转型的资源环境经济协调发展

山西省作为国家资源型经济转型综合配套改革试验区,是我国第一个全省域、全方位、系统性的国家级综合配套改革试验区。根据山西省资源型经济的资源环境经济协调性,基于“两型”社会背景,提出资源型经济转型的资源环境经济协调发展内容和模式。对保障国家资源型经济转型综合配套改革试验区的资源环境经济协调发展具有一定的指导作用。     

“两型社会”建设中武汉市工业发展战略的实证研究

随着武汉城市圈被国务院正式批准为全国“两型社会”改革试验区,该地区在环保、节能方面的现状和发展战略逐渐成为了全国关注的焦点。通过对“武汉城市圈”的“龙头”——武汉市１９８５～２００７年的环境状况、单位工业产值能耗、经济增长和外商直接投资等变量之间相互关系的实证分析发现,武汉市已经进入了经济增长与环境保护相互促进的发展阶段,环境水平和能耗状况都随经济的不断发展而逐步改善;武汉市引进的外商直接投资虽然对经济发展有一定的促进作用,但总体上质量不高;外商直接投资对武汉工业的知识溢出水平很低;武汉市在某种程度上成为了国际“污染避难所”。