An Econometric Estimation of Industrial Water Demand in France

This study investigates the structure of industrial water demand byestimating the derived demand for water on a sample of industrialestablishments located in the south-west of France. Productiontechnologies are represented by short-term variable cost functions andapproximated by a translog form. Industrial water use is modeled ashaving three components: the quantity of water bought to a waterutility, the quantity of autonomous water and the quantity of watertreated prior to use. We include in this framework water effluents,which are considered as a by-product of the production process, emittedby firms. Each of the three water components is treated as a separateinput and all are estimated as a system of simultaneous equations. Themodel is estimated on a sample of 51 industrial plants in the Girondedistrict observed from 1994 to 1996 using Seemingly Unrelated Regression(SUR) and Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS). Results ofestimations show that industrial firms are sensitive to water priceinputs. Network water elasticity is estimated at –0.29. It variesfrom –0.10 to –0.79 according to the type of industryconsidered. Autonomous water price elasticity is not significant.Elasticity for treated water is evaluated at –1.42 at themean-sample and varies from –0.90 to –2.21 according to theindustry considered.     

Bandwagon mergers,international competitiveness,and government policy

This paper suggests that while the static welfare losses of merger predilections among Western firms may not be dramatic, they may lead to substantial dynamic losses when merger-prone firms need to compete with firms which instead focus on equipment investment and investments in R&D. It is suggested that such diverging investment priorities have been the real cause of the deteriorating competitiveness of many of the largest Western enterprises vis-à-vis their Japanese rivals. While mergers are generally taken to be determined by either efficiency or monopoly considerations, this paper argues that Western merger predilections are likely to be generated by a combination of imitative and defensive routines as well. That would make it difficult for firms to unilaterally break away from these competitiveness-threatening investments. If correct, this would imply that competition policies would need to be refocused. However, it is also suggested that the implications for international competitiveness should make merger questions a subject of industrial policies too. In that respect, the paper suggests some basic attitudinal changes.Earlier versions of this paper were presented at a Global Forum for Competition and Trade Policy conference in Vienna and at a EUNIP workshop at Åbo Akademi University, Finland. Financial support from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs (contract nos. 54473 and 57305) and the European Commission (contract no. ERB CHRX CT94-0454), research assistance from Michel Renirie and Chee-Wai Chan, and helpful comments from the conference and workshop participants, especially Kurt Bayer and Keith Cowling, are gratefully acknowledged. Only the author is responsible for the contents of, and any flaws in the paper.     

我国农村环境问题的经济分析及解决途径

本文分析了我国农村存在的环境问题,从经济学角度分析了农村环境问题产生的原因,并提出了农村环境问题的治理措施与途径:消除其公共物品性和外部性。     

人.自然.社会—生态悖论思考之一

本文提出了生态悖论的概念，分析其产生的原因、实质、解决的方法以及对生态学和生态经济学理论发展所起的作用。     

厂商的密集性进入与产业链纵向关系治理——基于中国汽车产业的分析

随着产业进入管制的逐步放松,厂商的密集性进入不仅改变了产业链的横向市场结构,也为产业链纵向关系治理模式的重新选择创造条件.面对中国汽车产业发展的这一现状,本文在文献回顾的基础上,通过对一个连续古诺模型的分析,认为下游整车厂商的密集性进入将导致产业链的部分或完全分拆,其具体形式取决于初始状态和上游厂商的数量.最后,结合国际经验以及国内新近产业政策设计和汽车企业的策略实践辅以论证说明.     

基于产业集群可持续发展的区域品牌效应探究

作者从区域品牌内涵的科学界定出发,通过对区域品牌特性的把握,阐述区域品牌在产业集群发展中的作用,并着重研究了区域品牌在当前我国产业集群转型升级中的积极效应,以期为地方政府的区域经济决策提供依据.     

集群治理:社会资本价值量提升的手段

社会资本是产业集群中一种重要的经济资源。在现有的社会资本价值模型基础上,从集群治理的角度对社会资本价值量的提升进行了研究,得出集群治理是社会资本价值量得以提升的重要手段的结论。     

经济转型期的产业断层危机

产业断层危机不同于一般经济周期,它产生于产业结构升级转换中的结构失衡,表现为中长期的结构错落和增长速度迟缓。根据引发的因素可以分为“康氏周期拐点型”、“泡沫经济引致型”、“货币危机引致型”和“产业升级转换型”等类型,中国目前正处于工业化中期阶段,产业结构正面临着向新兴技术和新兴产业转型阶段,到2005年前后,我国将面临产业结构大规模升级,届时由于现阶段的资源瓶颈、产业回补、出口压力、技术瓶颈、产业虚高度化和尤格拉周期因素,可能会发生较大的产业断层危机。     

重新重工业化与振兴老工业基地

由于多方面因素的决定,中国走了一条先重工业、后轻工业、再重工业的工业发展道路,现在正进入一个重新重工业化的阶段,带来了经济发展的新机遇.重新重工业化的契机和良好的工业基础决定了老工业基地的振兴是必要的,也是可能的.振兴老工业基地的重点,应是发展拥有比较优势的重工业;振兴老工业基地的关键是实施产业集群战略,发展重工业产业集群.     

加速城市建设应注意的几个问题

目前,我国城市化进程不断加快,城市数量增加,规模扩大,成效显著.但是,也必须清醒地看到,城市建设工作中的短期行为和浮躁之风相当严重,应当引起人们的高度重视.本文认为,城市规模扩张必须以产业支撑为前提,不能搞空壳城市;城市公共设施建设慎向民资伸手,不能滥用市场化手段;居民区搬迁改造应多些人文关怀,不能一拆了之;应遵循城市发展的客观规律,正确处理城市建设中的几个关系问题.