The Environmental Benefits of Organic Wine: Exploring Consumer Willingness-to-Pay Premiums?

Consumers and the producers have shown interest in organics, but there exist gaps in their common interest. Producers require premiums for their products based on the peculiarity of their production circumstances and the perceived benefits inherent in their products. Predicting consumer willingness to pay a premium for the environmental benefits of organics (WTPe) is a challenge and is of interest in this study. The contingent valuation method was used to gather information on WTPe from a sample that yielded 2,099 surveys. The econometric test ordered probit regression and other analyses were carried out. On average, respondents indicated WTP 23% premium. The proposed hypotheses were tested, and all were accepted except social demographic variables that presented a mixed outcome. The results have implications for consumer sensitization and enlightenment programs of the wine industry, wine market segmentation, and government’s climate change policy. This study is exploratory and has presented a snapshot scenario. Confirmatory and longitudinal studies are recommended to validate this study’s outcomes.     

Institutional Realities and Constraints on Change: The Case of SME in Russia

This article presents the results of exploratory field research investigating the impact of the enabling institutional environment and internal firm capabilities in the information technology sector in St. Petersburg, Russia. Through a series of semi-structured interviews and confirmatory research through the UNDP and UNIDO, the study finds the emerging institutional environment remains weak, unpredictable and unstable, creating challenges for SMEs to contribute to the growth and development of the Russian economy.     

The Competitiveness of the Maritime Clusters in the Baltic Sea Region: Key Challenges from the Finnish Perspective

This article examines the Finnish maritime cluster by identifying the key challenges hindering its competitiveness. The main bottlenecks for the future are concluded to comprise rising cost levels in relation to customer demand, the need for human and capital resources, the need for financial and scientific support for innovation activities, and the lack of contacts and resources when competing for large-scale international projects. These issues are relevant also for the other maritime clusters in the Baltic Sea Region. Thus, joint policies and cooperation in tackling these issues could support the competitiveness of the maritime sector in the whole region.     

Innovations in the Baltic Rim Region until 2025: Challenges and Prospects

This article examines the role of different actors (European Union [EU] structures, governmental institutions of the member-states, and regional companies with global outreach) in development of the innovation strategy in the Baltic Sea Rim. We identify three sub-regions, which are now in the stage of gradual convergence (“old” and “new” member-states of the EU as well as Russia), and focus on the main challenge to the region today, which is the ability of its countries to secure and strengthen the liberal nature of their socioeconomic systems. This research is based on the findings of the studies undertaken by authors as well as on our personal experience in the development of the Russian innovative ecosystem. It concludes that to avoid technological lagging behind other regions, governments of the Baltic Sea countries should complement the EU policies by implementing a set of proactive measures aimed at promotion of national innovations and intraregional cooperation.     

再论我国国际贸易学阐述体系的若干缺失——一个简明的实例分析

从本文所选的60个样本来看,我国国际贸易学阐述体系存在着如下的明显缺失:(1)国际贸易政策阐述不当的问题相当严重;(2)不能弘扬正确经济理念的现象比较广泛;(3)国际贸易理论梳理依然存在一些共同不足;(4)国际贸易环境分析还有待进一步深化;(5)经济实践所急需的知识增补相当薄弱。因此,现在是认真变革我国国际贸易学阐述体系的时候了。     

小微企业发展的要素瓶颈及其突破

近几年来,缺资金、缺人才、缺土地等几乎是小微企业共同面临的要素瓶颈,这些瓶颈严重影响小微企业的发展后劲。小微企业面临要素瓶颈,既与企业自身有关,也与地方政府有关,还与制度环境有关。为了突破小微企业发展的要素瓶颈,就必须借助内强外联提升小微企业要素获取力,着力构建面向小微企业的要素保障体系,优化小微企业制度环境以实现公平竞争。     

生态文明建设要走在最前列——关于长沙实施绿色发展崛起战略的思考

强化生态文明理念是长沙发展加快转型的主要动力。强力推动绿色发展是长沙发展加快转型的主要目标。加强生态环境建设,是长沙发展加快转型的主要路径。     

家庭环境因素对大学生公众演讲焦虑水平的影响

调查家庭环境因素对中医院校大学生公众演讲焦虑水平的影响,希望能促进演讲能力培训课程教学研究工作。采用问卷调查法对参加演讲能力培训课程的学生的公众演讲焦虑水平和家庭环境因素进行调查分析。家庭环境中的娱乐性、知识性、组织性、控制性、亲密性等因素与对被试公众演讲焦虑水平有较高水平的负相关;其中,控制性的影响显著性较低,其它各项因素显著性较高。演讲能力培训课程教学研究工作者对选课学生的公众演讲焦虑形成的影响因素有深入了解,可以找到更好的切入点,通过心理学和教育学的专业知识和技术,帮助学生不断降低自身的公众演讲焦虑,提高自身的公众演讲能力。     

基于SDA模型的生态工业园资源环境压力与结构分解研究——以大连经济技术开发区生态工业园区为例

本文建立结构分解分析（SDA）模型,以大连经济技术开发区生态工业园区为例,定量分析了2001-2010年资源与环境压力的驱动因子和效应。结果表明,土地因子对生态工业园区资源环境压力的效应为正,相对较小且稳定,而效应随园区经济发展逐渐减弱则说明土地开发不再是造成资源环境压力的主要因素;经济因子的效应为正且逐年增大,是园区资源环境压力的主要动因,表明典型园区在经济高速增长阶段对资源和环境造成了破坏;技术因子的效应为负,相对较大且稳定,但随着园区经济因子正效应的逐渐增大,技术因子负效应开始抵消不了经济因子的正效应,表明园区在后期的发展会遇到节能减排技术创新的瓶颈,技术因子减小园区的资源环境压力的效应呈边际递减。     

安徽铜陵市旅游系统耦合评价研究

铜陵市是国务院公布的第二批资源枯竭型矿业城市,面临经济社会发展和产业转型的巨大压力。通过构建近似线性模型和运用物理学容量耦合模型,研究了铜睃市旅游系统（生态环境一文化发展～旅游产业）耦合发展度。结果表明,1999—2009年,铜陵市旅游系统耦合发展度总体呈上升趋势,生态环境子系统是制约总系统耦合发展度增长的主要原因．在客观剖析城市内外部地理环境背景的基础上,借鉴国内外相关旅游理论和实践,提出铜陵市旅游系统耦合发展具体路径：（1）政府主谋、企业主导、社区参与;（2）借循环经济之势,优化城市自然生态环境;（3）延拓城市主文脉。凸显青铜文化l（4）梳理城市旅游生态位,促进产品与市场的良性对接。