A Monte-Carlo approach to estimating the effects of selected airport capacity options in London

The issue of future airport capacity in London is currently the subject of much political debate in the UK. Although realistic estimates of the effects of capacity enhancement may be desirable, such estimates are difficult. Through the use of Monte Carlo simulation, this paper quantifies and compares the relative capacity enhancements that may be afforded by the construction of a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary, additional runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and changes to operating practices at Heathrow. The simulations show that a new hub airport would be the most effective way to increase capacity, although the reported financial and environmental costs of such a development indicate a comparatively poor rate of return. Proposed new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and the removal of runway alternation at Heathrow provide more modest increases in capacity.     

A new professionalism for agricultural research for development

There have been repeated calls for a ‘new professionalism’ for carrying out agricultural research for development since the 1990s. At the centre of these calls is a recognition that for agricultural research to support the capacities required to face global patterns of change and their implications on rural livelihoods, requires a more systemic, learning focused and reflexive practice that bridges epistemologies and methodologies. In this paper, we share learning from efforts to mainstream such an approach through a large, multi-partner CGIAR research program working in aquatic agricultural systems. We reflect on four years of implementing research in development (RinD), the program’s approach to the new professionalism. We highlight successes and challenges and describe the key characteristics that define the approach. We conclude it is possible to build a program on a broader approach that embraces multidisciplinarity and engages with stakeholders in social-ecological systems. Our experience also suggests caution is required to ensure there is the time, space and appropriate evaluation methodologies in place to appreciate outcomes different to those to which conventional agricultural research aspires.     

基于组合赋权的青海省水资源承载力模糊物元分析

以青海省为研究区域,以其所辖的8个行政分区作为研究单元,利用基于组合赋权的模糊物元分析法,从用水总量、用水效率、水质3个维度建立青海省水资源承载力的"三条红线"评价指标体系。结果显示:青海省水资源还具有较大的开发潜力,水资源承载能力较强。但是青海省水资源开发利用条件和程度呈现出区域性差异,西宁市和海东市水资源承载力已近饱和状态,而其余地区水资源承载力相对较强,必须因地制宜采取相应的改善措施。     

基于SBO-PP模型的水资源可持续发展能力评价模型及应用

为利用投影寻踪(PP)技术科学,客观评价区域水资源可持续发展能力,基于生态环境、水资源和经济社会因素选取20个指标构建区域水资源可持续发展能力评价指标体系。利用新型仿生群体智能算法——凉亭鸟优化(SBO)算法优化PP技术最佳投影方向,提出SBO-PP水资源可持续发展能力评价模型,并构建灰狼优化(GWO)算法-PP模型、人工蜂群(ABC)算法-PP模型、差分进化(DE)算法-PP模型、地理生物学优化(BBO)算法-PP模型、粒子群优化(PSO)算法-PP模型作对比,以云南省2006—2015年及2020年水资源可持续发展能力评价为例进行实例研究。结果表明:SBO算法优化PP技术获得的适应度值优于GWO、ABC、DE、BBO和PSO算法,具有较好的求解精度、稳健性能和极值寻优能力。SBO-PP模型对云南省2006—2007年水资源可持续发展能力评价为"较差",2008—2015年评价为"中等",2020年评价为"较强"。     

The importance of farmer education in South Australia

There is a significant challenge involved with balancing food security at local and global levels whilst mitigating the environmental and social consequences of the historically productivist agri-food system. This work will address the importance of education in the South Australian agricultural sector as a tool to maximise beneficial outcomes. The results of a blended method research project, which involved farmers and governance stakeholders in South Australia, are presented as empirical evidence highlighting the positive roles that formal education, in particular university education, have in regard to increasing sustainability. It was found that higher levels of formal education contributed to farmers being more likely to prioritise the socio-environmental outcomes of their agricultural land use. There was also a dramatic reduction in farmer concerns with government support mechanisms as education levels went from secondary or less, through to vocational qualifications, and finally university degrees. Interviews with agricultural governance stakeholders emphasised the role of education in building the adaptive capacity of farmers, and the subsequent positive outcomes for the future development of the South Australian agricultural industry. These results suggest that further education provides farmers with the capacity to compete effectively in a liberalised economy.     

Effects of hiring former employees of multinationals in the absorptive capacity of local firms

The attraction of foreign direct investment seeks, among other things, to increase the productivity of local companies through knowledge spillovers. However, the empirical evidence in this regard is contradictory. One influential factor is the absorptive capacity of the local companies. This article analyzes the effect of the presence of former employees of multinational corporations as employees of local companies, on the absorptive capacity of said companies. The study was done in Costa Rica, a country known for its successful strategy in the subject matter. The data come from a survey applied to 1167 companies by the Observatorio Costarricense de las Pymes in 2011. It was found that the hiring of former employees of multinational corporations by local companies has a positive effect on the index of absorptive capacity of companies in all productive sectors. Specifically, this hiring of former employees increases the index of absorptive capacity by nine percentage points, with differences by sector and the size of the company.     

How to improve the university–industry collaboration in Taiwan's animation industry? Academic vs. industrial perspectives

This study demonstrates the use of importance–performance analysis (IPA) to prioritise the motivators that can facilitate university–industry collaboration in the animation industry in Taiwan. This study confirms that financial supports and education are still major reasons for academia to participate in the university–industry collaboration. Reducing costs and obtaining human training are the reasons for animation firms to join the university–industry collaboration. However, by comparing the results of IPA for academia and industry, this study recommends four common interest motivators from both academic and industrial perspectives and where efforts should be concentrated. Research facilities, external competencies, talents, and innovation capacity are very important for the animation industry of Taiwan.     

耦合产业系统中资源与污染的结构性动态分析

可持续的产业发展分析往往关注于经济增长与资源、环境之间的互动影响,以及它们在最优增长路径上的动态分配过程,一般很少考虑产业依赖的资源与产业发展中环境诸要素(如衰减能力、环境本底值等)的背景条件不同而引发的耦合产业结构和规模的问题[1-14]。本文主要对基于资源消耗和可持续发展框架下耦合产业系统的最优化增长路径上产业结构的动态变化进行刻画和模拟实证。数值模拟显示,对于可持续的耦合产业系统长期发展而言,两个产业的结构和规模将随着环境诸要素动态变化,随之产生的社会效益和环境损害也是动态变化的。而且,资源的消耗水平、耦合产业中各子产业的发展结构、环境条件将影响到耦合产业系统的最优增长路径,在特定的情况下将出现类似于Kuznets曲线性状的拐点。     

Participation in export and Chinese firms’ capacity utilization

This paper first sets up a firm heterogeneity trade model and shows that given capital stock and productivity, export firms will have higher rates of capacity utilization. In addition, given capital stock and fixed export costs, firms with higher productivity are more likely to export. I then use the 2012 Chinese enterprise survey from the World Bank to empirically investigate the impact of participation in export on Chinese firms’ capacity utilization rate. The results show that on average, export firms have capacity utilization rate 1.55–2.01 percent higher than non-export firms, which amounts to 14.6–18.9 percent of the standard deviation of capacity utilization rate in the sample. I also find that firms with a larger part of shares owned by the government have lower capacity utilization. Stronger market competition leads to over-investment and therefore lower capacity utilization rate. Faced with more rigorous labor market regulation, firms will substitute capital for the use of labor, resulting in higher capacity utilization rate.     

Do innovative emerging market cross-border acquirers create more shareholder value? Evidence from India

This study attempts to investigate the role of absorptive capacity of emerging market firms in creating shareholder value from developed market acquisitions. It analyzes the cumulative abnormal return of cross border acquisitions of listed Indian firms in Europe focusing on acquirers’ research intensity. The study discovers a U-shaped relationship between research intensity of Indian acquirers and their cumulative abnormal return following acquisitions in Europe. As such, firms with no research capacity can benefit from the acquisition by accessing advanced targets, although firms with extensive research capacity outperform any of their Indian competitors as these firms have the absorptive capacity to not only exploit but also explore the knowledge base of the acquired target. Furthermore, we found a positive effect of the acquisition of a high-tech target company, regardless of the absorptive capacity of the acquirer. We also found that business group membership has a positive impact on shareholder value, although horizontal acquisitions as compared to vertical and unrelated deals have a significantly negative impact for these companies. This result is again linked to the more explorative nature of vertical and unrelated acquisitions in comparison with horizontal deals that are more based on the exploitation of existing resources and capabilities.