Strengthening capacity for sustainable livelihoods and food security through urban agriculture among HIV and AIDS affected households in Nakuru,Kenya

The promotion and support of urban agriculture (UA) has the potential to contribute to efforts to address pressing challenges of poverty, under nutrition and sustainability among vulnerable populations in the growing cities of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This may be especially relevant for HIV/AIDS-affected individuals in SSA whose agricultural livelihoods are severely disrupted by the devastating effects of the disease on physical productivity and nutritional well-being. This paper outlines the process involved in the conception, design and implementation of a project to strengthen technical, environmental, financial and social capacity for UA among HIV-affected households in Nakuru, Kenya. Key lessons learned are also discussed. The first has been the value of multi-stakeholder partnerships, representing a broad range of relevant experience, knowledge and perspectives in order to address the complex set of issues facing agriculture for social purposes in urban settings. A second is the key role of self-help group organizations, and the securing of institutional commitments to support farming by vulnerable persons affected by HIV-AIDS is also apparent. Finally, the usefulness of evaluative tools using mixed methods to monitor progress towards goals and identify supports and barriers to success are highlighted.     

Individual differences in price responsiveness within and across food brands

Various researchers have reported that in routine grocery shopping the quantity consumers buy varies little across shopping occasions. Even in the presence of promotions, the largest part of promotional sales peaks has been attributed to brand switching. Recent investigations, however, indicated that the quantity consumers buy may include complex intra- and inter-consumer and intra- and inter-brand choice patterns. Using panel data from more than 1500 British consumers purchasing four food products during 52 weeks, the present study examined whether such complex patterns occur and assessed their relative contribution to overall quantity elasticity. Results showed that consumers buy larger quantities when paying lower prices, both within and across brands, and that consumers who buy larger quantities tend to pay lower prices, both within and across brands. The results also indicated that intra-brand price variations, especially those associated with consumers switching across package sizes, account for the largest portion of changes in quantity. Methodological differences might explain discrepancies among previous findings such as the duration of the sample used, the number of brands examined, and the conceptualization of a brand as including or excluding different package sizes.     

Monthly wood supply behavior of associated forest owners in Austria—Insights from the analysis of a micro-econometric panel

This paper examines the wood supply from non-industrial private forest owners in Austria. The main novelty of this study is threefold. First, the underlying dataset is based on monthly wood supply. This enables an analysis of seasonal supply behavior, which is found to be different in relation to the size of the forestland. Second, it represents an original study with a dataset from a Central European country whose forest owners are apparently much more fragmented than their Scandinavian or North American counterparts. And third, the study introduces a windfall variable that effectively corrects for a market-relevant storm event. With respect to methodology, a random effects Tobit model is applied. Additionally, a Chamberlain-like term is included in the regression to deal with a possible bias generated through the correlation of regressors and unobserved heterogeneity.     

The Oilseed Market in Turkey

Abstract

Owing to the suitable natural resource endowments, twelve different oilrelated plants are grown in Turkey making it the largest producer in cottonseed, sunflower seed, cottonseed oil, and margarine in the Mediterranean Basin. However, Turkey has also been a net importer in both oilseeds and crude oils. It is the second largest importer in sunflower seed, sunflower oil, palm oil, corn oil, and third in soybean oil in the region. Using multicommodity partial equilibrium simulation model, this paper analyzes the future consumption and trade patterns in the Turkish oilseed market. The model suggests that the deficiencies in major meals and oils will likely to persist if the present policies are sustained. If the tariff rates are lowered to 0% for sunflower seed and to 12% for sunflower oil, the total vegetable oil disappearance as well as the imports of sunflower oil, sunflower meal, and palm oil will continue to grow.     

财务困境、政府干预与管理者自利

文章运用处理效应(treatment effect)模型,从财务困境视角研究了政府干预对管理者自利行为的影响。研究发现,当政府干预程度较低时,相对于未发生财务困境的公司,困境公司管理者的自利行为会有所减弱;但当政府干预程度增强时,困境公司管理者自利行为减弱的程度将趋缓。对于政府控制的公司,当金融机构信贷决策受到政府干预的影响较弱时,财务困境期间管理者自利行为会有所减弱;随着政府对金融机构信贷决策干预程度的加强,困境公司管理者自利行为趋于严重。对于非政府控制的公司,困境期间管理者自利行为对金融机构信贷决策的自主性并不敏感。     

国家形象与目的地形象：概念的异同和整合的可能

国家形象是国际商务和国际营销领域的重要概念，目的地形象是旅游领域的重要概念。在竞争日益激烈的全球化市场上，国家形象和目的地形象对于产品和旅游目的地获得竞争优势具有重要的战略价值。目前，国家形象和目的地形象研究基本上是独立的，文章在全面回顾两个领域最新研究进展的基础上，分析两概念定义、理论基础、形象主体和客体、形象内容等方面的异同；根据对国家形象、目的地形象与旅游研究中的其他社会心理变量之间关系的分析，提出整合这些变量的旅游意向模型以及相应的三个命题，以引导下一步的实证研究。     

中国旅游业管理制度变迁机制及多元动态博弈模型构建研究

文章以＂地方政府＂经营旅游业原动力为出发点,从时空角度动态审视我国旅游业博弈主体关系演进轨迹、逻辑内涵与实质,引入演化博弈论思想,以＂地方政府＂博弈行为为纽带,将＂微观主体＂微观层次的＂突变＂和＂中央政府＂宏观层次的＂选择＂连接起来,并以进化安定均衡的产生与打破这一动态过程来构建旅游多元动态博弈模型,以期丰富与完善旅游业管理制度理论与实践研究。     

我国个人所得税税制设计探讨

我国个人所得税税制的改革应以调节个人收入分配差距为主要目标，遵循能力赋税与征收便利的原则。个人所得税税制改革应向综合课税迈进，以家庭为纳税单位，设计统一多级超额累进税率，完善税前扣除体系，充分发挥其作为社会主义市场经济条件下再次分配环节中调节收入分配的杠杆作用。     

创新铁路运输业竞争理论模型研究

通过对竞争理论的研究,提出了铁路运输竞争的概念及分类,建立了铁路运输内部竞争和外部竞争模型;特别是通过对现行中国铁路运输区域管理(铁路局管理)模式的实证分析研究,建立了铁路现有区域管理模式下的竞争模型,在此基础上提出了市场经济条件下、实现充分竞争的新型铁路公司竞争模型,即通过改革后使任一客户(旅客或货主)在同一地区可以选择不同铁路运输公司为其服务,建立起铁路运输企业间的内部充分竞争机制,对铁路运输改革、打破运输垄断、引入竞争机制具有一定的理论意义和重要的现实参考价值。     

理性主义观照的英国BTEC课程模式探析

理性主义哲学体系崇尚科学与实证，理性主义的真理标准为自身观念的清楚明白。这种哲学观指导下的英国BTEC的课程模式，表现出课程目标设定清晰明确、注重学生的主体性学习、实施客观公正学生评价的特点。