Ag econ angst crisis revisited

The present paper was inspired by and is a response to the Rola-Rubzen, Hardaker and Dillon paper 'Agricultural economists and world poverty: progress and prospects' (Rola-Rubzen et al. 2001). It is agreed that the position of agricultural economists in foreign aid and poverty programs has declined over recent decades. Such a feeling of guilt and remorse expressed by the above authors does indeed create considerable 'angst'. A major reason for this state of affairs lies in 'the flavour of the month' approach of the development agencies. These include women in development, gender-based farming systems research, household nutrition and food security, people participation, and targeting the poorest of the poor. These fads have driven disciplinary considerations to the wall and the more widely-defined objectives have reduced the drive for economic efficiency. We argue there is still a place for better designed and delivered assistance programs within the wider framework of assistance that has become fashionable. Greater application of institutional principles in both the political processes associated with assistance and the implementation agencies would improve the outcomes of many projects. Particular attention would need to be given to the interface between the development agencies and recipient governments. The present paper picks up on the market failure aspects of agriculture's rather poor contribution to development, and develops a wider perspective in terms of the new institutional economics and a continuing role for the agricultural economist.     

重访发展政治学

本文回顾了四十年来发展政治学的成果。发展政治学在早期曾试图建立一个研究发展中国家的政治和政治变化的理论框架。但后来知识界对现代化理论和结构功能主义提出了挑战,从而削弱了这一理想。而且,现实世界中事件的发展,证明发展政治学中目的论的视角是有问题的。不过,后来,发展政治学在政治制度、民主的稳定和崩溃、国家结构、公民社会和政治发展的不平衡等方面的研究上取得了长足的进展。本文认为,当前,繁多的证据表明,政治发展和政治衰败过程是多种多样的。因此,发展政治学应当避免倒退到一种新的现代化理论之中。相反,该领域应当专注在国家改革、民主统治、代议政治、责任政府、公民社会的组织等这些论题上。关注这些广泛而活跃的问题,发展政治学会对比较政治学作出重要的理论贡献。     

Supermarkets and suppliers in the United Kingdom: System integration, information and control

This paper raises the issue of control in new organizational configurations where information and communication technology is the critical enabler of business integration. It is organized around two guiding questions; how and why major U.K. supermarkets have taken control and dominance of the food market, and the role of information technology and accounting information in replacing market relationships. The study illustrates the way in which markets can be structured and controlled by strategic reconfiguration of supply sources and customer outlets.     

Optimal detection strategies for an established invasive pest

We model optimal detection of sub-populations of invasive species that establish ahead of an advancing front. For many invaders, eradication of the main population is an untenable goal, yet it may be possible to treat and eradicate emerging sub-populations once these sub-populations are detected. We embed a dynamically optimal post-detection management plan of sub-populations into a model of optimal detection effort determination and find that optimal detection effort depends, in part, on the distance from the main front: locations closer to the front with shorter management horizons enjoy lower reductions in overall cost from intervention. The uninfested landscape is divided into two zones, characterized by different dynamically optimal management plans: a suppression zone and an eradication zone. In the suppression zone, optimal detection effort increases with distance from the front. At the distance where the suppression zone yields to the eradication zone, optimal detection effort plateaus at its maximum level.     

Do non-profit hospitals provide more charity care when faced with a mandatory minimum standard? Evidence from Texas

Policymakers often question whether not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals provide enough charity care to justify tax advantages. In 1993, Texas enacted legislation requiring NFP hospitals to provide certain community benefits at levels set forth in specific criteria to retain tax-exempt status; this paper focuses on the effect of the legislation’s requirement that NFP hospitals spend a minimum of 4% of net patient revenue on charity care. We also study a modification of the law passed in 1995, which allows the deduction of bad debts expense when calculating net patient revenue. This change effectively lowers required charity care spending, and our study considers whether Texas hospitals responded by reducing charity care spending.