南方丘陵区新增耕地质量空间特征研究*——以江西省宜春市为例

［目的］粮食安全的根本是在耕地，关键在于耕地质量。目前新增耕地主要源于土地开发项目、城乡建设用地增减挂钩土地复垦项目等，这些新增耕地需要对其开展耕地质量等别评定工作，了解新增耕地的质量状况，分析其空间特征，这对落实国家耕地保护制度、开展农村土地整治工作等具有重要作用。［方法］文章以南方典型丘陵区域——江西省宜春市作为研究区域，在新增耕地质量评价的基础上，运用地统计学、景观生态学、Arcgis空间分析技术和典型相关分析方法，研究宜春市新增耕地质量的空间特征，掌握耕地质量等别的分布规律，了解耕地质量的影响因素，为制定合理的耕地资源利用与保护政策提供依据。［结果］（1）Moran′s I值结果表明宜春市2014年新增耕地利用质量在空间分布上的空间自相关性最强，而耕地自然质量空间自相关性最弱。（2）景观破碎度指数结果表明优、高等别的新增耕地质量破碎度大于中、低等别的； 多样性指数结果表明新增耕地质量多样性指数比较大； 优势度指数结果表明新增耕地质量等别优势度指数比较小，与多样性指数结果相呼应； 均匀度指数结果表明，新增耕地质量等别均匀度指数相差不大，新增耕地质量等别比较均匀。（3）质心结果表明2013—2014年间宜春市新增耕地质量的格局整体上是向西南方向变化。［结论］宜春市新增耕地质量不高； 新增耕地的利用水平差异性较小，自然本底状况差异较大； 新增耕地质量等别类型多，各质量等别类型耕地均有增加，耕地质量参差不齐，较高等地的新增耕地相对低等地而言更破碎化； 新增耕地的开发格局向着西南方向移动； 该研究为南方丘陵区的新增耕地保护提供了一定的参考依据。     

川西北高原藏区农村贫困化分异机制探测

[目的]客观揭示农村贫困化地域分异机制,为科学推进川西北高原藏区精准扶贫创新途径、综合战略和认真贯彻落实中央治藏方略提供参考依据。[方法]应用地理探测器模型、GIS空间分析与地统计方法等方法,探测川西北高原藏区贫困村单位面积GDP分异的主导因素,揭示农村贫困化分异机制,提出不同贫困化地域类型的扶贫政策措施。[结果]影响川西北高原藏区农村贫困化分异的主导因素包括到主要交通道路距离、归一化植被指数(NDVI)、土地利用、年均温度和海拔高程等,各因素对贫困村经济发展分异的解释力分别为80. 76%、12. 82%、8. 82%、5. 45%和3. 96%;贫困村经济发展贫困化的分异机制存在明显差异,可归纳为交通区位约束型、自然环境约束型和经济区位约束型等三大类型;农村贫困化驱动机制下的贫困村精准扶贫政策措施亟需因地制宜、科学推进、讲求实效,有序推进精准扶贫战略。[结论]精准扶贫应分类指导、重点突破,尤其加强贫困村交通、水利、公共基础设施建设和特色农牧业产业培植,注重多种扶贫模式的综合集成。     

Stochastic non-smooth envelopment of data for multi-dimensional output

The proposed method of Stochastic Non-smooth Envelopment of Data (StoNED) for measuring efficiency has to date mainly found application in the analysis of production systems which have exactly one output. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to examine the applicability of StoNED when a ray production function models a production technology with multi-dimensional input and output. In addition to a general analysis of properties required by a ray production function for StoNED to be applicable, we conduct a Monte Carlo simulation in order to evaluate the quality of the frontier and efficiencies estimated by StoNED. The results are compared with those derived via Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We show that StoNED provides competitive estimates in regard to other methods and especially in regard to the real functional form and efficiency.     

Patterns of Investor-State Dispute Settlement Decisions

This paper examines the pattern of settlements, investor wins and state wins in investor-state dispute settlement cases, focusing on the impact of arbitration rules, the resources and experience of the litigants, the type of treaty breach under investigation, and the pattern of state intervention. Logistic regression results show that settlements are more likely when investors do not disclose their allegations publicly, when the host state has been involved in a greater number of past cases, and when the respondent state has a higher control-of-corruption rating. Panel awards to investors are more likely in cases of alleged direct expropriation and less likely for indirect expropriation. Panel decisions favoring the state increase with higher per capita income and rule-of-law ratings.     

Liking what others “Like”: using Facebook to identify determinants of conformity

In this paper we explore the micro-level determinants of conformity. Members of the social networking service Facebook express positive support to content on the website by clicking a Like button. We set up a natural field experiment to test whether users are more prone to support content if someone else has done so before. To find out to what extent conformity depends on group size and social ties we use three different treatment conditions: (1) one stranger has Liked the content, (2) three strangers have Liked the content, and (3) a friend has Liked the content. The results show that one Like from a single stranger had no impact. However, increasing the size of the influencing group doubled the probability that subjects expressed positive support. Friendship ties were also decisive. People were, on average, four times more likely to press the Like button if a friend, rather than a stranger, had done so before them. The existence of threshold effects in our experiment clearly shows that both group size and social proximity matters when opinions are shaped.     

Mapping global sustainability report scoring: a detailed analysis of Europe and Asia

This study maps the General Reporting Initiative (GRI) relations for a set of global enterprises. Enterprise interrelationships are built using the Mutual Information (MI) of the data reported by enterprises. From the MI topology, we describe interrelationships among the enterprises using chord diagrams to represent the inter- and intra-connectivity between geographical regions and economic sectors globally, by continent and country. Detailed maps are presented for European and Asian regions/sectors, including the relationship between Europe and Asia’s top reporting countries. Our findings reinforce previous research regarding the role of Europe as a driver of sustainability and its influence worldwide. We also determined that Spain is a major player in Europe and that Northern Europe does not have the assumed leading role mentioned in related studies. Eastern Asia is, by far, the leader of the region, and the GRI maps demonstrate the preponderant role of China in the region and the minimal role of India. MI topology maps outline the behavior of the economic sectors, for all the studied regions. Furthermore, a measure that relates the inter- to intra-connections is presented to describe the internal an external relationships among regions/sectors.     

Cuba,Trade Dependency and the GATT/WTO System

Cuba sought economic independence from the U.S. and its reliance on sugar exports after its 1959 revolution, but subsequently developed new dependency relationships. In the meantime, Cuba remained inside the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), despite conducting most of its trade outside it. This paper explores the political economy of Cuba’s participation in the GATT and later the World Trade Organization (WTO). Documents show that Cuba sought to use its participation to gain new markets and influence in the developing world. While Cuba has gained little economically from its participation, in recent years it has diversified its exports and trade partners, and its trade interests now align more closely with WTO rules. Economic reforms will be necessary in order for Cuba to benefit.