The Politics of Inequality as Organised Spectacle: Why the Swiss Do Not Want to Tax the Rich

In 2015, Swiss voters had the opportunity to impose a tax on the super rich in a popular vote and thereby fund a redistributive policy. However, a large majority voted against its seemingly obvious self-interest and rejected the tax. We propose an explanation for this puzzling outcome, bridging the usually separate behavioralist and institutionalist perspectives on the politics of inequality. We start from the observation that political economy tends to neglect processes of preference formation. Theorising preferences as socially constructed, we show that interest groups played a major role in shaping the outcome of the vote. Business frames were multiplied through allied parties and the media and had a major impact on individual voting behaviour. In addition, we demonstrate that interest groups representing business interests derive the content of their communication from business’s structurally privileged position in the capitalist economy. Specifically, creating uncertainty about possible perverse effects of government policies on jobs and growth is a powerful tool to undermine popular support. Frames based on this structural power ultimately explain why the Swiss refrained from ‘soaking the rich.’     

Addressing the sustainable development through sustainable procurement: What factors resist the implementation of sustainable procurement in Pakistan?

Sustainable Public Procurement is an integral part of sustainable development because of ever increasing government expenditures. Most of the developing countries lack the required infrastructure which may support public sector sustainability. The aim of this study is to assess the critical factors which resist the implementation of sustainable procurement in public sector of Pakistan. We used Interpretive Structural Model to investigate and rank the interrelationships among different factors of sustainable procurement. With the help of literature and Likert scale instrument, we found twelve key barriers that resist sustainable procurement implementation. We also examined tender documents of 75 different public sector universities of Pakistan but found absence of sustainability element in the documents. External factors namely government legislation and stakeholders' pressure are found most critical barriers as compared to inter organizational factors. The study is also important to highlight the hurdles in the way of sustainable development. First, the government must introduce rules and regulations to implement the sustainable procurement. Stakeholders and donors must put pressure on organizations for adopting sustainable procurement. Sustainability education should be made mandatory part of curriculum and employees should be given regular training on sustainability. Further, public procurement policies at government and institutional levels are required to be revisited towards a circular economy.     

A hybrid information approach to predict corporate credit risk

This study proposes a hybrid information approach to predict corporate credit risk. In contrast to the previous literature that debates which credit risk model is the best, we pool information from a diverse set of structural and reduced‐form models to produce a model combination based on credit risk prediction. Compared with each single model, the pooled strategies yield consistently lower average risk prediction errors over time. We also find that while the reduced‐form models contribute more in the pooled strategies for speculative‐grade names and longer maturities, the structural models have higher weights for shorter maturities and investment grade names.     

水资源管理的供给侧结构性改革研究

根据供给侧结构性改革的背景和基本内涵,对水资源供给侧结构性改革的内涵进行研究,提出了狭义和广义的水资源供给侧结构性改革的内容。在分析水资源需求新形势的基础上,提出了水资源供给侧结构性改革的要求。根据水循环理论提出了水资源管理是推动水资源供给侧结构性改革的重要抓手,并在最严格水资源管理制度的基础上,提出了符合水资源供给侧结构性改革要求的水资源管理制度。     

基于模态应变能密度理论的网架结构损伤识别方法

为了研究网架结构的损伤检测方法,根据应变能密度理论,提出采用单元模态应变能密度差值作为网架结构损伤识别指标的方法,以损伤单元模态应变能密度差值的大小初步确定单元的损伤程度。分析了5种具有代表性的损伤工况,并在数值计算结果中引入了白噪声。结果显示,在一阶模态下,针对单损伤、多损伤和轻微损伤、严重损伤等不同损伤工况,损伤杆件的模态应变能密度差值均为高值。因此,该方法可以有效识别出网架结构的损伤位置,根据损伤单元的模态应变能密度差值大小初步确定单元的损伤程度,且在一定的噪声水平下具有较强的鲁棒性,对网架结构损伤识别具有参考价值。     

试论新制度经济学与中国体制改革的契合

中国正在经历一个制度变迁的时代。新制度经济学对中国体制改革实践有很强的解释力和指导性，它与马克思主义经济学在机理上的相通及其与中国的传统政治文化的契合促进了它在中国的进一步发展。中国正处于一个制度变迁的时代，新旧体制转轨使中国有了对新的经济制度变革理论的强烈需要。新制度经济学适应了这种需求，对中国体制改革实践有很强的解释力和指导性。新制度经济学与马克思主义政治经济学有相通之处，这有利于发展新制度经济学，也有利于中国经济理论的衔接和发展。中国的传统政治文化与新制度经济学理论的契合，既有利于新制度经济学的传播，也有利于中国体制改革的进一步发展。     

我国产权制度的变迁及其趋势

我国私营经济是在传统的公有制经济的土壤中发展起来的,其发展必然与传统体制发生摩擦与冲突。本文总结了我国产权制度变革的路径,分析了影响私营经济可持续发展的产权制度障碍,根据我国产权制度改革的轨迹,预测了产权制度变迁的趋势和特征。     

大城市边缘区土地利用变化与社会经济发展关系分析——以北京市平谷区为例

大城市边缘区是城市化最敏感、变化最大、最迅速的地区,也是土地利用变化最显著的地区,研究大城市边缘区土地利用变化时空过程及其驱动机制,对实现大城市自身可持续发展具有重要意义。该文采用数理统计与综合分析方法,对北京市平谷区土地利用动态变化及其与GDP、产业结构、消费结构、城镇化以及人口等社会经济发展因素的关系进行了分析。研究结果表明:1996~2004年,平谷区农用地面积持续减少,其中耕地减少较多,园地增长速度较快,林地略有减少。建设用地持续增加,其中交通用地增长速度最快。平谷区的土地利用变化与经济增长、产业升级、城镇化发展、消费结构变化以及人口增长具有显著的相关性,社会经济发展是土地利用变化的主要驱动因素。节约集约土地,提高土地利用效率,调整土地利用结构,促进产业优化升级,保障服务首都北京功能和平谷区域社会经济发展成为平谷区土地利用的必然要求。     

日本经济长期萧条的根本原因--在于"政府为特殊利益集团俘虏"吗?

从日本泡沫经济产生的根源、不良债权难以有效解决的原因、结构性经济改革难以推进的制约因素等方面分析，认为“政府为特殊利益访华团俘虏”是造成日本经济长期萧条的根本原因缺乏坚实的现实依据。仅从金融业的层面思考和解决不良债权问题不会从根本上解决该问题，仅从利益再调整的角度分析结构性改革的难度也没有完全理解改革的复杂性。