YTS and the Labour Market

This article contains results from a survey of the influence of the Youth Training Scheme (YTS) in the labour market. Tighter conditions in this market in 1989 led to changes in the role of the YTS towards recruitment and training rather than job creation. The effectiveness of YTS in meeting skill shortages is examined, as are the motives of employers who participate in the scheme and the extent to which trainees aim for qualifications. Youth training for the labour markets of the 1990s is considered in relation to expected future trends in the demand for skilled labour in that period.     

己内酰胺的生产技术及国内外市场分析

介绍了己内酰胺的生产技术新进展，其中绿色生产工艺是今后的发展趋势。2005年全世界己内酰胺的总生产能力为4451kt，总消费量为3950kt，预计2009年总消费量将达到4731kt，2014年将达到5320kt。2005年我国己内酰胺的总生产能力为350kt，产量为212．1kt，消费量为703．2kt，产不足需，每年都得大量进口。预计2010年我国己内酰胺的总消费量将达到约1040kt，己内酰胺在我国发展前景广阔。今后我国应积极采用先进技术扩大装置的生产规模，以从根本上缓解我国己内酰胺的供需矛盾。     

An unequal burden: Intra-household dimensions of seasonal health in Tanzania

Seasonal variation in nutritional status is a concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Seasonality in the food consumption of young Tanzanian children has a substantial and negative impact on later life outcomes. Seasonal variation in adult nutritional status has implications for labor productivity and prenatal health. Just as mean poverty status or mean health status varies within households, seasonal patterns in health status are likely to vary within households, as well as the mechanisms underlying seasonal variation. We parameterize and compare seasonality in nutritional status across multiple types of household members in rural, farming households in Tanzania, using a novel anthropometric measure of body mass index z-score that is comparable across adults and children. Young children not yet in school and working adults are most vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations in nutritional status. Children in school and older adults are relatively shielded. Seasonal variation in the nutritional status of working adults can be partly explained by variation in dietary quality and agricultural labor hours. Seasonal variation in the nutritional status of young children is not explained by either factor, nor is it mitigated by market access. Our results suggest we do not understand the data generating process behind seasonality in the nutritional status of young children, despite the critical implications of this seasonality for development and later life productivity.     

Changes in the field of R&D management over the past 20 years

Abstract
The purpose of this bibliographic study is to identify trends of interest in the field of the management of technology in the last 20 years. The data used are based mainly on a classification of the topics covered by papers printed in this journal since its first publication in 1970.
On the whole, interest in most of the topics has remained steady, notably in economics of R&D, communication, innovation and creativity. The only notable decrease in interest has been in project evaluation and selection. Relative to their importance, the authors remark that in some areas in which interest has remained steady, such as creativity and innovation, not enough is being done. Areas in which interest has increased include organizational issues, the interface between R&D and production and the impact of information technology. Interest in technology strategy increased over the early part of the review period but has recently declined.
The authors conclude by listing topics which strongly deserve attention by workers in the field. They cite integration of R&D into corporate strategy, organizing for technological flexibility, technology assessment and transfer, speeding up the R&D process, measuring the impact of new information technology, intrapreneurship and defining the role of basic R&D in technology development.     

Inequalities of opportunity in the access and use of telecommunication services in Togo

The liberalization of the telecommunications sector in Togo aimed at ensuring access to a better quality of telecommunication services at affordable prices to everyone. While the liberalization policy has increased competition in the sector and reduced significantly telecommunication services prices charged to costumers, statistics on the access and use of telecommunication services in Togo reveal disparities with respect to individuals' socio-economic characteristics which could be an indication of the existence of inequalities of opportunities in the access and use of these services.This paper investigates the inequalities of opportunity in the access and use of telecommunication services in Togo using a parametric approach. The results of estimations indicate that, inequalities of opportunities are larger for men and the elderly than respectively women and youths and are more pronounced in urban areas and regions such as the Plateaux and Savanna regions. Moreover, the circumstance variables such as the ‘place of residence’ and the ‘region’ are the key variables in explaining the inequalities of opportunities in the access and use of telecommunication services in Togo. So, policies toward reducing inequalities of opportunity in the access and use of telecommunication services in Togo should be designed with regards to men, the elderly, and people living in urban areas and regions such as the Plateaux and Savanna regions.     

Modeling Housing Market Fundamentals: Empirical Evidence of Extreme Market Conditions

This article examines the issues encountered in the modeling of market fundamentals during a period of extreme price behavior. The study analyzes the price behavior of the residential property market in Ireland using a number of alternative methodological approaches in the estimation of fundamental market value. Limitations in conventional models such as an inverted demand model are highlighted, in particular, with regard to diagnostic concerns and the static nature of the model. The use of an error correction framework provides more consistent and robust findings. The analysis does appear to indicate that a substantial premium over fundamental values developed in the Irish market during the late 1990s, reaching a peak in 1999 and 2000. However, in recent years, prices have largely been in line with fundamentals.     

消费者视角下的虚拟社区信任研究

虚拟社区信任包含技术信任、制度信任和人际信任三个层次。虚拟社区信任对消费者的参与行为和商业行为产生直接影响。虚拟社区信任存在一个产生、保持和终止的动态演化过程。消费者对虚拟社区存在初始信任、持续信任和不信任等三种心理状态。在虚拟社区信任演化过程中,不同阶段的信任受到影响的因素各不相同。     

Research on the interface factor in the development and utilization of new technology

AbstractThe interface factor in the development and utilization of new technology is analyzed with questionnaire surveys. The interface factor is found to determine R&D performance in a study of large manufacturing companies in the United States and in a study of computer utilization performance in commercial banks in the United States. A comparison of the interface factor in the functioning of R & D in the United States and Japan suggests that interface problems may be less serious in Japan. Company experience is reported which indicates that the interface function can be controlled by management policies, procedures and practices. The need for greater attention to the interface factor by executives and by researchers on R & D management is a conclusion which follows from the findings presented in this paper.     

Supply chain environmental investments in dynamic industries: Comparing investment and performance differences with static industries

Research linking investments in environmental practices to firm performance has matured over the past years. However, empirical research is still ambiguous on how and whether investments in environmental practices improve a plant's performance. We believe that contingency factors, especially the industry in which plants act has a significant role in the success of environmental investments. Using empirical data collected across a wide range of industries our results indicate that plants competing in dynamic industries such as apparel do on average invest less in supply chain environmental practices compared to plants in static industries. In addition, these environmental investments do not significantly improve operational performance in dynamic industries in terms of cost, quality, delivery and flexibility. However, in static industries environmental investments do significantly improve a plant's operational performance in terms of cost, quality and flexibility.     

Survival and Decline of the Apprenticeship System in the Australian and UK Construction Industries

The preservation of the apprenticeship system in the Australian construction industry contrasts with its decline in Britain over the last three decades. This decline is conventionally ascribed to changes in industrial structure, specifically a decline in the role of the public sector, intensification of subcontracting and growth of self‐employment. Given that the Australian construction industry has undergone similar structural changes to those in the United Kingdom, this difference in outcome requires explanation. This article suggests that the contrasting outcomes are the result of institutional differences in the organization of the training system, employers and labour between the two countries. These institutional differences are, however, diminishing as arrangements for training and industrial relations in Australia are increasingly fashioned in the likeness of the United Kingdom.     

苯酚的国内外生产现状及市场前景

目前，全球苯酚的总生产能力约为9260kt／a，2004年总消费量约为7745kt／a。预计到2009年总生产能力将达到11350kt／a，总消费量将达到9452kt／a。2005年我国苯酚的总生产能力约为580kt／a，2004年产量为410kt／a，消费量约为689．6kt／a，产不足需，每年都得大量进口。预计到2010年我国苯酚的总生产能力将达到约1000kt／a，消费量将达到约855kt／a。针对目前我国苯酚生产存在的问题，提出了今后的发展建议。     

Reciprocal threats in multimarket rivalry: staking out ‘spheres of influence’ in the U.S. airline industry

The paper investigates the outcomes of multimarket competition among U.S. scheduled airlines when the interests and positions of the airlines differ in the mutually contested markets. Asymmetry in territorial interests provides multimarket competitors with footholds in important markets of their rivals, which can be used to deter the behavior of the rivals in other markets. Evidence suggests that airlines use footholds in their rivals’ important markets (particularly in their hubs) to reduce the competitive intensity of those rivals in the airlines’ own important markets (their hubs), and sustain their dominant positions (or spheres of influence) in those markets. Copyright© 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Learning CAD at university through summaries of the rules of design intent

The ease with which 3D CAD models may be modified and reused are two key aspects that improve the design-intent variable and that can significantly shorten the development timelines of a product. A set of rules are gathered from various authors that take different 3D modelling strategies into account. These rules are then applied to CAD strategic-knowledge learning methodology and included in 3D CAD modelling exercises for students following the degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Burgos (Spain). The experiment was conducted in two groups with a total of 75 students. The design-intent rules were introduced in the different exercises that the teacher explained in both the theoretical and the practical classes. In addition, a summary of the different design rules in each of the practical exercises was explained in the practical classes in only one of the groups. The experimental results, reported in this paper, tested the influence of these summaries on overall improvements in 3D modelling and on the design-intent variable, which is subdivided into four sections: skeleton, structures, alterations and constraints. The use of the summaries of the design intent rules led to statistically significant improvements in 3D modelling in the experimental group, in comparison with the group of students to whom those summaries were not explained.     

世界石油贸易新秩序中的亚洲与中国——记“2012亚太石油贸易国际会议”

《国际石油经济》编辑部与士研传媒共同举办的“2012亚太石油贸易国际会议”,聚焦行业热点问题,在开放的平台上与来自各国的专家共同研判未来亚太地区特别是东北亚地区的石油贸易变化趋势,探讨如何利用金融工具规避石油贸易风险,展望石油仓储船运业的发展前景.亚洲与中国在世界石油贸易的新秩序下还没有完成角色转换,缺少在国际石油贸易中的话语权.因此在石油金融领域,中国正在推动石油贸易的人民币结算,推进中国原油期货上市.此次会议还分享了韩国提出的建立东北亚石油枢纽的构想.会议的成果对促进本地区石油贸易、石油合作和石油安全具有重要参考价值.     

我国货物贸易进、出口依存度与人民币实际有效汇率的实证研究

本研究通过考察1981～2013年我国货物贸易进出口的状况和人民币币值的变动情况,利用协整和误差修正模型对我国货物贸易的进、出口依存度与人民币实际有效汇率之间的关系进行了实证分析,结果发现我国货物贸易的进口依存度对出口依存度存在长期的正向影响的效应,对人民币实际有效汇率则存在长期的负向影响的效应,而人民币实际有效汇率只对我国货物贸易的出口依存度存在影响的效应,且这种效应为短期的正向效应。     

R&D,Firm Size and Innovation Outputs: Are Japanese Firms Efficient in Product Development?

Although Japanese firms in various industries enjoyed outstanding success during the 1980s, the recent economic news has been less favorable. Like their American counterparts, Japanese managers have faced difficult decisions regarding plant closures, layoffs, and moving production facilities overseas. Many Japanese business leaders attribute the innovation successes of the 1980s, at least in part, to economies of scale resulting from increases infirm size. If this assertion holds true, the current economic climate in Japan seems certain to result in diminished economies of scale for innovative activities. Ryuhei Wakasugi and Fumihiko Koyata test this assertion in a statistical study of the innovation efficiency of Japanese electrical machinery firms. In other words, their study explores whether the hypothesized economies of scale apply to the innovation inputs and outputs of these firms. They examine the manner in which R&D expenditures, patent applications, and product developments relate to the size of Japanese electrical machinery firms during the late 1980s and early 1990s—a period marked by high levels of innovative activity among these firms. For the Japanese electrical firms in this study, innovation inputs that is, R&D expenditures—increase in greater proportion than firm size. In other words, the larger firms in this study pursued their innovation efforts more aggressively than did the smaller firms in the study. In terms of R&D expenditures, however, the study does not reveal any resulting economies of scale for either patent applications or product developments. Similarly, analysis of the data in this study does not identify any economics of scale for product developments as a result of increases in firm size. In fact, the only economies of scale identified in the study involve firm size and the number of patent applications. In general terms, the statistical evidence in this study does not support the hypothesis that an increase in firm size improves the efficiency of innovation activity. To put this another way, the study does not provide evidence to support the hypothesis of economies of scale in product development.     

Private equity leveraged buyouts in European telecoms: The case of Eircom

Highly leveraged buyouts (LBOs) of former state owned telecoms operators by private equity groups have occurred in a number of countries in recent years. This paper examines the case of Eircom in Ireland which has experienced five changes in ownership since full privatisation in 1999, two of which were LBOs. Enormous increases in Eircom’s debt levels as a result of the LBOs resulted in the company’s bankruptcy in 2012. This paper argues that this outcome was largely attributable to the short-termist strategies adopted by the private equity groups that assumed ownership of the enterprise. These strategies included high leverage, cash extraction and underinvestment in the fixed-line network which contributed to the demise of the enterprise and had wider economic and social effects. The Eircom case demonstrates the risks attendant to ownership of important network infrastructure by private equity groups and the need for regulatory safeguards to protect the public interest.     

The relationship between technology and science: Some historical and philosophical reflections. Part II

Dr Paul Gardner was appointed to the Faculty of Education at Monash University in 1967 and is currently a Reader in Education. After graduating from the University of Melbourne with a science degree and teacher qualifications in 1960, he taught physics and chemistry in high schools for six years. He obtained the M. Ed. degree from the University of Melbourne in 1970 for a thesis which involved experimental studies of concept attainment, and in 1972 completed a Ph.D. at Monash for an investigation of student and teacher characteristics which influence students' attitudes to physics. His major field of interest is science education, and he has published extensively on the assessment of cognitive and affective outcomes, the role of language in learning science and (his current major interest) the links between science and technology. He was a founding member of the university's Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education in 1989. He is currently the Editor ofResearch in Science Education, the annual journal of the Australasian Science Education Research Association, of which he was a founding member in 1970. Early in 1993, he presented a paper on science-technology relationships at a UNESCO-sponsored conference in Jerusalem; a revised version of this paper is being published inStudies in Science Education in 1994. He teaches post-graduate courses on statistical analysis, attitude measurement, curriculum issues and science and technology education.     

Women’s empowerment and nutrition status: The case of iron deficiency in India

In this paper we study the relationship between women’s empowerment in agriculture and their iron deficiency status in Maharashtra, India. This is the first time the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) has been used in association with explicit measurement of medical biomarkers for women’s iron deficiency status. Using primary data for 960 women we find that the log odds of a poor iron status in women decline as women’s empowerment levels in agriculture improve. Further, this decline is seen in the presence of multiple dietary diversity measures (dietary diversity score, share of rice and wheat in the diet, total iron intake and iron intake from iron-rich food groups – all for 24-h and 30-day recalls) suggesting that in addition to dietary pathways women’s empowerment can play a role in addressing micronutrient deficiencies like those of iron in a vulnerable sub-group of the population. It also reinforces the need to move away from the ‘staple grain fundamentalism’ that has characterized agricultural policy in India, towards more nutrition-sensitive food systems.