Methods of ranking economics journals

This paper reviews and critiques some popular methods of ranking economics journals, compares results of some methods, and suggests new uses of two old methods. International economics journals are ranked and used to provide a vehicle for the analyses. Journal citations over a five-year period provide the data input for the analysis. This study illustrates the significance of the method used in how journals are ranked. The Bradley-Terry model is used to estimate the odds ratios one journal will cite another. The model is also discussed as a possible tool for finding the boundary between fields and field journals. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Fifty-Sixth International Atlantic Economic Conference in Quebec City, Canada, October 16–19, 2003.     

The top three questions in economics? When theory is confronted with history

Abstract

Three important economic questions have long remained unanswered, and this article explores the nature of these questions. They are: Why was the Great Depression so long and so deep? Why did the Industrial Revolution occur there and then? Why is the whole world not developed? This article gives reasons why these questions may be called the top three questions in economics, investigates the potential multi-disciplinary content of the topics, discusses the pieces of understanding that are still not in place, and makes a few speculations as to how, eventually, the questions may be answered.     

The treatment of racial and sexual discrimination in economics journals and economics textbooks: 1972 to 1987

This article examines two decades of scholarly literature on discrimination and two decades of discussion of discrimination in economics textbooks. At first discrimination was taken seriously and policy responses adequate to the problem were advocated. Today this is a minority position. The article first traces the way thatJEL policies concerning indexing and abstracting have contributed to this change. Next textbooks are analyzed to show how this change is manifested in commonly used curricular materials. Finally, political preferences are shown to undergird crucial arguments like those concerning minimum wages. Conclusions linking ideology to research agendas are put forward.     

乔家大院“两权分离”不是个案

将旅游资源的经营权与所有权进行分离，乔家大院不是第一，更不是唯一，但一定是讨论最热烈的。值得讨论的也许不是违法与否本身，而是透过这一事件所折射出的，以文物为核心的旅游资源经营权的改革问题。     

The market for public office: Why the Indian state is not better at development

How and why officials are transferred from one post to another can — in India, does — have far-reaching consequences for the effectiveness of public service organizations, such as Irrigation, Agriculture, Forestry and Soil Conservation Departments. The transfer mechanism used in many departments of Indian states involves a kind of ‘internal labor market’ (a truer market than in the way that term is often used by labor market economists). It allows pressures for corrupt behavior to bear down on the incumbents of certain posts, and itself amplifies those pressures. Frequently, the pressures on officials to be corrupt cause them to behave in ways contrary to the ostensible objectives of their departments. Why is the Indian state not better at promoting development? To an important degree, because of the corruption-transfer mechanism and its effects on bureaucratic initiatives.     

The economics of philanthropy: The case of church giving

Conclusion The results from this initial attempt to explain church giving are heartening, especially the explanation of giving to the church for philantropic purposes. The “parsimonious” model outlined explains much of church giving. Those who would encourage philanthropic giving to the church should encourage joint consumption but discourage joint investment. Expenditures for “stones and mortar” discourage philanthropic giving in the church.     

When is privatization better facilitated? Global evidence from the telecom sector

This paper attempts to identify the telecom-sector performance indicators, relevant economic variables, and institutional characteristics of a country that affect the process of privatization of state-owned telecom enterprises. Using standard duration analysis of a panel data, it is demonstrated that the privatization incentives are not only shaped by a country's fiscal conditions but are also influenced by the degree of competitiveness of private sector participation in policy-making process. The empirical results also reveal the significant impact of efficiency in telecom service provision on its course to privatization.     

The economics of natural disasters in a developing country: The case of Vietnam

We examine the impact of natural disasters on annual output growth in Vietnam. Using provincial data for primary and secondary industries, we employ the Blundell–Bond General Method of Moments procedure to estimate the impact of disasters on the macroeconomy. We show that more lethal disasters result in lower output growth but that disasters that destroy more property and capital actually appear to boost the economy in the short-run. This is consistent with the ‘investment-producing destruction’ hypothesis that we outline. However, we find that disasters have a different macroeconomic impact in different geographical regions; these differences are potentially related to the ability to generate transfers from the Vietnamese central government.     

The ‘Earth summit’ and environmental economics: The case of the missing link

While environmentalists insist that economic planning by government should pay much greater attention to the environment, they have tended to ignore environmental economics. This lapse is all the more serious because the conventional economic remedy for environmental degradation is the ‘market solution’. This article reviews the orthodox microeconomic analysis of environmental problems, assesses the shortcomings of the market solution and, in the light of this, outlines the alternative strategy for sustainable development. Some concluding comments are offered on the chances of success in implementing sustainable development in South Africa.     

奥运后，股市反转不易

渐渐成熟的投资者似乎学会了逆向思维，股市在上半年走出了一波与预期相反的行情。于是，按照年初的预测，大家认为下半年应该不是很悲观。股市永远无法预期，但很多因素又不得不考虑。我们邀请了独立财经撰稿人皮海洲和曹中铭，一起分析影响股市的众多因素。     

黄益平:李克强经济学是经济转型的对症药方

6月底,北大国家发展研究院黄益平教授在写给巴克莱资本全球客户的 "北京明信片"(Postcard from Beijing)中,提出了Likonomics(即李克强经济学)这个新词,并简要讨论了其三大政策支柱:不刺激、去杠杆和搞改革. 该报告原本计划于27日凌晨发布,后来被研究部主管们压下了,理由是报告中提到的"硬着陆"问题需要经过更广泛的内部讨论,不然可能会令其他分析师们措手不及.不过人算不如天算,当天上午9点多系统自动把报告发出来了.原来纽约的主管们虽然做了决定,却忘了让新加坡的同事把报告从系统中撇下来.     

专家建议:买债券不如买债券型基金

2008年下半年,中国债券市场出现了良好的发展势头,吸引了许多投资者们的眼球。大多数投资者们都热切盼望着能在债市上体验一下胜者的感觉。但有专家建议,投资者如希望更大化的分享债券市场的收益,买债券就不如买些债券型基金。     

专家建议：买债券不如买债券型基金

2008年下半年，中国债券市场出现了良好的发展势头，吸引了许多投资者们的眼球。大多数投资者们都热切盼望着能在债市上体验一下胜者的感觉。但有专家建议。投资者如希望更大化的分享债券市场的收益，买债券就不如买些债券型基金。     

回家的路并不遥远

午后,陈方燕一家坐在自家门前坝子,和邻居们晒着太阳,聊着家长里短.7年前,他们无法想象日子会是这样.那时,这一家人还在过着脸朝黄土背朝天的日子.迫于生计,陈方燕走上打工之路,每年只有过年才能回家看看老人和孩子.好消息在2008年传来.那一年,响应高山生态扶贫搬迁号召,陈方燕带着家人从高山上搬到山脚的巴山湖国家湿地公园景区,搬进了公路通到家门口的新房里.     

Supply-side economics: The rise to prominence

Conclusions At this point, I would like to summarize the main arguments presented in this article. I will then briefly comment on what I feel are the main implications of these arguments.