Expect for Growth and Prepare for Challenges

Hong Kong has sailed through several economic crises while undergoing economic adjustment since its return. However, industrial trade has been a firm force driving Hong Kong's economy through the past decade. Over the past 10 years, Hong Kong's total trade volume has grown from HKD 2.9 trillion in 1997 to HKD 5 trillion in 2006, representing a remarkable increase of 70%. In spite of economic twists and turns in Hong Kong, its foreign trade has maintained continuous growth. Especially over this decade, foreign trade has made noticeable contribution to Hong Kong's economic development. But where will Hong Kong's foreign trade stand in 10 years' time? And what will Hong Kong's advantages lie in the future?     

Entrepreneurial intentions—theory and evidence from Asia,America, and Europe

This paper examines the antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions and its strategic drivers with reference to country culture and proactive personality in a cross-country context. Our research is based on primary data from four distinct and strategically important countries: India, Japan, the USA, and France. We examine and compare entrepreneurial intentions of young managers within the context of the theory of planned behavior. We then postulate a theoretical framework to link entrepreneurial intention, and its drivers, to motivate further research in this area. The findings of the study indicate that a country’s culture and an individual’s proactive personality directly determine the degree of entrepreneurial intention and therefore contribute to competitiveness.     

Do Welfare-Maximizing Governments Cause Political Business Cycles in Growth and Inequality?

In this paper we study how an elected government maximizes social welfare over its period in office, subject to a growth–equality trade-off. Optimal output and equality paths are derived and their implications are discussed. A central finding is the prediction of political business cycles in both growth and equality. It is also demonstrated that any tightening of the growth–equality trade-off should encourage government to favour growth relative to equality.     

Inequality and Unsustainable Growth:TWO Sides of the Same Coin?

Over the long run, sustained growth is central to poverty reduction.The rapid growth seen in much of the world over the past few decades, notably, but not only, in China and India, has led to an unprecedented reduction in poverty.And, in general, increases in per capita income tend to translate into proportionate increases in income of the poor.As Dollar and Kraay memorably put it, "Growth Is Good for the Poor."Some inequality is integral to the effective functioning of a market economy and the incentives needed for investment and growth.But too much inequality might be destructive to growth.Beyond the risk that inequality.     

Green Finance in Europe — Strategy,Regulation and Instruments

A green transformation of nearly all parts of our economy is necessary, including but not limited to energy production and consumption, mobility, manufacturing and agriculture.

     

Window for Russia and Eastern Europe——The 21st International China Harbin Fair for Trade and Economic Cooperation

The 21st International China Harbin Fair for Trade and Economic Cooperation will be held in Harbin International Conference and Exhibition Center from June 15 to 19, 2010. At this edition of China Harbin Trade Fair, there will be 3000 international standard booths available, with a total indoor and outdoor exhibition area of 86,000 Uare meters, according to the announcement from Mr. Sun o, Vice governor of Heilongjiang Province on March 26, 2010 in Beijing.     

Foreign Policies and Foreign Exchanges for Chinese Publishing Industry

Since Chinas reform and opening up.especially China‘s entry into WTO some industries concerning publication have been opened up further.The foreign exchange and cooperation of China‘s publishing.industry become more and more active and stepped into a new developing period     

Food Product Development,Food Regulations and Policies—Compatible or Not?

SUMMARY

Laws and regulations govern many aspects of life in order to guide and protect individuals. The Food and Drug Administration regulates the development, production and marketing of foods, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnologies to maintain safe and high quality products for consumers. However, in recent years, food manufacturers seem to have forged ahead of the FDA's regulations and entered uncharted, unregulated areas. This paper examines the impact the FDA has on new food product development, particularly the impact on new technological food products and suggests the use of a team-based approach in evaluating and establishing regulations in the food industry.     

Algeria,Gateway Between African and Europe

Algeria is a gateway between Africa and Eu- rope.With active policy reforms, the nation is aiming for an economic takeoff based on its vast natural resources.     

G-20 Calls for Balanced, Sustainable Growth

Finance leaders of the Group of 20(G-20) agreed on October 16 to improve policy co-ordination and work towards balanced and sustainable growth.     

Growth crisis in the EU — challenges and prospects

The following article uses a production function approach to analyse the long-term trends of the European growth potential. It describes the possibility of a further significant decline in the potential growth rate and the mechanisms of this decline. EU Member States are divided into five country groups, and the potential growth rates of each of these as well as the contribution of different growth factors are analysed. The great challenges facing the “catch-up” (Mediterranean and new) Member States with regard to convergence are outlined. Finally, the paper summarises the long-term trends, the impacts of potential shock scenarios on potential growth and the new risks originating from the crisis.     

Beyond Europe: The Internet, Regulation, and Multistakeholder Governance—Representing the Consumer Interest?

The “Internet,” as a global self-regulated and interconnected network of institutions driven by educational and subsequently commercial priorities, has evolved into an element within a broader “global information society.” Industry, treated benevolently by market-led governments, has created co- or self-regulatory institutions or compacts, but as consumers have eagerly embraced the broadband Internet the scheme of governance must embrace respect for the social and economic rights and responsibilities of consumers at national, European and global levels. This paper shows how existing divisions between public-sector, private-sector, and civil-society institutions and responsibilities have rapidly become eroded and it portrays the emerging agenda for “multistakeholder governance.” The involvement of the consumer on a more legitimised and consensual level than is permitted under industry-led regulation is as yet a novel approach, but this paper draws on case studies which demonstrate the salience of these issues to consumers as citizens, and it concludes by preparing an agenda for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies to adopt more sophisticated patterns of participatory co- and self-regulation.

Competitive Pressure in Transition: A Role for Trade and Competition Policies?

This paper investigates the effects of trade reforms and antitrust enforcement on the pricing behavior of firms, shedding light on the respective contributions of these policy instruments to the shaping of competitive markets. To this end, we use a rich panel data set of more than 25,000 manufacturing firms from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, spanning a 5-year period. We find a positive and statistically significant relationship between domestic firms’ mark-ups and industry protection, as reflected in MFN and trade-weighted import tariffs. The toughness of competition policy enforcement, captured by the number of final instance decisions delivered by national antitrust authorities and an index developed by the EBRD, has a negative impact of greater magnitude than import penetration. We also test for the significance of enacting major legislative amendments with regard to competition policy in the studied countries, as well as for differential effects in export-oriented and import-competing industries.     

The Limits to Growth — 50 Years Ago and Today

Intereconomics - The Limits to Growth was published 50 years ago. Ordered by the Club of Rome, the study was a milestone in the analysis of the economic, demographic, technical and ecological...     

FOREIGN TRADE,Still An Important Engine for Economic Growth？

Declined foreign demand
In 2009,trapped in the global financial meltdown,the world economy is still struggling its way out of an economic crisis,though little signs of recovery began to surface with stimulus packages in developed countries gradually taking some effects.