Through Thick and Thin: How Fair Trade Consumers Have Reacted to the Global Economic Recession

Research on fair trade has flourished over the past decade as fair trade food products have gained popularity amongst consumers in many developed economies. This study examines the effects of recessionary economic conditions on fair trade consumers’ purchasing behaviour. An online survey was administered to 306 fair trade consumers from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The results reveal a discrepancy among fair trade consumers as only consumers that purchase fair trade on an occasional basis adhered to established consumer behaviour norms, i.e. decreasing their purchases of fair trade products and becoming significantly more price aware. Respondents who actively consume fair trade generally remained loyal to their purchase. While some active consumers altered their purchasing behaviour, this phenomenon was not common amongst this group as no statistically significant changes were observed. Differences were also noted among the three countries as the Canadian and US fair trade consumers significantly decreased their consumption of fair trade as a result of the recession, whereas the UK consumers did not. In addition to the research results, theoretical and managerial implications will be discussed along with future research directions.     

Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Manufacturers

Manufacturing has received increased attention in recent years, as it has enhanced its importance in the economy with output and employment gains and as a driving force of U.S. exports. Nonetheless, the sector faces serious challenges as well as opportunities. The challenges are weak global economic growth, burdensome taxes and regulation, and a labor force that is unprepared to meet twenty-first century needs. Opportunities, however, are likely to more than offset the challenges. These are an improving energy environment, an improved climate for international trade, strong productivity growth, and continued strength in innovation.     

Asia: Inflation is Abating,But More Challenges Lie Ahead

No quick monetary easingAcross Asia,there are signs that the current round of consumer price inflation is abating,as we predicted earlier this year.But it is much too early for Asian governments to claim victory in their efforts to achieve price stability.Even assuming the battle against consumer price inflation is won,the more challenging war against asset-price inflation is yet to fully unfold.Tne next three to six months will be critical.Monetary policy needs to remain tight,or even be tightened further.More importantly,macro-prudential measures and other policy tools are required to contain leverage and the risk of asset bubbles.While inflation numbers may moderate further,investors looking for a quick reversal of theregion's tight monetary policy are likely to be disappointed,and markets could turn more volatile in anticipation of policy changes.     

东盟与中日韩金融一体化及经济复苏面临的挑战

后经济危机时代,金融改革在全球范围内展开,对各个区域都将产生影响,亚洲要参与全球金融改革,推进区域金融一体化,加强对金融业的监管,有效地控制风险,提高银行业信誉.东盟与中日韩(10+3)金融一体化,可以促进整个区域的经济合作、经济复苏和经济一体化,降低金融危机发生的可能性.东盟与中日韩经济复苏目前面临着三个重大挑战:一是对金融改革作出承诺,对监管体制进行改革;二是把重点放在金融监管方面,特别是在企业法人治理方面要进行调整;三是成立一个新的金融监管机构.     

Polish Embassy Ready to Promote Economic Cooperations with China

Poland, a country in the Eastern Europe, has a traditional friendship with China. It was one of the first countries to recognize the new China in 1949. Despite the great changes during the past half century, the two countries are still enjoying the traditional friendship. At the beginning of the new year, China＇s Foreign Trade interviewed with H.E. Mr. Krzysztof Szumskir the Ambassador of Poland to China.     

China''s Tough Road to Economic Recovery

Aseries of economic data recently showed that in the context of the global economic recession,China's economy may take the lead in recovery.     

The Impact of the Recession on Competition Policy: Amending the Economic Constitution?

The strengths of the European competition regime are outlined before identifying challenges presented by the financial crisis. The argument moves from enforcement to systemic threats to the credibility of the economic models on which modern competition policy is based. It then turns from banking failures to the crisis in the European motor industry. It suggests that competition policy comprises an ‘economic constitution’ for the EU which is under threat, but registers the relative complacency of the competition agencies, and argues for a redefinition of policy. The conclusion suggests that the regulatory relationship between the state and the private sector will reflect scepticism about the market and that political changes in the UK and Europe offer radical choices between a reinforced or a marginalised competition policy which the competition policy ‘community’ needs to confront.     

开放经济下的贸易安全:内涵、挑战与应对思路

随着我国完善开放型经济体系和经济全球化的深入推进,各国的体制机制、发展水平以及世界经济等的变化将给我国贸易安全带来新挑战。调整外贸战略和转变外贸增长方式维护我国的贸易安全,带动国内生产效率的提高,促进我国经济又好又快发展,需要有长远的战略思维,不仅要制定和执行好国际经济政策,提高政府的带动效率,完善外贸发展的促进和支持体系,而且要在国际社会牢牢把握对我国维护贸易安全起关键作用的战略资源。     

世界经济同步放缓衰退风险不容忽视

2019年,世界经济增速在上年基础上进一步回落,主要经济体增速同步放缓。美国在全球范围内推行的单边主义和贸易保护主义导致全球贸易、实体经济表现疲弱,地缘政治事件频发加剧了世界经济的不确定性。在此背景下,全球开启新一轮货币宽松周期以应对不断加大的经济下行压力。进入2020年,新冠肺炎疫情在全球范围内的快速扩散,使本就增长疲弱的世界经济再添风险因素,多个国际组织已经指出,疫情的持续蔓延将使世界经济陷入衰退。     

Debt Restructuring and Economic Recovery: Analysing the Argentine Swap

When Argentine sovereign default in December 2001 led to a collapse of the peso, the burden of dollar debt became demonstrably unsustainable. But it was not clear what restructuring was feasible, nor when. Eventually, in 2005 after a delay of more than three years, a super‐majority of creditors accepted a swap that essentially involved the ‘pesification’ of dollar liabilities. With the IMF not playing its customary role in arranging a swap, we consider whether a bilateral bargaining approach can help explain the final settlement and the delay in achieving it. We find that the swap broadly corresponds to a bargaining outcome where substantial delay occurred for both political and economic reasons. Even after political legitimacy was assured by general elections, negotiators seeking a sustainable outcome – at a time of deep recession, profound currency under‐valuation and high sovereign spreads – realised it was better to wait before settling. Other factors discussed include the definition of sustainability criteria, the effect of inter‐creditor conflict and the role of third parties in promoting ‘good faith’ bargaining. We suggest that, while these issues need further investigation, there are institutional changes that could make them less problematic.     

对经济衰退阴影下蓝色壁垒问题的理性审视

在全球经济衰退的阴影下,贸易保护主义抬头的可能性正在增强,新的贸易冲突难以避免,以SA8000为代表的蓝色壁垒将成为贸易保护主义信手拈来的武器。本文认为我国客观存在劳工权益受到侵犯的问题,我国劳工并未获得与"中国制造"同步增长的权益;在经济衰退的威胁下,我国以劳动密集型产品为主的出口企业面对的不仅仅是订单减少的问题,更要面对新的贸易壁垒——蓝色壁垒,因此应抓住当前机遇,化"危"为"机",促进对外贸易的持续健康发展。     

Fiscal Policy and Economic Recovery

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is the biggest, boldest countercyclical fiscal stimulus in American history. What is its likely impact? Current econometric models indicate that a tax cut is likely to have a multiplier of about 1.0 and that spending has a multiplier of about 1.6 after about 18 months. Even the most sophisticated econometric analysis, however, suffers from “omitted variable” bias. In trying to take account of this, David Romer and I have found that the tax multiplier is more likely to be around two to three; and we suspect that the spending multiplier is correspondingly higher than the conventional estimates. Of course, every recession is different. The unique factors of this recession are analyzed to determine whether the multipliers are likely to deviate from historical averages.     

CSR： New Engine of Economic Recovery

Nowadays, China has more and more focused Corporate Social Responsibility （CSR）. From October 2009, more than 600 Chinese companies have released CSR reports. According to statistics from China WTO Tribune, in 2009 China issued a total of 631 CSR reports, 3.73 times more than that released in 2008. On June 5, 2010, at the Fifth International CSR Forum, the ＂2009 GoldenBee CSR China Honor Roll＂ was held in Beijing. The Forum also released the ＂2009 China CSR Practice Benchmark Report＂,     

China＇s Tough Road to Economic Recovery

A series of economic data recently showed that in the context of the global economic recession, China＇s economy may take the lead in recovery.     

Grappling with Globalisation: Challenges for Economic Governance

This paper examines the key domestic institutional challenges posed by globalisation in terms of the following questions: how does economic globalisation differ from other types of economic integration, what is its impact on the extant national institutions of economic governance, what institutional innovations are required to cope with the challenges, and how can institutional change be made politically feasible? It identifies three perspectives on how national governments may respond – retreat, hold fort, or rearticulate. It concludes that though governments need to devise policies to attract MNEs, indulging in races‐to the‐bottom is not the only route, perhaps not even a desirable route. Second, to attract FDI, governments must afford labor flexibility. How they actually implement it will vary within and across countries, depending on the capacities and the willingness of governments to undertake institutional reform. Labour flexibility can be made politically feasible by increasing the levels of social insurance to protect displaced labour and by instituting programmes that increase their skills and employability.     

从比较优势走向竞争优势：中国对外贸易战略转变的依据和路径

古典经济学家提出并经完善的比较优势原理是中国参与国际分工和交换的基本依据。改革开放以来的中国对外贸易的实践证明,中国就是依据比较优势原理选择了具有比较优势的产业参与国际分工和交换。然而,竞争优势更能体现一个产业在国际市场上的竞争力,比较优势只是形成竞争优势的基础,竞争优势理论在当今国际贸易中具有更现实的指导意义。中固要在比较优势基础上提升产业的竞争力,将比较优势转变为竞争优势。     

从知识共享到知识和谐:一种知识管理观念

知识共享是知识管理的重要内容,强调将个人知识转化为组织知识,但知识共享存在悖论.文章提出规避知识共享悖论的一种全新理念--知识和谐.在分析组织知识和谐的理论特征和理论价值的基础上,指出组织知识和谐的实现途径,并围绕组织和个人两级主体,阐述了知识和谐的六种功能,给出知识和谐管理的基本框架.     

Principles for Economic Recovery and Renewal

Over the past year, substantial progress has been made on the path to economic recovery. Yet, as true with most recessions induced by a financial crisis, recovery is going to be long and slow. This is particularly true for employment. Moreover, there is evidence that indicates there are structural as well as cyclical concerns about this recovery's slow employment growth. The personal as well as macroeconomic costs of this slow growth mean that there is no higher public policy priority than economic recovery and job creation. This address presents and discusses three guiding principles for economic policy: restoring confidence, increasing aggregate demand, and achieving broader and deeper education.     

从一元到和谐:中国经济模式探索

新中国成立初建立起一元化经济模式,即使在这一经济模式下老一辈革命家仍未停止对和谐经济模式的探索,然而由于当时国际、国内环境的制约,这一探索被迫终止近二十年。随着改革开放的展开、深入,和谐经济模式的探索步入正轨,经过几代中国共产党人的努力,和谐经济模式初步形成。实践证明,和谐经济模式是成功的,是经得住实践检验的。