The plantation economy as an economic system

The recent literature on plantation economies is surveyed and an attempt is made to test some of the proposed hypotheses and ideas, using a sample of 41 nations around 1960. Four questions form the focus of the analysis: What is a plantation? What are the economic, political, and social forces giving rise to the plantation system of agriculture? What are the impacts of the plantation system on the rest of the economy and society? And what are the forces bringing change to plantation economies?     

Feudalism as an economic system

This review essay discusses recent books on feudalism by Perry Anderson, John Critchley, Rodney Hilton, and Witold Kula. Its purpose is to provide an overview to a number of approaches toward the economic aspects of feudalism and to indicate promising directions in this field for comparative economists. To this end, four major questions are discussed: What is feudalism? How and why did the feudal economic system emerge? What are the short-term economic mechanisms within a feudal economy? And how and why did the feudal economic system decline?     

The economic valuation of biodiversity as an abstract good

The notion of an economic valuation of biodiversity raises major philosophical and practical challenges, especially due to the fact that biodiversity is an abstract good. Insights from political philosophy and philosophy of language can help to clarify the reliability and scope of the current economic methods that can be used for the purpose of valuing it. The analogy with another abstract good, justice, indeed shows that thinking about abstract goods is a very specific exercise. If they do not take account of this specificity, applications of hedonic and contingent valuation methods can hardly claim to be relevant to value biodiversity. Rawls' theory of justice provides for the conceptual tools to overcome this problem. A reinterpretation, based on the theory of counterfactuals, allows generalizing this account of justice to outline a theory of thinking about abstract goods. This new framework emphasizes the importance of the institutional context in determining the reliability of thinking about abstract goods. It points toward substantial reforms of the methodology of economic valuation. Specifically, it suggests reinterpreting valuation as a dynamic expressive process, where initial steps aim at reinforcing the reliability of later steps through an institutional transformation and stabilization of preferences for abstract goods.     

The islamic economic system

The Islamic economic system is a theoretical construct of an industrial economy whose members follow the Islamic faith. This essay surveys the elements of such a system, as presented in a series of recent books on Islamic economics. Particular attention is paid to the injunction against interest payments and to the requirement of paying a wealth tax with regard to aggregate saving.     

The Yugoslav economic system

In his 1976 book, Horvat reviews the changes that have occurred in the Yugoslav economic system since 1945. Changes in policy, instruments used, and sectoral output are examined. Yugoslav policy makers are faulted for failing to understand the distinction between changes in the system and changes in policy instruments available under it. The consequence is economic instability. This review article considers the compatibility between market and socialism and provides some support for the Yugoslav interpretation of socialism, on the basis of the Constitution and of the Associated Labor Act.     

The hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth in Asian countries - evidence using an asymmetric cointegration approach

ABSTRACT

This study examines the four commonly tested hypotheses in hydroelectricity consumption – economic growth literature for 12 Asian countries. Our results from a recently developed hidden cointegration technique uncover rich and significant relationships between negative and positive components of the variables under consideration. In particular, we find evidence to support the neutrality hypothesis in five countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand), the growth hypothesis in four countries (India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan), and both growth and conservation hypotheses in three countries (China, Malaysia, and New Zealand). These findings suggest that appropriate economic policies should be elaborated on the basis of the country’s specific hydroelectricity consumption–growth nexus. Finally, our new evidence suggests that the lack of stable relationship between hydroelectricity consumption and economic growth documented in previous studies for some of these countries could be due to the failure to properly account for the nonlinearity property in the data.     

The Harrod foreign trade multiplier and economic growth in Asian countries

The validity of the Harrod foreign trade multiplier for 11 Asian countries is tested. The results obtained generally support Thrilwall's specification of the multiplier. This suggests, in an open economy, relevant economic management is the factor that manipulates the income elasticities of exports and imports.     

The WTO dispute settlement system: a first assessment from an economic perspective

We explore the incentives countries face in trade litigationwithin the new WTO dispute settlement system. Our analysis yieldsa number of interesting predictions, First, because sanctionsare ruled out during the litigation process, the dispute settlementsystem does not preclude all new trade restrictions. However,the agenda-setting capacity of the complainant, including itsright to force a decision, make trade restrictions less attractivethan under the WTO's predecessor, GATT. Second, the system'sappellate review provides the losing defendant with strong incentivesto delay negative findings, and both parties with a possibilityto signal their determinacy in fighting the case. Third, a relativelyweak implementation procedure potentially reinforces incentivesto violate WTO trade rules. Fourth, bilateral settlements aremore likely at an early stage in the process and are biasedtoward the expected outcome of the formal dispute settlementprocedure. Empirical evidence based on a first dataset of casesat an advanced stage of the litigation process provides qualitativesupport for our claims.     

Improving the performance of an economic system: Controlling chaos

In this paper we use a simple model of evolutionary market dynamics to illustrate how chaotic behavior can be controlled by making small changes in a parameter that is accessible to the decision makers. This approach is commonly referred to as `targeting' – one can easily switch from a chaotic evolution of the market to any desired regular motion. We show that complex dynamics leads to inferior performance in our model and that an application of such a correction mechanism by the decision makers of the firms yields a considerable improvement in the system's economical properties in terms of profits and profitability. We present numerical simulations in order to illustrate the effectiveness of this method.     

An economic manufacturing quantity model with probabilistic deterioration in a production system

This paper develops an economic manufacturing quantity (EMQ) model with deterioration and exponential demand in a production system over a finite time horizon under the effect of inflation and time value of money. The production rate is a dynamic variable (varying with time) in a production system. Due to a long run process, the machinery system is converted from in-control state to out-of-control state which results the production of improper items. The improper items are reworked at a fixed cost to make it as proper. With the increasing value of time, the production of improper item also increases. To reduce the production of the improper items, the systems have to be more reliable and with less amount of failure. In this direction, the model considers that the development cost, production cost, and material cost are dependent on the reliability parameter. The deterioration of the product is considered probabilistic to make the research a more realistic one. By considering the reliability parameter as a decision variable, we try to obtain the associated profit of the system which we have to maximize. To derive the maximization procedure, we use Euler–Lagrange formula from control theory. We outline some numerical examples along with graphical representations and sensitivity analysis to illustrate the model.     

The impact of home production on economic inequality in Germany

Using representative income and time-use data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we estimate non-monetary income advantages arising from home production and analyze their impact on economic inequality. As an alternative to existing measures, we propose a predicted wage approach that relaxes some of the strong assumptions underlying both the standard opportunity cost approach and the housekeeper wage approach. We also propose a method of adjusting the number of hours spent on home production to reduce the bias arising from multi-tasking and joint production in time-use data. Sensitivity analyses comparing results among different approaches provide indications of method effects. Although this study supports the evidence that considering home production leads to a reduction in inequality, we show that the size of this effect differs according to the variations in the mean and distribution of the estimated monetary value of home production across the three approaches. This finding underscores the need for a harmonized approach in cross-national comparative research.     

Measuring knowledge production of an agricultural research system

Agricultural research that increases knowledge is an important component of agricultural productivity and development. This paper focuses on understanding and formulating the interactions among factors involved in the knowledge production process. A conceptual mode of research input-output relationships is developed based on the existing literature. These relationships are estimated based on cross-sectional time-series data for the public research system in Israel. Research resources (inputs) such as direct cost and senior scientific manpower were found to extend knowledge production, while resources such as junior researchers and technicians were found to be nonsignificant. Use of the estimated functions for forecasting and control of agricultural development is also illustrated.     

经济发展中制度创新的逻辑

本文从经济发展中制度创新所面临的实际问题出发，在界定和明确经济发展中制度创新若干基本概念的基础上，分析了已有经济发展理论和事实中的制度创新问题，并进一步深入探讨了市场经济的核心内涵是市场制度。继而分析出市场制度创新的逻辑要点以及我国市场制度创新的特殊性和基本要求。以期能为经济发展中的制度创新及相关研究提供一些基础性启发。     

The common law as central economic planning

Central economic planning traditionally has set goals and allocated resources by supplanting the price system with central direction. Planners engaged in industry-by-industry and firm-by-firm decision making, all to achieve predetermined targets. The neoclassical approach to law and economics posits that common law judges engage in a similar activity, in rendering decisions that maximize wealth. A significant feature of this approach is the placement of judges in the position of calculators of comparative values. Neither advocates of central planning nor those of judicial wealth maximizing address or solve the economic calculation problem. The various aspects of that problem hold two implications for common law judges. First, they cannot accomplish the tasks that the neoclassical approach sets out for them. Second, a recognition of the calculation problem leads to a rejection of balancing and the choice of rights-based, bright-line rules that return actual and potential litigants' decisions to the market. An earlier version of this essay was prepared for a Liberty Fund, Inc., Conference on “The Problems of Economic Calculation under Socialism,” New York City, January 26–27, 1986. Some time after the completion of the 1986 draft, I received working papers from Louis De Alessi and Bob Staaf. They were pursuing the same themes that this paper explores, but in a more focused manner. I gained greatly from their work, for it gave me confidence that these ideas are worth pursuing. I thought it appropriate to revisit this paper for a volume in Bob Staaf's memory. I have also benefitted greatly from extended discussions with Andrew Kull and Paul Rubin.     

深化干部人事制度改革 加快经济发展方式转变

转变经济发展方式源于经济领域,但其所具有的重大意义和影响却远远超出经济领域,对政治领域的干部人事制度改革也提出了新的要求。它要求干部人事制度进一步深化改革,从人事管理、教育培训、选拔任用、考核监督等多方面为经济发展提供高效、便利的指导、保障和支持。深化干部人事制度改革,必然有力地引领、保障和支持加快转变经济发展方式,从而促进经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设全面协调发展,全面深入地贯彻落实科学发展观。     

The economic impact of implementing an ergonomic plan

It is of paramount importance for executives to be well aware of registered nurse (RN) hidden replacement costs related to musculoskeletal injuries. Developing and implementing an ergonomic plan that includes procurement of appropriate lifting equipment at the point of care makes sense. Armed with an ergonomic plan, proactive case management, and a return to work program, the organization is positioned for fiscal success. The ANA's Handle With Care campaign addressed the fact that 12% of RN turnover and 38% of RN workers' compensation pay are related to back strains. Using the benchmarks reported in the Handle With Care campaign, the average cost of replacing an RN who leaves nursing due to a back injury ranged from $25,450 to $38,280 per nurse. Health care worker injury prevention should be valued as a retention strategy, as well as a fiscal responsibility where all stakeholders benefit.     

技术经济一体化下的成本控制系统

技术经济一体化要求企业成本控制必须与企业产品结构的设计、原材料的选择和生产工艺的制定结合起来.长期以来无论是传统的成本控制还是广义的成本控制,由于思雏的滞后,技术与经济的关系都没有处理好.本文阐述了技术与经济的辩证关系,提出了技术经济一体化成本控制体系的框架构成,即成本控制系统的基础、核心、连接点、桥梁以及成本控制的重点等.     

The physical environment as a global economic concern

From Aristotle to Scitovsky the nature and scope of human economy and economics have remained essentially the same, viz. the prudent/efficient/welfaremaximizing administration/utilization of the scarce resources (chrèmata, “choses utiles,” etc.) comprising the household and the expertise there-of. Aristotle’s protégé, Theophrastus (d. 287 B.C.), went to the extent of counseling that, for the “health and well-being” of all its members (including the livestock), theoikos “should be airy in the summer and sunny in the winter,” it no doubt going without saying that its roof should be kept in good repair. Today, it behooves us to critically re-examine our traditional concepts of wealth, “land,” “the environment,” and the socioeconomic unit whose storehouse of resources is to be managed aright, particularly along the history-of-thought lines presented here. Address delivered at a session on March 25, 1994 at the Midwest regional meetings of the Association for Social Economics, Chicago. The author thanks Tom Coffey (Latin), Brace Malina and Plinio Prioreschi (Italian) for linguistic assistance.