CLIO AND THE ECONOMIST: MAKING HISTORIANS COUNT

Abstract Cliometrics reconnected economic history and economics in the 1960s. The deeper foundations of cliometrics research lie in the longer standing traditions of quantitative history and the contemporaneous growth of the social sciences and computing. Early cliometrics research reinterpreted economic history through the lens of neo‐classical economics. Over the past half century cliometrics has matured and now utilizes a broad array of theoretical perspectives and statistical methods to help understand the past. The papers introduced here illustrate the achievements of several key areas of cliometrics research and show how new theoretical perspectives, innovative data construction and sophisticated econometric methods are the hallmarks of the discipline.     

编读互动

《物流时代》给人眼前一亮的感觉,作为一本专业杂志,能以如此亮丽的色彩呈现,让人在枯燥的专业领域感受到了一股清风,希望杂志越办越好。     

FRIEDRICH HAYEK: THE COMPLETE ECONOMIST

By the width of his perspective, Hayek presents a challenge. Those who face up to that challenge are changed by the experience. The inevitable conclusion is that mainstream economics is defective by both its self-indulgent over-quantification and its persistence in presuming to formulate meaningful relationships between aggregates and averages.     

REINVENTING FOREIGN AID FOR INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: KUZNETS,PIKETTY AND THE GREAT POLICY REVERSAL

This survey essay reviews close to 200 papers in arguing that in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive development, foreign aid should not orient developing countries toward industrialization in the perspective of Kuznets but in the view of Piketty. Abandoning the former's view that inequality will fall with progress in industrialization and placing more emphasis on inequality in foreign aid policy will lead to more sustainable development outcomes. Inter alia: mitigate short‐term poverty, address concerns of burgeoning population growth, train recipient governments on inclusive development, fight corruption and mismanagement and avoid the shortfalls of celebrated Kuznets’ conjectures. We discuss how the essay addresses post‐2015 development challenges and provide foreign aid policy instruments with which discussed objectives can be achieved. In summary, the essay provides useful policy measures to avoid past pitfalls. ‘Output may be growing, and yet the mass of the people may be becoming poorer’ (Lewis). ‘Lewis led all developing countries to water, proverbially speaking, some African countries have so far chosen not to drink’ (Amavilah). Piketty has led all developing countries to the stream again and a challenging policy syndrome of our time is how foreign aid can help them to drink.     

THE SMITH–HAYEK ECONOMIST: FROM CHARACTER TO IDENTITY

It would be beneficial for economists who follow in the tradition of Smith and Hayek to establish an identity whilst accentuating heterogeneity. Existing labels do not really adequately describe the Smith–Hayek character.     

ARTHUR M. OKUN: ECONOMICS FOR POLICYMAKING

Abstract. This is a study of macroeconomics in action: how an applied macroeconomist works in a policy context to provide analysis and guidance on specific issues of public concern. We examine and classify Arthur Okun's policy essays, and thereby try to gain a better understanding of the role of economists in the policy-making process.     

AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION: THE FUTURE OF CASINO GAMING IN AMERICA AND EUROPE

The economic recession of 2007–09 had dramatic effects on spending on gambling and, therefore, on a number of major gaming companies, resulting in situations where cash flows were increasingly inadequate to service debt obligations. The recession thus interrupted growth trends in various segments of casino industries in America and Europe, which undermined future growth expectations and potential. This analysis examines economic events and other factors that have affected the casino industry in the last few years, and examines their implications for the future of casino and gaming markets in America and Europe.     

亿利擎创新大旗赢天下

保健品行业是从上世纪80年代起步，短短用了十几年时间，迅速发展成为一个“独特产业”。但近几年保健食品市场竞争异常惨烈，不断有新产品脱颖而出，也有老品牌很快被市场淘汰出局，而亿利医药携其甘草良咽仅仅用了短短半年时间就跻身于同类数十家产品中的前五位，又一次创造了行业的新的奇迹。     

梁英奇：民族旗帜下的大思考

梁英奇——柳州两面针股份有限公司董事长、党委书记。他参与并组织柳州市牙膏厂的筹建以及柳州市牙膏厂改组与柳州两面针股份有限公司工作,在企业领导层任职近20年。 “两面针”20余年来历经三个主要“当家人”,每一任“当家人”都为“两面针”写下了辉煌的篇章。1998年底梁英奇担任“两面针”第三任“当家人”——董事长、首席执行官和党委书记。此前,他是公司前两届领导班子的成员,担任副职。     

HUMANITARIAN CRISES AND ADOLESCENT WELL-BEING: KNOWLEDGE,GAPS, AND PROSPECTS

Adolescence constitutes the second and final window of human growth and a period of specific vulnerabilities, such as early pregnancy, early marriage, HIV infection, suicide, violence, alcohol, and drugs. Only a limited body of research investigates the effects of humanitarian crises on the human capital and well-being of adolescents. The evidence focuses on the short-term effects of conflict and, to a lesser extent, natural disasters on education, physical health, and nutrition, but not on mental health. Most analyses examine the situations of individuals exposed in utero and young childhood, but rarely during adolescence. Typically missing are robust empirical identification strategies and estimates on heterogeneous effects across age or gender. The lack of quality data and challenges in defining adolescence, establishing causality, or ensuring ethical research explain the knowledge gaps. Possible ways to expand the evidence base include mixing georeferenced data on individual location with georeferenced data on crises, sharpening quasi-experimental analytical techniques, and reconsidering the current timing of demographic data collection, now spanning 4- or 5-year intervals. The failure to make such adjustments will end by ignoring specific vulnerabilities among adolescents and render sustainable progress in well-being globally, narrowing inequalities, and guaranteeing human rights to all more difficult to achieve.     

SAVINGS AND WEALTH ACCUMULATION: MEASUREMENT,INFLUENCES AND INSTITUTIONS

Savings and wealth accumulation are important dimensions of policy and research debates. This special issue comprises a collection of survey articles on topical issues ranging from the effects of access to credit, the rise of Islamic finance and sovereign wealth funds, the measurement of wealth inequality and genuine savings, the distribution of wealth across generations and retirement savings.     

PAY,CONTROL AND COMMITMENT: LINKING APPRAISAL AND REWARD

John Geary, who is a Research Fellow in the Industrial Relations Research Unit at the University of Warwick, explores the implementation of appraisal-linked reward systems in three US electronics plants operating in the Irish Republic. He focuses in particular on how the schemes work in practice and how employees respond to them. He argues that there are often a number of tensions within management's strategy and that the degree to which such reward systems are capable of engendering harmonious relations must be open to some scepticism. Furthermore, he questions the extent to which management's payment policy was successful in avoiding the extremes of individualism and collectivism.     

PURCHASING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: INTERACTIONS,POLICIES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The mechanisms are examined by which environmentally informed business practices and technologies may diffuse through industry as a result of the ‘greening’ of purchasing and supply. The efforts of official bodies in the UK to raise environmental awareness among industrial purchasers are reviewed. It is then argued that the supply chain model is an important way of interpreting the industrial landscape from a green perspective and that it is in some ways a more hopeful and positive starting point for achieving industrial transformation. The results of an analysis of some UK companies practices in using their purchasing policies to ‘green’ their supply chains are presented and opportunities for further research indicated.