The European response to the challenge of the Japanese steel industry (1950–1980)

Between 1950 and 1980, the European delay with respect to Japan and the relative loss of competitiveness in the integrated steel industry was due to an institutional, geographical and economic logic based largely on historical factors. Europe had a long steel-making history that was closely related to its sources of raw materials. The new technological paradigm turned this former advantage into a clear disadvantage, while the large investments made in the Thomas and open hearth processes and the affordable price of scrap delayed the adoption of the Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) until its superiority had been clearly demonstrated. The European steel industry was not at the forefront of the transformation, but merely adapting to the changes, pushed by the threat of a new uncomfortable competitor.     

The Chinese government and the national oil companies (NOCs): who is the principal?

China has conducted six government reforms over the past three decades to separate government functions from the major industries. These reforms enabled a number of national oil companies (NOCs) to be established in the 1980s, and the NOCs were further listed in the international stock markets in the new century. However, due to the incomplete government and enterprise reforms, the government has not been very successful in playing a role as the ‘principal’ to make the NOCs as an ‘agent’ to manage China's petroleum industry on its behalf. A sensible government–NOCs relationship may be created by either further removing the NOCs’ political functions, and strengthening China's energy market mechanism, or by establishing a Super-Energy Ministry that can assert fundamental authority over the NOCs, and manage the energy sector.     

Why Small Enterprises Can (Still) Operate at the Top of the Pyramid? Evidences and Interstices' Theory in the Automotive Industry

The paper questions the widely accepted vision of an automotive supply chain with a very pyramidal structure that works to mega suppliers' benefit. Mobilizing an original survey of 750 French SMEs, we show that SMEs can still operate at the very top of the pyramid and that the different tiers remain porous. The first section explains why the modularization of the automotive industry has led to a pyramidalization of supply chains, enabling the emergence of mega suppliers. The second section shows how some SMEs are still able to rise to the top tier of the supply chain, a process explained in the third section. Using the notion of interstices initially formulated by Penrose, an explanation is provided as to why mega suppliers leave certain market spaces unoccupied, with SMEs subsequently filling in the gaps. The ensuing analytical grid then leads to a conclusion that will highlight two main managerial and political implications.     

Ma Kai''''s Comments on the Characteristics and Breakthrough of the 11~(th)5-Year Program

On March 6th,Ma Kai,Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission, and Vice Chairman Zhu Zhixm replied the reporters on the press conference about the theme of "the 11th 5-Year Program" Ma Kai said that the 11th 5-Year Program was based on the "Proposal" passed by the Fifth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, and it was also the reification and expanding of the Program. It had the successive characteristics from the past 5-Year plans, as well as the embodied characteristics of     

Members of the Third Committee,China Council for the Promotion of International Trade(CCPIT) and China Chamber of International Commerce(CCOIC)

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The Sphere of Application of the United Nations Convention on Contracts For the International Sale of Goods (CISG)

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods [hereinafter CISC] drafted by the United Nations Com-mission on International Trade Law [UNCITRAL] has played great role in the scope of international trade. Com-pared with other two earlier conven-tions drafted by the International In-stitute for the Unification of Private Law [UNIDROIT]-the Uniform Law on the International Sale of Goods [ULIS]     

Upholding the Opening for the Chalenge of the World Service Trade

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Varieties of Chinese Traditional Medicines Protected by the State (Part One)

Approved by the Ministry of Public Health,the following Medicines,producedby the named enterprises,are listed as varieties of Chinese traditionalmedicines that are protected by the state.     

Business and State in the development of the steel industry in Spain and Italy (c.1880–1929)

In the mid-nineteenth century, the Spanish and Italian steel industries were significantly less developed than those of the more advanced countries in Europe. From the mid-1880s, heavy industry in these two countries experienced considerable growth, particularly the steel sector, due to two very different strategies. In the case of Italy, state intervention was so frequent and significant that it has even been referred to as an early state capitalism. In Spain, on the other hand, the sector’s development was based principally on the private initiative. This article seeks to shed light on the interaction between government institutions and business organisations in the implementation of the development strategies of the two countries.     

Reading ‘the marketing revolution’ through the prism of the FBI

Abstract

This paper details the rebranding process undertaken by the UK co-operative movement and provides an understanding of the strategic issues involved in maintaining a coherent brand identity across a group of autonomous, independent societies. The methodology uses previously unpublished and archive material from across the movement. This is followed by a series of semi-structured interviews with Board Directors, senior management and individuals responsible for implementing the rebranding strategy. The rebranding exercise took almost ten years and the research identifies nine (non-discrete) overlapping stages. The paper argues that while many parallels can be drawn with the corporate rebranding literature, the need to achieve compromise and consensus combined with the independence of those participating creates issues not detailed in previous academic studies.     

Optimistic About the Chinese Market in the Second Half of the Year

The Chinese domestic market willmaintain steady growth in thesecond half of the year, accordingto official analysis, and the retail sales ofthe social consumer goods of the year willgrow by 9.5 percent, and 9 percent overthe same period of year. In one of its rides, the EconomicDaily anticipated that the sales volume ofcapital goods in the second half of the yearwill grow by 30 percent over the sameperiod of last year, while the import andexport growth of foreign trade will bearound 20 percent…     

Tunisia： the Most Exotic Placesin the World

Hear the siren song that calls you to Tunisia. This hospitable land of colors and contrasts, spices and scents invites you to enjoy its natural beauty, ancient cities, lively festivals and warm friendliness of its people. Welcoming visitors to its shores has long been an honored Tunisian tradition and an impressive infrastructure of modern hotels, restaurants, international airports, tourism offices and information centers has been developed to add to you comfort and pleasure.     

Northwest: Enjoy the Comforts in the Sky

Northwest Airlines is the world's fourth largest airline with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam and more than 1,500 daily departures. With its travel partners, Northwest serves nearly 750 cities in almost 120 countries on six continents. In 2002, consumers from throughout the world recognized Northwest's efforts to make travel easier. A 2002 J.D. Powers and Associates study ranked airports at Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, home to Northwest's two largest hubs, tied for second place among large domestic airports in overall customer satisfaction. Readers of TTG Asia and TTG China named Northwest "Best North American airline."     

Technology Leads the Enterprise towards the Two Markets

China'sbuildingmaterialsequipment-manufacturingindustryhasgraduallygrownfromnothingandexpandedfromsmalltolarge,inthewakeofthedevelopmentofthebuildingmaterialsindustry.IthasmadecontributionsnotonlytotheterminationofChina'simportsofbuildingmaterialsequipment,butalsotothedevelopmentofChina'sbuildingmaterials.Afterthetechnologicalimports,developmentandrenovationduringtheSixthandSeventhFive-yearplans,especiallyafterthehigh-speeddevelopmentoftheEighthFive-yearPlan,theequipmentmanufacturingindustr…     

Behind the Institutional Reform of the Central Bank

OnNovember18,1998,theShanghaiBranchofthePeople'sBankofChinawasofficiallyinaugurated.tocontrolthebanksinShanghai,andZhejlangandFujianprovinces,ratherthanShanghaiCityalone.Thusfaf,thereformofbranchinstitutions,whichstartedin1993withtheaimofbreakingtheconfinementoftheirODerationalcoveragetoacertainadministratiVeregion,hasbeenrealizedandgoneintofull--scaleimplementation..Onthe26thofNovember,thesecondbranchinstitutionwassetupinGuangzhou,withjurisdictionoverGllangdong,GuangXiandHainanprovinc…     

Move in the market without moving the market

CheMatch是化工行业第三方网站中颇具代表性的一家.它是全球最大的石化在线交易市场之一.CheMatch.com是由8家战略投资者共同设立的,包括杜邦、拜耳和通用塑料三家化工行业巨头,大型船运公司和其他风险投资商.     

Northwest：Enjoy the Comforts in the Sky

Northwest Airlines is the world‘s fourth largest airline with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam and more than 1,500 daily departures. With its travel partners, Northwest serves nearly 750 cities in almost 120 countries on six continents. In 2002, consumers from throughout the world recognized Northwest‘s efforts to make travel easier. A 2002 J.D. Powers and Associates study ranked airports at Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, home to Northwest‘s two largest hubs, tied for second place among large domestic airports in overall customer satisfaction. Readers of TFG Asia and TFG China named Northwest “Best North American airline.”     

Hoisting the Sails, Shining the Bright Pearl

Interviewing LiQingPing,Vice Chairman of the Board of International Pearl Jadeite Jewelry Investment Company, General Manager ＆ CEO of Ming Qin Jewelry Group     

Tracing the utility of injury surveillance data in Pretoria (South Africa) and Borås (Sweden)

Our research attempted to study the factors that influenced the use of injury data in two cities, representing different injury and socio-economic profiles. In Pretoria, the South African capital city, injury data uptake was constrained by, among other factors, the transitional institutional environment, stakeholders' suspicion of research and the absence of safety promotion champions. In the Swedish city of Bor?s, injury data uptake was facilitated by well-established research agency-municipality partnerships, injury prevention champions, a receptive political and knowledge driven environment and dedicated resources. The study signified the role of a range of content issues, contextual arrangements, social actors who may or may not operate from a perspective of sufficient consensus and institutional communication processes that may either facilitate or hinder the multiple employment and rapid movement of data along the 'ladder of knowledge utilisation'. Safety promotion researchers may need to expand their roles beyond data production to improve data utility.