The licensing of telecommunication suppliers: Beyond the EU’s Directive

The WTO agreement on basic telecommunication services does not provide detailed guidance for giving effect to member country commitments, especially in regard to the licensing reform which will be required to permit easier market access. This is where the EU’s recent Licensing Directive takes on special significance beyond its application to Europe since it is likely to be closely examined as a potential model for multinational licensing reform. For this reason, it is important to draw attention to the shortcomings of the EU directive to help ensure that they are not transported into any model/principles of licensing reform developed to give effect to the WTO Agreement.     

China’s Anti-Monopoly Law: What is the Welfare Standard?

China??s Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) sets forth the country??s antitrust enforcement policies. We investigate the welfare standard that the AML seeks to maximize by examining both its stated language and, via revealed preference, the antitrust actions taken by the Anti-Monopoly Enforcement Authority.     

Williamson’s Welfare Trade-Off Around the World

Review of Industrial Organization - Fifty years ago, Williamson (Am Econ Rev 58:23, 1968) argued that an efficiency-enhancing merger that reduces production costs but increases market power could...     

Young children’s views of the technology process: an exploratory study

This paper describes an exploratory study of an aspect of the technological knowledge of two groups of five-year-old students in their first year at school. Their emerging understandings of the steps required to develop a new product were investigated through a series of interviews. A theoretical framework linking technological knowledge to ‘funds of knowledge’ from experiences outside the classroom supported the analysis. The data suggest that young children draw on a broad range of experiences and knowledge, often uncritically, in order to explain how things are made. They are able to transfer their understandings of the technological process from one experience to another particularly when they have the language and background experiences to support them. Of particular note however, is that they were often unfamiliar with the properties of materials and therefore unable to anticipate the processes necessary to convert raw materials into a final product. The research also highlighted some key considerations for working with young children in this area.     

User consultation during the fuzzy front end: evaluating student’s design outcomes

In this paper we evaluate the involvement of a partially blind user as lead user in the early stages of a product redesign during an undergraduate product design-engineering course. Throughout the early stages of product design, or fuzzy front end, there is a high level of uncertainty. End users, with their increased contextual knowledge can play an important role in this process, improving decision-making. Yet limited research has thus far been done on user types for involvement and concept generation efficiency. To study whether end user involvement will impact results, a group of students were given consults from a partially blind end user. Using a panel of four judges, we evaluate the results. We find no significant differences in the feasibility, user value or originality of the concepts created by students who received a user consult. We discuss these findings within the context of user involvement in design engineering education.     

Industry Characteristics and Anti-Competitive Behavior: Evidence from the European Commission’s Decisions

We analyze all the European Commission’s decisions on antitrust cases between 1999 and 2004 using a unique dataset that also contains information on all the cases that were filed for the Commission’s consideration but were never pursued. This data allow us to determine whether there is any type of bias in the selection process followed by the Commission when deciding which cases to pursue until a final decision is reached. We find that the selection of cases is not random and that it is quite efficient but not very significant. We also find that the economic literature criteria are important for the Commission’s decisions.     

The role of ICT in Korea’s economic growth: Productivity changes across industries since the 1990s

This paper investigates the hypothesis that technological convergence has been a major driving force for the recent productivity increase in Korea. Based on the dynamic panel data of Korean industries, the direct impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on labor productivity is assessed through growth accounting, and the indirect network effect of ICT on industrial total factor productivity (TFP) is estimated. The results confirm the essential role of broadband networks for successful convergence. The policy implications for the regulatory change are drawn from the empirical analysis.     

世界能源格局深刻变化

●金融危机使资源国地位相对减弱 ●以低碳为主的新能源成为发展方向 ●各国强化节能减排,减少对化石能源依赖 ●石油行业应着眼长远,抓住机遇,迎接挑战 本刊记者:经历了国际金融危机和世界经济危机,您认为世界能源格局正在发生哪些重大变化,对石油行业的发展将带来哪些重大影响?     

天然气将进一步加快发展

●天然气在能源转型中扮演最重要角色 ●出口多元化大趋势不可阻挡 ●东北亚天然气消费国应加强务实合作 ●中国需加强对天然气产业链的系统研究 本刊记者:天然气作为化石能源中的清洁能源,以其独特的优势将在世界范围得到进一步的发展.世界天然气出口国论坛(Gas Exporting Countnies Forum,GECF)在2009年召开两次会议,强调加强供应和价格协调.     

市场变化考验中国炼化行业

●国内汽车销量猛增带动汽油消费增长 ●替代能源等多种因素影响市场需求 ●石化产业调整和振兴规划全面实施 ●市场扭曲最终将靠市场化解决 本刊记者:2009年中国在经济不景气的情况下,汽车销售达到了创纪录的水平.您认为这说明了什么,预示着什么,炼化行业为此应特别关注什么,并采取哪些措施以应对未来汽油市场可能发生的变化?     

共担责任积极参与树立负责任企业形象

●发展低碳能源和二氧化碳封存技术 ●全面评估石油石化企业碳排放 ●以五论为指导,更好地走向世界 ●积极参与,互利共赢,共同发展 本刊记者:举世瞩目的<联合国气候变化框架公约>第15次缔约方大会虽然没有取得预期的成果,但世界各国所达成的共识也将对继续推进"共同但有区别"的协调行动产生积极影响.2010年是中国政府提出的"万元国内生产总值能耗比2005年降低20%"目标的验收年,您对中国实现这一目标的情况有哪些预期?中国政府已作出进一步减少单位GDP温室气体排放的承诺,您认为中国石油企业在进一步节能减排方面有哪些机遇与挑战?您对作为能源生产大户和消费大户的石油企业有何建议?     

2010年上半年电煤供需形势分析及展望

简述了2010年上半年宏观经济形势及电力需求情况,从供应侧和需求侧对上半年电煤供需状况进行了总结回顾,对下半年电煤供需形势进行了分析展望,预计下半年全国电煤供需将呈“首尾基本平衡,中期局部偏松”的格局,最后就如何保障电煤供应提出了若干建议。     

International communications : Issues in the USA

The author reviews aspects of the current regulatory environment for international communications in the USA. He then contrasts that environment with a possible future. The contrast throws into relief critical shortcomings in the current situation. He concludes by suggesting legislative goals and proposing a framework for regulation.     

CPSC拟订耐用婴幼儿产品消费者登记要求

9月4日，美国消费品安全委员会（CPSC）通报了耐用婴幼儿产品消费者登记要求，TBT通报号为G／TBT／N／USA／486。通报称，美国《消费品安全加强法2008》（CPSIA）第104（d）条要求美国消费品安全委员会颁布一项最终消费品安全法规，要求每一个耐用婴幼儿产品生产商：为每一个产品附带一个已付邮资的消费者登记表；     

Electricity: Changes and Issues

This paper surveys recent developments in therestructuring and deregulation of the electric utilityindustry. New federal and state legislation isreviewed together with commission actions designed to carry out restructuring. The Department of Energy's highly controversial attempt to measure the netbenefits of electricity deregulation is noted, alongwith the response of DOE's critics. Five major factorsthat will affect the success or failure ofrestructuring and deregulation are examined at length. These include: growing industry concentration, theincreased risk premium attached to the market trading of electricity, the transition costs that will beincurred, the organization and governance of thetransmission network, and the adequacy of consumer and environmental protection in the new setting.