Conflict — The Engine of Economic Growth

Opponents of the free market have criticised ifs ready espousal of competition between producers and consumers, and between differing interests and expectations. John McEnery, a former civil servant at the Department of trade with responsibility for co-ordinafing negotiation, examines the centralist fallacy which allows socialism to claim that it reduces, even abolishes, conflict.     

International competition and exchange rate shocks: a cross-country industry analysis of stock returns

This article systematically examines the importance of exchangerate movements and industry competition for stock returns. Commonshocks to industries across countries are more important thancompetitive shocks due to changes in exchange rates. Weeklyexchange rate shocks explain almost nothing of the relativeperformance of industries. Using returns measured over longerhorizons, the importance of exchange rate shocks increases slightlyand the importance of industry common shocks increases moresubstantially. Both industry and exchange rate shocks are moreimportant for industries that produce internationally tradedgoods, but the importance of these shocks is economically smallfor these industries as well.     

Competition in NHS quasi-markets

Recent reforms of the National Health Service have focused attentionon both contracts for health services and competition amongstthe providers of those services as means of ensuring that qualityis maintained at an acceptable standard whilst costs are contained.This paper considers the particular roles that competition maybe expected to play in both health authority and GP fundholderquasi-markets.     

对朱兰博士的缅怀和追忆

一代质量伟人朱兰博士2008年2月29日去了。在悲伤和悼念之余,有着更多的缅怀。记得第一次见到朱兰博士是在1982年,那年,在国家经委的支持下,中国质协邀请朱兰博士来华讲学,我因奉命组织培训班,得以聆听他的讲课,并能与自己仰慕的专家多一点近距离接触。