Terms-of-trade policy in a model with non-produced means of production

Terms-of-trade policies between agriculture and industry are analysed in a two-sector Sraffian model. If both sectors use only produced means of production and labor, it can be shown that an improvement in agriculture's terms of trade always leads to higher profits in agriculture. However, when non-produced means of production are introduced an exogenous increase in the relative price of agricultural commodities may cause the rate of profit in agriculture to increase, remain constant, or even decrease. Two preconditions are identified for the case in which a favorable movement in agriculture's terms of trade decreases that sector's profit rate. First at least one quality of competitively priced land must be scarce relative to the total output required. Second, the initial, economy-wide rate of profit must be positive. Finally, the effect of an input subsidy used in conjunction with terms-of-trade policy is considered. It is shown that under certain conditions reducing the price of production inputs can also cause profits to fall and rents to rise in agriculture.     

A Finite Mixture Logit Model of Recreational Angling with Serially Correlated Random Utility

This article examines two issues concerning the trip–taking behavior of recreational anglers over the course of a season. The first is whether the random component of trip utility is serially correlated across trip occasions. The second is the heterogeneity of preferences among anglers. Recent research has examined heterogeneity among recreational trip–takers using random parameters models. In this article, the population of anglers is, instead, cast as a collection of several subpopulations distinguished by angler preferences, and the method of finite mixtures is used to identify these subpopulations.     

Advocates, Critics and Union Involvement in Workplace Partnership: Irish Airports

The Irish Airports Authority and its unions have developed a radical partnership initiative which seeks to involve staff and unions in operational and strategic decision–making. The initiative allows for an empirical assessment of arguments regarding the effects of partnership on union organization and strength, and on members' commitment to unions. Drawing on research conducted over a four–year period, we argue that partnership was of considerable benefit to workers and unions, but that new tensions and challenges have arisen. On balance, the evidence provides modest support for the theoretical arguments of advocates of partnership.     

中国2008年不仅仅是奥运年

[日本《朝日新闻》3月18日]今年本被视为中国的胜利年，8月的北京奥运提供辉煌的庆典，庆贺中国成为一个现代的、快速增长的全球大国。那个梦想仍然可能成真。     

Asymmetric price adjustment in a menu-cost model

In this paper we demonstrate that the menu-cost model implies that prices adjust asymmetrically to nominal-demand shocks and that the asymmetry is linked to the elasticity of demand as well as menu costs. These implications are tested using manufacturing and retailing panel data for the OECD countries. The empirical results give some support for the menu-cost model.     

艰难时期：征服消费者的六大“绝招”

如何让消费者松开钱袋子？ 我们需要时间和一连串的好消息来缓解消费者的担心。但对于拥有正确方法的公司和品牌来说，危机可能有好的一面。强大的企业可以通过深思熟虑和灵活的应对措施获得远胜过弱小竞争者的优势。我们已经纵观了消费品行业并发现了六个“绝招”，帮助受衰退影响的企业回击销售额的下降，并在经济回暖时为迅速前进打好基础。     

Centralized and decentralized tourism governance in Turkey

In many developing countries governance is highly centralized. The considerable potential benefits of decentralization for such countries are widely espoused, but less attention is paid to the potential difficulties and dangers. This paper develops a framework of issues to consider when evaluating the decentralization of tourism governance, including its potential benefits and shortcomings. There is examination of the transfer of authority and the distribution of power, legitimacy and accountability. The framework is used to assess tourism governance in the Turkish coastal resort of Belek, notably the involvement of central and local government, a privatized company, and a nongovernmental organization. The difficulties and threats linked to decentralization in Belek warn against an uncritical adoption of such policies.     

中国海外投资热点解析

你一定会认为,富油国尼日利亚的统治者近来不会太高兴。永无休止的游击战困扰着这个国家,令它的石油产量降到潜在产能的2／3。但现在,尼日利亚又在颁发它最高产的几个油田的开采许可证了。