Firm growth in industrial clusters of the United Kingdom

This article examines how firm growth is influenced by the strength of the industrial cluster in which the firm is located. It presents econometric estimates of firm growth for 56 two-digit industries in the UK. In about half of these industries, there is a positive and statistically significant association between firm growth and own-sector employment. Significant associations between firm growth and other-sector employment are less common, but where these arise they are generally negative. We find that a weak rule of thumb applies in most industries: own-sector effects are positive or insignificant, while other-sector effects are negative or insignificant. Cluster effects are strongest in manufacturing, manufacturing-related, and infrastructure, but weaker in services.

Jason Scott Smith. Building New Deal Liberalism: The Political Economy of Public Works, 1933-1956

Jason Scott Smith's ambitious, some might say overly-ambitious,goal is to "construct a new narrative" of the New Deal's significanceby using the lens of political economy to examine and explainhow the policies initiated during that historical phase "revolutionizedthe priorities of the American state, radically transformingthe physical landscape, political system, and economy of theUnited States" (p. 1). Smith most certainly does not see NewDeal policies as failures that were incapable of getting theU.S.     

Meanings of Food among Polish and American Young Women

Food carries different meanings across cultures and times. This study aimed to explore the meanings of food among young women in Poland and the United States using a qualitative approach. The findings show that, in both countries, women associate food with health, pleasure, and socializing, but overall Polish women are less emotional about food. More specifically, in the United States, women associate food with love, their identities, and have more conflictual feelings about food, whereas in Poland women associate food with creativity. The study discusses marketing implications of the results.     

国际供应链物流与贸易便利化的宏观政策

贸易便利化指标的正向变化会改善国际供应链环境,并使整个国家贸易量增加.一国国内的贸易便利化改革比参与国际谈判降低关税更能改善国际贸易环境.改善的贸易便利化指标能很好地平衡国际收支,因为出口商更愿意花大力气促进全球供应链环境的改善.改善信息技术硬件设施、遵守国际标准是关键因素.每个国家因国情不同,需要改革的领域也各有差别.标杆测评工具关注一个国家的国际贸易产品和模式、贸易便利化指标的现状,以及对产品供应链的投入等因素,可以帮助决策者制订最适合的贸易便利化改革方案.     

Are Farmers' Market Shoppers Different From Cross-Shoppers? The Case of Hawaiian Avocado Purchasers

Small- and medium-size growers use direct marketing and farmers’ markets to access customers and avoid supply chain intermediaries that increase costs of getting products to consumers. This study examined consumers’ use of agricultural product information sources and their shopping outlet patronage preferences for one type of locally grown produce: avocados.

Two farmers’ market segments were identified: 1) shops only farmers’ markets and 2) cross-shops grocery stores. Product information came from a variety of sources: media, retailers, and organizations. “Buy Local” or “product origin” were considered in produce shopping decisions. One dimension, “Buy Local,” was significant in differentiating farmers’ market segments.     

Gender-Based Pricing in the Hairdressing Industry

This paper reviews the evidence and evaluates the claim that the hairdressing industry systematically discriminates on the basis of gender and compares the way in which courts in the UK and US have dealt with such allegations. We argue that "transaction costs" can be used to provide an alternative (perhaps more satisfactory) explanation for the pricing patterns observed than does price discrimination. Any decision to ban gender-based pricing will imply a difficult trade-off between economic efficiency and concerns for gender equality.