Relating in business networks: Innovation in practice

Few studies have looked at the innovation process in the early stages of new business ventures in the context of business networks. Reporting on eight years of development of a new venture, we examine how the development of initial business relationships in an ever-changing business network affects technological innovation. We conclude that technological innovation is contingent on the development of business relationships that are a critical mechanism permitting a new venture not only to access but also to produce knowledge essential for innovating. For management this implies the need to strike a judicious balance between internal focus and closure to produce novel solutions and external focus and openness to experiment in business relationships.     

POPULATION POLICY THROUGH TRADABLE PROCREATION ENTITLEMENTS*

One of the first tradable rights proposal is Boulding's (The Meaning of the Twentieth Century, London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1964 ), dealing with overpopulation. We discuss both tradable procreation allowances and exemptions domestically and globally, to address underpopulation as well. We focus on three effects. Notably, the rights' tradability entails that whereas exemptions or expensive enough allowances benefit the poor, cheap allowances benefit the rich. A natalist policy also worsens the average education level of the next generation, whereas population control enhances it. Also, if procreation rights are grandfathered to countries, the scheme redistributes further. Our analysis suggests that procreation entitlements may be efficient in controlling population, without being necessarily anti‐redistributive.     

长期股权投资权益法核算下会计与税法的差异

由于我国实行的是税会分离模式,因此税法上在确定应纳税所得额和会计在确认利润的时候,二者之间必然有很多的差异,既有永久性的差异也有时间性的差异,长期股权投资权益法导致的差异比较难以把握,因为当会计对长期股权投资采用权益法核算的情况下从取得长期股权投资到最后的处置每一个环节都存在会计处理和税法规定不相一致的地方。     

Scale and structure in economic modelling

In this paper an attempt is made to put together, within the same model, the supply and the demand side of the economic process. This is done by integrating the progress attained in two fields which have traditionally been considered separate: the input-output approach and the macroeconometric final demand approach. The composition of each traditional macroeconomic variable, determined within the model, is analysed into the functional headings which are peculiar for each variable (family budgets headings for personal consumption expenditures, investing sectors for investments, I-O sectors for output and so on). We can then identify for each variable a scale component - absolute level of the aggregated variable - and a structure component - its inner composition - which are mutually consistent. Two types of applications of the same model are then compared: simulation, where the parametric set is used to obtain the dynamic path of a specific scenario; and integrated impact multiplier analysis where scale and structure effects are evaluated with reference to all the potential behaviour of the system.     

Self-help Groups and Income Generation in the Informal Settlements of Nairobi

The aim of this paper is to understand the functioning and thescope of self-help groups in the informal settlements of urbanareas as a means of generating income for poor households. Ituses a unique data set collected by the author in 1999 surveyingall individual group members from several informal settlementsin Nairobi. It studies the individual determinants of earningswithin groups and relates group composition to various indicatorsof group functioning. Sex, age and ethnic identity are amongthe most important determinants of individual reliance on groupincome and of access to group loans. Heterogeneity in earningsamong members is shown to reduce their ability to borrow fromthe group as a whole but not from each other. The impact ofethnic and other forms of heterogeneity on the division of labour,choice of compensation schemes, sanctioning technology and recruitmentcriteria is also described.     

BI-REGIONAL SAM LINKAGES: A MODIFIED BACKWARD AND FORWARD DISPERSION APPROACH

The aim of the paper is to apply a new backward and forward dispersion approach, starting from the original Rasmussen definition, which can give further insight into the interactions between industries and institutional sectors in a multiregional framework. The method is based on identification of the Macro Multipliers and the related impact components of a model based on a bi-regional SAM, which allows for the representation of the bi-regional multisectoral and multi-industry model in a two-dimensional space defined by the two dominating impact components. From such representation, we derive a set of indices of intraregional and interregional backward and forward dispersion that identifies key groups of industries and institutional sectors. The strength of these groups is further evaluated in terms of correlation of the impact components within the groups and cross-correlation between industry and institutional sectors groups. Comparative analysis among regional results gives a full picture of regional income policies.     

How Should the Allocation of Resources Adjust to the Baby Bust?

We analyze the impact of a drop in fertility on the optimal allocation of resources in an overlapping generations economy where old workers care about leisure. We also characterize optimal dynamics and study the decentralization of the optimum by means of inter‐generational transfers and/or public debt. We conclude that the policy recommendations of postponing retirement is fragile and depend on preferences and technologies. Also, even when the optimal adjustment of public debt goes into the expected direction in the long run—i.e., public debt should decrease—this may not be the case during the transition.     

Does reduced trade tax revenue affect government spending patterns?

Many skeptics of trade liberalization in the developing world argue that lowering trade taxes can cause significant fiscal pressures in countries particularly reliant on these taxes and result in a reallocation of resources away from important development goals. This paper evaluates whether there is evidence that central governments systematically change the composition of spending priorities in the wake of lowered trade tax revenues as a share of total government revenues. We find no systematic evidence for this concern in a sample of 51 developing countries for the 1991 through 2005 period.     

青藏铁路开通与西藏大发展——青藏铁路：西藏发展的助推器

2005年我国历史上最重要的一条铁路——青藏铁路全线贯通，2006年7月正式试运营。对于这样一条全世界都关注的铁路的建成和运营，将对西藏的经济社会发展产生什么影响？我们应该选择什么样的应对策略，是值得认真研究的大课题。为此，本期封面文章全力推出专题：青藏铁路开通与西藏大发展。本刊特邀《西藏人口发展战略研究》课题组专家学者，力图从西藏的社会、文化、经济各个方面作一深入探讨，为各级政府决策提供科学建议，为西藏的发展建言献策。[编者按]     

Research instrumentation and institutional innovation in canada

Science policy is being challenged. Conceptions of innovation and the nature of research are rapidly being forced beyond traditional views which see innovation as a linear process and science policy in terms of funding issues. Indeed, the policy challenge is being defined by the tension between trying to conduct or encourage research that is at or near an expanding research frontier, while simultaneously functioning within 'steady state' fiscal environments. One key manifestation of this challenge—which is underpinned by a new social contract between the scientific and government communities—is being expressed in terms of the changing role that research instrumentation is playing with regard to research management, research policy and research planning. This paper examines several Candian example f the changing nature of research, with particular reference to the role of instrumentation; it also outlines the particular challenges that small open econmies must face with respect to instrument-intensive research and offers a possible taxonomy for analyzing innovation and policy options.