Optimal plant location and air quality management under indivisibilities and economies of scale

The implications of indivisibilities and economies of scale on the optimal location of industrial plants and on the optimal choice of their pollution abatement technologies under given air quality standards are examined. Various optimization models, accounting for abatement, land development and plant relocation costs, as well as for locational economies of scale, are developed, using the integer and mixed-integer linear programming framework. A method for computing taxes and subsidies leading the system to the optimal pattern of decisions under decentralized decision-making is proposed. Finally, an application of the approach with real data of the Haifa region is implemented, illustrating the utility of the approach for environmental management.     

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION ACTIVITY IN THE USA

Abstract.  Brand names or trademarks carry incredible economic power and prestige. There is increasing recognition by world bodies that intellectual property (IP), whether manifested in patents, trademarks, copyrights or trade secrets, is highly valuable and must be protected through robust IP enforcement. The USA is an interesting natural laboratory as patent, trademark and copyright litigation battles have been raging domestically for some time. The paper discusses the four main forms of IP assets, the legal remedies that are available to enforce the property rights inherent in each type of IP asset, the basic damages theory relating to each form of IP, and how damages may be calculated when each type of asset is presumed to be infringed. The increased recognition of the value of IP has led to stronger enforcement of IP protection, an increase in IP litigation, and growing policy actions that are focused on how that protection should be manifested. An empirical analysis of how the IP litigation activity in the USA has changed over time is also presented.     

Zur Schätzung der Fristenstruktur von Credit Spreads

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

钛白废酸回收技术研究

通过臭氧氧化技术将钛白废酸中的Fe2 氧化成Fe3 ,再用萃取法除去Fe3 。考察了络合剂(盐酸)浓度、萃取剂、萃取相比和多级错流萃取级数等对Fe3 萃取率的影响,初步探索了反萃法回收萃取剂及萃取剂的循环利用。结果表明,当盐酸浓度为3.4～4.0mol/L时,几乎可完全络合溶液中的Fe3 ,Fe3 的萃取率随相比(O/W)的增加而增大,萃取级数愈多萃取效果愈好。O/W=1∶1的单级萃取与总相比O/W=0.5∶1的四级错流萃取率接近。当反萃相比(W/O)=1.5∶1时,Fe3 的反萃率达97%,萃取剂经过6次萃取—反萃循环后,Fe3 的萃取率没有明显下降。去除Fe3 后的钛白废酸,经蒸馏浓缩到70%左右,再与浓硫酸混合后可用于钛白粉的生产,蒸馏过程中得到的盐酸循环使用,反萃出来的Fe3 可作为生产铁红的原料。     

Advertising and Political Bias in the Media: The Market for Criticism of the Market Economy

Many observers of the media argue that advertiser support of the news insulates business from critical scrutiny. News organizations know better than to bite the hand that feeds them. I examine several weaknesses in this corporate advertising bias argument. Most significantly, a favorable political climate for business is a public good, so individual businesses have an incentive to support anti–business messages that generate an audience. Transmission of messages that fail to generate sufficient demand is inefficient. In short, advertising does not create a significant political bias.     

Uncertainty and markets for renewable resources

The market allocation of renewable resources is examined when growth rates are affected by random disturbances. Given free access to a renewable resource, environmental disturbances are shown to affect the biological survival of the resource. The optimal solution is then examined and it is shown to be achieved by a competitive allocation when property rights are clearly defined given rational expectations or a complete set of contingent futures markets. The stochastic dynamics are shown in each case to differ considerably from the deterministic model.     

美国企业技术战略联盟发展新动向与启示

技术创新战略联盟是企业间因技术创新活动而进行的战略性合作,是一种新的技术进步方式和商业竞争模式。美国作为世界科学技术最先进的国家,企业间的技术创新战略联盟实践频繁,规模也较大,很大程度上影响了国际范围内的科学技术进步和商业运营。近些年来,随着国际环境的变化,美国企业的技术战略联盟在联盟目的、联盟方式、地域分布以及行业分布等方面都发生了变化。密切关注这些新动向,有利于广大发展中国家和地区的企业学习掌握新的经营理念,把握技术升级的有利时机。