Energy and Non-Energy Input Substitution Possibilities and Output Scale Effects in Canadian Agriculture

A generalized Leontief cost function was used to investigate energy and non-energy input substitution possibilities and output scale effects on factor demand in Canadian agriculture. Results suggest that (1) substitution possibilities exist between energy and non-energy inputs, and energy and energy-based inputs appear to be complements; (2) labor is the best substitute for energy inputs, followed by land and other intermediate inputs; and (3) the output scale has significant effect in reducing production costs and decreasing the responsiveness of input to price changes. These findings indicate that an effective energy conservation measure would be the encouragement of production practices oriented to use more labor and land intensive techniques rather than using more agricultural chemicals for reducing cultivation practices. On a utilisé une fonction de coút Léontief généralisée pour examiner d'une part les possibilitiés de substituer entrées énergétiques el non énergétiques et d'autre part les effets d'échelle de sortie sur la demande factorielle dans l'agriculture canadienne. Les résultats suggérent que: (1) il est possible de substituer entrées énergétiques et non énergétiques; les entrées énergétiques et celles basées sur l'énergie semblent complémentaires, (2) la main-d'oeuvre est le meilleur substitut aux entrées énergétiques; viennent ensuite la terre et autres entrees intermédiares, et (3) l'échelle de sortie joue un rǒle déterminant dans la réduction des coúts de production et dans une sensibilité plus petite des entrées aux changements de prix. Ces découvertes indiquent qu'une mesure efficace pour conserver l'énergie serait, plutǒl que d'utiliser davantage de produits chimiques agricoles, d'encourager les pratiques de production basée sur la main-d'oeuvre et l'utilisation intensive de la terre.     

Regional income convergence in Indochina 1970–2015?

Real incomes have been increasing relatively fast in the Indochina region but there are still large differences in income levels between the six member countries. Based on the various sources of national accounts data, it seems that the low-income countries have experienced the highest growth rates. Time series tests of convergence, in this case catching-up to the relatively high-income level in Malaysia, confirm that Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam have narrowed the income gap during the last two decades.     

Web Services for Negotiation and Bargaining in Electronic Markets: Design Requirements, Proof-of-Concepts, and Potential Applications to e-Procurement

Information Systems researchers continue to develop Web services hoping that, in a near future, these services will be widely offered in the e-marketplace, using a Web-based protocol that is universally adopted for posting, locating and invoking available services. Posting services does not, however, necessarily lead to market transactions, and a number of brokering activities are needed to facilitate trade. These include, but are not limited to, service discovery and ranking, price negotiation and contract preparation. We propose a set of Web services that support the process of negotiation and bargaining to facilitate the matching of supply and demand of Web services. As a market broker, these web services would help (a) discover the supply/demand of web services in e-marketplaces; (b) find the most appropriate available service for a specific request; (c) facilitate services be modified if needed to satisfy user's needs; (d) arbitrate the pricing mechanism with the recourse to bargaining whenever necessary; and (e) generate a contract. As a proof of concept, we illustrate the potential use of Web services for negotiation and bargaining in e-procurement.     

成都独角兽岛启动区景观设计LIM实

通过介绍成都独角兽岛启动区的设计和施工建造过程,结合项目实际情况,有选择性地在风景园林设计的不同阶段,利用相对的数字化信息模型技术来阐述和分析设计行业信息模型在风景园林空间设计上的项目管理、设计技术、合作对接、质量把控及施工建造等方面的实践经验。以此为例,探讨在行业中的实践现状和发展风景园林信息模型(LIM)的必要性。     

Entrepreneurial Alertness and Discovery

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate Kirzner's concepts of entrepreneurial alertness and discovery in the subjectivist perspective. Specifically, it argues that the entrepreneurial discovery process is associated with the actor's interpretation framework, or the stock of knowledge, which is derived from everyday life experiences. Discovery in this context means that the actor interprets incoming information in a way different from perceptions of the general public. Two kinds of entrepreneurial discovery, namely ordinary and extraordinary, are discussed. In terms of mental constructs, ordinary discovery is a backward interpretation in a sense that the entrepreneur endeavours to exploit profit opportunities by doing some things better. This type of discovery largely promotes change within an existing situation. Extraordinary discovery is a forward interpretation that involves a new dimension of interpreting events. In this case, the entrepreneur explores profit opportunities by doing some things drastically different from the traditional. This type of discovery enhances revolutionary change to the economy. Inertia is explained, in the subjectivist perspective, as a result of actors taking knowledge for granted and being locked inside the old interpretation frameworks. The argument developed is applied to explain (1) why firms vertically integrate and, (2) why the socialist system impedes entrepreneurial alertness and discovery.     

Diaspora and trade facilitation: The case of ethnic Chinese in Australia

Using a sample of 135 Australian firms with operations in Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), this paper seeks to examine whether members of an ethnic diaspora can facilitate trade between Australia and their countries of origin. Specifically, it found that companies that are owned by immigrants and/or hired immigrants in key decision making positions (immigrant effect or IE, in short) were (a) more likely to resort to a higher resource commitment when entering into the target market; and (b) used more extensively in target markets where there are greater variations in customer behavior. There was no significant difference (a) in the deployment of immigrants between Australian firms operating in Mainland China vis-à-vis those in Hong Kong/Taiwan; (b) where there were variations in product life cycle stages between the home and target markets; (c) based on the length of operations in the target market; and (d) in performance between firms with IE and those without in the target markets. The influence of firm size, overall international business experience, variations in political-legal, economic, and competitive environments between the home and target markets, and industry type were also examined. The findings of the study with implications for theory and practice are discussed.