ECONOMIC TRANSITION AND LABOUR MARKET DYNAMICS IN CHINA: AN INTERPRETATIVE SURVEY OF THE ‘TURNING POINT’ DEBATE

Has the Chinese economy approached the ‘Lewisian turning point’ that marks the ending of the initial phase of industrial transformation fuelled by surplus labour? In this paper we undertake an interpretative survey of the literature on this issue, in the context of China's labour market conditions prior to the reforms and structural change of the past three decades. The available evidence is mixed, and our assessment makes a strong case for probing institutional constraints to labour mobility from an economy‐wide perspective, going beyond the confines of the rural economy.     

歌乐山,写满信仰与忠诚

歌乐山下埋忠骨 The Bones of the Martyrs Buried Under Gele Mountain 烈日当空,站在红岩魂广场抬头仰望,那座由红色岩石雕刻而成的烈士群雕在骄阳下闪闪发光.登上高高的阶梯,只见一面鲜艳的党旗屹立在烈士公墓前,静静守护着红岩英烈. 墓碑上铭刻的,是300多个名字. 革命烈士牺牲在黎明前夜,没能亲眼看到重庆的解放,但他们的故事在这片土地上被一直传颂,他们的忠诚与信仰将同他们的名字一道,镌刻于巍巍歌乐.走进红岩魂陈列馆,倾听们的故事,愈加明白先烈的牺牲有着何等的分量.     

Ag econ angst crisis revisited

The present paper was inspired by and is a response to the Rola-Rubzen, Hardaker and Dillon paper 'Agricultural economists and world poverty: progress and prospects' (Rola-Rubzen et al. 2001). It is agreed that the position of agricultural economists in foreign aid and poverty programs has declined over recent decades. Such a feeling of guilt and remorse expressed by the above authors does indeed create considerable 'angst'. A major reason for this state of affairs lies in 'the flavour of the month' approach of the development agencies. These include women in development, gender-based farming systems research, household nutrition and food security, people participation, and targeting the poorest of the poor. These fads have driven disciplinary considerations to the wall and the more widely-defined objectives have reduced the drive for economic efficiency. We argue there is still a place for better designed and delivered assistance programs within the wider framework of assistance that has become fashionable. Greater application of institutional principles in both the political processes associated with assistance and the implementation agencies would improve the outcomes of many projects. Particular attention would need to be given to the interface between the development agencies and recipient governments. The present paper picks up on the market failure aspects of agriculture's rather poor contribution to development, and develops a wider perspective in terms of the new institutional economics and a continuing role for the agricultural economist.     

家族企业用人机制初探

中国的家族企业形成规模的目前还为数不多，而小型企业的数量却与日俱增。美国家族企业一直是美国经济中至关重要的一股力量，1969-1976年间雇员不足20人的企业创造了美国66％的就业机会，近20年来小型企业成为美国劳动力市场的一个重要组成部分。     

借荐经验、探索成都中小企业服务新格局

2000年8月24日成都市被国家经贸委中小企业司列为全国10个进行中小企业服务体系建设试点城市之一，该市中小企业服务体系建设按照“政府扶持，市场化运作”的原则开始了有益的试点探索。     

国有商业银行经营绩效的超产权理论分析

超产权论在产权制度改革的基础上提出了竞争和市场结构对企业治理机制改善的作用.我们把超产权理论的企业产权、竞争、治理机制与绩效相互关系模型引入国有商业银行中,建立市场竞争状态下国有商业银行产权、竞争、治理机制和绩效的理论模型.要提高国有商业银行的经营绩效,构建竞争性的银行体系是关键;竞争绩效的产生还有赖于市场的完善和市场得以有序运作的制度结构的建立与完善.     

政策要闻

原油、成品油进出口配额 将由商务部对外贸易司统管 国务院机构改革以后,我国原油、成品油、化肥等能源产品的进出口配额、进出口权等将全部划归新成立的商务部对外贸易司统一管理。国务院办公厅已发出通知,明确了商务部的14项主要职责,其中第四条为:“研究制定进口商品管理办法和进出口配额计划,确定配额、发放许可证;拟订和执行进出口商品配额招标政策。”     

Possibilities for remote participation in trade unions: mobilising women activists

This paper argues that trade union activism within the new era of information and communication technologies (ICTs) offers the potential for unions to become more inclusive of under‐represented groups. Traditional conceptions of activism, participation and democracy within trade unions require physical presence at meetings at times and in spaces incompatible with caring responsibilities and atypical hours of work. This restricts the participation of women and other ‘atypical’ workers in trade unions. The paper explores the complexities of electronic forms of union activism in practice, indicating that while some positive features are experienced, there are also a range of obstacles, barriers and possible negative consequences.