The explosive combination of religious decentralization and autocracy

The relationship between religion and politics is explored from a theoretical standpoint. Religious clerics can be seduced by an autocrat and political stability is at stake. The autocrat's decisions consist of two measures both capable of antagonizing religious clerics: adopting secular reforms and unduly appropriating part of the national wealth, which generally are complements. Compared to centralized religions, decentralized religions, such as Islam, tend to discourage secular reforms and corruption but those effects are not guaranteed if the autocrat accepts political instability. The main hypotheses and the central results of the theory are illustrated with regime case studies that refer to contemporary times.     

Structural reforms and fiscal adjustments: policy options for the euro area

This paper analyses the effects of structural reform and fiscal consolidation policies in the Euro Area using a stylized new-Keynesian model. A number of issues are focused upon: (i) the modelling and effects of fiscal consolidation and structural reforms, and (ii) evaluation of alternative reform and consolidation scenarios, including their joint implementation.     

Trends and Forecasts for Inbound Tourism to China

Summary

The development of tourism in China over the last two decades is reviewed. It is argued that the success of the economic reforms in China which has resulted in fast economic growth has also been the main cause of rapid tourism growth in China. Forecasts of international tourist arrivals by source country market and destination region within China are generated over the period 2001-05. An integrative approach is used which combines both time-series and econometric methodologies, termed structural integrated time-series econometric analysis (SITEA).     

Macroeconomic effects of structural reforms and fiscal consolidations: Trade-offs and complementarities

This paper studies the impact of product and labour market structural reforms and the effects of their joint implementation with alternative debt consolidation strategies. The set-up is a dynamic general equilibrium model calibrated for the Greek economy. The results show that structural reforms produce important long-run GDP gains that materialize earlier, the faster the reforms are implemented. When implemented jointly with fiscal consolidations, structural reforms may amplify the short-run costs of fiscal tightening. The GDP dynamics depend on the fiscal instrument used for public debt consolidation. In the long run, however, there are complementarity gains irrespective of the fiscal instrument used.     

Emerging Consensus on Labour Market Institutions and Implications for Developing Countries: From the Debates in India

Abstract

This paper makes a critical intervention to on-going theoretical and policy debates in the economic analysis of labour market institutions (LMIs) in the context of recent debates in India. It focuses on the internal inconsistency of mainstream economic analyses of LMIs, in particular those based on the new institutional economics (NIE) approach, and what appears to be an emerging policy consensus on LMIs within the World Bank and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The paper draws out the possible ideological parallels in these two developments, despite different intellectual origins and intentions of those engaged in these debates. A corresponding modification in policy debates in India is observed in the shifting perspectives from the Second National Commission on Labour (SNCL) to the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS). The apparent emerging consensus in both the theoretical literature and policy debates reveals the tendency for researchers to focus on labour market outcomes and phenomenal forms of LMIs rather than the structures, processes, agencies and relations that underpin them. While this can be seen as an advancement from the traditional distortionist-institutionalist dichotomy, the tendency of this consensus to explain the persistence of seemingly inefficient institutions within the micro-level choice theoretic framework and its appeal to policy agendas on good governance, social capital, trust and civil society, render it vulnerable to appropriation by the mainstream. The paper argues that the emerging consensus on LMIs is an inadequate framework to inform effective policy propositions, and highlights the scope and opportunity for a political economy alternative.     

农业税改对东营农村经济影响分析

自实施农业税制改革以来,山东省东营市认真贯彻国家各项农业税制改革政策,于2005年全部免除农业税,大力加强财政支农和金融支农力度,有力地促进了社会主义新农村建设。本文从东营市入手深入调查研究了我国农业税制改革对该市农村经济所带来的积极影响与负面作用,并进一步分析了金融、财政在支持“三农”过程中所存在的问题,最后提出了对策、建议。     

深化企业内部改革必须加强思想政治工作

深化企业内部改革,夯实企业管理基础,形成有效的激励和约束机制,建立良好的经济运行秩序,才能做大做强优势企业和优势品牌。深化企业内部改革必须加强思想政治工作,把思想政治工作贯穿于深化企业内部改革的全过程,切实提高企业整体实力和竞争能力,以适应市场经济的竞争,保持农场持续、稳定、健康地发展。     

审计委员会、注册会计师审计与内部审计

由于审计委员会程序性工作的特点,以及注册会计师审计的事后核查的缺陷,这些制度设置难以从根本上解决公司信息的虚假问题。因此需要通过内部审计作用的发挥来加强审计委员会与注册会计师审计在改善公司治理方面应起的作用,从而提高信息披露质量。     

论高职高专层次国际贸易课的"具体化"教学

高职高专层次的学生学习基础普遍较差,学习能力不足,而国际贸易是一门技术性、实践性很强的应用学科,因此学生普遍感到国际贸易课比较难,"听不懂".究竟怎样才能让学生更好地理解国际贸易相关课程呢?笔者在教学实践中发现,"具体化"教学是一个非常好的选择.本文详细阐述了国际贸易课采用"具体化"教学法的依据及开展"具体化"教学的主要方法.     

省直管县综合配套改革思路探析——以政府间纵向关系为视角

省直管县体制改革本质上是政府间纵向关系的一次重大变革,应该纳入政府间纵向关系整体变革的视野,在把握这一关系诸要素变革趋势的基础上,统筹推进各方面改革。当前,应完善省直管县单项改革,克服既有改革的不协调;应以省直管县体制改革为契机,分步推进政府间纵向关系改革。改革中应注意综合运用分权与选择性集权,调试、完善各项改革。