Trade patterns and institutional change in East Asia

We investigate how trade patterns – institutionally intensive exports (IIX) – affect institutional quality in East Asia compared to the rest of the world, and whether the effect changed due to the Asian financial crisis. To examine this, we use panel data of 117 countries for the period 1988–2007. Our fixed effect model estimation reveals that the effect of IIX on institutional quality is negative and significant for East Asia, while the effect is insignificant for the rest of the world. The negative effect in East Asia is more pronounced for the five East Asian countries that were strongly affected by the crisis – South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand – than for other East Asian countries. Furthermore, our results reveal that the negative effect for East Asia does not change significantly after the crisis, both in the short and long term, and that improvement in institutional quality after the crisis is not different from that of the rest of the world. This suggests that the crisis had no significant impact on East Asia's institutional quality or on the effects of IIX on institutional quality.     

Manufactured regional crises: The Middle East and North Africa under global food regimes

The current agrarian and food crisis in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been interpreted through a number of tropes. Within the dominant mainstream discourse, the MENA region is often depicted as a homogenous geographical area characterized by dryness, infertile lands and poor water resources. How did imperialism, colonialism and the Cold War influence the MENA food systems? What were the effects of trade liberalization and neoliberalism on the agricultural systems in the region? These are some questions that this paper will try to answer using a geographical and historical-comparative analysis, through a food regimes lens. Understanding contemporary social relations dynamics cannot be limited to the recent period. Agriculture and food in the MENA region are anchored in the history of power relations ruled by flows of capital and the shaping of ecological transformations during the longue durée of capitalism and its corresponding modes of control and regulation.     

Disruption and stock markets: Evidence from Hong Kong

We examine the impact of disruption on stock markets using the 2019 Hong Kong protests for identification. We find that greater protest intensity corresponds to higher bid–ask spreads, lower trading volume, and greater return volatility for dual-listed Chinese firms’ Hong Kong (H) shares but not their home (A) shares. We also document negative abnormal returns only for these firms’ H-shares around major protest events, which shortly after exhibit reversal. Next, we validate our main findings by documenting similar results using Hong Kong-listed firms only. Overall, we provide new evidence highlighting the impact of protest-induced disruption on financial markets.     

Modeling conflict impact and postconflict reconstruction: The case of Yemen

Evidence-based planning for countries in the midst of conflict is often constrained by missing data and the lack of appropriate analytical tools. To overcome these constraints, we use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model combined with systematic sensitivity analysis (SSA) to investigate the impact of conflict on Yemen’s economy and to analyze potential pathways for recovery after the conflict finally ends. Our results suggest that conflict-related disruptions in agriculture and mining sent devastating shockwaves throughout the economy, accounting for the lion’s share of the country’s economic losses and increase in poverty. Our results suggest that supporting agriculture should take the highest priority, as reconstruction of that sector, followed by the mining sector, has the largest positive impact on growth and poverty reduction. However, our estimates also suggest that the restoration of its prewar economic status quo is unlikely. In addition to serving as a direct input for Yemen’s reconstruction planning, our paper also demonstrates the usefulness of overarching models for conflict and postconflict economic assessments.     

基于中台架构的国有交通投资集团数字化转型研究

在数字经济时代构建区域现代化经济体系的新发展格局背景下，国有交通投资集团作为国民经济发展的重要组成部分，亟需以谋定长远的战略眼光，加速推进数字化战略转型，构建产业数字化、数字产业化的新发展格局，以应对新形势挑战、持续增强企业竞争力、创新力和抗风险能力。本文基于中台架构的数字化战略变革理论逻辑、数字化转型的最佳场景实践，剖析国有交通投资集团数字化转型发展的内涵本质、中台架构体系及其关键技术、数字赋能的多跨场景应用，以及数字化转型进程中面临的挑战与展望，探究如何创新思维模式、业务架构及配套保障，精准把握数字化转型的驱动力、方向、时机和路径提供了建议，为重构创新企业管理价值理念、组织结构、商业模式，实现企业资源优化配置，激发数据要素创新驱动潜能，推动企业可持续、高质量发展起到积极的战略支撑具有重要理论价值和实践意义。     

BETWEEN DEPRESSION AND HOPE: Affective Mediations of Urban Restructuring in Leipzig,East Germany

In this article, which is based on an empirical analysis of neoliberal restructuring in Leipzig, East Germany, I describe how the study of affective atmospheres adds to our understanding of urban restructuring, showing how collective moods affect (de)mobilization, contestation and the regulation of urban political economy to shed light on the relation between institutional, political and social processes. I demonstrate the relevance of affect for power relations, political interactions beyond rationality, and the rhythms and temporalities of urban restructuring, as exemplified by two prominent atmospheres that characterize Leipzig—post shrinkage depression (PSD) and anticipatory hope (AH).     

大病保险对中老年居民医疗利用及健康的影响——基于CHARLS数据的实证检验

运用CHARLS 2011、2013、2015年三期数据,采用双重差分模型和准自然实验框架,分析城乡居民大病保险制度对中老年居民医疗服务利用和健康的影响及其作用机制,并从城乡和收入两个角度对制度实施效应的异质性进行探究。研究表明:大病保险制度实施能够显著促进中老年居民住院医疗服务及健康,增加中老年居民住院概率1.03%,提高住院次数0.022次,提高住院总费用10.4个百分点,总体健康水平提高0.023个单位;制度实施主要促进了农村和中等收入群体的住院医疗服务利用和健康水平的改善,对低收入人群住院医疗服务影响有限,且对城镇居民和高收入群体的影响并不显著;作用机制分析显示大病保险制度实施通过提高居民医疗服务利用进而起到改善其健康水平的作用。研究表明大病保险制度对中老年居民的住院服务利用和健康起到积极作用,但对于低收入群体的效应仍有待进一步改善。     

Are the supporters of socialism the losers of capitalism? Conformism in East Germany and transition success

The empirical literature is inconclusive about whether a country’s democratization has a long-lasting impact on former supporters or opponents of the bygone regime. With newly available individual-level data of former residents of the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR), we analyze how supporters and opponents of the socialist system performed within the market-based democracy after reunification. Protesters, who helped to overthrow the socialist regime in the Peaceful Revolution, show higher life satisfaction and better labor market outcomes in the new politico-economic system. Former members of the ruling socialist party and employees in state-supervised sectors become substantially less satisfied. These results do not seem to be driven by differential reactions in the post-transition period, but rather by the removal of discriminatory practices in the GDR. Additional results indicate that conformism in the GDR also explains political preferences over the almost three decades after the reunification of Germany.