System innovation through stepwise reconfiguration: the case of technological transitions in Dutch greenhouse horticulture (1930–1980)

Although transitions are usually perceived as technological substitution processes, the article shows that stepwise reconfiguration is more likely for supplier-dominated sectors. In this transition pattern, novelties are initially adopted as ‘modular innovation’ into existing systems and subsequently reconfigure the basic architecture through new combinations of old and new elements. Incumbent actors survive these transitions through interactions with suppliers of knowledge and innovations. Using Pavitt's innovation typology, we selected a case study from his supplier-dominated category: greenhouse farming. The article makes a techno-economic analysis of the overall transition pattern in Dutch greenhouse horticulture (1930–1980) and a socio-institutional analysis of the knowledge flows and networks. ‘Innovation cascades’ are identified as a particularly important mechanism in reconfiguration transitions.     

Global trends in length of stay: implications for destination management and climate change

Abstract

Length-of-stay (LOS) is a key parameter in destination management that determines the number of guest nights relative to arrival numbers, with concomitant repercussions for revenue generation and other performance indicators. This article investigates the development of LOS for 32 destinations in developed and emerging economies as well as Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS). The analysis is based on UNWTO data for 478.5 million international tourist arrivals, or about 40% of the global total in 2015, for the years 1995–2015. Results show considerable differences in LOS between destinations, with a global trend of falling LOS, by 14.8% over the study period. However, in individual destination countries, LOS was found to be increasing. Analyses of LOS trends reveal that these can neither be explained by distance–decay relationships nor business to leisure arrival ratios. Results are discussed with regard for destination management and revenue optimisation, transport infrastructure needs, as well as sector greenhouse gas emissions.     

Hong Kong Residents' Adoption of Risk Reduction Strategies in Leisure Travel

For decades risk has been identified as a major concern for traveling. Although some recent studies focused on studying consumers' perceived travel risks, only a few prior studies literally discussed consumers' risk reduction strategies in the context of travel-related services. To fill this gap, this study aims to investigate the travel-related risk reduction strategies that Hong Kong residents adopt to strengthen their confidence during leisure travel. This study also explores if travelers of different travel-related and sociodemographic characteristics adopt different risk reduction strategies. Among different risk reduction strategies—“purchase travel insurance,” “bring extra cash,” and “search for latest information about the destination”—are the ones which Hong Kong residents are likely to adopt when they travel for leisure. Results revealed that travel-related and sociodemographic characteristics influenced travelers' likelihood to risk reduction strategies differently. Specifically, travel experience of travelers, age, and household income displayed significant differences in the likelihood of adopting most of the risk reduction strategies.     

中国区域碳减排责任及碳减排潜力研究

针对国内区域间贸易产生的"碳泄漏"问题,在区域间贸易的框架下采用多区域投入产出模型,依据生产者和消费者共担责任原则分析中国各区域的碳减排责任和分行业的区域碳减排责任的差异,并将碳减排责任与碳减排效率相结合研究区域的碳减排潜力。结果表明:区域碳减排责任和碳直接排放量存在不一致现象,碳减排责任能更全面准确地测算各个区域的碳排放量;中部和东部沿海区域的碳减排总责任分列全国第一、二位;中部、西南和北部沿海区域的碳减排潜力最大,应作为今后碳减排的重点实施区域。     

“营改增”试点中部分企业税负“不减反增”现象分析

理论分析与现实考察表明:由于"营改增"对服务业企业税负的影响具有双重效应,部分试点企业税负"不减反增"并非反常现象。适用增值税税率过高、企业中间投入比率偏低、固定资产更新周期较长、改革试点范围有限、获得增值税发票困难是造成该现象的主要原因。作为一种局部性的矛盾,部分试点企业税负增加现象及其负面影响切忌夸大,也不应单纯以企业税负变化作为评价"营改增"成效的标准。应对部分试点企业税负增加问题,当务之急是实施过渡性的财政补贴政策与解决增值税发票获取上的技术难题;而从长期看,适时扩大"营改增"范围及调整增值税税率水平与结构是关键举措。     

Strategies for minimising tourism leakages in Indo‐Chinese development countries

For developing countries in Indo‐China embarking on tourism for economic growth, their success hinges on minimizing three types of tourism leakages, namely financial, structural, and operational leakages. This paper proposes financing and market strategies for those countries to reduce tourism leakages. The strategies suggest that Indo‐Chinese developing countries should target fairly‐developed countries in Asia as their main capital markets and tourist feeders at the early stage of tourism development. In later phases of tourism growth and expansion, they may seek tourism capital and tourists from both fairly‐developed and well‐developed countries. The recent Asian financial crisis has presented new challenges to Asia Pacific tourism. It may, however, create opportunities for developing countries in Indo‐China to attract more regional tourists and investors and reduce tourism leakages.     

森林碳生产的要素流动机理分析

分析了森林碳生产的劳动力、资本、土地等主要构成要素,从森林碳生产函数出发,从要素价格、要素之间的替代性、要素环境等3个方面研究了森林碳生产的要素流动机理,提出通过落实国家节能减排政策、提高森林经营者的碳生产认知、完善森林碳生产土地要素管理、保障森林碳生产资金投入、完善碳排放权交易市场等5个方面来保障要素合理有效流动。     

基于脂肪酸含量变化的茶油掺假判别

采用气质联用(GC-MS)技术获取茶油、花生油、大豆油、菜籽油的纯油脂及茶油掺假后的油脂掺假模型的脂肪酸含量组成,在对脂肪酸含量变化进行分析的基础上,通过绘制以顺式油酸甲酯面积百分含量为X轴,花生酸甲酯面积百分含量为Y轴与茶油、大豆油、花生油、菜籽油油脂含量的等值线图,直观地呈现出茶油掺假油中茶油、花生油、大豆油、菜籽油的分布,可以定性且定量的鉴别茶油掺假油情况。研究结果可以为食用植物油脂的产品质量控制和掺假检测提供理论依据。     

Potential of feed additives to improve the environmental impact of European livestock farming: a multi-issue analysis

Today, less than 3% of the 250,000 plant varieties available to agriculture are in use. Sources of (agricultural) biodiversity are under threat and disappearing in many regions. Increasing industrialisation of agriculture and top-down agricultural research have contributed to this dependence on a relatively few plant varieties. This article argues that new approaches to agricultural development research are needed to conserve agricultural diversity, improve crops, and produce food of quality for all. Such an approach should enable small farmers on marginal lands to participate as equal partners alongside agricultural scientists, fairly sharing their know-how, expertise and seeds. Three case studies illustrate how farmers and plant breeders are working together in a diversity of agro-ecological, socio-economic and political contexts to put these new approaches into practice. New forms of collaboration are producing an increase in diversity and a number of promising improved varieties in terms of yields, agronomic traits and taste. These varieties are showing better adaptation to the local environmental conditions without requiring extra external inputs. Long-term success requires that these efforts be backed up by supportive policies, by actions to ensure that policies are implemented, and where necessary by related legislation.     

Carbon accounting tools: are they fit for purpose in the context of arable cropping?

The agricultural sector contributes 9% towards total UK greenhouse gas emissions and so may offer significant potential as a sector to help meet national and international emission reduction targets. In order to help farmers manage their emissions and to encourage more sustainable farming, several carbon accounting tools are now available. This article describes a short study that selected five suitable tools and compared their performance on nine European arable farms, concentrating on the crop production components, to determine how useful they are for assisting in the development of site-specific mitigation strategies and how well they would perform within farm assurance or benchmarking schemes. The results were mixed, with some tools better designed for identifying mitigation opportunities than others. The results also showed that, quantitatively, the results are highly variable between tools and depended on the selected functional unit, this being highly important if the wider aspects of sustainability such as food security are to be considered. However, there is statistical consistency across the tools regarding the ranking order of the farms in terms of their emissions.