建国以来我国对葡语国家文化外交的历史回顾与现实挑战

文化外交作为外交的第四个支柱,是对当今国际关系领域中国家、市场与社会三者互动的有效应对,是传统政治、经济、军事外交的有益补充,并与其共同构成我国外交的有机体系。新中国对葡语世界的文化外交有效地提升和拓展了我国的国家利益。面对转型期变化莫测的国际体系,我国对葡语世界的外交政策也面临诸多挑战。只有继续并深化对葡语世界的文化外交,才能在日益重要的葡语世界中维护并强化我国的国家利益。     

An Investigation into the Formal Institutional Constraints that Restrict Entrepreneurship and SME Growth in Russia

The impact of institutions on the ease of doing business in transition economies has attracted considerable interest in recent years. The literature suggests that institutional quality is crucial in determining levels of entrepreneurship and SME development in such countries. Our research explores the perceptions of Russian SME owners regarding the quality of the institutional environment that they face making use of semi-structured interviews for data gathering purposes. We identify the political, economic and regulatory barriers that restrict entrepreneurship and SME growth in contemporary Russia, together with entrepreneurs’ views as to what reforms are needed for greater business growth in future.     

Managing Money Laundering in a Digital Economy

The emergence of the digital economy has serious implications on the pervasiveness of money laundering. The key factors that affect money laundering activities were studied using the double-Tobit method. In particular, this article addresses the implications of information and communication technology on money laundering behavior. The key findings from the study provide evidence that information and communication technology alone is not effective in curbing money laundering activities but effective when coupled with a high-skilled workforce and an efficient tax system.Based on the findings, various initiatives were identified. Enforcement challenges faced to combat money laundering globally and, in particular, in developing economies were also discussed.     

The Impact of Knowledge Acquisition and Absorptive Capacity on Technological Innovations in Developing Countries: Evidence From Egyptian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

The author examines the determinants of technological innovations in Egyptian manufacturing and service small and medium-sized enterprises. Three categories of determinants are explored: (a) firms’ exposure to external knowledge and technologies, (b) firms’ absorptive capacity, and (c) financial and market barriers to innovation. A large dataset derived from the 2009 Egyptian innovation survey is used to estimate two binary logit models of factors explaining firms’ propensity to innovate in the manufacturing and service sectors. Results show that Egyptian manufacturing and service small and medium-sized enterprises follow similar paths to innovate and confirm the assumption that the catching-up reality in most developing countries makes the patterns followed by firms to innovate fundamentally different from those applied in countries at the technology frontier.     

Choice of Exchange Rate Regime in a Selection of African Countries

Abstract

An exchange rate regime has an important impact on macroeconomic policies within developing countries and therefore essential in macroeconomic policy formation. The main research question is to determine how the variety of determinants would influence the exchange rate regime choice for a selection of 19 African developing countries. A distinction is made between three groups of variables, namely economic fundamentals, economic stabilization aspects and currency crises factors, all affecting a country’s exchange regime choice. The probability of these determinants is then estimated to establish whether the selected countries would choose a fixed, an intermediate or a flexible exchange regime.     

Gender and geographic differences in intentional and unintentional injury mortality among children in Illinois, 1988–1998

Road traffic crashes and injuries constitute a major health, economic and developmental challenge for many African countries. With only 4% of the world's motor vehicles, African roads witness more than 10% of the world total collision fatalities. With further motorisation, the number of road traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities are expected to grow. This study updates on the status, trends, causes, countermeasures and issues in traffic safety in African countries by reviewing studies published in the past 12 years. The study found that traffic fatalities continued its upward trend in recent years. Similar to those in motorised countries, the study identified that human behaviour and incapacitation account for more than 85% of the contributing factors reported by police in Africa. Unlike in developed countries, the victims of traffic casualties are primarily vulnerable road users. Pedestrians alone account for more than 40% of the total fatalities on African roads. Limited countermeasures were reported in the literature. The outcomes of these programmes are mixed and the research methods have inconsistent validity. Investigation in the feasibility of transferring proven programmes from motorised countries is suggested as an efficient measure for traffic safety improvement.     

世界发达国家文化建设多元化投入机制研究

美国、英国、法国以及日本和韩国等发达国家,在文化建设方面实施和运行的信贷和财团融资、企业和公益性捐助、产业基金、彩票基金、外资引入、风险投资以及各种资本市场融资等多元化投入手段和运行机制,对于促进文化建设和文化产业方针具有十分明显的效益。系统分析和研究发达国家文化建设和文化产业发展的多元化投入机制问题,将可为中国文化建设和文化产业发展投入机制改革和完善以及高效运行提供一定的研究参考价值。     

Trade Liberalization in Textiles and Clothing and Developing Countries: An Analysis with Special Emphasis on the US Import Market

This article examines the role and importance of the textiles and clothing sector in the economies of the United States and developing countries as well as the qualitative changes in the dynamics of the industry. After briefly looking at the history of protectionism in the industry, the article addresses the impact of quota elimination on developing countries' exports to the United States. It also discusses the role of China as the dominant supplier. It suggests that with the elimination of quotas, most of the benefits will probably accrue to a handful of efficient suppliers, notably China and India. The article concludes by providing some recommendations to enable many developing countries to cushion the sudden effects of trade liberalization.     

Aid for trade and trade policy in recipient countries

ABSTRACT

This article explores the impact of Aid for Trade (AfT) flows on trade policy in 123 recipient countries over the period of 2002 to 2015. It shows empirical evidence that AfT interventions are conducive to trade policy liberalization. These results apply to both the entire sample and to the sub-sample of least developed countries (LDCs). Additionally, the analysis shows that the lower the development level, the higher the positive impact of AfT inflows on recipient countries’ trade policy liberalization, although above the US$ 4,885.40 threshold of real per capita income, AfT inflows exert no significant impact on trade policy.     

Military spending and the black market premium in developing countries

Researchers who have been concerned with the economic implications of military spending have mostly concentrated on its impact on economic growth, corruption, real exchange rate and inflation. In this paper we investigate the impact of military spending on black market premium, an area that has not been tackled so far. After adding a measure of military spending to a well established model of black market premium form the literature, we estimate the model by pooling annual data over the 1985 – 1998 period across 61 developing countries. Results from five panel specifications provide considerable evidence that higher military spending leads to higher black market premium.