Environmental impacts of changes to healthier diets in Europe

Food consumption causes, together with mobility, shelter and the use of electrical products, most life cycle impacts of consumption. Meat and dairy are among the highest contributors to environmental impacts from food consumption. A healthier diet might have less environmental impacts. Using the E3IOT environmentally extended input output database developed in an EU study on Environmental Impacts of Products (EIPRO), this paper estimates the difference in impacts between the European status quo and three simulated diet baskets, i.e. a pattern according to universal dietary recommendations, the same pattern with reduced meat consumption, and a ‘Mediterranean’ pattern with reduced meat consumption. Production technologies, protein and energy intake were kept constant. Though this implies just moderate dietary shifts, impact reductions of up to 8% were possible in reduced meat scenarios. The slightly changed food costs do not lead to significant first order rebound effects. Second order rebounds were estimated by applying the CAPRI partial equilibrium model. This analysis showed that European meat production sector will most likely respond by higher exports to compensate for losses on the domestic meat market. Higher impact reductions probably would need more drastic diet changes.     

Estimating demand curve in the Korean VoIP telecommunications market

The VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) market in Korea is showing rapid growth since domestic carriers initiated the service in 2006. These carriers are now seeking new revenue sources from various convergence services and are increasing investment into VoIP. In particular, local exchange carriers (LECs), formerly reluctant to invest in technologies that would cannibalize their local telephone revenue, have started to invest in VoIP, in recognition of the current convergence of media and the telecommunications industry, as well as in the face of intensifying competition. In this study, we determined that VoIP call rates and landline telephony call rates were the most important factors affecting VoIP call demand, in addition to network externality. We also verified that landline telephony is no longer a supplement to VoIP, but rather, a substitute that has considerable influence on VoIP call demand. Empirical evidence is expected to be considered in policy decision making on current issues in the IT industry, such as access prices or competitiveness assessment. The current empirical analysis on the Korean VoIP industry and the adherence to lessons learned from policy enforcement should provide valuable information to countries seeking to develop their own VoIP industries, as well as to businesses developing new strategies based on the VoIP market.     

中国财产保险需求影响因素的实证研究

运用中国1980-2009年的相关数据,引入六个解释变量,采用逐步回归方法,对中国财产保险需求的影响因素进行了实证分析,结果表明:与人寿保险需求截然不同,经济增长、人均收入、风险意识对财产保险需求未发现有显著影响;而固定资产投资、汽车拥有量和货物运输量对财产保险需求有着显著的推动作用.实证结果进一步解释了财产保险市场结构严重失衡的状况.     

大连市区域性通胀问题的成因分析

大连市区域性通胀问题的产生机理是极其复杂的,既有来自内部区域经济运转的因素,又有来自外部经济的负面性冲击,因此,大连市区域性通胀的成因分析也就具有了现实意义。全文共包括三部分内容:第一部分是大连市区域性通胀问题的现状;第二部分是大连市区域性通胀问题的成因分析,这将借助于Granger因果检验、供需理论及工资刚性的研究;第三部分是本文的结语。     

马克思经济危机理论与凯恩斯经济危机理论比较

马克思在《资本论》等著作中对生产过剩经济危机理论进行了系统分析,凯恩斯在《就业、利息和货币通论》中论述了有效需求不足而导致的经济危机,两者的经济危机理论在危机根源以及应对政策上存在根本区别。重温这两种理论并对其进行比较分析,对于应对和预防经济危机有重要现实意义。     

地方政府规模影响因素实证分析

本文从公共服务需求角度出发,运用中国31省面板数据检验了地方政府规模的影响因素。研究发现:(1)我国地方政府规模发展趋势符合瓦格纳法则,同时满足对外经济的效率假说和补偿假说;(2)民族多元化对地方政府规模有显著的正向影响;(3)上期政府收入对政府支出有很大的正向影响,说明二者之间互为因果关系。     

On structural inelasticity of modal substitution in freight transport

At the European level there is an increasing focus on how freight transport can be moved from trucks on roads to more environmentally friendly modes such as rail and ship. A large proportion of the transport services between OD pairs, however, cannot be substituted since there is only one alternative available. The paper investigates the magnitude of this “structural inelasticity” of modal substitution in freight transport due to a sparser layout of rail and ship-based freight networks compared to road. In the analysis we use a recent Scandinavian freight demand model covering more than 800 zones. We find that the structural inelasticity is very significant - in particular for transportation over less than 500 km. Moreover, the inelasticity varies greatly with commodity groups and between OD pairs, and it depends strongly on the port and rail infrastructure. The results suggest that pure charging instruments (road pricing for trucks) in many regions will have limited mode substitution impacts. However, if combined with structural changes in terms of improved infrastructure for rail and ship, impacts may be greater.     

差异性消费需求——巴拉萨—萨缪尔森模型的一个扩展

巴拉萨-萨缪尔森效应指出,一国在长期的经济增长过程中实际汇率会出现升值。2005年7月21日人民币汇率改革以来,人民币兑美元汇率呈现出单边升值的趋势,且目前人们对人民币汇率形成了强烈的升值预期。因此,运用巴拉萨-萨缪尔森效应研究人民币实际汇率具有一定的借鉴意义。鉴于传统巴拉萨-萨缪尔森效应的分析仅限于供给层面,文章引入了差异性消费需求这一假设条件,在不改变原模型核心假设的基础上,从供需双方面进行了拓展分析,并得出了更加符合现实意义的结论。此外,文章利用中美两国1990～2007年的数据,进行了实证分析。实证结果显示,改进后的模型显著增强了对人民币实际汇率的解释力。     

较发达地区农户参与农信社小额信贷程度的影响因素分析——基于苏北金湖农户“直接意愿”调查的实证检验

结合农户借贷行为特征,采用江苏省金湖县273个农户实地调查数据,通过基于"直接意愿调查法"的二元Probit模型,从需求和供给两方面实证分析中国较发达地区农户小额信用贷款的现状及影响因素,结果显示,外出务工人数、农村家庭大额非日常支出、农户人际关系的强弱和正规社会资本资源显著影响农户小额信贷的需求,而非农收入比重、农户兼业类型及地区人均贷款显著影响农户获得小额信贷的概率。因此,重视和挖掘农户潜在信贷需求,改进信贷产品服务和质量,满足农户多样化的资金需求,才是实现农村小额信贷的可持续发展之道。     

我国商业健康保险的需求影响因素分析

本文利用实际数据,通过构造多元回归计量模型,对影响健康保险有效需求的原因进行了实证分析。结果显示,我国经济的快速增长正成为影响商业健康保险消费的重要因素,当前应深化医疗卫生体制改革,推进公私合作伙伴关系,提高保险公司自身业务水平,推动商业健康保险的长期健康发展。