Food commodity price changes and consumer welfare in Bangladesh: Valuable lessons for today

The recent rise in global food prices threatens many countries worldwide, especially the vulnerable populations. Viable coping strategies can only be designed based on the important policy lessons learned from the experiences of these countries in confronting the similar shocks of 2007–2011. However, the disproportionate effects of these events and the impacts of policy responses remain largely unexplored. We examine the impact of a food price surge and the effectiveness of various mitigating policies in Bangladesh, one of the most populous, densely populated countries in the world that is plagued by poverty. Specifically, we combine individual-level expenditure survey data with recent advances in consumer theory to examine the welfare consequences across income groups and geographic areas of the country over 2000–2016. Our empirical findings lend support to the hypothesis that the brunt of the price surge was borne by relatively less affluent and rural households, and government poverty alleviation programmes were largely ineffective.     

‘Because it matters’

Basic economic logic, which often simplifies assessments and explanations of agricultural policy issues, is vitally important in communicating with policy-makers. Resources are limited, and there is a premium on getting decisions at least approximately right first time. Examples from southern Africa illustrate the importance of parity pricing, and its links to household food security (Lesotho), price risk, the emergence of an agricultural futures market, and its central role in allocating scarce agricultural resources (South Africa). Insights derived from an appreciation of parity pricing are relevant in other national contexts and also help explain how international grain markets operate. The parity pricing concept provides a framework for sense-checking complicated debates relating to two issues that have been prominent in recent years; first, whether and to what extent speculation in futures markets has been a driver of agricultural price spikes, and second, how far indirect land use change (ILUC), triggered by the use of agricultural feedstocks to produce renewable energy, is a material issue. These issues are likely to be of heightened importance in the face of climate change. Each emphasises that agricultural economics matters, and that it matters that we get the economics right.     

划拨土地使用权益基准地价评估方法探析

本文先简要介绍了几种常用的评估方法,并对划拨土地使用权权益基准地价评估进行研究,从而提出了基于土地增值收益分配理论的评估方法思路.     

我国城镇居民商品需求价格弹性的估计

通过将消费率变量引入到弗里希的需求价格弹性估计方法中,经过数理推导,获得了需求价格弹性估计的方程组。研究发现:就需求自价格弹性而言,商品需求受自身价格的影响程度最大,而受其他商品价格的影响程度较小。随着收入组等级提高,商品需求对其价格变化的反映更为敏感。就需求交叉价格弹性而言,食品价格对其他商品的影响程度最大。随着收入等级提高,食品价格对其他商品的影响程度不断下降。     

Effects of Export Duty Structure on the Performance of the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry

This study examines the impact of the abatement of the export duty on the Malaysian palm oil industry performance. The simulation results show that the impact of reductions in the export duty rates and the impact of increases in the threshold prices on the Malaysian palm oil industry have the same impact but with different magnitudes. Even the simulated results indicate that the policy of further reductions in the Malaysian export duty will promote its positive effects on the local palm oil industry; however, the impact is shown to not be significant. The further reduction of the export tax is very constrained and believed to no longer be the most effective policy in enhancing the competitiveness of local palm oil industry in the future. Hence, policymakers have to be aware of the possibility that the reduction of the export tax may no longer be an effective sustainable approach in facilitating the development of Malaysian palm oil industry.     

What drives firms’ intent to seek strategic assets by foreign direct investment? A study of emerging economy firms

What drives firms, particularly those from emerging economies, to engage in competitive catch-up with world leaders? We study the first step leading to catch-up, namely the managerial intent to acquire strategic assets that help closing the gap. Theoretically grounded in the awareness–motivation–capability (AMC) framework of competitive dynamics, we identify key factors contributing to firms’ strategic intent to catch-up by acquiring strategic assets abroad. Using a sample of 154 Chinese firms, we find that firms’ strategic assets seeking intent of foreign direct investment is influenced by their exposure to foreign competition, their governance structure, and relevant financial and managerial capabilities.     

论契约型资管产品的增值税纳税人资格

关于管理人运用契约型资管产品销售金融商品,以管理人为其增值税纳税人的安排,悖离了交易逻辑,致使管理人权责配置严重失衡.对此,应赋予契约型资管产品以增值税纳税人资格,将其设置为该交易的增值税纳税人.基于功能主义范式,从实现纳税人应有的制度功能角度出发,有必要赋予契约型资管产品以增值税纳税人资格.而监管规则对契约型资管产品...     

房地产住宅价格影响因素的实证分析——以沈阳市为例

住宅价格是房地产市场的晴雨表,能够反应房地产市场的供需情况,以及政策的影响。本文通过对沈阳市住宅价格影响因素进行分析,确立研究指标,并借助沈阳市2002年到2011年统计数据,运用Eviews软件对数据进行回归分析,得到沈阳市商品住宅价格变动回归方程,从而为房地产企业决策及政府制定政策提供理论依据。     

中国移动通信业价格竞争本质解析

中国移动通信业的价格竞争,经过了无价格竞争阶段、显性价格竞争阶段、隐性价格竞争阶段、后价格竞争阶段的演化,体现了制度调节与市场选择并行的内在规律性,也增进了市场协调、提高了市场效率。中国移动通信业价格竞争具有非合作博弈的特性,行业管制与市场选择共同推动了竞争的有序化。因此,要实现中国移动通信市场的有效竞争,市场机制的作用是有限的,还离不开适当的政府行政参与下的不对称管制政策,而且不对称管制政策也需要根据市场变化进行调整和改进。