Monoculture versus diversity in competition economics

Economics rightfully represents the major basis for competitionpolicy. Next to generating knowledge about competition and itswelfare effects, the currently popular ‘more-economicapproach’ is charged with a number of additional hopesand expectations. While this article highlights the benefitsof economics-based competition policy, it takes a cautious stancetowards excessive expectations, in particular regarding theidea that a monocultural, ‘unified’ competitiontheory as an exact, objective and unerring scientific approachto antitrust could make normative assessment and generalisationssuperfluous. Diversity in competition economics is advocatedin two ways. First, competition economics is empirically characterisedby a considerable pluralism of theories and policy paradigms.Second, it is demonstrated that this diversity of theories istheoretically beneficial for future scientific progress. Asno ultimate competition theory can ever be expected., the ‘more-economicapproach’ must be extended in order to embrace diversity.     

台州港港口物流发展研究

随着全球运输服务进入综合物流时代，港口在社会经济发展中的作用和地位发生了深刻变化。世界上包括中国在内的各大港口都加快了港口物流的发展，并将港口物流的快速、可持续性发展作为港口未来发展的重中之重和保持港口竞争力最有效的方法。文章从台州港作为中小型港口这一实际出发，分析了发展港口物流对台州港的必要性和重要意义．提出了台州港发展港口物流的策略和建议。     

建筑企业系统内部工程整体分包行为研究

论文主要针对我国的大型建筑企业或者企业集团在承包的项目中出现的内部分包行为进行分析，对各种具体行为进行了归纳与定性。文中分析了其产生的背景与原因，以及可能导致的问题。希望能够有助于企业正确认识这种行为及其后果，及时调整企业经营策略。同时有助于有关主管部门的调控和管理。     

Causes of privatization in China

We test five hypotheses regarding the causes of privatization in China by using firm‐level panel data collected in 11 cities in the period 1995–2001. We have found that privatization is positively linked with hardened firm budgets and the extent of market liberalization, but is constrained by excessive debts and worker redundancy. Firm efficiency and state‐owned enterprises’ financial liabilities imposed on local governments are not factors of influence. These findings match the broad flow of events in China and highlight the role of market building in bringing about efficient institutional changes.     

上市公司外部融资行为的寻租效应分析

本文结合公共选择学派和现代产权学派的寻租理论,分析了我国上市公司普遍存在的融资行为偏好,提出不仅在企业内部而且在企业外部的证券市场和证券监管都为企业寻租提供了空间。由于理性和自私的原因,企业经管人员必然会利用这种可寻租空间谋求自身利益最大化,从而造成社会资源的浪费。因此,需要充分认识寻租行为的不利影响,并有针对性的加以控制。     

Demand for electric vehicles in hybrid households: an exploratory analysis

Previous studies of the potential market for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from different research streams have failed to converge on a single, robust estimate. What these previous research streams share are untested or implausible assumptions about consumer response to new transportation technology. We frame the BEV purchase decision in terms of a household's entire stock of vehicles, car purchase behavior and travel behavior. Within this framework, households which own both electric vehicles and gasoline vehicles are called ‘hybrid households’. Because nearly all consumers are unfamiliar with the characteristics of BEVs, we designed an interactive interview based on week-long travel diaries, which we call Purchase Intentions and Range Estimation Games (PIREG) to explore hypothetical hybrid household vehicle use. Our primary finding is that consumers' perceived driving range needs are substantially lower than previous hypothetical stated preference studies conclude. We find evidence of a viable market for BEVs with 60 to 100 miles driving range.     

Tourism trends and the business cycle : Tourism in recession

This paper outlines the nature of the current economic recession in the USA. It discusses the impact of the recession on tourism volume, travel-generated employment, and travel prices. It presents data from the Data Center's monthly National Travel Survey on how individual types of travel and types of travellers are adjusting to the overall decline in economic activity. Finally, conclusions are presented to help planners, marketers and policymakers deal more effectively with future recessions. This paper forms part of a more general study; a similar discussion of travel in periods of economic recovery is planned for later publication.     

Foodgrain price and trade policy in the Dominican Republic

As in many developing countries, the Dominican Republic has both an overvalued official foreign exchange rate and a policy of heavy government intervention in foodgrain markets. The Institute of Price Stabilization (INESPRE) controls the marketing, pricing and imports of the staple foodgrain, rice. INESPRE's operations and the overvalued currency produced an undervaluation of domestic rice production and an upward distortion of foodgrain imports. Additionally, the increasingly unfavourable rice-fertilizer price ratio has undoubtedly suppressed yields. As part of a set of austerity measures, the newly elected President banned rice imports. Dominican foodgrain policy may be at an important crossroads and a policy assessment is very timely.     

Publication Performance of Economists and Economics Departments in Turkey (1999–2003)

This is the first study evaluating the publication performances of economists and economics departments in Turkey. The international (article) publication performance of Turkish economic departments in general is found to be rather poor. There is a wide gap in particular between the top five universities and the economists affiliated to them and those outside the top five. The paper also provides evidence in favour of private higher education. The publication patterns of economists in Turkey are shown to be similar to those of their counterparts in the rest of the world.