Commodity currencies

This paper looks at real exchange rate behavior by focusing on three OECD economies (Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) where primary commodities constitute a significant share of their exports. For Australia and New Zealand especially, we find that the US dollar price of their commodity exports (generally exogenous to these small economies) has a strong and stable influence on their floating real rates, with the magnitude of the effects consistent with predictions of standard theoretical models. However, after controlling for commodity price shocks, there is still a purchasing power parity puzzle in the residual. The results here are relevant to developing commodity-exporting countries as they liberalize their capital markets and move towards floating exchange rates.     

Codes of Conduct in Subcontracting Networks: A Labour Law Perspective

In the past ten years, many European companies organised into subcontracting networks have decided to adopt codes of conduct to regulate labour relations and to ensure the respect of fundamental social rights. This paper first determines the context and the issues to be addressed by codes of conduct within networks of companies, and second analyses the terms under which they can be implemented. The paper argues that codes of conduct can complement the standards developed by States, the European Union or the social partners, but that steps should be taken in order to avoid that these texts replace the existing labour law.     

西气东输工程用感应加热弯管技术条件探讨

在对国外X70管线弯管技术条件进行调查分析与研究的基础上，对其中的几个关键技术问题包括母管成分，弯管的制造工艺和技术路线，强度与韧性要求，屈强比，Cu污染问题等进行了讨论。一些观点在西气东输感应加弯管技术条件中得到应用。     

农村经济的“第二个飞跃”与农用土地制度改革

土地制度的安排与改革决定着农村经济发展的前程。我国农业的改革和发展,要有两个飞跃:第一个是实行以家庭联产承包经营为主的责任制;第二个是发展适度的规模经营,发展合作经济。现行土地制度制约着第二个飞跃的实现,需要调整和完善。土地私有化不是我国土地制度改革的方向。土地制度改革在于适应现代农业建设的需要,构建农地财产权新的框架,以利于农业产业化经营,发展多种形式的适度规模经营。     

浅论我国农村环境的法律体系建设

本文分析了我国农村环境法律体系在立法、执法等方面存在的问题,据此提出了健全和完善农村环保法制的一些设想。     

油品测试用规格仪器国产化回眸

指出规格仪器是油品测试方法标准化的基础，总结了油品测试用规格仪器国产化的过程，并对今后的发展方向加以分析。     

论科研选题应注意的几个问题

科研选题要善于把握选题的原别和导向，注意课题的研究动态，把握课题的研究范围，发挥出科研人员的优势，设计出切实可行的研究路线。     

计算机软件的可专利性探析

如何对计算机软件提供充分而不过度的保护，这是各国立法选择和司法保护上的一个难题，也是一个国际性的问题。通过对计算机软件可专利性理论和实践的分析，可知计算机软件兼有专利权和著作权客体双重属性，并且软件专利保护优于著作权保护。本文从西方国家特别是美国对计算机软件法律保护的发展进程及其不同阶段的分析，提出了我国计算机软件专利保护的对策。     

Use of Statistics in the Monetary Policy of the Czech National Bank: The Case of a Country in Transition

In the presented text the authors judge the importance of statistics in the monetary policy of the Czech National Bank (CNB) over the course of the economic transformation process, with particular consideration of changing statistical needs and the possibilities and limits of statistical data exploitation in the monetary analyses. The importance of statistics lies on the level of collection and processing of statistical information and on the level of use of statistical methods to analyse data. Since the start of the 1990s the requirements for statistics were significantly influenced by monetary policy. In the period 1990–1997, monetary targeting was the primary influential factor. Since 1998, the monetary policy is influenced by inflation targeting. Statistical priorities switched from monetary data to economy and financial market data. Much progress has been made in the use of statistical methods for analysing data. Statistics available at present cover the CNB's standard monetary-policy requirements and are on par with those in developed countries. Its further development will reflect the standard changes taking place in the more advanced countries.     

Disciplining: A question of ethics?

The importance of evaluating a discipline system from an ethical perspective is considered. Disciplinary practices in contemporary organizations are frequently characterized by managers having to choose from among alternative courses of corrective action. Since the selected alternative may have serious consequences for the individuals involved, its rightness or wrongness is of concern. The pattern of these choices reflects the overall disciplinary practice of the organization, and is an issue that warrants attention from an ethical perspective. Basic schools of thought that influence contemporary discipline practices are discussed and suggestions are made for conducting an evaluation of the ethical nature of a discipline system.