北美农业一体化趋势及影响因素分析

自上世纪90年代以来,美国、加拿大和墨西哥的农业一体化趋势不断加强。北美三国的农业政策的一致性趋向日益加强．各种类型的农产品价格的趋同程度与产品的贸易自由化程度戍正相关。北美地区内部FDI的发展进一步说明北美农业一体化程度的不断增加。在此过程中,北美自由贸易协定（NAFTA）、乌拉圭农业协定（URAA）、宏观经济环境与国内政策的变革起了重要作用。     

我国煤炭资源分布"北多南少"成因探析

我国煤炭资源储量丰富,它分布广,种类繁多。据我国第二次煤田预测资料显示,埋深1000m以浅的煤炭总资源量为2．6万亿t。其中大别山-秦岭-昆仑山一线以北地区资源量约2．45万亿t,占全国总资源量的94％;以南的广大地区仅占6％左右。这样出现了北方多（尤其华北、西北多）,南方少（尤其东南沿海少）的格局。文中就我国煤炭资源“北多南少”这种特点,从两方面探讨了其原因。     

Longitudinal analysis of entrepreneurship and competitiveness dynamics in Latin America

This study analyzes the relationship between entrepreneurial dynamics in Latin-American countries and the level of competitiveness these countries show. Based on the research conducted by Wennekers et al. [Small Business Economics, 24(3):293–309, 2005] that demonstrates a U-shaped relationship between the country’s rate of entrepreneurship and its level of competitiveness and economic development, we hypothesize that Latin-American countries have a descending behaviour under the U-shaped curve approach. The results from three regression models support this hypothesis and suggest that competitiveness and economic growth deter entrepreneurial dynamics on Latin-American countries. We discuss that Latin-American countries need to improve some structural factors to achieve a high level of entrepreneurial dynamics.

THE PARADOX: Economic Growth that Endangers the Future of Research in Colombia

In this paper I analyse how the gradual reduction of research funds in Colombia can interrupt a key process in the generation of solutions to global urban problems. I draw on a bibliometric analysis to show that research funding flowing from North to South has created collaborations between researchers from North and South that have led to a better and more comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing cities around the world. To conclude, I propose four options to counteract these trends towards lower research funding.     

美国行政中心空间与规模特征及其成因研究

行政中心是行政区划的基本要素之一,行政中心尽量靠近地理中心对行政管理和促进区域发展平衡有积极的理论和现实意义。文章提出了行政中心与地理中心偏差的计算公式,运用空间统计分析方法结合Ar-cGIS软件,以美国为例,分析了美国县治与地理中心地理偏差的空间分布和数据特征以及州府与州最大城市的人口规模关系特征,总结了产生以上特征的自然、历史和政治上的原因,并运用空间可视化方法直观地显示分析结果。分析结果表明：①美国的县治普遍比较接近地理中心,其接近程度有由东部向西部递减的趋势且存在一定的空间集聚;②州府大多数并非州最大城市,人口较少。最后从行政中心区位选择和区域发展平衡两方面得出对中国的启示,为中国行政区划改革和区域经济发展提供借鉴。     

International income inequality, 2005–2011: what a difference 6 years can make

While much attention has recently been given to the rising inequality in high-income countries, particularly the US, inequality across countries has received less attention. Based on reports of the International Comparison Program, which provide the most accurate measures of PPP income at the country level, this study computes three highly recommended measures of intercountry income inequality for the years 2005 and 2011. A dramatic, and perhaps unprecedented, fall in intercountry inequality over the relatively short period of 6 years is noted. As a correlate of the fall in intercountry inequality, aggregate PPP GDP for six major high-income countries is compared with that for three large developing countries, and the dramatic increase over the 6-year period in the ratio of the total GDP of the three developing countries to that for the six high-income countries is noted, thus extending, from the most accurate data, the theme of the ‘rise of the South’ articulated in Human Development Report 2013.     

Efficiency And Equity Aspects Of The

The joint impact of long term structural features, on the one hand, and of recent market-oriented reforms in the macroeconomic incentive regime, on the other, are inducing major changes in social and production organization throughout the Latin American region. The new economic model is quite different in structure and performance from the one Latin American countries exhibited during the Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) period. Non tradable activities such as telecommunications, energy or transport services, natural resource processing industries producing low value added industrial ‘commodities’ and assembly industries (‘maquiladoras’), producing computers, TV and Video sets and garments for the US market, together with the vehicle industry, which has managed to receive preferential treatment from the part of the various governments in the region, have performed much better than average, both in terms of labor productivity growth as well as in terms of ‘catching up’ with the international productivity frontier. Contrary to the above, unskilled labor, and engineering and knowledge intensive industries, have performed worse than average and are ‘falling behind’ international standards. Domestic subsidiaries of multinational corporations and large local conglomerates are gaining ground within GDP, while SMEs and public enterprises have been losing it. The paper examines some of the macro-to- micro relations underlying the above mentioned process of structural transformation and the interdependency between economic, technological and institutional forces inducing it. It argues that ‘main stream’ economics fails adequately to capture the role played by such interdependencies and offers a policy advice which can not deal with the new efficiency and equity problems resulting from recent structural changes.     

R&D Activities In a Peripheral Region: an Empirical Study with Special Reference to the North East Region of the UK

This study examines the incidence of research and development (R&D) activities, type of R&D undertaken and the incidence of R&D co-operation among manufacturing firms located in a key urban area of the North East England, a peripheral region of the UK. We have found that over 62% of manufacturing firms in this urban growth area to be R&D active, suggesting that R&D active firms tend to be concentrated in urban area s in a peripheral region, as it is the case in the leading regions. However, the incidence of R&D co-operation was found to be relatively low among R&D active firms. It is also found that the key determinants of undertaking R&D to be the existence of a core competence/product and exporting activities. These findings might be of interest to policy makers promoting economic growth via firm’s R&D activities.     

Early Smithian economics in the Spanish empire: J. H. Vieytes and colonial policy *

Juan Hipolito Vieytes (1762–1815)was a hero of the May 1810 Revolution in Buenos Aires and one of the early economists in the River Plate area. Although Robert Sidney Smith dismissed Vieytes as a very minor figure in Spanish economic thought, this article attempts to show that Vieytes, an entrepreneur and journalist and only self-taught in political economy, was an early and able follower and divulgator of Smithian economics. He advocated free trade and liberal economic reforms, pointing at the competitiveness of the domestic workshops or ‘popular industry’ in a country with scanty population and extensive and cheap land.     

Book Review

The diffusion of the Internet is becoming a central policy issue for developing countries, being identified by scholars as a key driver of knowledge, innovation and development. Remarkably, the related literature is scarce and fragmented. In order to contribute to fill this gap, we analyse Internet access and usage patterns in seven Latin American countries. In addition to the traditional socio-economic determinants of Internet access, the results also suggest an important role for network effects, presence of students at households and complementarities in Internet use at different locations. Concerning usage, estimations show that Internet access does not translate automatically into usage. In particular, females are found to be less likely to use the Internet, even once access is provided. Finally, the evidence suggests that while technological skills are necessary to fully exploit Internet potentialities, individuals located in rural areas are more likely to use the Internet for education purposes, confirming the potential connectivity impact on human capital.