A successful British MNE in the backyard of American big business: Explaining the performance of the American and Canadian subsidiaries of Lever Brothers 1888–1914

After 1888, Lever Brothers expanded into the United States and Canada. The surviving archival evidence suggests that the Canadian subsidiary was more successful than the American one. This article considers a number of factors that help to explain why this was the case. Some of the factors considered, such as differences between the Canadian and American tariffs, Canada's more robust system of trademark protection, and the absence of an anti-trust law in Canada before 1908, are related to themes very familiar to business historians. This article also applies concepts that are not part of the normal toolkit of business historians. The article draws on the literature on identity economics and argues that the greater success enjoyed by Lever Brothers in Canada was, in part, rooted in Canada's strongly British identity. The impact of identities on the policymakers, managers, and consumers who collectively shaped the two North American subsidiaries is assessed.     

Law,politics and the governance of English and Scottish joint-stock companies, 1600–1850

This article examines the impact of law on corporate governance by means of a case study of joint-stock enterprise in England and Scotland before 1850. Based on a dataset of over 450 company constitutions together with qualitative information on governance practice, it finds little evidence to support the hypothesis that common-law regimes such as England were more supportive of economic growth than civil-law jurisdictions such as Scotland: indeed, levels of shareholder protection were slightly stronger in the civil-law zone. Other factors, such as local political institutions, played a bigger role in shaping organisational forms and business practice.     

Microcredit in Palestine (1995–2008): A business history perspective

This article analyses the development and functioning of the microcredit industry in Palestine in the period between its establishment as a partially autonomous political entity (1994) and the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip (2008). The article shows how, despite the increase in potential demand for microcredit due to the deterioration of the economic environment, the growth of the sector has been below expectation. One of the most important causes of this phenomenon has been the reluctance to lend resulting from the growing risk of late or no repayment of loans. Using original data from one microcredit institution (Arab Centre for Agricultural Development) and a quantitative approach, the article investigates the causes of this problem. Results show that the risk of late repayment was negatively correlated to the level of interest rate, to macroeconomic conditions, and to the age of the borrower while it was positively associated to the share of investment in the Gaza Strip, and to the size of loans.     

经济发展方式转变下的中国税制调整思路

经济发展方式转变实质上是由现行发展路径转变为以人为本的和谐经济发展之路。税制结构是经济发展的一个制度变量,但目前我国税制结构与经济结构优化、生态环境改善以及收入差距不断缩小下人们福祉的提高等方面存在着矛盾。因此,必须在现代发展理念下对现行的所得税、流转税、资源税、财产税、行为税等进行调整,以促进经济发展方式转变。     

我的学生 我的千里马

本篇文章从四个方面介绍了班主任管理经验：一是善于向他人学习,做学生的榜样;二是做学生闪光点的发现者,做学生的伯乐;三是了解每个学生的心声,做学生的听众;四是搭建师生沟通桥梁,做学生的良师益友。文章结合生动的教育案例教育,情境再现,着眼于学生的全面发展,体现了作者对教育本质的执着追求。     

“低碳”条件下后发地区发展战略研究——以湖北省黄冈市为例

在“低碳”条件下,后发地区如何发展经济,造福一方百姓,是需要认真研究的现实问题。以湖北省黄冈市为例,提出四个转向：用“多元经济”取代单一工业发展模式;用“人口进城”取代单一GDP数字增长;用“项目招标”取代单一招商引资工作和用“就业创业”取代单一社会管理控制,用新的价值取向取代原有的社会运作模式。     

A preliminary comparative analysis of 3D body scanner,manually taken girth body measurements and size chart measurements

In an attempt to provide a technological solution to the influx of cheap imports in South Africa and bridging the technology divide between Africa and the rest of the world, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research procured a three‐dimensional body scanner from the Textile and Clothing Technology Corporation, in the US. The pilot study was aimed at introducing the technology to the South African consumers, and to compare the scanned data with the manually taken measurements. A convenience sample of 56 females in South Africa was interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Interviews were used to capture views on acceptance of the technology, prior to being scanned. Scanning garments made from a stretchy fabric were designed and sewn in four sizes of small, medium, large and extra large. A covariance, one sample t‐test and paired t‐ tests were used for data analyses. Almost all respondents felt comfortable with the designed scanning garments and the scanning process. The scanner measurements were generally more numerical in value than the manual measurements for a body part as expected, although the disparity was on the higher side than expected. The discernible difference between means of scanned data and standard values in the currently used sizing charts highlighted the long overdue need to update the sizing charts using a national anthropometric database generated locally.     

东盟对中国的地缘战略意义分析

冷战结束以后,东盟在一体化方面取得重大进展,随着其大国平衡外交战略的实施,其独特的地缘战略意义开始凸现出来。作为海陆复合型的中国,要想成为世界大国,不仅在经济上有所发展,还要在海权的发展及文化软实力的国际增长方面有所突破,同时积极推动多边外交,全方位提升我国的国际地位,形成稳定的周边环境。东盟在这些方面对中国具有重要的地缘战略意义。     

浅析中印边界问题

中印边界问题是历史遗留问题,中印边界战争结束后,两国关系长期处于僵局状态。近来,印度在中印边界动作连连,导致中印关系局势越发紧张。2009年8月中印两国举行的第13次边界会晤,谈判虽取得了一定的进展但仍然未有实质性突破,中印边界谈判任重道远。     

关注和改善民生:党的执政理念的新发展

改革开放以来,我们党在带领人民大力发展生产力的同时,越来越注重民生问题的解决,把它作为提高党的执政能力和永葆先进性的关键,并在执政实践中一以贯之,关注和改善民生,是中国特色社会主义的本质要求,是深入贯彻落实科学发展观的核心,是党的执政理念的新发展。