Domestic R&D and offshoring: does offshoring reduce knowledge production?

An important question in industrialized countries is whether offshoring activities reduce the probability of performing own research and development (R&D) or whether the R&D intensity falls in firms that already have R&D activities. This question is addressed using a unique data set that combines survey and register data. No evidence is found for a lower probability of own R&D after offshoring takes place compared to before. Moreover, offshoring does not lead to lower R&D intensity in general. However, firms that offshore R&D activity have larger R&D intensity after offshoring has taken place, which suggests that R&D performed at home is complementary to foreign R&D.     

Using FRED data to teach price elasticity of demand

In this article, the authors discuss the use of Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) statistics to teach the concept of price elasticity of demand in an introduction to economics course. By using real data in its computation, they argue that instructors can create a value-adding context for illustrating and applying a foundational concept in economics. Additionally, this pedagogical strategy contributes to developing an expected proficiency for economics majors related to “interpreting and manipulating data” (Hansen 2009, 2012). The authors provide step-by-step instructions on how to use FRED to compute the price elasticity of demand for motor vehicle fuels and gasoline as well as examples of in-class discussion questions and take-home assignments related to this instructional technique.     

生态旅游视角下景区居民利益诉求研究——以武陵源风景名胜区为例

旅游业的发展涉及众多的利益相关者,研究、分析并处理好众多利益相关者的利益诉求,尤其是核心利益相关者之一的景区居民的利益诉求,对旅游业可持续发展非常关键。本文从生态旅游的角度,以生态旅游、利益相关者及利益诉求相关理论为基础,对武陵源风景名胜区的居民进行调查,利用EXCEL等数理统计的方法,研究生态旅游视角下景区居民的社会利益、文化利益和环境利益诉求,并在此基础上提出相关建议,为实现生态旅游视角下的景区居民利益诉求提供指导。     

China’s Agricultural Policy Transition: Impacts of Recent Reforms and Future Scenarios

This article reviews recent developments in China’s agricultural domestic support policy, especially the transition from taxing farmers and agriculture to providing direct subsidies to grain production and purchased inputs. A model‐based quantitative analysis on the effects of these policy changes is presented. Simulation results suggest that recent policy changes have achieved the declared policy goals of increasing grain production and boosting farm income. Much of the increase in grain production and farm income can be attributed to higher per unit return to arable land, land reallocation to grain production and extra agricultural employment triggered by the policy changes. Based on the assumption that China’s public assistance to agriculture and farmers will continue and rise, two hypothetical future scenarios are simulated. Using all the support permitted under WTO de minimis limits with existing instruments, China’s policy will increase grain production, change trade patterns seemingly contrary to China’s comparative advantage, increase rural employment and significantly increase farm income (by more than 12%). If, however, decoupled instruments are applied to raise China’s agricultural domestic support to the same level, China’s agricultural production and trade will remain unchanged, rural employment remain stable, but farm income will be increased by nearly 15%.     

水价对中国北方城市居民用水需求影响分析

介绍城市居民用水需求变化的背景,对北方城市居民用水需求进行了预测。得出结论：水价对于减少城市居民用水需求的作用非常显著;城市化的高速发展会对城市居民用水造成巨大压力,对城市居民用水价格、用水管理手段和农业节水制度的积极改革,为解决城市居民用水供需缺口提供可能。     

集体林产权制度改革效应分析

分析了新一轮集体林产权制度改革后林农经营不同林种的行为特征,得到集体林产权制度改革预期目标与改革结果不相一致的结论。用制度经济学理论解释了改革成效不大的原因,主要表现为国家对采伐限额制度、生态效益补偿制度、林业税费制度这3种影响林业发展的制度供给不足,并从5个方面指出国家对制度供给不足的原因,提出了完善配套改革的建议。     

农业两部制水价改革的福利效应分析

介绍了我国农业水价制度的变迁及农业水价的制定方法。分析了我国农业水价改革的水价福利效应。以湖北灌区农业水价改革为例，分析了农业水价改革的实践效果及改革中存在问题的成因。分析结果表明：农业水价改革强化了农田灌溉中的水量限制，而忽视了既定制度约束下农民用水的需求理性和灌溉系统脆弱的供水能力；农业两部制水价改革加剧了灌溉供水的时间需求与灌溉系统输配水能力之间的矛盾，导致农业灌溉水供求脱节、水资源利用率下降，难以达到节约用水和改善水资源分配效应的预期目标；完善水价形成机制、推进用水交易合约化是水价改革成功的关键。     

消费者需求受食品质量与安全影响的讨论分析

近年来,国内经济发展迅速,人们生活水平也得到很大提升,使得人们越来越重视安全,而食品是人们生活中的基本物质保障,是人们生活的必需品,所以食品的质量与安全问题是当下最热门的话题之一。当前消费者的需求会受食品质量与安全的影响,频发的食品质量与安全问题让人们愈发重视食品质量与安全,消费者的需求渐渐发生变化。基于此,本文展开了关于食品质量与安全对消费者需求的影响的研究。     

Creating Value in the Supply Chain for Australian Farmed Barramundi: Whole of Chain Perspective

This article investigates 4 key areas of supply chain management to identify opportunities to create value for Australian farmed barramundi. These key areas are product attributes, material flow, information flow, and relationships. This exploratory study forms the first stage of a value chain mapping study. Based on data gathered from 13 in-depth interviews, 7 with farmers and 6 with wholesalers/retailers, a preliminary map of the value chain for Australian farmed barramundi was developed. From a producer perspective, 3 key issues emerged: lack of collaboration, inconsistency of product quality, and lack of knowledge of what consumers value. Although wholesalers/retailers identify product consistency as a key issue, they further identify product dumping and the growth of imports as areas of major concern. These findings laid the foundation for strategy development at both the individual and industry level. The insights from this case highlight the value of chain analyses as a diagnostic tool for strategy development.     

Comparative Advantage Indices of Selected Livestock Production Sectors in Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

This study calculates the protection rates and comparative advantage indices of livestock industry in Brunei from an import substitution perspective. Four livestock sub-sectors were being evaluated: broiler, layer, goat and beef cattle. Two measures of government intervention indices were calculated, namely nominal protection rate (NPR) and effective protection rate (EPR). Domestic resource cost (DRC) and resource cost ratio (RCR) indices were computed to determine the comparative advantages of the livestock industry. In general, the results indicate that the livestock industry in Brunei was heavily protected. The study revealed the existence of comparative advantage only for very large farms producing poultry meat and eggs. Similarly in the ruminant sector, goat production appears to have comparative advantage over beef cattle. Small and medium poultry farms and large non-ruminant farms and cattle beef production possess comparative disadvantage despite being highly protected industries.