Does oil price variability affect the long memory and weak form efficiency of stock markets in top oil producers and oil Consumers? Evidence from an asymmetric MF-DFA approach

This study examines the asymmetric multifractality and the market efficiency of the stock markets in the countries that are the top crude oil producers (USA, KSA, Canada and Russia) and consumers (Brazil, China, India, and Japan) using an asymmetric multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (A-MF-DFA) method. The results show evidence of an asymmetric multifractal nature for all markets. Moreover, the multifractality is stronger in the upward movement of the market returns, except in China. The degree of efficiency of the stock markets is shown to be time-varying and experienced a decrease during the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC), but an upside trend occurred during the recent oil price crash followed a significant decline during COVID-19. The stock markets have an anti-persistent feature during GFC and COVID-19, whereas they exhibit a long-term persistent feature during oil price crash. More interestingly, the efficiency of the stock markets of crude oil producers is lower in general than that of oil consumers. Furthermore, the efficiency of the stock market is lower in the downward movement of the market returns than in the upward movement. Asymmetry and oil price uncertainty index are the key driver of the stock markets and can serve as predictor of the stock market dynamics of top oil producers and top oil consumers particularly during COVID-19 and oil price crash.     

Jewish heritage tourism between memories and strategies. Different approaches from Lviv,Ukraine

This article aims at contributing to the discussion on the creation and management of heritage. It offers insights on the risk of cultural commodification that may occur when the discourse held by heritage selectors displays in a former multi-ethnic context, thus dealing with the memories left by an ethnic group that lost much of its influence, but still asks for participation and tries to have a voice in heritage management and development. The specific theme of Jewish heritage tourism is presented through the case of Lviv, Ukraine. Key stakeholders were interviewed in order to cross-analyse different perspectives and strategies. The risk of heritagization processes to paradoxically exclude the communities who created and ran that heritage in the past but is discussed through the reactions, perceptions, and suggestions of the various groups involved.     

“The man,the administration and the counter-discourse”: An analysis of the sudden turn in Dutch nature conservation policy

The Netherlands were at the forefront of European nature conservation policy until recently. For years, a stable ‘social contract’ around Dutch nature conservation existed. To the surprise of many, this stability suddenly disappeared and Dutch nature policy has taken a dramatic shift with changing discourses on nature conservation, the halting of implementation of several key-policies and budget cuts up to 70%. This paper engages with discursive-institutionalism to understand such abrupt institutional changes through emerging ideas and discourses that reshape and undermine existing institutional arrangements. We show how the institutionalization of policy not only engendered but also restricted the impact of critical discourses in the 1990s and 2000s. However, critical discourses eventually played an important role in the sudden turn in nature conservation policy. The rise of a general populist discourse and the economic crisis contributed to the credibility of critical discourses and their translation into popular frames and storylines. Authoritative actors such as a new State Secretary opened up popular media for the critical discourses and contributed to their resonance among larger audiences. As such, the man and his new administration successfully used already existing counter-discourses to de-legitimise nature policy and break down important institutional arrangements at a pace unseen in Dutch politics. Adding a discursive element to institutionalism provides for analytical tools to understand change from both external as well as internal forces. In turn, enriching discourse theory with insights from neo-institutionalism helps to evaluate which ideas and discourses become materialized in policy and practice.     

Stakeholder perspectives for switching from rainfed to irrigated cropping systems at high latitudes

A growing scarcity of freshwater supplies threatens societies and their future wellbeing as demand for water in agriculture increases. Water deficit often interferes with crop growth in temperate regions. However, between season and within season spatial and temporal variations in precipitation are high. Finland has abundant, good-quality freshwater resources, but only 3% of arable land is irrigated, almost exclusively for horticultural production. We invited 14 stakeholders to participate in a panel to generate and evaluate potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), focusing on future needs, means and restrictions of agricultural water management systems in Finland. During the panel meeting the expert members considered relevance, strategies and timescales for development and implementation of irrigation systems and characterized six strengths, seven weaknesses, 11 opportunities and six threats. Opportunities received the highest general priority. The SWOT results are further considered in this article from the viewpoints of readiness to operate, justifications for viability of implementation of water management systems and institutional and socio-economic drivers and limitations. The stakeholder perspectives encourage us to take the initial step to open the dialogue with policy makers with a clear message that the numerous management options should be explored in the near future in order to develop a solid strategy to either shift from rainfed to irrigated arable farming or not.     

环境影响评价中公众参与有效性的策略及意义评价

本文通过对环境影响评价中公众参与的问题进行分析,适当地提出一些解决的措施,并且对其意义进行探讨,希望对环境影响评价中公众参与效果能够有所帮助。     

Stolen history: Community concern towards looting of cultural heritage and its tourism implications

It has become increasingly commonplace to exhibit antiques and historical artefacts in cultural museums, prompted by the flourishing global art market. However, behind the phenomenon of blockbuster exhibitions in leading tourism cities throughout the world, lies the problem of looted cultural heritage. This study proposes a research framework combining conceptual and empirical approaches. The authors explore the previously neglected concerns of local communities towards the smuggling of cultural heritage property with particular reference to Yemen. Structural model development and assessment were performed using a dual analysis process that involved covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) and partial least squares (PLS-SEM). The researchers propose six constructs that contribute significantly to sustainable tourism: direct protection management, trust in government, community participation and support for sustainable tourism. The study proposes critical insights about mitigating this global dilemma for implementation by international authorities, governments, nongovernmental organisations and scholars.     

生产者服务进口影响制造业国际竞争力的中介效应研究

运用1997-2008年的数据,引入技术进步和产业结构两个中介变量,对生产者服务进口提高制造业国际竞争力的内部机理进行理论分析。研究结果表明：生产者服务进口和生产者服务业FDI促进了制造业国际竞争力的提高,技术进步是生产者服务进口促进制造业国际竞争力提高的中介变量。     

生产性服务业细分行业技术进步率分析——以广州市为例

本文选取广州市1988—2007年服务业数据,运用面板模型对广州市生产性服务业细分行业的技术进步率进行测算和分析,研究结果表明:在其他要素投入保持不变的情况下,广州市生产性服务业资本存量1%的增长可以导致服务业增加值0.84%的增长;相应地,劳动投入1%的增长可以产生服务业增加值0.26%的增长。但是,服务业整体的技术进步贡献率仍然比较低,技术进步表现较佳的行业往往就是地方服务业的主导行业,如金融、国家机关和科技服务业,它们是广州吸引投资、保证产业繁荣的关键。而交通、批发零售、卫生和教育的技术进步水平有待提高。本文建议强化技术和利润之间的联系,建立有利于人才培养、知识产权保护和信息沟通的开放的环境。     

国外生产者服务业研究：历程、特点与演化方向

本文梳理了国外生产者服务业研究的历程,认为国外生产者服务业研究具有4个发展阶段,阐述了各阶段生产者服务业研究的侧重点,归纳出生产者服务业研究的特点,并对可能的研究演化方向进行了展望。     

现代生产性服务业的集群化发展模式与形成机理——基于伦敦和纽约的比较

随着经济全球化和信息化水平的提升,现代生产性服务业出现了集群化的发展趋势,并在全球重要的节点城市表现得十分明显。本文以伦敦和纽约两个国际大都市的现代生产性服务业为例,研究了国际大都市现代生产性服务业集群化的演化过程、特征和发展趋势,分析了现代生产性服务业集群的形成机理。同时,在借鉴国外发展经验的基础上,本文还提出了促进中国国际大都市现代生产性服务业集群发展的策略建议。