The Incredible Economics of Geoengineering

The focus of climate policy so far has been on reducing the accumulation of greenhouse gases. That approach, however, requires broad international cooperation and, being expensive, has been hindered by free riding; so far, little action has been taken. An alternative approach is to counteract climate change by reducing the amount of solar radiation that strikes the Earth—“geoengineering.” In contrast to emission reductions, this approach is inexpensive and can be undertaken by a single country, unilaterally. But geoengineering also has worrying consequences: it may harm some countries; it would not address ocean acidification; it would pose new risks. The fundamental challenge posed by this new technology is not free riding but governance: who should decide if and under what circumstances geoengineering should be used?     

Free cash flow, debt-monitoring and managers' LIFO/FIFO policy choice

This paper explores the explanatory power of Jensen's free cash flow hypothesis in managers' choice of LIFO versus FIFO. The association between FCF, and choice of inventory methods is based on the assumption that there is a potential conflict of interest between managers and shareholders when LIFO is the tax minimization method and that non-value-maximizing managers of firms with the FCF problem have incentives to choose FIFO, an income increasing method, in order to increase their compensation. However, since debt can act as a monitoring device and mitigate the agency problems of FCF, managers of firms with high FCF and high debt are less likely to choose FIFO than managers of firms with high FCF and low debt. The evidence is consistent with this expectation.     

优惠性原产地规则的效应分析--兼论世界贸易组织统一优惠性原产地规则的必要性

在国际贸易日趋自由化的背景下，原产地规则尤其是优惠性原产地规则却日渐被用作非关税贸易保护措施。乌拉圭回合制定的《原产地规则协议》对非优惠性原产地规则做出了统一规定，但未能对优惠性原产地规则制订出多边规则。本文分析优惠性原产地规则的保护机制及其效应，指出WTO统一优惠性原产地规则的必要性。     

Production-location decision and free entry oligopoly: A correction

This paper shows that there is no interior solution in Mai–Hwang's 1992 oligopolistic location model with free entry when the production function exhibits constant or decreasing returns to scale. The comparative static results of the impact of a demand change on the location decision only apply to the case where the production function exhibits increasing returns to scale. It re-examines the impact of a demand change on the location decision of an oligopolistic firm and corrects the propositions derived by [C.C. Mai, H. Hwang, Production-location decision and free entry oligopoly, Journal of Urban Economics 33 (1992) 252–271. Reprinted in: M.L. Greenhut, G. Norman (Eds.), The Economics of Location, vol. I: Location Theory, Edward Elgar, Aldershot, 1995].     

中日韩自由贸易区的贸易流量和福利效应分析:一个局部均衡的校准方法

校准方法作为一种确定数理经济模型中的变量和参数的手段之一,在贸易政策的建模研究中得到广泛的应用.本文以局部均衡为基础,利用中日韩三国自1990～2003年共14年的贸易额及相关数据建立校准模型,并对拟议中的中日韩自由贸易区做出比较静态分析,从产业层面来模拟中日韩自由贸易区建成后所可能带来的福利效应.分析结果表明,中日韩三国建立自由贸易区会增加彼此的国民福利水平,并会对未加入贸易协定的其他东亚国家产生影响.因此,在东亚形成更为广泛的自由贸易安排从区域合作的角度来看是一种更佳的合作方式.     

农业价值负功能现象的探索

农业价值中普遍存在负功能的现象。其特征是:负功能与正功能互为依存、互为转化,依据不同时间、社会、自然、经济条件而变化,有的事物本身既有正功能,又不可避免地具有负功能,负功能成为事物固有功能的一部分,并对总功能产生影响。研究负功能,有利于防止、克服和转化负功能对事物价值的影响,保持农业可持续发展。     

金融监管法的价值:自由竞争与金融安全

分析美国金融法的历史可以看到,金融监管法的核心价值由完全的自由竞争变为单一的金融安全,再转向有安全保障的自由竞争;分析金融法律规范也可以证实,现行的金融监管目标与各种监管措施都体现自由竞争与金融安全的价值追求.过分追求金融安全的价值观是非常局限的,它只能适用于金融不安全的状况;现在的金融效率观不是金融监管法的价值观.自由竞争与金融安全是对立统一的关系,两者的地位随着金融运行态势的变化而逐步变化.     

建立中国-东盟自由贸易区对中国农产品出口的影响及其对策

针对中国与东盟农产品贸易的现状,采用显性比较优势分析中国农产品的优势,以及CAFTA的建立对中国农产品出口的影响,就如何扩大中国农产品出口提出了对策和建议。     

RTAs:中国进一步扩大对外经贸合作的新途径

20世纪90年代尤其是世界贸易组织建立和运作以来,区域贸易安排迅猛发展,呈现出许多新的特点.在经济全球化和中国已加入世界贸易组织的新形势下,中国积极参与和推进区域贸易安排是在更大范围、更广领域和更高层次上参与国际经济技术合作与竞争、以开放促改革促发展的新途径.应进一步加强区域贸易安排的研究,建立国家区域贸易安排运作机制,制定切实可行的区域贸易安排计划,以提升中国经济的竞争力,迎接世界区域贸易安排发展带来的机遇和挑战.     

品牌经营:旅行社竞争之发展战略

品牌是旅行社竞争力的核心，而我国旅行社目前缺乏品牌经营意识和科学管理，且市场化进程缓慢。因而要通过建立现代企业制度、实行科学管理、提高员工素质等措施来加强旅行社的品牌经营，提高其竞争力。