Globalization frustrated: The case of white goods

This paper challenges the common view that mature industries are always ripe for global strategies. Based on data from the European Domestic Appliance industry, this paper shows how changing economic conditions can diminish the value of global strategies. Critical in these shifts were simultaneous rises in demand for variety (that eroded the benefits of scale and continental market share) and decreases in manufacturing scale (that permitted new supply options), which reduced the extent of the strategic market to national dimensions. They added complexity that decreased the profitability of the global players and increased that of national strategies. The fluctuating fortunes of leading firms are shown to have been caused primarily by choices of strategy, not by national factor costs.     

Polyhedral Combinatorics in Combinatorial Optimization

Polyhedral combinatorics is a subarea of combinatorial optimization of increasing practical importance. It deals with the application of the theory of linear systems and linear algebra to combinatorial problems. The paper is not intended as a survey on polyhedral combinatorics but it reviews some of the main concepts and proof techniques.     

基于复杂性科学观的区域创新网络研究

复杂性科学打破了新古典经济学的简单性、稳定性和线性的均衡范式,开创了一种建立在复杂性、动态性和非线性基础上的演化范式。区域创新网络由于具有非线性、动态性和不可逆性等特征,更适合纳入到复杂性科学的范式中来研究。根据区域创新网络的复杂性特征,归纳出其实质上是一种复杂性适应系统,进而运用复杂性科学对其进行了阐释,最后得出了基于高新区培育和发展区域创新网络的几点启示。     

复杂性科学观下的高科技企业成长机制与成长指数设刮

复杂性科学打破了线性、均衡、简单还原的传统范式，开创了一种非线性、演化、复杂系统的新范式。高科技企业的成长由于具有非线性、动态性和自组织等复杂系统的基本特征，更适合于纳入到复杂性科学的新范式中研究。本文从高科技企业成长机制的复杂性特征入手，分析其成长机理，构建高科技企业适应性成长机制模型，并采用成长指数对高科技企业成长性进行评价，试图进行这方面的一些开创性研究。     

Diversification and sophistication of livestock products: The case of African countries

This study assesses the level of sophistication of livestock products in Africa by evaluating technology intensity and economic complexity of each product. Using trade data from 1995 to 2012, livestock commodity exports are classified based on technology intensity. Employing a method of reflection in computing the economic complexity of export products, we find that one fifth of African livestock commodity exports are manufactured with low technology while the rest is composed of raw materials. The results also show that the ten most complex livestock commodities represent about a third of African livestock total exports while the world level is almost double this figure. Yet African countries spend a huge share of their wealth on importing complex products. The results imply that by exporting non-complex products Africa loses nearly a third of the total value of its livestock exports. To boost the value of livestock products, African countries should exploit their untapped potential while securing the domestic market to achieve import substitution. This can be done by integrating with global value chains or developing niche markets at the regional or international markets and improving productive capabilities.     

Inter-industry labor reallocation and task distance

This paper investigates factors preventing inter-industry labor reallocation by estimating the determinants of inter-industry worker flow and earnings change after a job change. We find that the difference in required tasks is an important reason for earnings reduction after an inter-industry job change, and thus, workers may hesitate to move to industries requiring a different set of tasks for fear of losing the wage premium acquired by task-specific human capital. In addition, more workers switch to industries with which their previous industry had larger transactions, although it affects earnings changes only marginally. On the other hand, industry performance does not affect labor inflow or wage changes significantly for inter-industry job changes. Young men, less educated women, and those quitting previous jobs for family or health reasons are more likely to move to industries requiring a different set of tasks, and young individuals who lost their jobs involuntarily are less likely to do so. Individuals more likely to move are not necessarily those whose earnings loss associated with the move is small: earning losses associated with task distance are relatively small among younger and less educated workers and are uncorrelated with the reasons for quitting the previous job.     

任务体验模式在商务英语教学中的实证研究——基于语言经济学视角

基于语言经济学理论,分析探讨了任务体验模式在大学商务英语教学中的可行性和有效性。教学实验表明,以互联网和QQ通讯软件为支撑的大学商务英语任务体验模式不仅获得了学生的普遍认可,增强了学生参与活动的兴趣,而且有助于提高商务意识和学业成绩,同时还为校内商务英语实践提供了新途径。     

Do job insecurity,anxiety and depression caused by the COVID-19 pandemic influence hotel employees’ self-rated task performance? The moderating role of employee resilience

The COVID-19 health disaster has had a dramatic impact on the global hospitality industry, affecting millions of people. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of job insecurity on hotel employees’ anxiety and depression, and whether these psychological strains could influence employees’ self-rated task performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examine the moderating role of hotel employees’ resilience in this context.The hypotheses were examined by collecting data from 353 hotel employees currently working in the Canary Islands (Spain). The results highlight the significant effects of job insecurity on employees’ anxiety and depression levels. However, hotel employees’ task performance was not affected by their job insecurity or by their anxiety and depression. In addition, employees’ resilience has a moderating effect as it reduces the negative influence of job insecurity on depression. Finally, the discussion section sets out various theoretical and practical implications of the findings.     

中国省域科技特派员制度实施绩效评估

2016年5月《国务院办公厅关于深入推行科技特派员制度的若干意见》发布实施，但其实施效果如何有待验证。构建科技特派员制度实施绩效评估指标体系，利用改进熵值法和官方统计数据，对中国省域科技特派员制度实施绩效进行实证评估，并对评估结果进行聚类分析。结果表明，中国大多数省份科技特派员制度实施绩效水平较低；根据实施科技开发项目、形成利益共同体、服务农民情况、推广服务和扶贫成效5个绩效评估维度，可以将中国内地31个省份划分为5种类型；即使是总绩效水平较高的地区，在科技特派员制度实施绩效方面也存在一些短板。