Motives behind retailers’ post-entry expansion - Evidence from the Chinese luxury fashion market

This study aims to examine the motives behind retailers’ post-entry expansion in foreign markets. Through case studies of eleven participating luxury fashion retailers in China, qualitative data was collected from twenty-two executive interviews. Although their initial market entry was driven by both reactive (push) and proactive (pull) factors, the motives behind their post-entry expansion have become predominantly proactive, especially long-term growth strategies, the ambition to extend their brands and retail formats to more cities, and the experiences gained in entry markets. The desire to optimize the retail store portfolio through multiple channel strategies have slowed down the expansions of physical stores.     

Assessing the effects of policies on China’s outward foreign direct investment

This paper discusses the determinants of China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) with a special focus on the role of government policy. In particular, we investigate the types of policies that are most influential in promoting OFDI. Our main contribution is to analyse, for the first time, China’s OFDI policies by means of quantitative indicators. We refine policies definitions and distinguish between Regulation Policies, Service Policies, Promotion Policies and Supervision Policies, and we develop a methodology for collecting, screening and coding policies; then we create new indices to capture different types of policies. We find that Regulation Policies, Service Policies and the general attitude of the government have significant effects on China’s OFDI at the national level.     

China and international market integration: Evidence from the law of one price in the Middle East and Africa

We model market integration in the Middle East and Africa by analyzing price dispersion and testing the law of one price (LOP) on highly-comparable actual local retail prices of 135 goods and services across 23 countries in the region over the period of 1990–2016. Second-generation panel estimators are applied to four price benchmarks: Regional average, South Africa, China, and US prices. Cross-regional price dispersion diminishes considerably over time up to 2008, particularly for non-tradeables around China price. The test of LOP indicates the percentage of convergent prices is highest in China price benchmark, followed by US, South Africa, and regional average benchmarks. Direct estimation of the convergence speed confirms this order. Overall, the results show evidence of increasing market integration in Middle East and Africa but it appears to be driven by global forces and, especially, the rise of China as a new economic power. The results show that some emerging market economies, such as China, can step up and promote integration while traditional economic powerhouses, such as the USA and UK, disengage from international economic relations.     

水资源承载力分析研究

水是人们生存必不可少的资源,是生产与生活的基础,但水资源短缺,时间、空间分布不均,利用率低,已成为制约各地经济可持续发展的重要因素之一。本文所选研究区域——昌宁县正处于经济快速发展时期,水资源承载力将会影响其发展,文章综合文献分析和实际调研数据,运用科学的方法进行水资源的承载力分析,结果表明:昌宁县水资源承载力目前与社会经济的发展相适应,但远期将会有所不足,因而要求协调人与自然的矛盾,促进昌宁县的可持续发展。     

ECONOMIC TRANSITION AND LABOUR MARKET DYNAMICS IN CHINA: AN INTERPRETATIVE SURVEY OF THE ‘TURNING POINT’ DEBATE

Has the Chinese economy approached the ‘Lewisian turning point’ that marks the ending of the initial phase of industrial transformation fuelled by surplus labour? In this paper we undertake an interpretative survey of the literature on this issue, in the context of China's labour market conditions prior to the reforms and structural change of the past three decades. The available evidence is mixed, and our assessment makes a strong case for probing institutional constraints to labour mobility from an economy‐wide perspective, going beyond the confines of the rural economy.     

Determinants of total efficiency in water utilities in Mexico

By using panel data analysis across 368 water utilities in Mexico over the period 2010–2014, we find that small firms are more efficient than medium and large providers and that increasing production is associated with less efficiency. Billing, income collection and profitability are relevant factors to improve efficiency. Medium and large firms require to measure consumption by service with meters in order to increase efficiency, while small firms do not require it.     

太原精神病院污水处理系统改建为中水处理系统的工程设计

太原精神病医院将现有生活污水处理系统改建为中水回用系统,平均日处理水量100 m3.工程设计充分考虑了对原有设施的利用,生物处理单元采用生物接触氧化法.为减少污水提升次数,调节池设在生物处理单元之后.通过延长水力停留时间缓解水量、水质波动对沉淀、生物处理单元的不利影响,投入运行后效果良好.     

西气东输对南水北调穿黄隧洞影响动力分析计算

西气东输管线距离南水北调工程穿黄河隧道的最近距离:河漫滩仅150 m,主河槽仅205 m.输气管线在运行过程中,存在着因误操作、管道腐蚀、自然灾害或人为破坏等因素引发事故发生爆炸的可能.对深泓区穿黄隧洞地下部分在天然气爆炸冲击波作用下的安全性进行动力分析计算,认为西气东输管道破裂引起的天然气爆炸,不会对南水北调输水隧洞产生破坏影响.     

对万家寨引黄北干线引水规模的思考

在总结引黄南干线建设经验和面临的营运问题的基础上，文中提出在确定北干线设计规模时，重点要处理好供水区水资源供需平衡与调水工程规模的关系；外调水与当地水资源的关系；长远规划指标与近期实施规模的关系；以及高水价对用水需求的抑制作用，进行全面分析，综合比较。     

Regional economic performance in China1

This paper investigates convergence patterns among China's provinces using GDP data for the period 1952–97. We analyze convergence behaviour on the basis of Markov chains proposed by Quah (1993 ) and the generalized entropy decomposition proposed by Shorrocks (1980, 1984 ). Both sets of results show similar evidence of convergence within the pre‐defined geo‐economic sub‐regions, but no evidence is found of convergence between the sub‐regions. This finding has important policy implications for regional economic development in China. JEL classification: C33, E20, O47.