Democratic Transition and Economic Transition： The Case of Tunisia

This paper develops the issue of economic transition linked to a democratic transition that a developing country, Tunisia, is living following the revolution of 2011. Tunisia has made a profound change, it is currently developing new institutions, however, it is not an annuitant country, its activities and economic performances depend on political stability and the choice of the implemented politico-economic system. The question is whether the operating political forces will affect the direction of structural changes, thus toward a transition of breakage or the direction of adaptive transition. Neo-liberalism, practiced for 30 years, has developed an entrepreneurship structured as small and medium enterprises, whose performances are variable according to the sector and the state role. With the revolution, the country entered in a phase of political, social, and economic instability. A new constitution is passed, the political system installs the multiparty system, the country has a tradition of openness to the rest of the world, the challenges are numerous and the question of the role of the state in the economic sphere is very acute. The analysis is based on the observation of facts and the review and analysis of data relating to politics and economy, observed in the period before the revolution and after the revolution.     

The Implementation of Diagnosis Consultant （Sindanshi） Method in the Cluster of Food SMEs

This study is carried out to identify the main problem dealing with cluster of food SMEs （small and medium enterprises） in Kota Batu, the Province of East Java, and to determine the alternative of solution. This study uses the eight-step method （of eight steps） in the quality improvement （also called the PDCA--Plan-Do-Check-Action cycle） and the method of diagnosis consultant （shindanshi）. The diagnosis scope of analysis covers（ed）： the SWOT （Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats） analysis, the 5S＇s analysis, marketing management, operational analysis, production process analysis, layout, quality of product, material and purchasing control, finance analysis, problem solution and recommendation. The cluster of food SMEs in Kota Batu has the following problems： equipment, layout, marketing, raw material, production process, capitalization, quality, distribution, human resources, and packaging. Therefore, the suggestions for the improvement are： Helping the SMEs makes the financial report monthly; socializing the standard quality of process and product based on SNI （Standar Nasional Indonesia）; socializing the management of barcode; evaluating the condition of available layout regarding waste that happened and improving it.     

Business Angel and risk capital： The impact on innovation

The aim of the analysis is to understand if the risk capital carried by Business Angels （B.A.） could affect firms with high innovation propensity in creating more innovations than receiving risk capital from other financial operators. Innovation is a critical factor for the competitiveness of national system especially when the economy of the latter has come to maturity. For realizing ＂the successful exploitation of ideas, into new products, processes, services or business practices, and the critical process for achieving two complementary business goals of performance and growth, which in turn will help to close the productivity gap＂ （DTI＇s Innovation Report, 2003, p. 8）, firms have to understand which are the right competences to increase. In this context, the authors have developed a framework that measures the propensity to innovate in the firms. The model considers the firm＇s competences （grouped into four macro areas as management, organization, ITC and marketing） to improve the creation, development and diffusion of the innovation. The work is structured as an empirical analysis as follows： （1） The authors analyzed a sample of 12 business plans （choices for high level of innovation in their business） that received risk capital from B.A. and other financial operators; （2） For each firm, their innovation propensity is measured through the author＇s model during their start-up period （the data analyzed are business plan＇s data）; （3） After a period of time （3 years）, the authors checked if the firms with high innovation propensity have created real innovation and if a correlation exists between risk capital origin （from Business Angels or not） and innovation propensity. The conclusion of the work is the finns with B.A.＇s risk capital have a high innovation propensity and create after a medium term period more innovation compared with the others.     

The Ambivalent Character of Reconstruction： Winners and Losers of the Lobito Transport Development Corridor

In Angola where poor and scattered communities extend over great distances, an efficient transport system is very important. Nevertheless, in the post-war context its reconstruction has an ambivalent character. On the one hand, it is an indispensable part of the process of economic reconstruction and development where it is possible to identify complementary linkages influencing the dynamics of road and railway reconstruction that can reduce poverty. On the other hand, the post-war transport economy, like the war transport economy, is a site of private accumulation and change where social stratification goes in parallel with increased socio-economic inequality and unfavourable conditions in the labour transport market. The infrastructural reconstruction process is not fulfilling its potential for generating domestic linkages or multiplier effects through wage employment of Angolans. The creation of employment and other income earning opportunities have been limited, meaning that communities might lack the financial capacity to make use of the transport network. The ambivalent character of the modernisation of the transport system was already a feature in the first half of the 20th century as the transport network＇s creation of regional and national spaces with new centres and peripheries established a new hierarchy of social groups and gave rise to significant cultural changes. The effects of roads, railways, and other new means of transport were experienced in very different ways by different actors （means of wealth as well as poverty; inroads of repression as well as paths to personal liberation; and as tools of fragmentation as well as of unification）.     

Organized independent labor movement in Taiwan： The case of the CTWU

Labor was a significant factor in Taiwanese politics. In history, some of the most important unions in Taiwan were built around a core of members resolutely loyal to a political ideology. However, with time many tenets of labor and political history have undergone a change. The alliances between trade unions broke the links with their respective political parties or groups. The centralized and traditional union structures fell short of workers＇ expectation amid the mounting pressures of political democratization in Taiwan, thereby giving way to ＂independent＂ union bodies. This paper examines the experiences of＂independent＂ trade unions in Taiwan in a historical context and attempts to trace the conditions that are instrumental in the growth of such unions. The case of one ＂independent＂ union in Taiwan--the Chunghwa Telecom Workers＇ Union （CTWU） depicts the ways and means by which independent rank-and-file led unions have proven their collective strength time and again. The case analysis in the present paper suggests that the continuing economic liberalization in Taiwan may bring about the proliferation of ＂independent＂ unions with far greater collective voice and less monopoly effects than the current situation.     

The European Union Faced With the Challenges of Food Safety： Solutions Proposed in the Framework of the Common Agricultural Policy （CAP） and Strategies of the Actors Concerned

Within the framework of Common Agricultural Policy （CAP）, how has the European Union （EU） responded to new challenges emerging at the end of the last century？ The overall picture shows that the process of improving health conditions includes various players. The overall objectives of the CAP are specified in Article 39 of the Treaty of Rome： to increase agricultural productivity and ensure a fair standard of living for the agricultural community. The word ＂security＂ here refers to the stability of supply. The first major reform came in 1992, linked to the Uruguay Round Cycle of initial responses to consumes expectations regarding food safety and the prevention of health risks. The centrepiece of EU food policy, European Food Safety Authority （EFSA） is consumed with all maters effecting food safety, nutrition, animal health and welfare, and plant health. The controversy around the need for reforms and their implementation has featured prominently in the public debate. The paper analyzes these debates by drawing on scientific studies carried out by multidisciplinary laboratories.