The Size and Significance of the Pareto Set in Spatial Voting Models

The size of the Pareto set in the issue space of spatialvoting models is a function of the tax prices that voters arecharged. When all voters pay Lindahl prices for all goods, thePareto set collapses to a single point. The Pareto set can beenlarged by altering tax shares so they are further fromLindahl prices, and can be reduced by moving toward Lindahlpricing. A smaller Pareto set moves voters closer to consensuson issues, so reduces political decisionmaking costs and makesthe political system more stable.     

Corruption,Cooperation and Endogenous Time Discount Rates

Virtually all uses of repeated games tostudy of cooperation assume that people'stime discount rates are exogenous andfixed. Here we offer an evolutionary gameembedded in a multi-period model ofinvestment and consumption in whichindividual time discounts are determined bytheir convergence to values determined byEvolutionary Stable Strategies. Oursubstantive motivation, though, iscorruption and its relationship to economicgrowth. To understand the observedrelationship between levels of corruptionand economic indicators of social welfare,we argue that corruption is a form ofcooperation that requires closeinterpersonal monitoring. If we assume,moreover, that when people discount thefuture greatly the only sustainable formsof cooperation are those that allow forclose monitoring, then our analysis can beinterpreted as a dynamic model of therelationship between corruption andinvestment.     

The performance framework: a systems approach to understanding performance management

The article presents a framework for better understanding the nature of performance in organisations involved in the provision of overseas development assistance (ODA). It uses a case study to illustrate the three main features of the framework which are: goals, performance assessment and performance management. It is asserted that a vibrant performance culture is one which links these features together to form an organisation capable of continual improvement through producing effective learning. Organisational culture determines the nature of linkages between the three sub‐systems. The article stresses how the notion of performance may extend beyond various forms of evaluation and scrutiny to being part of a sentient learning system rooted in an organisation's culture and structure. The article concludes with consideration of key issues associated with the generation of a reflexive learning organisation operating in the ODA sector. These are concerned with understanding the role and nature of systems, organisational vision, the embracing of diversity, training and accountability. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Challenges for donor agency country‐level performance assessment: a review

This review of country‐level performance assessment in donor agencies is primarily based upon the experiences documented by bilateral donors to developing countries. The review suggests that four emerging themes can be identified in the literature on country‐level performance review: ownership, decentralisation and leadership, accountability and learning and complexity. The review considers the implementation of ‘results‐based’ approaches used by a number of international agencies and examines their relationship with ‘evidence‐based’ approaches. A key challenge, in the development of performance assessment, is bringing in a stronger evidence‐based approach into the planning and evaluation of donor country‐level programmes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

经济外交与"经济全球化"--机遇与挑战、竞争与合作

经济全球化是指市场经济在世界各地普及的过程,也是市场经济在新的历史时期获得空前发展的过程。经济全球化所带来的不仅仅有发展机遇,也有严峻的挑战。国际社会成员通过激烈的竞争和密切的合作,彼此的联系也将更加密切。经济外交在经济全球化中具有不可替代的作用,为使经济全球化不被少数国家和少数垄断资本控制,有必要通过经济外交,建立新的经济外交机制,促进经济全球化向着既注重效益又兼顾公平的方向发展。这是21世纪各国对外政策和外交活动所面临的崭新课题。     

当代西方青年道德教育管窥

当今世界正处在一场深刻的政治、经济、文化、科技、教育等全方位的社会变迁之中,受此影响,各国青年在道德价值观上也产生了一些新的特征和问题。这些都对当前各国青年德育提出了新的挑战。针对此西方发达国家进行了有益的探索并取得了一些积极成果。通过研究和借鉴西方国家青年德育的有益经验,结合我国国情创新青年德育的内容、方式、方法,对于我们有效开展我国青年思想教育工作具有非常重要的现实意义。