China's Approach to BRICS

The economic rise of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) inevitably leads to a redistribution of power in the international system. Chinese leaders today accord a considerable priority to this group, and there are elements of realism, liberalism/institutionalism and constructivism in their approach. This article intends to study China's policy towards BRICS and examine the above elements so as to better understand how the Chinese leadership perceives China's role in the international system, and how it seeks to articulate its interests and enhance its influence.     

Social networks in R&D program evaluation

This paper introduces the social network methodology as a tool for evaluating important aspects of research and development (R&D) programs. It uses two detailed examples to illustrate the application of network concepts in program appraisal. By studying relationships, exchanges, network location and status, network structure and evolution, and participant characteristics and roles in the network, this approach provides a lens to important aspects of the longer-lasting, more sustainable contributions of public policy in affecting organisational capabilities to innovate. A key challenge currently is the integration of social network analysis with causal empirical models and more traditional economic approaches geared to assessing the outputs and impacts of R&D.     

Trends in the proportion of married women of reproductive age in Spain, 1887–1991

Using the Princeton nuptiality index I_m, we analyzed historical developments in the proportion of married women of reproductive age in Spain. We show the internal diversity in nuptiality patterns and offer an explanatory statistical model based on panel data analysis to identify the main variables influencing these changes over more than a century (1887–1991). We found that Spain has been the developed country with the greatest contrasts in its provincial nuptiality patterns (measured by I_m), although this diversity has lessened over the course of time. We also found that some socioeconomic variables (the gross domestic product per capita and the percentage of population living in cities) do not have a linear relationship with female nuptiality but rather have a U shape or an inverted U shape. This may partly account for some of the controversy that has raged on this topic over the past few decades on an international level.