The Brazilian FCC Catalyst Plant: An Example of a Successful Joint Venture between Petrobrás and Akzo Bringing about Technological Innovation

The creation of the Fabrica Carioca de Catalisadores (FCCSA) is presented in this article. After some brief background information on the reasons for its implementation, the methods used to choose the partner are discussed, as well as the technology transfer, with particular emphasis on R&D transfer. Finally, the plant's current stage of development is studied and its main characteristics are presented, as an example of a successful joint venture between culturally different and geographically distant countries.     

2001年经济危机之后阿根廷的形势

首先 ,请允许我感谢中国社会科学院国际合作局和拉丁美洲研究所 ,邀请我与尊贵的同事、学者和中国党政领导一道 ,参加这次国际学术论坛。我们十分清楚 ,无论对中拉关系在各个领域的发展 ,还是对拉美人民的福祉来说 ,召开本次论坛的倡议都具有重要意义。我们十分积极地参加这次活动 ,企望能够使人们更好地了解我们问题的所在 ,了解我们怎样一起着手解决这些问题 ,这将有助于我们为维护持久的利益 ,实现稳定、持续和长久发展的目标而努力。我谈的主题是“2 0 0 1年经济危机之后阿根廷的形势”。我国历史上规模最大的这次危机是怎样产生的 ?我…     

Testing Application of Geographical Information Systems,Forensic Geomorphology and Electrical Resistivity Tomography to Investigate Clandestine Grave Sites in Colombia,South America

Colombian forensic investigators required assistance locating clandestine burials of missing persons related to human right atrocities from 14 years ago. Geoscientific search methods were trialled, including a predictive spatial statistical model, using various input and database information, to select the most likely grave locations in difficult mountainous terrain. Groundwork using forensic geomorphology, near-surface geophysics (ERT) and subsequent probing identified suspect burial positions. One site was in mountainous terrain and the other in former school grounds, both difficult to access and in poor weather conditions. In the mountainous area, a negative resistivity anomaly area was identified and intrusively investigated, found to be a buried rock. In school grounds, after MESP and intelligence were used to identify a burial site, surface depressions were identified, and ERT datasets collected over the highest priority depression; intrusive investigations discovered a hand-dug pit containing animal bones. This approach is suggested for Latin American searches.     

Optimal central banker contracts and common agency: a comment

We explore a setting where the central bank is offered an incentive scheme by an interest group, in addition to the contract designed by the government. We prove that the inflation bias can be eliminated when principals do not cooperate and have different output or inflation objectives. These conclusions contrast with those of Chortareas and Miller (Public Choice 121:131–155, 2004). The reason is that our analysis takes into account the participation constraints of the central bank. We also show that, if principals cooperate, the inflation bias is eliminated when their output target is different but not when they disagree over the inflation objective.     

当前古巴的社会主义建设

首先,我要祝贺会议的组织者正确选择了本次论坛的主题--多样性与挑战.这个主题意味着他们对拉丁美洲和加勒比地区的现实有十分透彻的了解.拉美和加勒比地区从未像今天这样具有如此的多样性,面临如此深刻的挑战.     

Two Roles for Elections: Disciplining the Incumbent and Selecting a Competent Candidate

This paper presents a political economy model in which the voterswant to control moral hazard on the part of the incumbent andselect a competent candidate to be in office. We focus on electionswhich take place repeatedly as the basic disciplinary and screeningmechanism. It is shown that incomplete information of the votersabout the (economic) competence of the incumbent helps to overcomethe lame duck effect of a government with foreseeable end. Asecond finding is that economic performance strongly influences thereelection of the incumbent. In particular, in (stationary perfectBayesian) equilibrium, if economic performance is bad, theincumbent will not be reelected. We also prove that having thepossibility of reelecting a government increases the welfare of thevoters to the no reelection benchmark.     

The Gordian Knot of Brazilian Foreign Policy: Promoting democracy while respecting sovereignty

President Cardoso has provided decisive impetus for strengthening Brazil's commitment to democracy abroad, both through multilateral diplomacy and foreign policy. However, there exist inherent tensions between the dual principles guiding Brazilian foreign policy, the promotion and protection of democracy abroad and the attachment to national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. This study assesses Brazil's response to threats to democracy during the last decade in 10 case studies. It argues that presidential diplomacy has played a key role in furthering the democratic commitment of Brazilian foreign policy. The author thanks Paulo Roberto de Almeida, Juan Fernando London ?o, Anja Linder, and Riordan Roett and gratefully acknowledges the support of the Democracy Coalition Project (DCP) of the Open Society Institute (OSI) in Washington DC.