New shop owners in old buildings: spatial politics of the apparel industry in Kyrgyzstan

This article adopts a political economy approach with insights from the political geography literature to illuminate how the apparel manufacturing sector in Kyrgyzstan has thrived in a region known for significant challenges in electricity access and availability. In contrast to studies that have analyzed the role of state policies and informal relations in promoting industrialization, we focus on how myriad shop owners gain access to elite-controlled, privatized urban infrastructure through owner–tenant relations in a new market economy. Drawing upon original interviews with Bishkek-based shop owners, we find that despite the challenges associated working in these spaces, including poor infrastructure and exploitative relationships with owners, they remain due to the constant provision of electricity and convenient location. We contribute to understanding how everyday shop owners make sense of and grapple with production challenges in a new market context, against the backdrop of Soviet infrastructural legacies and post-Soviet privatization processes.     

关于行业协会概念的界定

行业协会在市场经济发展中在维护市场秩序、推动公平竞争等方面发挥着重要的作用。然而,对于行业协会概念的理解存在着多种观点。行业协会应当是由同一行业的商事主体为增进共同利益、维护合法权益而自愿组成的非营利性社会团体法人。行业协会与商会、非政府组织、非营利组织这些相关概念存在差别。     

Do FDI patterns differ between manufacturing and service sector in CEE countries

In the paper, we presented results of the research, realized with the goal to test main determinants influencing on FDI stock in manufacturing and services in transitional countries, precisely CEE countries. Some of the conceptual issues identified under possible differences of FDI determinants in manufacturing and services we started with were： （1） What are the most important determinants of FDI in manufacturing and services？ （2） Are there significant differences between the main influencing determinants/factors between manufacturing and services？ （3） Are there significant differences between FDI determinants for developing countries/transitional countries and industrial countries？ （4） What are the implications for policies and strategies to attract FDI in different industries for developing countries？ Dependent variable used in this paper is the FDI stock p/c （NACE 1-digit） into manufacturing and service sector for each observed CEE country, in the period 1999-2006. In case of our sample countries, a set of possible FDI determinants was selected from the pool of traditional and institutional-related determinants in the literature, and relevant indicators available. Empirical analysis was conducted by the regression assessment of panel data, using the set of data for CEE countries, studied over eight years. We estimated fixed effects model and OLS with panel-corrected standard errors （PCSEs） using Prais-Winsten to take into account the AR（1） process. Two out of four traditional variables showed differences between the manufacturing and service sector： （a） Inflation, as the indicator of macroeconomic instability, was not statistically significant for manufacturing sector but it was significant for service sector; （b） wages had statistically significant influences on the FDI in manufacturing sector, but had no influence on service sector. Looking at the results of testing indicators we had found significant differences between all indicators： （a） Privatization influenced on FDI attractions in manufacturing sector and it was significant for service sector, with negative influence; （b） wages had statistically significant influences on the FDI in manufacturing sector, but had no influence on service sector; and finally （c） other two traditional variables-market size indicated through GDP p/c and openness of economy had the same results for both, manufacturing and service sector.     

When soft regulation is not enough: The integrated pollution prevention and control directive of the European Union

Recent debates regarding the effectiveness of regulatory policymaking in the European Union (EU) focus on the merits of soft, non-binding forms of regulation between public and private actors. The emergence of less coercive forms of regulation is analyzed as a response to powerful functional pressures emanating from the complexity of regulatory issues, as well as the need to secure flexibility and adaptability of regulation to distinctive territorial economic, environmental, administrative, and social conditions. In this article we empirically assess the above normative claims regarding the effectiveness of soft regulation vis-à-vis uniformly binding legislation. We draw on an exploratory investigation of the application of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive of the EU in four countries. Our study reveals that effectiveness in the application of soft policy instruments is largely contingent upon strong cognitive, material, and political capacities of both state regulators and industrial actors involved in regulatory policymaking. In the absence of those conditions, the application of soft, legally non-binding regulation may lead to adverse effects, such as non-compliance and the “hollowing out” of the systems of environmental permits to industry. In the medium term, such developments can undermine the normative authority of the EU.     

创意产业与区域经济增长:中国的模式——以网游业为例

创意产业作为一种提升以及突破环境资源限制的重要手段,在促进区域经济发展过程中发挥了重要作用。网络游戏产业的发展,反映了中国创意产业的发展模式的基本特征。说明虽然中国创意产业有着雁形模式发展的一般特征,但是内容和实质却发生了根本变化。这种特殊性可以使中国不依赖国外相对成熟的模式,充分开发和利用本土智力资源,超常规地实现产业发展和优化布局,并以此进一步提升区域经济的竞争能力。     

日本环境产业的发展

环境产业是改善环境和保证经济社会可持续发展的物质技术条件,也是促进日本经济与环境协调发展和激活其地区活力的强大动力.目前,日本的环境产业已从少数产业部门扩展到几乎所有产业部门,未来将同汽车业和建筑业并驾齐驱,成为支撑日本经济发展的主导支柱产业之一.促进日本环境产业发展的主要因素是,强化环境法规的限制,推动经济政策的绿色化,完善企业的环境管理和发展绿色消费.     

北京物联网建设和发展现状的调查与思考

物联网被很多国家当作应对国际金融危机、振兴经济的重点领域。我国也将物联网产业纳入到国家战略性新兴产业范围,并加大了物联网研发和建设的力度。本文通过调查研究当前北京物联网建设和发展的状况,分析研究制约北京物联网发展的因素,提出推进北京物联网建设和发展的相关对策建议。     

浅谈东北老工业基地改造法律保障体系的完善

加快东北老工业基地的振兴 ,这既是东北等地自身改革的迫切要求 ,也是实现国家经济社会协调发展的重要战略举措。东北老工业基地改造 ,只有以完善的法律保障体系为依托 ,具体通过法治环境、立法保障体系和司法保障体系三方面软环境的建设 ,才能取得实质成效     

An empirical investigation of determinants of corporate social performance using multi-dimensional panel data analysis

An assessment of the determinants of corporate social performance (CSP) in emerging economies is still too fractured. This article contributes to general management literature by developing an empirical model based on the existing theoretical models rooted in neo-institutional theory (legitimacy approach), stakeholders management theory, agency theory, the resource-based view of the firm, slack resources argument, and managerial control theory. A robust, multidimensional, unweighted disclosure index was used to measure CSP. This article provides a methodologically and empirically more rigorous assessment of determinants of CSP compared to previous studies by performing panel data regression analysis on 307 firms for 10 years. The results reveal that the presence of a legal framework, board attributes (board size, board diversity, board interlocking), women on board, ownership pattern, financial performance, firm attributes (size, age, leverage), and industry characteristics affect CSP significantly. These findings provide very important clues to design pragmatic strategies to improve CSP.     

Examining the relationship between corporate social responsibility,corporate reputation and brand equity in Indian banking industry

This study is an attempt to explain the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate reputation, and brand equity in India's banking sector. The study uses Carroll's Pyramid of CSR and the ‘triple bottom line concept’ as the theoretical bases for proposing a conceptual model. The data pertaining to 482 saving bank customers were analysed using structural equation modelling for this study. The integrated effect of CSR and corporate reputation on brand equity has been examined using the analyses of both the direct and indirect model paths. The findings show that corporate reputation partially mediates the relationship between CSR and brand equity, and that there exists a direct relationship between CSR and brand equity. This research has significant implications for CSR managers seeking to gain a competitive advantage in the industry by focusing upon the CSR activities that help an organisation build a positive corporate reputation, leading to a high level of brand equity.