The Politics of Competitive Tendering: Political Orientation and Attitudes towards Contracting Out among Finnish Local Politicians

Using survey data on Finnish local politicians (n = 364) we examine the extent to which political orientation affects attitudes towards and perceptions of competitive tendering in social and health service provision. Expectation of cost benefits turns out to be the most important factor accounting for willingness to increase the usage of competitive tendering. The perceived positive impact of tendering on local democracy is also related to local politicians' readiness to implement reforms. However, political orientation does have a strong effect on politicians' perceptions. We also consider whether there are mitigating factors that could mask the relationship between political orientation and attitudes towards tendering. We identify one such factor, municipal employment: public-sector employees form a kind of informal ‘interest group’ resisting public-sector reforms in municipal decision making. In general, our results suggest that macro-level studies on competitive tendering underestimate the effects of political ideology on local decision making.     

基于贸易引力模型的广西与越南进出口贸易状况评估分析

中国与东盟国家经贸合作取得丰硕成果,广西与越南进出口贸易在中国与东盟国家贸易往来格局中有着重要的地位和作用。本文运用贸易引力模型方法对广西与越南进出口贸易状况进行实证分析,研究影响因素,抓住问题关键,提出对策建议。中国与东盟国家经贸合作取得丰硕成果,广西与越南进出口贸易在中国与东盟国家贸易往来格局中有着重要的地位和作用。本文运用贸易引力模型方法对广西与越南进出口贸易状况进行实证分析,研究影响因素,抓住问题关键,提出对策建议。     

“十二五”期间长三角如何实现区域发展规划目标

长三角是我国最重要的经济带和城市群,在我国整体经济发展中具有举足轻重的作用,长三角的功能定位如何关系到本区域发展规划如何实现,也关系到中国经济的总体发展。本文从地区和世界经济格局的角度分析了以上海为主体的长三角区域功能定位相关问题,对长三角建设先进制造业和现代服务业中心和建设世界级城市群等重大问题进行了深入分析并提出策略性认识,具有宏观远见和战略思维,值得参考。     

新农村建设中村委会的角色定位问题初探

村委会在社会主义新农村建设中具有重要的作用。然而,由于历史与现实因素的影响,不仅是村委会自身还是农民与上级政府组织,都还没有正确认识到村委会在新农村建设中的角色与职能。为此,要真正让新农村建设走上健康的发展轨道,必须明确村委会在新农村建设中的角色定位,以便更好地发挥其职能,推进新农村建设的更好发展。     

关于高校党政机关处级干部角色定位的思考

高校党政机关处级干部是办好高等教育的一支主导力量和核心队伍，随着高教改革的不断深入，他们在其角色扮演过程中面临着自我主体与自我客体、他我客体，“我”与自我单位生存与发展间的众多矛盾和困惑，如何做到正确的角色定位则是解决矛盾的基本途径。     

努力实现社会主义初级阶段的社会整合

处理好各种社会矛盾，化解社会在前进过程中逐渐积累起来的利益冲突、动力冲突、取向冲突和观念冲突，努力实现中国特色社会主义初级阶段的社会整合，是贯彻科学发展观、建构和谐社会的题内应有之义，是摆在我党面前的重要政治任务之一。     

云南少数民族体育的特点及产业化思路

少数民族众多、民族体育项目丰富是云南经济发展得天独厚的优势。通过对云南少数民族体育产业化发展现状的基本估计和分析 ,可以明确其体育产业化发展的市场定位 ,确定云南少数民族体育产业化的产业形式 ,进行科学、合理的区域布局。     

直面实践、知识生产对比与本土管理创新理论生成研究

学界正在对中国本土管理理论体系进行热议,而这种探讨还要建立在管理理论知识生产的探讨之后。基于此,通过直面管理的实践特性,追问管理学研究的本质,在管理理论知识生产类型的对比中,具体说是在管理理论知识生产层面深化探讨“管理经验说”“管理诠释论”与“管理构建说”,尤其要引入知识生产类型视角对其进行对比分析。其结论是“管理诠释论”这种知识生产进路在传统管理理论和管理思想史研究中有不可忽视的定位,其在现代管理理论知识生产导向管理科学化研究进路后被忽视,文章对此进行了深入揭示与论辩,也论证了其在面向未来直面实践的管理理论知识生产中仍有其不可代替的作用。为此凝聚了一个核心观点：管理诠释论也推动着管理理论知识生产。直面实践的中国管理理论研究需要在管理理论知识生产方式上进行融合,这将更有助于中国本土管理创新理论研究。     

When do People Value Rehabilitation and Restorative Justice Over the Punishment of Offenders?

The authors explored the characteristics of individuals that affect their attitudes toward restorative justice-—in which offenders, victims, and communities meet to redress the damage the offence had caused. Across three studies, participants completed questionnaires that assessed whether they believe that people in general, or offenders in particular, can change fundamentally as well as attitudes toward restorative justice, rehabilitation, and punishment. In one study, the questionnaire also included measures of social dominance orientation, goal orientation, and future clarity. Generally, participants who believed that offenders can change fundamentally were more likely to agree to participate in restorative justice meetings and endorse rehabilitation over punishment. Yet, the belief that individuals in general can change fundamentally was not significantly associated with these attitudes toward alternative responses to crime. Social dominance orientation was inversely, and a learning orientation and future clarity were positively, associated with this belief that offenders can change. Thus, interventions that diminish inequality in income, privileges, and influence—and thus curb a social dominance orientation—may foster an openness toward restorative justice. Initiatives that continually reward people who gradually develop their expertise, and thus promote a learning orientation, should also foster this openness toward alternatives to custodial sentences.     

Asset Ownership and Future Orientation of Youth and Their Parents: Evidence From Ghana

Although future orientation influences a variety of desirable behaviors, few studies have examined the relationship between economic resources and future orientation. In this study, we investigated whether and how asset ownership influences future orientation. We analyzed survey data collected from 3,007 Ghanaian youth and their parents. We used factor analysis to determine the psychometric qualities of our instruments, and propensity score analysis to examine the relationship between asset ownership and future orientation. Results suggest that asset ownership influences future orientation of youth and their parents. However, the direction of the relationship depends on the type of asset. Ownership of household possessions, including televisions contributes to higher levels of future orientation, but livestock ownership has a negative effect on future orientation. We discuss implications for future research, as well as programs for youth and their families.