Performance of Public–Private Partnerships and the Influence of Contractual Arrangements

This article seeks to answer two research questions: does public-private partnerships (ppp) live up to its promises to government? How do contractual arrangements affect ppp performance? We propose a conceptual framework to evaluate ppp performance by comparing actual project outcomes to government goals in initiating the partnerships, and to explore how a set of contractual arrangements affect the ppp performance on each identified goal. The framework is applied to a comparative case analysis of highway ppp experiences in the commonwealth of virginia (us) since the 1990s. The results show that these ppp cases were successful in accessing innovative finance, but their performance was mixed on reducing construction risk and transferring revenue risk. Generally improved over time with later projects, the ppp performance was affected not only by interaction among contractual arrangements –private partner selection, financial arrangements, role division, risk allocation, and project characteristics – but also by authorizing and supportive legislation in the policy domain.     

Diversity in times of austerity: documenting resistance in the academy

What happens to feminism in the university is parallel to what happens to feminism in other venues under economic restructuring: while the impoverished nation is forced to cut social services and thereby send women back to the hierarchy of the family, the academy likewise reduces its footprint in interdisciplinary structures and contains academic feminists back to the hierarchy of departments and disciplines. When the family and the department become powerful arbiters of cultural values, women and feminist academics by and large suffer: they either accept a diminished role or are pushed to compete in a system they recognize as antithetical to the foundational values of feminist priorities of social justice. Collaborative work to nurture diversity and interdisciplinarity does not register as individual accomplishment. This paper considers the necessity of this type of academic work to further the vision of a society committed to the collective values espoused by feminism and other areas in social justice.     

Wild property and its boundaries – on wildlife policy and rural consequences in South Africa

Against the backdrop of post-Apartheid neoliberal reform, South African landowners have gained the option to acquire full ownership over wild animals on their land. Corresponding with this, approximately one sixth of South Africa's total land has been ‘game-fenced’ and converted for wildlife-based production (i.e. hunting, ecotourism, live trade and venison production). This article analyzes the institutional process in which authority concerning access to wildlife is being restructured, and argues that the unfolding property regime leads to an intensified form of green grabbing. To demonstrate this, the article singles out three particular wildlife policy institutions which make clear (a) how private property rights to wildlife are negotiated and implemented, (b) how wildlife ownership is firmly interlocked with land ownership, (c) how natural entities are being converted to robust political and economical assets, and (d) what social consequences this has for rural South Africa.     

在知识创新中加速推进经济发展

在知识经济时代,知识的丰裕程度和创新是经济发展的决定性因素,对知识资源的开发利用水平,将从根本上决定一个国家经济增长的速度和质量.因此,大力建构以知识创新为核心的新经济增长动力机制,大力发展我国的知识产业.大力加强知识资源管理,对加快我国产业结构的优化升级,推进国有企业改革和现代化建设,深化分配制度改革等无疑具有极其重要的意义.     

中国宏观经济现状与发展态势分析

当前中国宏观经济随着产业结构调整和国有企业经济效益明显好转而出现稳步回升的势头,经济质量也出现新的转机。但我国城乡经济发展极不平衡,制约经济增长的结构性、制度性问题仍未得到根本解决,经济回升的基础还不够稳固。要将转机变为战略性转折,一方面,必须继续坚持扩大内需的扩张性政策,保持较高的经济增长速度;另一方面,必须探索和推动政治体制的改革和法律制度建设,以激发经济增长的内在动力,加快经济结构调整以促进制度创新,切实提高国民经济的整体质量和效益。     

中国西部开发中的环境财政金融问题探讨

中国目前实施的西部大开发和第１０个“五年”计划中,环境的治理和保护已成为实现经济增长和可持续发展的关键。本文从实际出发,按照市场经济原理,就国家、企业、个人和国际社会在环境保护和治理上,应承担的财政金融责任进行了较为深入地探讨．其目的在于实现发展与环保的统一与协调。     

西部开发:民族关系的变动及原因分析

本文从族际互动、国家行为、利益变动,对外开放等几个方面论述了西部开发给民族关系带来的影响,提出在开发中要注意处理宣传导向、预警机制、民族政策、文化冲突等几个方面的问题。     

甘肃农村旅游资源的开发及相关的几个问题

本文认为 ,农村旅游资源开发是今后甘肃旅游业发展的一个主要方向。应该重视农村旅游资源的普查和研究。文章指出在甘肃农村经济发展中 ,旅游业是可以培育为新的经济增长点的。     

邓小平经济民主思想与我国市场经济法制建设

邓小平经济民主思想的形成经历了三个阶段 ,其内容是市场主体多元化和经营民主化、政府管理经济民主化、经济体制运行民主化和市场主体内部管理民主化。在这一理论指导下 ,我国在市场主体、市场行为、市场体系、市场调控与管理、市场保障和市场经济程序等方面创制法律 ,初步形成我国社会主义市场经济法律制度框架。     

论西部大开发与国有经济的关系

我国西部地区是国有经济较为集中的地区 ,国有经济在西部大开发过程中仍然具有不可替代的重要作用 ,这是促进西部地区经济发展的决定性力量。