Productivity growth of East Asia economies' manufacturing: A decomposition analysis

Applying a stochastic production frontier to sector-level data within manufacturing, this paper examines total factor productivity (TFP) growth for seven East Asian economies during 1963–98, using both single country and cross-country regressions. The analysis focuses on the trend in technological progress (TP) and technical efficiency change (TEC), and the role of productivity change in economic growth. The empirical results reveal that although input factor accumulation is still the main source for East Asian economies' growth, TFP growth is accounting for an increasing and important proportion of output growth, among which the improved TEC plays a crucial role in productivity growth.     

The Transformation of Israel's Extreme Right

The extreme right in Israel was traditionally defined by its hawkish views on the occupied territories and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The decline of this political camp in the 1999 national elections brought many to the conclusion that the Israeli extreme right had died. The main argument of this article is that the king is dead - long live the king. Despite the popular belief that the extreme right in Israel is on the decline, the second wave of right-wing extremism is already here in a stronger and more prevalent form. By accepting a broader definition of the extreme right, it can be concluded that twenty percent of Israeli parliament members represent ideas similar to those of the European extreme right, especially antidemocracy and xenophobia.     

Toward Evaluating the Effectiveness of Regional Partnerships for Economic Development in U.S. Metropolitan Areas

During the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of regional partnerships in the United States to enhance economic development across local government jurisdictions. This trend has been mirrored by an increase in regional organizations in Europe, Asia and South America to enhance economic development, usually across national boundaries. While the literature has examined the formation, structure and activities of regional partnerships for economic development in the United States, this is the first study that attempts to measure their effectiveness across a large number of geographical areas using quantitative methods. The findings provide some evidence of their effectiveness in that there is a positive and significant relationship between regional partnerships and employment; the relationship between regional partnerships and income is positive but insignificant. This study may be informative in the further study of regional economic development organizations in other countries as well as regional partnerships and organizations in other policy arenas.     

Political Institutions and Public R&D Expenditures in Democratic Countries

While research and development (R&D) expenditure is crucial in a nation's competitive advantage, factors determining levels of public investment in R&D have yet to be examined. This article seeks to fill this void, focusing on different democratic institutions such as presidential versus parliamentary systems, majoritarian versus proportional electoral systems, federal versus unitary systems, bicameral versus unicameral legislatures, and the effective number of parties. Building upon theories of political institutions and government size and utilizing public R&D appropriations data from 18 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries between 1981 and 2007, this article reports that democratic institutions do matter in the levels of public R&D spending. However, the effect is more complicated across the different types and performers of research than expected. Additionally, the effect of one institutional dimension is found to be moderated by the existence of the other dimensions, which makes it clearly more challenging to sort out different degrees and directions of the relationships between R&D expenditures and political institutions.     

加快转变经济发展方式战略思想的形成、发展与实践

在2006年10月至2007年10月加快转变经济发展方式战略思想的提出和初步形成时期,胡锦涛提出了加快转型发展的新理念、新概念、新战略;在2007年10月至2012年加快转变经济发展方式战略思想的丰富和发展时期,目标方向、基本要求、政策导向、工作重点、战略关键等诸项战略思想逐步丰富和发展起来。党的十六大以来,胡锦涛提出和发展了加快转变经济发展方式的重大战略思想,反映了我们党对发展问题的新认识。十年来,我国推动转型发展在六个方面取得了可喜的进展。     

The 2000 E-Campaign for U.S. Senate

Abstract

The 2000 election saw another increase in the number of Web sites produced by candidates for the U.S. Senate, to over 90% for the major party candidates and nearly 60% for third-party candidates. A content analysis of these campaign Web sites finds an increase in design elements that advance campaign purposes, such as online and credit card contributions. At the same time, few features or services were directed to the mass electorate. The absence of voter registration information and privacy policies from the large majority of Web sites is particularly striking. Sites often lacked basic navigation tools, making it difficult to find desired information. They also took little advantage of the interactivity that makes Web sites such a powerful communication and marketing tool. Third-party candidate Web sites lagged behind those of Democrats and Republicans in most respects, with the notable exceptions of mentioning their party names and the candidates at the tops of their tickets. The study concludes that campaign Web sites have not leveled the playing field for third parties, nor become a vehicle for increasing voter education and activation of the mass electorate. Neither are these Web sites employing a relationship     

台湾政府在高新技术产业发展中的作用及其对广东的启示

台湾高新技术产业近 2 0年来发展迅速 ,其中一个重要原因就是政府十分重视对高新技术产业的扶持 ,并力求政府政策的制定符合高新技术产业发展的要求 ,从而有效地促进了本岛科技产业的发展。台湾政府在发展高新技术产业方面的成功经验 ,对广东高新技术产业的发展具有有益的启示。     

布热津斯基访华与中越华侨争端的公开化

中国选择在1978年5月24日,即布热津斯基结束访华的第二天公开中越两国在华侨问题上的争端,这首先是中越华侨争端已经严重到必须公开的结果,也是一种有目的的安排。中国通过这样的安排,有效地向外界传递了中美两国高层在会谈中有关越南和苏联问题的重要共识,并在某种程度上成功地使美国意识到,在中美关系完全正常化之前必须暂缓与越南实现关系正常化。     

西方债务危机背景下公共福利制度困境的探索与反思

在美欧债务危机背景下,公共福利制度遭遇阻滞社会发展的瓶颈,这种困境凸显在各国政府面前,引起社会各界的探索与反思。从学术角度来看,既要挖掘公共福利制度困境的理论诠释与缺陷,又要探索公共福利制度发展的理论框架与分析路径。从实践角度来分析,既要剖析妥善解决公共福利制度困境的主要影响因素,又要反思公共福利制度困境带来的逆向公正问题。归根结底,公共福利制度的改革势不可挡,公共组织、企业与社会组织都应该成为社会福利的责任主体,建立政府、市场与社会合作共担社会福利责任的机制迫在眉睫。     

美国联邦政府采购监督管理体系

美国是世界上最早实行政府采购制度的国家之一,其制度体系十分完善。本文介绍了美国联邦政府采购的监督管理体系,它是一个涵盖采购活动全过程的、包括多层次监督内容的、多主体参与的监督管理体系,该体系保障了美国联邦政府采购制度的有效运行,使得政府采购制度的优越性得到了充分发挥。