Assessing the Effect of Incentive Regulation on Productive Efficiency in Telecommunications in the United States

The use of incentive regulation in telecommunications in the United States requires accurate measurement of the change in productivity. An approach to measuring productivity change, the Malmquist index approach, is introduced that not only provides a measure of that change but also allows for a decomposition into two mutually exclusive and exhaustive components—changes in technical efficiency over time and shifts in technology over time. Using annual data on four output measures and six input measures for the period 1988 to 1999 for nineteen local exchange carriers, the results indicate that productivity increased by about 5.5 percent per year. This growth is due primarily to innovation rather than improvements in efficiency. Of the nineteen LECs in the sample, eleven were operating efficiently throughout the entire 1988–1999 period. Of the remaining eight, four showed a slight improvement in efficiency while the efficiency of four declined. In the aggregate, however, there was virtually no change in efficiency. Finally, a comparison is made between two methods of estimating the change in productivity. The conventional growth accounting approach yields a lower estimate of the rate of change in productivity than the Malmquist index approach yield. The difference between these estimates is interpreted as the lower bound of the bias associated with the conventional growth accounting approach to measuring the growth in productivity.     

生态生产力研究中的问题探析

生态生产力理论是生态危机催生下的生产力研究中新的理论课题。生态生产力概念提出以来,以这一问题为研究对象的学术成果不断涌现。学者们对生态生产力的本质内涵、基本特点、结构与功能、发展的基本规律、实践途径等基本理论问题进行了较为全面的探讨,其研究逐渐深入化、系统化。然而对于一个新的理论领域,其研究中也存在着一些问题,如生态生产力概念界定不统一,生态生产力的理论定位不清等,弄清这些问题是生态生产力理论科学、健康发展的前提。     

论坚持社会生产力决定社会生产关系的基本原理

马克思主义理论揭示和历史经验表明,要实现执政党对经济工作,乃至政治、社会、文化等其他工作的正确领导,必须遵循社会生产力决定社会生产关系这一历史唯物主义基本原理。解决中国的问题,必须在辩证唯物论的指导下,准确把握基本国情,主要是社会生产力的发展状况。而深刻总结长期实践的经验教训和长期反复的斗争是准确把握基本国情的前提条件。     

基层服务型政府何以可能——基于后新公共管理视角

后新公共管理的理念与服务型政府的理念不谋而合,本文通过分析中国基层服务型政府构建过程中存在的问题,提出应借鉴后新公共管理理论来构建服务型基层政府,从而提高基层政府的生产力。     

Who will make the ‘best’ use of Africa’s land? Lessons from Zimbabwe

Conflict over African land – between smallholders and large industrial farmers and between domestic farmers and global agribusinesses – raises key questions about who will make the best use of African land and which farmers do most to decrease poverty and produce more food, industrial inputs and exports. Zimbabwe has already gone through two major changes in land occupation, and thus provides an important test of what is the ‘best’ use of the land. Three measures of ‘best’ use have been cited in Zimbabwe: reward for military victory, poverty reduction and agricultural production. Initial evidence indicates that commercial smallholder production is a better use of the land than larger, more mechanised farming.     

eGovernment

Abstract

This article gives an overview of policies and progress on eGovernment in Europe. Propelled by the implementation of the eEurope 2002 Action Plan, collaborative R&D work and the establishment of trans-European telematic networks between EU national administrations, eGovernment applications have developed dramatically in Europe. However, the first achievements will not fulfil their promises if further challenges are not addressed by the decision makers at all levels of government. Top-level leadership and commitment is necessary to deepen eGovernment, not least for the change management needed for reorganisation of government back offices. The transfer of eBusiness practices into the public sector can help to achieve increased productivity and inclusion, by ensuring access for all to government eServices. The Brussels eGovernment Conference in November 2001 highlighted both the quality of existing eGovernment applications and the potential of European cooperation. European administrations are setting new standards as a basis for further progress.     

马克思与恩格斯对唯物史观理解之差异

马克思与恩格斯对唯物史观的理解存在着差异:恩格斯限于"经济关系起决定作用"的观点,而马克思则进一步推进到"生产力与生产关系矛盾运动规律是推动历史发展的动力"的思想。这种差异反证了马克思才是创立唯物史观的第一提琴手。     

论贫困地区经济增长方式的转变

加快转变经济增长方式是《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十一个五年规划的建议》中提出的重大课题。我们认为,发达、较发达地区需要加快转变经济增长方式,贫困地区更需要转变。对前者来说,转变经济增长方式是为了加快发展;对后者而言,转变经济增长方式则不仅仅是为了脱贫。贫困地区经济增长方式转变的意义,不仅在于该地区会从粗放型经营方式向集约化经营方式转变,而且在于由于这一转变会带来贫困地区的社会分工、经济结构以及经济体制等发生裂变。     

从邓小平同志对生产力理论的贡献看全面建设小康社会

邓小平同志对生产力理论的创新作出了一系列重大贡献。小平同志提出了"生产力标准说";创立了生产力发展的"改革动力论";丰富了生产力因素的内涵;明确了生产力发展的目标,提出了"小康社会"的新概念。小平同志小康社会的思想为我国社会经济发展战略的制定和实施提供了重要依据。