The governance of the World Bank: Lessons from the corporate sector

The World Bank Group (WBG) is a multilateral organization as well as a large financial conglomerate. The debate on its governance, however, has mainly focused on how to ensure more inclusive decision-making by strengthening the voice and representation of its entire membership. The WBG’s governance as a set of arrangements that enable the principal (shareholders) to oversee the agent (management) has so far been overlooked, even though the adequacy of such arrangements is relevant in all institutions wherein shareholders delegate to management the achievement of organizational objectives. In reviewing the institutional, historical, and current underpinnings of the WBG’s decision-making, we elaborate on the extent to which the Group follows best-practice corporate governance standards that have been designed with the aim of improving shareholders’ oversight. Drawing from a methodology developed by the IFC, an entity of the WBG, we analyze the Group’s internal governance, highlighting which aspects are furthest from (or closest to) current financial-sector best practices. In so doing, we provide a framework for prioritizing the most critical areas in which the WBG’s governance falls short of private-sector standards, and we identify the nature of possible remedies.

道路交通与管理对策

交通问题不单纯是一个技术问题,它关系到经济、社会、环境、科学技术等众多方面,牵涉到诸多利益的协调.而政府的发展战略和政策,极大地左右着交通发展的方向.具体讲,解决城市道路交通的主要手段有规划手段、工程手段、管理手段和智能交通手段.     

汽车试驾法律问题探析

汽车试驾是目前汽车销售商普遍采用的促销手段之一.由于当事人双方约定不明和法律规定不明确,汽车试驾过程中也经常就发生的人身、财产损害事故等发生法律争议.文章对此进行了探讨,提出应该在明确汽车经销商的法律义务的前提下来确定双方的法律责任,并针对试驾与《道路交通安全法》的法律适用中存在的问题提出了解决措施.     

中新建交30年的回顾与展望

2020年是中新建交30周年,30年来,中新关系在政治、经济、人文、安全等领域发展迅猛;频繁的高层互访、密切的经贸合作、丰富多彩的文化交流以及务实的军事合作,都彰显出双方关系的先进性与引领性。相互尊重、平等相待,与时俱进、效益优先,文明互鉴成为中新交往的宝贵经验和财富。中新在交往过程中讲究循序渐进、求同存异,充分尊重对方的发展模式,充分照顾对方的舒适度,成功地达成了一个又一个的政府间合作项目。毋庸讳言,30年来,中新关系也偶有嫌隙,但整体向好是一个大的发展趋势。2020年暴发的新冠肺炎疫情成为继第二次世界大战以来全球最具影响力的事件。突如其来的疫情既是严峻的考验,也为中新双方的合作带来了新的机遇。在后疫情时代,双方在医疗卫生、社会治理、数字经济、金融法律、第三方市场等领域的合作将大有作为。中新两国应当充分发挥"快捷通道"的作用,继续深化跨境电子商务、数字城市建设方面的合作,致力于将新加坡打造成"一带一路"的超级中转站。     

中国印尼货物贸易互补性分析

中国是印度尼西亚最主要的贸易伙伴之一,既是印尼最大的出口目的地,也是印尼第一大进口来源国。而对于中国来说,印尼不是主要的贸易伙伴,只是一个快速增长的新兴市场。从中印尼两国贸易商品结构分析的结论看,印尼可以在农业原材料、食品、燃料、矿物和金属方面加大对中国的出口,而中国可以在制成品方面加大对印尼的出口。两国贸易的互补性指数表明两国在技术条件、要素禀赋、所处的经济发展阶段等方面存在较大差异,基本属于垂直型产业间贸易,具有较为广阔的贸易发展空间。当前中国与印尼的贸易正面临着一些障碍与困境:印尼频繁对中国发起贸易救济立案,中国与印尼之间的传统能源贸易也面临不可持续的困境。鉴于以上各种原因,中国企业可以通过投资印尼,来提升两国的经济合作水平。     

“一带一路”倡议与中国企业承担人权责任策略探析

在经济全球化浪潮面临挑战和"一带一路"倡议方兴未艾的复杂国际背景下,中国企业面临发展机遇与人权相关风险的双重挑战。国际工商业与人权议程尤其是联合国《工商企业与人权:实施联合国"保护、尊重和补救"框架指导原则》蕴含着丰富的企业人权责任。我国可从政府与企业两个层面采取应对措施。在政府层面,可以制定并执行相关法律与政策;制定工作指引,建立监管体系;制定工商业与人权行动计划。在企业层面,应当把尊重人权原则纳入公司治理;主动发布人权履责报告,加强对话与合作。     

公共安全生产事故的产生与防范——政企合谋视角的解析

从政企合谋视角对公共安全生产事故的产生与防范进行解析,建立了一个中央政府一地方政府一企业的三层委托代理模型,考察了公共安全生产事故产生的机理,发现中央政府在对待政企合谋问题时,主要是在公共安全生产事故被披露时所造成的社会成本和对地方政府所付出的激励报酬之间进行权衡:存在一个临界值,当公共安全生产事故被披露时所造成的社会成本较高时,中央政府应对地方政府采取激励契约;当公共安全生产事故被披露所造成的社会成本较低时,则政府对地方政府采取固定报酬契约.进一步对模型相关参数进行比较静态分析,并据此对现实中的现象给予解释:(1)中央政府反合谋力度与社会发展阶段密切相关;(2)地方政府官员绩效考核体系不完善诱发政企合谋;(3)对企业惩罚的不可信加大了中央政府的防合谋成本;(4)公众监督降低了中央政府的防合谋成本.     

论人类共同继承财产理论的新发展——基于“一带一路”倡议的促动

伴随人类科技与文明的高速发展,人类共同继承财产理论中关于资源的所有权归属和实体财富的分配等要素已无法满足现代国际社会的发展需求。“一带一路”倡议在尊重《联合国宪章》的宗旨与和平共处五项原则的前提下,从国际关系的变迁、客体类型的扩大和法律规范的转型三个方面促动了人类共同继承财产理论的深化发展。在此基础上,加强“一带一路”倡议与现行国际法理论的互动研究,以期推动形成一项以人类命运共同体思想为核心的拟议国际法原则。     

Challenges of research in rural poverty: lessons from large field surveys

This practical note highlights lessons learnt during the data collection of two large field surveys as part of the ongoing “Sindh Union Council and Economic Strengthening Support” (SUCCESS) programme in southern Pakistan. The experience is discussed in terms of language barriers, the educational status of households, dealing with people’s expectations and non-cooperation, and the weather conditions. The note also highlights the practice of public sharing of data in real-time to improve the design and implementation of future surveys, especially those measuring poverty and quality of life.     

How China’s New Silk Road Threatens European Trade

For all the promises of mutually beneficial cooperation, Chinese policy documents about the New Silk Road, also called ‘One Belt, One Road’, mostly testify to a strong ambition to unlock foreign markets and support domestic firms in taking on foreign competitors. This confirms China’s shift from defensive mercantilism, which aims to protect the home market, towards offensive mercantilism, which seeks to gain market shares abroad. In a context of global economic stagnation, this comes as a major challenge to Europe. As China’s market share grows spectacularly in countries along the New Silk Road, key European member states have both lost market shares and even seen their exports shrink in absolute terms.