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Purpose: This study aims to investigate the factors affecting urban economic development in emerging economic market countries and to provide a new research perspective on urban skyscraper construction. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical analysis based on a difference-in-differences (DID) model is conducted using data of urban data in China that expand into developed markets from 2003 to 2018. Findings: The results of the spatial heterogeneity test indicate that the construction of skyscrapers has a significant promotional effect on the eastern city's economy. In contrast, it has a significant inhibitory effect in the central and western regions. Further findings demonstrate that the construction of skyscrapers can influence urban economic development by promoting industrial agglomeration, especially when the transmission effect of the diversified accumulation of tertiary industry is more prominent. The expansion analysis shows that skyscrapers have increased the level of trade in the city, and the impact on trade has an optimal height. Research limitations/implications: This paper focuses on the economic and trade effects of skyscrapers, and the optimal height of skyscrapers needs to be discussed in more depth, which is also the next problem the researchers need to study. Practical implications: The government should attach importance to and promote the construction of urban skyscrapers, and do a good job in overall planning and design. The city should formulate preferential policies in land, taxation, finance, system and other aspects to increase support for urban skyscraper construction and promote local economic development. Originality/value: This study focuses on the impact of urban skyscraper construction on the economic and trade development of cities in developing countries, which not only complements the relevant research on the economic effects of urban skyscraper construction, but also helps to provide reference for the sustainable development of urbanization in many developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author of the new book "The Capitalism Papers: Fatal Flaws of an Obsolete System" discusses various contradictions associated with global capitalism and dependency of economic and social activity on nature. He explains how the elements of natural world transform economy of the world. He concludes that environmental crisis and financial crises need to be solved simultaneously to overcome them.

Venture capital market is one of the most important financial markets, which plays an important role in promoting industrial innovation and economic development. In this study, the complete data set of all venture capital events occurred in China from 2009 to 2020 was used to construct two kinds of complex networks, whose topological property and dynamic evolution trend of the network are studied. Specifically, we construct the co-investment network among investor, as well as the binary complex network of investor-entrepreneur, and propose the evaluation method of the importance and performance of venture capital institutions. Based on the proposed method, we identify some leading venture capital institutions with high performance and importance. Furthermore, this paper enlightens venture capital practitioners by discovering the investment behavior and preference of these leading institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advance of industrialization and urbanization and the intensified impact of global climate change, the contradiction between the global water shortage and economic growth has become prominent. This paper, taking Henan province as an example, analyzed the influence of water resource policy on regional economic growth through a calculable general equilibrium model and further discussed the relevant policy recommendations. The results showed that the improvement of water supply, water efficiency and water technology could promote the growth of the regional economy and result in a positive effect on regional GDP, employment and resident income. However, the rise of water price has a negative impact on regional economic development, mainly reflected in regional GDP, employment and household income. The improvement of water price, water efficiency and water conservancy technology would lead to a decrease in regional water consumption, while only the increase of the water supply would lead to an increase in water consumption. Accordingly, the paper puts forward policy suggestions, such as accelerating the improvement of water conservancy facilities, establishing a reasonable water price mechanism and actively exploring experience in water conservation and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information is presented about the topics discussed at the Hawkins Wright Symposium 2013 held during the British Wood Pulp Week (BWPW) on November 14, 2013, in London. Topics included a forecast for the global economy presented by Diego Iscara from economic information provider IHS Global Insight, the connection between pulp and bioenergy, and the tissue market in North Africa and the Middle East.

Achieving high-quality economic development under the new development pattern has become an inevitable requirement for China’s economic development. Correctly calculating the value of water resources and optimizing the price mechanism of water resources is one of the important guarantees for promoting the high-quality development of the regional economy. Based on this fact, this paper takes Hubei Province as an example to construct a coupling relationship model between water resources and economic high-quality development and to evaluate the coupling coordination between the two. And then, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is used to evaluate the value of water resources in Hubei Province, and recalculate its water price. The results show that Hubei province now is a lagging development of water resources, and the current water price is far lower than assessed. The government should improve the mechanism of water price which should be driven by innovation to adjust the water use structure, finally achieve high-quality economic development of Hubei Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Any kind of production flow is obtained not from individual production organizations but from a more or less widespread Production Network of interconnected production modules located in different places and times. All of these modules are, consciously or not, necessarily connected, interacting and cooperating in a coordinated way to combine and arrange, step by step, the factors, materials, components, manpower, machines and equipment to obtain flows of products' final goods, in particular' and to sell these where there is a demand for them. The purpose of this paper is to determine, in logical and formal terms, the minimum conditions that bring about the formation of production networks and to discover the laws that explain their dynamics over time. Design/methodology/approach: At the global level, the continuous and accelerated economic progress of mankind is witnessed. There is an increase in the quantity and quality of satisfied and yet to be satisfied needs, of attained and yet to be attained aspirations. The increase in productivity and in quality has become unstoppable and appears to guide the other variables in the system. It is natural to ask who produces and governs these phenomena. It does indeed seem there is a Ghost in the "Production" machine whose invisible hand produces growing levels of productivity and quality, increases the quality and quantity of satisfied needs and aspirations and reduces the burden of work, thus producing increasingly higher levels of progress in the entire economic system. This conceptual framework gives a simple answer: there is nothing metaphysical about this evolution towards unstoppable and irreversible progress, and it is produced by the spontaneous genesis and activity of selfish nodes and governed by the rules and laws of the production networks. Findings: The author has identified ten "rules of selfish behavior" on the part of the nodes, whose application necessarily and inevitably produces three evolutionary dynamic processes "which refer to the network as an entity" which the author has called the "rules of the production networks" to emphasize their cogency: continual expansion, elasticity-resiliency and continual improvement in performance. The cognitive and creative processes that characterize the nodes do not allow us to predict the actual evolution of production networks; nevertheless, if it is assumed that nodes "consciously or not" follow the 10 "rules of selfish behavior", then several typical trends, or behavioural schema, can be deduced which the author has called as the "laws of networks", to highlight their apparent inevitability and cogency. Research limitations/implications: More than any other structure, Production Networks display Holland's features and Arthur's properties as their modules, viewed as autonomous entities with cognitive functions, represent a collectivity of agents that interact and exchange information with their environment to maintain over time their internal processes through adaptation, self-preservation, evolution and cognition, making individual and collective decisions as part of a network of micro behaviours. Social implications: This new conception of production through production networks, which takes into account the "rules" and "laws" regulating their behaviour, also sheds new light on the development of networks and their natural tendency to become globalized. Originality/value: Although the concept of a network is becoming more popular in economic and business studies, it is yet to see an interpretation of production as deriving exclusively from the actions of increasingly larger networks. This paper presents an integrated view of production that does not discard the notion that production is carried out by organizations and companies but introduces the broader concept of the integration among organizations, which must be interpreted as nodes of a broader network that produces the flows of all the components needed to obtain the flow of a specific product. This represents an innovative view that will help us in understanding the difficulties policymakers encounter in governing production and controlling the basic variables that characterize it, specifically productivity, quality, quantity, prices and value. This perspective also allows to derive rules and laws for the behaviour of production networks that appear to be cogent and unvarying over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: High-tech industries play an important role in promoting economic and social development. The purpose of this paper is to accurately predict and analyze the output value of high-tech products in Guangdong Province, China, by using a multivariable grey model. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the principle of fractional order accumulation, this study proposes a multivariable grey prediction model. To further enhance the prediction ability and accuracy of the model, an optimized model is established by reconstructing the background value. The optimal parameters are solved by minimizing the average relative error of the system characteristic sequence with the constraint of parameter relationships. Findings: The results from the study show that the two proposed models exhibit better simulation and prediction performance than the traditional models, while the optimized model can significantly improve the modelling precision. In addition, it is predicted that the output value of high-tech products is 12,269.443bn yuan in 2021, which will approximately double from 2016 to 2021. Research limitations/implications: The two proposed models can be used to forecast the trend of the system and are grown as an effective extension and supplement of the traditional multivariable grey forecasting models. Practical implications: The forecast and analysis of the development prospects of high-tech industries would be useful for the government departments of Guangdong Province and professional forecasters to grasp the future of high-tech industries and formulate decision planning. Originality/value: A new multivariable grey prediction model based on fractional order accumulation and its optimized model obtained by reconstructing the background value, which can improve the modelling accuracy of the traditional model, is proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses political, economic, and social developments in Romania as of April 2017. Also cited are the personal life history of Florica Stuparu to present the experiences of the Roma Holocaust survivors in the country, as well as the comments by survivor Ioan Constantin and Roma Survivors of Deportations to Transnistria group project manager Petre Matei on the plight of the survivors.

The effect of resource usage on economic growth has been investigated in many papers and the generic effect of resource usage efficacy by improving technical skills has been discussed. However, the impact of environmental pollution and the effect of memory property of the economic variables on economic growth have not been studied in detail. In this paper, a new resource depletion model, in which fractional derivative describes the memory property of economic variables, is built. Firstly, the influence of the environmental pollution on economic growth is analyzed. The results show the model is extreme sensitive to some parameters with considering the impact of environmental pollution. The small change of the parameters can lead a collapse of the economy in a short time. Meanwhile, new equilibrium region of economic growth can be obtained with considering the effect of the memory property of economic variables. Secondly, the effect of externally stochastic perturbation on the average of capital is studied, and the result shows random excitation can not only impede but also promote the development of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role that private sector businesses play in economic development in China, comparing it with the impact of state capitalism on China's economic conditions. An overview of Chinese industrial state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including their contribution to China's gross domestic product (GDP), is provided.

This paper examines the extent of poverty in Russia and analyses the government's policies to combat it. Russia's fight against poverty only targets the most extreme poverty, not the entire lower third of the population which sociologists consider "poor." Extreme poverty, which affects about every eighth Russian, has become the focus of political attention, as shown by Putin's promise to halve poverty in Russia by 2024. To achieve this goal, Russia needs a sustained high rate of economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses new and existing methods to study collective trends across countries throughout the pandemic, with a focus on the multivariate time series of reproduction numbers and vaccine proliferation. We begin with a time-varying analysis of the collective nature of infectivity, where we evaluate the eigenspectrum and collective magnitude of reproduction number time series on a country-by-country basis. Next, we study the topology of this eigenspectrum, measuring the deviation between all points in time, and introduce a graph-theoretic methodology to reveal a clear partition in global infectivity dynamics. Then, we compare countries' vaccine rollouts with economic indicators such as their GDP and HDI in a collective fashion. We investigate time-varying consistency and determine points in time where there is the greatest discrepancy between these indicators as a whole. Our two primary findings are a considerable increase in collective infectivity in the latter half of the period, and a concave-up ("down then up") pattern in the collective consistency between vaccine coverage and economic/development indicators across countries. • We study pandemic and socioeconomic data on a country-by-country basis. • We investigate collective strength among reproduction number time series. • A graph-theoretic approach confirms an observed regime shift in March/April 2021. • We analyse time-varying inconsistency between vaccine proliferation and HDI/GDP. • Inconsistency curves reveal clear insights including very similar concave behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are encountering deep financial crisis. One of the basic problems we face is how to predict financial developments. Current modelling is clearly insufficient since continuity of autocorrelation oversmoothes the empirical financial data. We prove that geometric probability to chose positive definite continuous covariance by financial data is zero. We also have the empirical evidence for this fact from real stock data. In order to overcome this gap we introduce the novel abc class of semicontinuous covariance functions, which integrates both continuous and discontinuous covariances. The abc class of covariances is much more flexible, powerful, and realistic than its continuous counterpart. It gives answer to the question why financial markets face negative interest rates, cyclic downbreaks, and other difficulties nowadays. As it is clearly illustrated in this paper, the experimenter (e.g. the financial institution) can choose only up to some extent whether abc class member will be positive definite everywhere. To the best knowledge of the authors this fits well to the own Kolmogorov’s opinions on axiomatic theory of probability. The Kolmogorov’s axiomatic theory of probability was developed as one possible alternative in order to utilize the flexibility of Lebesgue integral in probability theory, but in many experiments e.g. in physics and finance, one should go beyond this axiomatics. That means one should accept negative probabilities (and consequently negative definite covariance functions). In this paper we clarify that the modeler’s choice of positive/negative definite functions should be considered within broader Information Theory setup. The introduced abc class is purely topologically defined, with soft regularity conditions on covariances, which are still applicable for increasing and infill domain asymptotics for regression problems, kriging, and finance. These conditions are related to semicontinuous maps of Ornstein Uhlenbeck (OU) processes. We provide several novel results for optimal design of random fields with abc covariances, random walks in finance, and probabilities of ruins related to shocks (e.g. by earthquakes). In particular, we construct a random walk model with semicontinuous covariance. The novel abc class provides a proper environment for unifying several contradictions on IS/ML model in the economic literature. All mentioned novel economical applications are hardly visible from currently used “continuous covariance” framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droughts are current challenges to the economic, social and environmental development of a region, as reflected in European Union (EU) water policies. In addition, the impacts of droughts can be aggravated by climate change effects, adding pressure to already water stressed areas in the EU. This paper presents a general overview of drought management policies in the EU and in Spain. The paper studies the specific case of Spain, where drought management policies have evolved from traditional emergency actions to Drought Management Plans (DMPs). Historical droughts and the main drought episodes occurring over the last 30 years in Spain, together with the actions taken and the effects produced, are analysed. The National Indicator System for Droughts has played a significant role in drought management since 2005, serving to declare drought situations, and also to apply measures and actions to be carried out by the Spanish Administration. In addition, DMPs for all River Basin Organisations (RBOs) were approved in 2007, and they have represented strategic tools with positive results in drought impact mitigation and have stressed the importance of public participation in the decision-making process for drought events. These plans must be updated in 2017 and are now being revised, taking into account the experience acquired since their approval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the currency adopted by Malaysia in 1996. The banknotes represent Malaysia's goal of becoming a fully developed country by the year 2020. The six denominations of the Malaysian currency, known as ringgit, include state-of-the-art security features and modern symbols of transportation and communications. The article details the security features hidden in the design of the currency to prevent counterfeiting.

Knowledge diffusion is the main driving force behind technology innovation, economic development and social progress. Based on the fact that the people prefer to spread knowledge to their acquaintances, a friendship-based altruistic incentive knowledge diffusion model (SIH model) is proposed in this paper. In the model, we design an altruistic incentive mechanisms whereby an individual can benefit from his friends as the knowledge level increases. We derive mean-field equations to describe the dynamics of knowledge transmission in friendship networks. The theoretical analysis identifies a criterion for the persistence of the infected and the susceptible individuals. The simulations include two aspects: the density of individuals, and the performance of knowledge diffusion. The density results show that the cost rates between the infected and hesitant individuals have a significant effect on the rate of knowledge transmission. Additionally, the diffusion performance of regular networks is greater than small-world networks and scale-free networks in our diffusion mechanism. Furthermore, experiments are performed among three classes in two courses, and the average scores and standard deviations are compared. The results verify the positive effect of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real-world situations, substitution may occur in the event of a product stock-out, and some products are complements with others. However, the classical inventory models ignore these conditions. This paper addresses an economic order quantity (EOQ) model to determine the joint ordering policy for two products under completion and substitution conditions. The proposed model determines order quantities for two products in order to optimize the total cost of inventory, including setup and holding costs. To formulate the problem, two special cases are discussed and analyzed in detail. Furthermore, the pseudo-convexity of the total cost functions is derived, and then a solution procedure is suggested. Numerical examples are presented and an analysis of sensitivity is conducted, using Matlab and Lingo solver, in order to investigate the impact of input parameters on the optimal policy. The results show that proposed model saves the costs as opposed to the traditional EOQ model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the impact of delayed tax revenues on the outcomes of fiscal policy. The analytical framework is the Goodwin growth cycle model, which is founded on the Volterra predator-prey equations. We study the dynamic behavior of the system analytically proving the existence of Hopf bifurcations, which may be supercritical and subcritical. In the numerical simulations, which follows the qualitative analysis, it is shown that, given the degree of competition in the markets, fiscal policy purposes may become consistent with their real outcomes only if policy makers are able to control the delay in the structure of the tax system. Nevertheless, there are in the system elements out of the control of the policy makers. These elements imply the possibility to make partially ineffectual the stabilization policy, because of the risk to overcome the minimum public expenditure able to stabilize the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of tourism, the number of tourists is rapidly increasing. However, too many concentrated tourists at peak-tour have resulted in the distribution imbalance of tourists in the scenic area. Now the imbalance diminishes tourist satisfaction and destructs the ecological environment. Thus the contradictions between economic development and ecological environment protection of the scenic area are becoming increasingly acute. Tourists shunt and scheduling, which is a hot topic of tourism management, will help realize the load balance of the scenic area and ease the contradictions between economic development and environmental protection. In this paper, we build a simulation model of tourist shunt in real-time for scenic area, and search an optimal shunt scheme of various time-periods through genetic algorithm. Finally we take the scenic area of Jiuzhai Valley as an example and verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a serious concern in emerging economies, as it impacts human development, livelihoods, environment and economic growth. Policies should be formulated in a way that reflects the problem of water scarcity and is oriented towards providing solutions. The science-policy interface can play a key role in translating scientific knowledge into policy action and in mitigating water scarcity of emerging economies like that of India. Hence, the paper aims to review scientific knowledge on water scarcity in India, and analyze the extent to which this knowledge is reflected in the water policies - to understand the science-policy interface. This has been done by extensive review of various scientific approaches used to assess water scarcity at the national and state level. The analysis indicates that Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat in the north-west, and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the south experience high water scarcity. To analyze whether this scientific knowledge has been translated into policy, existing water policies were critically reviewed. The paper, by identifying key policy areas, discusses challenges and opportunities for strengthening the science-policy interface, in the context of water scarcity mitigation. The paper argues that translating scientific knowledge into policy action continues to be a major challenge in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the first-ever White Paper issued by China on April 21, 2011, titled "China's Foreign Aid." It provided an overall picture of the country's foreign aid activities over the past decades. The White Paper was issued by the Information Office of the State Council and it introduced China's foreign aid policy and the financial resources that the aid has drawn upon in the past. The author lists the eight forms on how China offers foreign aid such as complete projects, goods and materials and technical cooperation.

This paper investigates how dividend policies may influence the creation and propagation of cycles between real economy and financial markets. We focus on the effect of a constant dividend policy on the stability of the aggregate economy, by means of a discrete dynamical framework in which managers, individuals and financial mediators coexist. We show the counter-intuitive effect of the dividend payout ratio: in a developed economy, an increase in dividends leads to a lower stock price level due to the cross-feedback effect between markets. Moreover, in non-developed economies the choice of managers and individuals may not influence the propagation of fluctuations, while in developed economies, high payout ratios and high sensitivity to market trends trigger a cross-feedback effect between the two markets that amplifies their volatility and drags the whole economy into fluctuations and cycles. • The paper investigates, in a discrete dynamical framework, how dividend payout policies influence the creation and propagation of cycles between the real economy and financial markets. • In developed economies, an increase in dividends leads to a lower price level in equilibrium due to the cross-feedback effect between markets. • The stability of the system is guaranteed by a low dividend rate or when the decision of individuals regarding financial investments is not highly sensitive to the stock trend. • The instability of the economy depends on the development level of the country: in non-developed economies the choice of managers and individuals may not influence the propagation of fluctuations. • In developed economies, high payout ratios and high sensitivity to market trends trigger a cross-feedback effect between the two markets, amplifying their volatility and dragging the whole economy into fluctuations and cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to build a support vector machine (SVM) model to evaluate the city air quality level, using the three main air pollutants selected as evaluation index. Design/methodology/approach – PM10, SO2, NO2 are the most important three air pollutants and their concentration data are selected as the influencing factor. And the SVM model is build and used to evaluate the air quality level of 29 major cities in China 2011. The cross-validation is adopted to select optimal penalty parameters and optimal kernel function, and the classification accuracies achieved under different normalization methods and kernel functions are compared in the end. Findings – The study found, the parameters and kernel functions chosen by the SVM model have influence on the model's prediction accuracy. Through continuous optimization of model parameters, finally it is found that the model performs better with [0, 1] normalization method and RBF kernel function. It proves that SVM classification model is effective in dealing with the problem of city air quality evaluation. Practical implications – The result of this study shows that the SVM classification model can be well applied to predict the city air quality level by using air pollutants concentration data as evaluation index. It can help the government and relevant department issue corresponding environmental policy and environmental protection measures. Originality/value – The qualitative and quantitative study method are combined in this paper, on the basis of predecessors’ research results, as well as careful analysis to select evaluation index. The SVM classification model build is simulated by using Matlab technique, beyond comparing the accuracy, its outcomes and its efficiency in classification are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current lack of knowledge about small towns, the great diversity of such settlements and the pressure to 'scale up' interventions make it difficult for policy makers and practitioners to develop models which are suitable for these towns. Currently, principles and practices informing models for water services in urban and rural areas are applied in small towns without question. This paper highlights how these principles that are engrained in the sector, may be pernicious for expanding water services in small towns as the realities of these towns may not be conducive for models incorporating these principles. Often these models are adapted to the realities of small towns to benefit water services provision. However, these adaptations are rarely documented. The little documentation of these adaptations is a consequence, we argue, of two main factors. First, such adaptations question the suitability of the models present in the sector and alter the principles on which these models are based. Secondly, the great range of adaptations linked to the diversity of small towns. Taking such adaptations seriously then limits the replicability of models, making them less suitable for scaling up interventions. As a result, certain dogmas underlying water services models continue to be reproduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustaining the water supply in megacities is an enormous challenge. To address this challenge, it is especially important to predict water demand changes in megacities. This paper presents a system dynamics model to predict the future water demands of different sectors considering multiple factors, including population, structure of the economy, and water supply and use technologies. Compared with traditional methods such as the time series method and structure analysis method, the proposed model takes into account the interconnections, non-linear relationships and feedbacks between the various factors in a systems context. The model is applied to Beijing, a megacity with a population over 20 million and very limited water availability. It is found that the total water demand is likely to increase by at least 36.1% (up to 62.5%) by 2030 compared with that in 2011, and the water deficits vary from -0.36 × 109 to 1.80 × 109m3 in 2030. In addition, scenarios are designed to account for impacts associated with economic development, climate change and inter-basin water transfers. It is shown that climate change may have a large impact on the water supply reliability in Beijing. The water shortage problems can be alleviated via inter-basin water transfers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to understand and explore the causal relationship of elements responsible for the macro vicious cycle of poverty in Guinea-Bissau, and discuss policies to break it.Design/methodology/approach The methodology used in this study is based on the system dynamics simulation paradigm.Findings Breaking the Guinean poverty cycle requires a multifaceted approach involving more resources and the building of several national capabilities. Traditional approaches tend to fail.Research limitations/implications Limitations come from the level of abstraction used in the model, which does not detail the processes for building specific capabilities and their interrelationships, and the necessary exclusion of variables that may have an impact in the process. Considering implications, the study models the evolution of human development index (HDI) in Guinea-Bissau, linking it to the economy and political sectors and allowing the simulation of different scenarios.Practical implications The study presents a critical stance towards common recommendations from international agencies, and it provides a blueprint for development of more effective public policies.Social implications Overcoming the poverty trap in sub-Saharan countries remains a challenge for the international community. The study aims at helping in the process of integrating different frameworks into a compact and manageable model.Originality/value The study contributes to the system dynamics and economic development literatures by presenting an integrative model of human development in Guinea-Bissau. There is no study in the system dynamics literature modelling the relationship of HDI to economy and political sectors while different and contradictory points of view characterize the economics literature, leaving well-meaning public officials in Guinea-Bissau at a loss of mental models to tackle the poverty trap in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deregulation of electricity retail markets requires the development of new modeling approaches for the optimal setting of dynamic tariffs, in which consumers’ responses according to their flexibility to schedule demand are considered. Retailers and consumers have conflicting goals: the former aim to maximize profits and the latter aim to reduce electricity bills. Also, there is a hierarchical relation between them, as retailers (upper-level decision makers) determine the pricing strategy and consumers (lower-level decision makers) react by scheduling their loads according to price signals and comfort requirements. This is a bi-level optimization problem. In this paper, typical residential loads are considered and three scenarios of feasible windows of appliance operation are established. Two new population-based approaches, an evolutionary algorithm and a particle swarm optimization algorithm, are developed to solve the bi-level problem. The results obtained are then compared with a hybrid algorithm that solves the lower-level problem exactly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the release of the White Paper periodical in Shanghai, China. Publication of the business performance of the retail firms in the area; Aims of the publisher to provide information about economic development; Number of distributors.

The article presents the discussion on Levelling Up White Paper. Topics include analysis of spatial inequalities hampering economic growth, health, wealth and education outcomes; supporting better productivity and innovation of businesses, and strengthening every community's sense of place; and single college trying to make sense for the students and employers of the ‘plethora' of interventions and programmes.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an assessment of Malaysia's renewable capacity target. Malaysia relies heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation. To diversify the fuel-mix, a technology-specific target has been set by the government in 2010. Considering the complexity in generation expansion, there is a dire need for an assessment model that can evaluate policy in a feedback fashion. The study also aims to expand policy evaluation literature in electricity domain by taking a dynamic systems approach. Design/methodology/approach – System dynamics modelling and simulation approach is used in this study. The model variables, selected from literature, are constituted into casual loop diagram. Later, a stock and flow diagram is developed by integrating planning, construction, operation, and decision making sub-models. The dynamic interactions between the sub-sectors are analysed based on the short-, medium- and long-term policy targets. Findings – Annual capacity constructions fail to achieve short-, medium- and long-term targets. However, the difference in operational capacity and medium- and long-term target are small. In terms of technology, solar photovoltaic (PV) attains the highest level of capacity followed by biomass. Research limitations/implications – While financial calculations are crucial for capacity expansion decisions, currently they are not being modelled; this study primarily focuses on system delays and exogenous components only. Practical implications – A useful model that offers regulators and investors insights on system characteristics and policy targets simultaneously. Originality/value – This paper provides a model for evaluating policy for renewable capacity expansion development in a dynamic context, for Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to estimate the values of environmental efficiency of each province in China. Subsequently, it analyzes the changes of total factor productivity (TFP) before and after taking the environmental factors into account. Finally, the paper measures the effect of the components of environmental TFP on the convergence of economic growth. Design/methodology/approach – The environmental control variables are taken as output variables and combined with a traditional data envelopment analysis model to build an environmental TFP Index. The growth of environmental TFP is compared among regions and the differences are analyzed. Furthermore, the decomposed components (advances in environmental technology and environmental technical efficiency) are used for regression analysis with labor productivity. Findings – The environmental efficiency of most provinces in China has improved although some regions' efficiency remains low in Northeastern China. The value of environmental TFP is higher and more fluctuant during the period of 1997-2009 than that of traditional TFP. Technical efficiency has a convergence effect on economic growth of regions/provinces, but, after adding environmental factors, it turns into a divergence effect. Research limitations/implications – Because of data limitations, this paper does not consider the impacts of human capital and other factors on in the convergence analysis on economic. Neither does it consider the use of panel data to analyze the convergence of economic growth and validate the conclusions. These are potential further research directions. Practical implications – The study confirms that improvements in environmental technologies play a dominant role in enhancing China's environmental TFP. Furthermore, it demonstrates that China's economic growth largely depends on technological progress. This finding, that China's economic growth depends on advances in environmental technology, implies that China should strive to improve its capacity for technological innovation. Originality/value – The paper measures the value of environmental efficiency in the China's provinces and analyzes the relationship between pollution and economic development in each province. Panel data are used to compare the difference among environmental TFP, environmental factors and traditional TFP. The convergence of economic growth is analyzed in respect of environmental control variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses two approaches to guiding the inclusion of the poor and vulnerable in clean water and sanitation programmes in the framework of Sustainable Development Goals. It proposes an operational and adapted participatory approach for identifying the poorest and most vulnerable, which has become a central interest for inclusive development policies worldwide post Millennium Development Goals. Then, it proposes an inclusive water poverty index for the inclusion of the poor and vulnerable. This index, with six components, materializes the spatial and temporal equity in the distribution of water and sanitation services through a given district or municipality, particularly in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ownership of development processes has been high on the international agenda since the Paris Declaration of 2005. There is, however, much discussion about whether highly aid-dependent governments can really 'own' policy reforms in their countries. In this paper, we argue that the ownership of policy reforms is the outcome of an interaction between individual agency and structural conditions. Taking the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Burkina Faso (since 1996) and Mali (since 2004) as an entry point, the paper describes the interplay between national policy makers, international organizations and dominant development discourses in the shaping of water policy reforms in both countries over the past 15 years. Despite the apparent uniformity of the global 1WRM paradigm, a qualitative comparison of water policy changes in the two countries shows that policy reforms, as well as the extent to which they are 'owned' by national policy makers, are significantly distinct. This can be explained by different forms of individual agency and diverse structural conditions at a national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the interconnections between real economy and the financial market in a discrete dynamical framework. We focus on the effect of the dividend policy decided by managers and the expectations of investors about future payments. We found that an excessively high dividend payout ratio erodes the economy, while in the opposite case instability and fluctuations arise. By means of analytical results and numerical simulations we show that the positive return of government bonds leads to instability, while investors' expectations modify the path of the asset price. • We investigate the co-evolution of physical capital and a financial asset. • An excessively high dividend payout ratio may erode the economy. • A low dividend payout might cause economic fluctuations. • Positive returns for government bonds lead to instability. • Unfulfilled expectations over dividends affect the path of the asset price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we assume that under the balanced and optimal economic growth path, the economic growth rate is equal to the consumption growth rate, from which we can obtain the ordinary differential equation governing the consumption level by solving an optimal control problem. Then, a novel numerical method, namely a so-called discontinuous Galerkin method, is applied to solve the ordinary differential equation. The error estimation and the superconvergence estimation of this method are also performed. The model’s mechanism, which makes our assumption coherent, is that once the energy intensity is given, the economic growth is determined, followed by the GDP, the energy demand and the emissions. By applying this model to China, we obtain the conclusion that under the balanced and optimal economic growth path the CO 2 emission will reach its peak in 2030 in China, which is consistent with the U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change and with other previous scientific results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – For solving the dilemma between the cognitive cost and value of the uncertainty and negative feedback loop formed by them in the knowledge transfer process, the purpose of this paper is to attempt to construct a new web-based knowledge flow model to find an alternative diffusion path which had become the inevitable choice in achieving Industry-University collaboration. Design/methodology/approach – In view of this, based on the statistical data compilation of the Universities of Science and Technology of China from 2002 to 2008, the visual diagrams, econometric model and grey incidence model were used to analyze the situation of the technology innovation and technology transformation on the combined learning with research in Jiangsu. Then, the conceptual model and the organization management pattern for network-based Industry-University-Research collaboration was put forward. Findings – The results are convincing: the new web-based knowledge flow model in this paper could overcome barriers in the knowledge flow process of the Industry-University collaboration with the innovation and the integration of the cross-border and also promote the exchange of knowledge especially for tacit knowledge and value-added mobile and can also improve the regional technological innovation ability and technology transformation capabilities. Originality/value – The paper succeeds in constructing the web-based knowledge flow model to develop the Industry-University collaboration and help improve regional innovation and technology transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to research the status quo and future trends of the income elasticity of the consumer demand of Chinese rural residents. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses model ELES and model GM (1,1) to analyze and predict the income elasticity of consumer demand in the rural areas of China. Findings – The findings show the indicator that the income elasticity of consumer demand in the rural areas of China is quite large at present, but most sub-categories of the indicators show a declining trend in the future. Practical implications – The paper includes implications for the relevant departments to adjust the economic polices timely and reasonably according to specific form based on the findings above. Originality/value – The income elasticity of consumer demand is an important indicator, reflecting the relationship between consumer demand and income, so it is of great significance to research it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the motives that pushed the Chinese leaders to build the Great Firewall and the political functions attached to it. The paper argues that the immaterial wall is a way to preserve an authoritarian regime with little legitimacy because mainly based on fast economic growth. From this perspective, the purpose of the Great Firewall is not to ban access to Internet but to prevent certain western ideas to spread, so perceived as threatening the regime's stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A risk assessment model for water shortage is constructed using a risk analysis method based on the information diffusion theory. The application of this model is demonstrated in the city of Yiwu in Zhejiang Province, China. Based on the analytical results from a small sample, this study indicates that the present model is more stable and effective than the traditional model. Risk assessment results are used to analyze the carrying capacity of water resources from an ecological angle. For this study, the carrying capacity of water resources is defined as the maximum volume of water suitable for supporting human activity in certain stages of social development that can be borne by water resources under favorable ecological conditions. Further study on Yiwu is also performed, with results indicating that water shortages in this city are not related to types of water source, but can be classified in terms of water quality and conservation. To verify the results of theoretical investigation in this paper, the authors simulate changes in the carrying capacity of water resources under the conditions of future water management policies. This simulation uses the system dynamics (SD) model, based on the historical data collected by the city over the past 20 years and governmental plans to raise inhabitants’ living standards between the present and 2020. The paper simultaneously indicates that both singularly pursuing fast economic development at the expense of the environment and promoting environmental protection via reduced economic development are undesirable for Yiwu. Simultaneously giving consideration to both the economic development and environmental protection is likely to produce better overall results. However, if the present water supply level is maintained but does not increase in the near future, Yiwu''s water supply will be unable to satisfy requirements even under this scheme. In this case, the carrying capacity of water resources in the region can only be effectively improved by promoting more efficient use of water and water conservation schemes, as well as strengthening long-term investment in environmental protection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Globalisation is profoundly changing economic development, forcing development officials to adopt a regional approach founded on what a particular region does best or its competitive advantage. Globalisation has also placed a new premium on innovation as the critical fuel to economic success -- for firms, regions and countries. Universities lie at the nexus of these two powerful trends: they are rooted in regions, and they are perhaps the most important engines of innovation. Drawing on recent experience in the United States, this paper explores this nexus by addressing three critical questions: 1) Why is regional competitiveness the new paradigm for regional development? 2) What must regions do to compete? 3) What can be done to connect university innovation with regional development? The paper concludes that new mechanisms are needed to connect university innovation with regional development. Public policy can encourage these mechanisms by addressing twin needs in the newly forming "market" for regional innovation: encouraging universities to make innovation available in ways that regions can easily tap, and helping regions understand which innovations are most critical to their economic future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During the last two decades, there has been a growing fascination with the livelihood of islands with small populations and territories which overwhelmingly rely on tourism as a source of exports. The small island tourism economies (SITEs) analyzed in this paper were colonised, and had depended heavily on financial aid from their former colonists for infrastructure development that has declined dramatically since the collapse of the Soviet Union. These economies are developing countries which need a consistent inflow of foreign direct investment to maintain economic growth. They have limited resources, are perceived to suffer from frequent natural disasters, and the international financial community considers them to be risky entities. For this reason, the paper provides a comparison of monthly country risk ratings compiled by the ICRG for six SITEs from 1984 to 2001 and analyses the relationship between country risk and economic growth for these six SITEs using annual data from 1985 to 2000. The economic growth rate is positively correlated with risk ratings in only 13 of the 24 cases. This is a surprising result as the country risk literature asserts that increases in risk ratings are noticeably influenced by higher economic growth rates, and vice versa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The fast and steady economic growth in China during the 1990s has attracted much international attention. Using the three most recent Chinese input–output tables, this paper investigates industry structure and inter-industry relationships and the relationship of both to economic growth. The input–output tables contain intermediate demand and final demand for six broad industries, namely, Agriculture, Industry, Construction, Transportation, Post and Telecommunications, Services, and Others, for 1992, 1995 and 1997, which enables computing of input–output coefficients for three time periods. As direct and indirect input–output coefficients characterise industry structure during a particular time period, changes over time reflect the patterns in industry structure evolvement. Furthermore, output growth in a particular industry can be analysed from two different sources, namely the changes in input–output coefficients that reflect technological change, and the change in final demand. This paper sheds light on four different issues over the five-year period from 1992 to 1997: (1) Was growth driven by technological changes or final demand increases? (2) As a result of the interdependence of industries, how did an increase in final demand in one industry affect growth in another? (3) How has the bottleneck of an insufficient capability in the transportation, post and telecommunications sectors to cope with demands from other sectors been affected during this period? (4) Has the industry structure of the economy been shifting in conformity with traditional growth theory, namely, with a decline in the agricultural sector and a rise in the modern industrial sector? [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we study the evolution of the network topology for the global financial market. We evaluate the level of diversification and participation of developed and emerging economies in cross-border exposures and find that the gross exposure network is dense, the vulnerability matrix is sparse, and the network’s fragility changes over time. Prior to the financial crisis in 2008, the network was relatively fragile, whereas it became more resilient afterwards, showing a reduction in financial institutions’ risk appetite. Our results suggest that financial regulators should track down the network evolution in their systemic risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to bring out the topic of ethics and economics in reference to the nature of complementarities that can exist between monetary and fiscal activities. The connector in such complementarities is the unity of knowledge that can be generated in the inter-causal relations between monetary and fiscal activities. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology adopted is of measuring out by quantitative modeling how well there exists complementary relations or otherwise between the Central Bank and commercial bank in order to mathematically explain the role of participatory learning behavior using money, debt, and spending variables. Findings – The argument placed takes the conceptual form of result to show that there would be a prolonged extension of the non-inflationary and technological induction of economic growth in a regime of complementing money and fiscal policies. Originality/value – The role of the quantity of money in a non-inflationary economic growth is set against the background of the tripartite inter-causal relationships between the Central Bank, the commercial bank, and the real economy. Analytical methods used bring out the role of knowledge in the inter-causal relations termed as circular causation for the attainment of social well-being in response to a stable and advancing economy with the ethicality of unity of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a paper published today in the periodical "Nature" in 2015 which shows that Australians can be sustainable without sacrificing lifestyle or economy. Topics include economic growth and environmental impacts can be decoupled in the right circumstances, and key environmental indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, water stress, and native habitat and biodiversity are projected to more than double, stabilise, or fall across different scenarios to 2050.

In this paper, we develop a heterogeneous agents model of asset price and inventory with a market maker who considers the excess demand of two groups of agents that employ the same trading rule (i.e. fundamentalists) with different beliefs on the fundamental value. The dynamics of our model is driven by a bi-dimensional discrete non-linear map. We show that the market maker has a destabilizing role when she actively manages the inventory. Moreover, inventory share and the distance between agents’ beliefs strongly influence the results: market instability and periodic, or even, chaotic price fluctuations can be generated. Finally, we show through simulations that endogenous fluctuations of the fractions of agents may trigger instability for a larger set of parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion of the performance of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, adapted from a working paper published by libertarian think tank Cato Institute. Topics explored include the failure of the agency to improve economic stability of the country, the efforts launched by the Federal Reserve to address the 2008 financial crisis, and the capital regulations for commercial banks implemented by the agency in collaboration with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

This paper provides a snapshot of the key findings of an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) review of flood risk prevention policies in the Paris metropolitan area. With an innovative flood risk assessment, the study shows that a major flooding of the Seine River, similar to the flood disaster of 1910, could affect up to 5 million residents in the greater Paris area and cause up to 30 billion (100) euros worth of damage. Economic growth, jobs and public finances could also be significantly affected at the national level. The OECD Review on Flood Risk Management of the Seine River--commissioned by the basin organisation Seine Grands Lacs with the French Ministry of Ecology and Ile-de-France regional council--recommends raising risk awareness among citizens and businesses, and improving the resilience of the metropolitan area to flood risks. Recent floods in Europe and New York City's Hurricane Sandy disaster in 2012 illustrated the vulnerability of today's ever-denser cities to flooding and the need to adapt critical infrastructure systems to be able to cope with extreme weather events. The OECD review suggests ways to minimise the risks and better prepare the Ile-de-France region. It notes that proposed projects to develop and expand the city's transport and logistics networks offer an opportunity to put some of its suggestions into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low agricultural water fee collection rates are a problem commonly faced by many developing countries and this is a problem faced by China as it enters the new century. There are two main problem-solving strategies used in different areas of China: increasing the water fee collection rate, or exempting people from paying the water fee. In those areas where the first strategy is pursued, local governments adopt multiple measures to improve collection rates, such as introducing water user associations and enhancing the transparency of irrigation management. Exempting people from paying a water fee is a new strategy, adapted to China's rapid economic growth and social transition. In those areas that are exempting people from paying water fees, the financial sustainability of irrigation facilities has to be taken seriously and new farmer-level water-saving mechanisms need to be explored. In this paper, China's agricultural water fee collection dilemma is analysed from both a practical and a theoretical perspective. It is argued that China should not simply adopt a single agricultural water fee collection model and that each local government should explore policies that are appropriate for the local situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]