Inclusive Economy Indicators: Framework & Indicator Recommendations

This report provides a summary of our research and recommendations for indicators to measure inclusive economies

ICTs and ethical consumption: the political and market futures of fair trade

This paper addresses the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and ethical consumption as part of a cause for the insurance of a sustainable future. It homes in on fair trade as an ethical market, politically progressive cause and, crucially, form of participation where citizens can engage in the formation of an alternative future and the broader issue of food security. An three-dimensional analysis of agencies and uses of digital structures and content is informed by a case study approach, as well as interviews with fair trade activists, and ethically consuming citizens in the British metropolis. Through this, the argument which primarily rises distinguishes between the dimensions of durability (in terms of time and duration) and sustainability (in terms of time, duration and environmental concerns) of engagement in fair trade as a form of participation. Ethical consumption, then, is part of a durable market which has developed despite general market fluctuation, but is still very much bound in traditional physical economic spaces; in other words, ethical consumption has been integrated in the business as usual paradigm. Additionally, ICTs have not challenged the way in which information about ethical consumption is communicated or the spaces in which it is conducted. ICTs have been employed by fair trade activists, but they have not contributed to the development of fair trade as a political or economic project. Over a period of over five decades since the inception of the cause, their use has not significantly altered the way in which citizens engage with fair trade in the alternative or mainstream marketplace

THE RELEVANCE OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE FOR DURABLE DEVELOPMENT. CHALLENGES FOR ROMANIA

This article aims to approach the topic of the electronic commerce considering the context of the durable development, without exclusively limiting to the economic dimension of sustainable development. This paper aims to offer a vision on the e-commerce based on an optimistic approach of the reconciliation between economic growth and durable development, but moderate by the current realities (digital divide between countries/regions, economic crisis etc). Furthermore, by identifying some of the problems that Romania encounters concerning the construction of a competitive information society, the article presents also the possible solutions that can help our country to benefit of the advantages of the e-commerce.electronic commerce, durable development, economic growth, digital divide, Information and Communication Technology (IT&C), information society.

Consumer behaviour and financing pattern of Malaysia through the economic cycles: 1997 to 2005

This study will help to shed light on consumer spending and financing in Malaysia.The descriptive and quantitative analyses focuses on how Malaysian consumer spending and financing patterns may change through the economic cycles from 1997 to 2005 and establishes the relationships that will be helpful in predicting the result of the financial and economic shocks. The patterns of residential property loans and various types of consumer credit were examined in relation to the performance of the economy as measured by real GDP. Observations were also made on the trend of purchases on credit basis.The finding shows that there is direct correlation and positive growth for consumer credits throughout the economic cycles. However for residential property it is inversely correlated.In both categories, during an economic downturn there will be contractions in the outstanding loans but it is still viable to extend credit to selected portfolio

The Solaria Syndrome: Social Capital in a Growing Hyper-technological Economy

We develop a dynamic model to analyze the sources and the evolution of social participation and social capital in a growing economy characterized by exogenous technical progress. Starting from the assumption that the well-being of agents basically depends on material and relational goods, we show that the best-case scenarios hold when technology and social capital both support just one of the two productions at the expenses of the other. However, trajectories are possible where technology and social interaction balance one another in fostering the growth of both the social and the private sector of the economy. Along such tracks, technology may play a crucial role in supporting a “socially sustainable” economic growth.Technology, Economic Growth, Relational Goods, Social Participation, Social Capital

Can Food-for-Work Programmes Reduce Vulnerability?

Famine, Food aid, Poverty, Public employment programmes, Transfers

Modelling sustainable human development in a capability perspective

In this paper we model sustainable human development as intended in Sen's capability approach in a system dynamic framework. Our purpose is to verify the variations over time of some achieved functionings, due to structural dynamics and to variations of the institutional setting and instrumental freedoms (IF Vortex). The model is composed of two sections. The 'Left Side' one points out the 'demand' for functionings in an ideal world situation. The real world one, on the 'Right Side' indicates the 'supply' of functionings that the socio-economic system is able to provide individuals with. The general model, specifically tailored for Italy, can be simulated over desired time horizons: for each time period, we carry out a comparison between ideal world and real world functionings. On the basis of their distances, the model simulates some responses of decision makers. These responses, in turn influenced by institutions and instrumental freedoms, ultimately affect the dynamics of real world functionings, i.e. of sustainable human development.Functionings, Capabilities, Institutions, Instrumental Freedoms, Sustainable Human Development