Evidence on Imperfect Competition and Strategic Trade Theory

Strategic trade theory shows that government intervention in markets with small numbers of traders can boost the welfare of a country relative to free trade. This survey critically assesses the empirical evidence regarding this possibility. One finding is that while many international food and agricultural markets are characterized by oligopoly, price-cost markups tend to be small, and the potential gains from intervention are modest at best. In turn, existing government interventions such as agricultural export subsidies are generally not optimal in a strategic trade sense. The evidence suggests that oligopoly by itself is not a sufficient rationale for deviating from free trade in international markets.

The Flexibility and Specialization of Resources - Competitive Strategies of Materials Decoupling Points of a Network Supply Chain of Metallurgic Products

AbstractThe configuration of the supply chain which realizes the postponed production strategy, requires consideration of the issue of formation of network relations in order to increase the supply potential. The increase in the number of network relations shaped by materials decoupling point of the supply chain can be a consequence of an endeavour to reduce the logistic costs, improvement in the level of the customer service or an increase in innovativeness. In the model presented in the article the authors considered the issue of reducing logistic costs with the established high level of the customer service, taking into account the problem of the flexibility of resources

Catastrophe insurance market in the Caribbean Region : market failures and recommendations for public sector interventions

The Caribbean region suffers from a high degree of economic volatility. A history of repeated external and domestic shocks has made economic insecurity a major concern across the region. Of particular concern to all households, especially the poorest segments of the population, is the exposure to shocks that are generated by catastrophic events or natural disasters. The author develops a conceptual framework for risk management and shows that the insurance market for catastrophic risk in the Caribbean region remains a"thin"market characterized by"high"prices and"low"transfer of risk. He analyzes the possible market failures which could explain the lack of development of the catastrophe insurance market. Finally he outlines a set of recommendations for public sector interventions.Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Non Bank Financial Institutions,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Hazard Risk Management,Environmental Economics&Policies,Health Economics&Finance,Non Bank Financial Institutions

Contextual factors, knowledge processes and performance in global sourcing of IT services: An investigation in China

Copyright @ 2011, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Reuse of this article has been approved by the publisher.In this paper, the authors explore the influences of two major contextual factors—supplier team members’ cultural understanding and trust relationship—on knowledge processes and performance in global sourcing of IT services. The authors discuss a joint investigation conducted by a cross-cultural research team in China. Cultural understanding is measured by individualism with guanxi and mianzi, two Chinese cultural concepts, and trust relationship is measured by adjusting trust, a notion reflecting the uniqueness of the Chinese people. Knowledge processes are characterized by knowledge sharing. Performance is measured by the outcomes of global sourcing, which is represented by product success and personal satisfaction. Data are collected in 13 companies in Xi’an Software Park, with 200 structured questionnaires distributed to knowledge workers. The results of quantitative data analysis indicate that cultural understanding influences trust relationship greatly, as well as knowledge sharing and performance in global sourcing of IT services. Trust relationship significantly impacts knowledge sharing, whereas trust relationship and knowledge sharing have no impact on performance. This study suggests that special aspects of the Chinese context have significant direct impacts on knowledge processes while no direct and immediate impacts on performance in global sourcing of IT services.National Natural Science Foundation of China, Program for Humanity and Social Science Research, Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University in China and Brunel University's Research Development Fund

Trends in Student Radicalization across University Campuses in Afghanistan

This study aims to examine the trends in student radicalization across eight university campuses in Afghanistan. We conclude from our survey of student and staff views and an analysis of the character of protests across campuses that the extent of student radicalization varies. In particular, we come to three noteworthy findings. First, most university students are more concerned over prospects of post-graduation follow-on careers than ideological ambition. Second, while we find that most students and lecturers denounce radical views and violence, a relatively more aggressive response to both the policies of the Afghan government and the armed international intervention exhibited by students from universities in Kabul, Qandahar and Nangarhar suggests differentiated patterns across university campuses, with these campuses suggestive of a stronger tendency toward radicalized views. Finally, as an institution, the university does not play a strong role in the radicalization of its students. Rather, a charged political climate and the readily available opportunity to mobilize quickly enable students to stand in protest rather easily. However, findings also suggest that it is this same easy access to mobilize in protest that seems to attract a number of external groups as evident by the black, white and green flags representative of al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and the militant wing of Hezb-e- Islami Hekmatyar. Moreover, it is these protests that seem to encourage polarization and consequential division on campus which increasingly resemble the practice of takfir. Referring to the practice of excommunication wherein one Muslim declares that another Muslim has abandoned Islam, takfir is in direct competition with the more tolerant teachings common to the characteristically liberal curriculum of public universities. While protest in and of itself is a characteristic common to progressive democracies, evidence suggests that some student protests do call for division along sectarian lines or the suppression of women’s rights, both of which stand in contradiction to democratic principles and pose a threat to stability. With more than sixty-three percent of the Afghan population under the age of twenty-four, left unchecked such influence has the likelihood and potential to expand with substantial consequences for development and security in Afghanistan. As Afghanistan moves into a new phase of its era of state-building, a special focus on meeting the needs of its youth and in particular of Afghan university students is indispensable in meeting and maintaining lasting stability and prosperity. This study is the first part of an ongoing series of papers dedicated to examining the trends in radicalization across the various sectors throughout Afghanistan. Launched in late 2013, we plan follow-on studies to complement the series, including examinations of the trends in radicalization in madrassas across Afghanistan and within the Afghan security forces

China’s “Great Wall” of Debt Chinese Debts and their Macroeconomic Implications. Bertelsmann Stiftung GED Focus Paper

The figures of the Chinese debts are subject to ongoing discussion among economists. The question whether the enormous rise in Chinese corporate and private debt over the past decade will lead to another global financial crisis or will be managed by the Chinese government is one of vital importance to the global economy: if China’s debt management fails, the macroeconomic effects are expected to overshadow the catastrophic effects of the 2008 financial and economic crises by large. The Economist (7 May 2016) even goes as far as to state the question not if, but when China’s debt bubble will burst. The term “China’s Great Wall of Debt” coined by Dinny McMahon (2018) to emphasize the connection between recent Chinese growth and corresponding debt seems therefore very well put

Public health and the knowledge industry

El conocimiento desempeña papel importante en el cuidado de la salud. La producción y difusión del conocimiento en salud están actualmente cada vez más bajo control de intereses comerciales privados, caracterizados por conflictos de intereses que resultan en abusos de poder. A pesar de que esfuerzos considerables hayan sido dedicados al estudio del complejo médico-industrial y su papel en la producción de tales desequilibrios de poder y abusos consecuentes, poca atención ha sido dada al papel desempeñado por la industria de publicación, que puede estar sujeta a los mismos problemas. La idea ampliamente difundida de que "cambios importantes y frecuentes" ocurren en la medicina, aunque sin claro apoyo en evidencias, es una herramienta de marketing efectiva de las industrias farmacéutica e de la publicación, que se alimentan de la inseguridad de los médicos. La producción y distribución del conocimiento deberían ser abordadas como un componente estratégico de la salud pública.Knowledge plays an important role in health care. The production and diffusion of health-related knowledge are increasingly under the control of private commercial interests, which are characterized by conflicts of interests that result in abuses of power. Considerable research has been done on the medical-industrial complex and its role in the production of power imbalances and the consequent abuses, but little attention has been dedicated to the role played by the publishing industry, which can be subject to the same problems. The widely diffused idea that "frequent and major changes" occur in medicine, albeit unsupported by clearcut evidence, is an effective marketing tool for both the pharmaceutical and publishing industries, who feed and thrive on physicians' insecurities. The production and distribution of knowledge should be addressed as a strategic component of public health.O conhecimento desempenha papel importante no cuidado em saúde. A produção e difusão do conhecimento em saúde estão atualmente cada vez mais sob controle de interesses comerciais privados, caracterizados por conflitos de interesses que resultam em abusos de poder. Embora esforços consideráveis tenham sido dedicados ao estudo do complexo médico-industrial e seu papel na produção de tais desequilíbrios de poder e abusos conseqüentes, pouca atenção tem sido dada ao papel desempenhado pela indústria de publicação, que pode estar sujeita aos mesmos problemas. A idéia amplamente difundida de que "mudanças importantes e freqüentes" ocorrem na medicina, ainda que sem claro apoio em evidências, é uma ferramenta de marketing efetiva tanto da indústria farmacêutica quanto da de publicação, que alimentam a e se alimentam da insegurança dos médicos. A produção e distribuição do conhecimento deveriam ser abordadas como um componente estratégico da saúde pública

Strategic business management : from planning to performance

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The Perils and Promises of Private Higher Education in Zimbabwe: The Case of Developing an Online University in Zimbabwe

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the experiences, challenges and lessons learnt from developing a new private online higher education institution in Zimbabwe. Using a case study of Unicaf University Zimbabwe, the chapter highlights the perils and promises of establishing a private, independent, online university, the first of its kind in the country. The chapter traces the various stages involved in registration, licensing and accreditation of Unicaf University by Zimbabwe Investment Development Authority and the local national accreditation regulator. The chapter describes the uniqueness of Unicaf University Zimbabwe, opportunities or promises that it offers the higher education sector and the challenges or perils that were encountered in the early stages on its road towards establishment in Zimbabwe. The chapter concludes that private online universities are essential for institutional differentiation and the introduction of real competition in Zimbabwe’s higher education landscape