Women in China Moving Forward: Progress, Challenges and Reflections

While China’s socialist revolution has been credited with improving the status of women, gender inequality remains. Drawing on macro data, this article provides an overview of gender equality in China, focusing on labor force and political participation in the past 70 years, particularly since 1978, the onset of socioeconomic reform. Specifically, the article describes, compares, and examines the progress and challenges that women face in accessing economic opportunities and political resources. We find a more equal relationship between male and female when resources are relatively adequate, but that females are disadvantaged when resources are scarce, for example, including representation in more prestigious occupations, higher income, and political positions. These findings illustrate how inequality is maintained and reproduced, and suggest that despite China’s progressive socialist agenda, its gender revolution remains ‘stalled.

Slope-based shape cluster method for smart metering load profiles

Cluster analysis is used to study the group of load profiles from smart meters to improve the operability in distribution network. The traditional K-means clustering analysis method employs Euclidean distance as similarity measurement, which is insufficient in reflecting the shape similarities of load profiles. In this work, we propose a novel shape cluster method based on the segmented slope of load profiles. Compared with traditional K-means and two improved algorithms, the proposed method can improve the clustering accuracy and efficiency by capturing the shape features of smart metering load profiles

Sharing High Growth across Generations: Pensions and Demographic Transition in China

We analyze intergenerational redistribution in emerging economies with the aid of an overlapping generations model with endogenous labor supply. Growth is initially high but declines over time. A version of the model calibrated to China is used to analyze the welfare effects of alternative pension reforms. Although a reform of the current system is necessary to achieve financial sustainability, delaying its implementation implies large welfare gains for the (poorer) current generations, imposing only small costs on (richer) future generations. In contrast, a fully funded reform harms current generations, with small gains to future generations

Reconversión laboral del sector agropecuario hacia el turismo. Desafíos para la Patagonia chilena

[EN] The development of tourism can help to diversify the productive matrix and reduce rural depopulation. This study analyzes the possibility of agricultural worker participation in the tourism sector in rural areas of Chilean Patagonia. Based on the 2017 CASEN survey, data matching and estimation of logit model are conducted to evaluate the probability of agricultural worker reconversion. The results indicate that the proportion of agricultural workers who can move to tourism is low. However, women and individuals with post-secondary education are more likely to be reconverted.[ES] La actividad turística puede ayudar a diversificar la matriz productiva y reducir el despoblamiento rural. Este estudio analiza la posibilidad de participación de trabajadores agropecuarios en el sector turismo en las zonas rurales de la Patagonia Chilena. Usando la encuesta CASEN del año 2017, se realiza un proceso de emparejamiento de datos (matching) y la estimación de un modelo logit para evaluar la probabilidad de reconversión laboral. Los resultados indican que hay una baja proporción de trabajadores que puedan transitar hacia el sector turismo. Sin embargo, las mujeres y los individuos con estudios postsecundarios tienen mayores probabilidades de reconversión.Este trabajo está enmarcado dentro del proyecto de investigación “La Vocación Productiva, el Nivel Educativo y la Funcionalidad del Centro Emisor y Receptor como Factores Explicativos de la Conmutación Inter e Intrarregional en la Región de los Andes Australes de la Patagonia Chilena”, financiado por CONICYT (Proyecto Fondecyt Número 1160196), por lo que los autores agradecen dichos aportes.Mancilla, C.; Ferrada, LM.; Soza-Amigo, S. (2019). Labour reconversion of the agricultural sector towards tourism. Challenges for Chilean Patagonia. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 19(1):175-194. https://doi.org/10.7201/earn.2019.01.0917519419