The case for an integrated programme for commodities

This article argues that much of the economic criticism of the Integrated Programme for Commodities has been based on outdated and simplistic models and that fears of ‘dirigisme’ and price raising derive from a misunderstanding of the fundamental focus of the IPC on price stabilization. Moreover, the proposed IPC would, it is argued, generate benefits significantly in exces of its costs, which themselves have often been exaggerated. The article concludes by arguing that compensatory finance should be viewed as complementary to, not competitive with, the IPC.     

International commodity policy: The integrated programme for commodities and the common fund

The author reviews the issues and problems which have arisen since May 1976, following the fourth meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He concludes that prospects for agreement between the developing countries in the Group of 77 and the industrialized West are slight unless there is substantial modification of position by either side.     

The integrated programme for commodities: An assessment of negotiations on minerals and metals

No agreement has yet emerged from the negotiations on mineral commodities held under the Integrated Programme for Commodities (IPC), and there is little, if any, prospect for one in the near future. This article examines the reasons for this standstill and the underlying assumptions on which the IPC is based. The following points are raised: the premise that problems of individual commodities are mutually exclusive and can be dealt with in a single framework of measures is shown to be doubtful; the principle of a commodity-by-commodity approach can no longer remain unchallenged; and structural flaws in the negotiating machinery are manifest. However, results of negotiations have not been entirely negative: the need for two-tier preparatory negotiations has been accepted and a case for a permanent consultative body, perhaps covering several commodities, has been made out. Lack of substantive reciprocity, hence political discord, remains the stumbling-block.     

Brazil's mineral development: Potential and problems

Although Brazil is well endowed with natural resources, some of these are unexploited due to poor communications and political instability. The authors review present government policy and the situation with regard to oil and gas, iron ore, manganese and steel and other minerals, and conclude that Brazil has a bright economic future.     

Economic rationale for Canada's future uranium policy

After the dramatic increase in prices for uranium over the 1972–1975 period, prices have declined in real terms. This article examines the future supply, demand and price trends for uranium, and predicts that a situation of excess supply will result in the 1980s, bringing a continuing decline in real prices, unless Canada and other net exporters, most importantly Australia, agree to restrict supplies in order to maintain the price of uranium at its present level in real terms. Such a policy would have substantial benefits for Canada and other net exporters of uranium.     

Redistributing the world's wealth: Cancun ‘summit’ discord

The aim of the North-South ‘summit’ conference in 1981 was to bridge the wealth gap between the few industrial nations and the hundred-odd poor countries. Unfortunately no firm proposals materialized. The rich nations refused to increase their aid transfers to the developing countries or to correct the growing inequalities in world trade. The multiplication of wealth is the basic concern of the North in an era of recession and unemployment. The division of wealth is an urgent necessity for the South, but their demands for a global reallocation of resources remained unmet. The gap is likely to widen considerably in future.     

飞行器质心横偏量测量方法及误差分析

基于一体式质量特性参数测量平台,通过对横向质心和形心的测量计算,推导了飞行器质心横偏量的计算方法,分析了设备初始不平衡量、刀口摩擦系数、传感器刚度、主轴回旋精度及侧向间隙对测量精度的影响,并对其所引起的测量误差进行了计算。结果表明,主轴回转精度及侧向间隙是影响系统误差一个较重要的参数,减小产品质心高度与主支撑轴承跨度比及提高轴承侧隙与回转精度是减小该项误差的有效途径,而传感器刚度对测量误差影响可以忽略。     

China's offshore petroleum frontiers: Confrontation? Conflict? Cooperation?

Asia's offshore, from North Korea to Indonesia, is becoming an increasingly important petroleum frontier, one disputed by various littoral states. The People's Republic of China (PRC) intends to become a major petroleum producer, with the offshore playing a major role. The paper examines: (1) important jurisdictional disputes; (2) accommodations between disputants; and (3) third-party involvements, such as the USA. Recent progress towards dispute solution has occurred - establishment of a Japan-Korea Joint Development Zone and a PRC overture towards Japan for settlement of suzerainty in the Senkakus. PRC and Vietnamese disagreements seem less tractable. New US policies towards the two Chinas, along with the USSR's support for Vietnam, further complicate the region's offshore disputes.     

Pointing to preschool children's spatial competence: A study in natural settings

This paper describes a series of experiments which explore the extent to which children aged three years five months to four years seven months can build a Euclidean mental representation of the environment. It was found that the children showed a higher level of spatial competence than previous research had indicated, and that their spatial ability was dependent upon the nature of the environment. Euclidean knowledge was found at all ages in a familiar environment, but especially when familiarity was brought about through self-exploration. Euclidean knowledge was least likely in a novel environment. Previous experience with the test in the familiar environments did not lead to an increase in Euclidean knowledge in the novel environment. The results are interpreted in terms of Byrne's ‘network-map’/‘vectormap’ theory of spatial knowledge.     

配电变压器的高原环境适应性验证方法分析

叙述了配电变压器进行高原环境条件下适应性验证的试验方法,说明了配电变压器的高原环境适应性验证在变压器性能优化和提升过程中的重要意义。     

The implications of sustainable development for industry and employment in the 1990s

Summary Sustainable development has increasingly come to be seen as a concept which can reconcile the tensions between economic development and environmental protection. However, the concept is a vague one and little work has been undertaken to examine the practical implications of adopting sustainable development as a guiding principle. This paper examines how sustainable development can be defined, and some of the contradictions involved with the concept. The policy implications of sustainable development are examined, with a particular emphasis on industry and employment.His research interests are in sustainable development and local economic development. The work on which this paper is based was undertaken for the Centre for Local Economic Strategies in Manchester.     

基于数字技术的大遗址区文化资源的活化策略研究

大遗址是我国文化资源的精髓部分,对大遗址区文化资源进行活化,提升其可读性、可感性,有助于充分发挥大遗址在弘扬传统文化、传承中华文明等方面的积极作用。数字技术的应用有利于提升大遗址区文化资源的活化效果,研究在分析数字技术应用于大遗址区文化资源活化过程中适用性的基础上,依据大遗址区文化资源保存程度的差异,有针对性地提出基于数字技术的活化策略,并以唐大明宫遗址区文化资源活化为例展开了具体分析,最终目的是期望提升大遗址区文化资源的活化水平,促进大遗址区文化资源更好地发挥应有的经济社会功能。     

Mineral commodity stabilisation: The producers' view

The author compares the relative merits of production cuts and buffer stocks as measures for market stabilisation in mineral commodity markets. He concludes that, although under certain conditions producers may gain by building up buffer stocks at times of relatively low demand, the low global price elasticities in most minerals markets make it likely that producers' interests would usually be better served by production cuts when demand falls.     

基于边限检验的中国旅游业发展影响因素研究

采用边限检验方法探讨了基础设施、服务设施、经济水平三种影响因素与中国旅游业之间是否存在长期的均衡关系,分析了三种影响因素对中国入境旅游业和国内旅游业的长期和短期影响效果。结果表明:1入境旅游业和国内旅游业均与基础设施、服务设施、经济水平三种影响因素存在长期的协整关系。2就中国旅游业而言,适当提高饭店档次,增加中低档饭店规模,提升交通运输能力,加大旅游事业经济投入能对中国旅游事业发展起到很好的促进作用。     

Economic and equity implications of land-use zoning in suburban agriculture

A cash-flow viability model is used to evaluate the impacts of land-use zoning on farm households in New Jersey. Findings suggest that zoning results in increased production expenses, lower efficiency and profitability, and the devaluation of land assets. Cash flow and economic viability are, thus, reduced. Impacts of zoning on farm incomes, off-farm incomes, revenues from land sales, indebtedness, and farm sizes were not statistically significant. The results suggest that the use of land-use zoning statutes to guarantee the existence of agriculture may not be equitable unless transferable development rights or other methods of compensating farmers for their losses are simultaneously implemented.     

Long-term trends in the Real real prices of primary commodities: Inflation bias and the Prebisch–Singer hypothesis

In his recent article on measuring the long-term trends in the real prices of primary commodities, Cuddington (2010) extends in several important respects our earlier efforts (Svedberg and Tilton, 2006) to correct real commodity price trends for biases in the Consumer Price Index and other deflators. First, he argues for a log-linear relationship between prices and time. Second, he proposes a simple and quick method for obtaining corrected price trends from the published but uncorrected estimates. Finally, he illustrates, for the case of copper and presumably for many other commodities as well, the difficulties of obtaining real price trends significantly different from zero when the log values of the price data contain a unit root, requiring the use of difference stationary models.We welcome these insights, which should improve and make easier efforts to estimate correctly real commodity price trends over the long run. We would stress, however, that it is still important to correct for the biases in inflation indices, notwithstanding the failure of difference stationary models to obtain long-run real price trends (both corrected and uncorrected) significantly different from zero.