Convergence and emergence in organizations: An integrative framework and review

In reaction to the growing attention to connecting individual‐level and unit‐level constructs, we first briefly review emergence terminology and theories that address the dynamic process by which a higher‐level phenomenon emerges from lower‐level elements. Next, we review the extant theory and research on emergence and convergence in organization science using an organizing framework that simultaneously considers the content area of lower‐level elements, the emergent factors, and the target of the emergent property. In addition to organizing and bridging current literature on emergence and convergence, gaps of existing research and new directions for future research, including compilation and divergence, are identified. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Greenhouse gas emission reductions in the post-Kyoto period: Emission intensity changes required under the 'contraction and convergence' approach

Various approaches have been proposed for allocating commitments to countries regarding the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. One of these methods is the ‘contraction and convergence’ approach, which defines emission permits on the basis of converging per capita emissions under a contracting global emission profile. The approach is unique in its simplicity. Only two major issues need to be negotiated and agreed upon: the target atmospheric concentration of CO₂ and the date when the entitlements are to converge at equal per capita allocations. According to the contraction and convergence approach, developing countries can continue their current emission trends, whereas industrialized countries should reduce their emissions quite dramatically. This regime represents a shift away from the current approach towards defining commitments for all parties and their evolution over the long term. This article analyses how allocation schemes determined by the contraction and convergence approach might affect certain OECD and non‐OECD countries. Results for eleven countries selected for analysis (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, China, Venezuela, Thailand, Brazil, India and Indonesia) reveal that trends observed in the past few decades in most industrialized countries will lead to the contraction and convergence target.     

中国工业环境规制强度的行业差异及收敛性研究

针对不同行业环境规制强度的差异性,本文运用收敛理论研究了行业环境规制强度的敛散性。传统上利用单位成本或产出的污染治理费用表示的行业环境规制强度可能存在有偏性,本文基于单位污染排放的污染治理费用测算行业环境规制强度,利用Theil指数和收敛检验模型,分析了2001—2015年中国35个工业行业环境规制强度差异、收敛性质及收敛机制。研究发现:(1)一些行业的环境规制强度与其污染强度未表现出相应的强关联性。(2)中国工业行业环境规制强度差异呈现"M"型变化趋势,污染行业与清洁行业之间的环境规制强度差异呈现先发散后收敛的倒"U"型趋势。(3)泰尔指数及其分解还表明,污染行业内部的子行业间环境规制强度差异很大,且是造成工业行业环境规制强度差异的最主要来源。(4)工业行业环境规制强度存在较长时段的σ收敛和较短时长的俱乐部收敛的同时,还存在绝对β收敛和条件β收敛,即低规制行业向高规制行业看齐,不同行业环境规制强度向各自的稳态水平靠近,此外,污染行业环境规制强度收敛速度慢于清洁行业。(5)企业规模成长和市场化水平提升有利于促进企业提高环境规制水平。(6)对收敛机制的进一步研究表明,出口学习效应和进口技术溢出对行业环境规制强度变化的提升效应随着环境规制强度的提高而扩大,即两者对行业环境规制强度变化具有提升效应,但无促进其收敛的作用。扩大企业规模、提升市场化和对外开放水平,有利于提升企业应对环境规制的能力,并为下一阶段实施更为合理有效的环境规制政策提供支撑。     

Dynamic Changes, Regional Differences, and Influencing Factors of CO2 Emission Performance in China

This paper proposes to use DEA models with undesirable outputs to construct the Malmquist index that can be use to investigate the dynamic changes of CO 2 emission performance.With the index,the authors have measured the CO 2 emission performance of 28 provinces and autonomous regions in China from 1996 to 2007;with the convergence theory and panel data regression model,the authors analyze the regional differences and the influencing factors.It is found that the performance of CO 2 emissions in China has been continuously improved mainly due to the technological progress,and the average improvement rate is 3.25%,with a cumulative improvement rate of 40.86%.In addition,the CO 2 emission performance varies across four regions.As a whole,the performance score of eastern China is the highest.The northeastern and central China has relatively lower performance scores,and the western China is relatively backward.The regional differences are decreasing,and the performance of CO 2 emissions is convergent.The influence of some factors on the performance of CO 2 emissions is significant,such as the level of economic development,the level of industrial structure,energy intensity,and ownership structure.The influence of some factors,such as opening-up to the outside world,on the performance of CO 2 emissions is not significant..     

Seasonal variation in the duetting behaviour of rufous-and-white wrens (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thryothorus rufalbus</Emphasis>)

Seasonal variation in animal signalling behaviour has been well documented and has contributed much to our understanding of male signals. In contrast, we know little about seasonal variation in female signals or signals produced jointly by males and females, such as the vocal duets of birds. Here, we examine how singing behaviour changes in relation to time of year and breeding stage in rufous-and-white wrens (Thryothorus rufalbus), neotropical songbirds where both males and females sing and where breeding partners coordinate songs to produce vocal duets. We recorded a colour-marked population of birds over an extended time period encompassing multiple breeding stages. Across all time frames and breeding stages, males sang at higher rates than females and male solos were more common than duets or female solos. Males and females showed divergent seasonal patterns of singing. Females sang more often early in the year, during the pre-breeding season, and female song tapered off as the breeding season progressed. Duetting followed a parallel pattern, which resulted from females showing less duet responsiveness to their partner’s songs later in the year. Male independent song rate peaked at the onset of the rainy season – a time when females become fertile – and males showed the highest level of duet responsiveness during this period. Our results suggest that early in the year, duets appear to be cooperative displays, functioning in joint territory defence and/or the coordination of breeding activities. When females are fertile, however, increased duet responsiveness by males is consistent with mate or paternity guarding.     

Spatial evolution of green development at provincial level in China

Based on the Green Development Indicator System issued by the Chinese government, this study conducted an in-depth evaluation of provincial green development in China, from 2013 to 2016. The findings of the study showed that: (1) significant regional differences existed across provinces in China regarding green development. (2) In terms of changing trends, the overall level of green development exhibited an upward trend during the years covered by our study, with a faster rising rate of development in eastern and central regions of China than in western ones. (3) In terms of spatial correlation, the spatial autocorrelation of China’s green development was evident. However, the spatial agglomeration of provincial green development gradually waned during the period in 2013–2016. (4) When it comes to drivers of spatial autocorrelation, the comparatively upward trend in the environmental field served as the main factor that drove green development from agglomeration to balance. (5) In terms of convergence, the tendency showed that less developed regions were about to catch up with leading regions in China in green development, especially as regards the dimensions of ecological protection and resource utilization.     

武汉城市圈土地利用空间关联的碳排放效率及其收敛性分析

通过测算武汉城市圈土地利用空间关联的碳排放效率及其收敛性,为该城市群提供碳减排方案。通过运用结合Bootstrap技术的Malmquist指数方法测算了武汉城市圈土地利用空间关联的碳排放效率及其技术进步和技术效率,并对该效率做σ-收敛和β-收敛分析。研究发现该城市圈土地利用空间关联的碳排放效率在2010年前呈上升趋势,之后出现下降;究其原因,虽然技术进步是持续的,但是不足以弥补技术效率的不断降低;将武汉城市圈按照土地类型分为三类城市,收敛性分析发现它们均出现了不同程度的收敛,而且收敛于较高的碳排放水平。根据以上的分析结果,结合该城市圈的产业布局,提出了相应的减碳方案。     

长江经济带水资源利用的动态效率及绝对β收敛研究——基于三阶段DEA-Malmquist指数法

利用三阶段DEA-Malmquist指数法,对2009~2014年长江经济带11省市水资源全要素生产率及其分解指数进行了测算和分析。研究结果表明:在剔除了外部环境因素和随机误差因素以后,长江经济带水资源的全要素生产率及其分解效率发生了显著变化,水资源全要素生产率年均增长7.2%,技术进步指数年均增长4.7%,技术效率指数年均增长2.4%,技术进步是推动长江经济带水资源全要素生产率增长的主要源泉。分区域来看,西部地区水资源全要素生产率和技术效率年均增长率最高,东部地区技术进步年均增长率最高。长江经济带水资源全要素生产率存在显著绝对β收敛,表明长江经济带内省际水资源全要素生产率差距正在缩小,最终都朝相同的稳态水平趋近。     

健康与经济增长的跨国研究

已有文献在考虑健康对经济增长影响时常常只考虑健康因素本身,而忽略其他相关因素从而产生"遗漏变量"问题而影响结论的可信性;或者只考虑健康因素的单一维度,而忽略初始健康水平以及健康水平改善速度都有可能同时影响经济增长。本文基于此,借鉴Nelson-Phelps,Lucas与Barro的方法,构建统一框架并利用跨国数据综合考察健康对经济增长的影响。结论发现,即使在控制其他影响因素后,预期寿命初始水平以及增长速度都对经济增长有显著的正向影响;已有文献中忽略其他条件或者只考虑健康状况的一个维度,都很有可能低估健康对经济增长的实际影响;此外,经济增长"俱乐部"现象与低收入国家初始人力资本水平(包括健康状况与受教育水平)密切相关;不仅如此,工具变量法与OLS估计结果非常一致,表明上述结论非常稳健。     

基于DEA-Malmquist的资源型城市创新效率分析

利用2004—2010年间黑龙江13座资源型城市的面板数据,基于DEA-Malmquist法对城市创新效率进行了测算和分析,并在此基础上进行了收敛分析。测算结果表明,2004—2010年黑龙江的创新效率呈现出增长态势,其动力主要来源于规模效率,并发现创新工作的2座重点城市和3座典型城市。收敛分析结果表明,黑龙江科技创新效率存在绝对收敛。