China's Shoe Manufacturing and the Wenzhou Model: Perspectives on the World's Leading Producer and Exporter of Footwear

A U.S.-based geographer and specialist on China advances his research on industrial districts and regional development by presenting a 2008 study of shoe manufacturing in Wenzhou (a major center in the world's largest footwear producing and exporting country). More specifically, the author examines how the model of economic development pioneered in Wenzhou (the Wenzhou model) has been transformed in an effort to meet the challenges posed by the global economy. He argues that the scaling up of Wenzhou's footwear industry, through the expansion of sales networks and factories across China and abroad, indicates that other adaptable city regions can overcome similar obstacles. The author challenges both the New Regionalism literature focused on local institutions and assets, as well as perspectives that overemphasize the benefits of globalization and global production networks. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: O100, O140, O180. 2 figures, 3 tables, 60 references.     

Russia's Accession to the World Trade Organization

A prominent specialist on the Russian economy presents a timely assessment of Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. The author discusses the reasons that prompted Russia to seek membership and scrutinizes the major obstacles, such as complexities of the accession process and the country's institutional malaise. An analysis of the effects of possible membership on the Russian economy is followed by a focus on Putin's first term (2000-2003) when he supported entry, and the second (2004-2007) when he lost interest. Also presented are two scenarios projecting reinvigorated pursuit of Russian membership, or abandonment of the goal. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F13, F40, O19. 1 table, 46 references.     

旅游视角下的上海F1大奖赛

F1作为世界三大赛事之一,将于2004年9月正式在中国举办上海大奖赛。F1大奖赛凭借其巨大的影响力,将为上海带来众多的社会经济效应。本文阐述了F1旅游活动的游客动机以及细分市场,分析了相关行业在F1旅游中的作用;同时,从城市旅游形象、旅游环境、基础设施、旅游经济、旅游产品几个方面论证了F1大奖赛是上海旅游发展的新极点。     

长江中游文明进程的阶段与特点简论

本将长江中游的新石器化置于全国新石器时代的总体背景下,侧重于比较研究的视角,选取了五个方面的问题——聚落与建筑,栽培稻起源和史前稻作农业,白陶和彩陶,普用的巫物陶偶,高一级的灵物玉雕人首和动物,列举实证,以阐述长江中游新石器时代若干较显的成就和特色鲜明的化现象。     

中国传统工商业城市在近代的衰落

Resulted from different causes, the majority of traditional cities in modern China underwent a decline in various degrees. The causes of the decline of Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou which have started to develop their new industry and commerce since mid-Qing Dynasty lies in such aspects as: the lose of transportation superiority in modern China; the fatal destruction caused by Taiping Revolution; the affects of the rising of Shanghai; the recession of traditional economy and slowed development of new economy; and the conservatism in thinking and ideas etc. Translated by Huang Bangfu from Xinan Minzu Daxue Xuebao 西南民族大学学报 (Journal of Southwest University for Nationalities), 2007, (4): 1–11     

Interpreting deindustrialised landscapes of Atlantic Canada: memory and industrial heritage in Sackville, New Brunswick

The redevelopment of former industrial sites now constitutes a significant component of the landscape of Atlantic Canada. This paper explores the heritage issues surrounding two industrial sites in Sackville, New Brunswick, and argues that the heritage discourse is constructed through the creation of memory and the processes of commodification and consumption. Using the examples of two foundries, the paper investigates the manner in which the image of industry has been presented and reinterpreted, both through the industrial heydays of the late‐19th and mid‐20th centuries and in the contemporary scene. The commemoration, commodification and consumption of selected aspects of the industrial past are significant means by which Sackville creates its place identity. The resulting landscapes remain problematic, however, with a tendency to be overly romanticised and sanitised or at odds with contemporary images of Sackville's place identity. Le réaménagement d'anciennes friches industrielles constitue aujourd'hui une importante composante du paysage des provinces atlantiques du Canada. Le présent article explore les questions patrimoniales entourant deux sites de ce type à Sackville (Nouveau‐Brunswick) et formule l'hypothèse que le discours à saveur patrimoniale repose sur la création d'une mémoire et des processus de réification et de consommation. À partir de deux fonderies utilisées comme exemple, l'article examine comment l'image de l'industrie a été présentée et réinterprétée, tant à l'époque de gloire de l'industrialisation de la fin du XIXe siècle et du milieu du XXe siècle que sur la scène contemporaine. La commémoration, la réification et la consommation d'aspects choisis du passé industriel constituent d'importants moyens par lesquels Sackville crée son identité. Les paysages qui en résultent demeurent problématiques et ont tendance àêtre exagérément romantiques et aseptisés, voire même contradictoires par rapport aux images contemporaines de l'identité de Sackville.     

Labour Relations and the Transfer of Knowledge in Industrial Clusters: Why do Skilled Workers Share Knowledge with Colleagues in Other Firms?

Industrial clusters are held to offer competitive advantages to firms that accrue from the transfer of tacit knowledge between skilled workers co-located in spatially bound regions. This paper argues that informal knowledge transfers between skilled employees working in spatially bounded industrial clusters might have an association with the labour relationship between employers and employees. In the literature on industrial clusters general knowledge is readily traded through codified texts and collegial networks but high value, tacit knowledge transfers occur less frequently but are critical to the success of firms located in clusters. Tacit knowledge transfers are held to occur when workers move to other firms because of firm death or poaching but less frequently through contacts between colleagues from other firms. Industrial clusters are said to offer labour market advantages for skilled workers in the form of ample job opportunities and rising wages, which engender firm loyalty and discourage the transfer of tacit knowledge of competitive value to other firms. However, the limited empirical evidence available on actual working conditions for skilled workers in regional industrial clusters indicates that this argument is contestable. Some evidence suggests that there are limited wage premiums accruing to the industrial districts, a limited role for geographic proximity, and weak localised returns on seniority and education. We argue that in such circumstances high value knowledge between workers in different firms might be traded as an act of epistemic solidarity or sociability that disregards the interests of employer organisations. Such actions might vary by region and country in relation to the prevailing system of labour relations. Australian labour relations are offered as a case in point.     

中国工业旅游发展评析:从西方的视角看中国

本从西方的视角，对世纪之交以来中国工业旅游发展的状况进行谨慎评析。探讨中国工业旅游发展独特的政经背景，以及从政务接待到商务接待的历史过程及其对工业旅游的影响。分析中国工业旅游之开发概念、价值观、供需和组织模式等多方面与西方传统产业衰落区兴起的工业旅游之不同点。初步探讨中国目前缺乏工业遗产意识的原因，以及中国工业遗产旅游开发的未来潜力。提出：中西不同的工业旅游开发模式对双方均有启迪，中西双方的学术交流也能推动中国对其历史尚短的现代工业化遗产之旅游价值的认识和实践。     

Structural Assessment of Companhia Aurífícia,a 19th Century Industrial Building Located in Northern Portugal

Companhia Aurifícia is located in Porto, Portugal, and was founded in 1864. It was a pioneer factory in the industrial production, casting, rolling, and stamping of metallic objects and laboured for about 150 years, in areas as jewelry, manufacture of parts in silver and gold or the production, and casting of various metals. In 1866, it began laboring in Rua dos Bragas, its present location, and in 2003 ceased all activities.Companhia Aurifícia is an industrial complex including several buildings, all located in the same block. It is a precious example of the industrial architecture in Porto, where the still existent retaining walls, structures, machinery, and decorative elements make it one of the last examples of 19^th century industrial life of the city.This article aims to evaluate the safety condition of one of the buildings included in this industrial complex, in order to propose the necessary strengthening interventions.