Is Greener Whiter Yet? The Sustainable Slopes Program after Five Years

This study focuses on two basic questions: Are voluntary programs effective in promoting higher environmental performance by participant firms? If so, which distinct areas of environmental performance are more likely to be improved by firms joining a voluntary environmental program? We address these questions by assessing the environmental effectiveness of the ski industry’s Sustainable Slopes Program in the western United States between 2001 and 2005. We found no evidence in our five-year analysis to conclude that ski areas adopting the SSP displayed superior performance levels than nonparticipants for the following areas of environmental protection: overall environmental performance, expansion management, pollution management, and wildlife and habitat management. SSP participants only appear to show a statistically significant correlation with higher natural resource conservation performance rates. For policymakers, these results suggest that caution is needed before a priori assuming that strictly voluntary programs can be effective in promoting comprehensive superior environmental performance.     

The Ins and Outs of Iranian Industrial Resilience under Sanctions

This paper draws on export data from four of Iran’s key trade partners—the European Union, China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Turkey—to examine the robust and positive correlations between the export of parts and machinery to Iran and Iran’s industrial output, as measured by production index data published by the Central Bank of Iran for industrial enterprises with over 100 employees. The period of analysis is 2000 to 2017. It may seem intuitive that the output of Iranian manufacturers depends on the ability of companies to source intermediate goods such as parts and machinery. However, the imposition of sanctions on Iran is shown to have temporarily decoupled the relationship between European industrial exports to Iran and the Iranian industrial production index—the index remained stable even as European exports fell. An analysis of trade data for the other three trade partners included in this study quantitatively substantiates reports noting that in order to sustain the industrial production index, Iran engaged in processes that can be collectively described as “import reflection.” This entails substituting European intermediate inputs with Chinese inputs while also circumventing sanctions pressures on trade by sourcing European inputs via re‐export from the UAE and Turkey. These processes were fundamental to Iran’s economic resilience in the face of multilateral sanctions and have played a central role in Iran’s defense of its industrialized economy and particularly its non‐oil exports as the administration of US President Donald Trump pursues a new unilateral campaign of “maximum pressure” sanctions.     

Postcrisis recovery in the regions of Europe: Does institutional quality matter?

This paper investigates how institutional quality and its components (quality, impartiality, and control of corruption) are associated with the economic recovery in the aftermath of the global recession (2010–2016). The evidence suggests that the postcrisis dynamism of a region depends on whether its economy is accompanied by a good governance at the local level. The results also show the heterogeneity in the effects of institutional characteristics and other traditional determinants of growth for the high-income club (core) and the low-income club (periphery), respectively. This evidence can provide indications to define ad hoc policies apt to mitigate the recent surge in inequality among EU regions.     

新冠肺炎对旅游业的影响：研究进展与展望

通过对Web of Science数据库中1435篇文献的梳理,回顾和评述了“COVID-19对旅游业影响”的早期研究进展。结果表明,新冠肺炎直接威胁人的生命健康,加剧了旅游者的负面情绪和感知风险,降低了旅游者的出游意愿,并改变了以往的行为模式。新冠肺炎通过旅游者在旅游目的地、旅游企业、旅游交通之间传播,从而对旅游系统产生全面、持久的影响,对全球旅游业造成史无前例的巨大冲击。同时,新冠肺炎还引发了对于旅游业发展方式和增长模式的反思,转型发展成为后新冠时代全球旅游业恢复重建的重要手段。最后,从“目标—要素—保障”视角对未来研究进行了展望。     

《汪氏典业阉书》研究——清代徽商典当业的一个实例

《汪氏典业阉书》是研究徽商的新资料。其内容反映了徽州典商跨入近代社会门槛时资本运作的情况。阄书之“总帐”载明清代徽典资本构成为两部分：“承祖业分受财本”和“生息资本”。其中社会存款约占总资本的28％。“墨议”中“四典并无会票在外”一款说明徽典普遍经营会票,具有良好的商业信用。汪氏典业析产和徽典经营会票不能获利的情况表明,在当时市场条件下,徽商资本已难以壮大。     

Trials and tribulations of the Canadian fruit-growing industry

The paper gives a comparative and historical assessment of climatic and economic hazards in the five main fruit‐growing areas of Canada, and how the industry has responded. The northern location of fruit growing in Canada poses a number of climatic hazards. The most serious hazard is winter low‐temperature injury to trees and vines, which results in a capital loss and crop loss for up to five years. The industry has responded to this hazard by abandoning fruit growing in areas with unfavourable climatic conditions and concentrating in areas with the most favourable climatic conditions. Other responses include changing to hardier varieties, improving management practices, and government subsidies. The fruit‐growing industry has also had to face many economic hazards, including changes in technology and consumer preferences, changes in international trade rules, increased foreign competition, a cost‐price squeeze, and urbanization of the industry's land base. These economic hazards area a greater threat to the industry than the natural hazards because, in most cases, there are limited coping mechanisms available to growers, and economic globalization is preventing the federal and provincial governments from providing an adequate safety net. L'article nous présente une évaluation comparative et historique des risques climatiques et économiques des cinq principales régions agricoles du Canada, ainsi que les réactions de cet industrie face à ceux‐ci. La situation géographique nordique des champs de fruits au Canada amène un certain nombre de risques climatiques. Les basses températures de la saison hivernale causent le plus de dommages aux arbres et aux vignes, ce qui se traduit en une perte de capitaux et une perte de récoltes allant jusqu'à cinq ans. La réaction de l'industrie de l'agriculture face à ces risques fût d'abandonner les endroits dont les conditions climatiques ne favorisaient pas la récolte de fruits. II a aussi été question d'utiliser des variétés plus résistantes au froid, d'améliorer les pratiques de management, et les subventions gouvernementales. L'industrie de la culture de fruits a aussi fait face à des risques économiques, incluant les changements technologiques et les préférences alimentaires des consommateurs, les changements au niveau des règles d'échanges internationaux, la compétition croissante au niveau international, une réduction du prix‐coûtant, et l'urbanisation des terres agricoles. Ces risques économiques représentent un plus grand danger pour l'industrie que les risques naturels puisque, dans la plupart des cas, les agriculteurs se retrouvent avec des moyens de rechange limités et la mondialisation économique empêche les gouvernements fédéral et provincial de fournir des mesures de sécurité adéquates.     

我国酒店类上市公司经营业绩下滑原因初探

1999年我国酒店类上市公司经营业绩又出现较大滑坡,这已是酒店业上市公司连续第四年下降。本文通过对上市公司业绩下滑原因作出分析,探讨了上市公司走出目前困境的途径。     

东北地区资源性城市接续产业的选择

东北地区资源性城市接续产业的发展是东北老工业基地改造的重要内容之一。本文分析了东北地区资源性城市的发展历程和产业现状,指出了资源性城市接续产业发展的必要性和迫切性。然后,讨论了接续产业的选择依据。在此基础上,对东北地区资源性城市进行分类,并研究了不同类型资源性城市接续产业的选择。     

城市居民休闲行为对娱乐业发展的影响研究——以成都为例

以分析城市居民休闲行为特征为切入点,探讨了居民的休闲行为对娱乐业发展所产生的影响。主要表现在四个方面:第一,休闲偏好、目的影响娱乐项目的发展类型。若居民休闲偏好、活动目的与娱乐项目发展类型关系密切,表明休闲产品的供给与市场需求呈匹配相关,有利于行业发展,反之,需要进行产品结构调整。其二,休闲频率、态度影响娱乐业发展规模和速度。休闲频率高,休闲者持积极参与态度的娱乐项目发展较快。第三,居民休闲消费水平影响娱乐业的档次结构配置,但因休闲项目不同应区别对待。第四,休闲活动出行范围与娱乐业空间布局彼此关联,互为影响因子。     

城市产业结构调整与空间结构演变关联研究．——以济南市为例

产业活动和空间结构是城市构成的重要载体,它们之间存在着内在的关联机制。本以济南市为例,分析了产业结构调整和空间结构演变之间的关系,并提出了相关结论和建议。