Operation Analysis of Electric Power Industry in the First Quarter 2001

The supply and demand features of China electric power market are elaborated in this paper, based on the data of power production and demand in the first quarter 2001, and the present situation on power supply and demand is analyzed from multi aspects.

Effects of Minimum Wage Hikes on the Formalization of Employment

Despite the intention of minimum wage policy to maintain the living standards of low-income groups in the formal sector, this paper has found that the actual result of this policy produces the ＂big push＂ impact on China＇s economy under certain conditions, i.e. it is conducive to achieving the equilibrium of high wage, high consumption and formalization. The result shows that the elasticity of income growth from raising the minimum wage standard is greater for formal sector employees than for informal sector employees and is characterized by a U-shaped pattern in terms of quantiles. Thus, minimum wage hikes have widened wage gaps between and within sectors. Rising minimum wage standards greatly stimulate consumption with each 10% increase expected to bring about an additional urban household consumption of about 1.167 billion yuan in the surveyed four provinces. With local minimum wage hikes, the formal sector of wholesale and retail, hotel and catering services expands and the informal sector contracts, while the real estate sector experiences a ＂reverse formalization＂ trend. Based on the ＂big push theory＂, this paper concludes that against the backdrop of extensive, frequent and substantial minimum wage hikes, demand and sector TFP growth are the major causes of sector heterogeneity.

Modeling of Raw Materials Management on the Example of Textile Production Company

The aim of this paper is to propose a discussion about inventory control and to present a new method for testing the control process in terms of uncertainty. The subject matter is modelling for optimal control that ultimately provides the basic parameters for the level of safety stock and the cycle of deliveries. An optimisation criterion is a function minimising the total costs of storage and production coming to a halt because of depleted stock of inputs. Considering the results of the study, it is found that appropriate management process of textile companies requires determining raw materials stocks and its costs very precisely. The stream management process in the enterprise includes an element of fluctuations in demand. This is the source of ＂a conflict＂ that appears in two sub-systems： storage and production. At the same time, a systemic approach to the optimal coordination of supply/production calls for effective management of the whole system. Implementation of modem information technologies is one of the factors that support the effective control.

Evaluation of Potential Impacts of Agricultural Policy Reforms on Sustainability of Groundwater Resources of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has achieved extensive development and expansion in agriculture sector and achieved self sufficiency in a number of agricultural crops including wheat, fodders, dates, some vegetables and fruits. Considering the future growing need for food and water, government of Saudi Arabia has formulated and implemented a number of policy reforms for conservation, optimal utilization and sustainable development of natural resources of the Kingdom. The present study focuses on potential future impacts on natural resources conservations and strategic planning due to recent policy reforms （Council of Ministers （CoM） on Water Resources Management and Conservation （Decision No. 335）） issued on September 2008. The modeling of wheat agriculture was performed based on detailed analysis of water application practices in wheat growing regions/districts and future projection of wheat irrigation in context of recent government water resources conservation strategy. The results clearly indicated a significant positive impact will be occurred in terms of huge relief on highly stressed and limited national strategic groundwater resources. The present study estimated a saving and conservation of more than 51.0 billion cubic meters （BCM） of non-renewable groundwater resources during next 11 years.