Long-term Dynamics of Cultivated Land Resources and Their Driving Forces of Guyuan City in Upper Reaches of Jinghe River

The land use patterns in Guyuan City,Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China,have changed greatly over the years,due to population growth and farming and stock raising development.This study,using 50-year statis-tical data of cultivated land and 14-year spatial data of land use pattern,analyzed the developmental stages,the char-acter,and the spatial variance of farmland in the city,and discussed the driving forces of cultivated land changes based on empirical and conceptual statistical models.First,the change of cultivated land area went through different stages of rapid increase,fluctuating change,decrease and rapid decrease from 1949 to 2004,additionally,social and economic policies in different stages had an important impact on farmland variance.Second,from 1986 to 2000,the quantity of cultivated land increased,but its quality decreased.Third,social and economic factors are determinant factors in culti-vated land transition.Five constructed paths explain cultivated land transition.Factors that have direct or indirect ef-fects on farmland include the economy(Xeco),the population(Xpop),agricultural output(Xagr),and scientific input(Xsci).The sequence of impact was Xeco>Xpop>Xsci>Xagr.Among all these impacts,Xeco was the major positive one,and Xpop was the major negative one.It is urgent to take measures or adopt a policy to stop the vicious cycle in eco-environment and agriculture production.Otherwise,negative patterns of farmland use will increase,and high-quality cultivated land will continue to decline.

Combining Stated Preference and Revealed Preference Methods for the Valuation of Non-market Goods

In this paper,we introduce the combining stated preference and revealed preference methods which is the state-ofthe-art method for the valuation of non-market goods.Revealed preference methods and stated preference (SP) methods have both been applied by economists in valuing non-market goods;however both methods have inherent weaknesses.In order to exploit the strengths of the various approaches while minimizing their weaknesses,combining the two methods has become an important methodological option.Up to now,a growing number of literatures of studying combing the two types of data have evolved,and researchers developed three types of models to estimate combining revealed preference and stated preference data in academic fields:discrete choice model,continuous choice model and mixed choice model.Combining stated and revealed preference methods have been developed fast especially in the transport study field in which ideas could also be leant for environmental economic studies.

Rethinking China's Macroeconomic Policy

Six years have passed since the global financial crisis began.Yet,mainstream economists are still far from reaching a consensus on a framework for restructuring macroeconomic policy.In April 2013,many top scholars attended the International Monetary Fund's(IMF) second conference on "Rethinking Macro Policy".During the conference,the following basic assessments with respect to macroeconomic policy were reached:economists and policy-makers have entered a "brave new world" where they face more problems than effective solutions and the image of a new macroeconomic policy framework remains opaque.Based on discussions at the conference and the dissertations of important scholars over recent years,this paper provides a systematic review of the reflections of mainstream economic academia regarding the restructuring of a macroeconomic policy framework,with a view to providing an orientation to China s ongoing reform of macroeconomic regulation.

Good Governance and Growth in Emerging Countries：A Critical Review

Numbers of economists of development consider that good governance, defined as the quality management and orientation of development policies has a positive influence on economic performance. The question is what content the literature gives to the concept of governance. According to the World Bank, good governance is evaluated by the implementation capacity of governance principles of a country, providing a framework for market development and economic growth. Empirical studies tested the relationship between good governance in the sense of “market-enhancing governance” （stimulus institutions market） and showed a positive relationship between good governance and economic growth. However, a good governance policy needs for developing countries to achieve minimum economic growth and political reforms in order to reach a level of development similar to that of industrialized countries. We focus on good governance definition made by the World Bank and criticism formulated by Mushtaq Khan, who reconstructed the notion of Governance Capabilities, taking into account the capacity of states to drive structural change in institutional, political, economic, and social fields, in order to ensure long-term economic growth. Our goal is to use a new concept of governance in order to build a new political economy approach more suitable for emerging countries.

A Review of Shipowner＇s ＆ Charterer＇s Obligations in Various Types of Charter

The charterparty is a legal contract of employing a vessel. In shipping matters, it is a highly important document since it allocates obligations, rights, duties, liabilities, risks, earnings, costs and profits between the contracted parties, namely, the shipowner and the charterer. The interpretation of the above mentioned matters, as well as the understanding of charterparty terms, is considered of critical importance in chartering practice. Therefore, this paper constitutes a review of the most important aspects arising from charterparties in the main types of charter. The present study is based on shipping practices followed in accordance with the English Common Law throughout the chartering process （pre-fixture, fixture, execution of the charter, post fixture）. This is a synopsis about the distribution of the liabilities and expenses between the shipowner and the charterer in the most representative types of charter. The analysis is seen from a commercial stand point. Therefore, it is mostly addressed to the shipping practitioners, maritime economists, academics, students and researchers who seek to form a comprehensive view on the subject. It may also form a basis for further study on chartering aspects （legal, economic, managerial and practical）.

Welcome Prof.Xu Xiaonian and Prof.Xu Dingbo on Board

Two new Professors,Prof.Xu Xiaonian and Prof,Xu Dingbohave joined CEIBS since 2004,prof,Xu Xiaonian is Professorof Finance and Economy and Prof,Xu Dingbo is Associate Professor of Accounting.

Commercial Risks Arising from Chartering Vessels

This paper constitutes a review of the most important aspects of commercial risks arising from charterparties, operations and claims issues. That means the risks allocated between the shipowner and the charterer throughout the chartering process （pre-fixture, fixture, execution of charter, post-fixture, claims handling）, from a financial, operational and legal perspective. The interpretation of the above mentioned matters is considered of critical importance in chartering practice. The analysis is seen from a commercial stand point. Therefore, it is mostly addressed to the shipping practitioners, maritime economists, academics, students and researchers who seek to form a comprehensive view on the subject. It may also form a basis for further study on chartering aspects （legal, economic, managerial and practical）.

China＇s Economic Growth Accommodates ＇Basic Inclusivity＇ During 1978-2009

As social and economic tensions in China grow more strained, discussions about the inclusiveness of China＇s rapid growth become both more common and more important. In the face of these socio-economic realities, economists are trying to determine exactly how inclusive China＇s growth has been and how to increase that inclusiveness going forward. This paper aims to examine and measure the rate of inclusiveness in China＇s growth from 1978 to 2009 using a membership-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. Results indicate that the past 30 years in China have only achieved ＂basic inclusivity, ＂ which indicates that there is much work to be done before China＇s economic growth can be considered to have equally benefited its entire population.

A Game Theory Approach Using Excel

Understanding the behavior of companies in market conditions has been an important topic of studies for the economists and mathematicians. Many companies have treated their relationship of service providers as a game. Thus, the attitudes of the players can be endowed with rational thinking, which leads to the conclusion that the use of game theory as a tool to understand such behavior is of great importance. Based on the previous studies, this paper presents a study on the cooperative game theory, discussing the Nash equilibrium in pure and mixed strategies, treating solutions using the minimax John Von Neumarm theorem and illustrating a mathematical modeling of a game theory problem. Furthermore, a solution of linear programming using Microsoft Excel is also proposed and presented. The methodology adopted to model the problem may help students to familiarize themselves to game theory.

Application of the Game Theory to the Real-Estate Market with State Assistance

The study of bilateral markets, in an equilibrium perspective, began to catch labor economists＇ attention in recent decades since they allow the prediction of market anomalies or flaws. In the study there appears a matching process whose theoretical analysis is known as bilateral assignment model. Among the different examples of bilateral markets and the assignment processes linked with them is the real-estate market. Its characteristics raise problems which affect low-income groups mainly, for which the state＇s mission is critical. These problems motivated the authors of the present work to provide a solution by using the results obtained in the assignment models with capacity restrictions. In this work the study is made of the real-estate market with the variant of the state intervention in housing assignment. The situation raised here is that the state has the task of facilitating low-income people access to housing so that they can participate in the real-estate market. In order to be able to fulfill its work, the state has a list of people willing to sell or rent homes thanks to tax cuts or some compensation offered by the state, for example. However, the state budget is limited and its participation will have a certain quota. Like the bilateral market, this new model solves the problem in which buyers and sellers are assigned to one another so that they can satisfy a property of stability. It is also shown that it is possible to find assignments for which there are no buyer-seller coalitions affecting such stability. A method is shown by means of which it is possible to solve the problem of truncating the benefits given to buyers and sellers under the emergency of budget cut.

Market regulation and government intervention of vocational education＇s development

Government intervention and market regulation are two important ways in the process of economic operations, effective govemment intervention and market regulation can promote development of economic. This article briefly summarizes economists defined the government intervention and market regulation in the history of economic. Since the founding of New China, it elaborated to defining process of government intervention and market regulation in the development China＇ s economic. Under the new situation, it proposed government intervention should combine market regulation to achieve sound and fast development of economic. Market regulation in the development of vocational education for the economic development is the goal of training practical talents of vocational education. This objective requires that vocational education must work closely with the needs of economics＇ development and service for the economics＇ development. Under the system of planned economy, contraction between supply of talent and needs of economic is planning to achieve indirectly through a unified government.

How Long Can China＇s Economy Keep Growing？

Since 2010, there has been renewed discussion on China＇s economic future. After 30 years of breakneck economic growth, China＇s position in the world economy is more important than ever and people must understand how China＇s economic dominance will change the world economy. Some economists who are bearish about China＇s future believe that China＇s growth engine will lose fire in the next two or three years. To address their predictions about China＇s future, the author will address three themes： （11） Why did China manage to grow so rapidly？ （2） How long will China keep growing？ （3） Can China＇s economy keep growing in the future？ By analyzing the theory of inadequate consumer demand in China and by evaluating the general patterns of China＇s basic advantages in education, technology and human capital and industrial upgrading, the author explicitly argue why it is unlikely for China to fall into the ＂middle-income trap. ＂

Temple of Diana in Timacum Minus and Some Aspects of Cult of Diana in Territory of Serbia

Three votive monuments dedicated to the cult of Diana have been identified to date in the territory of Roman Municipium Timacum Minus. Two of them are related to erection and restoration of the temple of Diana. According to onomastic formulae of the dedicants’ names, the first monument may be dated into the period of Emperor Hadrian’s rule or immediately after it, and the other into the period of the reign of Marcus Aurelius or directly following it. The main methodological approach in this paper was researching Diana’s cult in general, and then also examining analogies to votive monuments from Timacum Minus in the territory of Serbia. Even though there have been only five such monuments identified to date, analogies show that it was already in 2nd century that the influence of Romanisation in the territory of Serbia was well under way, and that in worshipping Diana, her companions the nymphs, and Apollo-Diana-Silvanus, it was indeed Roman deities that were being worshipped and not interpretatio Romana of indigenous deities. Socio-economic position of the dedicants indicates that they belonged to middle or upper social strata （legatus legionis VII Claudiae piae fidelis, duumvir, pontifex, eques Romanus）.

The Romanian researchers＇ profile and career in the knowledge based economy

This study examines the international profile and career of 157 Romanian researchers. The majority considers the insufficient funding of research in Romania as playing a major role in their decision to work in the knowledge based economy. In addition, the survey reveals several other factors which motivate the emigration of Romanian scientists. While abroad, the majority kept in touch with their former university/research institute, colleagues and/or the Romanian scientific community, in general. More than half of the respondents prefer to work outside Romania, after completing their current professional projects.

A study of legal attributes of carbon emission rights in carbon trading

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has given birth to an international carbon trading market prosperity, which provides developing countries with valuable opportunity to address climate change issues right along with economic development and environmental improvement to achieve sustainable development. However, most studies of CDM focus on economics, and few on its legal problems. CDM involves too many aspects. And the clear legal attribute of trading object is the basis of progress of the transaction and also the start point of legal protection. Therefore, this paper in accordance with the inherent principle of property rights economics, and environmental economics in CDM, only discusses CDM carbon emission right legal interpretation and its attribution. The paper recommends that in order to ensure and promote the carbon emission right trading, carbon emission right should be attributed into the system of real rights to be regulated by Real Right Law. In this way, carbon emission right can gain exclusive power of possession and use, which can achieve a clear right def inition of environmental goods in line with Coase's theory to protect Chinese prof it in carbon trading market and promote the development of the carbon trading market further.

Contribution of ecotourism to poverty alleviation in Nyanga,Zimbabwe

This paper assesses the contribution of ecotourism to local communities and the environment.Livelihoods of local communities are examined to understand the socioeconomic situation of people living in proximity to ecotourism areas and their participation in ecotourism activities. The impact of ecotourism on the environment in Nyanga is also examined. The paper employs both literature review(secondary data) and a field survey(primary data) to achieve these objectives. To gather socioeconomic data of households and tourist traits, questionnaires were administered to120 households and 30 tourists in the study area. Key informant interviews were held in the survey to gather expert knowledge about ecotourism trends and environmental data in the area.Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used for quantitative data while content and structural-functional analyses were used for qualitative data. The research revealed that ecotourism offers the highest salaries when compared to other sources of formal employment. Ecotourism activities were shown to positively impact the environment through the protection, preservation, and management of natural resources. The study concludes that ecotourism is a useful and sustainable poverty alleviation strategy which has not yet been fully exploited in Zimbabwe.

Becoming a historical thinker might be the first step for developing a consciousness of reasoned conciliation

The goal of this presentation is to examine the hypothesis that the ethno-political conflict in Israel can be utilized in history education to foster learning of historical thinking and to construct a tolerant space within the education system that will enable the structuring of in-principle criteria for coexistence prior to the ending of the conflict. I assumed that inculcation of historical knowledge in the education system in Israel by means of an attentive and reflexive cultural dialogue, which sensitively and skillfully confronts contradictory historical narratives as an everyday learning reality in class, will help structure a conciliatory consciousness of the kind we seek.

Economics of Nitrogen Use in Cereal Systems in South and East Asia

A literature survey and focused interviews with experienced agronomists and socio-economists from south, east, and southeast Asian countries were conducted to determine physical and economic relationships of cereal yields and N use, using partial factor productivity （PFP） and nitrogen （N） response functions, while considering the impacts of （N） and crop grain prices. The data were drawn from FAOSTAT, World Bank, and survey results from those countries. Rice has the greatest PFP-N （70 kg grain kg^-1 N）, wheat a moderate （57 kg grain kg^-1 N）, and maize the lowest PFP-N （52 kg grain kg^-1 N） at current application levels. At potential optimal N use rates, estimates for PFP-N were 26 kg grain kg^-1 N for maize, 25 kg for rice and 16 kg for wheat. Assuming a constant average PFP-N （30 kg grain kg^-1 N） for these cereals, it is estimated that 13 Mt N would be needed to meet a projected food demand by 2020 assuming no use of other additional inputs. Assuming a 20% increase in nitrogen use efficiency （NUE） to 36 kg grain kgl N, 10.6 Mt would be needed to meet the food demand, implying an annual growth rate in N use of 1.25%. It is concluded that economically optimal N rates are relatively insensitive to changes in prices of N and cereal grain. Key interventions to improve sustainable food security include increasing N fertilizer use, improving NUE, and reducing environmental impacts.