Women’s empowerment and food consumption:Evidence from female-headed households in Tanzania

Despite the growing recognition of women’s increasing role in the household and corresponding empowerment programs in sub-Saharan Africa,intensive research on the relationship between women’s influence and household food consumption is minimal.Using the most recent(2017-2018)national household survey data from Tanzania,this study examined the influence of women’s empowerment on household food consumption.First,we compared the monthly consumption of eight food categories between female-headed households(FHHs)and male-headed households(MHHs)using both descriptive statistics and the propensity score matching(PSM)method.Furthermore,we adopted the two-stage Linear Expenditure System and Almost Ideal Demand System model(LES-AIDS)to estimate income and price elasticities for the two household types.The results show that FHHs consume bread and cereals,fish,oils and fats,vegetables,and confectionery(sugar,jam,honey,chocolate,etc.)more than MHHs.Moreover,FHHs have a significantly higher income elasticity of demand for all food groups than MHHs.They are also more price elastic than MHHs in meat,fish,oils,fats,sugar,jam,honey,chocolate,etc.

How did the price and income elasticities of natural gas demand in China evolve from 1999 to 2015? The role of natural gas price reform

As a cleaner,high-efficiency,and low-carbon fuel,natural gas has been an important fuel resource for China.To achieve a substantial increase in natural gas demand,China has sought to reform its natural gas pricing mechanism.Employing a set of unbalanced panel data for China’s 30 provinces covering 1999-2015,this study aims to estimate the evolving price and income elasticities of natural gas demand and explore the effect of natural gas price reform in China.For this purpose,a series of econometric techniques allowing for cross-sectional dependence and slope homogeneity is utilized.The results suggest that although natural gas demand in China still lacks negative price elasticity,the phenomenon is improving.Moreover,the estimates suggest that natural gas demand in China is indeed becoming increasingly sensitive to income changes.Our estimates also provide strong evidence in favor of the effect of natural gas price reform on the change in price elasticity as the price elasticity decreases in five of the seven regions.In addition,the results indicate large variations in the change in price and income elasticities of natural gas demand across China’s regions.Natural gas demand is becoming more price inelastic in Southwest China and Northwest China,while such demand in North China and East China responds less sensitively to income changes.These findings offer several policy suggestions for the reform of China’s natural gas market at the national and regional levels.

The Impact of Price on Chemical Fertilizer Demand in China

Since 1998,the national policies on chemical fertilizer in China have been concentrated in limiting price plus subsidizing,abolishing agricultural tax,giving direct subsidies to farmers,and other aspects.In order to analyze the impact of national policies on the consumption of chemical fertilizer,this article selects the consumption of chemical fertilizer per unit,chemical fertilizer price index and farmers'net income in different provinces during the period 1998-2007 as variables,to conduct regression analysis of chemical fertilizer expenditure function,and calculate the price elasticity and income elasticity of chemical fertilizer demand in different provinces over the decade based on the regression results.The results show that at present the basic consumption of chemical fertilizer for agricultural development in China is 0.35 t/hm 2 ,and the consumption of chemical fertilizer is excessive in some provinces;the chemical fertilizer market has not been really established,and the price has little impact on demand.This indicates that the chemical fertilizer is essential for agricultural economic development,and it increases along with the increase of farmers'income; the intervention of the national policy in chemical fertilizer price is a fundamental reason for the rising demand for chemical fertilizer.This also to some extent indicates that the policy effect of merely using environmental taxes to change farmers'consumption of chemical fertilizer is limited;there is a need to transform the existing policies purely promoting agricultural economic development,toward giving different subsidies in accordance with whether the farmers'fertilization pattern is beneficial to the environment.

Price Discrimination of Film Products and Building of Hierarchical Market under the Background of “Internet Plus”

Price Discrimination of film products is theoretically feasible and logically inevitable, and it has been used for a long time in film industry as well. However, there are practical paradoxes in the new environment due to market factors like popularization of Internet environment and Online to Offline(O2O) retailers between hierarchical markets. Compared with high-level markets, low-level markets are lack of conditions for differentiated lower price like cinema infrastructure, and environment for film consumption market, so that the consumption potential for market has not been motivated yet. Therefore, it is quite important to pay close attention to how to expand the market by clearer gradient pricing structures and Internet platform.

Price Discrimination in the Steel Industry:Evidence from Egypt

This paper studies and enlightens mainly price discrimination;which is simply selling products for differentiated prices.First,a literature framework is detailed with all the theories and types of price discrimination throughout the years.It is a strategy that is used worldwide by so many companies and firms,but this paper studies specifically the activity of the major player in the Egyptian steel industry;Ezz steel.The research resulted in;that there is no price discrimination,activities are implied in the industry currently by the companies due to the interference of the government.However,before that,the company applied some strategies that are illustrated in the paper in detail.

Mathematical model of the adjustment of the optimal price of the substituting commodity

In this paper, from the two economic concepts of the price elasticity of demand and the cross elasticity of demand, under the assumption that the operator＇s management goal is to obtain the profit maximization, the author established the mathematical model of the adjustment of the optimal price of the substituting commodity.

Methodology for Obtaining Electricity-Price Patterns in Customer Response Programs

The main objective of electricity regulators when establishing electricity markets is to decrease the cost of electricity through competition. However, this scenario cannot be achieved without a full participation of the electricity demand by reacting against electricity prices. The aim of this research is to develop tools for helping customers and aggregators to join price and demand response programs, while helping them to hedge against the risk of short-term price volatility. In this way, the capacity of and hybrid methodology （Self-Organizing Maps and Statistical Ward＇s Linkage） to classify high electricity market prices is analysed. Besides, with the help of Non-Parametric Estimation, some price-patterns were found in the abovementioned clusters. The contained knowledge within these patterns supplies customer market-based information on which to base its energy use decisions. The interest for this participation of customers in markets is growing in developed countries to obtain a higher elasticity in demand. Results show the capability of this approach to improve data management and select coherent policies to accomplish cleared demand offers amongst different price scenarios in a more flexible way.

基于Rotterdam模型的中国天然橡胶进口需求分析

我国天然橡胶进口长期呈增长态势,进口主要来自东南亚国家。在分析进口趋势与来源地特征的基础上,根据2010—2016年我国天然橡胶的进口月度数据,运用Rotterdam模型建立我国天然橡胶进口需求系统方程,通过计算分析差异化来源下的天然橡胶进口需求支出弹性和价格弹性,探求天然橡胶进口的规律与影响因素。结果表明:我国天然橡胶的进口需求呈刚性,进口价格对进口量的影响较小,而进口支出预算和季节因素具有显著影响;这些影响因素在不同进口来源地之间存在差异,东盟国家内部、东盟国家与其他地区之间表现为不同的替代或互补关系;"一带一路"尚未对我国天然橡胶进口产生明显效果,我国与主要天然橡胶生产国有巨大的合作发展空间。

Effect of Increase in Price of Oil on Behavior of Private Car Owners in Beijing

In order to understand the short-term response of private car owners to changes in the price of oil,a survey was conducted in Beijing after the gasoline price in China rose in June 2008.It showed that private car drivers in Beijing reduced their trips in the one month period following the price adjustment.Certain trip characteristics and drivers' demographics significantly influenced price elasticity in the short term,including the purpose of the trip,the distance covered and the income of the car driver.

Impact of Urban Water Pricing on Future Water Demand： A ＇Socioeconomic＇ Study in Greece

The main aim of this study is to assess various aspects of the current water policy, investigate the perspectives of water saving, evaluate water price elasticity and explore new approaches toward sustainable water management in the water sector, through a questionnaire survey that has been performed in the city of Volos, Greece, concerning the residential sector. The appropriate design of water management measures presupposes the investigation of the influence of some selected variables to consumers＇ behavior. The price of water, the size of the dwelling, the indoor and outdoor uses, the educational level, the income of consumers as well as rainfall and temperature levels are examined, the residential water demand curve is estimated and projections of future water demand under different pricing policies are performed.

An Analysis on the Disparity of the Private Investment in Human Capital between Urban and Rural Residents in Guangxi

The constant growth of human capital is the essential force of Economic growth. The deep research on private investment in urban and rural human capital in Guangxi is necessary for developing economy and narrowing urban-rural gap. Through the analysis on the historic statistics, it is found that there were disparities total quantity and investment structure of private investment in human capital of urban and rural residents. By using the ELES model, the marginal investment trend, investment demand, elastic income, own-price elasticity and mutual-price elasticity of private investment in human capital of urban and rural residents are analyzed. It is pointed out that income is the key factor that affects the private investment in human capital of urban and rural residents. In Guangxi, the private investment and marginal investment in human capital of urban and township residents are higher than that of rural residents;the own-price elasticity and mutual price elasticity of rural residents' private investment in human capital are all higher than that of urban residents'.

Pricing Power of China's Cocoon and Silk Products in International Market:An Empirical Analysis Based on International Market Power

Do China＇s silk products only have advantage in number but no pricing power in international market？ In this paper, we used the residual demand elasticity model to estimate the international market power of China＇s silk products. The empirical results revealed that China＇s raw material products such as natural silk products and semi-finished products such as satin products had certain market power in the main export markets, but the finished silk products such as woman＇s blouse or shirts and shawls had no market power in the target markets including USA and Germany. The scale economy from resource endowment and great market share are the base of the international market power of natural silk products. The advantage from industry agglomeration and great market share are the source of the international market power of satin products. Technical bottlenecks and inefficiency in brand building are the cause of unobvious international market power of China＇s finished silk products, and the competition from Italy and France has increased the difficulty to enhance market power. In order to consolidate and improve the international market power of China＇s silk products, it is suggested to stabilize the production scale and strengthen industrial base, to speed up the resources integration and optimize the industrial distribution, to strengthen science and technology innovation and adjust product structure, to speed up the brand construction and enhance the influence of brand, and to enlarge the scale of organization and achieve scale economies.

Quantitative Assessment of the Impact of China's Direct Grain Subsidies on Grain Yield--Based on the Empirical Analysis of Panel Data Pertaining to 29 Provinces in the Period 2004-2007

We build the influence function empirical model of China's grain production at the present stage in view of the factors influencing direct grain subsidies,using Cobb-Douglas production function model.And we estimate the elasticity coefficient of impact of China's direct grain subsidies on grain yield,using the panel data pertaining to 29 provinces in the period 2004-2007;comparatively analyze the validity and limitation of policy factors of direct grain subsidies on China's grain yield.The results show that at the present stage,the elasticity coefficient of impact of China's direct grain subsidies on grain yield is 0.002 3,and under the existing subsidy system and level,direct grain subsidies play a positive role in increasing grain yield,but the role is limited;the elasticity coefficient of impact of the food price on grain yield is much larger than that of impact of direct grain subsidies on grain yield.Therefore,the government should strengthen and improve direct grain subsidy policies;in the mean time,pay full attention to the use of market mechanism to consolidate the basic role of the food price in promoting food security to a great extent.

Research on Sales Strategy Based on Supermarket Pipeline Data

“Low profit and high sales” is a strategy to increase sales volume by reducing the profit of unit goods, so that businesses can gain more profits. For flexible goods, price reduction can increase the total revenue, but when the goods are lack of flexibility, price reduction will reduce the total revenue. In this paper, according to the sales data provided by a supermarket, we preprocess the data, establish appropriate indicators to measure the daily discount strength of the mall, and establish a mathematical model between the discount strength, sales and profit margin. Through these models, we found that meager profits do bring up sales, but too low discounts can also hurt total profits. In addition, when shopping malls implement discount promotions, they will also bring some negative effects, and we give some suggestions for this.

Study on Demand Response of Residential Power Customer

In order to optimize the ladder-pricing scheme in Shanghai, we present a multi-objective optimization model (MOOM). To build this model, first we use price elasticity theory;divide the ladder pricing into peak electricity bill and valley electricity bill in the time dimension to model the single-user demand response. Second based on the single-user demand response model, combined with the overall users’ electricity distribution density function, we build an all-users demand response model. The proposed model has two objectives: minimize energy consumption and maximize residents’ satisfaction. Simulation results confirm that the proposed model can optimize the ladder-pricing scheme.

On the Transmission Mechanism of the Chinese Land Policy in Macroeconomic-control: A Theoretical Study Based on Modified IS-LM Model

The purposes of this paper are to bring land factor into the general fame of national product and develop a new modified‘IS-LM equilibrium model',aiming to find out the impacts of land factor on the effective allocation of capital between total supply and total demand constituting gross national product,to analyze the relation mechanism among land factor and macroeconomic variables,and to discuss the theoretical mechanism under which land,fiscal and monetary policy are integrated. Methods employed include econometrics and model analysis. The results indicate that:( i) on the conditions that the equilibrium of supply and demand in land market,the modified IS-LM model taking into account land factor successfully performs transmission mechanism of land policy participation in macroeconomic-control by means of money capital regulation;( ii) the direction and intensity of land policy control are effected by elasticity of land supply and land price,meanwhile different characteristics of land supply elasticity exit in different stages of economic development;( iii) the realization of IS-LM equilibrium requires the aggregate effects of fiscal,monetary and land policy. It is concluded that land policies for macroeconomic-control drives land price higher,and land supply regulation would diminish financial effect. During the economic expansion or recovery period,the effect of expansionary land policy would be counteracted by high land price. During the economic transition or recession period,the government could control economical operation better through tightening land policy.

基于Nerlove模型的山东省玉米供给反应研究

根据1978～2010年山东省玉米价格和播种面积的年度数据,运用Nerlove模型,对山东省玉米供给反应进行实证分析。结果表明,山东省玉米供给价格弹性较低,即山东省玉米播种面积不能根据玉米价格的变动做出迅速调整,当价格发生突涨或突跌时,玉米的供给不能迅速适应这种变化,进而加剧玉米供求不平衡。为此,一方面要加快玉米价格信息公开平台建设,另一方面在坚持严格保护耕地的前提下加大包括玉米在内的粮食作物的补贴政策力度,并保持政策的连续性。

基于Nerlove模型的我国大豆供给反应实证分析

为了全面了解影响我国大豆供给的主要因素,基于2001-2014年全国10个大豆主产区大豆生产和价格的面板数据,同时引入替代作物收益、农业政策及时间趋势虚拟变量,运用Nerlove模型对我国大豆的供给反应进行了实证分析。结果表明:我国大豆的播种面积受滞后一期大豆播种面积和滞后一期大豆单价的显著正向影响,受滞后一期替代作物单位面积纯收益的显著负向影响;2008年出台的大豆临时收储政策这一变量的回归系数没有通过显著性检验,因此不能断定大豆临时收储政策对我国大豆的供给有作用;大豆种植户在决策时主要受以往多期大豆价格的影响;我国大豆供给对价格变化的反应并不敏感,短期价格弹性较小,长期有所提升,存在滞后性。最后提出了保障我国大豆供给的政策建议。

基于Ramsey模型的城镇水价定价方法研究

将经济学中的Ramsey模型引入我国现试行的阶梯式水价中,通过水务企业供水成本及目标利润之间的经济关系,借助边际成本、需求价格弹性等参数在保证社会福利最大化的前提下,得到了阶梯式水价模型中各级水价以及水量基数的关系算式,并利用水务企业长期总成本曲线确定了各级水量基数加权边际成本以及通过模拟实验法获取了各级水量基数加权需求价格弹性,为各级水价与水量基数的计算提供了参数依据。

关于Ramsey模型及其改进的研究和启示

缺水已经成为我国经济发展和社会进步的重要制约因素之一,而对水价的制定则对水资源的利用效率起到十分关键的作用。本文通过对Ramsey模型及其改进的研究,得出如下启示,即实行阶梯水价既有利于实现社会福利的优化,也可以起到节约水资源的效果。由于阶梯水价机制的设计可以为制度安排、资本进入和市场运行提供更大的弹性空间,因此,本文的政策含义是:在实施阶梯水价的背景下,政府只需对基量水价按边际成本的定价原则来严格规制,从而有效提升水务市场的运行效率。上述举措的优点在于:由于基量水价被严格规制,消费者的基本用水福利可以得到满足;超过基本用水量的水价和再生水价的相对放松规制会鼓励社会资本进入水务行业,使行业运营效率得到提高;国有资本退出水务行业使得政府财政负担减轻,同时,由于放松规制,政府的规制成本也得以降低。最终城市水务行业可以真正做到可持续的发展。