89 research outputs found
CHINA´S TERMS OF TRADE IN MANIFACTURES 1993-2000
No full textRecent years have witnessed the rapid growth of China’s imports and exports of manufactures, as well as critical changes in its terms of trade. This study compares trends in China’s price indices for exports and imports between 1993 and 2000. It also examines the terms of trade for China’s manufactures with respect to (i) different partner countries and country groups, including all developed countries, all developing countries, the European Union, the United States, Japan, the four first-tier East Asian NIEs, the ASEAN Four (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand) and other developing countries, and (ii) different product groups, including total exports and imports as well as various categories of manufactured products. The study attempts to explore and assess the factors that shaped the trends, and, based on the resulting conclusions, to make recommendations for developing countries seeking to improve their terms of trade for manufactures.
DYNAMIC PRODUCTS IN WORLD EXPORTS
No full textThe values and market shares of three product categories have grown most rapidly in world exports during the period 1980–1998: electrical and electronic goods (including parts and components for such goods), goods which require high R&D expenditures, and labour-intensive products, particularly clothing. A strong geographical concentration in developing countries at both regional and country levels is discernable regarding the origin of these products. There appears to be a sustained movement in world exports towards the growing significance of a limited number of products and it would seem that there has been a rapid and sustained technological upgrading in the export composition of developing countries. However, since the involvement of developing countries is usually limited to the labour-intensive stages in the production process of technology-intensive goods in the context of international production sharing, simple measures of growth in gross export values are poor guides for an assessment of the nature of participation of developing countries in world trade.
THE IMPACT OF CHINA´S ACCESSION TO WTO ON THE EXPORTS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
No full textUsing the "revealed competitive advantage indices" for exports and imports, the paper is devoted to the analyses of the vulnerability of selected developing countries if China´s competitive position is improved due to its entry to WTO. In contrast to the existing literature which concentrates on labour-intensive products as a group, this paper considers products at a disaggregate level since products in the same group are not often homogeneous. In labour-intensive manufactured goods, China competes mainly with South Asian* countries and a few Latin American and African countries. But it also provides them with little demand complementary effects. Nevertheless, some Latin American and African countries may benefit from the expansion of China´s imports of foods and agricultural raw materials. In the final market for capital goods China competes with Asian newly industrializing economies (NIEs) and Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, and in a limited number of goods with Mexico and Costa Rica. For NIEs, unlike others such competition involves complementary effects, through the import of parts and components, which will over-offset the competition effects in the short- and medium-run. As China develops its capacity to produce components, however, the "competition " effect may dominate. China´s export structure is similar to that of the Republic of Korea and Malaysia in the final market for a number of "finished" capital goods. By contrast, Thailand is vulnerable in clothing, miscellaneous household equipment and electric machinery. Indonesia has little to worry except for furniture. India concentrates mainly on undergarments, and China in outer garments. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Viet Nam and Nepal have similar export structure with China in some clothing items, but overall they, particularly Viet Nam have been aggressive in exportation of these products. Sri Lanka and Pakistan also compete with China in toys and sporting goods, but both have shown some strength in their exports. Except Mexico, Costa Rica, Haiti and to some extent Uruguay, the export structure of the Latin American countries is mostly different from that of China. Mexico has a strong competitive position vis-à-vis China in a number of clothing items, but weaker in a few assembly operation. Costa Rica´s competitive advantage has noticeably improved for a number of clothing items and a few assembly operations. Haiti competes with China in 8 products, mostly clothing. It has a strong competitive position in footwear, one clothing item and some base metal. Uruguay´s relative competitive position is weak in a number of labourintensive products. The export structure of African countries is different from that of China, except for Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Malawi. These countries have improved their competitive position in their clothing. China´s entry into the WTO will not change, for some time, its market access for textiles and clothing for it to be a threat to other developing countries. In fact, China´s growth in quota for exports to developed countries will increase far less than other developing countries. Nevertheless, if China attempts devaluation the situation could change radically. China´s devaluation is however unlikely. Over a longer-term, much depends on what policy China will pursue in its trade and industrialization. China´s attempt in increasing domestic value added in exports could lead to improvement in its competitiveness in technology/skill intensive products of interest to NIEs and the ASEAN.
CHINA´S WTO ACCESSION: ITS IMPACT ON CHINESE EMPLOYMENT
No full textIt is often claimed that the WTO membership will benefit China by increasing exports and employment and forcing domestic firms to improve efficiency through competition. Benefits are expected to accrue through improved resource allocation and greater economic efficiency resulting from trade liberalization and greater global competition. In the paper we argue that although some sectors will benefit from competition others will suffer a great deal especially in the short and medium terms. The net overall benefits are likely to accrue only in the long run. During the transition period China will face enormous problems of restructuring of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and banking, insurance and financial services, entailing significant loss of employment. The employment impact of the accession with special reference to SOEs is considered since they are generally less competitive than the non-state enterprises. Reduction in SOE employment may not be compensated by an increase in employment in the non-state sector. The experience of three specific industries is discussed: textiles and clothing, automobiles and household appliances. Besides the unemployment impact of the accession, the paper examines the possibility of a ‘flying geese model’ of trade and development working within China to maintain its global competitiveness on account of low labour costs in the hinterland. It also discusses China’s possible response to global competition to protect employment, for example. Three types of response are considered: non-compliance of the WTO accord, devaluation, and a production shift from tradeables to non-tradeables.
COPYRIGHTS, COMPETITION AND DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
No full textThe economic importance of copyright industries in developed market economies has been well documented. Although less important in developing countries, this is likely to change with the growing weight of the service sector in these economies and its importance for their closer integration into the global market economy. This paper analyses the relationship between the copyright and income generation in the audio-visual sector, in particular music, and argues that the appropriate copyright administration is essential in creating the conditions for a viable music industry in developing countries. However, an effective copyright regime is not, by itself, sufficient to guarantee a flourishing music industry, and other institutional arrangements will be needed in countries looking to better exploit their musical resources.
CHINA´S ACCESSION TO WTO: EXAGGERATED FEARS?
No full textThe determination of China to accede to the World Trade Organization was driven mostly by its desire to further its economic reform. However, because of the spectacular growth in its international trade in the past two decades, there is the fear that with China’s accession to WTO, China would undergo another wave of international trade expansion which might cost job opportunities in both developed and developing worlds. On the other hand, the Chinese are wary of social dislocation to be caused by intensified foreign competition in the post-accession period. A close examination of the structure of China’s international trade shows that because of the high import contents of China’s exports and the fact that foreign-funded companies account for about half of China’s international trade, future growth in China’s international trade will benefit to various degrees China’s trading partners as well as home countries of transnational corporations. Furthermore, the talk of an imminent export surge from China seems far- fetched, as the conditions of China’s accession to WTO as well China’s foreign trade potential are unlikely to permit that to take place. On the whole, the challenges posed by China’s accession to WTO will, at least in the short run, be greater to China than to its trading partners. However, two decades of fast economic growth and opening-up to the outside world have prepared the country. Therefore, the new set of problems for China is likely to be surmountable.
GLOBALIZATION AND ECON0MIC CONVERGENCE: AN ASSESSMENT
No full textThis paper offers a critical survey of a strong globalization thesis that predicts a direct link from more open trade and investment regimes to faster economic growth in developing countries and income convergence across the global economy. Its examination of recent experience suggests that while in a more open and integrated world economy both the quantity and the quality of investment are influenced by external factors the forces driving capital accumulation retain strong domestic roots and remain open to the influence of various types of policy initiative.
Inter- and intra-specific competition between Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula in resource-limited barren areas
No full textThe sea urchins Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula coexist in the infralittoral zone along the
Mediterranean and north-east Atlantic coasts. Through their grazing activity they can produce and maintain
barren grounds, habitat characterised by low algal diversity and productivity. This study addresses the
coexistence of these species within severely limited barren grounds by assessing differences in population
structure, feeding preferences and conditions. Density, size structure, feeding conditions and gut contents of
the two species, along with the associated algal assemblage were analysed in a hierarchical sampling design
(Locations: thousands of meters apart; Sites: hundreds of meters apart). The algal assemblage, dominated by
encrusting corallines (EC), was depauperate with bare rocks representing around 67% of the total percent
cover, and homogeneous both at the Site and at the Location level. Sea urchins showed significant variability
in density and gut conditions only at the Site level. No compensative mechanisms have been observed
(no inverse correlation between the two species). The gut contents of the two species were quite different:
A. lixula fed mainly on encrusting corallines, while P. lividus fed on non-encrusting macrophytes. Food
limitation was detected for P. lividus, as a consequence of intra-specific competition. Our results highlight
that in barren conditions a large trophic niche differentiation occurs, demonstrating that the two urchins
play complementary and synergic roles in the maintenance of barrens in the Mediterranean
GLOBALIZATION MYTHS: SOME HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS ON INTEGRATION, INDUSTRIALIZATION AND GROWTH IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
No full textIt has become popular to draw a parallel between current globalization trends and the half century of international economic integration before the First World War. Indeed, some writers suggest that current trends mark a return to this earlier period, from which they draw strong conclusions about growth prospects and convergence associated with globalization. This paper assesses this historical parallel. It accepts that many features of today´s international economy are not unique. However, it is sceptical of efforts to make a direct parallel with the earlier period. In particular, the paper shows that the period before 1913 was not one of trade liberalization, nor one of reduced expectations about the role of the State, and suggests that rapid industrial growth in some economies cannot be explained by globalization pressures. More generally, a description of this earlier period of globalization as one of rapid growth and convergence is questioned, and instead associated with uneven economic development, during which a very small group of countries were able to reinforce their domestic growth efforts through links to the international economy, while for others these same links did little to alter long-term growth prospects, and in some cases even hindered them.
Influence of the sebaceous gland density on the stratum corneum lipidome
No full textThe skin surface lipids (SSL) result from the blending of sebaceous and epidermal lipids, which derive from the sebaceous gland (SG) secretion and the permeability barrier of the stratum corneum (SC), respectively. In humans, the composition of the SSL is distinctive of the anatomical distribution of the SG. Thus, the abundance of sebum biomarkers is consistent with the density of the SG. Limited evidence on the influence that the SG exerts on the SC lipidome is available. We explored the differential amounts of sebaceous and epidermal lipids in areas at different SG density with lipidomics approaches. SC was sampled with adhesive patches from forearm, chest, and forehead of 10 healthy adults (8F, 2M) after mechanical removal of sebum with absorbing paper. Lipid extracts of SC were analysed by HPLC/(-)ESI-TOF-MS. In the untargeted approach, the naïve molecular features extraction algorithm was used to extract meaningful entities. Aligned and normalized data were evaluated by univariate and multivariate statistics. Quantitative analysis of free fatty acids (FFA) and cholesterol sulfate (CHS) was performed by targeted HPLC/(-)ESI-TOF-MS, whereas cholesterol and squalene were quantified by GC-MS. Untargeted approaches demonstrated that the relative abundance of numerous lipid species was distinctive of SC depending upon the different SG density. The discriminating species included FFA, CHS, and ceramides. Targeted analyses confirmed that sebaceous FFA and epidermal FFA were increased and decreased, respectively, in areas at high SG density. CHS and squalene, which are biomarkers of epidermal and sebaceous lipid matrices, respectively, were both significantly higher in areas at elevated SG density. Overall, results indicated that the SG secretion intervenes in shaping the lipid composition of the epidermal permeability barrier. © 2018, The Author(s)
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