The preamble to this paper highlights some of the major policy issues facing Vietnam as far as its supply of pork is concerned, in particular, the problem of its demand for pork rising at a faster rate than its supply. Some relevant background to this research project is provided by outlining...

This is the draft of the introductory chapter of Clem Tisdell (ed.) Globalisation and World Economic Policies. It highlights the varied dimensions of globalisation. Trends in world exports of goods and services as a percentage of global GDP, and world FDI net inflow as a percentage of global GDP...

Ecological, evolutionary and economic issues involved in introducing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), mainly in agriculture, are discussed. The ecological and evolutionary impacts identified hamper (economic) valuation of GMOs and their biosafety regulation and creates difficulties for...

In some countries, local agricultural products (particularly livestock products) are shielded from international competition by ‘natural’ factors influencing the purchase of products. These factors include strong local tastes (or preferences) that favour the local product and the absence (or...

The UN Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety adopted in Montreal, 29 January, 2000 and opened for signature in Nairobi, 15-26 May, 2000 will exert a profound effect on international trade in genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products. In this paper, the background to the drafting and...

The central common feature of a number of recent technological developments (collectively referred to as Web 2.0) is collaborative production of content on an amateur basis, that is, for motives other than commercial reward. Amateur production of content generates significant external benefits...

In this paper, I will argue that blogs and wikis are indeed highly significant, but more as instances of a new mode of innovation than as a direct replacement for existing communications media. This new mode has been christened the ‘creative commons’ and both elements of the name are...

This chapter will discuss what economics can tell us about New Media. More interestingly, perhaps, at least to those concerned with the long-term impact of New Media, it will examine the implications of New Media for economics and economic organization, and offer some policy recommendations.

Most, if not all, production technologies are stochastic. This article demonstrates how data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods can be adapted to accommodate stochastic elements in a state-contingent setting. Specifically, we show how observations on a random input, not under the control of the...

Starting from the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, this article provides background on China’s science and technology (S&T) system and the perceived growing urgency of reforming it in order to support continuing economic growth in China. The need for reform became...