bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Meat demand in China
Authors: Ortega David L. , Holly Wang H. , Eales James S. 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough analysis of meat demand in China and predict future trends in meat consumption.Design/methodology/approachExpenditure as well as Marshallian and Hicksian demand elasticities of various meats in China are evaluated using the linear almost ideal demand system.FindingsResults from this paper show that pork, the primary meat in Chinese diets, has become a necessity and that poultry, beef, mutton, and fish are considered luxuries within the meat budget allocation of Chinese households. Furthermore, the results predict that for any increase in future meat expenditure, the largest share of that increase will be allocated to pork consumption.Originality/valueThis paper fills a gap currently present in the empirical literature regarding time series meat demand analysis in China. This paper makes use of newly available time series data on Chinese meat consumption and prices to estimate expenditure as well as own‐price and cross‐price elasticities. Implications for both domestic meat producers and grain exporters are discussed.
Review of China's agricultural integration development: 1978‐2008
Authors: Feng Kaiwen , Zhang Jinhua , Yingwei Huang 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to draw conclusions about China's agricultural integration (CAI) by looking back its processes stage by stage, discussing the problems related to CAI, in order to learn salutary lessons for the future of agricultural development, for the increase in rural income, and especially for the promotion of CAI.Design/methodology/approachThe paper comprises three stages: analyzing the process of CAI from the household responsibility system, to agricultural industrialization, until the stage of CAI led by farmers' co‐operatives; discussing the related practice together with literature; and historically proving that there is no better way to promote CAI than letting it be led by farmers' co‐operatives.FindingsThe paper finds that, the development of China's agricultural economic organizations is owing to CAI, and can be studied stage by stage; the process of CAI proves that it needs to be promoted as a new style led by farmers' co‐operative in order to increase rural income; literature review also gives eloquent proof of the above viewpoint; agricultural integration led by farmers' co‐operative should be taken as a better way to upgrade CAI and to increase rural income, for it can decrease the benefit disputes that usually happened in the former type of agricultural industrialization.Originality/valueThe obvious value of the paper is to show, by a historical review, a way to promote CAI and to increase farmers' income. A literature review finds these countermeasures comprehensively, historically, and theoretically. The information about CAI will be beneficial for people who are interested in the topic.
Food demand in China: income, quality, and nutrient effects
Authors: Huang Kuo S. , Gale Fred 
Published: October 2009

PurposeChina's remarkable income growth has changed the food landscape in recent years. Chinese consumers are demanding greater food quantity and quality and changing the nutrient content of their diets. Most food demand studies are based on data from earlier time periods before these structural changes had taken hold. The purpose of this paper is to show how the rapid change in food markets and surprisingly slow growth of food imports warrants a new assessment of food demand in China.Design/methodology/approachEngel equations measuring elasticities of food quantity and quality purchases with respect to household income are estimated. These estimates are then converted to nutrient elasticities to show how the availability of nutrients varies with income based on the Engel demand relationship.FindingsThe income elasticities diminish as income rises. Households in the top tier of the income distribution appear to have reached a saturation point in the consumption of most food items. As income rises, most additional spending is on foods with higher unit values that may reflect better cuts of meat or branded items. The pattern of food purchases for households at different income levels suggests that protein, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake rises with increased income. The change in diets prompted by rising income is most pronounced for low‐income households.Originality/valueThis paper applies a unique approach to measure income, quality, and nutrient elasticities within the same framework of Engel relationship. The finding has important implications for opening new market opportunities of imported foods and understanding dietary change in China.
Key developments and future challenges in Chinese‐foreign cooperation in higher education
Authors: Adams John , Song Hongli 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the key developments in Sino‐foreign cooperation in higher education (HE) in China in terms of policy initiatives and legal frameworks and to highlight the main challenges for the sector in the future.Design/methodology/approachNumerous policy papers, academic literature sources and legal acts are analysed to produce a meta analysis of the understanding to date of the issues involved in partnerships in HE in China. Secondary data sources are accessed and compared for consistency.FindingsThe analysis reveals a clear path of initially slow, enhancing, and then rapid developments in the framework of Sino‐foreign HE cooperation. It also reveals some serious issues in the motives behind cooperation, quality of provision, and relevance to China's future development.Practical implicationsThe findings of this paper suggest that cooperative partnerships in HE in China need to be much clearer on strategy and purpose and there is an urgent need for a proper assessment of their contribution to the country's education capacity building, educational, and knowledge exchange and future social and economic development.Originality/valueThis paper offers an insight into how it arrives at where it is in terms of these partnerships, how to improve them and raises questions that may well be uncomfortable reading for some.
Strategic collaboration in higher education: a Sino‐UK case study
Authors: Li Xiang , Wilson John , Doran Ed 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore, within the context of developing Sino‐UK educational relationships, the evolution of a specific partnership, that between Tianjin Business School, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, and Salford Business School, University of Salford, UK. The paper is the first in an intended series, which will track the evolution of the on‐going collaboration and will document the various opportunities and barriers in establishing a successful strategic partnership. Specifically, the paper focuses on the context of the embryonic relationship, notably the policy drivers in China and the UK and the profile of the two participant partners.Design/methodology/approachThis is a case study‐based paper of two business schools.FindingsThis paper stresses the importance of the context and factors involved in establishing successful, and sustainable, collaborative partnerships in higher education (HE) and specifically between institutions based in China and the UK. It draws upon the experiences of two partner institutions, one in Tianjin, China, and one in Salford, UK and both of which are business schools.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the limited literature on Sino‐UK collaboration in HE and does so through an original case study, involving description and analysis of an evolving collaborative relationship.
Legal incoherence and the extra‐constitutional law of regulatory takings
Authors: Brown Russell 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine Canadian law governing “regulatory takings” – the state's interference in a landowner's use and enjoyment of his property as a consequence of regulation. It considers whether the way that the law has developed in this area poses a risk of “legal incoherence” – a contradiction in the law itself, either between two discrete areas of law (“external incoherence”) or within a single discrete area of law (“internal incoherence”).Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws upon and expands a conception of coherence articulated by past commentators and applies it to reported judgments comprising the Canadian law in this area.FindingsThe extra‐constitutional nature of restrictions on the state's power to take, and a lack of doctrinal rigour are shown to have allowed the risk of incoherence to materialize in Canada by creating a distorted body of law. The modest constraints which Canadian law imposes upon regulatory takings fail to cohere to rights conferred upon landowners under various treaties and declarations to which Canada has subscribed. The law is therefore incoherent in an external sense. Recent jurisprudence also reveals an internal incoherence as the law purports to recognize a distinction between an expropriation and a regulatory taking, whilst simultaneously requiring that a regulatory taking demonstrate a quality unique to an expropriation.Practical implicationsThis paper clarifies the distinctions between an expropriation and a regulatory taking, explains the Canadian law governing both, and illustrates the tenuous state in Canada of public authority liability for restricting private use and enjoyment of land.Originality/valueThe implications for domestic law of international obligations respecting regulatory takings are highlighted. This paper's reference point of coherence offers a novel standpoint for assessing the quality of judge‐made regulatory takings law.
Responsiveness to change by standard‐form contract drafters in the construction industry
Authors: Raj Shekar , Hillig Jan‐Bertram , Hughes Will 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs‐Conseils (FIDIC) White Book standard form of building contract. It tracks the changes to this contract over its four editions, and seeks to identify their underlying causes.Design/methodology/approachThe changes made to the White Book are quantified using a specific type of quantitative content analysis. The amended clauses are then examined to understand the nature of the changes made.FindingsThe length of the contract increased by 34 per cent between 1990 and 2006. A large proportion of the overall increase can be attributed to the clauses dealing with “conflict of interest/corruption” and “dispute resolution”. In both instances, the FIDIC drafting committees have responded to international developments to discourage corruption, and to encourage the use of alternative dispute resolution. Between 1998 and 2006, the average length of the sentences increased slightly, raising the question of whether long sentences are easily understood by users of contracts.Research limitations/implicationsQuantification of text appears to be particularly useful for the analysis of documents which are regularly updated because changes can be clearly identified and the length of sentences can be determined, leading to conclusions about the readability of the text. However, caution is needed because changes of great relevance can be made to contract clauses without actually affecting their length.Practical implicationsThe paper will be instructive for contract drafters and informative for users of FIDIC's White Book.Originality/valueQuantifying text has been rarely used regarding standard‐form contracts in the field of construction.
On the proposed private certification of building works in Hong Kong
Authors: Yau Yung 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe responsibility for ensuring the safety and standard of building works in Hong Kong has long rested with the government. In 2003, the government proposed a new control regime to streamline the process of building proposal approval by allowing private‐sector practitioners to certify certain types of minor building works. The purpose of this paper is to consider the likely effectiveness of the proposed regime by examining the views of local building professionals.Design/methodology/approachFollowing an overview of the government's initiative in private certification of building works, a literature review is conducted to collate the collective views of the local professional institutions about the proposals. A total of 90 local architects, building surveyors and structural engineers in the private and public sectors are then interviewed using a structured questionnaire.FindingsThe proposed regime is generally perceived as having the capacity to speed up the process of building proposal approval whilst also improving overall standards of building performance in Hong Kong. Concerns are however expressed about the clarity of the definition of minor works, and about the level of professional competence of the private certifiers. The respondents also expressed further general concern over the adequacy of government support offered to the private certifiers under the proposed system.Research limitations/implicationsStakeholders of the proposed minor works regime are not confined to building professionals such as architects, engineers and building surveyors, but also include contractors and the general public as a whole. Owing to limited resources, only the views of the local building professionals are solicited.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide valuable insights for public administrators into the design and subsequent operation of the new regime. They will also assist the Hong Kong Government in making more informed decisions about the future streamlining of the building control system without, at the same time, sacrificing the overall building safety of the city.Originality/valueThis is the first published study on the views of building professionals from different professional backgrounds on the proposed private certification regime.
An integrated approach to water protection and management: the European Union model
Authors: Adshead Julie 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive. It seeks first to determine whether its provisions align with modern thinking on integrated river basin management and second to assess the degree to which it has the potential to achieve legislative and inter‐agency integration throughout the Union.Design/methodology/approachThis is a desktop study. The paper draws upon theories and definitions of integrated river basin management and internal integration in existing literature and then proceeds to examine the provisions of the Water Framework Directive in the light of the models identified.FindingsThe framework for river basin management in the Water Framework Directive does not fully match the modern approach to integrated river basin management. The directive is limited by its primary focus upon the single medium of water, and its consequent failure to fully address wider land use planning issues. It, therefore, also fails to achieve integration between all relevant legislative instruments. It provides a framework for stakeholder involvement that could potentially serve the goal of inter‐agency integration. However, due to the high level of discretion in the hands of member states, there is likely to be a substantial divergence of practice across the EU.Originality/valueIn assessing the Water Framework Directive against modern notions of river basin management and the directive's stated integrative aspirations, the paper informs implementation and practice in member states.
The service of notices by commercial property managers in England and Wales
Authors: Mansfield John 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to critically review recent developments in the judicial approach to the preparation, service, and receipt of notices associated with the management of commercial property in England and Wales. It raises awareness of the range of problems that may be encountered in seemingly routine matters of language, and makes recommendations for practitioners in the form of a checklist of issues to be considered prior to issuing or responding to the various notices.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs critical analysis of settled case law and associated professional commentary.FindingsThe paper notes the speed with which the law continues to develop in these areas. In the light of this, it concludes that practitioners need to be far more aware of their obligations when serving or responding to the various forms of statutory or contractual notice than has hitherto been the case. The archaic language used in the drafting of leases is found to be a confounding issue, although it is demonstrated how this can be managed by paying close attention to critical detail.Originality/valueThe paper combines an examination of the relevant legal principles with a commentary on contemporary practices in the commercial property sector in order to make practical recommendations for professionals in an important area of real estate consultancy work.
Homeostasis and evolution together dealing with novelties and managing disruptions
Authors: Vargas Patricia A. , Moioli Renan C. , von Zuben Fernando J. , Husbands Phil 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an artificial homeostatic system whose parameters are defined by means of an evolutionary process. The objective is to design a more biologically plausible system inspired by homeostatic regulations observed in nature, which is capable of exploring key issues in the context of robot behaviour adaptation and coordination.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed system consists of an artificial endocrine system that coordinates two spatially unconstrained GasNet artificial neural network models, called non‐spatial GasNets. Both systems are dedicated to the definition of control actions in autonomous navigation tasks via the use of an artificial hormone and a hormone receptor. A series of experiments are performed in a real and simulated scenario in order to investigate the performance of the system and its robustness to novel environmental conditions and internal sensory disruptions.FindingsThe designed system shows to be robust enough to self‐adapt to a wider variety of disruptions and novel environments by making full use of its in‐built homeostatic mechanisms. The system is also successfully tested on a real robot, indicating the viability of the proposed method for coping with the reality gap, a well‐known issue for the evolutionary robotics community.Originality/valueThe proposed framework is inspired by the homeostatic regulations and gaseous neuro‐modulation that are intrinsic to the human body. The incorporation of an artificial hormone receptor stands for the novelty of this paper. This hormone receptor proves to be vital to control the network's response to the signalling promoted by the presence of the artificial hormone. It is envisaged that the proposed framework is a step forward in the design of a generic model for coordinating many and more complex behaviours in simulated and real robots, employing multiple hormones and potentially coping with further severe disruptions.
A comparative study of the canonical genetic algorithm and a real‐valued quantum‐inspired evolutionary algorithm
Authors: Fan Kai , Brabazon Anthony , O'Sullivan Conall , O'Neill Michael 
Published: October 2009

PurposeFollowing earlier claims that quantum‐inspired evolutionary algorithm (QIEA) may offer advantages in high‐dimensional environments, the purpose of this paper is to test a real‐valued QIEA on a series of benchmark functions of varying dimensionality in order to examine its scalability within both static and dynamic environments.Design/methodology/approachThis paper compares the performance of both the QIEA and the canonical genetic algorithm (GA) on a series of test benchmark functions.FindingsThe results show that the QIEA obtains highly competitive results when benchmarked against the GA within static environments, while substantially outperforming both binary and real‐valued representation of the GA in terms of running time. Within dynamic environments, the QIEA outperforms GA in terms of stability and run time.Originality/valueThis paper suggests that QIEA has utility for real‐world high‐dimensional problems, particularly within dynamic environments, such as that found in real‐time financial trading.
Gender and sources of finance in Finnish SMEs: a contextual view
Authors: Eriksson Päivi , Katila Saija , Niskanen Mervi 
Published: October 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of gender on the usage of different funding sources in a sample of Finnish small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The aim is also to embed the results into the country‐context, which is characterized by the long history of women's economic activity and bank‐based capital markets.Design/methodology/approachThe database includes variables on terms of credit for the firms' most recent loans and detailed information on the firms' banking relationships. The total number of firm‐year observations in the database is 3,519. The analysis is based on multivariate tests.FindingsThe funding patterns of women‐owned SMEs (WOS) and men‐owned SMEs (MOS) in the data are different: WOS are more likely to use additional equity investments by current owners as a funding source. They do so at least partly because of their positive attitudes towards this funding source. The results also contradict prior studies, which indicate that MOS have easier access to bank lending. The results suggest that there are no gender‐related differences in the use of bank debt. Also in contrast to prior studies, the paper finds no differences in firm size or profitability between WOS and MOS.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of study both confirm and contradict the results of prior research and the paper suggests that this is due to the context‐specific features of the Finnish labour market and the gender system as well as the bank‐centered financial markets.Practical implicationsConcerning the issues of gender and finance, policy makers and financial experts in any country should not uncritically rely on the research results arrived at in other countries.Originality/valueOnly a handful of studies have investigated issues of gender and finance in SMEs embedding the results into the country‐context.