Phenomenological social science: Research in the public interest

This article analyzes the impact of phenomenology on social research. Central to phenomenological social science is the idea of “epistemic participation,” which allows knowledge to be understood in terms of its existential character. Research that is conducted with this aim generates data that reflect the public's interests. Such methodological sensitivity increases the validity of data and the social relevance of policy research. Thus it is argued that policy studies might be improved if they were phenomenologically informed.     

The asymmetric impact of the pandemic crisis on interest rates on public debt in the Eurozone

The outbreak of Covid-19 has played the role of a ‘game changer’ in the way countries of the Eurozone have faced the economic consequences of the pandemic crisis. This paper investigates what has happened to the interest rates of the sovereign bond in selected countries of the Eurozone during 2020. While the pandemic crisis can be interpreted as a symmetric shock, we found some important asymmetric consequences both in the sovereign bond market and the credit default swap market. Even though the European Central Bank (ECB) has played a fundamental role in easening tensions, especially with the announce of the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP), countries with a higher pre-Covid level of the debt-to-GDP ratio have been found to undergo a significant jump in interest rates and a greater perceived risks of default. Important policies implications emerge in relation to the future role of the ECB.     

Conflict of interest and the university

This essay provides an analysis of conflicts of interest (COIs) that arise in university relationships with private industry and articulates the concept of an "institutional" COI. It compares personal and institutional COIs in order to shed some light on the difficulties universities face in managing their own COIs. The essay discusses some proposed strategies for responding to institutional COIs, such as developing independent boards to monitor and oversee the university's COIs, building firewalls between various parts of the university to prevent financial interests from affecting university functions, creating independent research institutes, and prohibiting some types of university investments.     

中国公共行政与公共管理之"公共性"辨析

我国行政学界对于本学科存在多种称谓，这种称谓的不统一限制了我国公共行政学的发展。要取得统一，需要建立“中国公共行政学”，改变“公共行政学在中国”的现状。而建立中国公共行政学，其研究视角应该从“行政”转移到“公共性”上来。“公共性”的核心是“公共利益”，而公共利益包括四个层次。     

阶层分化与中国共产党的利益整合功能

利益整合是执政党的重要功能。在经济转型、社会结构变迁以及阶层分化的时代背景下 ,作为执政党 ,中国共产党应对其利益整合功能进行科学而准确的定位 ,并应寻求比较现实的途径以充分发挥这一功能。中国共产党利益整合的最高准则是增强党的阶级基础 ,扩大党的社会基础 ;其根本目标是构建合理的现代阶层结构 ;其理念依据是共享改革成果 ,实现社会公正。为此 ,中国共产党要提升市场化的体制结构对实现利益的激励作用 ;要从立法上保证不同阶层的权利和利益 ,建立合理的利益表达机制 ,实现社会各方面的利益需要 ;要建立社会各阶层间的协商和协作机制 ,大力发展社会中介组织和机构 ,发挥它们的协调作用及党和政府的宏观调控作用 ;要扩大社会中间阶层 ,强化其消解利益矛盾和摩擦的“沉沙地”作用     

The determinants of the benchmark interest rates in China

This paper empirically investigates the determinants of the two key benchmark interest rates in China using an array of constrained ordered probit models for quarterly frequency data from 1987 to 2013. Specifically, we estimate the behavioral equation of the People's Bank of China that models its decision-making process for revisions of the benchmark deposit rate and the lending rate. Our findings imply that the PBC's policy decisions are better understood as responses to changes in inflation and money growth, while output gaps and the exchange rate play negligible roles. We also implement in-sample fit analyses and out-of-sample forecast exercises. Our empirical findings show robust and reasonably good performances of our models in understanding dynamics of these benchmark interest rates.     

Managing the science in the presence of financial conflict of interest

ABSTRACT

We consider the question of why (primarily) and how (secondarily) to perform scientific oversight of research performed by investigators with a financial conflict of interest (COI). One way to frame the trade-off of having investigators with financial COI participate in research is through a decision rule: “Our institution is willing for financially conflicted investigators to participate in research around their intellectual property if (a) the science is likely to be significantly better with their participation (or if other significant benefits accrue); and (b) the COI can be adequately managed”.

A key component of COI management is the demonstration that the underlying science is sufficiently rigorous and transparent, and in turn, a scientific oversight plan is a key element of that demonstration. Scientific oversight plans should be proactively generated, by individuals (i.e., scientific reviewers) who are independent and expert, and they should assess the rigor and transparency of the research, in a fashion which is fair and efficient.

Abbreviations: COI: conflict of interest; SOP: scientific oversight plan     

Modeling interest rate cycles in India

The present study tries to examine the behaviour of various Indian interest rates such as call money rate, and yields on secondary market securities with maturity periods of 15–91 days, 1-year, 5-years and 10-years. In the first stage, the study investigates the determinants of interest rates and finds that although the interest rates depend on some domestic macroeconomic variables such as yield spread and expected exchange rate, they are mainly affected by the movements of international interest rates, although with some lags. The policy variables such as Bank Rate and Federal Funds Rate did not show any significant impact on any of the interest rates. Further, it was found that the interest rates in the very recent period show some cyclical movements similar to that of the developed countries. Future behaviour of interest rates show that the present cycle of each interest rate would peak at different time points. This expected behaviour in domestic interest rates could be due to the integration of the domestic economy with the international money and financial market. This trend may be same in most of the emerging economies of Asia.     

Attempts to redefine conflicts of interest

The traditional legal concept of conflict of interest is a practical tool to regulate conduct. In recent years several medical authors have defined conflicts of interest in ways that stray from its original legal meaning. The new definitions cause conceptual confusion and will result in policies that cannot be implemented effectively. We should not follow recent attempts to redefine conflicts of interest because doing so deviates from the legal concept and will lead to deregulation of financial conflicts and overregulation of so-called intellectual conflicts.     

Environmental politics and the changing context of interest group organization

Olson's seminal work, The Logic of Collective Action, holds that rational choice militates against the formation or at least success of collective interests unless such groups offer sufficient selective benefits. A number of scholars, however, have come to argue that changes in the very nature of interest groups, their patterns of organization, and their funding have rendered aspects of Olson's model obsolete. This study attempts to provide empirical support for Olson's critics by examining a case of interest group mobilization and organization involving the extremely polarized policy conflict over old growth forests in Oregon's Siskiyou National Forest. What this study found in this case was that: (1) environmental interests still managed to readily and vigorously organize into manifest groups, (2) the existence of patron-funding and coalition groups undermined the ability of selective incentives to account for such organization, and (3) the very modest incentives that environmental groups offered do not adequately explain the degree and depth of this organization. This study speculates that the pluralist idea of a shared perception of common interests and/or threats offers a more persuasive explanation for group organization in the politics of the Siskiyou.     

Conflicts of interest in vaccine safety research

Conflicts of interest (COIs) cloud vaccine safety research. Sponsors of research have competing interests that may impede the objective study of vaccine side effects. Vaccine manufacturers, health officials, and medical journals may have financial and bureaucratic reasons for not wanting to acknowledge the risks of vaccines. Conversely, some advocacy groups may have legislative and financial reasons to sponsor research that finds risks in vaccines. Using the vaccine-autism debate as an illustration, this article details the conflicts of interest each of these groups faces, outlines the current state of vaccine safety research, and suggests remedies to address COIs. Minimizing COIs in vaccine safety research could reduce research bias and restore greater trust in the vaccine program.     

客体视角下的公共组织权威 --兼论公众对重塑公共权威的作用

随着人类社会的发展,公众的地位和作用日益凸显,导致传统的公共权威运作模式发生合法性危机,引发公共管理模式的转换。面对公众的崛起,领导者必须清醒地认识到,良好的权威主客体互动是以成熟的权威客体为前提的,同时,还要充分估计公众对权威运作过程的影响。一方面,要进一步提高权威主体对公众重要性的认识,另一方面,要加强对公众的教育,塑造合格的权威客体。     

论公营企业的分级所有

我国的国有企业改革已进入攻坚阶段 ,但改革的终极目标并不是坚持和完善现有的国有企业制度 ,而是要建立新的公营企业制度 ;这种制度的创新也并不要求实现政企分开 ,而是要走向市场经济条件下的政企不分。具体的改革要求是变“国家所有、分级管理”为“国家管理、分级所有” ,即要将企业的所有权划分为各级政府所有 ,对公营企业区分中央公营企业与地方公营企业 ,因而资产的管理体制将与传统体制截然不同。     

The real uncovered interest parity: The case of Canada and the USA

The aim of this paper is to re-assess the real uncovered interest parity (RUIP) in the light of including domestic demand shocks as possible determinants of the real exchange rate. We use annual data for two close trading partners, namely Canada and the USA. Using cointegration analysis we find evidence in favour of RUIP. In addition, empirical support is provided to show that discretionary fiscal policy actions have a spillover effect to the real exchange rate via real interest rates.     

Investigating the implementation of SME-friendly policy in public procurement

Public sector employees with responsibility for purchasing are under increasing pressure to implement small and medium enterprise (SME)-friendly policies. Such policies are intended to make it easier for SMEs to compete for and win public sector contracts. In spite of the socio-economic importance of this issue, there remains a dearth of evidence on what is happening in practice. Using primary survey data from 271 public buyers in Ireland, this paper examines the extent to which SME-friendly procurement policy is being implemented and the individual and organization factors that affect implementation. The findings reveal a gap between what government policy recommends public buyers and their organizations should do to facilitate SMEs versus what they are actually doing. Policy familiarity, procurement involvement, organization size and the maturity of the procurement function are shown to be positively associated with the implementation of SME-friendly policy. For managers and legislators, the findings underline the need to invest in the human capital dimension of public procurement if policy implementation rates are to improve.     

Defender, spokesperson, therapist: representing the true interest of the client in therapeutic law

The aim of this article is to analyse the role of the legal representative in therapeutic law, specifically in Swedish administrative court hearings relating to compulsory care. Data are collected from three types of cases where a health or social welfare authority argues that it is necessary to apply coercion to a citizen: the Care of Young Persons (Special Provisions) Act, the Care of Alcohol and Drug Abusers (Special Provisions) Act and the Compulsory Psychiatric Care Act. The data consist of audio-recordings from 39 hearings, supplemented by 28 interviews with participants in these hearings, and court documents. Three primary roles of the legal representatives are identified: defender, spokesperson and therapist. We show how the primary role of the attorney becomes that of the spokesperson, but also that the role of the therapist takes precedence over that of the defender.     

新形势下舆论引导的战略思考

国际国内复杂多变的形势使新闻宣传的舆论引导工作面临诸多严峻挑战 ,也提出了一系列新的课题。新闻宣传要增强影响力和有效引导舆论 ,必须始终站在时代的前列 ,准确把握和及时反映先进生产力的发展要求和先进文化的前进方向 ,体现和反映最广大人民的根本利益 ,使体现党的意志和广大人民群众的心声有机地结合起来。