Perceived facilitators and barriers to saving among low-income youth

Asset-based social welfare programs focus on helping low- to moderate-income citizens to accumulate wealth in the form of homeownership, savings, small businesses, and higher education. Individual development accounts, savings accounts in which account holders’ deposits are matched, are a vehicle often used in these programs. In a national demonstration of individual development accounts for children (children's savings accounts), low-income youth were interviewed to learn what helped them to save and what made it difficult to save. We describe the young people's perceptions of these factors, and conclude with implications for policy and program design.     

The Model Development Dissertation

ABSTRACT

Asset-building programs, such as Individual Development Account (IDA) programs within social service agencies, assist low-income employed clients in building credit, purchasing affordable assets, and gaining wealth. This longitudinal exploratory study examines the credit outcomes of IDA programs to add to the knowledge concerning the effects of IDAs as an asset-building tool. Data were analyzed using a convenience sample of IDA participants and nonparticipants (N = 164), and the results indicated that initial credit score and history are associated with program participation. However, results also suggested that initial credit score is not a meaningful indicator of program completion, time to completion, or type of asset purchased for participants. Those who completed the IDA program within 2 years experienced the highest credit gains. Future research with larger samples is needed to further assess the impact of credit on program participation and completion and on whether credit gains are sustained.     

Effects of an Individual Development Account Program on Retirement Saving: Follow-up Evidence From a Randomized Experiment

We examine the 10-year follow-up effects on retirement saving of an individual development account (IDA) program using data from a randomized experiment that ran from 1998 to 2003 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The IDA program included financial education, encouragement to save, and matching funds for several qualified uses of the saving, including contributions to retirement accounts. The results indicate that as of 2009, 6 years after the program ended, the IDA program had no impact on the propensity to hold a retirement account, the account balance, or the sufficiency of retirement balances to meet retirement expenses.     

Strategic Measures to Reduce China’s Carbon Emissions: Based on an Index Decomposition Analysis of Carbon Emissions in Eight Industries

This article uses the refined Laspeyres index decomposition method to examine the overall trends and characteristics of carbon emissions in eight Chinese industries for the period 1994-2008. The results show that every one percentage point increase in economic scale will result in an average increase of 15 Mt (million tonnes) in carbon emissions. However, different industries vary greatly in terms of marginal carbon emissions caused by economic growth. The economic structure’s bias toward heavy industry fuels the increase of carbon emissions: every one percentage point rise in the share of manufacturing industry produces an average of 56 Mt carbon emissions. Technological progress helps reduce energy intensity and serves as a core driver in reducing carbon emissions, in that every one percentage point decrease in energy intensity will cause an average reduction of 33 Mt in carbon emissions. Our coal-dominated energy structure has resulted in a persistently high level of carbon emissions, suggesting that the reduction effect brought about by changes in energy structure is not significant. Nevertheless, lowering the density of overall carbon emissions is a positive signal, indicating that China is optimizing its energy structure. Only by promoting industrial restructuring, optimizing energy structure, encouraging energy-saving technologies and technological innovation, and reorienting industry can China achieve low-carbon development and control pollution.     

SPECIAL ISSUE： CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCEStrategic Measures to Reduce China＇s Carbon Emissions： Based on an Index Decomposition Analysis of Carbon Emissions in Eight Industries

基于优化的Laspeyres指数分解方法,通过考察1994-2008年我国八大行业部门碳排放量的总体趋势与特征,结果发现：经济规模每增长一个百分点,碳排放量平均增加15Mt（百万吨）,但不同行业间经济增长的边际碳排放量差异很大;经济结构重型化加剧碳排放量的增加,制造业比重每增加一个百分点,碳排放量平均增加56Mt;技术进步推动能源强度下降,是减少碳排放的核心动力,能源强度每下降一个百分点,碳排放量平均减少33Mt;以煤炭为主的能源结构导致碳排放密度居高不下,能源结构变化的减排效应并不显著。但是,综合碳排放密度下降是一个积极的信号,显现出我国能源结构优化的迹象。推动产业结构调整、能源结构优化,促进节能技术与工艺创新、走新型工业化道路,是实现中国低碳发展的必经之路。     

试论IAD大学生的认知基模与认知疗法的运用

网络成瘾（IAD）是指在无成瘾物质作用下的上网行为冲动失控,表现为由于过度使用互联网而导致个体明显的社会、心理功能损害。近年来,IDA大学生群体引起越来越多的关注。在综合前期研究的成果基础上,提出IDA大学生的认知基模,并对IDA大学生的认知疗法的运用进行分析。     

碳排放IDA模型的算法比较及应用研究

在分析碳排放指数分解模型IDA的基本理论框架和各类型算法的结构、特点基础上,以中国1991—2014年相关数据的实证分析作为各算法应用的解读,并基于适用性、有效性综合评价提出算法选择的参考信息:LD算法分解的各因素作用易于理解,但存在分解余项问题;RLD与Shapley算法能够实现因素完全分解,且本质上具有一致性;GFI算法适合多因素效应完全分解,但计算过程复杂;AMDI与AWD算法受到分解余项和对数权重赋值限制的影响约束;LMDIⅠ算法具有灵活的分解形式及因素完全分解特征等。     

Asset‐based policy in rural China: an innovation in the retirement social insurance programme1

In response to growing rural–urban inequality, China is undertaking a series of policy initiatives to promote rural development. In addition to redistributive policy aiming at social protection, asset‐based policy, which integrates social protection and social investment, are a viable option for progressive rural development. In 1998, the Hutubi local government in Xinjiang, China, implemented an innovative retirement programme that allows account holders to use accounts as legal collateral to borrow small loans and invest in productive assets, education, and small businesses. Using the data gathered by the programme organizers and in‐depth interviews with programme participants, this case study closely examines the Hutubi programme. We examine the programme's key features, which have effectively encouraged asset building in a rural community, and identify the programme's strengths and weaknesses. The success of the Hutubi programme has implications for asset‐based policy development in rural China.

为了回应城乡日益扩大的不平等, 中国现正实施一系列新政策以鼓励农村发展。 除了以社会保护为目的的再分配政策外, 资产为本的政策综合了社会保护和社会投资, 是推进农村进步性发展的可行选择。 1998年, 中国新疆呼图壁地区政府实施了崭新的养老计划, 容许户口持有人利用保险户口作为法律担保, 借出小额贷款及投资在具有效益的资产、教育及小型企业上。

透过项目组织者所收集的数据, 以及与参与者进行的深入访谈, 本研究个案将详细剖析呼图壁项目。 我们检视了项目的主要特征, 这些特征有效地促成了农村社区资产的建立。 我们还分析了项目的优缺点。 呼图壁项目的成功对中国农村实行资产为本的政策发展有着深远的启示。