Month: December 2013

Bernard De MYTTENAERE

Institute of Environmental Management and Regional Planning
the Free University of Brussels.
bdemytte@ulb.ac.be

Abstract

By means of an exploratory and comparative study focusing on the three rural destinations in Wallonia (Chimay, Orval and Rochefort), we have put forward reflections on the role and influence of gastronomic confraternities, both as actors in local economic and tourist development and in terms of their leadership capacity. By means of this exploratory research, we are not seeking to analyse the effectiveness or economic performance generated by the activities of the gastronomic confraternities, but rather to show the opportunities they offer for local actors to form and gain access to such networks. After having identified the many reasons and advantages to local actors of joining a gastronomic confraternity, we will try to understand why some of them do not seem to be interested in local actors, whereas others draw attract members of the local economic, political  and social elites.

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Daniela-Luminiţa CONSTANTIN

(corresponding author)
Professor, Department of Administration and Public Management, The Faculty of Administration and Public Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Tel: 004 021 319 19 01, E-mail: danielaconstantin_2005@yahoo.com

Alina Elena IOSIF

Assistant Professor, Department of Business, Consumer Sciences and Quality Management, The Faculty of Commerce, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Tel: 004 021 319 19 01, E-mail: balalia_alinaelena@yahoo.com

Alina Georgiana PROFIROIU

Associate Professor, Department of Administration and Public Management, The Faculty of Administration and Public Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Tel: 004 021 319 19 01, E-mail: alina_profiroiu@yahoo.com

Raluca Mariana GROSU

Assistant Professor, Department of Business, Consumer Sciences and Quality Management, The Faculty of Commerce, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Tel: 004 021 319 19 01, E-mail: petrescu_raluca_mariana@yahoo.com

Abstract

This paper addresses the legal and institutional issues generated by the organising and the provision of services of general interest (SGI) in Romania, with a special emphasis on the territorial distribution of competences and the derived responsibilities. It takes into consideration the classification of competences associated to local authorities as a result of the decentralisation process, which are divided into exclusive, shared and delegated ones. A series of drawbacks, inconsistencies are revealed followed by reflections on the solutions adopted by the authorities in favour of economic liberalisation and sustainable development of the local communities. The cooperation between the public authorities and the business sector is particularly addressed in this respect. In methodological terms, several interviews were conducted both among the general informants, namely academic representatives, policy makers, etc. and the representatives of the services providers, such as practitioners or public-administrators involved in delivering SGI. The former category of interview respondents has generated ideas of a national coverage area, while the latter type of interviewees has presented their perspective on certain localities in Romania, but with wide applicability to other similar areas. The interviewees’ opinions have been mainly focused on the state and the future challenges on SGI in Romania.

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Yuheng LI

Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research,
Chinese Academy of Sciences
11A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China;
liyuheng@igsnrr.ac.cn

Hans WESTLUND

Department of Urban Planning and Environment,
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract:

This paper investigates the relationship between overall inequality in China and the contributions of physical capital, human capital and social capital. The investment in physical capital tends to enlarge overall inequality while human capital helps to reduce the inequality. Human capital appears to be more influential than physical capital in overall inequality reduction in the research period. Social capital (people’s social networks) however, does not seem to exert any impact on overall inequality in the post-reform era. Possible policy implications of these results are that measures should be taken to pursue more even distributed investment of physical capital and to increase people’s education in order to reduce overall inequality in China.

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