Regional Science Inquiry

Margherita Pedrana

Assistant professor in Applied Economics

European University of Rome

E-mail: margherita.pedrana@unier.it

Abstract

The economic development of an area has been largely discussed in literature. It is linked to the economic structure and resources of a territory. Moreover, also infrastructure and investments may affect the local economic development. Tourism is an economic activity in which visitors move to an area to visit a particular destination. Tourism has different purposes and may also be complementary to other local economic activities.

As all economic activities which affect the development of an area, also tourism has to be managed on routes and specific context. The role of tourism is important in the context of local economic development. Public institutions have to be aware of the capacities of an area and try to help its development. However, if not well managed the local resources may be destroyed by tourist. A local tourism policy towards sustainability is indispensable for the future development of an area.

This paper is organized as follow. The first part will analyze the role of tourism in local area. Subsequently, a model of local economic development and its application on tourism is investigated. Latter, the role and implications for local policy of sustainable tourism are shown. Finally, some conclusions and policy implications are drawn.

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Cristina LINKARU
National Institute for Science Research in The Field of Labour and Social Protection- INCSMPS, Romania, e-mail: cristina.lincaru@yahoo.de

Vasilica CIUCĂ
National Institute for Science Research in The Field of Labour and Social Protection- INCSMPS, Romania, e-mail: silviaciuca@incsmps.ro

Speranţa PÎRCIOG
National Institute for Science Research in The Field of Labour and Social Protection- INCSMPS, Romania, email: pirciog@incsmps.ro

Draga ATANASIU
National Institute for Science Research in The Field of Labour and Social Protection- INCSMPS, Romania, email: incsmps1@incsmps.ro

Abstract
Independent Component Analysis ICA is “a method for finding underlying factors or components from multivariate (multidimensional) statistical data”. Considering that the specific of this method is “that it looks for components that are both statistically independent and Non-Gaussian, we try to apply ICA method on labour market data. Following the methodology presented by Hyvärinen, Karhunen, Oja (2001) on the problem” cashflow of several stores belonging to the same retail chain, trying to find fundamental factors common to all stores that affect the cash flow” we apply on analysing the unemployment rates, seasonally adjusted, in monthly variation at EU27 level between January 2000-September 2011. The data source is EUROSTAT, indicator [une_rt_m]: „Unemployment rate, monthly average, seasonally adjusted data, total (%), resulting 141 months/cases. Orginal mixture data are pre-processing in the stage of Pre-whitened using Principal Component Analysis PCA, with NIPALS algorithm and for ICA the FastICA Algorithm from STATISTICA 8.0 Software.
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Ioannis Th. Mazis

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Turkish Studies and Modern Asian studies,

e-mail: mazis@her.forthnet.gr

Abstract

This paper presents a systemic analysis of the Greater Middle East Geo-complex, in the light of the geopolitical factor of the Islamist movement –both Shiite and Sunnite. We consider that the geostrategy practised by the Anglo-Saxon actors of the Super-system of this specific geo-complex aims at the containment strategy of the Russian and Chinese actors from the Mediterranean Sub-system, along with their ally states of Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and some of the UAE (e.g. Abu Dhabi). Furthermore, with the rise to power of the Sunnite Islamist governments in the region, a “remote” threat is tried to be exerted against both of the aforementioned actors in order to increase the negotiating benefits of the dipole of the London-Washington Special Relationship, in view of the provoked redrawing of the borders of the former nation-state regime.

Moreover, the US appear willing to create strong and permanent territorial strategic bases in the Middle East, in order to guarantee, both for Israel and the US, the strategic depth that is desirable for their security. We are making reference to the gradually developing strategic plan for the creation of an Independent Kurdistan, that would be able to serve western security interests, as well as the energy-related interests of the Anglo-Saxon, and European oil consortia, but also Washington’s power projection to the Russian Near Abroad and the Chinese Northwest region of Xinyiang, increasing the power gap once again, in favour of the US, at the centre of the Rimland.

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