THE CORPORATE INTERVIEW AS A RESEARCH METHOD IN ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY*

The open-ended corporate interview as a qualitative research method is proposed as a valuable component of an evidentiary strategy in economic geography. It is argued to be more sensitive than other survey methods to historical, institutional, and strategic complexity. The corporate interview method is particularly appropriate in periods of economic and social change that challenge traditional analytical categories and theoretical principles. Some problems inherent to the method, and strategies for minimizing their impact on the research project, are described.     

GMOs and their contexts: A comparison of potential and actual performance of GM crops in a local agricultural setting

In this paper, I argue that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have inherent potential to contribute to socially and environmentally sustainable agriculture by virtue of their ‘biological embeddedness’. Their actual ‘performance’ and how this contributes to sustainability depends on the ‘mutual shaping’ of technology and context. While much attention has been given to the design context of GMOs, this paper considers the influence of the application context and of users. A case study investigating the use of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant GM cotton in the cotton-growing region of New South Wales in Australia is presented. The study was based on focus groups with farmers and other stakeholders in a cotton-growing community. It demonstrated a range of direct and indirect effects of GM cotton use, both positive and negative for sustainability, and the ways in which these effects were influenced by the local social context. The influences of the biotechnology industry context, in limiting the contributions that gene technologies can make to sustainability, were also considered, and remedies suggested. I argue that the polarity of the GM debate is hindering progress on these issues, and that a more balanced approach to our analysis of GMOs is necessary in order to fully understand, and to influence, their role in the future of rural spaces.     

Marine Ecology - A Century of Changes

Abstract. The major changes within the concepts of marine ecology are investigated, with the aim to design this new journal's scientific format. Four phases of marine sciences are distinguished: the phase of seafarers, of oceanographic expeditions, of marine stations, and of field research. The changes in the latter two are discussed in detail. The changes are described as occurring along three axes. First, as a movement towards the object; accomplished by fieldwork, scientific diving, remote controlled equipment, and by underwater experimentation. Second, the cooperation between several disciplines that led towards bridging gaps. And lastly, how the discovery of unifying principles in ecology (the development of an ecological theory) led the approach in marine ecology towards increasing complexity.     

动力定位系统与单波束测深仪在科考船定点作业中的应用

科考船定点作业时会受到海洋风、涌、浪、流等外界环境因素影响，导致工作效率降低，原位测量精度下降，甚至影响作业安全。动力定位系统 （DP） 具有自动定位功能，能够抵抗外界环境因素的影响，可实现科考船高精度定点控位。 单波束测深仪不仅可以测量水深，也可反映水下设备深度信息，可以起到辅助监控水下设备功能。本文在介绍定点作业施工现状与局限性的基础上，分析 DP 系统与单波束测深仪工作原理，以“向阳红 01”船为载体，在定点作业时开启 DP 系统与单波束测深仪，发现该方法可以提高科考船定点作业工作效率、原位测量精度并保障作业安全，可为其他科考船定点作业提供参考。     

派比安台风对上海黄浦江潮位的影响及成因探讨

2000年派比安台风产生的历史第二高潮位对上海的防汛带来严重影响。本文通过比较历史上的风暴潮，从动力机制、天文高潮与增水极值相碰头，潮波共振和水利工程的影响等四个方面分析了这次风暴潮造成的高水位，及台风余振期边缘波的影响，并用SLOSH（Sea,Lake,Overland Surge from Hurricanes)模式模拟了这次风暴潮，为防台减灾的正确决策提供了理论依据。     

珠江口盆地基底结构的综合地球物理研究

通过对珠江口盆地重磁资料的分析处理及反演计算，依据盆地的地质、地球物理特征，采取了针对性的综合地球物理研究思路与方法，对地震资料难以解决的珠江口盆地基底结构进行了研究，确定了盆地的重力和磁性基底深度，并对盆地内的断裂和基底岩性作了推断，提供了新的认识，为今后研究提供了依据。     

Industry participation in stock assessment: the New Zealand SNA1 snapper (Pagrus auratus) fishery

We describe industry funded contributions to the assessment of the SNA1 snapper (Pagrus auratus) fishery during the 1990s and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of industry funded research. We also provide background on the history of fisheries management in New Zealand, on the current assessment and management processes, and on the SNA1 snapper fishery. In the SNA1 fishery, the contributions of industry and the cooperation with Government scientists has resulted in high quality assessments. In our opinion, the advantages of industry funded research out weigh the disadvantages and suggest that industry funded assessments are highly desirable and should be an integral part of any management system.     

Research progress on international rivers in Asia

With the regional population growth, socioeconomic development, more and more attention has been paid to issues on the shared water allocation and the transboundary eco-security conservation during the development of water resources in the international rivers. In this paper, the existing major problems on transboundary waters in different sub-regions of Asia, such as water shortage, transboundary waters pollution, fragile eco-environment are discussed. Then, the key scientific issues to be concerned in the next study progress on the basis of the analyses of the new research directions and focus fields are raised: (1) unpredicted changes of the hydrologic and water system, and their impacts on the allocation of the sharing waters by global changes; (2) models of the international cooperation on the international rivers on the studies of international and national water laws or regulations, policies, the relative experiences and the case studies; (3) quantificational assessment on environmental flow, available water, and the comprehensive functions and values of the international watercourse system; (4) studies on transboundary aquatic bio-diversity maintenance, transboundary pollution supervision and treatment under the rules and principles accepted by the riparian states; (5) issues on transboundary compensation at the rules of “payments for using”, “payments for harm” and “compensation for benefit”; (6) using advanced 3S techniques to promote the integrated watershed development and management; and so on.     

Managing sustainable farmed landscape through 'alternative' food networks: a case study from Italy

This paper focuses on a case study of an 'alternative' food network based in the Abruzzo National Park, Italy, to explore how ideas of sustainable farmland management can be expressed through broader understandings of developing networks of care concerned with local economies and societies, high-quality specialist food products, particular 'traditional' farming practices and livestock breeds, as well as the ecology of a farmed landscape. The scheme allows customers, internationally as well as in Italy, to 'adopt' a milking sheep on a large mountain farm. In return, adopters are sent food products from the farm. The adoption scheme is inter-twined with an agri-tourism project which provides accommodation, runs a restaurant and engages in educational activities. The scheme is the result of the individual initiative of its founder, and is associated with a strongly expressed ethical position concerning the value of sustaining valued local rural landscapes and lifestyles, and the importance of 'reconnecting' urban dwellers with rural areas, farming and 'quality' food production. Yet the localness of the scheme is sustained through wider national and international networks: volunteer and paid workers are drawn from several European countries, funding has been acquired from the EU LEADER programme, and internet and transport technologies are essential in connecting with and supplying an international customer base. The broader economy of care instanced in this case study draws attention to a need to develop strategies for sustainable farmland management constructed around wider programmes of social, economic and cultural, as well as environmental, concern.     

领导人才资源开发经营的实践与思考

人才资源是第一资源，谁拥有人才优势，谁就能抢占事业发展的制高点，因此，对人才资源开发与经营的效益要远远大于对其他资源开发的效益。对山西省气象局近几年来领导人才资源开发与经营的实践进行了详细的探讨和总结，指出领导人才资源开发与经营的基础环节是造拔优势年轻人才，中介环节是创新人才选拔机制，关键环节是优化配置人才资源。