Arts sponsorship and the state of the city

This paper explores the correlation between metropolitan social and economic conditions and corporate arts support in the United States. It is hypothesized that the transition from a manufacturing sector economy to an advanced service sector economy is an important local factor for the increase in corporate arts support.By panel analysis, in eleven metropolitan areas between 1977 and 1991 changes in corporate arts support have been correlated with changes in social and economic conditions, i.e., service sector and manufacturing sector employment, service sector and manufacturing sector income, population's educational attainment, and the degree of dominance by the leading local arts supporting industry.Corporate arts support is higher in metropolitan areas where the population is better educated (=+0.60), the local service sector generates more income (=+0.37) and the local manufacturing sector generates less income (=–0.22).Corporations from the manufacturing sector are mostly indifferent towards arts support. In contrast, corporations from the service sector are supportive of the local arts but they also respond swiftly to a loss in their earnings by discontinuing their arts support.     

Cultural determinants of economic growth: Theory and evidence

Shortcomings of neoclassical growth theory and growth accounting are viewed as a challenge for cultural economics. Recently, new growth theory has introduced several growth determinants and has closed the gap between theoretical and empirical research. Whether this development leaves space for cultural determinants in explaining economic growth is in the center of this paper. The theoretical analysis shows how an endogenous growth model can be used to explain the impact on economic growth of cultural determinants. The empirical part uses indices from cross-cultural studies to extend recent cross-country growth regressions. Among other Hofstedes uncertainty avoidance index is shown to be significantly correlated with economic growth.Discussion paper presented at the 9th international conference of the Association for Cultural Economics, Boston, May 8–11, 1996.     

体育院校技术学科建设的现状、问题及出路

对国家体委直属体育院校技术学科的研究表明,术科师资队伍近亲繁殖严重,高级职称老龄化,高学历较少,工作量不足,发展后劲受到影响;体育院校的术科建设面临理论上的缺陷和实践中的困境,难以胜任高等学校在实施科教兴国战略中所肩负的重任。应站在建立技术科学体系的高度来认识体育院校术科建设,构建新的体育技术学科群。     

立案微言

立案是指“行政主体决定对有关行政事务进行调查处理的活动”，是行政程序的首要环节。能否控制好立案，是档案行政管理部门依法行政，树立执政为民理念，保护公民合法权益的要求。特别是在档案行政法学刚刚起步，理论体系尚不够完善的情况下，立案审查过宽，不免会造成工作被动；审查过严，会将本应档案行政管理部门依法处理的案件排斥在大门之外，形成行政机关的不作为。因此，深入研究行政案件立案的理论，探索法定立案条件，把握立案初审程度，区分立案初审和案件审查的关系，严格立案操作程序，关系到档案行政管理部门积极推进档案案件的查处，切实保护公民、法人和其他组织合法权益。     

信息商品的价格歧视定价策略研究

在分析信息商品高固定成本、低边际成本等相关特征的基础上，全面探讨在信息商品市场中传统价格形成机制失灵的情况下，价格歧视定价策略的必要性及形成原因，论述信息商品价格歧视定价的理论依据，并在此基础上提出信息商品价格歧视定价的几种具体制定策略。     

社区图书馆建设研究

本文从社区图书馆的意义和作用出发，指出了目前国内社区图书馆面临的问题，并提出了相应的对策。     

广东经济建设对促进图书馆国际交流与合作初探

从广东经济的快速发展、图书馆的总体水平以及图书馆国际化进程等方面，分析探讨了经济发展与图书馆发展的关系。     

基于"综合集成研讨厅"的企业竞争情报系统研究

本文分析了企业竞争情报系统的复杂性特征 ,指出企业竞争情报系统建立应采用“从定性到定量综合集成”的思想 ,综合现有的智能决策支持系统、群体决策支持系统等各种决策支持新技术。分析了竞争情报综合集成研讨厅的关键问题 ,包括定性到定量的转换、综合集成、研讨。在此基础上 ,给出了竞争情报综合集成研讨厅的体系结构和实现方法     

The Ephemeral,the Essential and the Material in the Conservation of Contemporary Art: Decision-Making for the Conservation of a Work of Art Made with Butterfly Wings

This article presents the intervention process carried out on a work of art created by artist Yolanda Gutiérrez Acosta, using a series of ephemeral materials such as butterfly wings and agave thorns. The work, an installation from 2002, is entitled ‘Efímeras’ (‘Ephemera’) and consists of 12 flowers mounted on acetate sheets and attached to the same with vinyl acetate copolymers and acrylic acid esters (Mowilith®). These flowers are installed on the floor in a bed of dried flowers. The conservation of contemporary art can lead to some previously unimaginable problems for restorers. Current works of art are somewhat material in nature, but they also have a conceptual dimension that is essential for their artistic interpretation. The artist’s participation in the decision-making process prior to the restoration was quite useful. The passage of time, its effect on the work, and the need to understand the possibility of the demise and destruction of the work were implicit as of the onset of its creation, such that, according to the artist, we are forced to reflect upon the possibilities of its future state.     

Managing Uncertainty for Preventive Conservation

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how conservators engage with uncertainty when creating preventive conservation strategies. It argues that by recognising contexts in which uncertainty will be encountered conservators can develop effective management strategies. A typology of uncertainty explores a range of categories of uncertainty, their experience in preventive conservation and identifies distinct approaches to manage them. Managing uncertainty may include acts of defining its parameters, exposing and resolving through communication or protecting from with contingency. Whatever approach is adopted it must be accepted that uncertainty cannot be avoided. It is important therefore to aim to live well with uncertainty and the paper advocates for preventive conservation applications of strategies recommended in health care for patients with life-threatening illnesses. These strategies include working on things that can be controlled, goal setting, acceptance and factoring in emotions. The ability to identify contexts in which uncertainty is inbuilt should trigger those concerned with preventive conservation to activate strategies developed for managing and living well with uncertainty.