Measuring the effect of distance on the network topology of the Global Container Shipping Network

This paper examines how spatial distance affects network topology on empirical data concerning the Global Container Shipping Network (GCSN). The GCSN decomposes into 32 multiplex layers, defined at several spatial levels, by successively removing connections of smaller distances. This multilayer decomposition approach allows studying the topological properties of each layer as a function of distance. The analysis provides insights into the hierarchical structure and (importing and exporting) trade functionality of the GCSN, hub connectivity, several topological aspects, and the distinct role of China in the network’s structure. It also shows that bidirectional links decrease with distance, highlighting the importance of asymmetric functionality in carriers’ operations. It further configures six novel clusters of ports concerning their spatial coverage. Finally, it reveals three levels of geographical scale in the structure of GCSN (where the network topology significantly changes): the neighborhood (local connectivity); the scale of international connectivity (mesoscale or middle connectivity); and the intercontinental market (large scale connectivity). The overall approach provides a methodological framework for analyzing network topology as a function of distance, highlights the spatial dimension in complex and multilayer networks, and provides insights into the spatial structure of the GCSN, which is the most important market of the global maritime economy.

Evolução das vantagens comparativas na exportação de flore: Comparativo de São Paulo e Ceará4)

O Brasil vem aumentando cada vez mais a sua participação no mercado mundial de flores. No Ceará, a floricultura ganha impulso a partir da década de 1990. Por sua vez, São Paulo, tem a maior produção de flores para exportação do país. Desta forma, surge o questionamento acerca do comportamento do segmento no mercado de exportação de flores. Assim este trabalho tem por objetivo geral analisar de forma equiparativa a evolução das vantagens comparativas dos estados do Ceará e São Paulo no comércio mundial de flores entre 1997 a 2014, A metodologia consiste no cálculo do Índice de Vantagem Comparativa Revelada de Vollrath. A base de dados foi obtida do MDIC/SECEX com informações sobre receita e quantidades exportadas da floricultura dos dois estados exportadores. Os resultados mostram que no final da década de 1990 o Ceará, até então, não era considerado um estado produtor competitivo. Contudo, a partir dos anos 2000, o mesmo avança a sua participação em relação aos demais estados brasileiros exportadores desse segmento, chegando à posição de segundo lugar em exportações totais de flores, ficando somente atrás de São Paulo que é considerado o primeiro exportador desse segmento.ABSTRACT Brazil has increased more and more to your participation in the world market. Historically, the State of São Paulo is the largest national producer and exporter of flowers and derivatives. However, in the State of Ceará floriculture, enlarges your participation within exporter from 1990, showing increasing levels of market share in exporting trade. In this way, the question is about the behavior of the Brazilian Export segment. This article aims to analyze the general trend of comparative advantages of the States of Ceará and São Paulo in world trade of flowers between the years of 1997 to 2014. The methodology consists in calculating the Vollrath’s revealed comparative advantage index. The database was obtained through the MDIC/SECEX with information about revenue and quantities exported flowers of the two states analyzed. The results show that the Ceará increased participation in scenario exporter from 2000, obtaining the second position in total revenue of flower’s exports. These results, coupled with the higher relative presence in exporting trade, allowed the Ceará widen your competitiveness in the trading of flowers in the recent period. Keywords: agribusiness, floriculture, Vollrath’s revealed comparative advantage index.

Et lykkeligt fornuftsægteskab? Turistforeningen for Danmark mellem hjemstavnsturisme og eksportturisme ca. 1888-1967

Artiklen baserer sig p&aring; unders&oslash;gelser af Turistforeningen for Danmarks virke med hovedv&aelig;gt p&aring; perioden 1923-1945. Neds&aelig;ttelsen af &bdquo;Udenrigsministeriets Udvalg for Turistpropaganda i Udlandet" i 1934 bet&oslash;d en gennemgribende forandring, hvor staten for f&oslash;rste gang involverede sig aktivt i Turistforeningens organisation<br />og arbejde. Turisme blev herved i h&oslash;jere grad opfattet som et eksporterhverv og indrettet efter sit &oslash;konomiske indtjeningspotentiale. Hermed lagdes grunden til den organisation og den turismeopfattelse, som kom til at dominere efterkrigstidens danske turisme, mens tidligere, konkurrerende syn p&aring; turismen p&aring; sigt marginaliseredes. En gennemgang af Turistforeningens brochurer og udgivelser<br />vil i &oslash;vrigt demonstrere, at &bdquo;Danmark som turistland" repr&aelig;senteredes i meget forskellige og konkurrerende diskurser, lige fra en hjemstavnsorientering med v&aelig;gt p&aring; oldtid, landskaber og landbokultur til det &bdquo;moderne Danmark" med levende byliv, uh&oslash;jtidelig harmoni, ungdommelighed og social ansvarlighed. Overordnet bet&oslash;d mellemkrigstiden b&aring;de i organisation og repr&aelig;sentation en forskydning af turistarbejdet fra provinsens lokale, folkelige forankring til byernes, prim&aelig;rt k&oslash;benhavnske, erhvervsinteresser.<br /><br />Abstract: A Happy Marriage of Convenience?<br />The Danish National Tourist Organization c.1888-1967<br />Turistforeningen for Danmark was the Danish National Tourist Organization from 1923-1967. It replaced Den danske Turistforening which dissolved in the turmoil following World War I, and was itself replaced in 1967 by Danmarks Turistr&aring;d. This article offers an outline of the development of Turistforeningen for Danmark with a main focus on the interwar-period 1923-1939. Through an analysis of the organization's activities to attract foreign visitors as well as to<br />&bdquo;enhance"the travel of Danes within their own country it is shown, how two distinct understandings of &bdquo;tourism" co-existed, and was balanced against each other, within the organization. Commercial interests, primarily based in Copenhagen and the larger tourist destinations, saw tourism as an economic activity and an &bdquo;exporting trade" to be exploited in an ever-increasing international tourism<br />market. On the other hand were the more than 100 local tourist associations, to a large degree non-commercial, which saw tourism as an educational or &bdquo;ideal" activity, meaning cultural and educational where visiting scenery, prehistoric sites, historic town centres and seeing local customs should teach locals and visitors alike about the region and the nation at large. The basic partnership<br />between commercial interests and local tourism was maintained throughout the period, but government involvement in 1935 made Turistforeningen for Danmark a state-sponsored organization, dramatically increasing the available funding, but also shifting the balance within the organization in favour of commercial interests.<br />It also meant noticeable changes in the representations of Denmark through brochures and guidebooks and the beginnings of a modern tourism discourse of 'fairy-tale Denmark', stressing tranquillity, laid-back city-life, social welfare and design. This development was halted by World War II, but though co-operation (as well as organizational debate) persisted throughout the 1950's and 1960's, the commercial and professional understanding of tourism became increasingly dominant, thereby pushing different ways of managing and thinking about tourism to the margins.<br />

V. Canada and the Repeal of the Corn Laws

Mid-nineteenth century Imperial trade policy has been discussed mainly from the standpoint of the constitutional historian. It is probably for this reason that the economic events with which the policy is connected have received very little critical analysis, and are usually expounded on lines laid down by contemporary partisans. The orthodox view that the Canadian corn-exporting trade was encouraged by the English grant of increased preference in 1843, and in the midst of consequent expansion was injured by the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, and later revived in some measure by the compensating repeal of the Navigation Laws in 1849, was the view normally held by Canadian writers in 1850. Having its origin in past politics, it characteristically exalts the influence of legislation. It is hoped to show in this article that when disturbing factors besides English tariff policy are taken into account—speculation, harvest fluctuation, and the policies of foreign states, to name no others—the interpretation which has proved so seductive is in the main a legend. A legend, it is true, whose acceptance in the late “forties” is not difficult to understand.