Suchergebnisse

Ce document est l'occasion de décanter les formes prises par les concepts centraux des approches institutionnalistes et évolutionnaires qui structurent notre approche de l'économie. Nous tentons dans ce travail de proposer une caractérisation aussi précise que possible de chaque concept et d'élaborer les articulations logiques susceptibles de les relier en une "économie institutionnelle du changement".Les applications de cette construction à l'analyse de la trajectoire d'insertion de l'économie russe dans l'économie mondiale sont multiples. Nous revenons sur les travaux que nous avons menés depuis notre thèse de doctorat dans ce domaine. Nous présentons ensuite notre réflexion sur les concepts des approches institutionnalistes et évolutionnaires. Nous élargissons l'analyse aux relations entre les processus de transformations institutionnelles contemporains. Nous explorons la dimension territoriale de la trajectoire russe, puis nous discutons la dimension normative de l'édifice théorique institutionnaliste. Nous concluons sur notre programme de recherches, qui dépasse l'analyse de la trajectoire russe pour s'intéresser aux processus d'accélération des transformations institutionnelles et économiques qui caractérisent certaines économies contemporaines, en particulier celles qui sont qualifiées d' « émergentes ».

International reference pricing (IRP) has become a popular policy instrument in Europe as government seeks to curb healthcare costs and notably reduce expenditure on medicines. IRP builds on systematic price comparisons with other countries and aims at fixing low reimbursement levels for drugs covered by the public health insurances. There are however serious concerns as to whether IRP is an adequate instrument in terms of reconciling the immediate need to reduce healthcare spending with the objective of fostering a dynamic and innovating atmosphere for future health technology improvements. Discussing the benefits and drawbacks of international reference pricing, this Policy Brief seeks to identify known effects and provide greater understanding of possible unintended consequences of IRP, particularly with respect to market distortions. Existing research shows that reference pricing may reduce drug prices and promote generic market entry in the short term. In the long run however, IRP risks causing negative dynamic effects. This is due to the fact that the operation of the price mechanism is set out of play. The IRP as an instrument is not designed to improve productivity and efficiency in the pharmaceutical market. Instead of basing prices on an assessment of the added therapeutic value of a new medicine, IRP focuses solely on cutting costs. As pharmaceutical companies react to policy incentives, launch delays have been observed as well as higher prices on branded drugs as firms try to compensate for foregone sales. Ultimately, by dampening the price competition and by discouraging incremental innovation, IRP may in the long run defeat its purpose and lead to increased medical expenses for the public healthcare sector.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a brief summary of a series of papers presented at the gender, class, employment and family conference, held at City University, London, in March 2008.Design/methodology/approachThe conference involved 25 papers presented by invited speakers, and the report is based on summary notes, observations and conference abstracts.FindingsThis report summarises a range of contributions, theoretical and empirical, to the continuing debates on gender and class inequality in Britain, Europe and the USA. The evidence presented not only demonstrated the persistence of gender and class inequalities, but also provided a critique of the "individualisation" thesis. The contribution of both normative and material factors to gender inequality was extensively explored. The discussions focused upon a series of tensions and contradictions – between "sameness" and "difference" feminism; choice and constraint; capitalist markets and the human requirement for caring work.Originality/valueMany of the papers drew on original empirical research, both quantitative and qualitative, using sophisticated methodologies. Longitudinal findings (cohort studies) were well represented, as were cutting‐edge theoretical contributions.