Analysis of the Logistics Patterns of Korea's Free Economic Zones in Northeast Asia and the Implications
The logistics patterns of Korea are analyzed in order to elaborate the strategies of Korean Free Economic Zones (FEZs) in relation to Northeast Asian logistics hubs. As the surface transportation of Korea, China, and Japan is cut off by geographical features and by political borders, this paper confines the scope of analysis to air and maritime transportation. From this analysis in the east Asian region, an attempt is made to understand the cargo flow from and to Korean airports and ports by region and commodity types, thereby identifying the main counterpart regions of trade by commodity and mode. The policy implications for the development strategy of Korean FEZs (Incheon, Busan, and Gwangyang) are described from these analyses.
CLASSIFICATION OF CONTAINER PORTS ON THE BASIS OF NETWORKS
Ports have always functioned as loading centres for cargo, and although historically many ports were pivotal to international trade, many others also failed to sustain their role over time. Hub ports such as the ports of London after the era of the Industrial Revolution, the New York port and the port of Kobe in Japan each experienced a downturn of their status after an impressive debut in international trade. However, to determine the factors which raise the profiles of ports as centres of international trade and as hubs is not a straightforward analytical exercise. A major challenge for researchers nowadays is to pinpoint and analyze the relationship between a port and its region in view of economic activity. From this perspective, our particular concern in this work is to explore the function and classification of container ports and port cities in relation to the networks that connect them inland and outward.
Expansion without equity: An analysis of current policy on access to higher education in Brazil
Access to higher education in Brazil is to a large extent restricted to the higher socio-economic groups. Public universities have limited places and entry is determined by highly competitive exams, thereby excluding those who have not had a high quality secondary education or attended an expensive preparatory course. There has been considerable growth in the private sector to absorb the excess demand, but the majority of Brazilians cannot afford the fees. This paper develops a concept of equity in higher education in which, firstly, there should be sufficient places in the system as a whole and, secondly, all people should have a fair opportunity of attending the university of their choice regardless of socio-economic background. Recent efforts to expand access are analysed, including incentives for the growth of private universities, student loans and the new Prouni initiative, in which private institutions provide free places to low-income students in return for tax exemptions. While these initiatives have the potential to increase the total number of places, they will not lead to an equitable expansion, as disadvantaged students will still be confined to courses of lower quality or with lower subsequent value on the employment market. Initiatives aimed at the public sector such as the introduction of quotas and changes to entry examinations are also discussed. Finally, some implications for future policy development are outlined.