Estimating the distribution of welfare effects using quantiles

This paper proposes a framework to model welfare effects that are associated with a price change in a population of heterogeneous consumers. The framework is similar to that of Hausman and Newey (Econometrica, 1995, 63, 1445–1476), but allows for more general forms of heterogeneity. Individual demands are characterized by a general model that is nonparametric in the regressors, as well as monotonic in unobserved heterogeneity, allowing us to identify the distribution of welfare effects. We first argue why a decision maker should care about this distribution. Then we establish constructive identification, propose a sample counterparts estimator, and analyze its large‐sample properties. Finally, we apply all concepts to measuring the heterogeneous effect of a change of gasoline price using US consumer data and find very substantial differences in individual effects across quantiles.     

中国个人所得税问题研究——基于法与经济学的思考

个人所得税是调节收入分配直接而有效的手段.虽然新修订的<个人所得税法>已于2008年3月1日施行,但针对个人所得税扣除额标准的争论仍在继续.本文运用法与经济学研究方法,针对现行个人所得税扣除额标准所存在的问题,从统计数据和统计理念、中国城市居民家庭实际发生费用、宪法精神等多个方面进行了探讨,并在此基础上提出了将个人所得税起征点提高到8000元左右等相关政策建议,以期进一步完善个人所得税法.     

Assessing individual differences in psychophysical functions

Individual differences in psychophysical data are examined in an olfactory experiment using a group of sixteen children (9 year olds) and three different techniques: magnitude estimation (ME), reglets or sticks (RE) and finger span (FS). From the responses given in the three techniques Steven's functions were calculated. Group and individual fits to the power law are analyzed. Comparisons of all individual curves were also done and consistency of the subjects responses across techniques was examined. Results show that: (1) while group data fit to the power law, individual data, in general, do not; (2) individual differences are found in both slopes and intercepts and (3) subjects are consistent in their judgments across techniques. These results might be interpreted in a sensory and cognitive context. Further research is needed to identify the specific contribution of sensory and cognitive sources to the individual differences in the psychophysical function.     

The expected life of mobile homes

This article reports empirical evidence on the expected life of mobile homes. Three sources, using three different definitions of loss, are drawn upon: published studies, proprietary data from Foremost Insurance Company and Census data. The Census data are analyzed using logit analysis, and a life table for mobile homes is produced. Based on these analyses, implications are drawn for policy-makers and consumers, for the insurance, financing and manufactured housing industries, and for researchers.     

简析分户验收中常见质量问题及处理措施

分户验收工作是检验住宅建筑施工中工程质量的重要环节,随着社会对质量控制及管理的日益重视,分户验收的理念越来越深入人心。文章从分户验收的内容、存在的问题和处理措施3个方面进行论述。     

媒介素养教育对人的现代化的影响及途径分析

社会现代化是一个不可逆转的趋势,而美国社会学家英克尔斯认为社会现代化的核心是人的现代化。人的现代化要求具备很高的综合素养,而在媒介不断发展并对人们的生活学习产生日趋重要影响的时代,媒介素养的高低对人的现代化也起到了非常重要的作用。通过提升媒介素养来促进人的现代化,不失为有效之举。文章针对传媒从业人员和受众分别提出了媒介素养教育的内容与方法。     

现阶段网络营销中的几个重要转变及其营销启示

现阶段网络营销处在全新的网络生态系统——Web2.0的包围之中,网络的价值核心由信息聚集转向群体重构。在Web2.0背景下,网络群体构建方式、经济逻辑、顾客扮演的角色以及顾客的需求等方面出现了重要转变,从事网络营销的企业可试着从关注消费者个体需求和群体情感、融入网络群体、让顾客主动参与营销和传播信息等三个方面制定营销策略以应对这些重要的转变,在激烈的竞争中赢得一席之地。     

关于教职工个人所得税税收筹划浅析

个人所得税是我国重要的税种之一,认真履行代扣代缴个人所得税是单位财务部门的重要工作内容。2019年1月1日实施新的个人所得税以来,个人所得税代缴工作暴露出不少问题,如漏缴、不足额代缴等问题突出。因此,如何构建合理的个人所得税税收筹划,降低职工的税收负担成为构建高质量财务管理工作的当务之急。     

媒介素养教育对人的现代化的影响及途径分析

社会现代化是一个不可逆转的趋势，而美国社会学家英克尔斯认为社会现代化的核心是人的现代化。人的现代化要求具备很高的综合素养，而在媒介不断发展并对人们的生活学习产生日趋重要影响的时代，媒介素养的高低对人的现代化也起到了非常重要的作用。通过提升媒介素养来促进人的现代化，不失为有效之举。文章针对传媒从业人员和受众分别提出了媒介素养教育的内容与方法。     

债务资金个别资本成本率计算的讲解

个别资本成本率的计算是财务管理课程的重要内容之一。计算个别资本成本率的公式较多,学生掌握起来有一定难度,本文归纳出计算债务资金资本成本率的通用公式,以便学生更好掌握相关知识。     

科技查新报告审核要点及案例探讨

科技查新报告的质量是能否发挥科技查新重要作用的决定性因素,而查新审核是提交查新报告的最后一步,是确保查新报告质量的重要环节。文章提出了查新报告的审核要点,并结合具体案例对查新结论审核中应注意的问题进行探讨。     

科技查新报告审核要点及案例探讨

科技查新报告的质量是能否发挥科技查新重要作用的决定性因素,而查新审核是提交查新报告的最后一步,是确保查新报告质量的重要环节。文章提出了查新报告的审核要点,并结合具体案例对查新结论审核中应注意的问题进行探讨。     

家庭联合退休行为研究述评与展望

将老年劳动力的个体退休决策放置在家庭背景下进行而出现的联合退休行为,矫正了因使用单一个体退休模型,而忽略家庭内部互动关系所导致的影响评估偏差,对于全面和正确理解个体退休决策具有重要意义。本文梳理了国外学界有关家庭联合退休行为的主要研究成果,同时将该行为形成的五类影响因素归纳为个体、互动和外部三个层次,并通过替代、收入及互补效应对影响路径进行解释。此外,简要概括了该问题的主要研究方法,并通过性别不对称性及政策实施偏差双视角对影响结果进行了归纳展示。进一步的,对该理论在我国国情下可能出现的内涵延伸及借鉴意义予以阐述。最后,基于已有研究对该问题未来进一步的研究方向提出展望。     

Microeconometric evidence on the neoclassical model of demand

The Rotterdam demand model is fit to microeconomic data on households in Belgium. Prices vary over time and across consumers. The symmetry and homogeneity properties associated with demand functions for an individual are not rejected in these data.     

Relating ultrasonic vocalizations from a pair of rats to individual behavior: A composite link model approach

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are crucial in the social behavior of rats. We aim to relate USV rates of pairs of rats to individual activity in an automated home cage (PhenoTyper®) where USVs are recorded per pair and not per individual. We propose a composite link model approach to parametrize a mechanistic “sum‐of‐rates” model in which the pair's USV rate is the sum of the USV rates of individuals depending on their own behavior. In generalized linear models (GLMs), the individual's USV rates are multiplied. We verified through simulation that composite link model gave lower Poisson deviance than GLM. We analyzed the data from an experiment in which half of the cages did allow the pairs to interact (Pair Housing) and the other half did not (Individual Housing). The “sum‐of‐rates” model fits best for Individual Housing and GLM for Pair Housing. An additional simulation study strongly suggests that interaction between rats changes the underlying mechanism for vocalization behavior.     

Similarities in fan preferences for minor-league baseball across the American Southeast

Three Minor League Baseball leagues across the Southeastern United States are studied in order to determine what drives fan attendance. Individual game attendance and game characteristics are examined for three leagues located in the American southeast, the Florida State League, the Southern League, and the South Atlantic League. Despite the three leagues encompassing different levels of play (from A to AA), the determinants of attendance are similar across leagues. Factors affecting attendance such as winning percentage, weather conditions, local income and population, and individual game promotions, such as fireworks, are explored.     

Public Report,Price, and Quality

A monopolist produces a good with two qualities. All consumers have the same valuation of the first quality, but their valuations of the second vary, and are their private information. A public agency can verify qualities, and make credible reports to consumers. In Full Quality Report, the public agency reports both qualities. In Average Quality Report, it reports a weighted average of qualities. The equilibrium prices and qualities in Full Quality Report can be implemented by Average Quality Report. Equilibrium prices and qualities in Average Quality Report give higher consumer surplus than Full Quality Report. Bertrand competition under Average Quality Report yields first‐best prices and qualities.     

Sources of downward bias in estimating the demand income elasticity for urban housing

Housing demand studies, whether relying upon individual or grouped data, have limited their observations to similar housing units and/or similar housing consumers to help control for product heterogeneity. Yet similar housing units tend to locate in clusters; tenants tend to segregate by race and income. The unintended results may be: (1) for grouped data, selection of a product subgroup with a supply price elasticity small enough to matter; (2) for individual data, selection of a consumer subgroup possessing a lower income elasticity than all housing consumers. Evidence is given that the supply price elasticity is sometimes small enough to matter when grouped data are used.     

Adaptation investments and homeownership

This article develops a model where ownership improves the efficiency of the housing market as it enhances the utility of housing consumption for some consumers. The model is based on an extended Hotelling–Lancaster utility approach in which the ideal variant of housing is obtainable only by adapting the home through a supplementary investment. Ownership offers low costs of adaptation, but has high contract costs compared with renting. Consumers simultaneously choose housing demand and tenure, and because of the different cost structure only consumers with strong preferences for individual adaptation of the home choose ownership. This article analyses the consumer’s optimization. The model provides an explanation for the observation that homeowners typically live in larger dwelling units than tenants. It also provides an explanation for a high price of housing services tending to reduce homeownership rates.     

The development of a work-value model assessing the cumulative impact of individual and cultural differences on managers' work-value systems: empirical evidence from French and British managers

This study is the first attempt in Europe to develop an analytical model, based on multidimensional scaling and regression analysis, which enables the operationalization of cultural concepts related to the work context at both the individual and cultural levels of analysis. The development of the model consists of adapting Schwartz's motivational theory of human values (1992, 1994, 1999) to the work context by testing his theory on the domain of work-values and social behaviour in the workplace. For this purpose, two new questionnaires were developed: 1) a new work-value questionnaire based on both Schwartz's and Hofstede's conceptual frameworks – the purpose of this questionnaire was to enable the assessment of the cumulative impact of both cultural and individual differences, and 2) a new Communication Style Questionnaire which enabled us to establish the cross-cultural validity at the behavioural level of the newly developed workvalue dimensions. The model was empirically tested with a population of French and British managers from two different sectors, bank/insurance and pharmaceutical/healthcare organizations. This was done so that the impact of organizational culture differences could be controlled. In total more than 2,500 questionnaires were collected for statistical analysis. The final four work-value scales (Self-enhancement; Individual dynamics; Consideration for others; Group dynamics) elicited through rigorous five-step analysis successfully achieved the purpose of the model's development.