消费者权益保护的契约分析--从消费契约不完全性视角的研究

市场经济就是一种契约经济，消费者和生产经营者者之间的交易关系本质上就是一种契约关系，消费者权益也都是通过消费契约来界定的．但消费契约又是不完全的，通过消费契约对消费者权利的界定也就不可能是完全的。对于契约（明确的和默认的契约）已经界定的权利来说，消费者权益保护的中心就是契约的有效履行问题；对于契约没有界定的权利来说，消费者权益保护问题的关键就是剩余权利公正合理地配置问题。     

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Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Truth claims and explanatory claims—An ontological typology of futures studies

Classifications of futures research are usually based on epistemological differences, but we complete these with ontological considerations. The article presents a typology of forecasts, i.e. statements on future events or states. It has two dimensions, truth claim and explanatory claim; each dimension has two values, making the claim or not making the claim. The four outcomes are: forecasts which make both truth claims and explanatory claims (predictions); forecasts which make truth claims, but not explanatory claims (prognoses); forecasts which make explanatory claims, but not truth claims (science fiction); and forecasts which make neither truth claims nor explanatory claims (utopias or dystopias). We regard each outcome as an ideal type, against which forecasts can be measured. We illustrate the use of the typology by presenting an example of each outcome.     

The influence of sport sponsorship on brand equity and purchase behavior

Abstract

Drawing on Aaker’s brand equity model and Keller’s brand engagement concept and building on the sponsorship between a professional basketball club and a software company, this study examined how sport sponsorship affects brand equity and purchase behavior of the sponsor’s product. Data from 222 survey respondents were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. The results provided evidence that perceived quality and brand engagement impact brand loyalty and purchase behavior of fans toward the sponsor’s product. Perceived fit between sponsor and sponsee and team identification were found to influence significantly sponsor’s brand equity constructs. The study extends Aaker’s model in the sport sponsorship context and highlights the influential role of perceived quality and brand engagement on driving sport team fans to form brand loyalty and purchase sponsor’s product.     

Hispanic agencies and profits of distinction: an examination of the advertising industry as a field of cultural production

This project examines the advertising industry as a self-governing space that is guided by its own internal logics, but is nonetheless influenced by social dynamics at play in the larger social space. Using Bourdieu's theory of practice as a theoretical and analytical framework, this study explores the relationship between cultural capital and economic capital. Specifically, I examine the degree to which Hispanic practitioners have leveraged their knowledge of Latina(o) culture and their proficiency in Spanish as profits of distinction within the marketplace. Qualitative interviews conducted with Hispanic ad agents, general market ad agents and clients reveal that the position that Latinas(os) occupy within the social hierarchy has created both opportunities and boundaries for Hispanic agencies. This paper focuses on the practices that allow Hispanic agencies to isolate Latinas(os) from other consumers, distinguishing them institutionally and entitling them to dedicated marketing resources, but I also discuss the limitations to these practices and how such a narrow expression of the Hispanic agency's cultural capital ultimately limits their access to economic capital.     

Dynamic programming for valuing American options under a variance-gamma process

Lévy processes provide a solution to overcome the shortcomings of the lognormal hypothesis. A growing literature proposes the use of pure-jump Lévy processes, such as the variance-gamma (VG) model. In this setting, explicit solutions for derivative prices are unavailable, for instance, for the valuation of American options. We propose a dynamic programming approach coupled with finite elements for valuing American-style options under an extended VG model. Our numerical experiments confirm the convergence and show the efficiency of the proposed methodology. We also conduct a numerical investigation that focuses on American options on S&P 500 futures contracts.     

Fertilizer demand in Greece

Limiting fertilizer use is becoming an important policy objective world-wide. However, the debate on appropriate policy measures is far from settled and evidence on fertilizer demand elasticities is still insufficient. Past studies on fertilizer demand leave several methodological and empirical issues open. This paper aims to contribute to the debate on the methodology of estimating fertilizer demand using single-equation methods. Dynamic aspects are also considered using error-correction modelling methodology and cointegration techniques. The model is applied using data front Greece. Short-run and long-run price elasticities of fertilizer demand with respect to own price and to output prices show significant response to price changes and the adjustment coefficient of fertilizer use to the error-correction term was found to be fairly rapid. The main policy conclusion of the paper is that reducing agricultural support may be an alternative and, perhaps, more effective way of reducing fertilizer demand than increasing fertilizer prices.