Uncertainty and the neutrality of government financing policy

Some ideas from the theory of finance are applied to consider whether debt-financed tax cuts affect desired consumption. It is shown that government financing policy is a matter of indifference to infinitely-lived households, if a perfect substitute for public debt exists. The analysis allows for uncertainty about future taxes, and for missing markets in some kinds of assets. Income redistribution risk, and the public insurance aspects of an income tax scheme, qualify this neutrality result, but in general the net effect is ambiguous. The real resource costs of financial transacting, as well as government superiority in the intermediation process, may be one rationale for activist debt-management policy. A better understanding of functioning capital markets is essential to evaluate these arguments.     

Spatial Distribution of Retail Sales

We examine the distribution of sales for a retail chain in the Houston market using a spatial gravity model. Unlike previous empirical studies, our approach models spatial dependencies among both consumers and retailers. The results show that both forms of spatial dependence exert statistically and economically significant impacts on the estimates of parameters in retail gravity models. Contrary to the suggestions of (Gautschi, D. A. (1981). “Specification of Patronage Models for Retail Center Choice,” Journal of Marketing Research 18, 162–174.) as well as (Eppli, M. J., and J. D. Shilling. (1996). “How Critical Is a Good Location to a Regional Shopping Center?” Journal of Real Estate Research 12, 459–468.), our results show the importance of the distance parameter in retail gravity models may be greatly understated. Thus, ignoring spatial dependence may lead to overestimation of the deterministic extent of trade areas, and underestimate the importance of good locations.     

Exploring the cargo and eco‐efficiencies of international container shipping companies: A network‐based ranking approach

This study aims to evaluate the cargo and eco‐efficiencies of international container shipping companies (CSCs) for the period 2013–2017 for benchmarking purposes. An integration of two‐stage network directional distance function and network‐based approach in data envelopment analysis is utilized to distinguish the efficient operators. Results show that most CSCs are highly ranked in the cargo efficiency stage but lowly ranked in the eco‐efficiency stage and vice versa. This study emphasizes the strengths and weaknesses of each factor of every CSC. Results can help the inefficient CSCs find the areas for improvement by learning from their peers.     

我奇故我在--创意平面广告评鉴

仿佛,我们进入了一个难以回避广告的时代:走在路上,坐在车上,打开电视,摊开报纸……甚至,当你花了60元钱关掉手机准备好好看场<天下无贼>的时候,佳能DV、数码相机IXUSi5、照片打印机、诺基亚从3210到7260……直到伴随你眼泪一同落下的那则由中国移动传送的短信,都在诉说:我们,在广告与广告的夹缝间游走.     

中国马铃薯分省碳足迹核算与减排策略研究——基于生命周期评价法

目的 核算马铃薯碳足迹,分析马铃薯碳足迹变化特征,探寻碳减排途径,为农业固碳减排和实现碳达峰碳中和目标提供数据支撑。方法 文章利用生命周期评价法（Life Cycle Assessment,LCA）对2011—2020年中国马铃薯种植阶段的碳足迹进行核算,研究分析各种植区以及省级马铃薯碳足迹年际变化和马铃薯碳足迹构成,为马铃薯典型种植区提供减排建议。结果 2011—2020年中国省级马铃薯碳排放总量呈现波浪式下降趋势。在时间尺度上,马铃薯单位面积碳足迹呈现明显的上升趋势,年均增长77.5kg CO₂eq/hm²（P<0.01）;单位产量碳足迹呈现缓慢降低趋势,平均每10年下降0.129t CO₂eq/t （P <0.1）;在空间尺度上,北方一作区和西南单双季作区的马铃薯的单位面积碳足迹处于正增长状态,马铃薯的单位产量碳足迹在除甘肃、新疆以外的大部分地区处于减少状态,马铃薯还有很大的减排空间。在马铃薯碳足迹构成中,肥料（77.72%）是马铃薯种植阶段碳足迹的主要来源,其次是农膜（9.64%）和灌溉（8.46%）。结论 综合比较马铃薯各地区的碳足迹发现,西南单双季作区和南方冬作区的减排潜力最大,其次是中原二作区和北方一作区,马铃薯减排重心逐渐南移。马铃薯减排增产已取得了阶段性成果,未来仍有很大发展空间,其中肥料是马铃薯减排的主要入手点,各种植区应制定适合本区特征的减排方案,大力推广先进减排技术,实现马铃薯减排与增产协同发展。     

软硬结合分类方法提取特定地物信息*——以冬小麦为例

[目的]针对影像上纯净、混合像元共存的现象,文章结合硬分类方法和软分类方法各自的优势,提出了目标地物信息的软硬结合的分类方法。[方法]该方法将遥感影像划分为典型目标地物像元、非目标地物像元和混合目标地物像元3个部分。典型的目标地物像元和非目标地物像元,采用硬分类方法(ISODATA)聚类确定类型;混合目标地物像元采用非线性支撑向量回归混合像元分解模型,从目标地物端元光谱库和非目标地物端元光谱库中多次随机选择像元,进行目标地物不同丰度值的混合像元模拟,构建样本库进行支撑向量回归,提取出混合像元的目标地物丰度。该文以冬小麦为研究对象,选用2006年4月7日的TM影像,采用软硬结合的分类方法进行冬小麦识别。[结果]较传统的硬、软分类方法,软硬结合分类方法精度高,总体精度达到了90.2%;而软分类方法为86.6%,硬分类方法为81.6%。[结论]软硬结合的分类方法克服了硬分类方法对混合像元信息提取受到光谱不确定影响,也克服了软分类方法受到光谱异质性干扰的问题。该分类方法简便、易操作,适合单目标特定地物的信息提取。     

Factorial validation of hospitality service attitude

Numerous studies have shown that service attitude is a cornerstone of the client's perception of service quality. However, little research has explored the construct of service attitude from the customers’ perspective. This study collected data from two sets of samples consisting of 448 customers from international hotels in Taiwan. Through a rigorous process, the results testify service attitude, the most frequently mentioned sub-dimension of interaction quality, and conclude its four dimensions: Problem-solving, empathy, enthusiasm, and friendliness. Implications for practical applications and research limitations are also provided.     

论创设中小企业集合信贷资金信托

为应对国际金融危机的冲击,加大金融支持力度,2008年以来,各地开展设立小额贷款公司、开展股权质押贷款、引进风险投资等试点工作,以缓解中小企业融资难的问题。商业银行在中小企业融资上也进行了积极探索,开发出相应的金融产品,进一步拓宽了中小企业的融资渠道。但这些都属于“一对一”的方式,由于门槛较高,对正处于发展期的中小企业而言获取资金难度较大。应结合中小企业融资难现状通过信托公司创设中小企业集合信贷资金信托,解决中小企业融资难题。     

Foreign direct investment,input prices,and host country welfare

This paper analyzes a multinational firm’s foreign direct investment decision, through either greenfield investment or cross‐border merger and acquisition, into a host country with an input monopoly that adopts either uniform pricing or discriminatory pricing. The optimal foreign entry mode could differ under each pricing policy. Under Cournot competition, firms’ technological gap and the initial local market structure are critical to the choice of foreign entry mode, whereas product substitutability is important under Bertrand competition. In the presence of foreign entry, this paper also examines the welfare effects of input price discrimination for the host country.     

Is it all about religious faith? Exploring the value of contemporary pilgrimage among senior travelers

This study explores the values of pilgrimage exhibited by senior travelers in Taiwan. We identify and explore both spiritual and social values by applying means-end chain theory and the laddering technique. This study investigates the hierarchical relationship among pilgrimage attributes, the consequences that senior pilgrims obtained, and the satisfaction of personal values as an ultimate goal. The clear links are found among attributes, consequences, and values with social interactions that are acquired by keeping in touch with friends, followed by spiritual succor and support that connects with supporting temples, praying, and vow redemption. These findings provide novel insights into pilgrimage literature.