Auditing Standards in China—A Comparative Analysis with Relevant International Standards and Guidelines

The continuing and deepening economic reforms in China have brought many changes both socially and economically to the society. The primary function of auditing in China has begun to shift away from the traditional tax compliance assessment towards the credibility lending to financial statements. The economic reforms and the development of the Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises have necessitated the parallel development of auditing standards in China. While some significant differences exist, the new Chinese auditing standards are, in a number of important aspects, similar to the professional standards promulgated by the International Federation of Accountants. The development of a comprehensive body of standards, auditor independence, the role of certain auditing techniques, and certified public accountant (CPA) population are the major areas that China needs to improve. Opening up the Chinese accounting industry will trigger significant advances in the implementation of Chinese standards and the development of the Chinese accounting profession.     

Are there long-run implications of analyst coverage for IPOs?

Analyst coverage has been cited increasingly as an important attribute in the selection of an underwriter for a firm about to go public. However, it has also been alleged that affiliated analysts provide biased research. In this study, we examine these interrelated issues by examining the long-run performance of IPOs with coverage from their managing underwriters in a 1993–2003 sample. We find that (1) analysts’ research coverage from their managing syndicate is not related to long-run performance; (2) long-run performance is not different for firms that receive all-star analyst coverage; and (3) investors are not systematically worse off for following lead underwriter recommendations.     

Stakelberg竞争条件下的药品专利许可问题研究——“医药分离”与“以药养医”两种医疗体制的微观福利比较

本文分析了在“医药分离”与“以药养医”两种医疗体制下,专利药企业和仿制药企业达成药品专利许可协议的条件,以及该许可对患者和医生的福利影响.研究发现:在特定条件下,与仿制药企业达成药品专利许可协议对专利药企业是有利的.在“医药分离”的体制下,该许可会改善患者的福利水平;在“以药养医”的体制下,该许可会改善医生的福利水平,但是如果专利药与仿制药的医疗保险报销百分比差距较大,并且两种药品的差异化程度较高,该许可会降低患者的福利水平.因此,监管部门应该仔细评估药品专利许可的福利影响,对某些会损害患者福利的许可,应该采取措施加以限制.     

Options pricing under the one-dimensional jump-diffusion model using the radial basis function interpolation scheme

This paper will demonstrate how European and American option prices can be computed under the jump-diffusion model using the radial basis function (RBF) interpolation scheme. The RBF interpolation scheme is demonstrated by solving an option pricing formula, a one-dimensional partial integro-differential equation (PIDE). We select the cubic spline radial basis function and adopt a simple numerical algorithm (Briani et al. in Calcolo 44:33–57, 2007) to establish a finite computational range for the improper integral of the PIDE. This algorithm reduces the truncation error of approximating the improper integral. As a result, we are able to achieve a higher approximation accuracy of the integral with the application of any quadrature. Moreover, we a numerical technique termed cubic spline factorisation (Bos and Salkauskas in J Approx Theory 51:81–88, 1987) to solve the inversion of an ill-conditioned RBF interpolant, which is a well-known research problem in the RBF field. Finally, our numerical experiments show that in the European case, our RBF-interpolation solution is second-order accurate for spatial variables, while in the American case, it is second-order accurate for spatial variables and first-order accurate for time variables.     

FDI on the move: cross-border M&A and migrant networks

Review of World Economics - Using data on Chinese outward direct investment and migrant stocks in 96 countries from 2003 to 2014, we find that migrant networks have a positive and significant...     

Pathways After Default: What Happens to Distressed Mortgage Borrowers and Their Homes?

We use a detailed dataset of seriously delinquent mortgages to examine the dynamic process of mortgage default—from initial delinquency and default to final resolution of the loan and disposition of the property. We estimate a two-stage competing risk hazard model to assess the factors associated with post-default outcomes, including whether a borrower receives a legal notice of foreclosure. In particular, we focus on a borrower’s ability to avoid a foreclosure auction by getting a modification, by refinancing the loan, or by selling the property. We find that the outcomes of the foreclosure process are significantly related to: loan characteristics including the borrower’s credit history, current loan-to-value and the presence of a junior lien; the borrower’s post-default payment behavior, including the borrower’s participation in foreclosure counseling; neighborhood characteristics such as foreclosure rates, recent house price depreciation and median income; and the borrower’s race and ethnicity.     

An Intertemporal Currency Board

The paper shows that the traditional wisdom of raising interest rates to defend a currency enriches rather than punishes the speculators. Furthermore, using high interest rates as a currency defense tool often produces the opposite effect in times of crisis. A new approach is proposed of using Hong Kong dollar "put" options as an explicit commitment by the government. The put option itself acts like an intertemporal currency board in keeping the linked exchange rate over time. This costly signaling produces a separating equilibrium that distinguishes the strength of the Hong Kong dollar from the other Asian currencies that were under pressure in 1997.     

On the asymptotic normality of some unbiased estimates

Abstract

Let X _m(n) =(X _j , n, ..., X _{j m,n} ) be a subset of observations of a sample X_n = (X_1n X _2n ... , X _nn ). Here the X_jn 'S in Xn are not necessarily independent or identically distributed, and m(n) mayor may not tend to infinity as n tends to infinity. Suppose the joint density function h_n =h_n (x _m (n); θ) of the X _jn 's in Xm(n) is completely specified except the values of the parameters in the parameter vector θ = (θ1 θ2, ... , θ _k ), where θ belongs to a non-degenerate open subset H of the k-dimensional Euclidean space Rk and k?m(n).     

Bank Efficiency and Macro-economic Factors: The Case of Developing Countries

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of macro-economic factors on bank efficiency of commercial banks in Asia, Middle East/North Africa, and Africa. To achieve the objective, the stochastic frontier approach (SFA) was used to simultaneously estimate the parameters of the stochastic frontier and the inefficiency model. The results show that the effect of macro-economic factors on bank efficiency differs across region. Cost inefficiency of the commercial banks in the Asian region is negatively related to the real gross domestic product per capita, credit to the private sector, and market concentration but is positively related to trade openness. Banks cost inefficiency in the Middle East/North Africa is negatively related to trade openness but is positively related to market concentration suggesting that banking market in this region should be more open to competition.     

对低收入者住房问题的研究

2011年是极不寻常的一年。世界经济出现大变局,中国经济开始大调整后,中国经济面临大挑战。在地震频繁爆发,世界经济大幅度动荡的情形下,中国也在汶川.青海.云南之后,物价持续上涨,从而也在一定程度上影响着房地产事业。而占社会群体绝大多数的低收入者对此次的感受从某种意义上来说更为深刻。前两年房价上涨过快,脱离了绝大多数老百姓的承受能力,低收入者的住房问题成为全社会关注的焦点,也成为了国家在民生方面的工作重点。从全国范围来看,住房保障建设还远未达到要求。最主要是各级政府重视不够,虽然出台一系列政策措施,但是对保障政策的具体落实执行情况远不尽如人意,无论在投入机制、配套措施、部分城市政府介入还是保障性住房供应量等方面有诸多问题。