Attitude Sophistication and Effective Teaching in Economics

Little attention has been given to the measurement of changes in attitudes and beliefs resulting from instruction in economics. This deficiency is met by Mann and Fusfeld who relate attitude changes to growth in students' knowledge (cognition) and to characteristics of both students and instructors. The findings from this research suggest a conflict among the goals of instruction. They also imply greater persistence of changes in attitude than of changes in knowledge.     

Wertorientiertes Dialogmarketing: Kampagnencontrolling auf dem Prüfstand

Zusammenfassung  Der wertorientierte Ansatz der Unternehmensführung gewinnt immer mehr an Bedeutung; damit w?chst auch der Rechtfertigungsdruck für Aufwendungen des Dialogmarketing. Um den Ansprüchen der Wertorientierung Rechnung tragen zu k?nnen, muss das Dialogmarketingcontrolling neu ausgerichtet werden. In diesem Beitrag lesen Sie, wie ein Analyse- und Gestaltungsrahmen für ein wertorientiertes Dialogmarketing aussehen und wie Wertorientierung im Dialogmarketingmanagement erfolgen kann. Prof. Dr. Andreas Mann Inhaber des SVI-Stiftungslehrstuhls für Dialogmarketing und Leiter des DMCC — Dialog Marketing Competence Center der Universit?t Kassel Patrick Rath, MBA Mitarbeiter des SVI-Stiftungslehrstuhls für Dialogmarketing der Universit?t Kassel     

International transmission of monthly changes in equity values

Our purpose is to answer two questions pertinent to the international transmission of changes in equity values. First, do lead-lag relationships documented in short-horizon (daily) studies continue to hold in longer time (monthly) horizons? Second, does the lead-lag structure remain stable over time? The questions are answered by examining monthly equity returns for nine countries during the 1980s. We find evidence that is somewhat surprising—significant lead-lag relationships among some countries persist in monthly horizons, particularly during the first half of the 1980s. During the second half, the lead-lag relationships are substantially weaker. During the same period, we find that contemporaneous correlations across countries have largely increased, implying greater influence of worldwide factors in determining equity prices.     

Einzelbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Ecosystem Service Value and Agricultural Conversion in the Amazon: Implications for Policy Intervention

We explore the welfare implications of agricultural expansion in the Brazilian Amazon by comparing spatially explicit estimates of soybean rents and the value of ecosystem services. Although these estimates are generated from different datasets, models, and estimation techniques, the values are comparable, such that the value of ecosystem services is greater than soybean rents for about 61% of the total area and 24% of the area where soybean rents are positive if protected areas are well enforced. Based on the balance between the benefits and costs of conversion, failure to value ecosystem services reduces total social welfare by 7.13 billion dollars annually relative to an optimum. Policy instruments that internalize the value of ecosystem services via protected lands, land conversion taxes, conservation subsidies, or excise taxes can avoid much of this loss. Regardless of intervention regime, policy makers should be cognizant of the diminishing net benefits of converting natural ecosystems to agriculture. Realizing the final 3.8% requires the conversion of an additional 15% natural ecosystems to soybean production.     

What and how to communicate about a corporate brand with the consumers: An exploratory study

The present exploratory study investigates the differential impact of various relevant corporate brand associations on consumers' cognitive (product attitude and purchase intention) and affective responses (affective corporate commitment) in the three sectors, namely durables, services and fast moving consumer goods. The findings reveal that corporate brand associations can be categorised into two categories – universal associations, which are influential in all the sectors, and sector-specific associations, which have a differential effect on consumers in different sectors. Thus, this study reveals that corporate branding is important to consumers in all the sectors, but a single corporate brand story does not work in all the sectors. Further, corporate associations do not always have a positive effect on the consumers; under certain circumstances, these might either have no effect or have a negative effect on the consumers. Finally, there are two routes by which corporate brand associations can influence consumers – by affecting their cognitive responses or by influencing their affective responses towards the company. The recognition of the important corporate brand associations in the three sectors, and the routes (cognitive or affective) through which these associations influence consumer choices would enable marketers to develop more sophisticated corporate communication strategies.     

Interdependence in the technology adoption decision among municipalities

This study examines the interdependence among municipalities in the discrete decision to adopt internet technology. Results from probit specifications with interaction effects suggest that cities are influenced by nearby neighbours with similar population size in developing a website. Evidence is also presented indicating interaction among municipalities in the decision to use internet technology to facilitate financial transactions.     

Does Libertarian Paternalism Reconcile Merit Goods Theory with Mainstream Economics?

In the wake of Musgrave's move to question the absolute hegemony of individual preferences for normative economics in the 1950's by propounding the existence of merit goods, a recent book by Thaler and Sunstein is now making a similar claim under the label of ‘libertarian paternalism’. This paper tackles the question of why the framework of libertarian paternalism has received a so much more friendly reception among economists than the theory of merit goods. The main reason is a better foundation, not only for the conditions under which paternalism may be justified but also for the tools that should be applied, utilizing transaction cost theory.     

国际供应链物流与贸易便利化的宏观政策

贸易便利化指标的正向变化会改善国际供应链环境,并使整个国家贸易量增加.一国国内的贸易便利化改革比参与国际谈判降低关税更能改善国际贸易环境.改善的贸易便利化指标能很好地平衡国际收支,因为出口商更愿意花大力气促进全球供应链环境的改善.改善信息技术硬件设施、遵守国际标准是关键因素.每个国家因国情不同,需要改革的领域也各有差别.标杆测评工具关注一个国家的国际贸易产品和模式、贸易便利化指标的现状,以及对产品供应链的投入等因素,可以帮助决策者制订最适合的贸易便利化改革方案.