中国房价波动、股价波动对经济波动及居民消费影响的揭示

房价和股价波动如何影响宏观经济,又如何对居民消费产生影响?这是很多人都感兴趣却又让人迷惑的问题。本文运用相关性检验、方差分解和格兰杰因果检验对中国1998-2010年间中国房价、股价、居民消费和经济波动的特征及根源进行了较为全面的互动研究。结果发现,四者关系复杂,各变量均呈现出一定的顺周期特性且互相关联,房价和股价波动会早于经济波动和消费波动,这说明房地产和股票确实是宏观经济的晴雨表。但研究还发现,房价和股价波动对居民消费和经济波动冲击的影响力度不大,而居民消费与房价波动和经济波动之间均存在双向因果关系。而且,房价波动对经济波动的影响更为复杂,可通过消费和股价波动两个传导途径间接作用于经济波动。     

Does Organic Food Consumption Signal Prosociality?: An Application of Schwartz’s Value Theory

Current research suggests that sustainable consumption choices (including favoring organic foods) can act as signals of prosociality. However, who actually perceives such acts as indicators of prosocial, altruistic tendencies is still unclear. Through an online survey (n = 168) and by using personal value priorities (Schwartz’s theory of values) as IVs, the present study sheds light on this issue. First, the results suggest that organic food consumption can confer the valuable signal of prosociality – and some other socially valued traits were also associated with this everyday behavior strategy. Then, the study shows that the interpretation of the signal is dependent on respondents’ positioning in Schwartz’s value circumplex. Intriguingly, in addition to those people who endorse self-transcendence values, people with conservative value priorities also view the presumed organic consumer as prosocial. These impressions are further mediated by more specific organic food attitudes, thereby forming a value–attitude–impression relationship. The implications are outlined.     

Corporations as Political Actors – A Report on the First Swiss Master Class in Corporate Social Responsibility

This paper presents a report on the first Swiss Master Class in Corporate Social Responsibility, which was held between the 8th and 9th December 2006 at HEC Lausanne in Switzerland. The first section of the report introduces the topic of the master class – ?Corporations as Political Actors – Facing the Postnational Challenge’ – as well as the concept of the master class. The second section gives an overview of papers written by nine young scholars that were selected to present their research. The brief summary of each paper also includes a summary of comments from the masters, practitioners, and NGO representatives at the event. The third section brings in the perspectives of one master and one NGO representative on the discussed issues. The final section offers a brief wrap-up of the discussed topics and outlines ways to structure future conceptual and empirical research.