Using the Pack‐and‐a‐Half Rule to Eliminate Backroom Inventories in Retail Operations

In the retail industry, backroom inventories are typically associated with higher labor costs and greater operational complexity. Thus, retailers look for ways to eliminate backroom inventories. A heuristic used for this purpose is the pack‐and‐a‐half rule which suggests that the shelf space allocated for a product should be at least 50% larger than the case pack quantity in which the product is delivered. Despite its popularity among retailers, the pack‐and‐a‐half rule has been ignored in the academic literature. We introduce the pack‐and‐a‐half rule, assess its impact on a retailer's profits, identify cost, demand, and product characteristics driving this impact, and propose a modification. Based on an analysis of data obtained from a retailer on 1,986 SKUs in 20 categories, we find that the pack‐and‐a‐half rule decreases a retailer's profits, on average, by 10% when applied uniformly across all SKUs. Further, this decrease is significantly affected by product depth, product width, demand elasticity, case pack quantity, and inventory carrying cost. Finally, we develop a set of modifications based on these variables where the pack‐and‐a‐half rule is applied selectively and in a stepwise fashion. These modifications limit the decrease in a retailer's profits to a range between 6% and 7%.     

构建我国内部审计质量体系的几点思考

国内的一些重大集体舞弊案引发了众多学者对我国内部审计质量的关注。本文从分析我国内部审计质量的现状入手,试图寻找相应的对策,构建我国内部审计质量体系,以提高我国内部审计质量。     

工程建设质量控制中的特殊过程确认

ISO9001质量管理体系中对特殊过程及特殊过程确认作了具体规定,本文就特殊过程及特殊过程确认的概念、特点、内容、方法作了分析,结合其对工程建设中质量控制的指导意义,分析说明了在监理工作中进行质量控制的具体做法。     

Adjustment Costs,Inventories and Output

This paper analyzes the optimal adjustment strategy of an inventory‐holding firm facing price‐ and quantity‐adjustment costs in an inflationary environment. The model nests both the original menu‐cost model that allows production to be costlessly adjusted, and the later model that includes price‐ and quantity‐adjustment costs, but rules out inventory holdings. It is shown that the firm's optimal adjustment strategy may involve stockouts. At low inflation rates, output is inversely related to the inflation rate, and the length of time demand is satisfied increases with the demand elasticity but decreases with the storage cost and the real interest rate.     

A framework for the analysis of firm risk communication

In this paper, we propose a framework for the analysis of risk communication and an index to measure the quality of risk disclosure. Mainstream literature on voluntary disclosure has emphasized that quantity can be used as a sound proxy for quality. We contend that, in the analysis of the disclosure of risks made by public companies, attention has to be paid not only to how much is disclosed but also to what is disclosed and how.We apply the framework to a sample of nonfinancial companies listed in the ordinary market on the Italian Stock Exchange. To verify that the framework and synthetic index are not influenced by the two factors recognized in the literature as the most powerful drivers of disclosure behavior for listed companies, we use an OLS model. The regression shows that the index of disclosure quantity is not influenced either by size or industry. Thus, the synthetic measure can be used to rank the quality of the disclosure of risks.     

工程量清单招标方法的探讨

工程量清单招标是国际上普遍使用的通行做法。它适应市场并合理配置资源,有利于施工企业合理报价,实现优胜劣汰,有利于标底的管理和控制,合理分散风险等,是我国工程造价体制改革的必然走向。     

经济生产量模型对库存的控制

在分析需求变化的基础上修改和完善了经济批量模型,进一步研究了单项物品和多项物品的最小经济生产批量以及年最小总成本,改进了经济生产量模型。     

新会计准则的四大改进

中国新会计准则体系已于2006年2月15日正式发布,并于2007年1月1日起在上市公司率先实施。通过对新会计准则与原会计准则的比较,把握新会计准则的变化,对于贯彻实施新会计准则体系、提高上市公司质量、促进资本市场和谐稳定发展具有重要意义。本文认为新会计准则的四大改进为:会计目标定位于“受托责任观”与“决策有用观”的融合、会计信息质量强调相关性与重要性原则、会计要素的确认与计量国际趋同、财务报告体系更趋有用性。     

基于产权视角下的农地征用制度研究

农地发展权是农地产权体系中的一项重要权利.我国现行的农地征用制度存在着农地发展权的缺失.只有在农地征用制度中明确设立农地发展权,才能更好地保护农地持有者的利益.