How “green” are North American hotels? An exploration of low-cost adoption practices

This study analyzed the so-called “green,” or environmentally friendly, practices of American hotels. As such, it examined how green hotels in the United States are regarding no-cost or low-cost practices. Respondents included 166 hotels, which were identified through a random sample of hotels from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and included chain and independent properties as well as properties of various sizes (based on the number of rooms). The study findings show that chain hotels were at the time of the study stronger adopters of green practices than independent hotels were, likely due to leveraging economies of scale through uniform corporate practices. In addition, hotels in the Midwest were found to be the most environmentally friendly in terms of their use of no-cost or low-cost green practices. Additional results indicated that size (classified by number of rooms) had little effect on the extent to which hotels were trying to manage energy consumption.     

The extent and magnitude of formalin adulteration in fish sold in domestic markets of Bangladesh: a literature review

Bangladesh has been suffering from rampant food adulteration for the last few decades. Dishonest businessmen use formalin illegally as preservative to prevent spoilage and increase shelf‐life of fish. Prolonged consumption of formalin adulterated fish may cause serious health hazards (i.e. cancers) which lead to increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of the review was to examine the extent and magnitude of illegal formalin treatment in fish sold in domestic markets of Bangladesh. A systematic review was conducted using conventional databases and non‐conventional approaches to identify the relevant studies. Out of nine studies, eight confirmed the presence of formalin in fish collected from the markets of four main cities. Large and imported fishes were found to be mainly affected. Formalin adulterated fish was reported in seven studies. The fish were tested using a locally developed kit, and the amount of formalin treated fish ranged between 0.5 and 50%. Two other studies used the spectrophotometric method and reported specific formalin levels. The study conducted in Dhaka found mean levels of formalin to be 402.35 mg/kg in imported fishes and 118.60 mg/kg in local fishes which were much higher than the WHO recommended levels. In another study conducted in Mymensingh, formalin levels ranged between 1.4 and 7.3 mg/kg in both marketed and freshly caught pond fishes. The use of accurate, simple, specific and sensitive techniques is therefore highly recommended. The government and other agencies should address the issue as a priority basis by formulating effective policies and programs to safeguard the health of the public.     

Linking Customer Engagement to Trust and Word-of-Mouth on Facebook Brand Communities: An Empirical Study

Given the rise of social networking sites, particularly Facebook, companies have started engaging with customers in this newly emerged digital space. This study explores the role of customer engagement in enhancing trust and word-of-mouth on brand communities over Facebook. The effect of customer involvement on customer engagement is also checked. This study also investigates the direct relationship of customer involvement with trust and word-of-mouth. A pen-and-paper questionnaire survey of 450 Facebook account holder students was used. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that a higher level of involvement with the brand community leads to a higher level of customer engagement. Customer engagement leads to customer trust and word-of-mouth activities. The results further suggest a direct positive relationship of customer involvement with trust and word-of-mouth, but the mediation of customer engagement strengthens the mentioned effect.     

Earnings quality and corporate cash holdings

Poor earnings quality exacerbates information asymmetry between internal and external stakeholders of a firm. Agency considerations then persuade investors to discount the value of corporate cash holdings out of concern about the inappropriate use of funds. In this study, we show that poor earnings quality has a negative impact on the value of corporate cash holdings and a positive impact on the level of cash reserves. We find that the negative effect of poor earnings quality either neutralizes or more than offsets the positive effect of excess cash on firm value. Our results are robust to several measures of earnings quality and model specifications.     

The influence of organisational and personal factors on the use of accounting information: An empirical study

The study empirically investigates the relationship between styles of using accounting information and selected job related traits and organisational factors. Three styles of using accounting information for operational control and subordinate evaluation are defined, measured and compared with a previous operational measure. Evidence on the relationship between the styles and functional background, goal, time and structural orientations, management style and traits, and hierarchical position is presented and discussed.     

中国金融制度变迁的演化逻辑分析

中国的金融制度由于“国家悖论“、政府效用函数最大化以及政府偏好序列的约束,及各个既得利益集团为获取制度租金而采取的博弈,使政府供给主导型的强制性金融制度变迁具有强势路径依赖的特征,锁定在低效状态.要退出中国金融制度锁定,必须引入新的内生变量和外生变量,实施动态的制度变迁,从而达到高效的路径替代.     

Cultivating group-oriented travel behaviour to major events: assessing the importance of customer-perceived value,enduring event involvement and attitude towards the host destination

Abstract

Major events, such as the Olympics and Glastonbury music festival, attract tourists and result in increased consumer spending in host economies. The purpose of this study is to gain insights into the key determinants driving future intentions of travel consumers to participate in group-based travel to major events. An integrated theoretical model is empirically tested with 424 travel consumers who have had prior experience travelling in a group to a major event. The results substantiate the model showing that customer value perceptions of a past group-travel consumption experience conceptualised with multiple benefit dimensions has the largest relative effect on future intentions to engage in group-travel behaviour to major events, followed by attitude towards the host destination and enduring event involvement. The results provide managers with holistic insights into components that are used as the basis upon which group-travel consumers develop their choice behaviour which can be used to effectively cultivate more attendees to major events.     

Instrument Choice: The Demand for Mortgages in Canada

This paper is directed at understanding the factors which caused mortgage demand to fluctuate to the degree witnessed in the 1980s. We model the mortgage choice decision as involving simultaneous options on both the term and the amortization choice, by cost minimizing risk averse borrowers. The model is estimated using a bivariate ordered probit methodology. An extensive database containing details on the financial and demographic characteristics of households is used. We find that, contrary to the dominant model of mortgage demand, borrowers react to market conditions in a risk averse and cost minimizing manner.     

Skill differentiation and wage disparity in a decentralized matching model of North–South trade

In this paper we develop a North–South trade model in which the South produces food and the North produces both food and a high–tech good. Food production is undertaken by unskilled workers, while the high–tech product is made only by horizontally differentiated skilled workers. Owing to the possibility of a peer–group effect, we allow the unskilled workers in the North to be equally or more productive than in the South. Horizontal matching of skilled workers is generally imperfect and the skilled wages are determined by a symmetric Nash bargain. We characterize two different types of equilibrium: a closed–economy equilibrium without trade and a free trade equilibrium without labour mobility. We then extend the benchmark framework to consider the presence of transport costs. In all cases with trade, the equilibrium properties of goods pricing, the volume of trade as well as between–group and within–group wage inequality are examined. JEL Classification: F10, D51, D63, J31 Différentiation d’habiletés et disparité de salaires dans un modèle décentralisé de commerce nord–sud dans lequel les habiletés sont arrimées. Ce mémoire développe un modèle de commerce international nord–sud dans lequel le Sud produit de la nourriture et le Nord produit à la fois de la nourriture et un bien de haute technologie. La production de la nourriture nécessite seulement une main d’?uvre non–spécialisée, alors que la production du bien de haute technologie réclame seulement une main d’?uvre spécialisée et différentiée horizontalement. On assume que les travailleurs non–spécialisés dans le Nord sont aussi productifs ou plus productifs que ceux dans le Sud. Pour ce qui est des travailleurs spécialisés, l’arrimage horizontal est généralement imparfait et les salaires sont déterminés par une négociation symétrique à la Nash. On définit deux types d’équilibres : un équilibre en économie fermée sans commerce international, et un équilibre de libre échange sans mobilité des travailleurs. On étend alors le cadre de référence pour prendre en compte les coûts de transport. Dans tous les cas où il y a commerce international, on examine les propriétés en équilibre des prix des biens, du volume de commerce ainsi que de l’inégalité de salaires tant entre les groupes qu’à l’intérieur des groupes.