Limit to improvement: Myth or reality?: Empirical analysis of historical improvement on three technologies influential in the evolution of civilization

The evolution of civilization appears to have primarily resulted from continuous improvement made possible by technological advances. A group of social evolutionists and economists have identified, among others, energy, transport, as well as information and communication to be the three most influential technologies. On the other hand, a number of eminent scholars have cited several forces, natural, physiological, technological, as well as environmental which can place a limit on on-going improvement.The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the continuous improvement process as well as the limit placed on these three technologies. Using the framework of both connected and disconnected multiple technology S-curves and X-factor, historical improvement data on these three elements have been analyzed. The results of our analysis indicate that improvement in general has continued without limit mainly due to a series of emerging new technologies. These emerging technologies can be either connected or disconnected from the existing mature technologies. Our preliminary analysis shows that much of the past improvement comes from new technologies that on first serious application appear to be substantially superior from earlier technologies. In addition, enormous continuous improvement, which has accompanied both connected and disconnected new technologies appear to have played the critical role in sustaining the evolution of civilization. The paper discusses a number of policy implications and suggests topics for future research.     

Financial resource availability and corporate social responsibility expenditures in a sub‐Saharan economy: The institutional difference hypothesis

Studies done in developed economies have demonstrated a positive relationship between financial resource availability and CSR. Arguments that we term the Institutional Difference Hypothesis (IDH) drawn from the institutional literature, however, suggest that institutional differences between developed and developing economies are likely to result in different CSR implications. Integrating the logic of IDH with insights from slack resources theory, we argue that there exists a negative relationship between financial resource availability and CSR expenditures for firms in Ghana, a sub‐Saharan African emerging economy. We use lagged data from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and find that Return on Sales, Return on Equity, and Net Profitability were consistently associated with lower CSR expenditures. We highlight the implications of our findings for research and managers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

文化差异视角下的英汉颜色词的联想

不同的民族由于地理、民俗、宗教及价值观念等方面的差异,在表达同一概念时,词汇被赋予了许多的联想意义。掌握汉英颜色词不同的文化联想意蕴,并且了解产生这些不同联想意义的原因不仅有利于提高英语学习水平,还能促进和加强中西文化之间的交流。     

The impact of minimum wages on employment of low‐wage workers

This study provides empirical evidence on the impact of a minimum wage increase on employment of workers in the formal sector who have wages below the minimum level in Vietnam. Using the difference‐in‐differences with propensity score matching and the Vietnam Household Living Standard Surveys of 2004 and 2006, the article finds that the minimum wage increase in 2005 reduced the proportion of workers having a formal sector job among low‐wage workers. Most workers who lost formal sector jobs became self‐employed.     

非货币性资产交换的税会差异及分析

非货币性资产交换按会计处理原则不同可分为具有商业实质的交换和不具有商业实质的交换。具有商业实质的交挟在税会处理上没有根本性差异，而不具有商业实质的交换在税会处理上存在根本性差异。税会处理差异的原因在于会计和税法的立法立场不同，而且这一差异不可协调。这种差异可以有效防止关联方企业利用非货币性交换调节利润。     

Local poverty reduction in Chile and Mexico: The role of food manufacturing growth

This paper analyzes the relationship between local poverty and food manufacturing growth in Chile and Mexico using propensity score matching, differences in differences and spatial econometrics methods. We focus on food manufacturing as a sector with a number of characteristics that make it potentially pro-poor, and whose incentives for spatial distribution may either strengthen or dampen its poverty reduction potential. The overall results indicate growth in food manufacturing employment contributes to local poverty reduction.     

关于公式C=Q/(U_1-U_2)的再讨论

本文通过论证得出两极板带不同电量时电容器的定义式和一般意义上电容器的定义式是相同的。     

中国P2P网贷行业发展区域性差异的外部环境影响因素

基于"网贷之家"发布的2014年中国各地区网贷行业综合发展指数数据,测算了全国28个省(自治区、直辖市)的经济环境指数、信用环境指数、金融环境指数、法律环境指数和受教育水平,研究了它们对中国P2P网贷行业发展区域性差异的作用机理。回归结果显示:经济环境指数、金融环境指数和信用环境指数影响成交得分,受教育水平、法律环境指数和经济环境指数影响安全收益得分,经济环境指数和金融环境指数影响流动性得分,它们作为外部环境因素均间接影响了中国P2P网贷行业发展的区域性差异;经济环境指数、信用环境指数和金融环境指数是直接影响中国P2P网贷行业发展区域性差异的外部环境因素。     

浅谈国际商务沟通中的文化差异问题

随着世界经济联系越来越密切,国际商务沟通日益频繁,但是由于参与各国有着不同的文化背景,使得国际商务沟通中经常产生误解与分析。本文将探讨文化差异对国际商务沟通的影响及促进沟通顺利进行的对策。     

国外跨文化管理研究综述

随着经济全球化的快速发展，国外学者对跨文化管理进行了大量的研究。国外相关研究经历了20世纪50～70年代的萌芽阶段，70～90年代的大发展，90年代至21世纪初的多元化交叉发展三个阶段，并将伴随经济全球化进程呈现出多学科交叉、多层次关联、多视角整合的网络化、立体化发展格局。