Sodium content in foods: Brazilian consumers’ opinions,subjective knowledge and purchase intent

This study attempted to gain insights on Brazilian consumers’ subjective knowledge of sodium content in processed and homemade foods and their purchase intent for products with reduced‐sodium content. A questionnaire was distributed to 409 consumers selected by convenience quota sampling. We found that Brazilian consumers were concerned about the amount of salt (sodium chloride) in the products they consumed, regardless of educational levels, income, age, lifestyles, or health conditions. However, they still considered their consumption to be above WHO‐recommended limits and had little subjective knowledge about the term ‘sodium’. While processed products were considered the main contributors of high‐sodium intake, participants were not concerned about addition of salt at the table and salt in homemade food. The majority of respondents rarely read the sodium content on food labels; however, men and older individuals were more likely to read label information on sodium content. Products with reduced sodium were found to have market appeal, which justifies investments in research to develop these products. Therefore, in addition to the efforts to reduce sodium in the processed‐food industry, it is necessary to promote awareness about the importance of food labelling, especially sodium content, and the need to reduce salt in homemade food and additions during meals.     

Balancing the risk of ‘Lazearian’ interrupters and the benefits of educational and social peers: tracing parental preferences for class-size reduction

Using Danish survey data from a choice experiment, parental preferences for class-size reduction are estimated. While parents with children in large classes are willing to pay for class-size reduction, parents with children in small classes are reluctant and even express negative utility for further class-size reduction. We interpret this as parents balancing the risk of ‘Lazearian’ interrupters and the benefits of educational and social peers when forming their preferences for class size.     

Kernel-type estimators for the distortion risk premiums of heavy-tailed distributions

A new kernel-type estimator for the distortion risk premiums of heavy-tailed losses is introduced. Using a least-squares approach, a bias-reduced version of this estimator is proposed. Under suitable assumptions, the asymptotic normality of the given estimators is established. A small simulation study, to illustrate the performance of our method, is carried out.     

The role of openness in the fuzzy front-end of service innovation

The early stages of innovation involve high levels of uncertainty, leading to it being labelled as the “fuzzy-front end” (FFE). Although openness has been identified as pivotal to innovation performance in the open innovation literature, little effort has been put into exploring its role in the FFE. Specifically, this study examines ‘openness competence’ within the FFE–i.e., the ability of a FFE team to explore, gather and assimilate operant resources from external sources by means of external searches and inter-organisational partnerships. The aim is to investigate the impact of openness competence on front-end uncertainty reduction and service innovation success. Data were obtained from a survey of 122 IT-based service innovation projects implemented by IT service provider firms in Thailand. The results suggest that openness competence positively influences both the degree of uncertainty being reduced during the FFE and the overall success of service innovations. These findings offer several implications for research on open innovation and the FFE as well as encouragement to managers to apply a more open approach to the FFE of their service innovation projects.     

路基稳定性数值分析

本文通过对常见的路基稳定性分析案例进行强度折减法的数值分析,为进一步研究这一方法在路基稳定性分析中的应用奠定基础。     

Reducing High Public Debt Ratios: Lessons from UK Experience*

This paper examines contrasting experiences of the United Kingdom in addressing high public debt to GDP ratios following major wars. A clear message is that interest rate / growth rate differentials were more important than primary budget surpluses for the different outcomes. The debt to GDP ratio fell very rapidly under financial repression following the Second World War but remained stubbornly high despite large budget surpluses with price deflation after the First World War. Implications for policymakers today are that averting price deflation is a high priority and that supply‐side policies that raise growth could play an important part in debt reduction.     

论“十二五”时期的税制改革——兼谈对结构性减税与结构性增税的认识

作为积极财政政策的重要内容之一,2008年以来实施的一系列结构性减税措施在鼓励投资、扩大消费、促进就业、调整经济结构等方面发挥了重要作用,为我国应对金融危机冲击、保持经济持续平稳较快发展作出了积极贡献。2011年中国进入十二五发展时期,财税改革将为服务大局扮演非常重要的角色。本文认为,应在继续优化结构性减税的同时,适时适度实施合理的结构性增税,推进税制改革完善,使其更好地服务于经济平稳较快增长和经济发展方式转变。     

世界性碳减排合作的出路

＂碳排放＂已成为人类生存环境的最大威胁。而＂碳排放＂具有的外部性特征,又使得＂碳减排＂变成一种博弈。造成这种局面的原因,首先是由于各国经济发展的差距,以及由此产生的环境效用不同;其次是因为各国都想在＂碳排放＂博弈中得到更多的利益。因此,要实现在世界各国间达成一致的＂碳减排＂行动目标,必须缩小世界各国发展的差距和形成更有权威的全球性治理结构;发达国家应在开放市场、转移技术、增加援助等方面表现得更为积极。     

智能电网实现低碳效益的作用机理

通过分析智能电网低碳效益的内涵,确定了碳的减排对于智能电网的重要性。分别从清洁发电、降低损耗及负荷整形三个方面探讨了智能电网低碳效益的实现路径。     

构建企业污染物减排内外动力机制研究

我国污染物减排主要依靠政府的强力推动,企业在污染物减排实施中一直处于被动地位,其主体地位角色一直缺失。要建立长效的企业污染物减排实施机制需要实现企业主体"还位"。通过对我国企业污染物减排行为的博弈分析,探讨我国企业减排动力不足的内因和外因;并提出引入污染物排放信息披露制度强化减排监管力度,从外力驱动企业减排;建立排放权交易市场机制,发挥市场倒逼作用从内力驱动企业减排;并基于"双力"驱动对我国企业污染物减排动力机制进行设计,实现激发企业主动减排的目标。