Behavioral determinants of supply chain integration and coexistence

Economic theory considers physical production characteristics and related property rights as key determinants of the organization of an industry. Yet, we frequently observe coexisting governance modes within industries and firms, even when the transaction attributes of a commodity are homogenous. We test whether risk and time preferences, price expectations, and trust in supply chain types can explain variations and coexistence in governance. Specifically, we experimentally elicit economic preferences of forest managers in the Swiss wood sector. We find that all behavioral dimensions are related to the choice of sales channel. Most importantly, trust and expectations are key determinants in transferring property rights, while risk aversion, patience, and ownership structure explain the existence of plural forms at the firm level.     

Networking responses to different levels of institutional void: A comparison of internationalizing SMEs in Egypt and the UK

This paper reports a comparative qualitative study of how decision-makers in internationalizing SMEs respond to relevant institutions in their domestic environment through networking activity. Twenty SMEs are compared respectively from a developing economy (Egypt) and a developed economy (UK). The two countries contrast both in the effectiveness of their institutional support for SMEs and in their cultural norms towards network relationships. Substantial differences are found between the two national samples in SME decision makers’ networking behaviour in response to specific institutional conditions. The links between institutional conditions, national cultural norms and SME networking responses are explicated in a new theoretical model.     

The joint effects of social identity and institutional pressures on audit quality: The case of the Chinese Audit Industry

This article examines how social identity links institutional pressures and audit quality. Combining institutional theory and social identity theory, we theoretically argue that the interaction between social and institutional forces shapes audit quality. Through an analysis of Chinese audit firms from 2000 to 2007, we show that isomorphic imitation has a more significant effect on firms belonging to the same-identity group than firms across cross-identity groups; foreign-affiliated audit firms are more willing to conform to normative pressure from professional networks than local firms; and foreign-affiliated firms are coerced to adapt to the local government’s expectation, particularly when they have a geographically concentrated customer base. We further reveal that a larger customer base attenuates within-identity group imitation but strengthens cross-identity group imitation. The results shed light on the role of social identity in shaping conformity in the audit industry, thus contributing to international convergence–divergence literature and institutional theory.     

Subnational institutional environment,scale competition and MNEs’ ownership levels in transition economy: evidence from China

Abstract

This paper shows that the effect of market scale competition on the ownership levels of foreign-funded enterprises is conditioned on sub-national institutional environment in China. Analysis is based on the idea that multinational enterprises subject to the dual pressures of institutional isomorphism and competition in the host country. The provincial panel data from 2001 to 2012 is used for empirical tests. This study indicates that the weaker the legal property rights protection and legal enforcement of contracts, and the higher the opening up, the more the large foreign-funded enterprises decrease their ownership levels, whereas the negative moderating effect incurred by the reduction to government intervention in business is limited significant.     

Which institutional investors matter for firm survival and performance?

Using data that spans three decades, we assess the diverse roles of institutional investors in impacting survival and performance of chronically underperforming firms and contrast the results for consistently overperforming firms. We find material differences in investor roles and investment returns between these samples. Differentiating among institutional types, controlling for prior performance and attrition bias provides insights unattainable by examining aggregated holdings. For underperformers, results are negative for activist pension funds and long-term institutions, positive for activist hedge funds and short-term institutions, and mixed for institutional blockholders.     

房地产税改革对公租房制度的政策支持分析

2007年以来,我国住房保障体系建设取得了突破性进展,公租房则是近期住房保障制度的重要创新。随着房地产税改革步伐的加快,新的房地产税制必将对公租房的建设和运营形成制度约束。本文在厘清公租房属性和制度要点的基础上,分析现行房地产税制对公租房建设和运营的制度约束,对最近上海和重庆的房产税试点改革进行评述,讨论房地产税改革取向并提出支持公租房制度的建议。     

机构侵害中小投资者违规监管博弈仿真

本文主要对股票市场中机构投资者侵害中小投资者利益这种违规行为的监管进行了博弈分析,并使用基于主体建模的动态仿真方法在Swarm仿真平台上建立了仿真模型,同时进行了仿真实验。研究指出,严厉的事前监管、完善的上市公司管理制度以及更高的监管者素质可以有效地杜绝机构投资者侵害违规行为的出现。本文通过运用经济仿真方法对股票市场具体违规行为监管问题进行研究,将股票市场监管、博弈论与经济仿真这三个研究领域结合在一起,拓展了对股票市场监管的研究手段,在经济学研究中做出了一定有益的探索。 更多还原     

医疗卫生基本公共服务的城乡差距及均等化路径

当前,我国城乡之间的医疗卫生服务不均等已成为一个重要的社会问题。本文通过医疗卫生费用和医疗卫生资源的城乡数据分析得出城乡之间的医疗卫生公共服务差距巨大,并通过2000—2008年城乡医疗保健费用的泰尔指数分析,发现城乡组间对城乡医疗卫生公共服务差距的贡献基本上在80%以上,几乎是组内差距贡献的4倍,而从两组的内部差距来看,农村内部的不均等程度要稍高于城市内部的不均等程度,根据分析结果并从财政向农村医疗卫生的投入倾斜、城乡医疗保险制度的整合、医疗体制的深化改革等方面就如何促进医疗卫生公共服务城乡均等化进行探讨。     

改善民生是中国城乡统筹改革实践的原动力

民生是中国城乡统筹改革实践的原动力。改革起始期,是民生呼唤下的自发改革与政策调整;改革深入期,是民生推动下的体制转轨与制度创新;改革攻坚期,是民生引导下的统筹发展与新农村建设。30年农村改革历程,致使民生问题的不断解决与改革的渐进式节奏相互吻合,推动着"人本"式的农村改革健康有序地发展。     

农村公共产品供给的多元化体制构建

现行的农村公共产品供给制度安排的基本框架是“供给主导型”体制,在这种体制下,农村公共产品供给存在供给总量不足、供给结构失衡、供给绩效低下等问题。针对农村公共产品供给所存在种种问题,提出要构建“需求主导型”的多元化供给体制,而多元化供给体制的建立应是在相应机制的协调下多主体合作推动的结果。另外,又从机制设计的角度提出构建多元化供给体制的创新措施,并提出了相应的对策建议。