On the fairness of airlines’ ticket pricing as a result of revenue management techniques

Pricing and availability of tickets have always been a source of confusion for customers in transportation industries. What is the best time to buy tickets? Why passengers taking the same flight might pay significantly different prices for the same seat? Why round trip tickets between two cities sometimes become cheaper than the one-way flights between them? Is it fair to buy a ticket for an itinerary cheaper than a ticket for just a part of it? These observations make customers wonder why they pay higher prices for shorter flights. In this paper, we study the airlines’ revenue management systems and explain some of these pricing schemes in travel industries. We develop a simulator to study the decision making process of network revenue management and use a numerical study to explore these questions and address some explanations for them. We relate these observations to the revenue management measurements such as the bid price or the adjustment cost and show how the dynamic of the network get influenced by these measures that eventually results in unusual pricing. We explain how a zero or small bid price of a specific leg may cause the price of an itinerary be cheaper than one segment of it and that the small bid price is caused by low demand in comparison to the available capacity. We exhibit network revenue management system and show the above issues for a small network.     

中国古代旅游研究综述

20世纪30年代以来,关于中国古代旅游研究的成果陆续出现,目前尚无有关研究的全面综述。该文分别对早期中国古代旅游研究以及中国古代旅游文学、旅游史、旅游文化、旅游地理与旅游经济研究现状做了概要梳理,并以中国知网期刊论文为数据来源进行统计分析,认为1997年以后中国古代旅游研究有所发展,现有成果的研究重点分别为中国古代以及明清、唐宋旅游,长江中下游地区旅游,旅游史、旅游文化与旅游文学。基于以上梳理与分析,研究认为中国古代旅游研究的进一步发展需要突破视域、理论、方法以及实用性评价标准的局限。     

Bank loan announcements and borrower stock returns before and during the recent financial crisis

The impact of U.S. bank loan announcements on the stock prices of the corporate borrowers has been decreasing during the two last decades with estimated two-day cumulative abnormal returns slipping from almost 200 basis points in the beginning of the 1980s to close to zero by the turn of the Century. We estimate excess returns before and after the onset of the most recent financial crisis. We find that while prior to August 2007 returns were indeed close to zero, afterwards returns jump back up to around 200 basis points. We surmise that in a booming credit market the certification of corporate borrowers by banks started to play a lesser role, while during the crisis the banks’ role was revitalized. Consistent with this interpretation we find that after August 2007 excess returns increase especially for loans with a longer maturity, and for smaller, levered, less profitable or lowly rated firms.     

A Qualitative Study for Measuring Warehouse Performance Using Triangulation Approach

This research aims to validate a structural equation modeling （SEM） model for measuring warehouse performance using data from an international company in Australia （company G）. Moreover, a methodological triangulation method was also adopted to test whether different methodological approaches produce convergent findings about warehouse performance measurement （WPM）. These three different methods are the SEM model, the multiple case research study, and validation of the SEM model using data from 80 companies in Thailand and a company in Australia. With the results from the triangulation method, it is obvious that the SEM model can be used to measure the performance of warehouses in Thailand and Australia. Since the SEM model consists only of significant indicators, it is more appropriate than company G＇s scorecard. Furthermore, the SEM model can overcome the limitations of traditional models by allowing companies to compare their performance over time.     

创新人才培养模式的国际比较研究

随着经济全球化的快速发展,国家之间的竞争日益体现为以自主创新能力为核心的综合国力的竞争,越来越多的国家将创新人才培养提升为一项国家战略,作为国家竞争力的主要内容。我国在人才发展总体水平上与世界先进水平相比还有较大差距,主要表现在高层次创新人才匮乏、人才创新能力不强、人才资源开发投入不足等方面。因此,应根据创新人才培养的不同阶段,通过优化课程设置、提高国际化程度、加大科研经费投入、加强培养团队建设、合理设置科研支撑计划项目等途径提升创新人才培养质量。     

Intellectual capital reporting practices in an Islamic bank: A case study

Given the nature and importance of Islamic banks in recent times, we can expect them to have significant intellectual capital anchored in their Sharia‐based knowledge and expertise. However, we know very little or nothing about how and why intellectual capital‐related information is provided in their corporate reports. We fill this gap in our existing knowledge of the field with a view to enhance relevant literature. As far as we know, this article is one of the earliest exploratory attempts to examine intellectual capital reporting practices of an Islamic bank. We have undertaken a longitudinal (2001–2015) case study related to the intellectual capital reporting practices of an Islamic bank. Key results include significant rise of intellectual capital reporting over time, dominance of internal capital‐related items in intellectual capital reporting profile and the dynamics of changes in intellectual capital reporting practices over time. Through an institutional theory lens, we explain that this is due to the changes in the external institutional environment and various intra‐organisational factors such as strong ethical culture, unique knowledge base (Sharia), and corporate governance regime.     

A systematic mapping study on enterprise architecture mining

Enterprise architecture allows companies to deal with digital transformation through the proactive presentation and alignment of business and IT in a holistic manner. One important challenge is EA modelling since it is time-consuming (thus expensive), error-prone, and biased owing to experts’ subjective opinions. This challenge might consequently be addressed through automatic EA modelling. We conducted a systematic mapping study to classify and evaluate the research concerning EA mining proposals developed specifically for TOGAF and Archimate. After analysing results, we concluded that the research field is not sufficiently mature and further research on EA mining is necessary.     

Heterogeneity and netting efficiency under central clearing: A stochastic network analysis

This paper examines the effect of heterogeneity in clearing members’ exposure management practices under central clearing. Our network model specifies the dynamics of prenetted interbank exposures to shape interdependent exposure distributions beyond normality. Employing over-the-counter derivatives market data from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, our simulation results indicate that heterogeneity in bank-to-bank exposure dynamics is systemically desirable, while the entire system benefits more from the central clearing in more homogeneous environments. Policymakers should incentivize individual clearing members to enhance resiliency and stability in counterparty exposure management to maximize netting efficiency under central clearing.     

Consumer relationship fading

This paper explores the phenomenon of consumer relationship fading with a series of three adjacent studies. Analyzing two longitudinal behavioral datasets, Study 1 shows that about one-third of the relationships could be described as fading. Drawing on prior work in the marriage disaffection literature, Study 2 defines relationship fading for the consumer marketing context as a process of gradual decline in consumers' intention to continue their relationship with a brand, generally manifested in negative feelings toward the brand, diminishing frequency and/or volume of transactions with it, and initiation of switching intentions. It further identifies disillusion, disaffection, and crossroads as three distinct fading stages, and outlines boundary conditions. Study 3 observes relationship fading through a diary study approach and finds attitude movement in both positive and negative directions between the stages. Further, while positive attitudes generally decline over the course of the fading trajectory, negative emotions peak at the penultimate fading stage and then level off at the final, crossroads stage. By defining and analyzing consumer relationship fading, we improve understanding of an under-researched, large segment of consumers.     

基于SD模型的诸城市农业结构仿真优化研究

［目的］预测2017—2035年诸城市农业结构的变化趋势，对农业结构进行多情景优化仿真，提出优化调整建议。［方法］文章以山东省诸城市作为研究对象，将农业结构划分为种植、种养结合和加工休闲3个子系统，选取56个指标，运用多元统计回归分析等方法构建41个方程，建立农业结构系统动力学（System Dynamics，简称SD）模型，运用Vensim—PLE软件进行仿真优化分析。［结果］SD模型预测结果表明，到2035年，粮食作物播种面积1105万hm2，总产量8037万t，经济作物播种面积652万hm2，总产量15203万t； 生猪出栏量达到29615万头，家禽出栏量1105 231亿只，畜禽粪污利用率8792%； 农业总产值达到25132亿元，休闲农业产值6134亿元，食品加工业产值1 25263亿元。假设种植业生产中的农业科技投入增加2个百分点， 2035年粮食作物产量较优化前增加576万t； 经济作物产量较优化前增加2814万t； 假设有机肥施用补贴增加3个百分点， 2035年畜禽粪污利用率较优化前提高762个百分点； 假设农产品加工业的研发力度和科技投入增加1个百分点， 2035年食品加工产值较优化前增加73521亿元； 农产品加工业产值占农业总产值比值由优化前的325：1达到41：1。［结论］为进一步推进诸城市农业结构调整，迫切需要加大农业科技投入，完善有机肥扶持政策，培育种养结合新型经营主体，重点扶持培育加工龙头企业，发展现代化休闲农场，促进农业产业融合发展。