DOMESTIC COMPETITION POLICY AND TARIFF POLICY COMPARED*

M. Yano and F. Dei have demonstrated that, by controlling the degree of competition in a non‐tradables market (competition policy), a country can influence the terms of trade so as to increase its welfare, relative to free trade. Using their model, this study compares the extent of this effect with that of a tariff policy. It demonstrates that a competition policy can achieve a higher utility than a tariff policy if tariff rates are at levels currently tolerated in the real world. This demonstrates that domestic competition policy may play an important role as a substitute for tariff policy.     

The development of FFMD Pyramid: Fuzzy Family_Marriage Deployment as decision support method to improve human resources performance

Improvement action to human resource (HR) in organization plays important role in determining the success of organization. Many studies have been done to discuss on how the organization may improve their HR performance. However, not many studies yet discuss the level of improvement that organization shall taken appropriately. Identification of organization’s priority level of improvement seems found to be a complicated work to do in most emerging organizations. High intangible and invisible variables and attributes contribute to unclear situations and perceptions in the organization itself. The complexity and limitation in tools and techniques, make each solution taken is less efficient and effective. Therefore, this study will discuss the development of Fuzzy Family_Marriage Deployment (FFMD) Pyramid. FFMD Pyramid is a new method for decision support in organization especially for HR by equally deploy dimension and variable of family and marriage to quality dimension and variable in organization then identify priorities by considering the deployment value (crisp value) and fuzzy value (non-crisp value) as decision support for organization to plan and decide proper improvement action with proper percentage (%) level of priority of improvement action. As result, a concise and simple pyramid shall present an informative yet effective and efficient to the decision maker to support their better decision especially with regard to the improvement action for HR performance. In addition, the Family_Marriage value that utilize in this study may bring about a new perspective that decision maker shall consider to support their decision process especially for the HR improvement action.     

Quality_Marriage Deployment in determining priority needs for initiating marriage loyalty

Marriage life is an abstract and complex matter that even for husband and wife themselves find not as easy as they expect in achieving a long term marriage. The differences between spouses may lead to disabilities to see clearly their spouse needs. The disabilities may implicate to a bigger issue which is loyalty. In this study, the analysis have been carried out to determine priority needs in marriage for initiating loyalty. In using Quality Function (QFD) adaptations, we created “Quality_Marriage Deployment” by deploy the marriage in quality perspectives. As result, we succeed to identify 7 of 15 variables with the lowest performance value that make them as the priority needs. Based on the needs, we proposed some actions both in perspective of marriage and quality knowledge. Furthermore, the result shows Quality_Marriage Deployment matrix may generally easier for any user to read and know directly what variables need to be improved. Each solutions were presented to allow the users to act in a more efficient and effective in time and energy.     

Preference for Locally Grown or Imported Fruit Among the Millennial Generation in Johor,Malaysia

This study attempts to explore factors influencing the choice of locally grown or imported fruits among young Malaysians. It investigates how consumer preference, socioeconomics, and demographic profiles can affect their choice of which fruit category they pick. Five hundred respondents were interviewed by using a structured questionnaire to collect information related to their fruit preferences and choices. The millennium generation in Malaysia, especially the Malay living in Johor, were surveyed as a representation of future consumers of fruit and their subsequent choices and demand. Factor analysis was carried out on statements regarding consumer preferences on choices of local or imported fruit. Five factors were identified as the outstanding consumer preferences for fruits. Demographic profiles of the respondents such as family size, and dimension of fruit preferences, including country of origin, perceived quality, and environmental concerns, were important factors that affect consumers’ purchasing behavior in choosing locally grown or imported fruits. Logit regression indicated that family size, country of origin product quality, perceived quality, and variety of fruits will likely influence the preferences for fruit among the younger generation.     

Other mothers: framing the cybernetic construction(s) of the postmodern family

This study conducts a critical cultural analysis of the assisted reproductive technologies (ART) market and selected consumption that takes place within that context. Specifically, it assumes the view of markets as cultures and conceptualizes the consumption strategies of “other mothers,” the unintended consumers of such body technologies, within the larger cultural context of what it means to be a family. The view of “markets as cultures” is employed to frame the ART marketplace and to address the multiple, local realities that emerge in the consumption process. The hyperreality of the ART marketplace emerges as a fluid and dynamic force that fosters the reversal of production and consumption through the creation of new forms of consumption. In this local context, marginalized ART consumers reappropriate body technologies to construct postmodern families of their own design. A conceptual framework of this cybernetic market culture is presented and discussed with implications for future research regarding bioethics, methodological approaches, family consumption, and new frontiers in postmodern consumption.