A simple urban growth model with durable housing

In the last decade the static theory of residential urban location and land use has been extensively developed. The theory has generated many useful insights, but because it ignores growth and the durability of housing and urban infrastructure there are many urban phenomena it cannot explain. In this paper a simple urban growth model with durable housing, in which all builders have perfect foresight, is presented. The discussion focuses on the qualitative differences between the economics of this model, the static class of models, and a class of dynamic models in which myopic expectations are assumed.     

Learning-by-doing and the sources of productivity growth: A dynamic model with application to U.S. agriculture

The significance of learning to productivity growth is formulated within a dynamic adjustment-cost framework. Explicitly treating the acquisition of knowledge as a firm-specific capital good entering the production function along with other conventional inputs, the dynamic optimization model integrates the learning-by-doing hypothesis with technical change, scale, and disequilibrium input use effects in the aggregate productivity analysis. The theoretical framework is applied to examining the dynamic components accounting for the growth of U.S. production agriculture over the 1950–82 period. The results imply a less important role for technical change and assign a substantial role to the previously unmeasured contribution of learning-by-doing to the growth of aggregate agriculture industry.The editor for this paper was Melvyn Fuss.     

Accounting,organizations & institutions. Essays in honour of Anthony Hopwood

In this article we discuss the motivation for and role of theory in management accounting. We argue that theories in an applied field such as management accounting research should provide explanations that are useful for those we study – managers, organizations and society. We evaluate the nature of theories currently used and developed. Those theories that are considered theories by the research community are largely imported from other disciplines, but have hardly anything that makes them unique to management accounting. Those theories that are not currently regarded as theories by many of our colleagues attempt to explain how to apply management accounting to achieve superior performance. We argue that both forms of theories, at present, largely fail to provide valid support for practitioners. We contend that management accounting theory should help us to answer questions of what kind of management accounting systems we should apply, how, in what circumstances, and how to change them. We provide suggestions on how management accounting research could proceed to produce better theories in this regard.     

The behavioural gap between entrepreneurial SME’s and high growth: evidence from Canada

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) describes a firm’s attitude towards entrepreneurial activity; however, it does not measure the specific behaviors likely to contribute to high growth. This research applies the resource-based and dynamic capabilities views to propose a mediation model between EO and high growth. The theoretical framework is drawn from the strategic management and entrepreneurship literature. Competing models are tested against a sample of Canadian SMEs to validate the proposed explanation for the presence of high-growth firms among the population. The study finds that the relationship between EO and high growth is perfectly mediated by innovation performance, a behavioral measure of innovation. This research contributes to firm growth theory while providing further insight into the drivers of high growth useful to policy makers endeavoring to stimulate, and overcome barriers to, entrepreneurship and innovation. Determining the factors associated with firm growth can have implications for management as well as policy. If a firm’s goal is to grow it must be able to focus its limited resources using a strategy appropriate for growth.

     

Firm-specific,industry-specific and macroeconomic factors of life insurers’ profitability: Evidence from Canada

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of firm-specific, industry-specific and macroeconomic factors on the performance of life insurance firms. This study focuses on the Canadian life insurance sector, which is the second largest and oldest financial services sector in Canada. Using an empirical framework that incorporates both fixed and dynamic panel models that control for endogeneity issues, this research finds that size, liquidity, and risk exposure of life insurers are significant factors in their profitability. Secondly, industry concentration (e.g., HHI) fail to provide any meaningful evidence to support the structure-conduct-performance (SCP) theory in the static panel models, but in the dynamic models, industry concentration tends to have negative impacts on profitability. Macroeconomic factors such as real GDP growth and equity market returns are found to be significant determinants of insurers’ profitability. Finally, the persistence of profits for life insurers’ seems to lag that of their financial services counterparts (e.g., banks).     

论实验研究法在会计研究中的应用

实验研究法是国外会计理论研究领域广泛采用的科学研究方法之一,而国内的学者使用这种研究方法的频率很低。本文将从实验研究方法概念、实验研究方法与会计研究的关系和实验研究方法在会计领域的应用范围等方面介绍这种研究方法,帮助人们进一步认识乃至熟悉和应用该研究方法,从而推动我国会计理论研究的发展。     

会计信息失真与内部人控制:一个博弈分析框架

会计信息失真一直是困扰会计学界的重大问题。本文认为会计信息失真与现代公司治理结构的主要缺陷——内部人控制直接相关。在给定理论前提的框架下,本文从股东与内部人博弈的角度分析了这种相关性,并在此基础上给出了简要的治理思路。     

项目组织模式新假说--以建筑企业组织模式为例

管理学中存在诸多先验假设，这些假设推动了管理学的发展。针对组织模式的先验假设该如何看待的问题，立足于传统文化所体现的一个哲学观点—阴阳平衡观点对传统组织模式和前沿的组织模式进行分析，提出了刚性组织模式和弹性组织模式两个模式假说，并构建了相应哲学层面上的新组织模式框架图，阐述了其推动力量和实现构架的支柱。对建筑业企业组织模式的实证研究表明，此模型能够解释传统文化的平衡观念在项目组织模式的体现和应用。     

A unified approach to nonlinearity,structural change,and outliers

This paper demonstrates that the class of conditionally linear and Gaussian state-space models offers a general and convenient framework for simultaneously handling nonlinearity, structural change and outliers in time series. Many popular nonlinear time series models, including threshold, smooth transition and Markov-switching models, can be written in state-space form. It is then straightforward to add components that capture parameter instability and intervention effects. We advocate a Bayesian approach to estimation and inference, using an efficient implementation of Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling schemes for such linear dynamic mixture models. The general modelling framework and the Bayesian methodology are illustrated by means of several examples. An application to quarterly industrial production growth rates for the G7 countries demonstrates the empirical usefulness of the approach.     

A social cognitive interpretation of person‐organization fitting: The maintenance and development of professional technical competency

Information technology professionals must continually align their competencies with new technological innovation and changing organizational technological climates. Existing theory and practice is deficient with respect to dynamic models of person‐organization (P‐O) fit. Social cognitive theory proposes a rich and well‐defined theoretical framework for understanding dynamic, interactive behavioral processes, and so is adopted as a basis for developing a model of P‐O fitting focused on the development of professional technical competencies. P‐O fitting is so named because it refers to organizational fit as an ongoing process of adaptation. The article begins by reviewing existing literature on P‐O fit and social cognitive theory to produce a set of propositions and a theoretical model of P‐O fitting as an adaptive, dynamic phenomenon. Applications of the model for both future research and practice are suggested. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Proprietary costs and determinants of voluntary segment disclosure: evidence from Italian listed companies

This paper aims to identify new determinants of the extent of voluntary segment disclosure by using the theoretical framework of the proprietary costs theory, which states that companies limit voluntary disclosure because of proprietary costs, such as preparation and competitive costs. On the basis of the existing literature on this theory and on segment reporting, three hypotheses are theoretically derived, each correlating the level of segment disclosure to a new determinant, specifically the correspondence between the segments and legally identifiable sub-groups of companies, the growth rate and the listing status age. The paper also provides further evidence to test the impact of some ‘traditional’ determinants, introduced in the study as control variables. The hypotheses formulated are empirically verified. The analysis is carried out with reference to Italy, because of its limited legal and professional provisions on the topic. For the empirical test, a sample of sixty-four Italian listed companies is selected and a multiple regression model is used. Results show that, except for the growth rate, the two other new determinants are significantly related to the extent of segment disclosure. These findings confirm that proprietary costs are particularly relevant and limit the incentive for companies to provide segment information to the market.     

An Application of an Integrated Transport Network– Multiregional CGE Model: a Framework for the Economic Analysis of Highway Projects

This paper develops a framework for the economic analysis of highway projects that is then used to estimate the dynamic economic effects of a highway project on the economic growth and the regional disparity in Korea. The framework is composed of a transport model and a multiregional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. The transport model measures a change in interregional shortest distances and the accessibility due to the highway project. The CGE model estimates the spatial economic effects of the project on GDP, the price, exports, and the regional distribution of wages and population. The simulation allows policy makers to determine which highway development deserves the priority for investment, based on consideration of economic growth and regional economic equity in the long run. The simulation found that all the highway projects have positive effects on GDP and export growth as well as regional equity in terms of wage and population.     

Entrepreneurship research in service industries: a literature classification and trend analysis

In this paper, the influence of entrepreneurship on service management research is examined. Entrepreneurship research occupies a central place in organizational theory and strategic thinking, but its theories and models have little influence on business management. Entrepreneurship research can have a better integration with other areas of management, but there is still certain isolation. This article reviews the emerging areas in entrepreneurship research that provides complementary theoretical framework to service business models. In order to determine the areas in service management research in which entrepreneurship theories can be useful, a classification of the papers published in the last 2 years in the JCR service management journals is carried out. The study concludes that innovation is the most outstanding priority in service management research that can be enriched by entrepreneurial theories. The entrepreneurial approach to networks and institutional environment are the theoretical frameworks that better suit to introduce entrepreneurship variables as antecedents in business innovation models.     

Sentences Recognition Memory and Extraversion-Introversion Levels: A Statistical Modelling Approach

This research aimed to analyse individual differences in recognition of semantic memory by means of a statistical modelling approach, because some difficulties arise when traditional experimental designs and statistical hypotheses tests are used. In this field, statistical modelling provides the possibility of obtaining a data-fitted model for each experimental condition. One hundred and thirty five adult students, both males and females, agreed to participate in our study and were classified as high, middle and low extraverts. Sentences with a high semantic organisation were used as material to be recognised. A statistical modelling process was then applied using the lEM program. Differences in recognition memory for hits were found between middle and low extraversion levels, as revealed by the different data-fitted models.     

Good Analytical Research

The purpose of this commentary is to address the issues raised by Ohlson from the point of view of analytical accounting research. The aim is not only to provide some input to young researchers who are going to publish good research using analytical methods, but also to give some hints to help users of analytical accounting research to understand and interpret the findings of this type of research. Ohlson has taken on a task of identifying a set of critical factors which are likely to lead to successful research. Good research is defined as research that makes an impression. Thus, it is not enough to get the research published – not even in a premier journal. The research should have an impact, the community should learn something. As Ohlson notes, there is enough ‘ordinary’ research. In my view this is the right attitude. Short-term optimization is also widespread in the research community and that is not what we should strive for. With the objective in place, I will continue to analyze the question in relation to analytical research. I start out discussing the aim of analytical research by providing a few examples of good models. The first is the Feltham-Ohlson model and the second is the agency model. Both are simple and elegant models dealing with difficult issues. The analysis proceeds to characterize good models. A good model is a simple model that zooms in on the problem under scrutiny. It is a ‘minimal’ model that contains the problem and nothing outside the problem. I then proceed to characterize good research in an analytical framework. This is research that tackles a problem that is of interest to the users and the researcher. In this process I also identify current notable analytical research. Finally, I contrast this to the recommendations of Ohlson.     

演化博弈视角的会计准则变迁诠释

近年来,制度变迁研究日趋倾向于利用演化博弈论。会计准则作为一种制度,其变迁可以纳入制度变迁的理论框架中予以研究。本文在演化博弈论的基础上,构建了会计准则变迁的最优反映动态模型和复制动态模型,为会计准则变迁分析提供了新的视角。研究结论表明:会计准则变迁与博弈参与方获益结构的改变,会引起会计准变迁,博弈方收益和成本的具体水平和相对水平是会计准则变迁趋势和具体路径的选择依据,学习和模仿在会计准则变迁中具有重要作用。     

会计管制与公司治理

本文从企业契约理论出发,在回顾会计管制国际经验的基础上,将会计管制引入对公司治理问题的思考,指出了会计管制目标的实现对解决公司治理问题的重要性。其不仅要求反思会计管制理论与实践,同时要求在具体分析公司治理模式的基础上,重新思考会计管制的目标及其实现问题。提出应从现行公司治理框架下改进会计管制措施,从而实现会计管制与公司治理的良性互动。     

企业动态能力的演变研究——基于特变电工持续成长的案例

企业成长是形成动态能力以适应环境变化的过程,在企业成长的不同阶段,决定企业成长的动态能力会呈现出演变的特征.本文在回顾企业成长阶段理论和动态能力理论相关研究的基础上,提出了企业动态能力的七个构成要素:技术能力、辨识和把握机会能力、组织能力、资源整合能力、学习与创新能力、战略能力、变革能力,并提出了动态能力随着企业成长阶段演变的模型,最后,以特变电工为典型案例,分析了企业成长阶段与动态能力演变的关系.     

Graph theory and managing urban change

In almost any kind of empirical research, it is useful—some would say essential—to have in mind a “model” of the thing or process to be investigated [1]. Research may subsequently validate or invalidate this initial model. But some kind of model is useful from the outset of any research project, in order to provide a link between the precise directions of the research and its ultimate objectives.To examine and describe the organizational and institutional aspects of major urban systems, therefore, requires some kind of model of a major urban system. Such a model has two important functions. It serves as a framework for interpreting data which are gathered in the course of the research; and it also suggests possible hypotheses for testing against the data.The model in a piece of research may be either stated or implied. But for research into phenomena as complex as major urban systems, it is well to have a model which is spelled out in fairly explicit terms.There is really no shortage of explicit models of urban systems. (Indeed, it sometimes seems as if the difficulty lies more in the opposite direction!). Each of these models has its respective strengths and weaknesses and, consequently, is more appropriate for some kinds of research than for others [2]. The purpose of this paper is to describe a model which provides a suitable basis not merely for understanding but also for managing changes in major urban systems. In other words, this paper is intended to provide the basis for an essentially action-oriented model of major urban systems.     

Power as a determinant of executive compensation

Most empirical investigations on the disassociation between executive compensation and firm performance have been done using agency theory. Agency theory alludes to a power imbalance favorable to the executives, allowing them to pursue their self-interests in the form of large pay packages. However, because of its roots in the economic discipline, agency theory has led researchers to test financial rather than behavioral hypotheses. Over 70 years of research has been conducted on the pay-form-performance relationship, but only a few significant relationships have been found. This paper attempts to incorporate behavioral conjectures of power into the agency theory framework to provide a comprehensive approach to testing executive pay. Agency theory is combined with the resource dependency theory and with specific measures of power developed by Finkelstein (1992) for a more complete executive pay model.