Delivering the goods at TNT: the role of the performance measurement system

This paper explores the characteristics of the performance measurement system atTNT (UK) Ltd.which facilitate the translation of strategy into action.TNTis a successful and growing service organization and a market leader in the overnight distribution of parcels within the U.K. The performance measurement system and how it is used atTNTare described in detail. The authors then draw on the management accounting literature to provide an analysis framework which answers three central questions for performance measurement systems: whatdimensionsof performance to measure, how to setstandardsfor those measures and whatrewardsare to be associated with the achievement of those standards. The performance measurement system atTNTis appraised against this framework. AtTNTthere are five properties of the performance measurement system which have facilitated the translating of strategy into action. Three of these relate to the framework above; the company measures the right things in that dimensions are consistent with corporate strategy, it provides standards for performance through internal benchmarking, and adopts a mixture of financial and non-financial based rewards. In addition, however, there are two further properties of the system; the use of league tables to report the relative performance of the depots, and the presence of a strong corporate champion who drives the message and importance of the performance measurement system from the centre to the depots.     

Do hybrid flexible delivery teaching methods improve accounting students' learning outcomes?

This study investigates the association between the learning outcomes of students and two teaching models: a traditional face-to-face lecture/tutorial teaching model and a hybrid flexible delivery model. The hybrid flexible model is delivered using a combination of face-to-face seminars and electronic delivery and communication tools. It is found that academic performance is higher for students who studied under the flexible delivery model, achieved higher marks in prerequisite units, were female, or were younger. Evidence is provided that flexible delivery teaching models utilizing electronic delivery media can be used to achieve the benefits of small class sizes when teaching large student numbers. The results should be of interest to administrators and educators as they attempt to address the challenges of supplying tertiary education to an increasing number of students as well as meeting the perceived demand for flexible course delivery in a manner that can enhance students' learning outcomes.     

中小企业实力指数研究报告（续）

本文运用实力指数的研究方法对2005年9月份我国的黑色金属冶炼及压延加工业、交通运输设备制造业和医药制造业的中小企业进行了全面综合的分析比较,试图为行业树立标杆企业,带动中小企业全行业的共同进步.     

大学生学业效能感及其与学习倦怠的关系研究

本研究采用问卷法对四所高校636名大学生的学业效能感和学习倦怠状况进行了研究.结果表明：大学生学业效能感存在显著的性别、年级、学校类型差异;大学生学业效能感与学习倦怠呈显著的负相关;大学生学业效能感对学习倦怠具有显著的预测作用.可以通过提高大学生的自我期望、设置一定难度的学业任务、提供榜样示范以及加强课程改革的方式,来提高学业效能感,减少学习倦怠问题.     

Non-linear long horizon returns predictability: evidence from six south-east Asian markets

Whilst the existence of long-horizon returns predictability has been a recurrent theme in empirical finance research, extant work has focused almost exclusively on the US, and more recent work has cast doubt over the validity of such potential predictability due to non-stationarity and serial correlation in the data. The present paper examines long-horizon returns predictability in six South-East Asian markets in the context of unit root tests conducted under corrections for serial correlation and heteroscedasticity. The analysis conducted also extends the investigation of long-horizon predictability to the non-linear setting, and examines whether any detected non-linear predictability is consistent with behavioural approaches to asset pricing which emphasise the role of noise traders. The results obtained suggest the following conclusions. First, long-horizon predictability is present in each of the six South-East Asian markets considered. Second, whilst forecast power increases with horizon, for the majority of series it is maximised for forecast horizons of between 12 and 48 months. Third, non-linear predictability is reported for all series, suggesting that positive and negative values of the (demeaned) dividend yield impart different levels of predictability for returns at different forecast horizons. However, there is no consistency in the pattern of non-linearity reported, and whilst the observed patterns are consistent with noise traders models for some of the markets considered, this is not true of all the markets considered. Nevertheless, the non-linear dynamics detected are suggestive of potential market inefficiencies in all six cases.     

Goodwill Accounting in Selected Countries and the Harmonization of International Accounting Standards

Economic and financial markets interpenetrate and national economies are increasingly interdependent. This results in a growing need for comparability of accounting procedures internationally. Accounting for goodwill illustrates this phenomenon. By specifying the recommended asset treatment for purchased, positive goodwill, and the five-year amortization period, IASC has taken a significant step towards harmonization of goodwill accounting. As noted in the article, however, the implications for consolidated income may be quite drastic. This is especially so with respect to the implications of the revised IAS 22 (following IAS ED 32) for potential leveraged corporate buy-outs.     

International Accounting Standards: An Alternative Rationale

International aspects of financial reporting have begun to receive an increasing amount of attention by a range of organizations. There is a need then, to appraise critically the performance and the underlying rationale of those agencies responsible for influencing international practices. Identification and appraisal of the rationale underlying the existence of those agencies is a necessary step in determining their potential for achieving the objectives which they have been set. This paper examines the rationale behind one of these agencies, the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC, 1977). Unlike many others, the paper does not attempt to explain why we should have an organization such as the IASC and the standards it produces. Rather, it represents an attempt to explain why we do have an organization such as the IASC. To that end, an alternative rationale is suggested for the output of the IASC, based on theories of professional selfinterest, agency, and property rights. It is argued that that rationale is likely to have significantly greater explanatory power in respect of the present output produced by the IASC than those traditionally presented.     

Benchmarking as a Tool for the Modernisation of Local Government

This paper examines benchmarking as a tool of the modernisation process in local government and the contradictory tensions in the Best Value scheme are explored. Benchmarking is shown to encapsulate the dichotomous nature of a modernising philosophy which espouses innovation and local solutions alongside the government's centralising tendencies. One consequence is the advancement of 'compulsory' and 'defensive' modes of benchmarking with local authorities benchmarking for external accountability reasons; issues of tangible improvement are secondary concerns. These tensions are viewed as irreconcilable, the implication is that local government will need to carefully manage and evaluate its benchmarking activities.     

发展中国家FDI理论的新探索--"跨国投资门槛论"

现有FDI理论的“优势分析”传统,对于说明发展中国家对外直接投资具有很大的局限性。本提出了一个新的发展中国家对外直接投资学说——“跨国投资门槛论”。该学说在区分企业不同投资动机和投资类型的基础上,以对外直接投资的最低条件分析代替了传统的一般优势分析。该学说的基本分析框架是：垄断优势并非对外直接投资的必要条件和决定因素,发展中国家对外直接投资行为是由企业的投资能力和对外投资“门槛”两个因素共同决定的。     

Assessing professional ethics in tax: A case on uncertain tax positions

We develop and present an ethics case dealing with an uncertain tax position. The case can be used to assess professional ethics as part of an assurance-of-learning (AOL) plan as well as a component of a course grade. We present data on student performance on this case over a 5-year period. Students consider existing ethical frameworks to identify and frame the potential ethical “dilemmas” they might face in addressing whether to countenance a client’s suggested treatment and disclosure of an uncertain tax position. In addition, students evaluate the AICPA guidance and U.S. Treasury standards on taking and reporting uncertain tax positions in the tax return and the FASB and PCAOB standards on reporting and auditing uncertain tax positions in the financial statements. The case allows faculty to assess students’ ability to frame potential ethical dilemmas when clients engage in aggressive tax behavior, to recognize with whom and with what professional reference documents they should consult when an uncertain tax position arises, and to choose among alternative actions when faced with client/preparer conflicts.     

我国投资性房地产会计准则国际比较及影响

财政部2006年2月15目正式发布了我国新的会计准则体系，其中包括为规范我国企业房地产投资方面的业务核算而首次发布的《企业会计准则第3号——投资性房地产》。该项准则的发布和实施，为我国企业合理进行相关业务核算提供了法规支持。这体现我国在会计准则方面与国际会计准则实现了趋同。本文对我国投资性房地产准则与国际会计准则作比较，以明确二者的异同，并说明新准则对企业的财务影响。     

广义帕累托分布模型:风险管理的工具

在广义帕累托分布模型中,门限值过小,极限定理不成立,得到的估计是有偏的;反之,门限值过大,可以分析的数据减少,分析的偏差减少,但估计的方差增加.如何适当选取门限值是一个非常关键的问题.通过对尾部分布何时服从广义帕累托分布进行检验,可得到相应的门限值和VaR,这对金融资产管理具有重要意义.     

Regulatory flexibility and management opportunism in the choice of alternative accounting standards: an illustration based on large French groups

Due to the flexibility of domestic accounting regulations, French groups are entitled to refer to international or American standards for their consolidation. The objective of this research paper is to focus on the choices made by the 100 largest French companies during the last 16 years (1985-2000). In practice, apart from the French rules, three “alternative” sets of standards are used: the International Accounting Standards (IAS), “international principles,” and the U.S. GAAP. The percentage of companies referring to alternative (i.e., non-French) standards rose in the first part of the period, then fell. Additionally, while the number of companies choosing U.S. GAAP increased over the period as a whole, the number preferring IAS or “international principles” has been in sharp decline since 1994-1995. Our results show that in this voluntary move towards international accounting harmonization, the choices made by French companies have clearly varied according to developments in French accounting regulations and the changing power balance between the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) and the SEC-FASB. This indicates a certain degree of opportunism by the management, who clearly keeps one eye constantly on the cost-benefit trade-off.     

企业参与制定国家标准对其出口贸易规模的影响——基于上市公司数据的实证研究

运用面板数据模型,依据制造业中的1796家上市公司样本数据,考量微观层面标准对企业出口规模的影响。结果发现：企业参与制定国家标准可以有效促进出口,并且制定与国际接轨的一致标准比制定国家特有标准更能促进出口。因此,企业宜更多参与国家标准的制定,更多地推动标准层面的国际接轨。     

中国国家标准供给水平研究

基于中国国家标准与国际标准化组织（ISO）、标准电工委员会（IEC）与国际电信联盟（ITU）三大国际标准组织为代表的国际标准的全面比较,考量中国国家标准的相对供给水平。结果表明：中国现行国家标准总体上供给较为充足,但仍存在一些供给指数较低的技术领域,且国家标准的供给质量仍需进一步提高。鉴此,应结合产业发展的需求,调整国家标准的供给结构与供给指数,以充分发挥标准推动经济社会发展的重要作用。