Proposition of a framework for interpretation of complex problems and initiatives focused on sustainability： The food, energy and biofuel crisis

The world faces a double crisis： the food crisis and energy crisis. The agribusiness is at the center of this societal dilemma, involving aspects from the volumes of production and productivity up to the way to produce them. Furthermore, there is a discussion about the need for establishing a trade-off between production of food and energy. A central aspect regarding the way of production is on how existing resources to be used and, especially, when its degradation occurs. These discussions indicate the need for interpretation and for proposition of solutions, under a complex perspective, for this double crisis. Accordingly, this paper proposes a framework for the interpretation of complex problems and for initiatives focused on sustainability that was applied to the context of food, energy and biofuel crisis. The theoretical background comprises two theories. The first is the complexity theory, which enabled the proposition of a system to understand the reality, distinguishing and combining the several existing realities without losing the global notion; The second is the sustainability theory, which enabled the systematization of stages for the planning of more sustainable actions to operate in that context; Lastly, it was possible to infer desirable characteristics that other theories could also be included, aiming to propose solutions that are more appropriated for this specific context.     

Large Family Card as an Instrument of Supporting Families With Many Children

The aim of the article is to assess the efficacy of the large family card and its relevance to the real needs of families with many children, using the example of Poland. The large family card is a general term standing for locally implemented programmes that are aimed at families with many children. The idea behind the programme is to create a positive image of a large family. The very name of the programme serves the purpose of combating negative stereotypes and presenting large families as active and resourceful. The paper presents the results of empirical research conducted with cardholders and implementers of programs in selected Polish cities （questionnaire survey and focus group interviews with participants and interviews with program coordinators from 15 programs）. Empirical research was conducted in the period from December 2013 to April 2014, and was funded by the National Science Centre. The study included all programs started by the end of2011. The conclusions enable a number of anomalies and weaknesses of the programs to be seen and indicate directions for further development of this promising initiative. The program is perceived very positively by large families, although it has little influence on family situation. Apart from its positive impact on the diversification of sports and recreation activities, it does not basically play any role in supporting the condition of the family. Neither healthcare nor the educational aspect is attractive enough to interest the family. The basic reason for the low quality of programs is primarily the lack of proper communication and knowledge about the real problems affecting large families.     

Interest Rate Pass-through in a Dual-track System： Evidence from China

Using the Phillips-Loretan approach, this paper verifies the degree and speed of pass- through and rigidity of different interest rates in China, as well as the response of private loan interest rates to other interest rates during 2002-2012. The results indicate that the long-term pass-through from the interbank offered rates and deposit and loan interest rates to the treasury bond rate is incomplete, but that the long-term pass-through to private loan interest rates is overshooting. The long-term pass-through from the deposit and loan interest rates to the overnight interbank offered rate is incomplete, while that to the interbank offered rates of other maturities is complete. The short-term passthrough and adjustment speed of interest rates exhibit asymmetry. Therefore, before considering a full liberalization of interest rates, it is important to further enhance the competition of the financial system and the function of different interest rate systems, such as the interhank market and bond market.     

Process-Oriented Management in Public and Private Sector

The aim of the paper is to discuss the differences between the process-oriented management in public sector organizations and private sector organizations. It is also to present the consequences of implementation of this approach and to suggest areas for further research. The process management is based on the assumption that actions should be optimized by taking into account processes, which create the dynamics of an organization. These processes are constituted by sequences of activities, which turn ideas and efforts of members of an organization into an outcome expected by a client. It seems that the implementation of the process-oriented management in organizations of the public administration may facilitate the following current clients needs and identifying new ones, which are due to changes in needs of citizens or legal requirements. The paper gives an account of the process-oriented management approach and consequences of its implementation in public sector organizations. It also discusses the obstacles to the process-oriented management implementation, primarily in the public sector. The paper is theoretical and the presented ideas need further empirical investigation. The findings can be used to enhance process-oriented management systems both in the public and private sector.     

Hierarchical Structured Analysis in Modern MF System

The traditional MF is facing great pressure of reform with the coming of new era and the adjustment of the relationship between production and circulation. After many years＇ practice, people gradually realize that traditional MF is bound to transfer to modem MF and the old production system to integrated system. Multiple disciplines, fields and technologies have to be integrated to construct an efficient and feasible MF system because the system has the characters of multiple-nods, wide-spreading and large scopes. The building of harmony and integral models at different abstract levels is the key for system analysis and execution. The process structured analysis technology is the course of breaking down from abstract to specific, from macro functions to sub ones, from whole to detail. In other words, with the approach of top-down design method, it transforms all kinds of modem MF requirements to consumer-oriented module structure based on MF process so as to establish demands-oriented modem MF operation and controlling system.     

The Information Content of Environmental Performance of the Companies Listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange Period 2010-2011

Information content is a meaningful information for users to make decision. If the information is effecting to users＇ decison. One of the information is the announcement of the environmental performance. This information is effecting to investor reaction. Indonesia experience many problems of environmental damage. Program Penilaian Peringkat Kinerja Perusahaan （PROPER） or Company Performance Rank Program as an environmental control tool released by Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup （KLH） or Environmental Ministry and government received good response from several parties. However, some research studied about the relationship of environmental performance and economic performance found unexpected result. This research attempts to analyze the effect of environmental performance to abnormal return by event study analysis technique before and after PROPER announcement. The observation period is 2010 and 2011. The sample used in 2010 is 30 companies; while in 2011 are 41 companies. Hypothesis used Wilcoxon Rank test with selected window is five days before and five days after the announcement. The result shows that, without rank categorization, there is no significant difference of abnormal retum before and after PROPER announcement in 2010, while there is a significant difference of abnormal return before and after PROPER announcement in 2011. By the rank categorization, in both of observation period, there is a significant different of abnormal retum before and after the company received good rank, while there is no significant difference of abnormal return before and after the company received bad rank. Hence, it is recommended to KLH and government to announce louder the PROPER result, mainly for the companies which received bad rank and make this program to be mandatory due to its urgencies.     

Optimal pricing and ordering policy for deteriorating inventory under trade credit in demand declining market

In market, the retailer tries to sell the product at much higher price than the purchase cost. In this study, an attempt is made to develop optimal ordering and pricing policy for a retailer when the supplier offers a credit period to settle the account. The demand of a product is declining with time and units in the retailer＇s inventory are subject to constant deterioration. An algorithm is developed to determine the optimal selling price and the ordering quantity to maximize the retailer＇s profit. The numerical examples are given to support the development of the mathematical model. The sensitivity analysis of critical parameters is carried out to observe the changes in the decision variables and objective function.     

The Researches on Dynamic Evolvement of Enterprise＇s Competitiveness Based on Synergetics

The status of enterprise＇s competitiveness is denoted by importing period, growing period, period of autumn and period of winter. A model is created based on synergetics to describe the status and the dynamic process of competitiveness evolvement. The analysis is carried out on controlling parameter of system, which is the key to determine the competitiveness evolvement.     

The Analysis of John F. Kennedy＇s Inaugural Address At the Syntactic Level

The objective of the inaugural address is to explain and persuade the audience to win their support. In John F. Kennedy＇ s Inaugural Address, the pledges and the requests he makes inspire American people. For a long time, this speech has been compared with the inaugural addresses of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln by scholars. It is believed that the studies of this address are of great academic, aesthetic and practical values.The purpose of this paper is to analyze John F. Kennedy＇ s inaugural address at the syntactical level and how it takes effects.     

Determinants of Competitiveness： Observations in China＇s Textile and Apparel Industries

This paper attempts to explore key determinants of competitiveness in the textile and apparel industries, with special reference to Chinese Mainland. The authors conduct a survey that is designed to use productivity, supply-side and demand-side determinants to measure enterprises＇ competitiveness. The collected survey data is then analyzed using factor analysis to capture the related determining factors indicative of competitiveness at the enterprise level. The findings demonstrate that government policies and related industry infrastructure are the most important determinants of competitiveness in the textile and apparel industries, followed by domestic demand. This suggests that the improvement of industry infrastructure can foster industry performance, and that more resources should be endowed to enhance the domestic business competitiveness of local enterprises. The development of domestic demand will foster the competitiveness of the textile and apparel industries on a more sustainable basis.     

A search model for Joint Implementation

The aim of this paper is to present a search model in the field of environmental economics, where so-called clean and dirty producers enter the trading market, both looking for a partner with whom to exchange the goods they are endowed with. The model derived in this paper is rather simple. Nevertheless, it is able to produce a series of interesting results and useful insights, and is conveniently used here as a framework to explain the functioning of Joint Implementation programs for polluting emissions＇ reduction.     

Regional Environmental Performance and Its Determinants in China

A growing awareness of environmental quality hasplaced increasedpressure on China to improve environmental protection and regulations in the country. How have the regional economies in the country performed in terms of environmental efficiency？ The answer to this question is yet to be explored in the case of China. The objective of this paper is to present a quantitative analysis of environmental performance in China＇s regional economies and to examine the determinants of regional variation in performance. The findings are used to draw policy implications for environmental protection and are helpful in the discussion of China＇s future sustainable development.     

Estimating expected return of corporate bond from equity prices using structural model

Bond rating and yield do not tell investors the expected return they can earn. In this paper, the author uses structural model which provides a link between the credit quality of a firm and the firm＇s economic and financial conditions to estimate the probability of default and the expected return of corporate bond from equity data. The volatility of bond return is also discussed. The purpose of this research is to help bond investors to make more informed investment decision.     

Understanding Failure in International Retailing： An Institutional Framework for Future Investigation

The move from domestic market to one that includes major retailers. Whiles prior research acknowledged differences international firms is not proving an easy task for between country environments and stressed the importance of addressing these differences in order to avoid the dangers and failures inherent in internationalisation, there is still lack of suitable framework that captures the effects of the institutional environment on failure in international retailing. The purpose of this paper is to introduce institutional theory as a complementary framework to explain failure in international retailing and suggest propositions for further research. The paper seeks to answer the research question： What are the factors in the institutional environment of a host country that affect failure in international retailing？ Consequently, the objective of this paper is threefold： （1） to introduce institutional theory as alternative theoretical framework to conceptualise failure in international retailing; （2） to identify institutional factors that exert pressures on the operational activities of international retailers in foreign markets and which leads to failure; （3） to provide some research propositions for further investigation. This paper offers several contributions. First, we extend current theories in international business, particularly, the literature on retail internationalisation and institutional theory by exploring pressures and difficulties that international retailers face in a new host institutional environment. Second, we identify a set of institutional factors that exert pressures on international retailers in foreign markets that lead to failure. Finally, with the institutional approach, this study fills the gap in earlier works by developing a complementary framework along with 11 propositions for future research. One major limitation of this paper is that it is conceptual; hence, further empirical analysis is needed to test the suggested propositions.     

英文文摘

The collection of Porcelains should be done in peaceful time
“the key of collection is to distinguish the authenticity. I am puzzled with this problem for a long time and still can＇t resolve it completely. Actually this problem can＇t be resolved completely, even impossible to the famous appraisers and collectors. So the point is to improve our appreciation level. I have summarized it to “six more”： read more; practice more; compare more; ask more and summarize more. The most important point is the last one： see more fakes. ”     

Commitment,Communication, and Leadership Determine the Leader： A Qualitative Analysis of Businessperson Characteristics Practiced by SME and Family Business Directors

This article outlines the details of an empirical study into the perceptions of small and medium-sized enterprise （SME） directors regarding the concepts of communication and commitment to leadership style and the interpretation of these concepts by way of depth interviews. The commitment by SME directors is represented by the themes of emotional commitment, visibility, financial bond, and personality traits. The communication by SME directors is represented by the themes of empathy, type of information, reaction and personality of the communication. The concept of leadership in the SME sector is typically closely associated to the charismatic leadership and the theory of the inclusive leadership （IL） style. The IL is a representation and use of all of the represented leadership styles depends on a situation. This study can be described as an exploratory study, consisting of qualitative in-depth interviews that were conducted with 19 directors of SMEs in the Netherlands and a qualitative matrix method was utilised.     

Impacts of Food and Energy Price Hikes and Proposed Coping Strategies

Based on sample survey data for the years 2006 and 2007, we find that inflation of food and energy prices in China is moving at a slower pace than in the international market; however, the livelihood of low income groups has been significantly impacted. Urban sample households in low income groups have been shifting from consumption of high value food to lower value substitutes; and all of the rural sample households are reducing their total consumption expenditure in real terms. The Engel＇ s coefficient of the rural household enlarged while their proportion of spending on clothing and energy declined. Farmers＇ households are moving toward more imbalanced diets, and the nutritional status of the poor is apparently deteriorating. The emergency-response measures that the government should implement include stopping subsidies to biofuel producers, who use foodstuffs as inputs, and providing food aid to the poor. The mid-term strategies should include anti-monopoly tactics, improving the market environment for the right competition, and eliminating price distortion. Midterm and long-term socioeconomic policy reform must be undertaken to adjust the social structure, to correct the mechanism of factor price formation, and to transform the pattern of economic growth.     

China＇s Pension Reform and Capital Market Development

The paper analyzes the interaction between the pension system and capital market development, especially the case of China. A funded pension system is most likely to boost the capital market, but in the absence of a supportive financial infrastructure and effective financial regulation, a funded system will not be successful. China‘s determination to establish a partially funded system is afirst step in the right direction, but without the separation of individual accounts from the social pooling and their replenishment, the working out of the implicit pension debt, and improvements in pension fund management and regulation, the pension system will not be sustainable. The key to capital market development in the process of the pension reform is to enact laws to protect the interests of pensioners, to contract out pension fund management to professional asset managers, and to accelerate the financial opening.     

The Relationship Between Government Policy and Financial Performance： A Study on the SMEs in Iraq

The study examined the relationship between government policies and financial performance in small and medium enterprises （SMEs） in Iraq. The study aimed at establishing the relationship between government policies and financial performance of SMEs. In the Republic of Iraq, it is estimated that 99% of the business entities are SMEs. They also contribute to GDP and provide employment. Notwithstanding the recognition of the important roles SMEs play in Iraq, their development is largely constrained by a number of factors, such as the existence of laws, regulations, and rules that impede the development of the sector. The study provided some relevant recommendations to policy makers, development agencies, entrepreneurs, and SME managers to ascertain the appropriate strategy to improve the SME sector in Iraq.