Rational conjectures in the theory of oligopoly

The paper employs the notion of rational conjectural equilibrium to remove the arbitrary nature of conjectures about rivals' reactions which characterises the traditional non-cooperative theory of oligopoly. A general definition of these equilibria is given, and the concept is then applied to a simple duopoly model. The standard models of perfect competition, monopoly, limit-price dominant firms are shown to emerge as special cases of rational conjectural equilibria.     

The use of stock market returns in antitrust analysis of mergers

One of the most promising recent innovations in merger analysis has been the attempt to predict the effects of horizontal mergers by examining the share prices of the rivals to the merging firms. In this paper we describe the standard procedure, discuss some of the major criticisms of that procedure, and propose a modification, apply it to a sample of recent mergers, contrast the results with those from the standard procedure, and discuss the appropriate uses and remaining limitations of the model for antitrust analysis.The views expressed in this paper reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of their employer. We wish to thank the referees and Mary Streitwieser for helpful comments, and Becky Carr for excellent typing services.     

The EEC green paper : A faltering step in the right direction

This paper comments on the EEC Green Paper on the Development of the Common Market for Telecommunications Services and Equipment. Jonathan Solomon argues that only a radical change in European political thinking about telecommunications can prevent Europe from being left behind in the information race. The Green Paper represents a step in a long process of readjustment, though perhaps somewhat lacking in potency.     

2008年中国沥青市场回顾与2009年展望

2008年,中国沥青总产量约为848万吨,同比减少88万吨,降幅为9.4%;净进口量为320万吨,同比降低10%;表观消费量为1168万吨,同比减少124万吨,降幅为9.6%.2008年国内沥青价格和进口沥青价格随着国际原油价格大起大落,下半年价格急剧下滑.2009年,在国家为拉动内需大力支持交通基础设施建设的利好政策推动下,我国的公路建设将迎来新一轮的发展高潮,预计2009年国内沥青市场需求量同比将有较大幅度的增长,需求总量约为1428万～1596万吨.沥青的销售价格在经过第一季度的低位盘整期后,有望在二、三季度回升到一定高度,四季度可能有所回落或维持在相对合理的位置.     

中国燃料油市场2008年回顾及2009年展望

2008年国内燃料油产量为2229万吨,同比减少8.4%;净进口量为1435万吨,同比下降低29.4%;表观消费量为3664万吨,同比减少804万吨.2008年国内外燃料油市场价格前高后低,波动剧烈.新加坡180cSt高硫燃料油市场平均价格为511美元/吨,同比上涨35.5%:国内燃料油市场价格整体高于上年水平.预计2009年国内燃料油产量将有较大幅度的下降,进口量继续回落,供应量比2008年进一步减少.除船用燃料油需求量同比基本持平或略有下降外,发电、再加工以及炼钢、建筑等高能耗制造业的燃料油需求均将明显下降.预计2009年国内燃料油需求量为3250万～3350万吨,较2008年减少300万～400万吨.     

2008年中国化工轻油市场回顾及2009年展望

2008年,受金融危机的影响,新加坡石脑油现货价格跟随国际油价大涨大跌,从年中的136美元/桶下跌到年末的30～40美元/桶。2008年中国化工轻油需求由之前的高速增长转为较上年小幅下降4%,全年化工轻油表观消费量仅为3300万吨。受国内炼厂增产成品油的影响,2008年化工轻油产量下降到3371万吨,收率也下跌到9.0%。石脑油进口量虽然从2008年上半年的持续低迷转为下半年的大幅反弹,但全年同比仍下降27.7%,至77.3万吨。东南沿海地区仍然是石脑油进口的主要目的地,其中山东省进口份额达66%。石脑油出口保持连续下跌的势头,2008年为151.4万吨,同比下降13.0%。国内石脑油依旧保持净出口状态。随着2009年国内新扩建乙烯裂解装置和PX装置的陆续投产,化工轻油的需求将大幅度增加,预计2009年需求量约为3800万～3850万吨。成品油价税费改革将有效抑制国内以一般贸易和进料加工出口为主的石脑油出口,刺激国内用于乙烯裂解和芳烃生产的石脑油进口,预计2009年石脑油进口量将达到140万～180万吨。     

创意思维在服装设计中的运用

在服装设计过程中,必须掌握和运用全方位、全新的视角去构思的方法,善于观察生活、积累素材,可以通过偶发性思维,如仿生构思法、移植借鉴法、心理构思法等获得灵感,利用发散思维、辐合思维、侧向思维、逆向思维等技法产生创意思维,并将灵感和创意思维用于指导服装设计,完成好的作品。     

User participation and management information system use: A path analysis

This article proposes and empirically tests a causal model of user participation and management information system use. Based on a review of available literature, three variables including user understanding, system quality and user acceptance are identified as intervening in the relationship between user participation and system use. Causal orders among these variables are assumed and a causal model is constructed for empirical testing. Task complexity is introduced as a contingent variable affecting the structure of these causal relationships. The data are collected from 134 users of 77 different information systems in 32 Korean business firms. The results of data analysis support the causal model in general, but suggest that causal relationships among the variables are different according to task complexity. Two separate models of user participation and management information system use, based on the empirical results, are presented for further research, one for more complex and the other for less complex systems.     

Functional separation in Swedish broadband market: Next step of improving competition

Technological development together with liberalization policy has led to competition in the telecommunications market. Broadband has been recognized as a driving force in the social and economic development of nations, and many countries have introduced policies and/or regulatory frameworks to improve competition in broadband markets. An evolution can be seen from the 1980s until the present day through open access to local loop unbundling to several degrees of separation including functional separation. There are several countries implementing functional separation such as the UK, Italy, Sweden and, recently the EU. It has been suggested that functional separation can be an effective policy for increasing competition in broadband markets under certain circumstances. Sweden has implemented functional separation by amending the Swedish Telecommunications Act in 2008 to include mandatory functional separation as one of the powers of the PTS, the Swedish telecommunications regulator. Although TeliaSonera, the incumbent fixed line operator decided to voluntarily separate part of their business, the amendments to the law were debated with arguments similar to the debates in the EU following the new regulatory framework implemented in 2009. Against this background, this paper provides an overview of the development of functional separation in the EU and European countries such as Sweden and the UK. The paper also provides a theoretical and empirical analysis of the implementation of functional separation. The evolution of functional separation in Sweden is explained and ends with a discussion of the implementation of functional separation in the Swedish broadband market.     

印刷工业发展新思路

根据党的十六届三中全会通过的<中共中央关于完善社会主义市场经济体制若干问题的决定>,我国将以不断改革、不断完善、更加开放的姿态面向全世界,预期印刷行业也将在进一步的改革浪潮中发生重大的变化与发展.当前各行业都在根据党中央决定的精神,根据建设小康社会任务发展的要求,根据各行业自身的实际,结合制订第十一个五年计划,都在探讨与调整今后发展的思路,开阔自己的新视野,进而达到发展的新境界.我认为印刷工业应着重考虑以下几个问题.     

Telecommunications companies: One meeting with any competitor is enough to violate the EU's competition laws and result in fines

This commentary's purpose is to review how Telfort, T-Mobile, Vodafone, and others discovered that one “meeting” of any type with any telecommunications competitor could result in fines up to 10 percent of total “turnover” under EU competition law Regulation no. 1/2003, Article 23(2)(a), and to provide planning tips on how to eliminate the potential for those adverse consequences. While competition laws do not apply solely to the telecommunications industry, they do seem to affect it disproportionately. Telecommunications companies have global reach, and some of the most stringent competition law exists in Europe. Thus, all should review the most recent telecommunications ruling from the European Court of Justice, T-Mobile Netherlands BV v. Raad van bestuur van der Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit C-8/08 (2009). ¹ The ruling deals with whether the one meeting was “concerted activity” in violation of Article 81(1) EC.     

Process implications of the use of the Internet in new product development: a conceptual analysis

New product development requires a long and detailed process with numerous activities such as product line planning, strategy development, concept generation and screening, business analysis, development, testing and validation, manufacturing development and commercialization. Furthermore, each of these activities has its own unique requirements, some requiring information collection from the market, whereas others requiring the collaboration of different people who are involved in the new product development activities. This paper investigates the Internet's role in these activities and develops research propositions. In addition, it discusses how the impact of the Internet might change based on different products and different organizational conditions.     

在国企改革中逐步建立新型劳动关系运行机制

规范改制企业劳动关系是推进国企改革和建立现代企业制度下新型劳动关系的重要保证,是维护社会稳定协调发展的重要前提.在逐步深化的国企改革过程中,原来隐蔽着的复杂劳动关系问题逐渐显现出来,成为改革中亟待解决的问题.依法妥善处理改制企业劳动关系问题,是企业改制能否顺利进行的前提保障.     

浅析物业使用中的不规范行为

章分析了当前物业使用中常见的不规范行为及产生的原因,提出了控制不规范行为的对策。     

The use of influence strategies in interdependent relationship: The moderating role of shared norms and values

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of interdependence on the influence strategies and investigate the moderating role that “shared norms and values” play in the relationships between interdependence and influence strategies. The results reveal that when the degree of total dependence between suppliers and retailers gets higher, the suppliers adopt fewer hard coercive strategies and more promise and noncoercive strategies. When retailers dependent much more on suppliers, suppliers adopt more hard coercive strategies and fewer noncoercive strategies, but there is no significant effect on promise strategies. Under a higher degree of shared norms and values, the negative relationship between total interdependence and hard coercive strategies, and the positive relationship between total interdependence and (1) promise strategies and (2) noncoercive strategies increase. Moreover, the relationship between interdependence asymmetry and influence strategies is also moderated by shared norms and values. It implies that under a higher degree of shared norms and values and a higher extent to which retailers depend on suppliers, suppliers adopt fewer hard coercive strategies and more promise and noncoercive strategies.