Consumer confusion over the profusion of eco-labels: Lessons from a double differentiation model

How are eco-label strategies affected by consumer confusion arising from the profusion of eco-labels? This article provides a theoretical insight into this issue using a double differentiation framework. We assume that consumers perceive a label as a sign of quality compared to an unlabeled product, but that they cannot fully assess the environmental quality associated with each label and only see each label as a particular variety of a similar product. We analyze the pricing strategies of three firms, each one providing one product: a labeled product, with high or medium environmental quality, according to the eco-label, or an unlabeled product. We infer lessons for eco-labeling policies, according to the identity of the certifying organization: the regulator, an NGO or the firms. We show that the firm supplying the eco-labeled product with a high environmental quality is weakened by consumer confusion while the firm selling the unlabeled product suffers from strict labeling standards, to the benefit of the firm providing the labeled product with a lower environmental quality, which gains a competitive advantage. Most labeling policies consist of harmonizing labeling criteria, but only certification by a third party, the regulator or a NGO, guarantees the high environmental quality of labeled products, whereas certification by firms leads to a uniform undemanding standard. However, when both labels are provided by two different certifiers, including a firm, harmonization of environmental standards does not occur and the NGO's or regulator's eco-labeling standard will be much more stringent than the firm's one, preventing NGO's or public eco-labeling policy to significantly enhance quality of the environment and welfare.     

跨越"卡夫丁峡谷"论的理论旨趣及方法论价值

跨越“卡夫丁峡谷”理论是马克思晚年在世界历史的视阁下，在研究俄国农村公社状况的基础上所提出的关于落后的俄国能否不经过资本主义制度的发展阶段而直接进入社会主义的论述。今天，当我们寻求它的直接理论意义时，它早已消逝在历史烟云的纵深处；而当我们透过厚重的时空帷幕，发掘其所蕴藉的历史唯物主义的基本原理和唯物辩证的方法论价值，我们真切地感受到它的光辉依然照耀着当代社会主义者的现实行程。     

对"经济人"假设的反思

“经济人”假设是新古典主义经济学对经济个体行为动机的最基本假设。它被认为是一种简单而有价值的经济学智慧。但现实生活中也有大量现象无法用“经济人”假设来解释。为了加强该假设的解释力,经济学家不断拓宽和发展其中心概念的含义,但这样做的一个不利后果是基本概念就往往变得过于宽泛和模糊,从而失去可操作性。     

西藏朝佛之旅(七)非同凡响的色拉大乘洲

今天中午12点多，我们一行10多人分乘三辆车，前往拉萨三大寺之一的色拉寺，为贡唐仓大师圆寂布施供养僧众。     

全方位"以学生为中心"教学模式的探讨

“以学生为中心”的语言教学模式是针对传统的“以教师为中心”的教学模式的局限性提出来的。全方位的“以学生为中心”的预科汉语教学模式应体现在目标制定、教材编写、课堂教学、教学评价等方面。     

面对“跨世纪的争论”——我在若干问题上的基本态度

不久前，我有机会拜读了新华社高级记者杨继绳的新作《跨世纪的争论》（手稿）。这是一篇颇有份量的论著。它把围绕当今中国重大问题展开的跨世纪争论的双方主要论点，作了一次系统的梳理，其工作量相当大，当然，我们不能要求作者经过一次梳理，就能做到十分周全和完全准确。     

阻止地球变暖的"巨型"方案

新高,新高,再创新高,地球每年都向大气排放出比上一年更多的二氧化碳.尽管举办过多次大型的气候会议,尽管气候学家发出过无数次的警告和呼吁,二氧化碳排放量的减少仍然遥遥无期.仅2007年一年,二氧化碳的排放量竟不可思议地达到30亿吨.为了保护地球免遭"气候虚脱",科学家们提出了他们阻止地球变暖的"巨型"方案.     

评大西广《关于钓鱼岛主权之争的思考》

钓鱼岛领土争议在中日两国引发起民族主义的惊天骇浪,两国知识界也被卷进这场国权之争,双方学者各执一词,剑拔弩张。但是,在日本,也能够听到一些有历史洞见力和远见卓识的学者,站在公正的立场上所发表的具有良知和良识的声音。京都大学名誉教授、庆应义塾大学教授,日本著名经济外交研究专家大西广就是其中的代表人物。今年8月27日,他在由京都大学经济学研究科东亚经济研究中心主办的东亚经济研究通讯《京大东亚中心新闻简报（第432号）》上发表了署名文章《关于钓鱼岛主权之争的思考》。在该文中,作者客观公允地表达了自己的主张。以下,笔者就其主要观点略作评述,以飨读者。     

On the extraordinary scholarly life and times of Gordon Tullock

Gordon Tullock, who passed away at the age of 92 on November 3, 2014, ranks justly near the top of the list of the “founding fathers” of the public choice research program. Most widely known in the academy as coauthor of The Calculus of Consent (Buchanan and Tullock 1962), Professor Tullock was not named, unfairly in our joint opinion, as co-recipient of James Buchanan’s 1986 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. A good case nevertheless can be made that Gordon earned Nobel laurels on his own account for groundbreaking contributions to the literatures on, among other topics of scholarly study, rent seeking, autocracy, bureaucracy, war and revolution, law and economics and bio-economics. This essay celebrates Gordon Tullock’s major influences on the field of public choice, including his launching of Public Choice, the journal for which both of us have served as editors, and his impacts on scholars working at the many and obviously fruitful intersections of economics and political science.