An Empirical Analysis of State and Private-Sector Provision of Water Services in Africa

Under pressure from donor agencies and international financialinstitutions such as the World Bank, some developing countrieshave experimented with the privatization of water services.This article reviews the econometric evidence on the effectsof water privatization in developing economies and presentsnew results using statistical data envelopment analysis andstochastic cost frontier techniques and data from Africa. Theanalysis fails to show evidence of better performance by privateutilities than by state-owned utilities. Among the reasons whywater privatization could prove problematic in lower-incomeeconomies are the technology of water provision and the natureof the product, transaction costs, and regulatory weaknesses.     

透视世界通信公司事件

最近,美国证券市场又爆出继安然事件之后更大的财务造假丑闻:美国电信业巨头世界通信公司承认在2001年和2002年第一季度虚报了税前利润38亿多美元.     

国际性的机构--花旗银行

花旗银行于1812年创立于美国,为全国性的金融机构.时至今日,它已发展成为美国最大的国际性银行之一,亦是花旗集团最主要的附属公司.     

Segmental Reporting: A Preparers' Perspective

Following the introduction of Statement of Standard Accounting Practice 25, Segmental Reporting, companies must now report turnover, result and net assets analysed by geographical segments and business classes. This paper, unlike most previous research into segmental reporting, focuses on the preparers of accounts. The empirical study, based on information obtained by a questionnaire survey, has two objectives. First, to investigate the preparers' perceptions of the usefulness of segmental information and second, to identify which criteria were used to select reportable segments. The results show that the reported selection criteria have discarded or ignored many of the suggestions identified in previous academic literature and in the standard, in favour of pre-existing organisational groupings. The responses also indicate that preparers doubt the usefulness to shareholders of the reported information.     

Yield Approximations: A Historical Perspective

This paper traces the historical developments of the efforts to find simple and accurate methods of approximating an annuity's implicit yield and a bond's yield to maturity. It is shown that the little known history of yield approximations is nevertheless very rich, with contributions dating as far back as the late seventeenth century. It is also shown that the standard textbook approximation formula for the bond's yield to maturity is the least accurate of a large family of formulas, some of which were suggested as early as 1855.     

Child Labor: A Normative Perspective

Examining child labor through the lenses of weak agency, distributiveinequality, and harm suggests that not all work performed bychildren is equally morally objectionable. Some work, especiallywork that does not interfere with or undermine their healthor education, may allow children to develop skills they needto become well-functioning adults and broaden their future opportunities.Other work, including child prostitution and bonded labor, isunambiguously detrimental to children. Eliminating these formsof child labor should be the highest priority. Blanket banson all child labor may drive families to choose even worse optionsfor their children, however. Moreover, child labor is oftena symptom of other problems—poverty, inadequate educationsystems, discrimination within families, ethnic conflicts, inadequatelyprotected human rights, weak democratic institutions—thatwill not be eliminated by banning child labor.     

Basel II: A Contracting Perspective

Financial safety nets are incomplete social contracts that assign responsibility to various economic sectors for preventing, detecting, and paying for potentially crippling losses at financial institutions. Basel II forces signatory countries to reopen safety-net bargaining across affected sectors. This paper uses the theories of incomplete contracts and sequential bargaining to interpret the Basel Accords as a framework for endlessly renegotiating minimal duties and standards of safety-net management across the community of nations. Modelling the stakes and stakeholders represented by different regulators helps us to understand that inconsistencies were bound to exist in prior understandings about the range of sectoral effects that the 2004 Basel II agreement might produce. The analysis seeks to explain why, in the U.S., attempting to resolve what turned out to be intolerable inconsistencies spawned an embarrassingly fractious debate and repeatedly pushed back Basel II’s scheduled implementation.     

AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION: A Comparative Historical Perspective

The article provides a detailed comparative historical reviewof the patterns of agricultural mechanization by operation.The first section reemphasizes the major conclusions of theinduced innovation literature, and the second section showsthe remarkable similarity in the early mechanization experiencesof the developed and developing countries. New mechanical powersources were first used on power-intensive operations such asprocessing, pumping, transport, and tillage, while mechanizationof control-intensive operations came much later and usuallyin association with high wages. Finally, an investigation ofthe process of agricultural machinery innovation shows thatthe public sector and corporate research has contributed littleto machinery invention. Machinery innovation has generally beenthe domain of small manufacturers, with corporations becomingsignificant in later stages of product development and engineeringoptimization.      

欧洲现代种族主义的历史透视

"种族"与民族紧密相连,"种族"问题研究是民族学与人类学研究不可或缺的内容。种族主义理念和实践的存在与发展,是欧洲民族问题的重要表现形式之一。本文试图通过对欧洲现代种族主义的实质、表现形式、发展历程及其契机的分析,为人们客观地认识和把握欧洲现代种族主义的现实状态与未来演进趋向提供借鉴。     

及时纠正措施:基于比较视角的研究

"及时纠正措施"是以资本充足率为核心的银行监管体系中一项主要的预防性审慎监管措施。它保障了监管机构能够及时采取行动,防患于未然,解决了在处置问题银行时监管宽容对金融安全所带来的不利影响,促进了银行业的稳健运行。本文在比较总结美、欧、日等国(地区)"及时纠正措施"立法基础上,就改进我国相关立法提出建议。     

碳财务战略理论前沿：一个新的研究视角

近年来,碳会计及其财务问题逐渐成为国内外研究的一个热点问题。本文从企业碳筹资战略、碳投资战略、碳财务信息披露战略、碳财务风险控制、碳财务战略绩效评价等方面对国外现有研究进行了梳理,指出了现有理论研究中存在的问题,提出综合应用多种研究方法来构筑企业碳财务战略理论框架的建议。     

Accounting for Intangibles: A Theoretical Perspective

This paper uses a transactions theory approach to analyse some of the measurement and disclosure issues involved in accounting for goodwill and other intangibles. The recent professional and academic literature is reviewed and the traditional economic theory approach to interpreting accounting issues in these areas is criticised. A form of transactions theory called ‘Statistical Transactions Theory’ is then used to investigate several conceptual problem areas, notably: the definition of goodwill and fair values; the distinction between goodwill and other intangibles; and capitalisation, amortisation and valuation issues. The authors conclude that the most fruitful course of action in dealing with these issues would be a substantial research effort designed to investigate the distributional properties of accounting numbers relating to the subject of intangibles measurement, including goodwill as defined in this paper. They call for more analytic and empirical work in this field.     

也谈无形资产评估的重要

两家规模、硬件设施、经营范围和方式大抵相当的企业几乎同时开业,没过多久,一家经营的红红火火（A公司）,一家是奄奄一息,面临清算（B公司）。这时评估师接手对两家公司进行评估,从有形的资产层面来讲两家难分伯仲,但因无形资产的区别很大,他们的结局却是两重天。     

Intangible Marketing Assets: A Managerial Accounting Perspective

Intangible marketing assets, such as brand strength, product image and reputation, appear to be of growing significance to companies. This paper seeks to offer a management accounting perspective on intangible marketing assets. A typology is developed that categorises related constructs, hitherto referred to, somewhat broadly, as marketing assets. The typology (1) redefines intangible marketing assets from an accounting perspective, and (2) identifies the inputs and outputs of the intangible marketing asset management process. The traditional accounting methods afforded to intangible marketing assets are noted, together with their adverse implications for asset development. It is suggested that management accounting should develop a method of accounting for such assets that is more consistent with supporting longer-term corporate objectives.     

会计国际协调:一个新的分析视角

会计标准的国际协调一直是我国会计理论界和实务界非常关注的一个重要问题。对此 ,理论界就净利润的双重披露差异进行了大量的实证研究 ,研究的结果也常常为我国会计标准改革所借鉴。然而 ,我们的研究发现 ,2 0 0 0年底《企业会计制度》及随后一系列会计准则颁布和修订后 ,境内外净资产差异与净利润差异之间的联系明显降低 ,仅有净利润之间的国际协调还不足以说明会计信息总体上已经实现国际协调。因此 ,单纯从净利润的角度来研究会计标准的国际协调可能存在一定的片面性。本文试图从净利润、净资产以及两者对比的净资产收益率三个角度来判断我国会计标准的国际协调程度     

避税与反避税的三维视角

避税是一种复杂的经济现象,涉及到税法实效、管理实务、与纳税人沟通等复杂事务。不同经济主体对避税的理解认识不同,甚至存在法律与管理上的冲突矛盾。鉴于避税行为本身的不确定性,不宜在立法层面上时避税作出规制。但是,立法部门与税务管理当局应该区分不同性质的避税行为,在法律、税务管理方面分别对待,对其予以规制和管理。