Media substitution and economies of scale in advertising

Two important issues in the economics of advertising are media substitutability in generating sales and scale economies in advertising. If media are substitutes then partial bans, e.g., broadcast bans on cigarettes or alcoholic beverages, may be ineffective; and mergers among radio and TV firms, currently widespread in the U.S. and Mexico, are unlikely to result in market power in setting advertising rates. If there are scale diseconomies in advertising, concerns that advertising increases entry barriers may be unfounded. Using U.S. beer firm data over 1983:Q1–1993:Q4 for three media categories, we find evidence of high substitutability and diseconomies of scale.     

2011年煤炭市场运行分析及2012年市场展望

介绍了2011年1～11月煤炭经济运行的基本情况和煤炭消费情况。分析了2011年煤炭经济运行的特点,对2012年的煤炭市场趋势进行了预测。     

Analysis of spectrum auctions in India—An application of the opportunity cost approach to explain large variations in spectrum prices

The remarkable growth of mobile communication has reinforced the significance of the radio spectrum for mobile network operators. The availability of spectrum varies considerably between different countries due to national regulatory decisions. The focus in this paper is on India where operators have access to a limited amount of spectrum. This paper analyses the value of spectrum by estimating the opportunity cost, which is calculated by the savings that can be achieved by acquiring appropriate amount of spectrum rather than investing in additional base stations. The applied approach combines network deployment, user demand levels, cost, and capacity issues, which are integrated in the application in the opportunity cost approach for spectrum. The opportunity cost of spectrum is compared with prices paid at spectrum auctions. The analysis includes a discussion of drivers that determine the willingness to pay for spectrum. The results show that the opportunity cost of spectrum in relation to auction prices is lower than prices operators paid for 3G spectrum in the metro circles (service areas) while the value derived from the opportunity cost is higher than auction prices in the remaining circles.     

Market orientation and organizational performance: A comparison of industrial versus consumer companies in mainland China using market orientation scale (MARKOR)

Although not conclusive, past empirical marketing strategy studies conducted in the United States and western European countries suggested a strong positive relationship between market orientation and a company's performance. The objective of this study is to investigate the reliability and validity of the market orientation construct in a very different socioeconomic, cultural, and business environment of Asia. Specifically, using the Kohli and Jaworski [J. Mark. 54 (1990) 1] MARKOR scale, this study investigates the market orientations of Chinese business managers who operate in a select number of industrial and consumer goods industries in urban China. Previous research has predicted a positive relationship between market orientation and performance, on the assumption that market orientation provides a firm with a better understanding of its environment and customers, which ultimately leads to enhanced customer satisfaction. Study results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between market-oriented and non-market-oriented Chinese managers in terms of their responses to market orientation scale statements. As well, a higher level of market orientation of Chinese companies operating in the Beijing area was discovered. This is rather encouraging because there is a large body of marketing literature that supports the argument that higher levels of market orientation would lead to better organizational performance. The managerial and public policy implications of the study are also discussed.     

The sufficiency of product and variable costs for production-related decisions when economies of scope are present

This article examines the usefulness of product and variable costs for pricing, product mix, and capacity expansion decisions when economies of scope are present. A numerical example demonstrates that the sufficiency of product and variable costs are diminished when economies of scope are present, even under economic conditions that are the most conducive for product and variable costs to lead to an optimal decision. Further analysis of production-related decisions with hard constraints indicates that the usefulness of variable costing incorporating the effect of a bottleneck activity is also diminished when economies of scope are present. Since economies of scope are one of the primary conditions necessary for firms to produce multiple products in a competitive economy [Panzar, J., Willig, R., 1981. Economies of scope. American Economic Review 71 (2), 268–272], the findings of this article bring into question the sufficiency of product and variable costs for production-related decisions.     

Multiple versions of markets: Multiplicity and performativity in market practice

Recent research efforts in economic sociology have attended to the performativity of economic sciences, that is, to the import of various economic theories on economic reality. Hitherto, these efforts have been limited to idiosyncratic market situations such as financial and auction markets. Moreover, the efforts have largely focused on the performativity of economics and financial economics (narrowly defined). This paper argues for the need to broaden the discussion on performativity to take into account multiple theoretical influences and for the importance of studying performativity in more mundane markets. The paper contributes to this endeavor by developing a practice-based framework that deals with the multiple theoretical influences that can be expected to take part in the shaping of markets.     

The mode of exchange and shaping of markets: Distributor influence in the Swedish post-war food industry

This paper addresses the associations between the mode of exchange and the configuration of market actors and exchange objects through a historical case study of the introduction of self-service retailing in the private food retail trade in Sweden. The changes in the mode of exchange reported in the case resulted from organizing efforts involving both retailers and a major wholesaler. These efforts were directed towards two main areas: the material framing of the exchange situation, e.g. the redesign of store facilities, interiors and the pre-packaging of goods, and the agency of the involved actors, e.g. information campaigns and education directed towards retailers and consumers. Through this process, a network of associations was forged that inter-defined the mode of exchange, the market actors and the exchange objects. The paper contributes to extant literature on the shaping of markets by empirically examining the associations constituting modes of exchange and the process through which these associations are forged. A central finding is that the introduction of self-service was elaborately intertwined with changes in the characteristics of the actors and objects of exchange.     

中国商业银行规模经济与范围经济的实证分析

本文通过对中国商业银行1996年到2001年的经营情况进行实证分析，估算出各家银行的规模经济系数和范围经济系数，发现大部分商业银行规模不经济而范围经济，规模不经济的程度与银行资产规模呈正相关关系，股份制商业银行的范围经济系数高于国有商业银行的范围经济系数，范围经济与银行资产规模没有必然的联系。在此基础上，本文提出了相应的政策主张。     

Innovation patterns and policy implications of ADSL penetration in Korea: A case study

Korea has been leading the world in broadband Internet access services since 1999. Based on an in-depth case analysis of the penetration of asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) in Korea, the present study explores the patterns of decision making and interactions among key innovation actors, such as the government, Internet service providers, equipment providers, and content providers, using a conceptual framework wherein models of innovation systems and decision making under uncertainty are combined. The results revealed that the Korean government played a pivotal role in the creation of the ADSL-based Internet service market by providing a strong vision for this emerging service, building a coalition among various key actors, and stimulating initial market needs and supply of necessary equipment during the early period of higher uncertainty. As the level of uncertainty decreased with market evolution, however, the role of industrial actors and their market competition became more important to the rapid growth of the ADSL market. Based on these findings, policy and managerial implications are proposed.     

中国钢铁产业的集中度、布局与结构优化研究--兼评2005年钢铁产业发展政策

钢铁产业的产业集中度和空间布局是关系产业竞争力的两个重要方面，提高产业集中度和优化空间布局．是中国钢铁产业实现可持续发展的主要任务。本文通过建立相关的模型和数据测算．分析我国钢铁产业集中度和空间布局的变化，发现我国钢铁产业的生产集中度和空间集中度不仅很低．而且在2001年以来还在不断降低。研究显示，我国钢铁产业的空间布局呈现以市场指向为主、兼资源依托型之格局，临海港口型特征不明显。对三种不同类型的空间布局绩效的比较研究发现．临海港口型的空间布局应是我国钢铁产业布局的主要合理方向。论文对2005年新颁布的《钢铁产业发展政策》作了相应的分析和评论，探讨了产业政策的真正意义．主张作为产业政策不适宜对市场作具体数量的规定。     

中部六省全面小康实现程度的评价与比较

全面建设小康社会是中国21世纪前20年为之奋斗的战略目标,中部六省全面建设小康社会的程度和进度,直接关系着该目标能否顺利实现。本文对中部六省全面建设小康社会的综合评价做了回顾和总结;遵照指标体系设计的原则,制定出中部六省全面建设小康社会指标体系,并参照五个方面的依据,确定了各指标的目标值;采用标准比值法对中部六省2003—2005年全面小康实现程度进行了评价与比较;并就加快中部六省全面建设小康社会的进程进行了思考和探讨。