Defined benefit versus defined contribution pension plans: How are the interests of employees and the public best served?

Prior to the enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 the rate of formation of defined benefit retirement plans exceeded the rate of formation of defined contribution retirement plans. Following its enactment the trend has been reversed. This article reviews the development of public policy with respect to privately sponsored retirement benefits, takes note of the legislatively mandated regulatory distinctions between defined benefit and defined contribution plans, outlines the distinctions between the plans from the perspective of plan sponsors versus plan participants, and questions the appropriateness of the movement away from defined benefit plans in terms of public policy objectives regarding retirement income security.     

企业税务筹划的现状与对策分析

税务筹划在西方发达国家早已是普遍存在的经济现象。随着我国市场经济的发展与成熟,税务筹划将越来越受到关注,并在企业中得到实际运用。在我国当前的纳税政策环境下,税务筹划存在一定的空间,但不是无限区,有时违法与不违法仅有一步之遥。税务筹划作为纳税人的一种理财手段,可以为企业节约纳税,实现经济效益最大化,壮大企业经济实力,但也存在筹划不当造成违法偷税的风险。因此,纳税人只有正确掌握和熟练运用税务筹划的技术,才能真正取得税务筹划的成功,为企业创造出经济效益。     

我国民办教育中的营利性问题及税收优惠

虽然我国民办教育事业中已存在营利性机构,但我国法律将从事民办教育事业的机构都认定为不以营利为目的的公益性机构,并没有明确区分其中的非营利性和营利性组织,更没有积极地规范营利性教育机构的行为。因此,长期以来营利性教育机构享受与国办教育机构一样的税收优惠,这在造成税收流失的同时也损害了非营利性教育机构的利益。     

Can green behaviors really be increased for all employees? Trade‐offs for “deep greens” in a goal‐oriented green human resource management intervention

This study explores the complex interaction between psychological and goal‐relevant boundary conditions that influence levels of individual engagement in a green human resource management (HRM) intervention designed to encourage employee green behavior (EGB). Data were collected from 1,112 employees in an automobile manufacturing plant. Consistent with goal‐setting theory, the level of feedback received predicts EGB. However, a three‐way interaction demonstrates how employees with high levels of autonomous motivation do not gain the expected benefits of high feedback and high goal commitment in the enactment of EGB. Instead, only those with weak autonomous motivation are affected by these goal‐related constructs. Findings suggest that both goal‐setting and self‐determination theories are relevant to green HRM interventions. Managers should consider that interventions that are effective for employees who do not have strong autonomous motivation towards the environment may not be effective for those who do.     

Australia's Carbon Tax: An Economic Evaluation

Australia's carbon tax has been in place since July 2012. Following the 2013 federal election and change of government, it is likely that the tax will be abolished. This paper evaluates Australia's carbon tax experience and draws lessons for policymakers in other jurisdictions who may be considering following the Australian example and implementing their own carbon taxes or cap and trade schemes. Overall, the policy was poorly thought through, badly implemented, and lacked majority public support before it began. Australia's carbon tax experience is an interesting case study in how not to go about implementing climate change policy.     

The effects of public support schemes on small and medium enterprises

In this paper we will investigate the effects of direct grants and tax incentives on recipient small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Direct grants and tax incentives are two different public instruments used to correct market failure and facilitate innovation through lowering the cost of R&D. Although large and small firms innovate in different ways, so far limited empirical evidence has been reported with respect to the effectiveness of public R&D instruments for SMEs. Our data suggests that direct subsidies used alone or with tax incentives strengthen the R&D orientation of the SME as well as some aspects of innovation output and absorptive capacity. Although the effects of policy measures are significant when comparison is made to firms that did not use any of the two instruments, not much difference is found when users of direct grants are compared to those who used both the grants and the tax incentives. This result indicates the existence of limitations in the use of tax incentives by SMEs, and thus suggests that subsidies may be the primary instrument in SMEs.     

Including the Feedback of Local Health Improvement in Assessing Costs and Benefits of GHG Reduction

Ancillary benefits of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation refer to benefits from GHG mitigation in addition to lowered adverse impacts of global climate change. A major ancillary benefit of GHG mitigation is reduced local air toxins, which improves health. The purpose of the study is not to determine whether ancillary benefits of GHG mitigation can or cannot justify GHG mitigation. Rather, we discuss how an important benefit of addressing GHG emission — the local health effects — should and can be incorporated using the approaches put forth. A CGE model is used for simulating a carbon tax policy. A health effects submodel takes the local air emissions output from the CGE model and assesses the implications for ambient air concentration, health, and labor supply. Labor and medical expenditure changes are fed back into the economy. Applying this approach to Thailand, when health feedback is included we find that: (1) negative impact on GDP under a carbon tax drops by 45%, and (2) welfare improves for households and cleaner producers.     

Employee ownership and firm performance: a meta‐analysis

Employee ownership has been an area of significant practitioner and academic interest for the past four decades. Yet, empirical results on the relationship between employee ownership and firm performance remain mixed. To aggregate findings and provide potential direction for future theoretical development, we conducted a meta‐analysis of 102 samples representing 56,984 firms. Employee ownership has a small, but positive and statistically significant relation to firm performance ( = 0.04). The effect is generally positive for studies with different sampling designs (samples assessing change in performance pre‐employee–post‐employee ownership adoption or samples on firms with employee ownership), different performance operationalisation (efficiency or growth) and firm type (publicly held or privately held). Suggesting benefits of employee ownership in a variety of contexts, we found no differences in effects on performance in publicly held versus privately held firms, stock or stock option‐based ownership plans or differences in effects across different firm sizes (i.e. number of employees). We do find that the effect of employee ownership on performance has increased in studies over time and that studies with samples from outside the USA report stronger effects than those within. We also find little to no evidence of publication bias.     

The First Unified Budget What Should Mr. Clarke Do?

Mr. Clarke has the distinction of presenting the first Unified Budget, an innovation introduced by his predecessor. He does so against a subdued inflation outlook and a recovery from recession that has been proceeding since the first half of last year. But he is also aware that there are risks to this favourable outlook: European recession may slow growth, and there is the worry that underlying inflation may breach the Government's 4 per cent ceiling. III this Viewpoint, we argue that the Chancellor should go further that his predecessor in curbing public borrowing, aiming for a reduction of sonic £4-5bn; this fiscal contraction could be accompanied by a further 0.5 per cent reduction in interest rates, or more if the recovery shows signs of faltering. A rebalancing of monetary and fiscal policy in this way reduces the risks associated with a high level of public borrowing, can help in reducing the excessive level of consumption (private and public) in the UK economy, and offers the best means of maintaining a competitive exchange rate without inflation. A curious feature of the first Unified Budget is that, having moved tax decisions to the autumn, the Chancellor appears to have ruled out further government spending cuts beyond those agreed by the Cabinet before the summer: with more favourable inflation arid the public sector pay limit, there would seem to be scope for a further reduction in the Control Total. On the revenue side, the Chancellor should seek to raise revenues in such a way that does not adversely affect incentives. Here he has several options: to extend the VAT net; to eliminate income tax allowances or reduce them to the 20p rate of tax; or to introduce new user charges. There is also the opportunity, one year on from the UK's exit from the ERM, to restate the basis for a sustainable macroeconomic framework. This should include a rebalancing of monetary and fiscal policy, and a move to enhance the powers of the Bank of England but with parliamentary accountability.     

城市公共服务的价值估计、受益者分析和融资模式探讨

城市生活质量决定城市价值.城市政府所提供的各类公共服务,直接影响着居民在城市中生活的舒适和便利程度,关系到城市长期发展的动力.围绕此主旨,论文探讨了3个相关的问题.第一,如何估计城市公共服务这些非市场的价值;第二,这些城市公共服务的成本承担和利益享受是否匹配;第三,怎样的公共口融资模式能够使上述关系更为匹配.基于显示性偏好法中的特征价格模型,利用北京市住宅市场和土地市场的徽观和个体交易数据,实证结果表明,居民愿意为居住在地铁站、公交车站和公署周边一定范围(0.8公里)内分别支付住宅价格的17.1%、12.4%和6.4%,但是,这种价值并没有被资本化到土地价格中.这表明,居民对城市公共服务偏好的住处并没有被房地产开发企业以地价的形式传递给政府,开发企业成为实际的受益者.以房地产价值作为税基的物业税的征收使信息可以从居民直接传递至城市政府,将使城市公共服务的融资模式更为合理.     

我国城镇廉租住房退出机制的探讨

廉租房政策是世界各国普遍推行的一项针对低收入群体的住房福利政策。它在保障低收入阶层的居住权发挥着重要的作用。因此,确保该政策准确覆盖目标群体至关重要。完善的廉租房退出机制将是实现这一目标的重要手段。在分析我国现行廉租房退出机制弊端的前提下,在借鉴发达国家和地区公共住房退出机制经验的基础上,力求探索和完善我国的廉租房退出机制。     

Decision analysis of auto emission control

In response to public pressure to reduce air pollution, governments are forced to consider alternate means to limit auto emissions. This paper addresses the problem of evaluating these regulatory policies and choosing the one that is best for society.Economic tradeoffs play an important role in the analysis of emission control policies. Cleaner air comes only at a price, and the judgments as to “How clean?” At what price?” and “At who's expense?” are crucial. Once these value issues are resolved, questions of implementation remain. “How do regulatory policies such as mandatory emission standards for cars compare with a system of emission taxes?” “Are there ways to collect a fee from drivers to compensate those who breathe their pollution, without taxing emissions directly?”Our approach is first to describe a decision-focused analytical procedure for evaluating various policy alternatives. This procedure is then demonstrated with a preliminary analysis of representative emission control plans for the Los Angeles air basin. Both emission standards and market or “pricing” alternatives are considered. These plans include: present (1975) emission standards; an emission tax; an increase in the gasoline tax; a policy of no government control.The preliminary analysis shows market mechanisms to be superior to present emission standards. Many significant advantages of market mechanisms are discussed, though this conclusion is due primarily to—in our opinion—inappropriate value judgments that are implicit in the present standards.The analytical framework is very general, and it can be applied to a wide variety of social decisions involving externalities. The quantitative models developed, though preliminary, can be used by organizations such as regional planning agencies or pollution control boards. However, these models must not be viewed as formulas for answers to social problems. Rather, they are intended as aids for the policy maker that will help him or her balance the many factors that influence the decision and provide insight to the wisest social course of action.     

Sign This Agreement Not to Compete or You're Fired! Noncompete Agreements and the Public Policy Exception to Employment at Will

A California jury recently awarded an employee who was fired for refusing to sign a noncompete agreement $1.2 million in damages for wrongful discharge. Whether employees have a right to refuse to sign unenforceable noncompete agreements is an emerging employment law issue. This article considers whether a wrongful discharge remedy is available in such cases under the public policy exception to the employment-at-will doctrine. State court decisions addressing the question are conflicting. Some courts have allowed employers to discharge employees who refuse to sign a noncompete agreement even if the agreement is unreasonable. Other courts have recognized a claim for damages under the public policy exception. This article explores the issue from policy and managerial perspectives, critically analyzing the policy justifications advanced by the courts in those decisions, and comments on the liability risks to employers and the proper resolution of the issue.     

Abatement R&D,market imperfections,and environmental policy in an endogenous growth model

We develop an endogenous growth model featuring environmental externalities, abatement R&D, and market imperfections. We compare the economic performances under three distinct regimes that encompass public abatement, private abatement without tax recycling, and private abatement with tax recycling. It is found that the benefit arising from private abatement will be larger if the degree of the firms’ monopoly power is greater. With a reasonably high degree of monopoly power, a mixed abatement policy by which the government recycles environmental tax revenues to subsidize the private abatement R&D is a plausible way of reaching the highest growth rate and welfare.     

基于收入差异下的企业年金税收优惠政策研究

企业年金作为我国社会养老保险制度中的第二大支柱,其发展状况在国内并不理想。而本文的研究认为税收作为国民收入调节的重要工具,其税惠政策应有所区别对待。针对不同的收入群体来实施税收优惠政策,将有利于实现社会的公平和提高企业员工参与年金计划的积极性。     

低碳生态控制性详细规划的成本效益分析

公共政策手段必然有其成本,低碳生态城市规划政策也不例外。政策手段带来的成本与效益需要有科学性及客观的分析,才会帮助政府在制定政策及建设项目时提高社会整体经济效率,达到优化经济资源之目的。本文提出需要对低碳城市规划和建设手段进行成本效益分析的必要性,要从科学客观角度建立低碳城市成本效益理论和方法,应用评估低碳城市规划建设政策和投资决定。并针对我国城乡规划体制内具有法定效力的控制性详细规划管理手段,提出在实施低碳生态城市控制指标时要考虑产生的经济成本与效益,以近期完成的石家庄正定新区低碳生态控制性详细规划方案解释。     

Write-offs and Profitability in Private Firms: Disentangling the Impact of Tax-Minimisation Incentives

Private firms are likely to use the financial reporting process more for other objectives, such as tax savings, than for communicating performance. However, observing firms choosing accounting policies for tax-minimisation purposes is not straightforward due to (i) tax and non-tax costs of reporting lower income (ii) accounting policies that result in lower reported income and no tax savings but generate non-tax benefits (iii) preparers' multiple incentives and (iv) econometric issues. We observe a large sample of 20,505 private firms writing off assets in two separate regimes, one that generates tax savings and one that does not. Firms significantly decrease, but continue to use, write-offs after the adverse change in tax treatment of write-offs. The exogenous tax change should not affect other reporting incentives. This allows us to disentangle the tax-minimisation incentive from other (un-observable) incentives, including debt contracting, dividends and employee relations that contribute to the observed anomalous positive relationship between write-offs and profitability. We show that for private firms (i) obtaining tax savings is important overall (ii) non-tax costs and benefits are probably also important and (iii) earnings informativeness for future cash flows increases after the adverse tax legislation change.     

浅析会计制度对企业所得税税收筹划的影响

税收筹划是指纳税人在税法规定许可的范围内,通过对经营、投资、理财活动的事先筹划和安排,尽可能地取得节约税收或成本的税收收益。税收筹划应具备"三性"合法性、筹划性和目地性。对于"偷税",世界各国认识较一致,面对"避税"和"税收筹划",又有区别。前者虽然不违法,但属于钻税法的空子,有悖于国家的税收政策导向,后者是完全合法的,甚至是税收政策予以引导和鼓励的。     

Compensation or Right: An Analysis of Employee “Fringe” Benefit Perception

Past research suggests that employee perceptions of the benefits provided to them by their organization can influence employee attitudes. Three factors that appear to influence the perception of benefits by employees are benefit satisfaction, benefit importance, and the perceived motive of the organization in providing the benefit to employees. However, it also appears that some benefits are perceived as rights that are owed to employees by the organization. This study proposes and tests a model of benefit perception that incorporates all of these factors. Results suggest that benefit satisfaction and the perceived motive of the organization in providing a benefit both have a direct relationship with employee attitudes. The perceived right status of a benefit appears to moderate this relationship.     

Career Concerns and Excessive Risk Taking

In a seminal paper, Holmström ( 1999 ) shows that an agent who is unsure of her ability and has a payoff linear in her reputation underinvests in risky projects. I show that if the agent privately knows her ability, then the opposite must happen, that is, she always overinvests in risky projects, no matter what the curvature of her payoff in reputation. Moreover, if project quality is verifiable and the agent is uninformed about her ability, then she reveals project quality and first best is attained; but if she privately knows her ability, first best is not attainable and she still overinvests.