Understanding the Challenges Facing the Food Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

The Northeast's share of US food processing activity has decreased significantly over the last three decades as many food processing firms have exited the region and located elsewhere, particularly in the South and the West. This decline has been most severe in New Jersey, the state that is frequently cited as having the most stringent business and regulatory climate in the nation. To investigate why food processors have found the New Jersey environment to be so unfriendly, this study organized focus groups of food processing industry executives, trade organizations and researchers. The findings suggest that the area of environmental and other regulation is the most problematic for food processors. Other areas of concern include, in order of importance, taxation and fiscal problems, economic barriers to development and expansion, high cost of doing business, education, training and labor concerns, communication and public relations, and transportation. Policy makers in New Jersey, and in other northeastern states facing similar food processing declines, interested in the retention and economic development of food processing firms need to be cognizant of the impediments currently constraining the industry. Industry-based public policy recommendations for enhancing the business climate for food processors are presented.     

黑龙江省煤炭产业规制研究

中国是能源消费大国,而煤炭又占能源消费的70%左右,煤炭产业集中度、安全生产情况、机械化等方面决定了产业发展水平。本文从黑龙江省煤炭产业发展现状,提出了黑龙江省煤炭产业可持续发展中存在的问题,通过"十一五"时期国家和黑龙江对煤炭产业规制政策的分析,给出了"十二五"时期低碳背景下黑龙江煤炭产业的横向规制思路和纵向规制思路。     

我国医药产业发展中政府规制的实现途径

针对医药产业的双重属性,即经济性和社会性,借鉴发达国家在医药产业发展中政府规制的有效措施,通过实行生产经营许可证制,政府投资建立医药新技术研发机构与研发基地,健全和完善专利制度与知识产权管理制度,理顺流通秩序等政府规制的实现途径,促进我国医药产业健康快速发展。     

Generation X and Their Future Buying Behaviors in the Foodservice Industry

Abstract

This paper details the demographic, societal, and psy-chographic influences on Generation Xers and discusses how these influences impact their buying behavior. Stereotypes attached to Generation Xers -i.e., they are fatalistic, pessimistic, listless, rootless, and goalless -have led to distinct buying behaviors in this population. Research is reviewed to show that Generation Xers are highly affected by technology, diversity, change, and choices, leading to seemingly paradoxical and elusive behaviors in Generation X's buying patterns. For the hospitality industry, the response to Generation X's consumer needs has taken the form of cybercafes and entertainment eateries, and recent trends in how the wine industry and the hotel industry are meeting the needs of Xers demonstrate the power of this population. Generation Xers are emerging as leaders who shape the future operations of the marketplace.     

The Restaurant Revolution-Growth,Change and Strategy in the International Foodservice Industry

Summary

This paper reports the results of a two-year investigation into the forces driving change in the global foodservice industry and the identification and analysis of competitive methods used by multinationals to respond to these forces. The five forces identified are: (1) globalization and economic change, (2) a knowledge based environment, (3) the future labor force and its entrants, (4) concern for well being, and (5) threatened natural resources. The competitive methods as identified by analyzing multinational foodservice firms are: (1) strategic expansion into the international marketplace, (2) investment in technological development, (3) internal competency development, (4) effective communication to target markets, and (5) competitive pricing strategies. Using the co-alignment model of strategy as the underpinning of the analysis it was determined that multinational firms have responded well to the forces of globalization and economic change, and the knowledge based environment. However, it appears that little competitive methods have been developed to address the forces such as labor force, well being and threatened natural resources. The implication here is that firms that are not in alignment with environmental forces will have to address this concern if they expect to continue to add value for all industry stakeholders.     

出口加工制造业面临的挑战与对策——以富士康国际控股有限公司为例

以富士康为代表的出口加工制造企业,曾经为我国的经济增长和就业做出了积极贡献。但是,兼具制造和技术竞争优势的富士康却仍旧是低附加值代工企业。如今,富士康面临要素成本上升、定价能力缺失、盈利能力下降等挑战。富士康采取了生产基地迁移和商业模式转变等积极的应对策略,力图在保持成本优势的同时,实现向"服务的富士康"和"创新的富士康"的转变。此外,要解决代工企业竞争力下滑的难题,还需要社会各界的多方面支持。     

国外政府规制对我国零售业管理的启示

本文认为,政府在零售业方面符合自身发展特色的规制及正确定位,对经济增长起着重要的促进作用。当前我国零售业政府规制缺乏整体发展战略,规制体系不完善,规制执行软弱无力。为了促进我国零售业管理变革,文章提出,应建立长远的商业规划和布局,确定零售业合理的发展速度和方向,建立完善的政策法规体系,充分发挥行业协会的监督管理作用,保证规制的有效执行,培养强大的消费者利益集团。     

IASB与FASB公允价值计量准则趋同的困难和挑战

公允价值计量是世界性财务报告难题。2006年9月FASB发布"公允价值计量"准则(SFAS157),制定了新公允价值定义和计量指南;同年11月IASB将包含初步观点的征求意见书与SFAS157一同发布,作为"公允价值计量"准则讨论稿,其准则终稿将与SFAS157趋同。本文在研究SFAS157对IFRSs适用性的基础上,分析IASB向FASB趋同过程中可能遇到的困难和挑战。IASB的经验对我国相关会计准则国际趋同有借鉴作用。     

Changing Consumer Preferences in Emerging Markets: Food Market Challenges in Central Mexico

As incomes in emerging markets grow, consumers’ ability to break from former food consumption patterns and introduce new foods or conveniences grows as well. While this general principle is widely accepted, the path of such introductions is not identical worldwide. In this study, we explore how consumers in an advanced emerging market have identified with their current food options, including open-air markets v. supermarkets, and simple v. processed alternatives. Using focus groups, we find that Mexican consumers have strong ties to traditions in food preparation while also showing interest in modern food conveniences. Using product adoption theory, we show that consumers exhibit expected traits of innovation resistance, social contagion influence, and consumption innovativeness, but with specific local variation, including problems with trust, expectations of government action (paternalismo), and considerable definitional confusion. Foreign marketers wishing to access the growing Mexican market should account for these differences from broader product adoption theory.     

混业经营对我国金融监管体制的挑战与对策

金融混业经营已是当今世界金融发展的趋势,我国也逐渐融入到这个趋势之中。随着实力雄厚的大型跨国金融集团纷纷抢滩中国市场,以“分业”为背景的中国金融业将直面以“混业”为背景的金融集团。因此,面对挑战,我国应尽快确定混业经营背景下的金融监管模式,并在此基础上建立起金融监管的协调机制。     

自然垄断行业中政府角色的转变

自然垄断行业在传统理论下采取政府严格管制 ,由此带来了“政府失灵”现象。现代经济学重新解释了自然垄断行业的经济特征 ,为政府放松管制提供了理论依据。在放松管制中 ,政府需要重新改变在自然垄断行业中的角色。英国电力行业改革中政府与市场关系的构建为我国提供了启示 ,要求政府对自然垄断行业加以区分 ,在不同领域充当不同角色     

我国注册会计师行业监管模式的思考

注册会计师行业对经济发展具有无可替代的重要作用,它的发展日益受到政府和社会各界的关注和重视。现阶段我国注册会计师行业监管应选择政府监管与行业自律相结合的模式,这是我国现阶段特定环境因素下的必然选择。     

金融危机下中国外贸形势分析:未来趋势与主要挑战

多年来,对外贸易尤其是出口增长成为我国经济增长的主要动力。2008年,受金融危机影响,全球经济增长速度放缓,我国对外贸易增速明显滑落。当前,我国外贸形势出现进出口价格回调、贸易条件改善等新趋势,但是,在外需持续下降、保护主义抬头、人民币汇率不确定性提高等多种不利因素的影响下,2009年出口增速可能继续下调,不排除出现大幅回落的可能性。未来一段时间,应稳定外贸政策,加大金融支持力度,鼓励企业开辟新市场,开发新产品,积极有效应对外部冲击。     

公用事业民营化进程中的政府规制重构

民营化逐渐成为西方国家公用事业改革以及政府治理模式变革的基本潮流，并对后发展中国家的行政改革产生了巨大的示范作用。转型中国的公用事业民营化在约束条件、目的、绩效评估等方面与发达国家有所区别；对政府合理边界的确定是民营化改革成功的关键，要以破除行政性垄断为突破口、依法规制为核心、适当放松规制为原则、建立相对独立的规制机构为保障重构政府规制体系，促进公用事业的发展。     

互联网版权政府管制的完善

互联网版权保护机制在网络环境下受到了严重挑战,损害著作权人利益,影响互联网产业健康发展,危及公共利益,因此以保护公共利益为己任的政府管制理应介入,有所作为。当前我国互联网版权政府管制存在一些不足,完善互联网版权政府管制首先应确立明确的管制目标,再从网络道德建设、管制机构设置、加强国际合作方面加以完善。     

中国电信业政府规制改革研究

本文认为,电信业是具有典型规模经济、范围经济和固定成本较大沉淀性的自然垄断产业,这种固有的自然垄断特征为政府实行严格的价格管制和进入管制提供了理论依据;但是,从世界范围看,电信业发生的技术革命和技术进步改变了电信业的成本结构和需求结构,从而使电信业从强自然垄断向弱自然垄断过渡,并最终出现竞争性的市场结构,自然垄断的边界发生改变,放松政府规制成为必然趋势。文章提出,目前我国经济发展与发达国家相比处于较低水平,电信市场的需求水平也相对较低,政府规制改革不仅要引入竞争政策,放松市场准入,而且要制定科学合理的用户资费政策、公平透明的互联互通政策和合理的普遍服务政策,以形成有效竞争的电信市场,推动电信产业的快速健康发展。     

政府管制对企业信誉策略的影响分析

首先阐述企业信誉的传染性、脆弱性和自我增值性,及其在较完善的市场经济中的自发形成和作用机制;然后从政府管制强化企业的短期行为、增加发现和追究失信企业成本、提供寻租机会等角度,详细探讨了管制对企业信誉的负面影响,并通过一个简单的博弈模型,得出管制过度时企业不讲信誉的结论。     

论我国物流业发展所面临的机遇与挑战

长期以来,我国一直是重生产、轻流通,对物流业的发展缺乏足够的重视,致使物流业的发展严重滞后于社会经济的发展。目前,物流发展与管理对促进社会经济的发展和提高经济效益的重要性已日益被各级政府和企业所意识到。现代信息技术和物流技术的进步也为我国推行现代物流业的发展和物流的科学管理准备了充分的条件。     

政府管制对市场结构和绩效的影响机理研究

由于管制和市场都具有政治、经济、文化等综合属性,二者始终密切联系。政府管制会直接影响市场结构和绩效,也会通过不同市场主体的策略性行为,以及产权等因素间接影响市场结构和绩效。     

论转轨时期中国政府规制体制改革及政策选择

政府规制是市场经济中市场失灵条件下,国家为实现某种公共政策目标,对微观经济主体的经济活动进行规范与制约,干预经济政策的一种重要制度安排。转轨时期的中国,在政府规制方面还存在诸多的问题:规制法规建设滞后、缺乏统一、权威、独立行使规制职能的规制机构、政府规制过程中行为主体不成熟及其相互关系定位偏差、规制方式存在缺陷,不适应市场经济的发展。因此,结合中国的实际借鉴西方国家的政府规制的经验,对推动我国政府规制改革有着重要的意义。