Power and EDP departments: a case study

The productivity of white-collar workers in heavily computerized sectors of the economy has collapsed in recent years. This paper suggests that one reason for this involves inefficiencies generated by EDP departments, which have created systems of control enmeshing not only workers but senior management.     

Hard Times or Great Expectations? Dividend Omissions and Dividend Cuts by UK Firms*

This paper uncovers an increasing proportion of quoted UK companies omitting cash dividends. Using a large panel of quoted UK firms, we estimate panel data probit models for the incidence of dividend omissions and cuts as functions of financial characteristics including cash flow, leverage, investment opportunities, investment and company size. These variables account for most of the increase in omission since 1995. There is relatively little evidence to link this to the major tax reform of 1997 that abolished tax refunds on dividend income payable to tax‐exempt institutions. Significant persistence effects indicate companies are slow to adjust their balance sheets through their dividend.     

How Does a Development Moratorium Affect Development Timing Choices and Land Values?

This paper investigates how a development moratorium affects choices of development timing and land values in a framework where both the value of developed property evolves stochastically and the development costs are fully irreversible. We assume that a regulator initially announces that land is not allowed to be developed during a finite period of time in the future. A developer, thus, must decide whether to develop land before the timing ordinance is imposed, or after it expires. The development moratorium reduces the developer’s option value from waiting and, thus, accelerates development. We also use simulation analysis to demonstrate how the other factors that relate to the demand and supply conditions of the real estate market affect this accelerating effect.     

The Impact of Mexico's Retraining Program on Employment and Wages

This article analyzes the impact and effectiveness of the Mexicanlabor retraining program for unemployed and displaced workers—Programade Becas de Capacitación para Trabajadores (PROBECAT).The strategy followed is to compare the post-training labormarket experiences of trainees with those of a comparison group—amatched sample of unemployed individuals who were eligible for,but did not participate in, PROBECAT. The results of this exercisesuggest that participation in PROBECAT reduced the mean durationof unemployment for both men and women trainees and increasedthe monthly earnings of men, but not of women. The results alsoindicate that the post-training earnings effect varied systematicallyby level of education attained, with the largest earnings increases(of about 28 to 37 percent) found for men with six to twelveyears of education.     

中小企业财务管理创新之我见

面对经济全球化和中国加入世贸的新形势 ,中小企业财务管理创新滞后 ,已经严重影响了中小企业的快速、健康发展。本文阐述了中小企业财务管理方面存在的问题 ,剖析了这些问题产生的原因并在此基础上有针对性地提出了解决相应问题的对策。     

我国脱贫减贫:现状、问题与战略转型研究

我国脱贫减贫呈现出典型的阶段性推进特征。通过持续的大规模扶贫开发,绝对贫困问题总体解决,区域性整体贫困明显缓解,贫困地区生活质量全面提高。但减贫也存在相对贫困人口规模较大,贫困人口识别标准单一,脱贫减贫主体发挥作用不够,扶贫减贫治理碎片化等问题。2020年我国脱贫攻坚任务如期完成后,绝对贫困解决但相对贫困仍将长期存在。发达国家减贫的贫困线设置、提升减贫内生动力、精准扶贫对象、分类设计保障性扶贫等有效做法,值得我们借鉴。适应新形势,2020年后我国减贫重心要转向常规治理相对贫困,减贫治理要转向统筹城乡贫困治理一体化,减贫政策要重在防止贫困人口返贫,减贫对象要更加关注特殊地区和特殊人群。     

新型农村合作医疗保险制度参保模式研究

当前新型农村合作医疗保险制度实行自愿加入的参保模式,但在实施中产生了“逆向选择”等诸多问题。笔者从制度设计目标和制度变迁模式等角度分析了实行强制保险的必要性,认为目前实行自愿参保仍然是未来一段时间内的现实选择,但是,当新型农村合作医疗保险制度基本覆盖全国农村居民之后,就必须开始着手推进强制保险工作。     

当前中国消费不足的四种基本形态——兼析消费不足的具体成因

当前中国消费不足产生的背景及条件与西方国家的消费不足具有很大不同,是多种成因共同作用的结果,表现为四种基本形态:一是消费抑致形成的消费不足;二是购买力低下形成的消费不足;三是消费倾向降低形成的消费不足;四是国际市场萎缩形成的消费不足。对于这四种形态的消费不足,应采取分类治理的办法,确定适当的治理目标。     

新时期高职院校学生就业心理问题探讨

本文对高职院校学生在就业过程中常见的心理问题进行归类研究,在分析造成这些心理问题主客观原因的基础上,探讨如何从社会、学校和自身层面调适学生就业心理问题,帮助学生走出就业心理困惑,排除心理障碍,树立正确健康的人生观、价值观、职业观,从而实现顺利就业。