Reversing the Logic: The Path to Profitability through Relationship Marketing

Many firms have experienced greater success through implementing relationship marketing strategies. This is achieved by gaining knowledge about their own customers through database marketing and about the general marketplace through marketing research. Over time, this has led firms to adopt a general framework which we call the conventional path to profitability. This conventional framework suggests that new product innovation leads to acquisition, acquisition combined with a rich experience leads to satisfaction, satisfaction leads to loyalty and customer retention, and loyalty/retention leads to profitability. However, we show that some of the links in the framework are weak based on both academic research and marketplace realities. Consequently, we reverse the logic of the conventional path to profitability. We introduce a new approach that starts the customer relationship management strategy with customer profitability and the notion that different customers should be rewarded and satisfied differently. In addition, we outline a strategy that relationship marketing firms can implement, leading to higher levels of customer profitability and offer directions for future research.     

Knowledge embeddedness and the transfer mechanisms in multinational corporations

This paper reports a qualitative study conducted at four Japanese subsidiaries in China and Vietnam about their process of international knowledge transfer. Building on the literatures concerning the diverse types and characteristics of knowledge in multinational corporations (MNCs), we explore the broad mechanisms adopted and locally generated by the host country subsidiaries for transferring the foreign knowledge and putting the locally embedded knowledge into practical use at the local settings. The findings indicated (1) the limitations of applying a standardized and universal set of knowledge transfer mechanisms without considering local idiosyncrasies and (2) the contributions of local agents and institutions throughout the process of local knowledge adaptation and development.     

Spatial patterns of biodiversity conservation in a multiregional general equilibrium model

Migration dynamics and local biodiversity are interrelated in a way that is likely to affect patterns of regional specialisation. We assess this relationship with a New Economic Geography model that has been extended with biodiversity. Biodiversity is heterogeneous, and responds to habitat availability. The results indicate that a symmetric pattern of regional specialisation is more likely, and that additional equilibria may emerge as the marginal utility of biodiversity increases. In the policy analysis we focus on the case where the overall social optimum is symmetric and show that it can be supported as a non-cooperative Nash equilibrium. However, multiple Nash equilibria may exist.     

The critical discount factor as a measure for cartel stability?

This paper considers the stability of tacit collusion in price setting duopolies with repeated interaction. The minimum discount factor above which tacit collusion can be sustained in a subgame perfect equilibrium is called the critical discount factor δ*. In addition, δ* is often used as an intuitive measure for the stability of a tacit cartel, assuming that a collusive equilibrium is more difficult to sustain when δ* increases. However, according to standard theory the distance δ − δ* between the actual and the critical discount factor does not matter for stability as long as δ > δ*. This paper contributes experimental evidence that supports the intuitive idea that a larger critical discount factor makes collusion a less likely outcome.      

浅淡我国农村金融存在的问题及应对方法

近几年,我国的GDP增长率一直保持在10%以上的速度.然而,处于发展阶段的中国金融业,其发展却是极度的不平衡.在城市金融高速发展的同时,农村金融的发展却十分滞后.导致农村金融发展滞后的主要原因就是农村金融结构失衡、监管有漏洞、业务不积极以及金融机构制度不完善等,只有继续放宽农村金融市场准入制度、适度调整业务方向、继续完善农村金融市场、加强金融监管,才能真正实现农村金融的实质性发展,进而加速发展农村经济,更好地解决三农问题.     

Assessing supply chain risks with the analytic hierarchy process: Providing decision support for the offshoring decision by a US manufacturing company

This paper reports the process used by a US manufacturing company to assess supply chain risks within the context of an offshore sourcing decision. The case study company was faced with the objective of finding a new supplier for two of its major product lines. Five alternatives were considered: (1) sourcing finished goods from Mexico; (2) sourcing finished goods from China; (3) sourcing parts from China and assembly in the US; (4) sourcing parts from China, assembly in a Maquiladora in Mexico with investment; and (5) sourcing parts from China, assembly in a Maquiladora in Mexico with no investment in the venture. To find the best solution, action research methodology was combined with the application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Through iterative and structured discussions, 17 risk factors were identified, which were subsequently grouped into main and sub objectives. AHP was then used to evaluate the importance of each risk factor, and to determine the best alternative. This study makes several contributions to the field of purchasing and supply management. First, it provides a comprehensive framework of empirically derived risk factors to be considered in an international sourcing context. Second, it shows how AHP can be used to assess these risk factors and alternatives as part of the framework to facilitate and support the final offshoring decision. And third, it illustrates the successful application of the approach by a US manufacturing company. As such, this paper contributes to the research streams of offshoring and risk management in purchasing and supply, as well as to decision-making under uncertainty and AHP. In addition, it serves as a practical methodology for firms in similar situations.     

不同剂型硝苯地平治疗高血压的药物经济学评价

目的评价抗高血压药硝苯地平临床常用三种不同剂型治疗高血压的临床效果和经济效益。方法选择90例高血压病患者随机分为三组,每组30例,分别口服硝苯地平普通片、缓释片和控释片治疗,并进行药物经济学分析。结果服药8周后各组患者血压均有明显下降,其中普通片、缓释片和控释片治疗高血压总有效率分别为93.33%、93.33%、96.66%,不良反应发生率分别为10.0%、6.6%、0.0%,成本-效果比分别为0.02、0.40、2.96,控释片相对于普通片的增量成本-效果比为85.43。结论硝苯地平缓释片虽其消费成本不是最低,但服法简单,副作用较少,综合评价是硝苯地平临床常用三种剂型治疗高血压的最佳剂型,特别适用于基层医院。     

不同预期冲击的叠加效应与预期管理优化——以货币政策预期和技术进步预期为例

“预期转弱”是当前中国经济高质量发展面临的难点之一,需要通过优化预期管理来提振预期。现实经济中存在不同类型的多样化预期,然而现有研究大多研究单个预期（特别是货币政策预期）冲击的宏观经济效应,对不同预期的叠加效应缺乏系统深入的探讨。本文将预期分为政策预期（基于政府制定、调整及实施宏观经济政策产生的预期）和非政策预期（基于社会经济发展实态等形成的预期）,并认为：当政策预期与非政策预期相契合时,两种预期冲击叠加会对政策有效性产生“累进（退）”效应;当政策预期与非政策预期错位时,两种预期冲击叠加对政策有效性会产生“抵消”效应。比如,宽松货币政策的实施及相应的预期管理操作会使经济主体产生未来经济向好的预期,并激励其采取积极的投资和消费行为,进而提高货币政策的有效性;现实经济中良好的技术进步态势会使经济主体形成未来经济繁荣的预期,并促使采取积极的创新、投资、消费行为,最终表现为货币政策有效性提高;两种正向预期的叠加则会进一步增强宽松货币政策的有效性。采用货币政策调控指数和全要素生产率来描述货币政策和技术进步预期冲击,运用DSGE模型和SV-TVP-FAVAR模型对“无预期冲击”“存在货币政策预期冲击”“存在技术进步预期冲击”“存在货币政策和技术进步双重预期冲击”4种情形下的货币政策有效性进行模拟分析和实证检验,结果显示,两种预期冲击均增强了货币政策有效性,并在总体上形成叠加“累进”效应。与现有文献相比,本文进行了如下改进和拓展：一是基于政策预期与非政策预期的角度探究货币政策和技术进步预期冲击的叠加效应,二是采用货币政策调控指数回避以往研究中量价工具“非此即彼”的选择问题,三是运用SV-TVP-FAVAR模型为货币政策和技术进步预期冲击的宏观经济效应提供经验证据。本文研究表明,预期管理是一项系统性工程,需要构建和完善宏观调控预期管理体系。要正确认识政策预期与非政策预期的契合与错位,利用政策预期增强（弱化）积极（消极）的非政策预期,并优化各种预期管理之间的方式匹配和期限组合;政策预期管理的优化要提高各种政策调整之间的协同性,并完善政策信息传导机制;非政策预期管理的优化则要完善宏观经济信息传导机制,并改善市场环境。货币政策预期管理的改进,需要提高政策调整及工具使用的合理性和适宜性,并不断完善央行沟通、前瞻指引等预期管理方式,实现政策信息传导的及时有效。