Who Uses Facts Up Front? A Baseline Examination of Who is Using Standardized Front‐of‐Package Nutrition Disclosures

The Facts Up Front front‐of‐package (FOP) nutrition system is currently displayed on packaged foods in the United States. This initiative is being implemented by more than 50 manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers in the United States on their branded and private‐label packaged food products. The in‐store presence of Facts Up Front is supported by a recently launched consumer education campaign. This study employs a sample of 1,400 female primary household shoppers with children, with oversamples of Hispanic and African American ethnic subgroups, to examine initial awareness and evaluations of Facts Up Front. Results show that Hispanics are more aware of and engaged with Facts Up Front than Caucasians. African Americans report higher levels of engagement and understanding of Facts Up Front vs. Caucasians. Importantly, Hispanic and African American mothers also report using this FOP system to make decisions. Based on these findings, important implications are offered for consumer welfare and public policy.     

Assessing the impact of a wage subsidy for single parents on social assistance

Abstract This paper studies the impact of a wage subsidy program aimed at long‐term social assistance recipients in Quebec. The program closely mimics the Self‐Sufficiency Project and was implemented for a trial period of one year in 2002.We focus on the labour market transitions of the targeted population starting one year before the implementation of the program and until the end of 2005. Our results show that the duration of spells off social assistance increased, while the duration of social assistance spells decreased slightly. The response to the program varies considerably with both observed and unobserved characteristics.     

The impact of firm strategy on performance measures used in executive compensation

We investigate the relationship between firm strategy and the use of performance measures in executive compensation. Our analysis shows that there is an increased emphasis on sales in the determination of executive compensation for firms pursuing a cost leadership strategy, which seek to achieve their competitive advantage through low price and high volume. In contrast, there is a decreased emphasis on accounting measures in firms pursuing a differentiation strategy, which require investments in brand recognition and innovative products, investments that are subject to unfavorable accounting treatment. These results indicate that compensation committees link executive rewards to firm strategy.     

天然气价格与原油价格的关系及其发展趋势

天然气价格与重质燃料油、家用取暖油或原油价格挂钩,使得天然气价格能够与竞争能源的价格协调,保证了天然气的销售.欧洲和亚洲市场目前仍然采用这样的价格公式和合同.但是自20世纪80年代美国和英国的天然气市场取消管制以后,长期合同和与石油价格指数挂钩的天然气定价公式受到了挑战:以前20～25年的合同期限缩短到10年之内;出现了天然气现货市场,形成了受美国纽约商品交易所或英国国际石油交易所调节的市场,并出现了标准合同(如期货和期权).今后,现货价与期货价相结合的复杂的指数化价格公式可能辅助或取代原有的石油指数价格定价模式.电价的指数价格可能更频繁地用于为天然气定价.原油价格依旧会影响天然气价格,能源间的相互作用可以调节暂时的价差过大.2050年美国在世界LNG贸易中所占的份额将由目前的5%～6%增加到25%.天然气在家用、工业、发电和运输等各个领域的消费量将不断增长,天然气价格下跌的可能性不大.     

Improving the speed of adoption of agricultural technologies and farm performance through farmer groups: evidence from the Great Lakes region of Africa

The article examines the effect of membership in farmer groups (MFG) on adoption lag of agricultural technologies and farm performance in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. We use duration and stochastic production frontier models on farm household data. We find that the longer the duration of MFG, the shorter the adoption lag and much more so if combined with extension service delivery. Farmer groups function as an important mechanism for improving farm productivity through reduced technical inefficiency in input use. We discuss policy implications under which farmer groups are a useful channel to reduce adoption lag, and the means through which improved farm performance can be achieved.     

Valuing animal genetic resources: a choice modeling application to indigenous cattle in Kenya

In an effort to improve productivity and profits, many farmers have replaced traditional livestock breeds with higher yielding alternatives. While such changes may bring about short‐term economic gains, the loss of traditional livestock breeds could result in the loss of an important genetic resource as a variety of important genetic traits adapted to local conditions gradually become less common in the population. This is a particular problem in Africa, where livestock make a substantial contribution to human livelihoods. Using the example of cattle in Kenya's pastoral livestock markets this study uses a choice experiment approach to investigate buyers' preferences for indigenous breeds such as the Maasai Zebu. The analysis employs a latent class approach to characterize heterogeneity in valuations both within and across respondents buying cattle for breeding, slaughter, or resale. The results show that there are at least three classes of buyers with distinct preferences for cattle traits and that most buyers favor exotic rather than indigenous breeds. Such preferences have implications for the conservation of indigenous cattle in Kenya and in other developing countries and suggest that some form of intervention may be required to ensure the preservation of this important animal genetic resource.     

Nonmonetary asset exchanges revisited: An updated pedagogical approach

This paper reviews current GAAP for nonmonetary asset exchanges, presents a pedagogical approach that instructors and textbook authors can use to clarify their coverage of this topic, and highlights intermediate accounting textbooks that provide complete, accurate coverage of this topic.     

You do not have to succeed,just do not fail: When do soccer coaches get fired?

This article deals with circumstances leading to the dismissal of a soccer coach. The article is based on results from the Premier League in England over 12 consecutive years. In this paper, we converted the scores of matches (win, draw, and loss) into an index based upon how results were perceived by club owners—those empowered with the decision as to whether or not to fire the coach. The index is based on the difference between the actual and expected results reflected by betting odds. We conclude that to ensure job preservation, the manager does not have to succeed—he just must not fail.     

Ecotourism as a conservation tool and its adoption by private protected areas in Brazil

Ecotourism in private reserves combines the establishment of protected areas with an incentive mechanism to conserve biodiversity. Brazil's private reserve system is well-established but little is known about its links to tourism. This study puts the global private protected area into context and quantifies the extent to which ecotourism has been adopted as a sustainable land-use practice on private reserves in Brazil. Our findings demonstrate that small reserves do contribute to conservation and are used for ecotourism. The belief that large reserves are necessary for ecotourism and conservation is challenged. Only 4% (n = 45) of the 1182 reserves are engaged in ecotourism, mainly those within the Atlantic Forest biome and these are generally small in size (<50 ha). Reserves provide modest to basic accommodation as well as education and economic opportunities that include adjacent communities. Hiking and bird watching are the most popular activities but many reserves are threatened by poaching and invasive species. The low adoption of ecotourism appears due to a combination of factors, including lack of landowner interest, constraints imposed by regulations, logistics and anthropogenic threats. Nonetheless, there is potential to expand ecotourism within private reserves as 143 further private reserves are located near those already engaged in ecotourism.