SOME RECENT RESEARCH INTO HOME HEATING

As part of an investigation into the performance of heating systems and the effectiveness of energy saving measures, temperatures have been monitored in forty centrally heated homes. The addition of extra insulation had no effect on the way people operated their heating system or on the temperature level set in the main living room. However, bedrooms were warmer and the importance of individual room temperature controls demonstrated. Differences between people's thermal requirements in domestic and office environments are considered.     

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION FRONTIER METHODOLOGIES AND DAIRY FARM EFFICIENCY

This paper estimates technical efficiency (TE) measures using four alternative production frontier models, and evaluates the sensitivity of the results to the choice of methodology. The Cobb-Douglas functional form along with data for 1982 and 1983 from 404 dairy farms located throughout six northeastern states in the US are used in the estimation. A general conclusion is that, broadly speaking, frontier function models are neutrally upwardly scaled versions of the OLS or average model. A second conclusion is that different models yield markedly different efficiency levels across firms. However, the correlation between the indexes from the various methods is high, which implies that the ordinal ranking of firms according to their measured level of technical efficiency appears to be independent of the method used for a given year. By comparison, the correlation between efficiency indexes for the same method across time, although positive, is much lower than the previous set of correlations. Correlation analysis of efficiency versus farm size and of efficiency versus returns over variable costs, based on the alternative models, yielded consistent results.     

Does FIN 48 Improve Firms' Estimates of Tax Reserves?

This paper examines whether the increased accounting guidance and reporting requirements of FIN 48 impact the adequacy and accuracy of tax reserves and the effect of auditor‐provided tax services on tax reserves. While we do not find FIN 48 affected the adequacy or accuracy of tax reserves on average, FIN 48 eliminated the differences in the tax reserve adequacy of firms with and without auditor‐provided tax services that existed prior to its adoption. We also find evidence of less premature releasing of tax reserves post‐FIN 48. Our evidence is consistent with an increase in the comparability of reserves for firms that do and do not purchase auditor‐provided tax services, consistent with one of the FASB's objectives for FIN 48.     

Modern Trends and Problems of Migration in a Russian Border Region: The Far East

The article has analyzed trends and problems in migration processes in the Far East of Russia in the 2010s. There are restrictions on population growth in the Far East due to migration. It has been determined that the implementation of modern policy decisions with regard to the Far East region does not create real prerequisites for increasing the incomes of the population. It has been proved that, in order to attract population to the Far East, it is necessary to institute economic development in the region that can increase incomes and make them comparable to other more successful federal districts.     

Comparative Assessment of Mortality Rate of the Population in Russian and Foreign Megacities

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of mortality trends in two Russian capitals and two cities with population over one million, Krasnoyarsk and Rostov-on-Don, in comparison with foreign megacities (Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo). From 1990 to 2015, in the Russian “model cities” the standardized mortality rates (SMR) for all causes on average decreased by almost a third: most in Moscow (44% for men and 42% for women) and less for Krasnoyarsk (22% for both men and women). An assessment of the statistical reliability of the decrease in SMR on the basis of long time series showed the absence of a positive dynamic of mortality from diseases of the digestive organs, mainly cirrhosis, which confirms the presence of the alcoholic component. Despite the sufficiently steady decline in mortality in the early 2000s, its level in Russian cities continues to significantly exceed the mortality rate in foreign megacities.     

The scope and scale of the informal food economy of South African urban residential townships: Results of a small-area micro-enterprise census

Growing urbanisation in South Africa is reflected in burgeoning Working class and informal township settlements on the fringes of its major towns and cities. Paired with this is an increasing reliance on cash as the primary means of economic transaction, which has in turn stimulated the growth of micro-enterprise business activities within the township context. This article discusses the findings of an eight-township small-area census which occurred between 2010 and 2013 in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Durban townships representing 250 000 residents. The researchers were able to establish the scope and scale of informal food and drink retailing in these localities. Of the 10 049 micro-enterprises located in the study, some 3966 (or 39% of the total) trade in food. These include enterprises in primary production, fresh produce retailing, grocery retailing from house and spaza shops, and informal foodservice enterprises. Food is the basis for much township informal business and plays an important role in making food increasingly affordable and locally accessible, and in creating cash employment. The article builds on the knowledge base of the township informal economy role in bolstering food security needs for the marginalised.     

A re-examination of the forward exchange rate unbiasedness hypothesis

A Re-Examination of the Forward Exchange Rate Unbiasedness Hypothesis. — This paper applies the Phillips and Hansen estimation and inference procedures to re-examine the hypothesis that the forward exchange rate is an unbiased predictor of the future spot exchange rate. The results indicate that the 90-day forward exchange rate is not an unbiased predictor. However, the 90-day forward and future spot exchange rates are cointegrated. Only for the U.K. pound/U.S. dollar exchange rate is there an error correction representation. Overall, however, the evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that risk-averse agents in the forward foreign exchange market form expectations rationally.     

流通股股东在股权分置改革中是否获得了财富增值？

本文的主要的日是从事后的角度分析流通股股东的股票财富在股权分置改革前后的变化.股权分置改革方案的提出和表决是流通股股东和非流通股股东之间的一个讨价还价过程,利益分配取决于双方的谈判力量.统计结果显示,从总体上看,流通股股东的财富在股改前后获得了7%的增值.非流通股比例、股改批次、控股股东性质、市净率是影响流通股股东获得财富增值的主要因素.虽然非流通股比例越大,非流通股股东支付的对价股票也越多,但是,流通股股东享受的财富增值却越低.非流通股比例与对价水平之间正的相关性掩盖了非流通股股东少付对价的事实.总的来说,对价方案是在维持流通股股东股改前后的财富不受损的基础上制定的,而不是补偿流通股股东历史上对上市公司的投入.     

中小企业应对反倾销集群化战略的博弈分析

本文建立了博弈模型,对我国遭受了国外反倾销比重很大的中小企业如何应对反倾销提出了集群化发展战略,从理论上分析中小企业在选择单独进入和集群进入时不同的博弈结果,得出中小企业选择集群进入时,无论东道国企业选择起诉,或者不起诉均会选择留在市场,而且一旦东道国企业起诉对其造成的损失,会比容忍对方进入的损失大,这便对东道国企业构成了一个可置信的威胁,使得东道国企业只能选择容忍中小企业进入其市场的策略,达到在不完全信息下的子博弈精炼纳什均衡,这一结论对我国中小企业应对反倾销的集群化发展战略提供了理论依据。