A Comparison of Value Elicitation Question Formats in Multiple-Good Contingent Valuation

This paper provides a convergent validity test of two types of multinomial choice questions vis-a-vis a dichotomous choice question by formally testing whether these stated preference elicitation question formats provide comparable welfare estimates. In particular, a dichotomous choice question, a traditional multinomial choice question, and a modified multinomial choice question suggested by Carson and Groves （2007） were applied in split samples to assess the influence of the informational and incentive properties on the respondents＇ annual willingness to accept compensation for adopting costly conservation practices in agriculture that benefit the environment. Our findings suggest that the two multinomial choice question formats elicit a similar mean willingness to accept distributions, but they are both different from a standarddichotomous choice question. Further, the willingness to accept distributions derived from the multinomial choice question formats are more dispersed than those from the dichotomous choice question.     

股权结构、自由现金流量与权益再融资的股价效应

文章从一个全新的角度——股权结构对公司SEO股价效应的影响——出发,对自由现金流量理论进行了检验。结果显示：与股权高度集中和股权高度分散的上市公司相比,有较大的相对控股股东,同时还拥有其他大股东的这种股权结构的上市公司的代理成本更低,公司在发布SEO公告时引起的股价负效应也最小。     

解决小微企业融资难问题的内外因分析

"国九条"、"国四条"的出台,在一定程度上减轻了小微企业的金融负担,但这只能作为促使其发展的外因,不能绝对有效的引领小微企业发展壮大。长期来看,市场对优质企业具有选择性。因此,小微企业更应跳出政策,结合自身因素,通过透明财务、提高信誉、整合资源、优化内控等手段,内外因并行,争取早日摆脱融资难的现状。     

The CEO of Anglo American on getting serious about safety

When Carroll became the EO of Anglo American, in 2007, the company had suffered 200 worker fatalities over the previous five years. Some company veterans insisted that deaths were inevitable at such a large mining company, given the dangerous nature of the business. Carroll fundamentally rejected that assumption. She undertook a tour of operations in Australia, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and South Africa. The platinum business in South Africa had the worst track record in terms of safety, and Carroll was troubled by her conversations with its local managers. Immediately after her visit, another worker died. That was it. She ordered the world's largest platinum mine, which employed 30,000 people, to be shut down immediately. Intensive retraining began, and 3,000 leaders and 12,000 line managers, supervisors, and frontline employees have been through the program since 2008. Carroll also initiated the Tripartite Alliance, a collaboration with the South African Department of Mineral Resources and the National Union of Mineworkers, to study global best practices in safety and make recommendations. By 2011 she had reduced fatalities at Anglo American by 62% and had cut time lost owing to injuries by half.     

Preparing for Medicaid managed care

As Medicaid enrollment continues to rise, hospitals and health systems could benefit from contracting with Medicaid managed care plans. Providers need to establish a Medicaid managed care strategy before beginning the contracting process. Revenue cycle leaders need to ensure that their front-end processes related to patient access, billing, and denials management are compatible with Medicaid managed care.     

Right care, right time, right place, every time

By improving its patient flow, Intermountain Healthcare was able to increase capacity and improve resource utilization. The project's guiding principle was to remove variation from patient flow processes, increase collaboration, and enhance the quality of care. A pilot project to redesign patient flow at Intermountain Medical Center focused on patient placement and care coordination. The pilot resulted in the creation of 21 virtual beds, reduced severity-adjusted average length of stay, enhanced patient satisfaction, and improved bed turn-around time.