The determinants of board size and independence: Evidence from China

China's corporate governance reform offers an interesting context for investigating the determinants of board size and independence. Analysing a large panel dataset from 1999 to 2003, we find that Chinese board size is primarily driven by firm complexity; board independence is mainly driven by regulation. Some governance factors newly introduced in this study also have a significant impact. For example, board independence is negatively associated with the size of supervisory board and state ownership. The findings have important implications and provide new insights into the subject.     

构建稳价安民长效机制的思考

稳价安民长效机制是指围绕稳价格、保民生,运用经济、法律和必要行政手段对价格总水平波动进行直接或间接干预的制度体系及其运作方式。构建稳价安民长效机制是经济健康发展的必然选择、抑制通货膨胀的客观需要、深化价格改革的重要条件、保民生促和谐的现实要求、克服市场失灵的有效措施。构建稳价安民长效机制应做好发展生产,增加供给;规范流通,减少环节;建立储备,调节市场;加强监测,引导预期;依法监管,维护秩序;实施救助,保障民生等工作。     

衡量房价合理回归标准的思考

房价合理回归就是要通过对房价的调控使其回到合理水平,它体现了中央政府对房价调控的决心和信心,反映了城镇居民的心声和期待。判断房价是否合理回归,一看房价是否与城镇居民收入相适应;二看房价是否与成本和合理利润相匹配。要促进房价合理回归,必须坚持房价调控政策不动摇,巩固房价调控成果;努力降低商品住房成本,制止开发商暴利行为;理顺收入分配关系,增加城镇居民收入;加大保障性住房建设力度,构建住房保障体系;抑制住房投机需求,维护市场秩序,以实现房价调控目标。     

Modeling social interactions: Identification, empirical methods and policy implications

Social interactions occur when agents in a network affect other agents’ choices directly, as opposed to via the intermediation of markets. The study of such interactions and the resultant outcomes has long been an area of interest across a wide variety of social sciences. With the advent of electronic media that facilitate and record such interactions, this interest has grown sharply in the business world as well. In this paper, we provide a brief summary of what is known so far, discuss the main challenges for researchers interested in this area, and provide a common vocabulary that will hopefully engender future (cross disciplinary) research. The paper considers the challenges of distinguishing actual causal social interactions from other phenomena that may lead to a false inference of causality. Further, we distinguish between two broadly defined types of social interactions that relate to how strongly interactions spread through a network. We also provide a very selective review of how insights from other disciplines can improve and inform modeling choices. Finally, we discuss how models of social interaction can be used to provide guidelines for marketing policy and conclude with thoughts on future research directions.     

Firm growth in industrial clusters of the United Kingdom

This article examines how firm growth is influenced by the strength of the industrial cluster in which the firm is located. It presents econometric estimates of firm growth for 56 two-digit industries in the UK. In about half of these industries, there is a positive and statistically significant association between firm growth and own-sector employment. Significant associations between firm growth and other-sector employment are less common, but where these arise they are generally negative. We find that a weak rule of thumb applies in most industries: own-sector effects are positive or insignificant, while other-sector effects are negative or insignificant. Cluster effects are strongest in manufacturing, manufacturing-related, and infrastructure, but weaker in services.

Meanings of Food among Polish and American Young Women

Food carries different meanings across cultures and times. This study aimed to explore the meanings of food among young women in Poland and the United States using a qualitative approach. The findings show that, in both countries, women associate food with health, pleasure, and socializing, but overall Polish women are less emotional about food. More specifically, in the United States, women associate food with love, their identities, and have more conflictual feelings about food, whereas in Poland women associate food with creativity. The study discusses marketing implications of the results.