Cross-border relationships and performance: Revisiting a complex linkage — A commentary essay

Obadia and Vida (2010) extend a prominent theme in the export performance literature, by explicitly addressing “importer role performance.” The commentary essay here builds on a significant volume of work dealing with behavioral dimensions in cross-border exchange relationship management, and points at contributions and shortcomings of Obadia and Vida's paper in terms of advancing and upgrading discussions in this area. This commentary concludes that scholars need to concentrate their future research efforts in linking the relationship dimension and export performance on introducing more comprehensive sets of mediating and moderating effects. These sets of effects may include dimensions such as opportunism, foreign market knowledge and competence, conflict reduction, commitment enhancement, partner interaction, knowledge sharing and ICT.     

The cost of warfarin treatment for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Mexico from a collective perspective

Aims: To describe the collective costs of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) treatment for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). VKA drug costs are relatively low, but they necessitate frequent international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring. There are currently minimal data describing the economic impact of this in Mexico.

Materials and methods: Cardiologists provided data on their NVAF patients (n?=?400) to quantify direct medical costs (INR testing, appointments, drug costs). A sub-set of patients (n?=?301) completed a patient questionnaire providing data to calculate direct non-medical costs (travel and other expenses for attendance at VKA-associated appointments) and indirect costs (opportunity cost and reduced work productivity associated with VKA treatment).

Results: Estimated annual direct medical costs totaled $753.6 per patient. Annual direct non-medical and indirect costs were USD$149.8 and $132.1, respectively.

Limitations: Recruited patients were those who consulted with a cardiologist during the study period and selected due to inclusion criteria. All had received uninterrupted treatment for 12–24 months. Consequently, the results are not fully generalizable to all VKA treated NVAF patients.

Conclusions: The true cost of VKA treatment cannot be appreciated by a consideration of drug costs alone. Ongoing monitoring appointments incur additional expenses for both patients and the healthcare system.     

Regular Distributive Social Systems

I consider abstract social systems where individual owners make gifts according to their preferences on the distribution of wealth in the context of a noncooperative equilibrium. I define a condition of regularity and a condition of strong regularity of these social systems. I prove notably that: regularity is generic, and implies the local uniqueness of equilibrium and the uniqueness of status quo equilibrium; strong regularity is nongeneric, implies that an equilibrium exists for all initial distributions of wealth, whenever an equilibrium exists for one of them, and implies the connectedness of the range of the equilibrium correspondence. These properties have strong implications for distributive theory and policy, summarized in a general hypothesis of perfect substitutability of private and public transfers. The formulation and discussion of this hypothesis lead to a general assessment of the explanatory power of the theory.     

Money stock targeting and money supply: An intertemporal optimization approach (with an application to Canada)

We propose a model of the short-term behaviour of the monetary authorities of a small open economy that is willing to stabilize, to some extent, its bilateral exchange rate vis-à-vis a dominant partner. The optimal money supply strategy is derived using intertemporal optimization arguments, in a rational expectations environment, The model is formulated so as to avoid the time inconsistency problem stressed by Kydland and Prescott (1977). It allows econometric estimation of the optimal money supply rule as well as of the parameters of the intertemporal utility function, and of the function that defines the intermediate target money stock. The model is successfully estimated on Canadian quarterly data, using maximum-likelihood techniques.     

La participation des populations au financement des soins de santé: Synthèse des expériences et perspectives pour la santé publique

Résumé: Les pays en développement, notamment au lendemain des indépendances, ont presque toujours adopté la gratuité des soins de santé comme principe de fonctionnement des structures publiques de sané. L'Etat était supposé financer ces soins. Le niveau du financement était relativement modeste, mais on avait l'espoir que la situation allait s'améliorer. La crise économique, au milieu des années 70, est apparue, engendrant une réduction des finances publiques dans ces pays. Des ressources additionnelles s'avéraient nécessaires pour soutenir le développement des systémes de sané. L'aide extérieure n'étant qu'une solution partielle, il fallait par conséquent trouver d'autres sources de financement. La participation des populations au financement des soins de santé apparaît alors comme un palliatif. C'est la pénurie des ressources financitéres de l'Etat qui entraîne son adoption et elle est généralement jugée à I'aulne de ce seul objectif. Cet article vise deux objectifs. Premiérement, un schéma d'analyse économique est présenté pour mieux comprendre I'impact de I'introduction d'une participation financière des populations sur la demande de soins de santé. Deuxièmement, il cherche à montrer comment un système de partage des coûts peut être utilisé par I'Etat pour mettre en place une politique de santé publique. Cet article est basé sur un rapport élaboré par le Bureau de la Coopération Internationale de I'Organisation Mondiale de la Santéà Genéve. Ce rapport est destiné surtout à ceux qui sont impliqués dans la prise de décision et le suivi quotidien des actions dans les pays les plus démunis, notamment ceux de I'Afrique au Sud du Sahara. Abstract: In almost all developing countries, especially during the post-independence period, free medical care was adopted as the fundamental principle of operation of the public health services. The governments were required to finance this care and the level of financing was relatively modest, though it was hoped that the situation would improve. The economic crisis emerging in the mid-70's had the effect of reducing these countries' public finances. Additional resources because necessary to support the development of health systems. Since external aid provided only a partial solution, other sources of financing had to be sought. The population's involvement in health financing was thus seen as a palliative measure. It was adopted in view of the scarcity of public funds, and is generally judged from that sole standpoint. This article has two objectives. Firstly, it presents an economic analysis, for a clearer understanding of the impact of the populations' financial participation on the demand for health care. Secondly, it seeks to show how governments can use a shared-cost system in putting in place a public health policy. This article draws from a report prepared by the International Cooperation Bureau of the World Health Organization, Geneva. The report particularly addresses persons involved in decision-making and day-to-day monitoring of action taken in the poorer countries, such as those of sub-Saharan Africa.     

Die Theorie der Verteilung bei den englischen Klassikern

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 2 TextabbildungenAus dem Französischen übersetit von Dr. Maria Parolari, Wien     

European banking integration, ten years after

Ten years ago, the White Paper on the Completion of the Single Market announced the integration of European banking markets. the purpose of this essay is to identify four public issues that remain to be addressed. Home country control of international banks need to be complemented by host country control. the deposit guarantee schemes should be modified by rendering insured deposits ‘first order claim’. A European authority is needed to ensure that banks do not exploit domestic rents to subsidise international activities. Finally, tax evasion is a fourth issue that remains to be addressed.     

The duty to inform consumers under French law

One of the major aims of current public consumer policy is to increase the obligations of commercial concerns to provide consumers with information. In contract law, however, this development is only about to begin. In this paper, the situation in French contract law is described. On the basis of general principles of contract law, French courts in their decisions have developed different types of information duties. There are also some more detailed information requirements set down in specific laws and regulations, e.g., as regards the posting of prices. The author comments critically upon the way the legislation has been applied and proposes the introduction of further specific disclosure duties. The provision of information by means of voluntary agreements between consumer organizations and trade associations is another, quite promising solution.

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Informationspflichten im französischen Recht

Zusammenfassung Informationspflichten des Gewerbetreibenden gegenüber privaten Endverbrauchern gehören zum zentralen Anliegen moderner Verbraucherpolitik und werden zunehmend erweiter. Im Vertragsrecht steht diese Entwicklung erst am Anfang. Der Beitrag untersucht den Stand des französischen Rechts. Hier gibt es zwei unterschiedliche Rechtsquellen für Informationspflichten: einerseits die Rechtsprechung, andererseits die Gesetzgebung. Die Rechtsprechung hat verschiedene Arten und Stufen von Informationspflichten bei Abschluß, Inhalt und Durchführung eines Vertrages entwickelt. Allgemeine Rechtsfiguren des Zivilrechts werden hier — wenn auch nur zum Teil — den besonderen Bedingungen von Verbraucherverträgen angepaßt. Die moderne französische Gesetzgebung kennt Informationspflichten insbesondere hinsichtlich der Preisauszeichnung und für einige regulierte Vertragstypen, z. B. Versicherungsverträge, Fernunterrichtskurse und Haustürgeschäfte. Der Autor hält eine Erweiterung und verbesserte Durchsetzung der Informationspflichten im französischen Recht für unumgänglich. Die Zukunft gebührt freiwilligen Informationssystemen unter Mitwirkung der Verbraucher.

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Jean Calais-Auloy is Professor of Law at the University of Montpellier, rue de l'Université 3, F-34000 Montpellier, France, and Director of the Centre du Droit de la Consommation. This paper was first presented at the EEC/ERACA International Symposium on Consumer Information, Brussels, November 23–25, 1977. Notes to the report and references may be requested from the author.     

Unlautere Vertragsbedingungen im französischen Recht nach dem Gesetz vom 10. Januar 1978

Zusammenfassung Das französische Gesetz vom 10. Januar 1978 versucht den Kampf gegen mißbräuchliche und unlautere Klauseln, die sich in Verträgen finden, die den Konsumenten durch Unternehmen auferlegt werden. Die Regierung hat die ausschließliche Kompetenz, solche Klauseln zu beseitigen, sie wird aber in dieser ihrer Tätigkeit durch eine Kommission beraten. Die Kommission über mißbräuchliche Vertragsklauseln setzt sich aus 15 Mitgliedern zusammen, darunter drei Vertretern von Verbraucherorganisationen und drei Vertretern von Unternehmen. Das Gesetz sieht zwei Methoden zum Kampf gegen mißbräuchliche und unlautere Klauseln vor: Einerseits das Dekret des Staatsrates, das nach dem Gutachten der Kommission verabschiedet wird, oder aber die Empfehlung durch die Kommission.Die durch Dekret untersagten Klauseln sind nichtig, nicht aber diejenigen, die in den Empfehlungen kritisiert werden. Die Empfehlungen dienen lediglich dazu, auf die Unternehmen Druck auszuüben, damit sie mißbräuchliche Klauseln aus ihren Vertragsformularen beseitigen. Bis zur Gegenwart wurde lediglich ein Dekret erlassen. Zwei Empfehlungen sind veröffentlicht worden, obwohl die Kommission mehrere verabschiedet hatte. Obwohl es für ein endgültiges Urteil über das Kontrollsystem des Gesetzes noch zu früh ist, scheint das System insgesamt nicht sehr effektvoll zu sein.

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Unfair contract terms in French law under the act of January 10, 1978

The new Act attempts to repel unfair terms found in contracts imposed on consumers by enterprises. It is the government, not the courts, which is empowered to eliminate such clauses. The government is supported by a special Commission consisting of 15 members, three of which are representatives of consumer organizations, three of industry.The Act provides for two methods of banning unfair clauses: one by decree of the State Council issued after deliberation by the Commission, the other by recommendation of the Commission. The clauses which are forbidden by decree are void and are regarded as not written in the contract. Those which are recommended for exclusion may still be used by enterprises but the recommendations are meant to exert strong coercion that the clauses be eliminated from contracts. So far, only one decree and two recommendations have been published.The author, who is himself a member of the Commission, describes the content and importance of the decree and the recommendations. He points out that there are some weaknesses in the French control system, especially that the government is rather reluctant to issue decrees and that the recommendations of the Commission do not necessarily have to be published. The author resumes that even though it is somewhat early to come to a final conclusion, the system entailed in the 1978 Act seems to be rather inefficient.

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Jean Calais-Auloy ist Professor für Rechtswissenschaft an der Universität von Montpellier, rue de l'Université 3, F-34000 Montpellier, Frankreich, und Direktor des »Centre du Droit de la Consommation«.