Some Empirical Evidence of Chinese Accounting System and Business Management Practices from an Ethical Perspective

China is moving from a centralized to a market economy to bring about efficiency in its economy and to form a business partnership with the West. With its reform adopting an open-door policy, there may be a need to assure its partners in the western world that appropriate steps would be taken to develop and foster a business culture with which the western countries and the Chinese businesses can work. The present study attempted to find whether there has been a change in business ethical culture, accounting system and practice in the Chinese business between 1978 and the present, and the degree of similarity in the Chinese ethics and guidelines compared to Western ethics and guidelines. The result of the study has been analyzed from an institutional perspective to explore institutional change. The result showed that there is general growing support of Chinese management toward change in business ethical culture and practice. It was observed that there was not much similarity in the documents used for ethical guidance and control with those of the West. The findings of the paper are expected to be relevant to international investors and executives interested in investing or working in China.     

Brazil's twin deficits: An empirical examination

This paper examines empirically the causal relationship between budget deficits and trade deficits for Brazil from 1973:1Q through 1991:4Q. This relationship is investigated in the context of Granger's test of causality. The final prediction error criterion, as outlined by Hsiao [1981], is applied in determining the appropriate lag length of the two variables. Empirical results suggested the presence of bilateral causality between trade deficits and budget deficits.     

Computation of non-linear continuous optimal growth models: experiments with optimal control algorithms and computer programs

In this paper we discuss the use of optimal control methods for computing non-linear continuous optimal growth models. We have discussed various recently developed algorithms for computing optimal control, involving step-function approximations, Runge–Kutta solutions of differential equations, and we suggest that the discretization approach is preferable to methods which solve first-order optimality conditions. We have surveyed some powerful computer programs by : , and for computing such models numerically. These programs have no substantial optimal growth modelling applications yet, although they have numerous engineering and scientific applications. A computer program named by is developed in this study. Results are reported for computing the Kendrick–Taylor optimal growth model using and programs based on the discretization approach. References are made to the computational experiments with and . The results are used to compare and evaluate mathematical and economic properties, and computing criteria. While several computer packages are available for optimal control problems, they are not always suitable for particular classes of control problems, including some economic growth models. The -based and , however, offer good opportunities for computing continuous optimal growth models. It is argued in this paper, that optimal growth modellers may find that these recently developed algorithms and computer programs are relatively preferable for a large variety of optimal growth modelling studies.     

Transformational leadership and turnover intention: The mediating effects of trust and job performance on café employees in Thailand

ABSTRACT

Immediate managers are the number one predictor of employee turnover. Immediate managers’ transformational leadership style might reduce turnover intention through the employees’ trust in their manager and their perceived job performance. To support the contention, a study was conducted among 187 employees of cafés in Bangkok, hypothesizing that transformational leadership would negatively predict turnover intention and that trust and job performance would mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and turnover intention. Results support the hypotheses. Transformational leadership seems to have an impact to reduce turnover intention and organizations may benefit from development programs to instill transformational leadership style among their immediate managers.     

Advances in the competitiveness of pan‐European rail freight services: findings from a case study

The European rail freight market is ostensibly a free market where, from 1 January 2007, both incumbent and new‐entrant operators are able to compete on every line and in every European Union country. The main objective of this research paper is to assess the advances in the competitiveness of the pan‐European rail freight services operated by a new‐entrant (private) operator. Its main focus is to assess and contribute to the understanding of the advances towards competitiveness and the future prospects in the open European rail freight market, including dealing with challenges (e.g. dormant and departure of partners, suspension of the project, indistinct roles and responsibilities of operating partners) at different phases of the research, development and service offerings, that will be an important contribution to the Research and Development (R&D) policy and management arena in the Europe rail freight transport sector. The current research applies a case study research approach. The assessment of the rail freight service is performed by conducting two phases: first, a comparison of the progress between first and second year of the REorganisation of Transport networks by advanced RAil freight Concepts (RETRACK) rail freight service, operated by a new entrant and conducted on the corridor between two hubs – Cologne, Germany, and Györ, Hungary, and secondly a comparison of the opinions of customers on the RETRACK service and its competitors. From the comparative study between the first and second years, the study finds that the new‐entrant operator was able to offer an increased number of services by consolidating cargo from satellite connections at both ends of the operational corridor by adopting a pragmatic and flexible approach. The customer satisfaction survey suggests that the new‐entrant operator offered better service in terms of price, transit time, reliability and information flow/management compared to its competitors' services (offered by incumbent rail operators) on the corridor. However, their service was inferior to that of its competitors, in terms of frequency and availability of service. These less‐well performed service factors have improved gradually over time. The study suggests that intra‐rail competition has improved, but that inter‐modal completion is yet to be achieved. The ups and downs of the project provide important lessons for R&D management, academia and policy makers. The study suggests that a pan‐European rail freight service can be efficiently and effectively run by new‐entrant operators, and this will lead to more intra‐modal competition. However, they have yet to achieve competitiveness that will result in a shift of cargo from road to rail by offering an improved service that at least matches the major attributes of road freight service, e.g. price, transit time, door‐to‐door service and working in a collaborative way with other actors.     

From pond to plate: Towards a twin-driven commodity chain in Bangladesh shrimp aquaculture

Globalization of the agro-food system has led developing nations to orient their production to meet global markets. Consequently, local agricultural systems are increasingly linked to global commodity networks, and generate complex intersections and sometimes tensions. Cultured shrimp in Bangladesh is such a global commodity that connects the local producers with the global consumers starting from pond to plate via a network of diverse actors in a complex manner. Field research in Bangladesh shows that shrimp aquaculture in Bangladesh is moving towards a twin-driven commodity chain in which lead firms govern supply network, while the Shrimp Seal of Quality Organization (SSOQ), a recently emerged third-party certifier, as well as other environmental NGOs define regulatory aspects of the industry. While governance in twin-driven commodity chain offers opportunities for a sustainable aquaculture, it also poses many questions which have significant policy implications for different stakeholders involved in the chain.