The impact of a gasoline crisis on retail sales

The gasoline crises of the 1970s demonstrated the need for including gasoline prices and gasoline shortages in models explaining retail sales. In this article, a model is constructed that incorporates the aforementioned variables, other variables, and a lagged sales figure as independent variable. The results indicate a high degree of explanatory power in predicting retail sales for a specialty store chain with a preponderance of their stores in large regional malls that sell a product which lends itself to unplanned purchase behaviour.     

国际制度对国内政治的影响机制——来自理性选择制度主义的解释

近些年来,理性选择制度主义者为国际制度的国内影响发展了几种重要的因果机制。理性选择制度主义主要探讨了在行为体偏好给定的条件下,国际制度如何改变了国内行为体在信息、权力和利益分布上的既有均衡状态,从而影响了国内政治的结果。如果国内制度具有集权的特点,国际制度就可以作为信号和承诺装置;如果国内制度具有分权的特点,国际制度就可以用来对权力资源进行再分配。但这两种效应往往发生在国际制度对国家行为的约束力较强时。当国际制度对国家行为的约束力较弱时,国际制度可以作为社会集团的政治动员工具。     

中国精英对中欧关系现状和前景看法

2010年5月至8月,在欧盟第七框架项目解析中国人对欧盟的看法的资助下,中国社会科学院研究生院联合中国人民大学等机构针对中国精英就中欧关系现状和前景及与此相关的问题看法进行了调查。调查数据显示:第一,精英对欧盟的知晓率比较低。第二,在信息渠道选择上,互联网、电视和报纸是三大主要工具,不同工具对中欧关系看法具有一定的影响。第三,中国精英对欧盟保持较好的印象。第四,精英认为欧盟的国际政治和经济影响力仅次于美国,且均强于中国。第五,精英对中欧关系现状和前景的看法日趋谨慎和保守。第六,通过回归分析可以发现,教育、收入、学习和工作经历等变量对精英的欧洲观有着明显影响。第七,学者和媒体工作者对中欧关系的现状和前景的看法和评价,均比其他群体更为积极和乐观。     

Learning to glow

Create a cooperative environment within your organization and you will radiate energy, innovation and success, says Lynda Gratton .     

AASB 1037 Sows the Seeds of Change: A Survey of SGARA Measurement Methods

International developments are set to reignite the controversy over how self-generating and regenerating assets (SGARAs) are measured. The International Accounting Standards Committee is working on an international accounting standard on agriculture due to be effective some time after 1 January 2002. The standard is expected to be similar to AASB 1037 Self-Generating and Regenerating Assets. This is an interesting development since the Australian Accounting Standards Board was urged to not move ahead of international developments when it released Exposure Draft 83 Self-Generating and Regenerating Assets
This paper surveys Australian SGARA measurement practices to assess the extent of reporting change required by AASB 103 7 and its international counterpart.     

Export Performance,Invoice Currency and Heterogeneous Exchange Rate Pass‐through

Using comprehensive, shipment‐level merchandise trade data for a small, open economy, we examine heterogeneity in exporters' exchange rate pass‐through (ERPT) behaviour. We draw together two recent studies of ERPT, linking invoice currency decisions and firm performance to heterogeneity in ERPT. Like these studies, we find that the short‐run reaction of export unit values to exchange rate fluctuations is significantly related to both invoice currency choice and exporter characteristics when these are analysed separately. However, we then show that when the two factors are jointly accounted for, the role of exporter characteristics largely disappears. That is, some firm types are more inclined to invoice in the producer currency, while others use either the local or a vehicle currency. In the short run, this translates into differences in exchange rate pass‐through because of price rigidity in the invoice currency. Firm characteristics do not have an independent impact on pass‐through beyond their effect on currency composition. Differences across invoice currencies diminish over time, but do not disappear, as prices adjust to reflect bilateral exchange rate movements.     

对美国信息企业成功经营经验的探索

本文通过剖析美国若干信息企业的发展历程来探讨它们在激烈竞争的环境中获得巨大成就的经验。它们善于捕捉历史机遇，并且制定充分利用机遇的独特经营战略。历史机遇为企业提供新的市场空间，而高超的经营战略则有利于发挥自己的优势，提高竞争力     

Challenges to employment at will: A survey of the natural gas transmission industry

The natural gas transmission industry, once paternalistic towards its employees, is feeling the effects of challenges to the doctrine of employment at will, and is responding with policies that will increase managerial prerogatives. This article approaches the issue from the points of view both of law and of economics, and includes a survey of pipeline managers who must develop viable work rules in an environment of increasing expectations of employee rights and tightening market competition.