A supply chain-transport supernetwork equilibrium model with the behaviour of freight carriers

This paper presents a supernetwork equilibrium model integrating supply chain networks with a transport network, namely, a supply chain-transport supernetwork equilibrium model. The model takes into account the behaviour of freight carriers and transport network users to endogenously determine the transport costs generated in the supply chain networks. The interaction between transport network and supply chain networks can also be examined. Results of the numerical tests reveal that the improvement of transport network could enhance the efficiency of supply chain networks. The paper makes contributions to modelling of supply chain networks as well as to that of transport networks.     

The Effects of Incidence of Care Needs in Households on Employment,Subjective Health,and Life Satisfaction among Middle‐aged Family Members

In this study, based on longitudinal data, we investigate whether Japanese middle‐aged men and women become less likely to have a job and whether their sense of well‐being decreases when they have a family member who needs care. We find a consistent negative impact of having a family member who needs care on employment, but no impact on subjective health and life satisfaction. Further, the differences‐in‐differences (DID) estimation, based on both unmatched and matched data, shows that the Long‐Term Care Insurance (LTCI) introduced in 2000 did not mitigate the adverse impact on the probability of being employed.     

Customer behavior analysis using motion pictures： Research on attractive flier design method

In this report, the authors would like to propose CMP-FDM （Customer Motion Pictures-Flier Design Method） to increase the willingness of consumers to visit the automobile dealership. CMP-FDM is a method of creating attractive fliers while using customer behavior analysis with videos. According to the analysis of how customers see fliers, the authors classify their behavior into three types and create attractive designs so that each guarantees each customer＇s satisfaction. Finally, the authors integrate the three types of fliers into one attractive to all customers by organizing the design features （design elements）, and then validate the method.     

Marketing Channels and Retail Store Density in East Asia*

By measuring retail store density with regard to population, several studies have indicated that marketing channels in Asia are different from those in the USA and European countries. The present paper investigates to what extent a model similar to Flath and Nariu (1996) can empirically predict retail densities in Japan and China. The results suggest that the secular decline in the number of retail stores in Japan primarily results from the proliferation of car ownership and the expansion in the average size of a dwelling. We also demonstrate that the model accounts for the large variations in China's retail density.     

A System Comparison Approach to Distinguish Two Nonseparable and Nonnested Agricultural Household Models

This study distinguishes two nonseparable agricultural household models for a self-employed farm household. One assumes heterogeneity of farm and nonfarm labor and a competitive market for nonfarm labor. The other assumes homogeneity of the two types of labor and a restricted market for nonfarm labor. We compare demand systems that are derived from them, which have different dependent variables and different numbers of equations. We apply a Cox-type test to compare these complicated nonnested systems. Results show clearly that the former is better for Japanese rice-farming households. Comparison of price elasticities for those models verifies the importance of that test.     

A generalization of the Samuelson reciprocity relation,the Stolper-Samuelson theorem and the Rybczynski theorem under variable returns to scale

Assuming the Marshallian externalities, a generalization of the Samuelson reciprocity relation, the Stolper–Samuelson theorem and its dual Rybczynski theorem is demonstrated with n commodities and n inputs. Further it is shown that the ‘weak’ Stolper–Samuelson property does not coincide with the ‘strong’ property even when n=2. Then the effect of an own or other commodity price change on a commodity output is examined.     

Dynamic analysis of outsourcing

This paper develops an R&D-based growth model and calibrates the model to aggregate data of the US economy to quantify a structural relationship between patent length, R&D and consumption. Under parameter values that match the empirical flow-profit depreciation rate of patents and other key features of the US economy, extending the patent length beyond 20 years leads to a negligible increase in R&D despite equilibrium R&D underinvestment. In contrast, shortening the patent length leads to a significant reduction in R&D and consumption. Finally, this paper also analytically derives and quantifies a dynamic distortionary effect of patent length on capital investment.