The Effects of Average Norm Model Regulation: The Case of Electricity Distribution in Sweden

Following the reform of energy sectors, some countries have used engineering norm models in incentive regulation of network utilities. In 2003, Sweden adopted this approach to regulation of electricity distribution networks. This paper examines whether the norm models represent the real networks and create incentives for performance improvement. We analyse data from 138 network concession holders between 2000 and 2007. The results show that norm models are not adequate representations of real networks. Also, utilities that perform better than their norm models tend to behave opportunistically. Finally, we find that private utilities respond more strongly to incentives.     

Buyer Power and Industry Structure

This paper investigates the exercise of market power by a large buyer who emerges via growth, merger, or group purchasing. It explores the efficiency and redistributive effects of such an event when a competitive fringe of small buyers remains in the market. Terms of trade, including those for small buyers, depend on structural conditions on the supply side of the market and the nature of interactions between the newly emerged dominant buyer and suppliers. Predicted aggregate welfare effects have implications for antitrust.     

Juxtaposition of architecture and mathematics for elementary school students

This paper discusses the Archimath programme, which was designed to develop awareness of the built environment in elementary school students, and to initiate an effort to improve it. Acknowledging the relationship between education and awareness of the environment, the programme was constructed for use with elementary school students selected from fourth to eighth grades, as an integrated mathematics and architecture programme. It includes topics from an introductory course for architecture majors and from the elementary mathematics curriculum. The programme was implemented in several pilot schools in Istanbul and was evaluated in accordance with activity sheets, pre- and post-perception tests, and the views and comments of the teachers who carried out the programme. It was revised and reorganized in accordance with this feedback and then implemented again on different groups of students in the selected schools. This paper discusses how the programme was conceived and developed.     

Money Does Not Grow on Trees: An Argument for Usury

Usury, charging a higher interest rate than thought by some to be “fair,” has had and still has, a bad press. Historically, it was heavily punished. It was then, and all too often is now, thought to be exploitative. Yet, as even the most economically unsophisticated must realize, both sides of these transactions must necessarily gain at least in the ex ante sense, otherwise one or the other would refuse to enter into the deal in the first place. The present paper is an attempt to justify the practice of charging interest on loans, at any rate agreeable to both borrowers and lenders.     

Advertising competition and industry channel structure

The introduction of independent retailers has long been recognized as a buffer that alleviates the price competition between channels. In this paper, we argue that this effect may be counter-balanced if the manufacturers compete along dimensions that differ from prices (such as advertising). We find that delegating to retailers may intensify other non-price competition between the manufacturers and therefore make the manufacturers worse off. Our analysis shows that the “retailer buffer” may be a two-edged sword and thus suggests that channel structure may critically depend on the specific dimensions along which the manufacturers compete with each other.     

Management Students’ Attitudes Toward Business Ethics: A Comparison Between France and Romania

This study focuses on the differences in the perception of business ethics across two groups of management students from France and Romania (n = 220). Data was collected via the ATBEQ to measure preferences for three business philosophies: Machiavellianism, Social Darwinism, and Moral Objectivism. The results show that Romanian students present more favorable attitudes toward Machiavellianism than French students; whereas, French students valued Social Darwinism and Moral Objectivism more highly. For Machiavellianism and Moral Objectivism the results are consistent with the literature and our hypotheses. However, contrary to our expectations, we find that Social Darwinism is more important in France than Romania. The results indicate that religious practice does not influence preferences for the three business philosophies. In terms of gender differences, women have less favorable attitudes toward Machiavellianism and more favorable attitudes toward Moral Objectivism than men.     

Der MDK kommt!

Vorbereitung auf die Qualit?tsprüfung — Steht der MDK unangemeldet vor der Tür, kommt es unter den Mitarbeitern h?ufig zu Unsicherheiten, die sich negativ auf die Prüfung auswirken k?nnen. Doch durch klare Aufgabenverteilungen und einen „Handlungsleitfaden“ legen Sie und Ihre Mitarbeiter den Grundstein für ein gutes Prüfungsergebnis.     

Transformationen einer Marketing- und Vertriebsorganisation

Die Dynamik und Wettbewerbsintensit?t im Medizintechnik-Markt der Ultraschallsysteme zwingt Hersteller permanent zur Anpassung ihrer Strategien und Unternehmensstrukturen. Der vorliegende Praxisbericht zeigt, warum und wie Siemens Medical Solutions seine Marketingorganisation für das Ultraschallgesch?ft in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) von einer eher reaktiven Supportfunktion zu einer proaktiven und gesch?ftsentwickelnden Funktion transformiert hat und nach welchen Prinzipien diese funktioniert.     

The Creation of Value Through Corporate Reputation

The relationship between social and financial performance (CSP – FP) has been a main objective in the literature on business management, as it would provide an economic justification for the social investment insofar as it contributes to the creation of value. This relationship has been empirically tested by several authors though without using a theoretical model that sustains this relationship. The aim of this article is to propose a theoretical model of the process of the creation of value from the reputation generated by companies, integrating the factors that have been shown to be more relevant in this process from previous research, in such a way that hypotheses are put forward regarding the existence of this relationship and the factors that determine it. Finally, an empirical test is performed using the 100 most prestigious companies operating in Spain during 2004.