价补分离政策下农户的玉米种植行为研究——基于吉林省宏观与微观数据分析

[目的]通过对价补分离政策实施前后吉林省玉米种植相关数据的分析,初步了解政策对农户种植行为产生的影响,进而探索吉林省农户在价补分离政策实施的第3年其玉米种植行为所受的主要影响因素。[方法]文章以吉林省玉米种植农户为研究对象,基于宏观与微观数据,采用多元Logistic模型分析农户玉米种植行为与政策之间的关系。[结果]价补分离政策改变吉林省农户的玉米种植行为。因价补分离政策实施导致的玉米价格下跌造成单位面积收益降低时,农户会寻求其他单位面积收益更高的作物,进而调整种植行为。[结论]玉米生产者补贴的发放对农户玉米种植行为调整具有引导作用。玉米优势产区与非优势产区的农户对价补分离政策不同的种植行为响应验证价补分离政策在保障粮食安全的同时调减玉米非优势产区玉米种植的作用。同时政策在实施过程中存在农户理解不到位及滞后性问题,因此从完善价补分离政策并提高农户对政策的认知程度等方面提出建议以更好地实现在调整玉米种植结构的同时稳定农户收入的政策目标。     

Endogenous fertility and modified Pareto-optimality

In a world of endogenous fertility, where the number of descendants is an integral part of the economic allocation, the traditional concept of Pareto-optimality cannot be applied any longer: the number of individuals to be present on earth may vary between any two allocations we wish to compare. Therefore, the concept needs to be modified in order to give new life to the discussion of economic efficiency. This work introduces a straightforward variation of the Pareto-principle and characterizes the optimality of economic allocations according to this concept. It is shown that some of the well-known traditional results on intertemporal optimality do no longer hold. In particular, lump-sum tax instruments (or the rearrangement of initial endowments) are no longer a sufficient tool to achieve efficiency. Received: March 2003, Accepted: September 2005 This work has greatly benefitted from comments by Oded Galor, Karl Shell, Vasco Santos and an excellent anonymous referee. Many thanks to the Editor of this Journal for providing an impeccable refereeing process. Support by the European Union via the Human Capital and Mobility Grant #ERBCHBICT941218 is gratefully acknowledged.     

Clearer Polarization in Textile Industry

Lang Xianping, a Chinese economist, once said that in China the ,economy is polarized. That is to say. some industries are excessively hot, while others are excessively cold. The situation of textile industry becomes clear： it is not simply excessively hot or cold. This misunderstanding is resulted from people＇s focus on just parts of the whole industry. For example： last year,     

Has the EC reached the point of no return?

Even according to a report by the EC-Commission the economic divergencies between the individual EC member countries have shown an increase during the last three years¹. A protracted disintegration movement would inevitably lead to a weakening and even to the end of the free social and economic systems such as we know them in West Europe today. Has the EC already reached the point of no return?     

Do real payments really matter? A re-examination of the compromise effect in hypothetical and binding choice settings

Numerous empirical studies have confirmed the existence of the compromise effect, which stipulates that options positioned between extreme alternatives in a product space are perceived as more attractive, hence becoming more likely to be chosen by consumers. However, literature on the topic frequently addresses the limited realism of prior work due to the artificial designs that were used. In a laboratory-based replication study, we examine the compromise effect across several categories in a more market-like scenario, in which experienced consumers make unforced decisions between real brands. In particular, we investigate whether the compromise effect varies in strength across the choice settings, depending on whether a hypothetical choice setting or a binding setting (in which subjects face buying obligations in terms of real payments for products) has been applied. While our results prove the robustness of the compromise effect for both choice frames, its strength differs significantly. Specifically, the compromise effect is evidently not as strong when real payments are introduced in binding choice settings. In addition, analysis of moderating factors confirms that compromise effects are stronger for categories where subjects are more in agreement about the relative quality of the options.     

An inexact l2-norm penalty method for cardinality constrained portfolio optimization

Abstract

We analyze and solve a single-period portfolio optimization problem with non-convex constraints, which address practical concerns of investment such as the active share weights of sectors and the number of stocks held in a portfolio. We reformulate the problem to simplify the computation and propose an inexact l₂-norm penalty method to solve the problem.     

Foreclosure Delay and Consumer Credit Performance

The deep housing market recession from 2008 through 2010 was characterized by a steep rise in number of foreclosures. The average length of time from onset of delinquency through the end of the foreclosure process also expanded dramatically. Although most individuals undergoing foreclosure were experiencing serious financial stress, the extended foreclosure timelines enabled them to live in their homes without making mortgage payments until the end of the foreclosure process, thus providing temporary income and liquidity benefits from lower housing costs. This paper investigates the impact of extended foreclosure timelines on borrower performance with credit card debt. Our results indicate that a longer period of nonpayment of mortgage expenses results in higher cure rates on delinquent credit cards and reduced credit card balances. Thus, foreclosure process delays may have mitigated the impact of the economic downturn on credit card default—suggesting that improvement in credit card performance during the post-crisis period would likely be slowed by the removal of the temporary liquidity benefits as foreclosures reach completion.     

Simulated Attention-Tracking Methodologies: An Examination of Measurement Efficacy

This study introduces and examines a simulated attention-tracking methodology as an emerging technique to improve the study of in-store shopper behavior and decision making. To assess the viability of this new methodology, we examine its efficacy in producing consumer behavior data consistent with results predicted by the marketing literature. Empirical data across five grocery categories are used to examine the influence of personal, product, and situational differences on external information search. Findings show that the attention-tracking methodology is able to demonstrate expected results in almost all cases. The methodology is also able to provide a more complete view of external information search through tracing the observed search behavior preceding decision making. This proof of methodology responds directly to calls in the marketing and retailing literature to test new and emerging methodologies in support of research on in-store marketing and shopper behavior. Findings also provide managers with a methodology to examine the actual impact of marketing actions intended to capture shoppers’ attention at the retail shelf and to influence behavior.