OPTIMAL BUFFER STOCK POLICIES FOR WHEAT AT THE WORLD LEVEL

Alternative wheat storage policies which maximise the expected present value of returns for consumers, producers, a monopoly storage agency and society as a whole are derived using a dynamic programming model. Results are compared with those from an earlier simulation model, and are found to justify higher investment in storage capacity compared with that suggested by the simulation model. The model is extended to derive optimal storage policies if production follows a stochastic cobweb process.     

行业协会的游说行为及其影响因素分析

根据对中国的全国性行业协会的调查,文章首先描述了全国性行业协会的游说态度和游说行为的现状,在此基础上,对影响行业协会游说行为的因素进行了分析。实证分析的结果表明,协会对游说的态度、协会成立的年限、协会的自主性和协会的代表性等因素对行业协会的游说行为具有显著的影响,而协会的规模与游说行为不存在显著的相关关系。     

选举提名方式与土地管理体制:村民对村领导行为及其绩效的评价

提名方式是选举的重要组成部分 ,农村民主选举的不同提名方式对村领导的行为及其绩效有不同的影响。对土地的投入是农村普遍的经济活动 ,与土地相关的活动对村民来说是至关重要的 ,村民对村领导决定的土地分配有着强烈的反响。从农村民主选举与土地管理体制的角度来研究选举提名方式是农村民主政治建设研究的一个新视角。     

Book Review

Unit-root testing strategies are unnecessarily complicated because they do not exploit prior knowledge of the growth status of the time series, they worry about unrealistic outcomes, and they double- or triple-test for unit roots. The authors provide a testing strategy that cuts through these complications and so facilitates teaching this dimension of the unit-root phenomenon. F tests are used as a vehicle for understanding, but t tests are recommended in the end, consistent with common practice.     

Strategic partnerships and the internationalisation process of software SMEs

This research investigates the nature of strategic partnering activities of software SMEs (small-to-medium-sized enterprises), their motivations to engage in strategic partnerships as part of the internationalisation process, the key benefits achieved and the main challenges encountered. It explores managers’ perceptions of partnership activities through a qualitative research methodology focussing on Irish indigenous firms. Findings suggest that strategic partnerships were initiated to take advantage of firm synergy, reputation and credibility advantages. Partnerships also served as an important foreign market entry mechanism allowing firms to accelerate sales cycles and reduce risk in overseas markets. Challenges facing firms included partner selection and issues of control. Directions for further research are highlighted.     

An Empirical Study of Environmental Awareness and Practices in SMEs

With increasing awareness of environmental issues, there has been rising demand for environmental-friendly business practices. Prior research has shown that the implementation of environmental management practices is influenced by existing and potential stakeholder groups in the form of external pressures from legislators, environmental groups, financial institutions and suppliers, as well as internally by employees and owner/manager attitudes and knowledge. However, it has been reported that despite business owner/managers having strong “green” attitudes, the level of implementation of environmental-friendly practices is low. In order to explore the connection between pressures for improved practices and the management actions taken, this article examines how influence from various stakeholders is related to awareness of environmental issues, and how this awareness relates to actions taken within the businesses to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. The results indicate that legislation does result in general environmental awareness, and that organizations are then willing to␣change their business processes and environmental strategies. However, despite their actions they have little awareness of the benefits that might arise from cost reductions from their environmental-friendly practices. Those influenced by their suppliers act to reduce waste, but do not put into place formal environmental management systems, or use environmental messages to market their goods or services. Nevertheless, it can be argued that they have a real commitment to environmental issues, as evidenced by a willingness to voluntarily contribute to environmental organizations.     

A dual-process model of how incorporating audio-visual sensory cues in video advertising promotes active attention

Capturing consumers’ attention to video advertising is a key marketing challenge. Using real video advertising viewed by a sample of consumers matching the US population on age and gender, the authors examined attention to audio-visual and visual sensory cues identifying the brand using a biometric measure, phasic heart rate. The findings show differences in attention type depending on which senses are stimulated by the sensory cue. This research uncovers a mechanism (internal processing) for how consumers process multisensory cues (audio-visual) in video advertising and confirms visual sensory cues can elicit automatic attention through the orienting response. In addition to the dual-coding explanation for the superiority of audio-visual sensory cues, the present research suggests a second reason: that audio-visual sensory cues can elicit additional internal processing of the brand name, resulting in active attention and better storage of the brand in memory. This has implications for the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing, as well as for marketers relating to the type of content recommended to follow an audio-visual or visual sensory cue in video advertising.