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,     

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.     

基于企业与政府互动的自主品牌创新能力提升路径与政策分析

通过分析自主品牌创新能力的内涵与影响因素,从国家、企业和综合角度,提出了政府与企业互动下的自主品牌创新能力提升路径;并构建了自主品牌创新能力提升滞障的兰花模型,分析目标不一致、不确定性、资源制约、主体缺位四方面的滞障因素,进而提出促进自主品牌创新能力提升的政策框架,为我国自主品牌创新提供决策借鉴。     

中压母线装设电弧光保护的必要性

The article analyzes the necessity of arc protection devices installed in middle voltage bus bars and explains the applications of arc protection devices in bus bars＇ protection, taking example by the VAMP220 arc protection device.     

Firm growth in the Swedish retail and wholesale industries

To identify the determinants of firm growth in the Swedish retail and wholesale industries during 2000–2004, we analyse a sample of 400 limited liability companies using quantile regression techniques. Firm growth was mainly found to depend upon time-invariant firm-specific effects, supporting Penrose's [1959 Penrose, E. 1959. The theory of the growth of the firm, 4, New York: Oxford University Press.  [Google Scholar]. The theory of the growth of the firm (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press] suggestion that internal resources such as firm culture, brand loyalty, entrepreneurial skills, and so on are important determinants of firm growth.     

林业与绿色经济研究进展

阐述了"绿色经济"的内涵变化及林业发展思路变迁。在"绿色经济"内涵不断丰富的过程中,学术界对相关理念的接受也促使中国林业发展理念持续进步。林业在绿色经济中具有基础性的地位和作用,要发挥这一作用,需要林业发展战略的深刻转型和制度创新。