Achieving High Quality, Comparable Financial Reporting: A Review of Independent Enforcement Bodies in Australia and the United Kingdom

This article provides a review of the activities of two quite different types of national enforcement body, the U.K.'s Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). We present material (some not available elsewhere) about their activities over the period 1998–2004 and show that both types of body can fulfil an enforcement role, albeit subject to political forces. We also assess the relevance of the bodies' past activities for comparable international enforcement following the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in 2005. A review of cases reveals that for both bodies approximately half were related to recognition and measurement issues, where interpretation can be crucial. Although there is potential for cross-country differences to arise, they may be mitigated by the participation of both bodies in international enforcement coordination activities. Past activities suggest that the scope of the bodies' activities and the extent of comparability of enforcement decisions are likely to reflect political views held within the government, corporate sector and accounting profession.     

SMOKE-FREE LAWS AND EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

This study examines how smoke-free laws influence turnover among restaurant workers. The study uses a unique data set of payroll records of a franchisee of a national full-service restaurant chain operating 23 restaurants in the state of Arizona, a state where several communities have adopted smoke-free laws. Municipal smoke-free laws did not, on average, have a statistically significant effect on the probability of employee separation in the years after implementation. These results suggest that training costs associated with employee turnover would not rise for full-service restaurants in municipalities that adopt smoke-free laws. ( JEL I18, J63)     

Influence of lifestyle and evaluative criteria for apparel on information search among non-employed female consumers

This study was designed to investigate the influence of lifestyle and apparel evaluative criteria on information search in apparel purchasing decisions among non-employed female consumers. A random sample of non-employed female consumers (n = 476) was collected via a self-administered questionnaire mailed across the nation. Principal Components Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation was used to reduce the number of lifestyle, evaluative criteria, and information search activity items. As a result of Stepwise Multiple Regression Analyses, it was found that relationships existed among evaluative criteria, lifestyle, and informarion search patterns. Search profiles were developed to describe the four consumer information search patterns in terms of their lifestyle and evaluative criteria. Results will benefit consumers, marketers, and legislators because an understanding of consumer information seeking activities is essential in the design of efficient communication among these three groups.     

Textile marketing: a status report

This exploratory study investigated the status of textile marketing in the United States by (a) examining the textile industry's use of effective marketing techniques, and (b) identifying common problems and needed improvements in textile marketing. The procedure followed these steps: (a) effective marketing techniques were identified, (b) interviews were conducted with nine textile executives and four individuals representing the United States textile industry at large, and (c) the respondents' statements about textile marketing practices were analysed for evidence of effective marketing techniques, common textile marketing problems and needed inprovements in textile marketing. The results indicated that only five of the thirteen respondents described textile firms that were using effective marketing techniques, but some textile firms were using effective marketing techniques and this should be an incentive for other textile firms. Several common problems and needed improvements in textile marketing were also identified. Because of the small sample size, the open-ended questions, and the subjective analysis of the respondents' statements, this study must be regarded as exploratory. However, representative statements from the respondents are presented and these statements are informative about textile marketing practices.     

Factors affecting the selection of clothes on daily basis: male and female differences

The major objective of the study was to test the theories of the function of dress that individuals apply to everyday practice. The study examined the extent to which Maslow's theory of motivation is relevant to male and female practice regarding the selection of daily clothes, the order of importance and the attention to clothing functions demonstrated by males and females, and the inter-relationship between the different clothing functions. The study is based on data collected from male and female students at a midwestern university in the month of April. The Friedman two-way ANOVA by ranks revealed that weather function was the single most important clothing function for males which influenced the selection of daily clothing, while social activity was the most important clothing function which influenced females. Females indicated a higher degree of consideration of each clothing function than males. These findings suggest that females tend to dress more for social reasons, are more sensitive to clothing needs and possess a greater degree of clothing awareness than males. The correlation coefficients of clothing function for males and females indicated that there was a high degree of correlation between several clothing functions. The correlation coefficients of clothing functions for females were more consistent than those for males, indicating that females consistently consider several clothing functions concurrently while males do not. This finding conforms with the theory of functions of dress which illustrates the multiple nature of motivation of clothing behaviour and the interdependent characteristics of Maslow's five basic human needs.     

Non-market provision of food by low-income households

A model of food provision through growing, hunting or raising food was developed. Food supply was less of a problem for those who grew, raised or hunted their food than for others. Non-market food provision was a viable alternative for consumers regardless of educational levels, income levels and employment status. Home food production varied by other characteristics. There was not a significant difference between urban and rural households in some types of food provided. Results of this study can be helpful to professionals assisting households with resource use and to policy makers concerning policies to assist low-income consumers.     

WIFE'S EMPLOYMENT—ITS INFLUENCE ON MAJOR FAMILY EXPENDITURES

This study was undertaken to examine the influence of wife's employment on major family expenditures. Tobit analysis of data from the 1972–73 Consumer Expenditure Surveys found no relationship between wife's employment and outlays on twelve categories of expenditures. Family income had the greatest overall influence on the expenditure categories examined. Therefore, it appears that the absolute amount of income was more important than its sources in determining expenditures.     

Productivity Gains from the Implementation of Employee Training Programs

This study uses data on the personnel policies and economic characteristics of businesses in the manufacturing sector to measure the impact of formal training programs on labor productivity. The major finding is that businesses that were operating below their expected labor productivity levels in 1983 implemented new employee training programs after 1983 that resulted in significantly larger increases in labor productivity growth between 1983 and 1986. This higher rate of productivity growth was sufficient to bring these businesses up to the labor productivity levels of comparable businesses by 1986.