Personal computers and society

The University of Southern California (USC) has initiated a technology assessment of the personal computer, partially supported by the US National Science Foundation. The ultimate purpose of a technology assessment is to help provide a more human future with less of a shock. The technology assessment at USC is directed towards examining the potential impacts of personal computers and identifying the public policy issues associated with these possibilities. This report explains the major factors being explored during the assessment.     

Grain reserves — unresolved issues

The authors focus on three relatively neglected issues in the debate over grain reserves: the role of private stockpiling and its relation to publicly held (or subsidized) reserves; the nature of export demand for US wheat and its relation to reserves proposals; and the distribution of (wheat) crop yields as it may affect the operation of a reserves plan. It is argued that these crucial issues bear directly on the feasibility of any proposed scheme, and will determine important attributes of any feasible scheme.     

Implementing the Kyoto Accord in Canada: Abatement Costs and Policy Enforcement Mechanisms

The anticipated abatement costs to be incurred by Canada and six of its provinces from the implementation of the Kyoto agreement (reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions generated by fossil fuel burning by 6% from 1990 levels) are estimated using an emissions benefit function. Marginal abatement cost functions are estimated and used for the analysis of alternative policy enforcement mechanisms. The efficiency of a policy mechanism depends on the rule used to allocate the burden of the agreement among the provinces and on whether the provinces or the federal government implement the agreement at the provincial level. Under the rule of an equal emission reduction of 6% over 1990 levels in all provinces, Quebec bears no abatement costs while British Columbia and Saskatchewan incur the highest costs. An allocation rule based on the equimarginal principle achieves aggregate efficiency; it is, however, the rule that contains the risk of noncompliance by provinces that have already taken action toward emissions reduction. Les auteurs estiment ce qu‘il en coûtera au Canada et à six de ses provinces pour adopter les mesures antipollution qu'exigera la mise en ?uvre du protocole de Kyoto (réduction de 6 % des rejets de CO₂ attribuables aux combustibles fossiles par rapport aux chiffres de 1990) au moyen d'une fonction faisant intervenir avantages et émissions. Ils estiment les fonctions du coût marginal des mesures antipollution et se servent des résultats pour étudier d'autres mécanismes visant à faire respecter les politiques. L'efficacité du mécanisme d'exécution dépendra, d'une part, de la régle qui servira à répartir le fardeau de la mise en ?uvre entre les provinces et, d‘autre part, de l‘application de l'accord par le gouvernement fédéral ou provincial, au niveau des provinces. En supposant une réduction uniforme des rejets de 6 % par rapport aux relevés de 1990, dans toutes les provinces, l'exécution des mesures antipollution ne coûtera rien au Québec, tandis que la Colombie‐Britannique et la Saskatchewan accuseront les frais les plus élevés. Une régle de répartition reposant sur le principe de l'équimarginalité s'avérera efficace globalement, mais on courra le risque que les provinces qui ont déjà pris des mesures pour combattre la pollution refusent de s‘y plier.     

Developing ASEAN‐5 bond markets: what needs to be done?

This paper examines development challenges facing bond markets in the ASEAN‐5 (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand). It first assesses their level of development, finding that bond market frameworks—that is, the quality of the physical infrastructure, monitoring, and regulation—compare favourably with those in other emerging markets. The paper then considers possible further enhancements, including changes in disclosure practices as well as reforms of ratings agencies, central bank liquidity management, and taxation. It also considers steps to develop derivatives markets, which in some countries remain quite small. Finally, the article draws lessons from the global financial crisis in developed markets for the future development of ASEAN‐5 markets.     

Information-sharing in services for military personnel in transition to civilian life

An analysis of policy and practice documents on information-sharing in the transition of military personnel into civilian life finds (1) a complex transition pathway along which the responsibility for co-ordination of transition shifts from service providers to those in transition; (2) a lack of attention to operationalizing information-sharing for different service circumstances; (3) the potential for developing a framework for managing information-sharing; and (4) a need for further research to draw on the evidence of transitions and information-sharing in other policy sectors.     

Risk Analysis in the Theory of the Firm: An Old Problem Revisited

Risk and uncertainty are key components of decision-making. The theory of the firm has been modified to incorporate risk and uncertainty in various ways. This paper incorporates the notion of survival and loss in the owner's equity with Arrow's theory of risk-bearing. The paper puts forth the argument that risk-averse behavior may be observed because of the chance of survival rather than from utility. Some simulation results of a representative farm are also reported.
Le risque el l'incertitude sont les facteurs clefs d'une prise de décision. La thèorie de la ftrme a été modifiee, afin d'y incorporer, de manîeres differentes, le risque et I'incertitude. Cette étude allie à lafois la notion de survivance et celle deperte dans I'equite du propriétaire, selon la théorie d'Arrow, Iraitant de la capacile a supporter le risque. L'étude met en relief I'argument que le risque, par opposition au comporlement peut être observé plus par rapport au hasard de survivance que du point de vue de l'utilité. Quelques résultats de simulation d'une ferme caracterislique sont aussi reportés.     

Accountability and human rights: A tentative exploration and a commentary

There continues to be many attempts to articulate what is meant by Human Rights but Griseri and Sepella's (2010, p. 176) adaptation of Leighton et al. (2002) as “entitlements that one holds by virtue of being a human being” takes us to the heart of the matter. What is it to be human and what does humanity demand of us? But the notion is far from settled; it is far from uncontentious; despite its domination by lawyers it is far from simply legalistic; and the matter has only relatively recently been taken up as a matter of focus amongst business and management academics. Human rights have, as yet, almost no presence in accounting and finance. This short essay seeks to provide an introduction to the practitioner papers presented in this issue of CPA and in doing so to provide some context within which the papers might be better appreciated. As happens too often for comfort, practice (at least regulatory and NGO practice) is still leading research and theory in the field of Human Rights. Providing that context offers us the opportunity to speculate on how – notwithstanding the potentially seminal papers that also appear in this issue – we might see accounting academe recognising and responding more widely to Human Rights.     

Reviews

'LONDON INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY'

Greater London Council, London Industrial Strategy. London: GLC, 1985. £5.00 paper. (Now available from Economic Policy Group, Middlesex House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1.)

'FUTURE WORK'

James Robertson: Future Work Aldershot, Hants; Gower Publishing Co Ltd, 1985. £15.00 hardback, £6.95 paperback.

'SMALL FIRMS IN REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'

STOREY, D. J. (ed): Small Firms in Regional Economic Development-Britain, Ireland and the United States. Cambridge University Press, 1985. Cloth, £22.50.

'POLITICS AND METHOD'

Massey, D. and Meegan, R. (eds): Politics and Method: Contrasting Studies in Industrial Geography. London. Methuen, 1985. £6.95 paperback.