Impact of contracts in high yielding varieties seed production on profits and yield: The case of Nepal

Nepal’s population continues to grow, but the agricultural sector’s performance remains almost stagnant. This has led to a decline in the per capita availability of food. Increasing agricultural productivity is the key to agricultural growth, and one strategy for increasing agricultural productivity is to use improved seeds. This study investigates the impact of contract farming (CF) in high yielding varieties (HYV) of paddy seed production on costs, yield, and profits of smallholder farms in Nepal. Using farm-level data and a non-parametric propensity score matching estimator, the study finds a significant positive impact of contract HYV seed farming on revenues, profits, and yield, and a significant negative impact on total costs of production. Additionally, very small farms (⩽0.43 ha) with CF in HYV paddy seeds tend to gain the most when it comes to yield per hectare. Our estimates reveal that the average smallholder household in Nepal engaged in CF with input conditions receives higher profits. However, farmers engaged in CF with output conditions tend to have higher yields but smaller profits. Finally, farmers engaged in CF in HYV paddy seeds with both input and output conditions have the highest yield gains and significantly higher profits.     

The benefits of the reciprocal grantback clause in patent licensing

This paper shows that a reciprocal grantback clause could potentially be a better licensing provision than a one-way type. There are two benefits associated with the use of a reciprocal grantback clause. First, it improves efficiency by reducing the (minimum) contract compatible royalty rate to zero. As a result, the production becomes efficient because both the licensor and the licensee produce at the same marginal cost. Second, a reciprocal grantback clause is a more effective provision than a one-way grantback clause to guarantee the transfer of superior technology, hence it promotes better technology diffusion.     

金融审判中风险防范的适法困境与选择

金融资管业务往往通过民事合同的安排来达到降低交易成本、规避金融监管的目的。为了防范金融风险,金融监管机构通过《资管新规》等一系列监管政策加强对金融市场的"穿透式"监管。金融商事审判机关在制定法没有明确规定的情况下,如何针对违反监管政策的金融交易合同做出公允的裁判是亟须解决的问题。本文分析了合同法第53条3、4、5款的适用空间为何,以及金融商事审判如何在现行法的框架内防范实现风险防范的目的。     

The influence of contractual and relational factors on the effectiveness of third party logistics relationships

Outsourcing has become popular in both management literature and practice, but few studies have examined the effects of two important and potentially complementary elements – contractual and relational elements – on the effectiveness of logistics outsourcing relationships. It is theorized that contract formality, the thoroughness of contract negotiations, trust and commitment increase the effectiveness of 3PL provider–client relationships. For empirical validation a survey was carried out in the 3PL industry among both 3PL providers and clients. Using PLS path modelling, we observed that for both LSPs and clients, contract formality, trust and commitment are all positively related to relationship effectiveness. The results for negotiation thoroughness are mixed. The model explains 59% (LSPs) and 60% (clients) of the variance in relationship effectiveness. It is concluded that both ‘hard’ contractual aspects and ‘soft’ relationship aspects are important for effective supply chain collaboration. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided.     

“公司+农户”违约反应的静态理论模型

高违约率已经成为目前订单农业面临的重要问题。由于面临对方违约,另一方可能有多种选择,现有文献关于违约后签约方的行为反应从两个极端理论假设进行了推演。本文遵循Volker Beckmann和Silke Boger的思路,建立了一个分析农户和公司采取法律行动的简单静态的理论分析模型,以预测其行动取向。认为随着社会经济的发展,司法效率的提高,公司和农户的信用状况将会改善,农户和公司的生产规模也会扩大,违约行为就会减少,公司或者农户针对违约的行为选择也会做出相应改变。     

劳动合同解除的预告期制度研究

我国劳动法规定,除特殊情形外,用人单位或劳动者欲解除劳动合同,应提前三十日通知对方当事人,这三十日的期间,被称为劳动合同解除的预告期。我国劳动合同解除的预告期制度存在简单化、一刀切的缺陷,使得这一规定的制度价值被遮蔽,而违反预告期规定的法律责任的缺失又造成了该制度的虚设状态。因此应在借鉴产业发达国家和地区解约预告期制度的基础上,逐步完善我国的劳动合同解除的预告期制度。     

电力企业合同的法律风险与控制策略

供用电合同的签订与使用,在给电力企业带来极大好处的同时,由于合同的拟定、审核、签订、履行、管理、纠纷处理等众多环节上还存着许多问题与不足之处,也给企业带来了诸多法律风险。为此,电力企业应采取相应防范措施,规避电力市场潜在的风险,更好地维护供电企业合法权益。     

“农超对接”模式下农户心理契约的构成及中介效应分析

组织公民行为是测量组织合作过程中绩效的重要指标之一,而影响其组织公民行为的众多因素中,又以组织公平最为重要。本文研究的对象是"农超对接"过程中农户所表现的组织公民行为,着眼于农户心理契约的视角,通过实证分析探讨超市组织公平与农户组织公民行为之间的关系。研究结果发现,超市组织公平是影响农户组织公民行为表现的重要因素;而农户的关系型心理契约是超市组织公平对农户组织公民行为影响的中介变量。最后,针对研究结果,提出研究结论以及在"农超对接"过程中的政策建议。     

不完全合同理论视角下渐进性创新的逆向研发外包组织模式、技术溢出与创新能力研究

既有研发外包组织理论主要基于技术优势企业视角,关注如何治理技术溢出等交易成本,忽视了缺少专利和隐性知识的企业进行渐进性创新时最优研发外包组织选择。基于不完全合同视角,从企业对研发中激励代理方努力与降低渐进性创新的不完全替代性成本之间的权衡出发,分析委托方如何合作、并购、委托以及新建研发等组织最优选择。结果表明,当委托方技术水平较低时,最优组织将需要给代理方更多控制权以激励其努力,相反,委托方则保留更多控制权以降低不完全替代性成本。委托方市场规模通过影响代理方的私人收益降低不完全替代性成本,使得委托方愿意放弃控制权以激励代理方努力。新建研发可以看作是委托方通过承担更多时间和风险成本,从而降低不完全替代性成本。在不同组织形式中,委托方对研发投入的积极性是不同的,这决定了委托方通过研发外包获得的技术溢出效应和企业创新能力。     

西方国家对劳动派遣放松规制的背景及其启示——兼评《中华人民共和国劳动合同法（草案）》相关条款

自20世纪90年代以来，西方国家和国际劳工组织对劳动派遣的政策已呈现出放松规制的迹象。西方国家是在严格规制的原有基础上和劳动力供给不足的市场环境中，在劳动派遣作为典型雇佣关系补充形式且以雇佣型劳动派遣为主的情形下，在严格控制派遣机构资格并有社会合作伙伴广泛参与监管的同时，对劳动派遣放松规制，这也是强化与放松并存的结构性规制。我国劳动派遣业的发展具有不同于西方国家的背景，虽然也应当强化规制与放松规制并举，但现阶段应当侧重强化规制；并且，应当基于我国国情，就从严规制和从宽规制的事项作出选择。