Metaphors,semiotics and futures studies

Metaphor belongs to key concepts of semiotics. I have made my career in the field of semiotics and I appreciate the possibility to tell to the scientific community of futurists how a semiotician sees the various functions of metaphors and their connections to the future. The edited volume CLA 2.0 (Inayatullah & Milojevic, 2015) shows that in addition to metaphors, many futures researchers have found the general language-based approach of semiotics. The paper deals with three issues: first the theory of metaphors as such, much discussed in the semiotic literature; then what semiotics says about the future; and finally, what kind of semiotics we are considering here. I would propose to scrutinise the problem of metaphors and future in light of my own new theory which I call ‘existential semiotics’.     

ISO14000认证与企业管理

章简单明了地介绍了ISO14000认证的发展历程和基本知识，阐述了ISO14000标准的实施，既是为了保护人类生存发展的需要，也是实现两个根本转变的需要，同时也是为了促进国内外贸易，实现企业管理现代化的需要。ISO14000认证必将对未来世界各国企业管理造成深远影响。     

The applicability of a national focus State of the Future Index (SOFI) on developing nations and the Implications for Stabilisation Operations—A case study of Timor-Leste

This paper argues for the applicability of utilising the State of the Future Index to forecast the future of small developing nations across a range of areas that are considered important determinants of the type of future a developing country is likely to experience. This analysis provides an insight into the benefits of using such a tool for creating more effective policy towards Official Development Assistance (ODA) and its impact on Stabilisation Operations, in addition to measuring the success and effectiveness of previous policies. Timor-Leste was chosen as a case study because of its contemporary policy significance to Australia and the considerable amount of resources that the Australian government has committed, both directly and indirectly, to its reconstruction. Outputs from the State of the Future Index (SOFI) are used to track some of the key variables that will be significant drivers of future change in Timor-Leste. Hence, Timor's progress at a national level can be monitored. Moreover, individual economic, societal and demographic forecasts provide a more in-depth perspective of the drivers of change and future challenges that Timor-Leste will face.     

China's search for the future: A genealogical approach

This paper is a dialectical inquiry, presenting a genealogy of, China futures discourses and visions from ancient times through to the, present. It uses both structural and macrohistorical based approaches. The identified worldviews are placed in their broader historical, epistemes; asked why change has occurred, how it fits within patterns of, history and what kind of futures are offered. It is unique in that I use, the futures triangle methodology to discuss the “pulls” of the future in, each historical era with the corresponding “pushes” of the present and, “weights” of the past. The article concludes with a theory of futures in, Chinese history and looks at which philosophies are likely to play a role, in the possible futures of China. The aim is to highlight which visions, and images have been victorious is affecting the present and influencing, the future.     

The Differential Value Relevance of S&P's Core Earnings Versus GAAP Earnings: The Role of Stock Option Expense

In 2002, Standard & Poor's (S&P) introduced Core Earnings as a proprietary, uniform earnings metric, with the goal of improving financial reporting. The distinguishing feature of Core Earnings is its consistent treatment of seven adjustments to GAAP earnings for which there is no consensus adjustment by managers and analysts. We use stock price and return data to assess whether investors perceive Core Earnings to be more value relevant than GAAP earnings. The implementation of FASB 123R changed the calculation of GAAP and Core Earnings. This change allows us to assess the role of stock option expense in the valuation of earnings numbers by partitioning the sample into pre‐ and post‐FASB 123R periods and creating consistent measures of GAAP and Core Earnings. Our price results indicate that Core Earnings is more value relevant than GAAP earnings in the pre‐period after controlling for stock option expense, and in the post‐FASB 123R periods. The price results provide empirical evidence consistent with S&P's expectation that a uniformly calculated earnings measure is a more consistent and useful indicator of current performance and future earnings.     

中小企业实施ISO9000质量体系认证的问题与对策

针对中小企业在实施ISO9000质量体系认证进程中存在的问题,提出了树立“质量第一”的自觉观念,提高对实施ISO9000认证的认识,制定合乎企业需要的质量体系,以合理的投入获取最大的效益,慎重选择管理者代表,有效实施认证过程,重视全员培训及后期管理,慎重选择咨询与认证机构等对策。     

质量管理体系运行中的问题及对策

执行ISO9000国际标准并进行质量体系认证审核对企业而言是非常重要的,它既是企业进入国际市场的通行证,同时也是企业内部管理及可持续发展的必然要求。为此,要首先了解企业面临的市场竞争形势以及质量管理体系运行中的问题,分析质量体系认证实施过程中产生这些问题的原因,再进一步提出了解决问题的对策。     

Commodity futures contracts: Furnishing an elastic currency in the nineteenth century

In this paper, I show that nineteenth century US interest rates are relatively more volatile before 1874 and I propose, and demonstrate how, commodity futures trading is the likely principal proximate explanation for this change in behavior. Borrowing from Turnovsky [Econometrica 51 (1983) 1363], I model the optimizing behaviors of risk averse producers and risk neutral speculators in the absence and presence of futures contracts and I show that, so long as one party to a futures contract was risk averse, futures markets would have quelled interest rate volatility caused by variations in planting and harvesting conditions.     

话说汽车工业质量体系

国际标准化组织（ISO）于2002年3月公布了一项行业性的质量体系要求，它的全名是“质量管理体系——汽车行业生产件与相关服条件的组织实施ISO9001：2000的特殊要求”，英文为ISO／TS16949。本文系统地阐述了该质量管理体系的背景与内容。     

论灾难新闻摄影的正面价值与负面效应

灾难新闻摄影不仅在灾难新闻报道方面具有独特的优势与价值，而且透过对灾难的艺术展现，折射出强烈的人文关怀和现实批判。但对广大受众来讲，过分的灾难展示也会破坏受众的正面认知结构，造成人们在灾难面前良知的泯灭与麻木，因此要把握好灾难新闻图片展示的度，以深刻的人文关怀精神为指针，传递与人类休戚相关的重大灾难信息，以达到激发人类良知的社会伦理教育功能。