The impact of a biased starting position in a single negotiation text type mediation

This article examines whether a biased starting position impacts the outcome of negotiations using a Single Negotiating Text (SNT) (Raiffa 1982) type, two-party mediation. Two separate experiments were conducted, one in Helsinki and one in New Mexico, that systematically tested this issue and related questions. The article argues that, if a biased starting point is not compensated for by the path taken in subsequent steps, the bias will have considerable impact on the final outcome of the negotiations. In both experiments, the mediator played a very insignificant role, since the bias was incorporated into the text prior to the initiation of the exercise. In actuality, the experimenter played the role of the mediator, but only facilitated an exchange of information between the parties. The results of our experiments strongly support the hypothesis that such bias has a significant impact on the outcome of the negotiations. The article concludes by presenting suggestions for developing starting SNTs.     

Intergenerational bargains: Negotiating our debts to the past and our obligations to the future

The question of intergenerational obligation can be framed in multiple ways. Here, we use the idea of bargains to think about how those of us in the present relate to both the past and the future. To understand this approach assumptions behind the idea of intergenerational bargains are posited, three potential ontologies for intergenerational thinking are explored, and principles that might be applied to intergenerational obligations are considered. Finally, an ethic for intergenerational obligation is proposed. The idea of intergenerational bargains reveals common frameworks among futures studies, ecological economics, and sustainability science.     

Assignment of Weights to the Member States of the European Union in Order to Model Their Relative Power Positions

Relative power of the member states of the European Union is expressed by weights assigned to the states on the basis of five criteria: population, gross domestic product, national area, political stability, and contributions to the European culture and civilization. The underlying idea is that ratios of these weights should approximate ratios of the five corresponding indicators. In addition, relative power can be moderated when the large member states save their power for issues about which they care more, and it can be amplified when the large states coordinate their efforts in order to dominate a coalition of smaller states. The results of the analysis are used to sketch a power distribution in the enlarged European Union.     

Cable and satellite TV in the UK and Europe: The emerging legal issues

The impact of satellite and cable TV on existing laws and regulatory frameworks will be considerable. This article reviews the impact on advertising, copyright protection, copyright licensing, programme content, rights of reception and distribution of television signals, and performers rights within the context of the UK, European and international contexts. Many problems exist and are unlikely to be resolved for some time.     

Measuring the Measurable: Why can’t we Agree on the Number of Telecommuters in the U.S.?

Using telecommuting as a case study, we demonstrate that definitions, measurement instruments, sampling and sometimes vested interests affect the quality and utility even of seemingly objective and “measurable” data. Little consensus exists with respect to the definition of telecommuting, or to possible distinctions from related terms such as teleworking. Such a consensus is unlikely, since the “best” definition of telecommuting depends on one’s point of reference and purpose. However, differing definitions confound efforts to measure the amount of telecommuting and how it is changing over time. This paper evaluates estimates of the amounts of telecommuting occurring in the U.S. obtained from several different sources: the U.S. Census, the American Housing Survey, several Work at Home supplements to the Current Population Survey, a series of market research surveys, and the trade association-sponsored Telework America surveys. Many of the issues raised here are transferable to other contexts, and indirectly serve as suggestions for improving data collection in the future.     

Behavior in operations management: Assessing recent findings and revisiting old assumptions

In this paper, we provide a perspective on why behavioral research is critical to the operations management (OM) field, what prior research exists, and what opportunities lie ahead. The use of human experiments in operations management is still fairly novel despite a small stream of publications going back more than 20 years. We develop a framework for identifying the types of behavioral assumptions typically made in analytical OM models. We then use this framework to organize the results of prior behavioral research and identify future research opportunities. Our study of prior research is based on a search of papers published between 1985 and 2005 in six targeted journals including the Journal of Operations Management, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, Management Science, Decision Sciences, and the Journal of Applied Psychology.     

房地产估价的基本问题及其关系研究

从事房地产估价工作，首先必须掌握估价的基本理论问题，并将其运用于估价实践，通过估价实践不断研究和解决新问题，进一步充实和发展房地产估价理论。文章对房地产估价基本方法与价格形成理论、房地产估价技术路线与估价方法、房地产估价目的与估价结果、房地产估价参数与替代原理、公开市场价值标准与估价结果等基本理论问题及其关系进行了初步研究。     

县城电网建设改造中要注意的四个问题

为了更好地落实县城电网建设改造工作,最大限度地提高县城电网的建设和改造质量,作者根据前两期的农村电网建设改造情况和县城城区的供用电特性,从四个方面提出了县城电网改造建设中应该注意和需要改进的问题。     

“双碳”目标下我国森林保险创新发展研究

摘 要：党中央高度重视生态文明建设,“双碳”目标建设作为生态文明建设的核心,对生态碳抵消提出了极高要求。在“双碳”目标建设中,森林资源保护与发展贡献了巨额生态碳汇,而森林保险能有效分散森林经营风险,扩大森林固碳规模,对实现“双碳”目标意义重大。本文分析了森林保险赋能“双碳”目标的作用机制,总结了组织制度不完善、法律法规缺位、保费补贴不均衡、产品体系存在缺陷、经营能力差和保险费率固定等问题。本文借鉴国外森林保险赋能“双碳”目标的经验,从政府层面提出优化多方合作机制、加快森林保险立法、完善差异化补贴制度等政策建议;从保险企业层面提出构建科学产品体系、利用保险科技打通业务流程、强化费率差异化水平等措施建议,以期推动我国森林保险创新发展,助力“双碳”目标稳定实现。     

重庆市建设西部金融中心的路径研究

摘要：当前,如何完成党中央、国务院对重庆提出的“到2025年初步建成西部金融中心”的要求,成为一道需要从政治高度解好的“必答题”。本文从行业发展规模、服务实体成效、国际合作成果和金融环境营造等方面介绍了重庆市金融业发展的现状,从立足金融中心建设规律、成渝两地共建成效、重庆金融自身发展不足方面寻找当前亟待解决的问题,围绕西部金融中心建设如何尽快取得突破性进展,如何更好地发挥重庆在西部地区金融领域的核心作用,本文从推动央地共建、服务国家战略、用好现有优势、保障融资畅通和强化机制建设等方面提出突破的路径,以期为相关工作的推进提供参考。