Industrial life cycles and learning curves: Interaction of marketing and production

The price-oriented experience curve has been widely utilized as a model to design marketing strategies. Yet, it is cost over which many firms exercise the most control. This article explores the cost-oriented learning curve in conjunction with the product life cycle model as joint strategy constructs. Implications of variations in the learning curve parameters are examined.     

Marketing versus public relations in selling nuclear power

All too often, the terminology and practices of public relations are used when marketing is what is really needed. This misapplication appears most often when a concept, an idea, or an intangible product is involved. Webster defines public relations as: relations with the general public through publicity; those functions of a corporation, organization, branch of military service, etc., concerned with informing the public of its activities, policies, etc., and attempting to create favorable public opinion.This definition implies a general, ongoing effort to supply information supporting the image of an organization. There is, however, a considerable difference between this kind of activity and the specific, overt process of marketing. This difference has been particularly apparent in attempts of public utilities to “sell” nuclear power plants. Utilities, of course, are monopoly suppliers and, as such, must seek a favorable image in the community. Thus, when public opposition to nuclear power plants mounted, many utilities responded with stepped-up public relations programs; the method they knew best. This article examines the experience of several utilities in locating nuclear plants and suggests how marketing techniques might be used in selling this intangible product.     

Accounting regulation, inertia and organisational self-perception: Double-entry adoption in a Spanish casa de comercio (1829-1852)

This paper analyses the influence exerted by compulsory mechanisms and cognitive and social factors on the adoption and implementation of double-entry bookkeeping. The study focuses on a small, commercial and family owned company located in Spain in the period 1829-1852. As our main conclusion we suggest that the adoption of double-entry bookkeeping in 1851 was influenced more by the managers' self-perception as traders, and the belief (internal and environmental) that the company must employ an accounting method appropriate to its new commercial status, than by State pressures derived from the enactment of a new accounting regulation in 1829.     

The formation and early development of German audit firms

This paper examines the emergence of audit firms in Germany through an analysis of contemporary sources. Special attention is paid to the range of services offered, their legal forms and ownership structure. In Germany, the demand for external audits developed because the corporate supervisory boards had been unable to fulfil their monitoring task satisfactorily. As a consequence of the major economic crisis of 1929-1931 and the collapse of large corporations caused by the fraudulent actions of managing directors, statutory audits for stock corporations were introduced in 1931. The first German audit and trust company, the Deutsche Treuhand-Gesellschaft, was established much earlier in 1890. Like other trust companies which emerged from 1905 onwards, it was owned by large banks. After the First World War, large commercial groups on the one hand, and the state on the other hand, started to form their own audit firms. Most of the audit and trust companies used the legal form of a corporation. Originally, the main activities of the trust companies were trustee activities and audits. Subsequently, they also offered tax and business advisory services. These features (a broad range of services offered, the corporation as the dominant legal form, and clients who are also owners) help us to understand key characteristics of modern German audit firms such as their limited liability to third parties.     

上市公司分部信息披露动因与约束

分部信息的披露主体主要是上市公司.公司出于竞争投资者有限的资金等目的有自愿披露分部信息的动因.由于分部信息披露存在成本,在没有管制的情况下,企业出于自身利益最大化考虑,将通过对收益和成本的权衡来决定分部信息披露.由于分部信息披露的外部性、分部信息分布的不对称性等,不能完全依赖于自愿披露,必须对分部信息披露进行适度的管制,强制公司披露分部信息.     

论企业本质、公司治理与财务会计理论的契合:资本保全视角

基于企业本质从价值角度描述为财务资本、人力资本、组织资本与社会资本的一个不完全契约组合,公司治理就是保证这一契约组合有效执行的制度安排,而现代财务会计在理论与实践上更接近于公司治理.本文利用资本保全概念将企业本质、公司治理与财务会计理论整合为一个完整的理论框架.     

资源流动性与经济转型时期的中国地方财政职能

传统财政理论在论述地方财政职能时,都隐含着资源可以在各辖区间充分流动的理论前提,在此前提下,地方政府在宏观经济稳定和再分配方面的作用有限;但是,新近的一些观点对此提出了挑战,而处于经济转型时期的中国地方财政的实际职能也充分地印证了这些新的观点.从长远来看,中国地方财政职能的有效发挥,有赖于中央和地方之间合理地划分事权.在此基础上,经济转型时期的中国地方财政职能才能不断优化,财政支出效率也能得到提高.     

关于我国《证券法》修改的若干思考

<证券法>是我国证券市场的根本大法,对中国证券市场的发展起到了巨大的推动和规范作用,同时也为证券市场长期稳定发展奠定了坚实的法律基础.但随着我国证券市场的快速发展,<证券法>也暴露出不少问题.虽然出于实际操作的需要,相关单位出台了一些通知、规定试图对<证券法>予以补充,但证券法的修改确实已迫在眉睫.对<证券法>的修改应把握前瞻性和着眼大处这两点,充分考虑对投资者保护的民事责任制度、分业管理与混业经营、市场体系的多层次性、与相关法律的协调等十大问题,着眼于整个证券市场长远的发展,在处理现实问题的同时为证券市场的进一步开放和市场发展预留空间.     

存在风险条件下的资本市场投资预期收益模型研究

风险是指预期收益的不确定性,是指在将来一段时间内遭受损失的可能性.进行资本市场投资,必然存在风险.资本市场投资风险就是投资预期结果(预期收益损失)的不确定性,有投资风险,就会有投资者对其进行的预期.本文建立了存在风险条件下的资本市场投资预期收益模型,并由此得出了不同投资者的预期收益--风险偏好的不同投资选择.     

中国养老保险领域的政府七大职能分析

养老日益成为中国走向和谐社会的沉重负担,经济可持续发展要求中国在养老保险制度领域对政府职能进行调整.文章对政府职能和养老保险制度关系作了理论概述,针对当前政府逐渐退出养老保险职能的趋势,论文分析了中国当前混合制养老保险模式下政府的七项职能,结论是均应增强这七项职能,但要科学选择介入领域和介入方式.