Border tax adjustments and tariff‐tax reforms with consumption pollution

We develop a model of a small open economy, where pollution per unit of consumption between domestically produced and imported quantities of the same good differs. We show that the first‐best policy combination calls for consumption taxes on all polluting goods, and border tax adjustment (BTA) measures, that is, tariffs or import subsidies. We identify conditions under which well‐known tariff‐tax reform policies for developing economies, such as a consumer‐price‐neutral piecemeal reform of trade and a consumption tax, and a consumer‐price‐neutral reform of all trade and consumption taxes improve welfare. We also evaluate whether reforms of trade taxes alone are superior to consumer‐price‐neutral reforms of trade and consumption taxes.     

Did the goodwill accounting standard impose material economic consequences on Australian acquirers?

This research explores the empirical association between takeover bid premium and acquired (purchased) goodwill, and tests whether the strength of the association changes after the passage of approved accounting standard AASB 1013 in Australia in 1988. AASB 1013 mandated capitalization and amortization of acquired goodwill to the income statement over a maximum period of 20 years. We use regressions to assess how the association between bid premium and acquired goodwill varies in the pre‐AASB and post‐AASB 1013 periods after controlling for confounding factors. Our results show that reducing the variety of accounting policy options available to bidder management after an acquisition results in a systematic reduction in the strength of the association between premium and goodwill.     

A new method for automatic synthesis of tolerances for complex assemblies based on polychromatic sets

In computer-aided tolerance design (CAT), integrated design of dimensional and geometric tolerances is still one of the research hotspots. Polychromatic sets theory (PST) is a new mathematic tool, which is especially suitable for formal hierarchical structure models. Based on PST, in this article, a new hierarchical representation model for tolerance synthesis is presented to realise integrated design of dimensional and geometric tolerances. According to the inference relations between unified and individual colours of PST, the synthesis matrices of variational geometric constraints (VGC) are established in the VGC tier of the model, and the synthesis matrices of tolerance types are established in the tolerance type tier of the model. On this basis, the synthesis processes from the feature tier to the VGC tier and from the VGC tier to the tolerance type tier can be realised. VGCs, which are achieved by the synthesis matrices of VGCs, can be combined together to establish a well-constrained VGC network (VGCN). Tolerance types, which are achieved by the synthesis matrices of tolerance types, can be added to the well-constrained VGCN to construct a well-constrained tolerance network. An application example is given in the article to illustrate the synthesis steps.     

谈股东商誉出资的几个法律问题

法律上的商誉是指商主体拥有的，以营业之整体为载体，能够为其带来超额利润收益的不可确指的无形财产。在资本经营观与公司契约观下，商誉作为股东的一种出资形式具有充足的正当性，其在适格性上的某些缺失只能成为立法上对其予以补足的根据而非禁止的根据。同时，也必须考虑到商誉出资的特殊性及其风险，并从为公司契约提供合同范本与漏洞弥补的立场出发，寻求对其风险的法律控制。     

The Impact of Institutional Characteristics on Return–Earnings Associations in Japan

In this paper, we report the result of investigation into the impact of institutional characteristics on return–earnings associations in Japan. It is found that the strength of return–earnings associations in Japan is inversely affected by the extent to which a firm's shares are cross-held, the degree of a firm's holding of real estate assets relative to other assets, the amount of a firm's investment in equities of other firms, and the degree of a firm's reliance on debt financing, while it is positively affected by the extent to which a firm's shares are owned by foreign investors. We also provide evidence suggesting that reported earnings are less value-relevant in Japan than in the US, and that the pervasive use of conservative accounting practices in Japan is well manifested in the return–earnings association. Collectively, our results indicate that future research on cross-national differences in the value relevance of accounting disclosures must pay more attention to institutional environments unique to countries concerned.     

商誉交易价值的实证分析

本文通过建立商誉的交易价值模型，采用实证研究方法分析了企业价格（价值）与可控变量，即企业规模、股票流通速度、企业市场占有率以及商誉的交易价值的相关性，对商誉的交易价值五项假定进行了检验。其中商誉的交易价值大小表现为股票的流通股价格和产品交易价格超过它们各自符合假定市场公正平均价格的差额。研究中以公允价格替代有效市场的公正价格做近似处理。     

Fixed Asset Revaluation and Equity Depletion in the UK

UK GAAP has traditionally allowed the write-off of purchased goodwill directly to reserves, resulting in the widespread depletion of book equity. Companies have also been permitted to revalue fixed assets at management's discretion. This study examines whether upward revaluations have been associated with the depletion of book equity and with other costly contracting explanations identified in prior research. Our results provide strong support for the equity depletion hypothesis, both with regard to the decision to revalue and the timing of the revaluations. Indebtedness, liquidity, size and fixed asset intensity are also consistently associated with upward revaluation.     

Accounting for goodwill under FRS 136： Case of Malaysian plantation companies

The introduction of FRS （financial reporting standards） 136 to Malaysian PLC＇s （public limited company） in 2006 indirectly formalized accounting for purchased goodwill for the first time. Based on a sample of 2006 annual reports of 10 Main Board companies from plantation sector, the study finds the level of desired disclosure has yet to be met. Whilst the intention of the standard is noble, actual practice for first time reporting entities indicate that Malaysian PLC＇s and their auditors have far to go before they can meet the expectation set by FRS 136 in particular and International Financial Reporting Standards in general.     

The Investment Opportunity Set and Acquired Goodwill*

This paper examines how managers in New Zealand allocate the cost of firms' investments in subsidiaries between net tangible assets and acquired goodwill. We find a negative relation between acquired goodwill and leverage. This could be interpreted as the result of managers of highly leveraged acquiring firms opportunistically allocating a lower portion of the acquisition price to acquired goodwill. However, this analysis, like much of the research on accounting choice, suffers from an omitted variables problem. We present evidence that the observed negative relation between acquired goodwill and leverage may stem from each variable's relation to the investment opportunity set. Further, we find no evidence that acquired goodwill is related to the existence of debt covenants. Together, these results suggest an endogenous relation between the firm's asset structure, its financing policy, and the allocation of acquisition price to acquired goodwill.