Urban Influence on Costs of Production in the Corn Belt

This article determines the relative technical efficiency of rural- and urban-influenced crop/livestock enterprises in the Corn Belt. Farmers in urban-influenced locations are less technically efficient than farmers in rural locations. During 1998–2000, stochastic production frontier procedures indicate that a 10% increase in urban influence leads to a close to 4% decrease in technical efficiency. The most successful urban-influenced farms have controlled costs as effectively as rural farms. They have tended to de-emphasize that nondairy livestock activities—particularly beef and hogs—do not rely extensively on off-farm income, and have relatively large, less residential/lifestyle operations compared to less successful urban-influenced farmers. However, our statistical analysis clearly bears out the refrain in popular literature that urban proximity raises the cost for, and decreases the viability of, traditional farms.     

国际贸易中的技术性壁垒及我国对策

二十一世纪是全球经济一体化的知识时代 ,科学的巨大变革已经渗透于人类社会的方方面面 ,而国际贸易中的技术性壁垒则体现了贸易保护主义与科技相结合的作用。并且 ,这种非关税壁垒形式以其正义的外衣、巨大的影响力和借助科技的快速发展越来越成为国际贸易中不可忽视的保护手段。中国作为世界贸易组织的新成员更应在这方面进行研究 ,并制定相应的战略。     

Forecasting category sales and market share for wireless telephone subscribers: a combined approach

The ability to forecast market share remains a challenge for many managers especially in dynamic markets, such as the telecommunications sector. In order to accommodate the unique dynamic characteristics of the telecommunications market, we use a multi-component model, called MSHARE. Our method involves a two-phase process. The first phase consists of three components: a projection method, a ring down survey methodology and a purchase intentions survey. The predictions from these components are combined to forecast category sales for the wireless subscribers market. In the second phase, market shares for the various brands are generated using the forecast of the number of subscribers that are obtained in Phase 1 and the share predictions from the ring down methodology. The proposed methodology produces the minimum Relative Absolute Error for each market as compared to the forecasts from each individual component in the first phase. The value of the proposed model is illustrated by its application to a real world scenario. The managerial implications of the proposed model are also discussed.     

Pre-Harvest Price Expectations for Corn: The Information Content of USDA Reports and New Crop Futures

This article examines the puzzle of why futures prices continue to react to USDA crop reports despite the fact that reports appear to be no longer "newsworthy," that is, provide no better production estimates than private forecasts. The information value of reports is measured in terms of their influence on rational agents' harvest-time corn price expectations, which are uncovered using a Hamilton-type modeling approach. Results show that reports are still "newsworthy," as they would contribute to agents' price expectations if released a day early. Thus futures price reactions, which closely reflect price expectations, are rational and consistent with efficient markets hypothesis.     

基于方法分析的企业精细管理思想

本文认为,精细管理是企业管理走向科学化的必然要求,是科学管理发展到一定阶段的产物,是对管理实践的科学性概括和总结,是对企业管理创新的一个系统化梳理。精细管理具有系统化特征、理论与技术高度综合性特征、动态管理特征、实践性和全员参与特征;精细管理的闭路循环系统具有对应性,能够找到企业的每一个部门或个人的位置和相应的职责;精细管理在闭路循环系统中可以明确知道可能的效果倾向。文章提出,企业在实施精细管理的过程中,应适应变化的市场环境,把握精细管理的真正内涵;树立正确的企业精细管理理念,持之以恒;重构企业科学管理体系,走全员参与的精细管理之路。     

马铃薯在中国传播的技术及社会经济分析

本文从生物、技术及社会经济的角度考证马铃薯在中国传播的过程，重点对传播条件和传播障碍进行阐述，分析了20世纪中国的社会变迁和科技进步对马铃薯传播的影响，并进一步讨论马铃薯扩种对我国粮食生产和社会生活的作用。     

Are Securitizations in Substance Sales or Secured Borrowings? Capital‐Market Evidence*

Two standard‐setting approaches have emerged globally to guide the choice of accounting for securitizations: the control and components approach (SFAS No. 125 and SFAS No. 140) and the risks and rewards transfer approach (IAS No. 39). A lack of consensus about derecognition accounting is a major impediment to achieving convergence in global standards that must be resolved. Thus, both SFAS No. 140 and IAS No. 39 will be reexamined, and evidence pertinent to the debate is timely and important. In this study, we present evidence consistent with the view of credit‐rating analysts, who view many securitizations as, in substance, secured borrowings. Specifically, for a sample of originators applying sale accounting guidance in SFAS No. 125 / 140 during the period 1997‐2003, we show that off‐balance‐sheet debt related to securitizations has, on average, the same risk‐relevance for explaining market measures of risk (that is, CAPM beta) as on‐balance‐sheet debt. We also find that, in a returns and earnings association framework, the pricing multiple on securitization gains declines as the amount of off‐balance‐sheet debt increases, implying that investors take off‐balance‐sheet debt into account when assessing the valuation‐relevance of such gains. For those who advocate the control and components approach to securitization accounting, our results suggest that, at least for frequent securitizers, the put option arising from implicit recourse is a “missing piece” that is not currently accounted for when calculating securitization gains. Our results challenge the extant measurement standards in SFAS No. 140.     

Research on Generation Mechanism of Technical Innovation

Technical advancement includes technology generation, diffusion and aggregation. This paper focuses on researching the mechanism of technology generation from the viewpoint of technology cycle, and the source spring of the generation of the innovation based on technology is scientific discovery. The technical perfection and secondary innovation are determined by the pulling force of demand, unbalanced inducement mechanism and profit. Standardized innovation is the sign of technology mature stage, the limit in demand and supply of technology drives the technical innovation into lag phase.     

青藏铁路施工与环境保护

文章详细介绍了青藏铁路施工对环境保护的影响,指出了强化青藏铁路环境保护工作的意义,提出了青藏铁路环境保护工作的主要内容和应当采取的措施,阐述了将青藏铁路真正建成21世纪的世界屋脊的环保型铁路的实施要点。     

风险投资项目退出的时机与方式选择研究

文章对影响风险投资项目退出时机选择的微观因素和风险投资项目退出方式及其必要条件进行了深入分析,文章认为,风险投资项目退出的时机与方式选择具有动态性和一体性特点,遵循风险资本增值最大化的一般性原则,选择适宜的退出时机与方式对风险投资项目实现投资收益或锁定投资损失有着重要的意义。