Estimating switching costs after introducing Fixed-Mobile Convergence in Japan

In this study, based on a conjoint-type survey analysis, the switching cost of several Japanese telecom services are empirically examined simultaneously, contingent on each carrier’s bundling strategies. The results suggest the following conclusions. The hierarchy of switching costs is mobile phone service, fixed phone service, ISP (Internet Service Provider), and broadband access service, in descending order. Even if the government prohibits the formerly state-owned monopoly NTT from forming alliances with other carriers, the legacy NTT group would still command more than half of the market share under FMC if each carrier adopts a pure bundling strategy. If mixed bundling emerges as the primary strategy in the FMC market, the resulting type of competition from the introduction of FMC does not stimulate competitive pricing.     

Diffusion with variable production lead times

When there is not one obvious candidate technology, entrants to a new industry face a non-trivial choice between longer lead times in the setting up of production and a better chance that the technology could successfully deliver. This paper shows how this tradeoff may yield gradual diffusion. Diffusion is more protracted in industries where learning opportunities are more bountiful. The equilibrium minimizes the long-run equilibrium price, just as in the standard Marshallian model of a competitive industry. The market structure does not seem to affect the rate of diffusion with the monopoly choosing the same rate of diffusion that prevails in competition despite restricting output.      

Does sport make you happy? An analysis of the well‐being derived from sports participation

This paper examines the impact of sports participation upon the subjective well‐being of individuals. Encouraging participation in sports activity is now an important public policy issue, as it is argued that there are benefits in terms of health and well‐being to individuals as well as to society through externalities. Controlling for personal and socio‐demographic characteristics affecting well‐being, this paper examines if participation in, and the frequency and duration of, 67 sports activities affects well‐being. The form in which sports participation takes place is also investigated by examining if social‐interaction sports produce more well‐being. This paper demonstrates that sports participation has a positive affect upon the subjective well‐being of the population and, moreover, estimates its monetary value. The effects are larger if one allows for social interactions.     

公司治理与管理层机会主义会计选择——基于新会计准则的实证分析

2007年1月1日开始实施的新会计准则为上市公司提供了更多的会计选择空间,诱发了管理层的机会主义动机。本文以新会计准则下金融资产分类为例,结合2007～2008年中国A股上市公司数据,实证检验了公司治理安排对管理层机会主义会计选择的影响。研究发现,国家控股和两职合一的公司更倾向于机会主义会计选择,独立董事比例和管理层持股比例与机会主义会计选择显著负相关。并且,独立董事和股权激励制度对管理层机会主义会计行为的约束作用在国有企业中更加显著。本研究丰富了会计选择的研究文献,有助于监管部门了解新会计准则的实施效果及影响机制。     

Constitutional coordination in unstable party systems: the Brazilian constitution of 1988

Constitutional assemblies are a common feature of many democratic transitions. However, the goal of coordinating constitutional choice would seem nearly impossible when assemblies are comprised of highly fragmented and volatile political parties. Building on Knight’s bargaining model, this article argues that the main challenge to coordination in unstable party systems is the procedural disequilibrium that results from incomplete information over breakdown payoffs. The likelihood of compromise in such circumstances is a function of the ideologies that frame constitutional choice and inform coalition-building. Thus, unstable party systems are not chaotic, although they may be deeply conflict-laden. These issues are illustrated empirically via the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, which demonstrates the possibilities for a stable constitutional order emerging from a fragmented and volatile party system.

利益集团的政治经济学：一个文献分析结构

利益集团概念在近几十年中发展起来的新政治经济学文献中表现出了极其重要的分析价值。本文选择影响机制、寻租行为、治理机制三个层面,对浩瀚庞杂的利益集团政治经济学文献进行系统梳理,试图构建一个基于市场制度的利益集团文献分析结构。毫无疑问,本文形成的文献结构,不仅对于理解西方国家利益集团竞争机制,而且对于理解市场竞争本质进而理解中国制度转型,均提供了一个新的理论视角。     

Candidate stability and nonbinary social choice

Summary. The requirement that a voting procedure be immune to the strategic withdrawal of a candidate for election can be formalized in different ways. Dutta, Jackson, and Le Breton (Econometrica, 2001) have recently shown that two formalizations of this candidate stability property are incompatible with some other desirable properties of voting procedures. This article shows that Grether and Plott's nonbinary generalization of Arrow's Theorem can be used to provide simple proofs of two of their impossibility theorems. Received: August 15, 2001; revised version: March 11, 2002 RID="*" ID="*" Parts of this article were previously circulated in somewhat different form in a working paper with the same title by the second author. We are grateful to Michel Le Breton and an anonymous referee for their comments. Correspondence to:J.A. Weymark     

Labor income and risky investments: can part-time farmers compete?

In the developed countries, a majority of farm households receive at least as much income from nonfarm sources as from the farm. Such part-time farms have survived inspite of lower returns than full-time farms. This paper considers when lower returns to part-time farming could be compensated by risk-reduction due to diversification of income sources. The paper uses a dynamic portfolio choice model with labor income. The model and results could be applied in other contexts as well.     

利益分配、战略行动与集体选择的不确定性

爱因斯坦说,时间是一种错觉;普利高津则说,确定性是一种错觉。而文章认为,均衡也是一种错觉:集体选择的结果存在内生的不确定性。基于个体战略行动的多样性,文章从利益分配的角度对集体选择的不确定性作出了理论上的证明。认识到集体选择的不确定性特征对于理解社会的运行以及设计与社会控制相关的制度规章都具有重要的意义。