On the links between spatial variables and overeducation

This article considers the role that diverse spatial variables play in explaining overeducation. Unlike previous analyses of the Spanish case, we have directly tested the links between current mobility (commuting and migration) and overeducation, and in contrast to previous literature, we have included a direct measure of potential spatial flexibility at an individual level (worker availability to migrate, in response to the needs of his/her firm). Regional labour market conditions are also considered in the analysis. Our results show that the links between overeducation and spatial variables vary depending on the specific sub-group of wage earners considered, based on gender and education.     

Teaching About Heterogeneous Response Models

Individuals vary in their responses to incentives and opportunities. For example, additional education will affect one person differently than another. In recent years, econometricians have given increased attention to such heterogeneous responses and to the consequences of such responses for interpreting regression estimates, especially regression estimates based on instrumental variables. In this article, the author offers illustrative cases with which to introduce masters-level and advanced undergraduate students to the interpretive challenges posed by heterogeneous responses in econometric models.     

股票价格与宏观经济变量间的实证研究

本文运用协整检验等计量方法对我国股票价格与宏观经济变量间的关系进行了研究。表明股价指数与工业生产值、消费支出、消费价格指数、货币供应量存在长期均衡关系;消费价格指数和货币供给量的变化会引起股价指数的波动,同时股价指数的波动会引致工业生产值和消费支出的变化;股价指数与部分宏观经济变量存在协整关系,一定程度上可以反映我国经济发展的水平。     

The effect of spatial variables on the economic and environmental performance of bioenergy production chains

The aim of this paper is to understand the impacts of spatial variables on the performance of bioenergy production chains (BPCs). Even though the strong debates continue on the use of first generation biomass for bioenergy production, many countries continue to utilize it as an alternative energy source. Several studies have been carried out on biomass transformation efficiency, on environmental impacts of using crop in biofuel production, and on its negative effects on increasing food prices. However, less attention has been paid to the role played by the spatial variables on the performance measures of BPCs.In this paper, we analyse how three spatial variables, i.e. cultivation area size, land dispersion, and accessibility to cultivation areas, can affect the performance of energy-balanced BPC, which produces its own electric and thermal energy demand. The chain is represented as a network of processes, where all inputs and outputs are geographically referred and analysed in a theoretical case example. We propose an enterprise input-output (EIO) model, which can be used as an accounting tool to compute the main materials and energy flows-related costs and as a planning tool to evaluate the chain performance in different scenarios. Finally, the proposed model is applied to an actual case study, to investigate the opportunity to establish a sunflower-based BPC in Apulia region (Italy) and to assess its performance.Results show that higher land dispersion degree and less area accessibility levels reduce the economic and environmental performance of the BPCs. The construction of the energy-balanced chain reduces the negative environmental impacts caused by fossil energy use in the processes of the BPC. Managerial implications can also be obtained from actual case study about the biodiesel plant location decisions.     

前因变量、慈善行为与组织绩效研究

随着人们的社会发展观和价值观的逐渐成熟,要求企业承担社会责任的呼声越来越高。作为承担社会责任的一种有效方式,企业慈善捐赠行为在全球范围内迅速发展,不仅捐赠领域越来越广泛、捐赠资源日趋多样,而且更注重捐赠的效果。与迅速增长的慈善实践相比,相关慈善理论略显薄弱,大多研究仅描述了慈善行为本身,鲜有关于慈善产生动因、行为特征、组织绩效的详细解读,因而使理论工作者难以廓清慈善行为的全貌。本文通过理论演绎,阐释了前因变量、慈善行为和组织绩效三者之间的关系,并以此为基础提出相关研究假设,构建了＂前因变量—慈善行为—组织绩效＂这一概念模型,该模型论述了影响慈善捐赠行为的关键因素,揭示了慈善捐赠行为对企业组织绩效的作用机制,未来的研究可以通过实证数据进一步检验和修正理论分析框架,以为我国企业参与慈善活动提供借鉴。     

High performance work systems in the global context: A commentary essay

The study by Shih, Chiang, and Hsu (2011) contributes substantially to the high performance work systems (HPWS) literature by sampling Chinese host country nationals (HCNs) of a Taiwanese firm and by introducing new mediating variables. A number of interesting issues follow from the study, including the use of perceived HPWS and the dimensionality of HPWS. This commentary essay briefly explores each of these areas.     

The impact of personal and organisational variables on the leadership styles of managers

While several studies have examined only one dimension of the leadership styles of managers this study has investigated several variables for their possible individual and joint impact on the managerial practices of organisational leaders. The rationale for the study was to obtain a more complete and accurate picture of the variables related to leadership practice. Collecting data from more than 400 managers from UK industries, it finds that age is directly related to the consultative, participative and delegative leadership styles of managers. The older a manager, ceteris paribus, the more consultative, participative and delegative leadership processes s/he engages in, preferring more of collective decisions in contrast with younger managers who appear happy to take decisions that may not necessarily get the approval of the majority of workers. It was interesting to find that hierarchy is directly related to consultative and participative leadership style, but not to directive or delegative leadership. While gender alone does not appear to affect the result in any significant and systematic way, a number of multiple variables, including gender and hierarchy, for example, proved to be useful in explaining the complex styles of managers.     

Commitment and turnover intention in the UAE oil industry

This paper aims to explore the links between two components of commitment – affective and continuance – and employees' intention to stay/quit in the oil industry. A self-administered questionnaire was used in order to collect study data from 600 employees representing three levels of management. Eight hypotheses were developed such as there is no significant relationship between affective commitment and intention to quit the organization, there is no significant relationship between affective commitment and intention to stay with the organization, there is no significant relationship between personal variables and organizational commitment and its dimensions, and there is no significant relationship between job-related variables and organizational commitment and its dimensions. These hypotheses were examined using various tests drawn from the SPSS program, for example, correlations, factor analysis and multiple regressions. Findings confirmed the multidimensionality nature of commitment. A significant negative relationship between organizational commitment and intention to quit was also reported. The results related to demographic factors and commitment show some evidences that support these links. The implications of the findings for both practitioners and researchers are discussed in the paper with some guidelines for future research in this field.     

开放条件下不同泰勒规则在中国的适用性研究

通过构建开放经济条件下同时存在后顾性变量和前瞻性变量的新凯恩斯主义DSGE模型,利用MATLAB随机数值模拟比较分析三种不同泰勒规则在中国的应用性问题。结果表明,总需求冲击加剧了产出的波动,而总供给冲击不利于通货膨胀的稳定。比较福利后,发现简单的名义利率泰勒规则比复杂的泰勒规则更加适合于中国目前的经济发展状况。央行在设定目标损失函数时,应该减少汇率的权重,而增加通货膨胀的权重,这有利于减少中国居民整体福利的损失。     

The Italian contribution to early economic dynamics

Abstract

Contrary to the prevailing literature, the study of economic dynamics began at the end of the nineteenth century, at least four decades before Hayek's and Samuelson's essays on dynamic equilibrium, as Pareto's dynamic insights prove. Throughout this early phase of the discipline, economists interested in dynamic studies put forward a wide spectrum of suggestions. This paper investigates the lines of research that sprang from the Italian debate either according to or in opposition to the Paretian mechanistic legacy, aiming to show that a growing awareness of subjective variables’ role weakened the mechanistic faith of the strictly Paretian followers, pushing them toward probabilistic analysis, anchoring dynamics to uncertainty and disequilibrium.