The relationship between national culture and the use of professional services: Evidence from two cross-country studies

Each year, clients spend large sums on professional services, such as accounting services, legal services and consulting services. While research has found significant cross-country differences in organizations’ spending on professional services, we do not know why they occur. Inspired by the organizational buying behavior literature, this paper investigates the influence of national culture on the use of professional services, particularly management consulting services. As the use of professional services involves considerable uncertainties—particularly for the buyer—it can be assumed to be influenced by cultural differences regarding the level of Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism and Masculinity. By drawing on two independent cross-country studies, we show that organizations in high uncertainty avoidance and individualistic cultures use professional services less than organizations in low uncertainty avoidance and collectivist cultures. We found no relationship between Hofstede's dimension of Masculinity and the use of professional services. The findings contribute to the theorizing on how the cultural context influences organizational buying behavior and the purchasing of professional services.     

城市化进程中的乡村衰落现象：成因及治理——“乡村振兴战略”实施视角的分析

党的十九大报告提出了“实施乡村振兴战略”。乡村振兴是“中国梦”不可或缺的组成部分,城市化进程中的乡村衰落现象不容忽视,乡村问题的解决关系到乡村振兴战略能否实现和现代乡村能否建成。为此,剖析了我国乡村衰落的成因,探索了乡村振兴战略落实的办法,提出了现代乡村建设的可能路径。     

Reducing visitor car use in a protected area: a market segmentation approach to achieving behaviour change

This research uses a market segmentation approach to reducing transport-related environmental burdens from visitors, while maintaining economic benefit. The approach was tested in the Lake District National Park (UK). It aimed first to explore visitor transport behaviour using a social psychological framework, to understand what might best predict desired behaviour change (i.e. reduced visitor car use). Second, it developed and tested different types of marketing messages to reduce car use, based on persuasive communication theory, establishing marketing propositions appropriate to different visitor types and market segments. Third, it identified market segments with both a high propensity towards positive behavioural change and the highest economic contribution to the destination. The work is based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour and on persuasive communication. Three hundred and ninety completed questionnaires were obtained. The paper emphasises the importance of context in successful communication to influence behaviour and shows that a market segmentation approach to behavioural change can be successful. Complex patterns of visitor mobility and modal choice emerge. For example “New Explorers” and “Familiar Families” are most likely to reduce their car use (45% and 48% respectively) and less likely to perceive this as difficult.     

有限政府视域下的政府职能考量

随着改革开放的不断深化,与市场经济相契合的有限政府正取代全能政府,日益成为政府模式的新选择。结合当前政府职能现状,从有限政府视角来审视,我国政府职能的定位与优化需要从三个方面人手：树立有限政府理念,合理定位政府职能;准确厘清政府与市场、社会和公民的关系;强化法律制度保障,规范监督制约机制。     

张家界国家森林公园客源市场的空间特征与潜力研究

旅游客源市场的空间特征是旅游地理学研究的重要内容。从数量上度量旅游需求随客源地的空间分布变化,能指导旅游目的地的旅游规划和经营决策。以张家界国家森林公园为例,运用GIS对其国内客源市场进行了空间分析,利用距离累计曲线分析影响其客源分布的因素;最后在引力模型的基础上建立旅游客流空间潜力模型。研究结果表明,张家界国家森林公园的客源市场分布与我国目前经济发展中珠三角、长三角、环渤海三足鼎立的格局保持一致;在此基础上,提出应在保护资源的前提下实现市场优化以达到可持续发展的对策。     

技术导向与市场导向的战略协同研究

对于高技术企业而言,技术创新能力的提升无疑是其生存与发展的根本。但是,由于高技术行业具有高风险、高竞争、高成本等特征,能否进一步获得顾客关系、企业品牌等市场基础资源成为取得长期竞争优势的关键。本文以高技术企业为研究对象,选取2007-2011五年的相关数据,采用逐步扩大检验期间的方法,分别对技术导向和市场导向两种战略行为及其协同效应对企业绩效的影响进行了检验,研究发现：技术导向对企业营业利润率、市场价值均有显著的正向影响,而市场导向对企业市场价值没有显著影响,但对营业利润率具有逐渐增强的正向影响。对营业利润率而言,技术导向和市场导向具有协同效应,采取高技术导向和高市场导向相结合的战略的企业绩效更好。     

谈国家助学贷款的贷后管理问题

国家实行助学贷款政策帮助贫困学生圆了大学之梦,得到了广大人民群众的拥护。但在实践中出现了新的问题,那就是还款率低。为了更好地解决这一实际问题,必须切实加强对学生思想政治特别是诚实守信教育、建立信用信息查询制度,依靠制度、机制促使还贷,调整政策加大还贷力度,切实做好国家助学贷款的贷后管理工作。     

森林旅游产品适宜性评价实证分析——以福州国家森林公园鸟语林产品为例

森林旅游产品的适宜性评价是森林公园开发旅游产品的主要参考依据,对于旅游产品开发的成功具有重要意义。从产品的竞争力、资源条件、市场需求与定位、开发效益、外部协调性等几个方面对福州国家森林公园鸟语林产品的适宜性程度进行了实证评价。     

Socio-economic developmental strategies as retail performance indicators: A balanced scorecard approach

This research analyses the commitment to and use of ‘balanced scorecards’ by retailers in generating sustainable profitability, whilst contributing to socio-economic development in South Africa. An international literature review of scorecard frameworks, plans and reports by major retail companies and semi-structured dialogic interviews with a purposive sample of retail business stakeholders and government officials formed the methodology. By contrasting the literature and empirical insights, a summary of findings was generated, which conclude that most retailer scorecards (formal or informal) seek to balance financial with ‘cause-related marketing’ targets, but implementation differs according to factors such as company size, developmental maturity and managerial competence. Furthermore, collaboration between retailers and state institutions in scorecard management is not a reality, as has been achieved in other industries. It is therefore recommended that a Retail Charter scorecard framework be considered, to promote public/private-sector knowledge-sharing and socio-economic development.     

美国贸易调整援助立法新论

二战后,美国极力推行自由贸易政策,在此背景下,贸易调整援助立法于1962年正式被引入美国贸易法,该项立法的救济手段和功能定位都迥异于传统意义上专注于遏制进口的贸易救济措施,它创新了美国贸易救济机制,为受自由贸易不利影响的工人和企业提供了有效的调整和救济,并对美国国内经济和对外贸易的发展都起了巨大的促进作用。