Neuroeconomics as a Natural Extension of Bioeconomics: The Shifting Scope of Standard Economic Theory

Synopsis Neuroeconomics rightly has been claimed to be a natural extension of bioeconomics. One of the things bioeconomics investigates is what behavioral dispositions and what behavioral patterns evolutionary processes have produced. Neuroeconomics extends this to the study of evolved mechanisms that are at work in decision-making at the neural level of the brain. The paper argues that in another respect neuroeconomics and bioeconomics are discontinuous, however. Bioeconomics maintains that the applicability of standard economic theory’s constrained maximization framework is not confined to human behavior. The constrained maximization framework is believed to be suitable to describe behavior throughout the animal kingdom. By contrast, despite some minor internal disagreements all neuroeconomists seem to agree that human behavior is predicted poorly by standard economic theory in several social and economic situations. Neuroscience is believed to hold out the hope of an advanced understanding of when and why this is the case.      

The Ethical Case for Affirmative Action

Affirmative action has been a particularly contentious policy issue that has polarised contributions to the debate. Over recent times in most western countries, support for affirmative action has, however, been largely snuffed out or beaten into retreat and replaced by the concept of ‹diversity management’. Thus, any contemporary study that examines the development of affirmative action would suggest that its opponents have won the battle. Nonetheless, this article argues that because the battle has been won on dubious ethical grounds it is important that we do not allow affirmative action to sink unnoticed. This article explores and challenges the ethical and philosophical underpinnings of opponents’ views and finds their cases against affirmative action are not ethically sound. The article concludes there are strong ethical grounds for those organisations which seek to do well, to reassert affirmative action programmes in the global efforts to eradicate systemic discrimination and disadvantage.     

黑龙江省重要生物资源信息共享系统

黑龙江省生物资源丰富，但现有资料多局限于印刷形式，利用率低、容易破损、交流不方便、储存占用空间大。资源信息共享系统可将此类信息通过整理、分类记录到数据库中。并可实现网络录入、查询、向公众发布，实现信息共享。     

Crop genetic diversity, farm productivity and the management of environmental risk in rainfed agriculture

This paper presents an assessment of the linkages between cropgenetic diversity, farm productivity and risk management. Aflexible moment-based approach is used to analyse the impactof crop genetic diversity on the mean, variance and skewnessof yield. Using farm-level data from Sicily (Italy), econometricevidence shows how crop genetic diversity can increase farmproductivity and reduce risk exposure. The empirical resultsindicate that crop genetic diversity can reduce variance, butonly if pesticide use is low. Furthermore, high diversity levelscan reduce downside risk exposure (e.g. the risk of crop failure).This provides useful insights on the linkages between resilienceand crop genetic diversity.     

论我国生物多样性保护和可持续利用法律体系的重构

我国生物多样性占世界第八位，但近年生物多样性受胁状况日趋显著。我国尚未建立完善、科学的生物多样性保护法律体系，仅有针对某一特定生物资源的强制性保护立法，缺乏与其他生物资源要素之间必要的立法协调；由于自然资源法成为生物多样性法律规范的构成主体和表现形式，造成我国生物多样性保护机制独立运行的极大障碍，因此应当从生态资源的内在互动关系出发，以生物多样性保护法律体系从传统自然资源法律体系中分离出来为途径，以建立物种复合保护机制为手段，以生物多样性资源产权制度及相应的侵权救济法律制度构建为保障，重构我国生物多样性资源的立法保护体系，从而有效地维护生物圈的正常代谢，最终实现社会生态系统的稳定与发展。     

新形势下高校财务管理改革浅析

高校财务管理能力是高校核心竞争能力的重要组成部分。随着高校招生规模的扩大,生源构成的复杂化,经费来源的多元化以及高校贷款规模迅速增大,高校财务管理工作面临着巨大的挑战。因此,我们有必要从制度、观念、会计、融资等方面不断创新并提高高校财务管理能力,提高资金使用效益,以促进学校健康发展。     

客户群体特征对企业创新绩效的影响研究——以中国制造业上市公司供应链为例

通常认为,供应链下游在地理空间上的集聚会促进信息交互和组织学习,强化核心企业的话语权,提升创新绩效。文章认为,在特定条件下,客户地理邻近也可能会拉低企业创新绩效,形成创新“空间锁定”困局。基于2009-2017年中国A股制造业上市公司及其供应链数据,考察客户地理邻近性对企业创新绩效的影响作用,并将客户集中度和客户属地多样性作为情境因素纳入研究框架。研究发现：客户地理邻近性与企业创新绩效呈倒U型关系,在一定阈值范围内客户地理邻近性拉升企业创新绩效,而超过该阈值客户地理邻近性抑制企业创新绩效;客户集中度对客户地理邻近性与企业创新绩效的关系不存在调节效应;客户属地多样性强化了客户地理邻近性与企业创新绩效的倒U型关系。以上结论从供应链视角揭示企业创新规律,对企业创新的内生机制研究形成了有益补充,有助于重新认识企业创新绩效的影响机制。     

Context matters: Oil palm production and women's dietary diversity in the tropical forest of Cameroon

Oil palm is one of the most rapidly expanding food and cash crops in many tropical regions with significant environmental implications, but also economic gains. Previous analyses have established that this expansion is associated with changing gender roles and time allocation for women. Time allocation is an important determinant of maternal and child nutrition as well as well-being. We use a rich farm household survey from a native oil palm production hotspot, Cameroon, to examine the associations between oil palm production and women's dietary diversity. Using different estimation and identification strategies with some sensitivity checks, we show that oil palm is associated with lower dietary diversity for women, measured as the minimum dietary diversity for women and the minimum adequacy diversity diet. We explore heterogeneity in the various food groups consumed by women and show that oil palm production is associated with lower consumption of mainly pulses, fruits and vegetables. These findings contrast with the literature that has established some positive dietary diversity implications of oil palm expansion in Southeast Asia. We carefully discuss these findings and argue that context matters and may explain these differences. Particularly, we show that oil palm production is negatively associated with farm production diversity in Cameroon. Notwithstanding, we also confirm previous findings that highlight that oil palm production is associated with higher income. These insights add to the debate on the implications of oil palm expansion in tropical environments. Moreover, they can guide policy in designing more tailored interventions that address nutrition issues and improve rural development.     

在线品牌与离线品牌之比较

互联网已经基本上改变了市场营销环境 ,在线品牌与离线品牌的重要性毋庸置疑 ,虽然在线品牌与离线品牌建立的方式是一样的 ,但是在线品牌与离线品牌无论是在两种品牌的环境、品牌增加价值的来源 ,还是在品牌价值的传递过程、成功的管理要素上 ,都存在着差异性     

A sociological view on why firms differ

Much theory and research that apparently seeks to explain why firms differ actually addresses the question of why successful firms differ. This article explains why the two questions are different and explores some of the implications of this difference for the field of strategic management. A wide variety of organizational and economic theories are reviewed in this context, including contingency theory, resource dependence theory, process models, dispositional models, transaction cost economics, organizational ecology and institutional theory. Further discussion considers why heterogeneity persists at the firm level when it becomes apparent that only certain types of firms will succeed.