From necessities to imaginary worlds: Structural change,product quality and economic development

In this paper we explore how innovation and structural change affected economic development in the long run, by which we mean a period such as the one between the industrial revolution and the present. We separate the period since the industrial revolution into two sub periods, which we call ‘necessities’ and ‘imaginary worlds’ and focus on three trajectories, increasing productive efficiency, increasing output variety, and increasing output quality and differentiation. In the paper we show how a combination of the three trajectories gave rise to the transition between ‘necessities’ and ‘imaginary worlds’ and propose a mechanism of economic development which could have given rise to the type of economic system which we can observe today. To create growing output quality and differentiation higher competencies were required. These higher competencies required higher levels of education and demanded higher wages, which contributed to raise consumers' purchasing power. These phenomena, combined with the income effect of the creation of new sectors, generated the disposable income with which consumers could purchase the new, higher quality, non necessities, goods and services generated by innovation. In the paper we study the impact of several model parameters on the stability of the virtuous circle previously described.     

Consumers' Attitudes Toward Labelling of Ethical Products: The Case of Organic and Fair Trade Products

This article aims to investigate the factors that influence consumer attitudes to use labelling information in purchasing organic and Fair Trade products and to verify if labelling is a valid tool of direct shopping aid to consumers, with a view to derive inferences that may contribute to better strategic and tactical marketing decisions. A quantitative survey with a sample of 300 consumers living in south Italy was conducted to explore consumers' knowledge and attitudes toward labelling of organic and fair trade products. Data generated in this way were submitted to exploratory and segmentation analysis. The results indicate significant differences in consumer attitudes and behavior for ethical products and show the importance of new variables, other than demographics characteristics, that can influence the purchasing behavior and label information use.     

Consciousness for fair consumption: conceptualization,scale development and empirical validation

Sustainable consumption means that consumers act in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Compared with the vast amount of studies concerning environmentally conscious consumer behaviour, relatively little is known about socially conscious consumption. The present paper focuses on fair consumption as an important aspect of social consumption. In our study, consciousness for fair consumption (CFC) is defined as a latent disposition of consumers to prefer products that are produced and traded in compliance with fair labour and business practices. A scale to measure CFC was conceptualized and tested in three independent empirical studies. Two studies were conducted at European universities (2010 and 2012) and used 352 and 362 undergraduate business students respectively. The third study, conducted in 2011, used 141 employees at a European university. The results confirmed the reliability and validity of the new CFC scale across samples. While being moderately related to other aspects of sustainable consumption such as ecological concern and moral reasoning, CFC was significantly distinct from those concepts. Most importantly, it was established that the CFC, as measured by the new CFC scale, is a strong determinant of consumption of fair trade products that has been neglected in existing research.     

国外金融发展影响收入不平等研究综述

金融发展对经济增长的积极推动作用已得到学术界的广泛认可,国外的大量研究进一步指出．金融发展通过实物资本投资、人力资本投资两大主要渠道对社会收入不平等产生影响。对文献的系统梳理和归纳将对促进我国经济增长及缓解收入差距提供理论依据,也对推动国内研究起到积极作用。     

对益贫式增长内涵的理解：一个文献综述

益贫式增长是对穷人有利的经济增长,它关注经济增长、不平等和贫困三者之间的关系。自20世纪90年代末以来,益贫式增长成为国内外学术界研究的一个热点问题,不同学者对其内涵的理解也存在很大差异。本文主要从益贫式增长的定义、思想及理论基础等方面对国内外学者已有的研究成果进行梳理,并进行简要评述。     

中国城乡金融发展与基尼系数的灰色关联分析

用6个指标反映中国城乡金融发展水平,并利用灰色关联分析模型,分析2003—2011年中国城乡金融发展对基尼系数的影响。研究结果显示:金融结构、金融中介效率、固定资产投入产出比和金融行业劳动力对基尼系数的影响最大。最后提出缩短城乡居民收入差距的金融对策。     

非利息收入对银行业绩效影响的实证研究——基于中国银行业2000—2010年面板数据分析

本文将非利息收入种类数和非利息收入占营业收入比作为非利息收入的两个衡量指标,并将其纳入非利息收入对银行绩效影响的模型中。基于我国14家股份制商业银行2000-2010年财务数据的实证研究发现,无论是非利息收入种类数,还是非利息收入占营业收入比,都与银行业绩效显著负相关。银行业绩效的提升更多的来自于银行规模的增大、股东权益资产的增加以及银行的上市。     

收入差距、劳动力流动与粮食生产

由收入差距引起的农村劳动力向城市和非农业转移在一定程度上对粮食生产产生负面影响。根据1990-2010年间省级面板数据估计结果,以2004年为分界点,2004年之前的收入差距对粮食增长具有显著的负面作用。根据经济发展程度和粮食安全状况将全国各省分为四类区域,欠发达地区粮食增产与地区经济差距的关系最明显。应重视缩小区域差距,加大对欠发达地区的投资,在当地创造就业机会,吸引农村劳动力回流,以促进当地农业生产。     

瘾型消费品需求弹性与利润分析——基于山东省2009-2012年数据

文章以瘾型消费理论为基础,分析了影响烟草厂商利润率的因素。通过分析瘾型消费模型发现烟草厂商的利润率受到商品价格弹性和未来消费量的影响。商品的价格弹性越大,烟草厂商的利润率越低。文章结合山东省2009至2012年的实际销售数据分析发现,在收入较高的地区,价格弹性与销售额贡献度之间保持稳定的反向关系;在收入较低的地区,单价越低的烟草商品其价格弹性与销售额贡献度之间的反向关系越稳定。     

基于多因素思考的山东省企业员工公平感分析

在群情反映社会不公平的时代背景下,调查却发现山东省企业员工公平感相对较高,此结果与近年来国内诸多社会公平调查结果不甚一致。针对这一调查结果,文章分别从调查实施、公平参照系、公平差别阈控制、地域文化、政府政策和组织内部管理六个方面进行了原因探析。