Is the environment‐friendly factor attractive to customers when purchasing electric vehicles? Evidence from South Korea

In a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, several countries worldwide are implementing policies to promote electric vehicles (EVs). However, contrary to expectations, the diffusion speed of EVs has been rather slow in South Korea. This study analyzes consumer preferences for the technological and environmental attributes of EVs and derives policy and environmental implications to promote market diffusion of EVs in South Korea. We conduct a choice‐based conjoint survey of 1,008 consumers in South Korea and estimate the consumer utility function using a mixed logit model considering consumer heterogeneity. Based on the consumer utility function, we analyze consumers' willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for EV attributes such as driving range, charging method, charging time, autonomous driving function, carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction rate, and purchase price. The results indicate that the current low acceptance of EVs is due to their relatively high price and lack of a battery charging technology that satisfies consumers' expectations of the charging method and time. One interesting finding is that Korean consumers have a relatively higher WTP for the CO₂ reduction rate of EVs than consumers in other countries; however, they do not consider CO₂ reduction over other technological attributes when choosing EVs. This implies that the rate of CO₂ reduction of EVs is not an important factor for South Korean consumers when buying EVs. We also calculate the effect of CO₂ reduction with the market penetration of EVs and find that CO₂ reduction through the diffusion of EVs depends on the country's electricity generation mix.     

The welfare effect of a free trade agreement in the presence of foreign direct investment and rules of origin

This paper investigates the welfare effect of forming a free trade agreement (FTA). To receive tariff‐free treatment, firms must comply with the rules of origin (ROO). Outside firms could undertake either market‐oriented or export‐platform foreign direct investments (FDIs). ROO have the following effects: (i) An infeasible FTA may become feasible by deterring outside firms' FDIs, (ii) an FDI of a less efficient firm could replace that of an efficient firm, or (iii) FDIs made before the FTA is concluded might be eliminated. These potential effects complicate the welfare effect of the FTA and could decrease the consumer surplus.     

Consumers’ willingness-to-pay for food safety labels in an emerging market: The case of fresh produce in Thailand

Food safety systems in emerging markets are currently facing a transformation period, becoming more stringent because of an increasing demand for safer food. Consequently, policy makers need to find strategies to increase food safety while giving the industry time to improve their performance. In Thailand, policy makers have adopted the strategy of upgrading food safety standards gradually. Government and private food safety brands and labels were introduced onto the market but little is known whether Thai consumers have preferences for them or not. This study is aimed at evaluating Thai consumers’ preferences for food safety labels and brands on fresh produce, using a surveyed based on discrete-choice experiments. A sample of 350 Thai consumers was surveyed in Bangkok and Nonthaburi in 2013. Quota sampling according to the shopping outlets and convenience sampling methods were adopted. Two hundred respondents were recruited at fresh-food markets and 150 respondents were recruited at supermarkets. We found that consumers are willing-to-pay more for both government led food safety label and private brands, but that there is high heterogeneity in their preferences. The high degree of social desirability for food safety labels confirms that food safety labelling policy should be supported. However, the provision of information and credibility are vital in order to mitigate the risk of consumer deception by self-claimed labels.     

不同的政策不确定性对股市波动影响相同吗?

本文基于多因子混频波动率模型,研究经济政策不确定性对股市行业波动的影响,为预防出现结构性断点,将样本分为经济增长和经济平稳两个时期,分别探讨两个时期内经济政策不确定性对股市波动的影响。研究发现,在全样本时期货币政策不确定性会显著增强行业波动,贸易和外汇政策不确定性会抑制行业波动,而财政政策不确定性的影响存在行业差异性;子样本结果显示,贸易政策不确定性对行业波动的影响存在非对称性,在经济增长期存在助推作用,在经济平稳期存在抑制作用;同时行业波动在经济增长期对贸易政策反应敏感,在经济平稳期对财政政策反应敏感。     

OTC药品的风险认知与健康风险决策的分析

自我药疗行为的普及以及OTC药品的市场化,加速了药品的商品化进程。然而,药品的消费行为附带健康风险。本文基于这个假设,提出了混合作用模型,目的是分析消费者选购OTC药品时的健康风险决策的内在机理。通过设定健康关注度和医疗认可度作为个体差异变量、风险框架作为购买状况变量、风险认知作为中介变量,使用线性回归模型和判别回归模型分析个体的药品选择规律。研究发现,在风险框架下,个体的健康关注度、医疗认可度与风险认知存在一定的关系。同时,将风险框架、风险认知、个体因素用来判别消费者的OTC药品选购决策有显著的意义。     

跨国公司环境责任研究——对传统观点经济学分析的修正

在寡头垄断市场条件下,只要总收入的价格弹性大于总成本的价格弹性,公司就能从承担环境责任中获利,获利的多寡取决于需求曲线的价格弹性。进一步将修正扩展到多国模型,结论显示:只要满足上述条件,跨国公司承担环境责任,以无污染的方式生产产品,全球市场价格上升,需求量下降;但总收入随价格上升而增加,利润率水平随价格上升而上升。     

Using choice experiments to value catchment and estuary health in Tasmania with individual preference heterogeneity*

Choice experiments (CE) have become widespread as an approach to environmental valuation in both Australia and overseas. However, there are few valuation studies that have addressed natural resource management (NRM) changes in Tasmania. Furthermore, few studies have focussed on the estimation of estuary values. The CE study described in this paper aims to analyse community preferences for NRM options in the George catchment, Tasmania. Catchment health attributes were: the length of native riverside vegetation; the number of rare native animal and plant species in the George catchment; and area of healthy seagrass beds in the Georges Bay, which was used as a measure of estuary condition. Mixed logit models with interactions between socio‐economic variables and the choice attributes were estimated to account for systematic and random taste heterogeneity across respondents. Results reveal considerable variation in preferences towards the attributes and show that value estimates are significantly impacted by the way in which we account for preference heterogeneity. Preference heterogeneity thus needs to be considered when estimating community willingness‐to‐pay for environmental changes. This study further shows little responsiveness to the presented changes in estuary seagrass area.     

“逆向混改”如何影响战略性新兴产业民企绿色创新？ ——基于代表性产业比较分析的视角

以“逆向混改”现象普遍的高新技术、节能环保两类战略性新兴产业为研究对象,基于民营企业“逆向混改”的准自然实验,实证检验“逆向混改”对民企绿色创新的影响。结果显示,“逆向混改”可以有效驱动战略性新兴产业民企提高绿色创新绩效。机制检验发现,“逆向混改”具有促进专业化发展和融资约束缓解的“双重功效”,有利于促成民企绿色创新发展的“护城河”和“蓄水池”。基于代表性产业比较分析发现,环境规制的合理设计及强化,可以有效地促进高新技术产业民企“逆向混改”对绿色创新的协同效应;创新补贴政策的适度强化及激励,可以有效地促进节能环保产业民企“逆向混改”对绿色创新的互补效应。研究揭示了“逆向混改”推进民企绿色创新的影响规律,为促进战略性新兴产业高质量发展提供了理论和政策启发。     

我国互联网金融消费者权益保护体系建设与优化路径

互联网金融作为互联网技术与传统金融融合后的新兴业态模式,具有降低交易双方成本,提升金融服务效率和便捷性的作用,在满足了个性化金融服务需求的同时,还促进了我国普惠金融发展。但随着互联网金融模式的不断丰富,互联网金融混业经营及脱媒现象加剧,在缺乏监管和法律定位不明的情况下,互联网金融给消费者带来诸多潜在风险。对此,需要按照时间发展顺序,在短期内强化互联网金融消费者权益保护相关政策措施,保证互联网金融市场平稳发展;中长期则注重互联网金融发展质量,通过不断完善互联网金融消费者权益保护机制,进而构建具有综合性特征的互联网金融消费者权益保护体系。     

混合所有制改革是否有助于缓解人力资本配置扭曲

将人力资本在所有制企业间的配置扭曲（错配）理解为技术配置扭曲和规模配置扭曲两个方面,基于1998—2013年中国工业企业数据库的相关数据,探讨国有企业混合所有制改革影响人力资本配置扭曲的内生机理,结果表明：混合所有制改革鼓励非国有资本通过参股、控股和并购等方式参与到国有企业的生产决策中,这有助于完善国有企业的公司治理结构和利润分配机制,进一步缓解人力资本的技术配置扭曲和规模配置扭曲程度;相对于非行政垄断行业,行政垄断行业中国有企业混合所有制改革对于人力资本配置扭曲的缓解作用较小。