A Network-based Approach on Opportunity Recognition

This paper argues that individuals differ in terms of their perception of opportunities because of the differences between the networks they are embedded in. We focus on two aspects of individuals embeddedness in networks, that is, (1) individuals belonging to residential areas that are more or less likely to be characterized by network cohesion, and (2) individuals differential access to network contacts based on the level of human capital they hold. Our analyses show that the nature of ones residential area influences the perception of entrepreneurial opportunities. Further, we find a positive effect for education, i.e., people with a higher educational level are more likely to perceive entrepreneurial opportunities compared to those with a lower educational level.     

An Exploration of Opportunities for the Growth of the Fair Trade Market: Three Cases of Craft Organisations

Businesses that maintain ethical standards have an advantage in the marketplace based on the increasing interest of consumers in products that have a social and ethical component. Fair trade organisations that adopt environmental, social and ethical principles in trading are in a good position to make the most of this growing interest in the market. However, it is unclear whether fair trade organisations are taking full advantage of emerging market opportunities for ethically traded products. This research explores this issue by describing the business strategies of three fair trade organisations that import and sell craft goods into Western countries and evaluates them in the context of this growing market. The research findings indicate that in order to remain in business, fair trade craft organisations have had to adopt better business practices in recent years, improving quality, customer service and product offerings to customers. However, growth appears to be limited, as distribution remains focused on a small, niche market. This paper explores the distribution strategies of two fair trade commodity organisations that are successfully reaching a wider customer base, demonstrating that fair trade products have a unique selling advantage in the mainstream marketplace. In conclusion, fair trade craft organisations are not exploiting this market opportunity to the degree they should and will need to explore wider distribution and alternative business strategies to expand their market share.Debora Randall completed her Masters of Management at Massey University, in Auckland, New Zealand. She is currently using her interests in business and community development to work towards practical economic solutions to poverty. She is living in Vancouver, Canada where she is working on a number of community economic development initiatives.     

Mark-Choose-Cut Algorithms For Fair And Strongly Fair Division

This paper proposes a new criterion to evaluate algorithms for cake division, by the number of resulting pieces. Then, inspired by the idea of "cut-and-choose", we present "mark-choose-cut" algorithms for fair and strongly fair cake division problems. They are game-theoretic algorithms. The number of resulting pieces is bounded by 2 × 3n-2 + 1 and 4 × 3n-2 + 1, for fair and strongly fair division respectively.     

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.     

林业类上市公司生物资产计量属性探讨——以永安林业为例

介绍了生物资产计量属性的国际惯例和中国生物资产的计量属性,在对生物资产计量属性进行比较的基础上,指出公允价值计量属性谨慎选择;阐述了中国林业类上市公司已经具备采用公允价值进行计量的条件,并以永安林业为例进行论证。     

基于经济后果观的金融危机与公允价值会计研究

会计准则作为会计信息生产与提供的规范,并不是一种单纯的技术手段,而是一种具有经济后果的制度。文章从经济后果角度对金融危机下的经济后果进行了分析,为完善我国公允价值会计准则提供参考。     

论公允价值的理念基础

对公允价值的真实涵义进行辨析,揭示其性质;探讨其背后支撑的相关理念:合作博弈理念、效用价值理念、未来性理念、动态性理念、过程控制理念、市场理念与自由度理念。最后对我国新会计准则有关公允价值的处理进行解读。     

浙江民营企业实现二次飞跃需要六大转型

当前民营企业在发展过程中,既面临前所未有的历史性机遇,又充满了各种挑战。浙江民营企业为实现二次飞跃,必须避生产要素不足之短,扬体制、机制、资本、市场等方面优势之长,从体制、产业结构、经济增长方式、发展路径、经营方式、市场形态等方面实现转型。     

企业的利润结构与可持续增长 ——基于A股竞争性上市公司的经验证据

企业的可持续增长是社会经济可持续发展的基础,企业的可持续性增长能力与利润总额和利润构成密切相关.在新企业会计准则下,利润总额由核心利润、资产减值损失、公允价值变动损益、投资损益、营业外收支净额等五个部分构成,利润总额不同构成部分的来源不一样,稳定性和持久性也不一样.实证研究发现,盈利对企业增长的可持续性具有正面影响,利润总额的不同构成部分会对企业增长的可持续产生不同影响,利润结构可以提供有关企业可持续增长的增量信息,新企业会计准则下利润表项目的调整变化提高了利润表的信息含量.     

Why Do Politicians Intervene in Accounting Regulation? The Role of Ideology and Special Interests

Politicians frequently intervene in the regulation of financial accounting. Evidence from the accounting literature shows that regulatory capture by special interests helps explain these interventions. However, many accounting rules have broad economic or social consequences, such as their effects on income distribution or private sector subsidies. The perception of these consequences varies with a politician's ideology. Therefore, if accounting rules produce those consequences, ideology plausibly spills over and explains a politician's stance on the technical accounting issue, beyond special interest pressure. We use two prominent U.S. political debates about fair value accounting and the expensing of employee stock options to disentangle the role of ideology from special interest pressure. In both debates, ideology explains politicians’ involvement at exactly those points when the debate focuses on the economic consequences of accounting regulation (i.e., bank bailouts and top management compensation). Once the debates focus on more technical issues, connections to special interests remain the dominant force.