Progress in indicators to assess agricultural landscape valuation: how and what is measured at different levels of governance

Landscape is defined by the European Landscape Convention as “an area perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”. Many efforts have been devoted in addressing the core concepts on which this definition roots: perception and interaction of men and nature, but when coming to large (continental) scale assessments, the latter prevail on the former.This paper aims at presenting a framework for a measurable landscape awareness indicator as a key link to the public demand for a specific type of landscape: the agricultural landscape. This is a necessary effort to complement more physically based assessments, which include as well the impact of human activities on landscapes.The analysis is carried out at different levels of governance: EU and regional, using an example from the Alentejo region in Portugal and EU wide databases, and addresses conceptual and practical questions: what type of societal landscape awareness can be monitored and by whom (e.g., individuals, specific social groups, society as a whole); what are the landscape dimensions that should be assessed; what are the limitations imposed by data-related constraints. By applying the methodology to build composite indicators to map landscape societal awareness, the paper shows the regional and local meaning of indicator approaches developed at European level, presents developments for downscaling to regional level, while introducing the social component to support sound policy development for European rural landscapes.     

The customer consequences of returns in online retailing: An empirical analysis

Pressure continues to build on the operations management function to facilitate system and firm level benefits. In the online marketplace, one area of growing interest is that of product returns. Though commonly viewed as a cost center from an operations perspective, operations’ actions have the potential to strongly influence future customer buying behavior in several ways. Using an archival database of actual purchase and returns history provided by a moderately sized online retailer, this study examines the relationship between a customer's experience of product returns, and subsequent shopping behavior. Employing transaction cost, consumer risk, and procedural justice theories, we demonstrate that the returns management process, rather than being regarded as an afterthought to the production and deployment of goods, can significantly and positively influence repurchase behavior. Additionally, we provide evidence that certain customers should be considered for prioritization in the returns process. We suggest ways through which operations managers can take care in discharging their responsibilities in this area – to make returns processing more than simply a “necessary cost of doing business” rather, using it to their advantage in engendering repeat and increased purchase behavior.     

公共服务民营化的目标原则与政策供给

我国公共服务民营化目前还处在起步和探索阶段,推进其健康发展就要制定明确的目标、原则与相应的政策支持来进行战略布局,使公共服务民营化在政府规制的模式下,以准市场制度环境蓬勃发展,使公共服务民营化的推进具有制度安排的路径。     

民主、公正还是绩效?——中国地方政府合法性及其来源分析

目前,中国的地方政府是否面临着深刻的合法性危机?本研究假定影响地方政府合法性的因素主要有4个:政府服务绩效、制度的公正性、传统文化中的威权主义观念以及制度创新。文章根据在实地调研中收集的10省20个乡镇的资料数据,就地方政府的合法性及其来源进行实证检验。根据检验结果,公推直选制度的实施,比较明显地提高了民众对基层政府的支持和信任,但其他类型的制度创新对地方政府合法性的影响并不显著。政府服务绩效、制度的公正性和威权主义观念对政府的合法性均有显著影响,但影响程度不同。公推直选也在一定程度上改变了乡镇政府合法性的生成机制。根据分析结果,作者就地方政府如何克服合法性危机提出了若干政策性建议。     

论“品牌即关系”——关系生态下的品牌新构建

本文首先对品牌和关系这两个元概念进行演绎,提出“品牌即关系”的论断。并从社会学和公共关系学的角度切入,结合蒙牛和耐克的实例,证明了该论断提出的必要性和正确性;并在“品牌即关系”的论断下,重新挖掘和认识品牌的新涵义——品牌的内在运营机理和外在运行状态,为各社会组织制胜于品牌竞争环境之中提供了一条新的思路。     

试论旅游服务接触质量

服务质量的改善可以提高生长率和减少成本,同时增加顾客忠诚、市场份额和企业总的利润。随着旅游业的全面发展,服务质量已经成为旅游企业竞争战略的重点,作为服务质量的决定因素之一的“服务接触”质量更是重中之重。本文通过服务接触质量探讨,着重论述了旅游企业如何提高旅游服务接触质量以实现顾客满意     

常州智慧旅游公共服务平台建设研究

旅游业是信息高度集中并对信息高度依赖的行业,信息贯穿旅游活动的全过程,是旅游业得以生存和发展的基础。信息化对旅游业发展的影响日益深远,旅游信息化水平已经成为旅游目的地发展水平的重要标志之一。常州智慧旅游公共服务平台建设,在借鉴周边已建系统的先进经验的基础上,突出了常州特色,采用了云计算、物联网等先进技术,充分共享旅游视频、GIS等信息资源,进行了管理、建设、运行、维护等方面的体制和机制创新。研究对推进常州旅游信息化工作,为＂智慧常州＂建设提供基础平台和数据资源等方面,都将发挥积极的作用,并在发展常州旅游、服务公众等方面取得良好的社会效益和经济效益。     

论消费者自主选择权的保护——以数字电视为视角

消费者自主选择权是消费者最为核心的权利之一,消费者自主选择权的正当性基础是平衡正义、消费者的弱者地位及其意思表示不自由。而数字电视提供者滥用其垄断地位以格式合同剥夺了消费者自主选择权,极大冲击了契约自由原则。政府与数字电视提供商利用\"公共利益\"之名合法化其自身利益,损害消费者的自主选择权。因而,应完善垄断行业消费者权益保护的相关立法、执法及诉讼机制,更好保护消费者自主选择权。     

Procedural justice,ethical climate and service outcomes in restaurants

The literature suggests that ethical climate may actually contribute to organizational success by enhancing employee performance. Ethical climate is considered to be highly relevant to the hospitality industry, since it enhances service-providers’ contact with customers. This study reinforces previous researches by exploring the relationships between ethical climate, service, and customer satisfaction in restaurants. We have also examined the relationship between ethical climate and the fair treatment of employees by an organization. The study was conducted in 20 restaurants, with 171 employees and 103 customers. Data were obtained from employees, customers, and “mystery shoppers”. As expected, ethical climate was found to be related to service performance which, in turn, was found to fully mediate the relationship of ethical climate with customer satisfaction. Ethical climate was also found to correlate positively with procedural justice. Our results indicate the benefits of the ethical message conveyed through consistent managerial practices in service organizations.