A Durable Replacement Model for Symbolic versus Utilitarian Consumption: An Integrated Cultural and Socio-economic Perspective

Abstract

The accumulated knowledge on durable consumption has traditionally been premised upon identifying personal factors (e.g. demographics or psychographics) underlying the purchase decision. On a broader scope, however, consumer behavior is shaped by cultural and social factors, and our understanding would be incomplete without these considerations. To this end, this study sets out to provide an integrative framework on durable consumption. Specifically, the proposed framework explores whether cultural differences do exist in the perception of a selected durable (e.g. automobile) on the symbolic/utilitarian dimension, which in turn, may affect the length of the replacement cycle, likelihood of upgrading to a higher status model, as well as, inertia towards remaining within the same product-type in the category (e.g. sedan, SUV, minivan, pickup truck). Applying a multinomial logit model to Korean and US automobile transaction data, the finding reveal that Korean consumers tend to have shorter replacement cycles, engage in more upgrades but are less likely to change the product-type than American consumers. Considerations of cultural and socio-economic factors as key drivers of the differences in perception and behavior are put forward. Managerial implications and directions for future research are also discussed.     

Why do Filipinos desire to work more hours?

In 2018, 16.4 per cent of Filipino workers stated that they wanted to have more work hours in their present jobs, to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer work hours, that is, they declared themselves under-employed. Analysis of the 2015 Labor Force Survey data shows that relative to being full-time employed and not under-employed, the major determinant of being under-employed is the basic pay. Region, educational attainment, sector, and primary occupation are much less important determinants.     

中国劳动者工作满意度与工作性质正规与否的关系研究

文章基于2010年中国家庭动态跟踪调查（CFPS）成人问卷数据库,应用Ordinal logit模型分析了工作满意度与工作性质正规与否的关系。结果表明,非正规工作性质对于从业者的工作满意度有负面影响。同时分析了本研究存在的一些问题,并指出这项研究重要的现实意义。     

An assessment of the influence of bioenergy and marketed land amenity values on land uses in the Midwestern US

There is substantial concern that bioenergy policies could swamp other considerations, such as environmental values, and lead to large-scale conversions of land from forest to crops. This study examines how bioenergy and marketed environmental rents for forestland potentially influence land use in the Midwestern US. We hypothesize that current land uses reflect market values for environmental benefits of forestland, so that the marketed component of the environmental value of land can be captured as the difference between Census land values and value of land as a timber asset. We use a multinomial logit model to estimate the land use shares of forests, crops and urban in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. The results show that marketed environmental rents increase forestland relative to cropland. To examine the effects of biofuels on land use, we conduct policy analysis by altering future land rents. Our baseline scenario projects that urban development uses mostly cropland, but with higher crop rents resulting from increased demand for bioenergy, there will be significant losses of forestland to urban and cropland. On the other hand, if marketed environmental rents grow while crop rents are maintained at their baseline value, urban growth will occur, primarily at the expense of cropland.     

Business cycle duration dependence and foreign recessions

This study revisits business cycle duration dependence in G7 countries by controlling for foreign recessions, defined as the number of other G7 countries in a recession. Estimates from regime switching logit models show that the monthly likelihood of ending an expansion roughly doubles for every extra G7 country in recession, but the end of foreign recessions do not affect the ending of recessions. They also show that recessions are duration dependent in all G7 countries, but expansions only in the United States and Germany. The economic importance of foreign recessions and duration in driving business cycle phase changes vary across countries.     

我国航空旅客航班舱位选择行为研究

针对传统旅客舱位选择行为研究中的不足,文章以logit模型为基础,运用变精度粗集(variableprecision rough set,VPRS)方法构建了航空旅客舱位选择模型(passenger seat choice model,PSCM)。该模型无需知道旅客舱位选择数据集合之外的任何先验信息和概率分布的解析表达式,可直接求解旅客舱位选择的真实因素及各因素权重,并计算其舱位选择概率。以上结果有助于提高航空公司舱位控制精度,并为航空公司实施收益管理提供了新视角和具体思路。     

Bounded Rationality in Principal‐Agent Relationships

We conducted six treatments of a standard moral hazard experiment with hidden action. The behavior in all treatments and periods was inconsistent with established agency theory. In the early periods, behavior differed significantly between treatments. This difference largely vanished in the final periods. We used logit agent quantal response equilibrium (LAQRE) as a device to grasp boundedly rational behavior and found the following: (1) LAQRE predictions are much closer to subjects' behavior in the laboratory; (2) LAQRE probabilities and experimental behavior show remarkably similar patterns; and (3) including social preferences in LAQRE does not better explain the experimental data; (4) LAQRE cannot explain the contract offers of some players who seem to choose some focal contract parameters.     

中小板上市公司管理层盈余预测质量的影响因素研究

管理层盈余预测是中小板上市公司对未来展望的信息,在信息披露中占据着越来越重要的地位。本文选取2013-2015 年中小板上市公司相关数据,运用广义多分类无序logit 模型对影响中小板上市公司管理层盈余预测质量的因素进行探究,以期提高管理层盈余预测的质量。经研究结果表明,公司的独立董事占比、年度召开董事会次数、股权集中度、净资产收益率、管理层持股比例等因素越高,对提高中小板上市公司管理层盈余预测质量越有益,除此之外,中小板上市公司董事长和总经理兼任情况,与公司合作的审计机构专业程度均对管理层盈余预测的质量有一定影响。     

Does Employee Body Weight Affect Employers' Behavior?

In this paper, we study the possible segregation of overweight individuals already established in the labor market when firms make decisions on hiring, firing, and promoting. Most existing studies use wage equations to document wage differences, but little is known about the reason for the differences and the sorting of workers. Using an equilibrium search model, search frictions are taken into account. Additionally, sorting is examined using a logit model. We find that wage differences between workers who have a normal weight and workers who are overweight or obese can be explained by differential firm behavior, with respect to both the job‐offer arrival rate and the probability of being promoted.