Taxation and the Environment–Health–Poverty Trap: A Policy Experiment Perspective

Under pressures related to economic growth and environmental protection, China is facing an increasingly severe “environment–health–poverty” trap risk. Fuel taxation is generally considered an effective policy to counter such a risk. Since 2009 China has raised the fuel tax rate many times to enhance tax reform. However, the effects of this policy remain unknown. Therefore, it is vitally important to estimate the impacts of China's current fuel taxation policy on environment, public health and the national economy. As the first attempt in existing literature on China, this paper builds a general equilibrium framework with the feedback effect of public health on economy. We find that that the fuel tax policy benefits the adjustment of the economic structure and improves human health; however, it is detrimental to economic growth, public welfare and price stability. In this sense, it plays a limited role in reducing the trap risk and might not be sustainable in the long term.     

Debates and dissent inside the FOMC during WWII

Abstract

We demonstrate that even though during WWII the interest rate was close to zero supporting the financing of the military effort, dissent inside the FOMC occurred with a similar frequency to other policy episodes. Our analysis highlights that the debates which resulted in dissents turned around two broad issues: the size of the Fed’s balance sheet as well as the functioning of and communication with financial markets. Thus, we argue that the conventional view depicting the Fed as merely accommodating treasury needs should be revised. Our detailed investigation of dissents emphasises the modernity of the objections raised by Fed officials.     

Neutralizing environmental uncertainties: the evolution of leadership in the South Korean TV station,KBS

ABSTRACT

Leadership studies on public TV companies are few and far between due to their peculiar status as a monopoly in the market. TV leadership has been deemed less important than the government that regulates it or the corporate advertisers who buy its air time. Using the theory of environmental threats and leadership evolution, this study analyses the personal data of CEOs at the Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), which is owned and controlled by the state from its conception in 1961. This contribution finds that different types of CEOs were favoured for each evolutionary stage with dissimilar environmental threats. Over the years, CEOs at KBS have become much more professionalized and were selected from inside rather than from the government. However, CEOs continue to pursue their political, rather than professional, roles to neutralize its external threats. It continues to be genuine that the most critical environmental threat for KBS is the state itself. The continuous political nature of KBS leadership makes it very difficult for the organization to be free from internal and external crises, including general strikes by employees and the sweeping layoff of key decision-makers in the firm by the government. It is expected that new CEOs at KBS should play professional roles for their long-term survival.     

Fundraising under two-dimensional asymmetric information: the case of mindless donations

The paper develops a model of charity’s choice of fundraising method under two dimensions of asymmetric information, quality and purpose. The main implication from this model is a separating equilibrium where the higher-quality charity uses a traditional fundraising method, while the lower-quality one exploits a low-stakes, take-it- or leave-it, ‘mindless’ method. Empirical results support the hypothesis that charities of lower quality are more likely to adopt the mindless fundraising method. Even so, consumers still choose to give in the equilibrium, due to the small requested amount of mindless donations, which disincentivizes serious thinking by consumers. The mindless method, along with purpose uncertainty, has the potential to alleviate the free-riding problem that is characteristic of public good provision and is, therefore, welfare improving.     

If It Works,I like It: Consumer Acceptance of Food-Related Nudging

Abstract

The aim of the current study is to investigate factors that influence consumer acceptance of food-related nudging. Previous studies indicate that perceived effectiveness may positively influence acceptance of nudging, while limited freedom of choice may reduce acceptance. On this basis, acceptance, perceived effectiveness and perceived limited freedom of choice were measured for 11 different food-related nudges in a national representative sample of 455 adults. Five of the nudges were variations of placement alteration, while six were variations of informational labeling. Perceived effectiveness was identified as a significant positive predictor for acceptance of all of the investigated nudges (p?<?0.001), while perceived limited freedom of choice decreased acceptance of all investigated nudges (p?≤?0.02). Perceived effectiveness was the strongest predictor for acceptance of all types of nudges (β-values from 0.55 to 0.75), yet perceived limited freedom of choice was also a significant factor (β-values from ?0.07 to ?0.23).     

Accounting for personal disposition and organizational context: connecting role ambiguity,public service motivation,and whistle-blowing in federal agencies

Abstract

Organizational psychologists and HRM scholars have long argued that prosocial organizational behaviors enhance organizational performance. However, prosocial behaviors are motivated by both self-interested and altruistic intent. Moreover, some have recognized that the factors that encourage shifts between egoistically and altruistically motivated prosocial behaviors may result from inherent tensions between individual disposition and situational contexts. As such, this study draws from literature examining prosocial behavior to evaluate whether work situations with clear task expectations dampen the extent to which prosocial personal dispositions diminish egoistically motivated prosocial behavior. Findings from a series of structural equation models reveal that altruistic dispositional traits diminish egoistic motives for engaging in one specific prosocial behavior, whistle-blowing. However, findings also reveal that work situations characterized by clear task expectations dampen the negative effect of altruistic dispositions on egoistically motivated whistle-blowing. Our findings imply that managers can adjust organizational contexts to capitalize on the enhanced benefits resulting from altruistically motivated prosocial behaviors.     

城镇化背景下治安治理社会化的探索与创新——以钱江世纪城派出所“物业联席会”创建为例

治安治理社会化的核心是社会力量的参与。从宋代的民治传统到建国以来的政策与实践探索,从警务社会化、治安管理社会化到治安社会化、社会治安社会化治理等概念的相继提出,构成了治安治理社会化的演进脉络。治安治理社会化的本质是治安秩序维护的多元化,强调多元化共治、过程性理念与互动性思维的有机统一。杭州市公安局萧山区分局以“物业联席会”机制创建为载体,整合社会资源,激发社会组织活力,为治安治理社会化提供了更多可能的路径。借鉴“物业联席会”的创建经验,城镇化背景下的治安治理社会化应坚持党委组织领导,协同推进组织载体创新、联动机制创新与智慧化手段运用相融合。     

浅谈宣传工作在构建和谐社会中的作用

文章阐述了宣传工作对构建社会主义和谐社会的重要性,并提出宣传工作应在构建社会主义和谐社会中发挥强有力的舆论导向作用。     

构筑高效应急物流运行机制的探讨

物流产业安全问题研究有利于提高我国现代物流产业的产业安全度．也有助于促进国民经济健康发展。安全应急物流运行机制对完善我国公共安全应急管理提供了有效途径。是提高政府应急管理能力的关键,需要从预测预警、应急处置、恢复重建、信息发布等方面进行分析。     

TOD模式下的城市公共交通枢纽设计方法研究

TOD模式是以城市公共交通枢纽为核心的高强度土地利用模式,在国际上以新加坡、斯德哥尔摩等等城市为代表。这种高效、集约、可持续发展的城市开发模式在国内也越来越受到重视。城市公共交通枢纽作为在TOD开发模式中重要的一部分,其规划、设计和建设管理等方面研究的重要性亦日益显现。本文尝试将TOD开发与枢纽本身的设计联系起来,研究TOD模式下的枢纽设计的流程与方法,以期能够更好的达到交通与土地利用之间的相互协调,为乘客提供便捷、舒适、人性化的服务。