Incorporating heterogeneity with store-level aggregate data

This paper introduces a methodology to incorporate heterogeneity in the analysis of store level aggregate data. The proposed model is validated using two sets of scanner panel data, for tuna and ketchup, and their corresponding weekly aggregate data. The model recovers the true parameters with acceptable accuracy.The model has several advantages over the previous aggregate models, such as the linear model, the semilog model, and the log-log model. First, the cross-price elasticities estimated from the model show the asymmetric responses to the price promotions very close to those from the logit model applied to the panel data. Second, the model shows better prediction performance.     

How price complexity takes its toll: The neglected role of a simplicity bias and fairness in price evaluations

Marketing managers commonly employ complex price plans. Surprisingly, limited and conflicting evidence reports how customers perceive and react to complex prices. This study examines perceptions about price complexity and shows that customers tend to prefer simple prices. Two experimental studies show that perceived price complexity negatively affects customer perceptions of price fairness and influences product choice because customers negatively evaluate the transparency of the firm's pricing practices and infer higher total prices. Customers comparing alternate offerings may therefore prefer simple over complex prices, even when the latter are less expensive. Study results suggest limiting price plan variations positively affects customer inferences about transparency and fairness, and thus customer choice.     

隧道穿越顺层偏压高瓦斯地段施工控制技术研究

本文就成贵铁路镇雄至毕节区间隧道施工为工程实例,以高坡隧道(D3K338+600.78~D3K343+168.78)在施工过程中穿越顺层偏压高瓦斯地段施工方法及施工控制技术为施工实例,详细阐述了隧道穿越顺层偏压高瓦斯地段时采用“横洞、平导、通风竖井+全封复合式衬砌”方法作为通风及支护的施工控制技术。     

Analysts' Forecasts Following Forced CEO Changes

This paper examines analysts' earnings forecasts during the period of uncertainty following a change of chief executive officer (CEO). It distinguishes between forced and non‐forced CEO changes, and examines whether analysts utilize their information advantage to reduce the heightened uncertainty of a forced change of CEO. Examining a sample of Australian companies followed by analysts between 1999 and 2009, we find that forecasting accuracy is lower and earnings forecasts are more optimistic for firms experiencing forced CEO turnover compared to firms not undergoing such a change. However, dispersion is not statistically different. The results suggest that forced CEO turnover events provide a challenge to the forecasting environment for analysts. During CEO changes, investors should be aware that forecasts are less accurate and have an optimistic bias.     

“省直管县”弱化了资源的城市偏向性配置吗?———财政转移支付视角简

中国长期存在的“城乡二元分治”制度导致资源配置呈现明显的城市偏向特征,加剧了城乡不平等,也不利于社会和谐。基于财政转移支付的视角,文章研究发现,“省直管县”改革通过以下两个机制扭转了资源的城市偏向性配置：第一,“省直管县”改革提高了县乡经济发展激励,增加了县乡公共服务支出责任并提高了县级地区资金匹配能力,有利于县乡在既有分配规则下获取更多的财政转移支付。第二,“省直管县”改善了基层政府的财政地位,减少了上级政府的资金截留;同时使县辖区公共需求向上的传递渠道更加顺畅,从外部环境上为其获得更多的财政转移支付创造了条件。此外,多维度的检验也为深入了解财政转移支付分配规则的缺陷以及如何增进财政转移支付分配的公平性提供了经验证据。     

An Empirical Analysis of the Bias and Rationality of Profit Forecasts Published in New Issue Prospectuses

Our study sets out to assess the accuracy of profit forecasts made by IPOs in Hong Kong. We use a variety of measures and tests to examine the accuracy, bias, rationality, and superiority of earnings estimates. The results show that forecast accuracy compares favourably with the findings from the developed economies of Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. Forecasts are shown to be superior to the predictions from time series models. IPOs tend to underforecast in the sense that actual profits exceed the forecasts. The rationality tests show mixed results. Cross-sectional analyses of forecast accuracy have poor explanatory power although the Big Six reporting accountants are associated with smaller forecast errors.     

Economies of scale and trade policy: The median voter model revisited

Why do some political economy models perform so poorly in predicting actual trade policy? Do scale economies provide the missing puzzle to our understanding of the anti-trade bias? By integrating economies of scale in production, this paper theoretically reinstates the median voter model as in Mayer [Mayer, W. (1984). Endogenous tariff formation. The American Economic Review, 74, 970–985] as a suitable political economy model in predicting trade policy. The modified model generates the scope for the anti-trade bias and predicts that sometimes economic, rather than political, considerations may lead to restrictive trade.     

A Middle Class Image of Society

We studied undercoverage and nonresponse in a telephone survey among the population of the City ofGroningen, the Netherlands. The original sample, drawn from the municipal population register,contained 7000 individuals. For 37 percent of them, the telephone company was unable to produce a validtelephone number. Of those with a known telephone number, 49 percent did not answer the telephone orrefused to cooperate. As a result, the final respondents comprised merely 32 percent of the originalsample. To study distributional bias, we used individual-level data compiled from municipal records asour benchmark. Bivariate as well as multivariate analyses showed the undercoverage to be stronglyrelated to all sociodemographic variables studied, except gender. Nonresponse was related to age, countryof origin, marital status, and household size and composition, but not to gender, unemployment, socialassistance benefit, and education. Both undercoverage and nonresponse contributed to a strong middleclass bias in the final data set: middle-aged and older, economically secure people, of Dutch origin andliving with others in a household are overrepresented, while persons in disadvantaged and marginalpositions, such as the young, people of foreign stock, the unemployed, persons depending on publicincome support and singles are underrepresented.