Hide and uncover: the use of secrets in marketing

ABSTRACT

Amidst the forceful public demand for organisational transparency, there is an ambition to explore the limits of openness. What kind of information could and should firms keep secret and under which conditions? In this paper, we explore the limits of transparency in the marketing domain and develop a conceptual model of secrecy in marketing. We describe three modes of ‘secretive’ relations: between the brand and customers who know the brand secret (insiders), between the brand and customers from whom the secret is hidden (outsiders), and between insiders and outsiders. The effects of secrecy in marketing extend along with these three modes. First, secrecy creates value for insiders by reinforcing their connection to the brand. Second, it provokes outsiders’ curiosity, especially when the secret is related to a prominent brand. Finally, secrecy establishes insiders as an aspirational reference group for outsiders.     

供应链不确定性与安全库存研究

供应链不确定性的存在不可完全避免。解决供应链上不确定性的主要立足点是:在供应链系统集成的基础上设置必要的安全库存。在这个解决方案的指导下,通过对供应链及其目标和供应链库存管理目标的了解,找出供应链不确定性产生的原因及其与安全库存之间的关系,再通过模型对在供应链系统集成基础上的安全库存进行具体研究,从而得出研究结论。     

加入WTO后中国汽车贸易壁垒降低方式的不确定性

利用数学模型并结合实证分析 ,研究中国汽车市场在 2 0 0 1年至 2 0 0 6年期间贸易壁垒不同的降低方式及其对国内汽车业发展的利弊 ,以及降低方式的不确定所带来的政策制定的选择 ;探究贸易壁垒降低方式的不确定性对国外汽车公司战略的影响。最后 ,为国家制定汽车产业政策提出建议     

需求不确定条件下柔性劳动合约的设计与定价实物期权方法分析

应用实物期权方法分析企业在未来劳动力需求不确定的情况下,如何通过合理的劳动合约安排,以节约劳动力成本,同时保留维持和提高核心竞争力所需关键人力资源。然后通过对比柔性劳动合约与刚性劳动合约下劳动力总成本现值的差异,确定柔性劳动合约的柔性价值。     

Interlocks and firm performance: The role of uncertainty in the directorate interlock‐performance relationship

We examine how uncertainty influences the performance effects of directorate interlocks. Our study offers a new perspective of directorate interlocks as mechanisms that enable firms to improve performance when confronted with greater uncertainty, suggesting that uncertainty positively moderates the interlock‐performance relationship. This contrasts with the view based on resource dependence theory suggesting networks reduce uncertainty and enhance firm performance, implying that uncertainty mediates the interlock effect upon performance. Using a sample of 3,745 firms across manufacturing industries in the United States during the period 2001–2009, we find support for the moderation argument and less convincing support for mediation, suggesting that firms may not form interlocks necessarily to reduce uncertainty. Instead, firms may create interlocks to enable adaptation and enhance performance when confronted by uncertainty. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

紫外可见分光光度法测定环境空气中甲醛含量的不确定度评定

根据《化学分析中不确定度的评估指南》(CNAS-GL06:2006)及《测量不确定度评定与表示》(JJF 1059.1—2012),对分光光度法测定环境空气中甲醛含量的不确定度进行了评定。按照《空气质量甲醛的测定乙酰丙酮分光光度法》(GB/T 15516—1995)进行样品采集及测定。结果显示,由对环境空气中甲醛的采集及分析过程引入的相对不确定度分别为2.87%,8.63%,由标准曲线配制、工作曲线拟合、样品重复测定、样品前处理及仪器测定引入的相对不确定度分别为8.28%,2.33%,0.28%,0.55%及0.40%。     

制度环境、原油要素价格不确定性与企业现金持有--来自中国资本市场的经验证据

文章基于中观的生产要素市场层面,运用递归模型,实证考察特定的原油要素价格不确定性对中国上市公司现金持有水平的影响及其作用机理。研究结果表明,原油要素价格不确定性对上市公司现金持有水平具有显著的正向影响,且部分通过降低企业的投资支出来实现。基于中国制度背景的拓展性分析显示：相比国有上市公司和成品油定价市场化程度较低时期,相关的影响及其作用机理在非国有上市公司和成品油定价市场化程度较高时期表现得更为显著。     

成本粘性影响管理层自愿性盈利预测了吗？--来自中国A股上市公司的证据

文章研究成本粘性与管理层自愿性盈利预测之间的关联。结果发现：成本粘性增加了管理层发布自愿性盈利预测的倾向及频率,同时,成本粘性程度与乐观盈利预测呈正相关,与悲观盈利预测呈负相关。影响机制表明,成本粘性通过提高信息不对称程度和企业经营风险从而影响了管理层自愿性盈利预测披露。进一步研究发现,政府补助加强了成本粘性与管理层自愿性盈利预测披露之间的关系,企业社会责任与经济政策不确定性削弱了两者之间的关系;然而政府补助、企业社会责任与经济政策不确定性对成本粘性与管理层自愿性盈利预测性质之间的关系没有显著影响。此外,成本粘性对管理层自愿性盈利预测的影响在非国有企业、非国际四大审计的公司中更为显著。最后,管理层自愿性盈利预测披露的增加,降低了权益资本成本,提升了企业价值。本文的发现丰富了成本粘性经济后果和自愿披露信息影响因素的研究,并提供了关于管理层的自由裁量权和管理激励在影响企业成本结构和盈利预测信息披露方面的证据。     

On the monetary nature of the interest rate in a Keynes–Schumpeter perspective

Abstract

Keynes, in the General Theory, explains the monetary nature of the interest rate by means of the liquidity preference theory. The objective of this article is twofold. The first objective is to point out the limits of the liquidity preference theory. The fundamental limitation of this theory is that it does not allow to realize the intent declared by Keynes in 1933 to elaborate a monetary theory of production The second objective is to present a more solid theory of the monetary nature of the interest rate. It will be shown that an essential element of this explanation is Schumpeter’s analysis of the role of bank money in a capitalist economy. In fact, this analysis represents a fundamental tool to explain the characteristics that, according to Keynes, distinguish a monetary economy from a real-exchange economy