'More is not necessarily better': the relationship between the quantity and quality of training efforts

International comparisons indicate that, on average, Belgian companies spend less on training than their French, German and Dutch counterparts. Encouraging companies to commit to training has consequently been an important policy goal over the last few years. One notable aspect of the policy to encourage training efforts by companies is that the effort is always represented in terms of the resources invested (input), not in terms of the learning achieved (output) or the quality of training programmes (throughput). Government policy is aimed at increasing the level of investment in company training. One of the questions we wish to investigate is whether this input-oriented approach to the training issue is actually effective. Whether companies will succeed in raising human capital to ever-increasing levels may depend not only (and maybe not even chiefly) on the extent of financial investment in training. The investment level does not necessarily determine the quality of the training processes developed by companies. Therefore, this paper focuses on the following research questions: (1) to what extent do companies monitor the systematic development of sufficiently effective training processes? In other words, is qualitative under-investment an issue, alongside financial under-investment? (2) Is the level of financial investment in company training correlated to the quality of training processes? The empirical data confirm that a kind of 'qualitative' under-investment can be reported and that the relationship between the level of investment in training and the quality of the training programmes is weak.     

Designing and implementing conservation tender metrics: Twelve core considerations

In conservation tenders metrics are intended to describe the values that would result from alternate investments; they are the linkage between individual on-ground projects and tender scheme proponents. These metrics have received little attention by economists yet are the critical linchpin that defines the nature of the values that are traded in markets. In this paper we identify twelve lessons that can guide practitioners in metric design. These lessons embrace the principal biophysical changes likely to result from management change at each site and in combination, and reflect the values that society places on the outcomes from these changes. Practical application is explored through four example tenders encompassing five metrics which demonstrate substantial variation from the lessons identified. The practical consequences for cost-efficiency of investment, and for the use of conservation tenders generally, are unclear because of the practical and political difficulties in developing effective conservation tender approaches.     

Risk-based decision analysis in support of precautionary policies

A decision-analytic model for avoiding a risky activity is presented. The model considers the benefit and cost of avoiding the activity, the probability that the activity is unsafe, and scientific tests or studies that could be conducted to revise the probability that the activity is unsafe. For a single decision maker, thresholds are identified for his or her current subjective probability that the activity is unsafe. These thresholds indicate whether the preferred course of action is avoiding the activity without further study, engaging in the activity without further study, or conducting a test or research programme to obtain additional information and following the result. When these thresholds are low, precautionary action is more likely to be warranted. When there are multiple stakeholders, differences in their perceptions of the benefit and cost of avoidance and differences in their perceptions of the accuracy of the additional information provided by the test or research programme combine to create differences in their decision thresholds. Thus, the model allows for the rational expression of differences among parties in a way that highlights disagreements and possible paths to conflict resolution. The model is illustrated with an application to phytosanitary standards in international trade and examined in terms of recent empirical research on lay perceptions of risks, benefits, and trust. Further research is suggested to improve the elicitation of model components, as a way of fostering the legitimate application of risk-based decision analysis in precautionary policy making.     

C2C电子商务卖家及其产品成交量的多层线性影响分析

论文以淘宝网为对象收集样本,运用多层线性模型研究价格、信息描述、默认排名、卖家信用度和卖家好评率对成交量的影响。结果显示成交量在不同商家间存在显著的差异,价格和信息描述会对成交量产生重要影响而默认排名影响不显著,卖家信用度和卖家好评率会对成交量产生显著的影响。     

含有中间变量的农村信用社可持续经营效率评价

本文借助含有中间变量的两阶段DEA评价方法对陕西省涉农地区不同信用社的可持续经营效率进行了评价。得出了大部分涉农地区基层信用社存在存款严重不足、发放贷款效率比吸收存款效率高、非利息支出过多、非利息收入不足等结论。     

我国胶合板国际竞争力的比较分析

本文首先回顾了我国胶合板的生产与贸易现状;然后依据三种不同的国际竞争力测算方法,在选取不同类型国家的基础上,进行了胶合板国际竞争力的国际比较分析;紧接着,从理论与实证角度,对不同指数测算结果进行了系统的比较;最后,通过整合与归纳不同的分析结果,提出了对于提升我国胶合板国际竞争力的几点启示。     

再论中国金融体系的脆弱性

本文的目的就是通过验证我国金融体系在不完全市场的制约条件下,能否发挥"价值创造、价格发现、风险分散、流动性供给、信息生产和公司治理"这六大基本功能,以及通过进一步检验货币政策的有效性,来揭示当今中国金融体系脆弱性的表现及其症结所在.论文通过分析发现,目前影响我国金融体系"健全性"的两大基本要素是房地产价格和流动性,它们直接左右银行的信贷行为;相反,利差幅度和基础货币的调控却没有显著的制约效果.所有这些特征都恰恰反映了我国金融体系的基本功能至今为止还没得到有效的发挥.     

汇改、人民币国际化与汇率定价权 —基于双边随机前沿模型的实证研究

本文通过构建人民币外汇市场中关于人民币汇率定价权力的双边随机前沿模型, 分析了中外定价权差异对于人民币汇率的影响。实证研究表明,中国在人民币外汇市场上较外 部经济体具有更强的定价权力,近期的汇率贬值并非政府操作行为而是市场均衡结果;人民币 国际化和汇率市场化进程可以矫正偏离。本文的政策建议为：（1）继续推进人民币国际化和 汇改市场化进程。（2）进一步提高外部经济体参与人民币外汇市场交易的深度和广度。     

政府负债会计的会计政策选择原则论析——以美国联邦政府为例

政府负债是政府部门以各种信用形式筹集资金,缓解财政支出压力,顺利履行各类政府职能的重要手段,也是引发财政危机,威胁一国财政安全的主要因素.加强对政府负债的管理,控制财政风险,高质量的政府负债会计与财务报告信息是重要的前提保证.因此,完善政府负债的会计核算始终是推动各国政府会计变革的重要动因,其中,对负债计量、确认等会计政策的选择则成为当前政府会计实践关注的焦点,本文以美国联邦政府为例,对政府负债会计的会计政策选择及其原则进行了分析,以提供借鉴.     

高校科研经费间接成本核算模型构建--基于政府会计制度背景

科研经费间接成本是对高校开展科研活动的成本补偿,随着《政府会计制度》的实施,高校在会计核算模式、财务报告编制方面都发生了重大的变化,新制度为高校成本核算提供了制度保障。本文阐述了科研经费间接成本的构成及研究现状,梳理了从资源归集、作业中心成本计算及科研项目成本分摊的整个核算流程。根据资源消耗的不同特点,运用作业成本法和权重比例法的理论和方法,科学地对科研经费间接成本进行分类和分摊,构建了比较完整地高校科研经费间接成本核算模型。同时提出了与模型运用相配套的建议:制定具体行业的间接成本核算规定,规范间接成本的核算;构建并完善高校成本管理系统并加强财务人员的培养;根据高校自身特点,制定科研经费间接成本核算体系。