Comparing the True Cost of Living Indices of Demographically Different Households

The comparison of true cost of living indices between demographically different households (relative equivalence scale) is argued to be sensitive to the way demographic characteristics enter demand analysis. In particular, parameters reflecting the cost of demographic characteristics at base prices, though themselves do not have welfare (equivalence scale) interpretation, can alter the benchmark from which demographically varying inflation effects are measured. The empirical analysis, based on a rank‐3 demand system applied to UK individual household data, shows that the inflation adjustment of child benefits can vary with the way demographic costs at base period prices are specified.     

THE LAST MILE: AN EXAMINATION OF EFFECTS OF ONLINE RETAIL DELIVERY STRATEGIES ON CONSUMERS

The Internet has increased the level of importance of the end‐consumer market to transportation carriers. In two between subject experiments, carrier disclosure on retail merchant websites is examined as a strategic differentiation strategy. Predictions are offered concerning effects of carrier disclosure strategies on product delivery‐related expectations, consumer attitudes, and intentions to purchase a product online. Results from Study 1 reveal significant differences between disclosure and nondisclosure of the carrier for numerous product delivery‐related variables, as well as many differences between the six carriers examined in this first study. Study 2 extends these findings by showing that providing consumers with a choice of carrier leads to increased levels of satisfaction with the online experience and greater willingness to buy, relative to nondisclosure and disclosure strategies.     

Time, attention, authenticity and consumer benefits of the Web

This article addresses three potential consumer behavior tendencies: perceived time scarcity, competition for consumers' attention, and quest for authenticity. It also reviews prior research results on consumer benefits of the Web, which include convenience, time savings, ease of use, cost savings, and selection of items. The most prevalent consumer concerns are safety, waiting time, and loss of human interaction. This paper concludes that both time and attention are closely related to measurable attributes of interactive environments, while the ideals of authenticity may influence behavior less directly.     

Food shopping and town centre vitality: exploring the link

Retail decentralization is associated with town centre decline and a concern for revitalization. Using the case of Llanelli, South Wales, the effects of a new food superstore on shopping behaviours and opinions are explored. Surveys in 1997, 1999 and 2001 reveal a dramatic change in patterns of food shopping, but no real change for purchases of clothing or DIY goods. Disadvantaged consumers, the carless and the elderly, were already heavily reliant on town centre shops before the opening of the new superstore and changes in their shopping patterns were no different from other shoppers. The 'social' vitality of the town centre increased, as did shoppers' satisfaction with town centre shopping, but major spin-off shopping or 'economic' vitality has not yet occurred.     

Measurement of Milk Container Preferences

Consumer preference for container types for fluid milk was investigated for gallon and half gallon containers using conjoint analyis. Consumers clearly preferred plastic jugs to paperboard for gallon containers, which explains the nearly complete capture of the gallon milk market by plastic. They prefer paperboard for half gallon containers, which corresponds to the failure of plastic to penetrate that size container very well. Relative prices of container types are adjusted for the utility consumers see in the containers. Utility adjusted prices of plastic gallon containers make them very competitive relative to alternative packaging materials. Prices of plastic half gallon containers make them less competitive once utilities are accounted for.     

Food Choice in an Interdisciplinary Context

Reform of agricultural policies, notably the continuing elimination of production‐enhancing subsidies, makes it possible for policies to respond to social issues such as the rural environment and health in future. In this paper, we draw on a Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) research project which is examining the potential for the development of healthy food chains and the implications for human health and the environment. One of the key issues to be addressed is consumers’ willingness to pay for the nutritionally enhanced food products from these new chains, but it is evident that only a partial understanding can be gained from a traditional economics approach. In the paper, we discuss how economists are beginning to incorporate views from other disciplines into their models of consumer choice.     

大学生消费行为存在的问题及对策

大学生是独特的消费群体,呈现出自身特点,大学生的消费观念会对他们世界观的形成起到一定的影响作用,因此要加强对大学生消费行为的关注。本文从当前大学生消费行为存在的问题出发,探讨引导大学生健康消费的对策。     

Impacts of the timing of the discovery of a subsequent event on the auditors’ approach to subsequent events

This study investigates the underlying causes affecting auditors’ approaches to subsequent events. As auditors are required to perform the majority of subsequent events procedures near the due date of the audit report, I examine whether auditors are less likely to make adjustments or disclosures regarding subsequent events that occur after the audit completion, but before issuing the audit report. Results indicate that auditors were less likely to adjust Type I events that occurred after audit completion when the risk was low, but not when the risk was high. This was not the case for Type II events, which only require disclosure.     

鼓励我国民营企业境外投资的税收政策研究

民营企业境外投资对我国经济发展具有重要意义。本文认为目前我国涉及民营企业境外投资的税收政策不够完善,政府有必要通过制定相关税收法规,加强国际税收协调,完善纳税服务体系等措施鼓励民营企业境外投资。