净化绿色宣传

近几年,世界各地的公司在宣传其产品、服务和公司品牌时,越来越多地对环保性和可持续性等优点进行刻意的宣传,"漂绿"行为屡见不鲜:通用汽车为了宣传其产品的环保性能,在广告中将GM suv车放置于自然栖息地,就好像它们与野生动物一样自然;埃克森美孚公司宣称:我们呼吸的空气越来越好,而不是更糟.最终,在美国环保监督机构Earth DayResources for Living Green和美国环保组织联盟ecopledge.com联合举办的"最遭环境破坏者"评选活动中,这两个公司均受到批评.     

Determinants of Household Expenditures on Alcohol

This paper examines the determinants of household alcohol expenditures by using a nonnormal and heteroscedastic double-hurdle model to accommodate zero observations in the sample. The model is a generalization of the double-hurdle model estimated in previous studies of alcohol consumption. We also examine the effects of explanatory variables by calculating and decomposing the elasticities. Findings support the use of a more generalized error distribution. Income, region, education, and household demographics are among the significant determinants of alcohol expenditures.     

Consumer Reaction to a Risk/Benefit/Option Message about Agricultural Chemicals in the Food Supply

Audience segmentation and focus group methods were used to evaluate consumer reactions to a risk/benefit/option message about agricultural chemicals in the food supply. The approach was well-received and showed potential for raising consumers' concerns regarding health and environmental risks associated with pesticides, along with confidence in their ability to minimize exposure to residues. Concern and confidence increased most among consumers who already were concerned and who were most removed from agriculture.     

Home Equity Use and the Life Cycle Hypothesis

The life cycle hypothesis of consumption assumes the household to take a life-time perspective on all resources available for consumption, and to use the assets accumulated during the life-time to fund later consumption. Typically, households in the middle, high earning years, are able to save; younger and older households borrow or dissave. For many, a large share of accumulated household assets reside in home equity. This paper analyzes the propensity to use home equity to fund current consumption using a logit analysis of homeowners. The results support earlier criticism of the life cycle hypothesis in finding that older households do not rely on dissaving from assets. Older homeowners are less likely to use home equity to fund current consumption than others. Both sociodemographic determinants of life cycle changes as well as income variables are significant determinants of willingness to use home equity. Liquidity considerations appear to be less important.