Perceptions of the benefits of the A3 planner in facilitating project-based learning in accounting education

This paper evaluates ways of instilling project management skills into accounting-based learning by the use of an iterative A3 planner to plan, monitor and review assignment progress. The application of an A3 planner to facilitate a project-based learning (PBL) group assignment in undergraduate accounting education has been critically evaluated in terms of both the student and tutor experience. The study uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data assisting exploration of perceptions were collected through 100 undergraduate students. A series of focus group discussions were carried out to investigate students’ engagement and tutors’ teaching experiences regarding the adoption of the A3 planner. The results suggest that the A3 planner promotes active planning and effective management of a PBL group assignment. It makes students’ thought processes more visible thereby facilitating and enhancing the tutoring/mentoring process. Moreover a more interactive and transparent approach by doing assignment via the use of an iterative A3 planner has ensured more feedback points and action based efficiency in the doing approach for learners.     

Analysis of China＇s Convention Industry： Problems and Countermeasures

As a new tourist product that can generate large expenditure to economy, convention industry is highly regarded by the government and enterprises of different countries. In China, convention industry develops steadily and has brought great economic benefits for national economy. However, compared with those countries in which convention industry is much developed and mature, the convention industry in China still faces great challenges when competing in world market. Based on the analysis of the current situation of development of convention industry in China, the paper focuses on the main problems of convention industry in China and then put forwards some countermeasures of how to develop convention industry in a sound and scientific way.     

Perceptions of Convention Destinations

Abstract

This paper discusses the perceptions of North American convention destinations as held by association meeting planners. Based on a primary survey of meeting planners, it reveals distinct differences between the destinations. The comparative analysis of large-half and small-half meeting planners discloses a few significant differences with respect to which decision attributes are important in choosing a convention destination. However, hardly any differences exist in the perceptions of the destinations themselves between the two groups of meeting planners.     

Self-coordination in time inconsistent stochastic decision problems: A planner–doer game framework

Time inconsistency has been a thorny issue in many economic and financial decision making problems, especially when risk measures are involved in performance criteria. We develop in this paper a two-tier planner–doer game framework with self-coordination. By aligning the global interest of the planner and the local interests of the doers by applying suitable penalty functions, a degree of internal harmony (measured quantitatively by the expected cost of self-coordination) can be achieved by the self-coordination policy. We establish an axiom system for modified preferences, under which the self-coordination policy can be obtained by solving a corresponding optimization problem. We then apply our game framework successfully in dynamic mean-variance portfolio selection.     

An examination of green intention: the effect of environmental knowledge and educational experiences on meeting planners’ implementation of green meeting practices

Environmental sustainability has become an important concern in staging meetings and events. This paper introduces the Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Report and goes on to investigate whether prior knowledge and educational experiences related to environmental sustainability are influential factors in planners’ commitment to engaging in ecologically friendly behavior. Using a nine-point questionnaire, 278 delegates at North America's largest one-day event for meeting planners were sampled. Regression analysis showed that the intention to implement green meeting practices is positively influenced by both prior knowledge of and educational experience with greening practices. In particular, educational experiences were found to be a strong influential factor contributing to meeting planners’ intention to implement green meeting practices. By providing operational definitions of knowledge and education, it proves that knowledge gained by an unstructured format was less effective than the impact of education on green intention. Accordingly, this study not only highlights academic discussions on environmental knowledge-building through formal education but also derives managerial implications for the meeting and event industry by outlining ways to incorporate continuing professional education in sustainable meetings and events. A range of ideas for the content of that professional education is presented, along with the possibilities for e-learning.     

Capital indivisibility and tax competition: Are there too many business areas when some of them are empty?

In this paper, we propose a model where local jurisdictions must engage a development cost before competing for hosting a firm with uncertain preferences among possible sites. We first show that even an optimizing central planner managing all the jurisdictions develops more sites than there are plants to host. Doing so, he diversifies his supply and has a higher probability of hosting the firm. Then, we show that, if every jurisdiction is managed by a local government, there are more developed sites than with the central planner, which implies excess supply.     

国有资本收入对养老保险的划拨率研究

本文试图建立一个基于中国特殊国情基础之上的关于国有资本收入划拨社会保障制度的研究框架,对我国国有资本收入如何与社会保障制度进行联系提供理性分析框架,并提出建设性的意见。本文将国有资本收入转移到养老保险制度的比例定义为划拨率,对于这个划拨率的最优选择问题就是本文研究的重点。通过构建一般均衡模型。研究发现在一定的条件下,随着划拨率的不断提高,以总消费为代表的社会福利水平出现先增长后下降的趋势,这预示存在着使社会福利极大的最优的划拨率水平。     

教师在互动英语教学中的角色探析

教师在互动英语教学中应摆脱以往的束缚，与学生在课堂上互相配合，以达到提高学生英语能力的目的。在课堂上教师应该以规划者、指导者、总结者的身份出现，强调以学生为中心，教师采取一种合作、默契的态度。     

Characteristics of a Meeting Planner

ABSTRACT

This is an exploratory research project about meeting planning professionals. Survey responses were collected from 288 meeting professionals in an Internet based survey. The results found a significant difference in perception of minority representation in the industry. The study also found that career counselors are not making students in high school or college aware of meeting planning as a profession, so therefore, they are not studying it in college. People instead are finding out about it in nontraditional ways, such as learning on the job, friends and co-workers. As a result, top skills listed that are needed to succeed included personality or character traits rather than skills that could be learned.     

Profiling the Hotel and Conference Center Meeting Planner

Abstract

Meeting planners are recognized leaders of the sweeping changes that have occurred in the hospitality industry in the last two decades (Raimondi, 1989). However, a review of professional and industry journals reveals a large disparity in the amount of attention afforded the corporate meeting planner in comparison to others in the profession, especially those in the hotel conference center arena. This article presents an overview of the evolution of the meeting planner and explores demographic data and current trends in the rapidly growing profession.