关于国家大安全观与小康安全建设思路的探讨

全面小康社会并非仅仅是一个富裕程度的概念，还是一个生产力水平、国际竞争力的概念。全面建设小康社会，追求的是物质、精神、生态、安全文明的共同发展。所以。衡量小康社会的标准除了经济指标外，还必须包括关乎国计民生的社会人文指标。     

我国证券纠纷调解机制的完善和金融申诉专员制度合理要素的借鉴

我国新修订的《证券法》于2020年3月1日正式施行。作为资本市场根本法规,《证券法》新增第六章"投资者保护"可谓亮点之一,其中第94条规定"强制调解制度"在诉讼和仲裁之外为投资者提供了新的维权路径,加强对投资者的事后保护。但目前我国证券纠纷调解机制仍有诸多问题,例如法律条文碎片化、调解协议刚性不足、调解衔接机制不完善、调解机构体系混乱、监督机制不力等,这些弊病从根本上严重影响证券纠纷调解机制的制度设计和程序运行。本文拟通过分析英国金融申诉专员制度的成熟经验,为我国证券纠纷调解机制的完善和发展提出优化路径。     

困境与出路:纳税人权利救济体系的完善

当前,我国税收征管实践中税务争议数量增多且日益复杂化,纳税人权利救济成为保障税务部门公正执法的重要路径。然而,我国纳税人权利救济体系仍存在诸多问题,导致纳税人行政复议权和行政诉讼权保障不充分。基于此,本文从三个视角进行了分析:一是提出"清税前置"和"复议前置"规则下纳税人权利救济体系的维权阻碍及其成本,并基于"当事人主义"提出改革路径;二是基于审查范围和审查力度提出纳税人权利救济体系低效及其修正的逻辑机制;三是从审理机构设置与案件事实查明的难易程度等视角分析纳税人权利救济裁判结果的质量与公信力。     

Integrating uncertain user-generated demand data when locating facilities for disaster response commodity distribution

This paper presents a new facility location problem variant with application in disaster relief. The problem is unique in that both verified data and unverified user-generated data are available for consideration during decision making. The problem is motivated by the recent need of integrating unverified social data (e.g., Twitter posts) with data from more traditional sources, such as on-the-ground assessments and aerial flyovers, to make optimal decisions during disaster relief. Integrating social data can enable identifying larger numbers of needs in shorter amounts of time, but because the information is unverified, some of it may be inaccurate. This paper seeks to provide a “proof of concept” illustrating how the unverified social data may be exploited. To do so, a framework for incorporating uncertain user-generated data when locating Points of Distribution (PODs) for disaster relief is presented. Then, three decision strategies that differ in how the uncertain data is considered are defined. Finally, the framework and decision strategies are demonstrated via a small computational study to illustrate the benefits user-generated data may afford across a variety of disaster scenarios.     

Planning the delivery of relief supplies upon the occurrence of a natural disaster while considering the assembly process of the relief kits

Models for the distribution of relief supplies often assume immediate availability of relief items upon the occurrence of a natural disaster. However, such an assumption does not always apply in realistic settings. In some cases, at least it is necessary to assemble relief items into kits before distributing them among the affected population. This paper presents a rolling horizon methodology that considers dynamic parameters such as demand, capacities and demand priorities for the problem of distributing relief supplies after the occurrence of a natural disaster by including such assembling activities before the delivery.     

Venture capital trusts and the expiration of IPO lock-up provisions

Venture capital trusts (VCTs) were introduced to provide private equity capital for small expanding companies and to promote innovation. Investors in initial public offerings are rewarded with tax relief on the cost of lock-up provisions to stabilize the market. This paper examines the market reaction and trading activity around the expiration of lock-up provisions of 148 VCTs listed on the London Stock Exchange from 1995 to 2006. Downward-sloping demand curve theory suggests that an increased supply of VCT shares at the expiry date could shift their value to a new equilibrium at a lower price. Supporting this prediction, we document evidence of negative abnormal returns as well as permanent increases in the price discount relative to net asset value and trading volumes at and around the expiries of the required holding periods of VCTs. In addition, less negative abnormal returns, lower abnormal discounts and lower abnormal trading volumes are associated with VCTs that invest in AIM-listed companies due to lower information asymmetry, that experience lower prior performance due to a less pronounced disposition effect, and that are subject to a shorter lock-up horizon or are offering more generous tax benefits.     

A Generalized Nash Equilibrium network model for post-disaster humanitarian relief

We develop a Generalized Nash Equilibrium network model for post-disaster humanitarian relief by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). NGOs derive utility from providing relief supplies to victims of the disaster at demand points in a supply chain context while competing with each other for financial funds provided by donations. The shared constraints consist of lower and upper bounds for demand for relief items at the demand points to reduce materiel convergence or congestion. This game theory problem is reformulated as an optimization problem and numerical examples and a theoretical case study on Hurricane Katrina given.     

Models for relief routing: Equity, efficiency and efficacy

In humanitarian relief operations, vehicle routing and supply allocation decisions are critically important. Similar routing and allocation decisions are studied for commercial settings where efficiency, in terms of minimizing cost, is the primary objective. Humanitarian relief is complicated by the presence of multiple objectives beyond minimizing cost. Routing and allocation decisions should result in quick and sufficient distribution of relief supplies, with a focus on equitable service to all aid recipients. However, quantifying such goals can be challenging. In this paper, we define and formulate performance metrics in relief distribution. We focus on efficacy (i.e., the extent to which the goals of quick and sufficient distribution are met) and equity (i.e., the extent to which all recipients receive comparable service). We explore how efficiency, efficacy, and equity influence the structure of vehicle routes and the distribution of resources. We identify trends and routing principles for humanitarian relief based on the analytical properties of the resulting problems and a series of computational tests.     

Charitable Donations: Evidence of Demand for Environmental Protection?

Using data from the 2001 Giving and Volunteering in the United States survey, I examine household charitable donations to environmental organizations. Household income has a positive impact on environmental giving. While the tax price affects overall charitable contributions, it does not affect environmental giving. More education, being female, homeownership, and voting are also associated with a greater likelihood of contributing to the environment. African-Americans and Latinos are less likely to contribute to the environment, although conditional on giving, Latinos give more. Retired persons and households with children are less likely to contribute to the environment. Larger households give less to the environment. Households from the Northeast are the most likely to make environmental contributions while households from the South are the least likely.

行政复议前置、税法确定性与税收治理现代化

行政复议前置的制度功能之一是保障税法确定性,这是税收治理现代化的内在要求。在税务法院全面设立以前,在专业机构完成税收争议的初次处理能够保障税法的统一解释与适用,提升税法的确定性。行政复议前置不仅可以将事实认定功能留给行政机关,让法院(无论是否设立税务法庭)能专事法律问题,而且在税制改革的背景下,能发挥过滤争议数量和争议焦点的作用,提高税收救济制度的效率。这种立场,并不损害纳税人的权利,相反保护了抽象和整体意义上的纳税人权利。