Measuring and Achieving Equity in Multiperiod Emergency Material Allocation

Emergency material allocation is an important part of postdisaster emergency logistics that is significant for improving rescue effectiveness and reducing disaster losses. However, the traditional single‐period allocation model often causes local surpluses or shortages and high cost, and prevents the system from achieving an equitable or optimal multiperiod allocation. To achieve equitable allocation of emergency materials in the case of serious shortages relative to the demand by victims, this article introduces a multiperiod model for allocation of emergency materials to multiple affected locations (using an exponential utility function to reflect the disutility loss due to material shortfalls), and illustrates the relationship between equity of allocations and the cost of emergency response. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate both the feasibility and the usefulness of the proposed model for achieving multiperiod equitable allocation of emergency material among multiple disaster locations. The results indicate that the introduction of a nonlinear utility function to reflect the disutility of large shortfalls can make the material allocation fairer, and minimize large losses due to shortfalls. We found that achieving equity has a significant but not unreasonable impact on emergency costs. We also illustrate that using differing utility functions for different types of materials adds an important dimension of flexibility.     

试论权利的演变及其成本——基于政府实现公共利益能力的视角

无论从任何角度考察，权利都以政府的巨大财政成本作为后盾，否则权利便无从实现。当现代政府的公共利益责任与权利成本发生矛盾时，如何协调二者之间的关系，将权利成本最小化、公共利益最大化，就成为理论界与实务界必须承担的责任。     

可持续发展理论的经济学反思

由于可持续发展理论自身存在着一定的缺陷 ,使得这一理论在实践中实施效果不佳。在对可持续发展的概念、可持续发展与外部性的关系、生态成本等基本问题进行反思的基础上 ,提出在可持续发展的实施过程中要区分两类不同的问题。对于代内的现期环境问题可采取科斯手段与庇古手段来加强治理 ,而对于代际累积的生态问题则需要通过强化制度安排和政策引导来予以解决。     

A Review of Kyoto Protocol Adoption in Russia: Joint Implementation in Focus

Russia’s role in ‘animation’ of the Kyoto Protocol was crucial. Its initial vacillation on ratification was predominantly due to political bargaining with the EU. Domestic economic rationales [i.e. impacts of emission trading and Joint Implementation (JI) projects] were important to a much lesser extent and environmental motives did not seem to play any role in the decision. Since the Protocol entered into force, there have been significant delays in complete establishment of policy implementation frameworks, which are necessary for Russia to start benefiting from JI and emission trading. Only recently, in 2007, have GHG inventories and a national registry been established and the responsibilities for implementation of the Protocol and JI among the government departments have been distributed only to a certain extent. Some constraints hindering JI projects, such as vague legislation, an unfavourable economic climate, lack of commitment to JI projects, corruption, xenophobia, state and agency ‘capture’ still remain.      

A toolbox for public relations: The oeuvre of Michel Foucault

In this article, we provide a brief introduction to the work of Michel Foucault. Our focus is on the major themes of Foucault's work: discourse, power/knowledge and subjectivity. We demonstrate the rich contribution that Foucauldian theory can make to public relations practice and scholarship by moving beyond a focus on excellence towards an understanding of public relations as a discourse practice with power effects.     

美国农业保护政策简介

农业是美国所有产业中竞争最激烈的产业之一 ,农业的激烈竞争主要是由进入“门槛”低所致。在 1981到 1990年期间 ,美国联邦政府花在农业上的补贴超过 2 50 0亿美元。价格补贴是美国农业保护政策的基础 ,成本补贴又使因价格补贴导致的市场过剩更加严重。对农民采取直接收入补贴政策的好处在于 :该政策能在不引起市场价格和农业产出扭曲的情况下 ,保证农民收入能达到一定水平     

The impact of P.L. 93-641, the National Health Planning and Resources Development Act, upon health and mental health programming

Federal legislation regarding health care in the U.S. has increased rapidly in the past few years. A major law with potential far-reaching effects was enacted as a result of increasing legislation and rising health care costs. This law,The National Health Planning and Resources Development Act,has created a network of over 200 local, mostly nongovernment units, called health systems agencies. These agencies are responsible for areawide health planning, plan implementation, review and approval of federal health care expenditures for local programs, and facilities review. They will affect health and mental health programs at the local level. The article is directed to local health and mental health care providers who will, of necessity, deal directly with the local HSA's.     

非对称信息条件下成本控制模型研究

运用委托代理理论方法探讨了信息不对称条件下,生产管理者如何激励生产者努力降低成本的问题。信息不对称情况下,管理者不能观测到生产者为降低成本而付出的努力,因此管理者需要对生产者进行激励。管理者根据自己的要求和生产者的自报数确定了一个合约基数,并建立了满足生产者个体理性约束和激励相容约束条件下的管理者期望效用最大化模型,分别以奖励系数和惩罚系数为决策主量。运用进化规划算法作了仿真计算。     

公司并购绩效与公司边界:交易费用的视角

公司并购重组是重新确定公司边界的一种有效机制。本文充分整合产权理论、交易费用经济学、影响成本理论以及公司并购协同效应理论,推导出影响公司边界的若干因素,确定出影响公司并购绩效的主要潜在因素,再在此基础上建立一个分析公司并购绩效与公司边界的综合性理论框架。结果发现,资产专用性、影响成本与公司并购协同效应都将对公司边界的调整和公司并购绩效产生决定性的影响,而且这个影响的大小又取决于治理结构、融资工具以及组织结构等诸多因素。     

Do flexible work schedules reduce turnover in U.S. federal agencies?

Agency theory suggests that when agencies adopt flexible work schedules, employees will be more likely to remain with the organization, because these programs demonstrate that the organization cares about their well-being in that flexible work schedules give them more flexibility regarding when, where, and how they perform their work. To test this proposition, cross-sectional panel data at the agency level were obtained from two federal government sources: Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and FedScope. Furthermore, transfers and quits were the two forms of turnover examined. After lagging the independent variables behind turnover over several years so as to provide a robust test of causality, the results show only limited support for agency theory. Specifically, teleworking was found to lower quits. However, teleworking was not found to reduce transfers or turnover, in general. Furthermore, alternative work schedules were not found to have an impact on quits, transfers, or turnover generally.