Changing patterns in the allocation of savings,investments and debts within couple relationships

Using data from the British Household Panel Study (BHPS) from 1995 to 2005 we examine the nature of the allocation of savings, investments and debts between heterosexual couple members, how these vary by individual and household characteristics, and how these patterns vary over a ten‐year time horizon. We find savings are more commonly held in joint names than investments or debts and there is evidence of an increasing independence in financial arrangements between couple members throughout the period 1995 to 2005. Controlling for age and other factors, cohabitation reduces the likelihood of shared financial arrangements. Both partners' labour market income affects the likelihood of having any savings or investments for both men and women but as men's labour income increases, the likelihood of men having jointly held savings and investments with their female partner reduces. Psychological well‐being is improved where individuals have any savings or investments either solely or jointly held with their partner.     

Fractional Price Matching Policies Arising from the Ocean Freight Service Industry

We consider a situation in which shippers (customers) can purchase ocean freight services either directly from a carrier (service provider)in advance or from the spot market just before the departure of an ocean liner. The price is known in the former case, while the spot price is uncertain ex‐ante in the latter case. Consequently, some shippers are reluctant to book directly from the carrier in advance unless the carrier is willing to “partially match” the realized spot price when it is lower than the regular price. This study is an initial attempt to examine if the carrier should bear some of the “price risk” by offering a “fractional” price matching contract that can be described as follows. The shipper pays the regular freight price in advance; however, the shipper will get a refund if the realized spot price is below the regular price, where the refund is a “fraction” of the difference between the regular price and the realized spot price. By modeling the dynamics between the carrier and the shippers as a sequential game, we show that the carrier can use the fractional price matching contract to generate a higher demand from the shippers compared to no price matching contract by increasing the “fraction” in equilibrium. However, as the carrier increases the “fraction,” the carrier should increase the regular price to compensate for bearing additional risk. By selecting the fractional price matching contract optimally, we show that the carrier can afford to offer this price matching mechanism without incurring revenue loss: the optimal fractional price matching contract is “revenue neutral.”     

A systematic model for assessing innovation competence of Hong Kong/China manufacturing companies: A case study

Although having moved to mainland China, Hong Kong manufacturing plus trading industry is still the largest contributor to Hong Kong GDP. However, they are facing great challenges like higher cost, lower value adding, higher pollution, and lower efficiency these years. Many of them have to be closed or moved out of the southern part of China. These companies have recognized the urgency to upgrade them by innovation. This paper reports a research that aims to analyze the innovation competence in Hong Kong manufacturing companies. The project starts with literature review and the development of a conceptual model. A structured interview guide was developed then. The model was used to evaluate the innovation competence of 7 case companies via a training and consultancy program. The literature provides a long list of critical factors or enablers for innovation (Badawy, 2011). However, they are all listed as linear, separate factors. This research proposes a multi-level model for assessing innovation competence which allows researchers to investigate strategic factors, operational factors and innovation process, separately.     

Processing Time Ambiguity and Port Competitiveness

Container seaports play an important role in cross‐border logistics as firms increasingly expand their global footprint in sourcing, manufacturing and distribution. Besides convenience of access to hinterland regions, a key metric for a port's attractiveness is its processing time, that is, its ability to clear goods within a consistent, predictable time frame. Due to differences in infrastructure, government regulations, and operating procedures, ports may exhibit different degrees of predictability in processing times: some are more predictable while others are more ambiguous. We study how ambiguity in processing times affects a port's attractiveness under various circumstances. We find that even if a port maintains a consistent expected processing time, increased ambiguity can still affect its attractiveness to firms, although not always negatively. The effect of ambiguity depends on its nature, whether the shipments are time‐sensitive, attitudes toward ambiguity, and trade terms surrounding shipments.     

完美法治

描述并批判三种不完善的法治概念的通行表述:法治即对抗政府强制性威权之盾(戴西的观点);法治即更高正义法规则之治;法治即规则之治或规则之法.尝试给出了法治概念更"全面"的说明:两种不完美的法治模式(高压法治和法外法治)和"完美法治",即法律作为自发行动之终极动因.完美法治要求法律的存在或法律的概念要与作为自觉行为根本动因的法律以及法治的状况共同存在相一致.每种观点的核心原则将予以介绍、评议,进而适用到国际环境中.     

人权观念在亚洲

从官方的材料中或多或少可以看出:亚洲各国政府或人民考虑人权观念这一问题时强调:(1)“两人相觉”的必要性;(2)个人与集体从家到国到世界的协调的与和谐的关系;(3)历史,文化与国家的背景;(4)人权对话与实施中的公平;(5)对待人权的综合的态度,但是强调经济,社会和文化方面的权利。另外,亚洲国家有倡导某良性生活的观念的倾向,这些观点在一个层次反映了亚洲各国政府或人民对主权的强调,在更深的层次反映了亚洲人由经受殖民主义统法治的经验诱发的对民族自决的强烈愿望。     

Long‐Term Effects of Fathers' Depressed Mood on Youth Internalizing Symptoms in Early Adulthood

While an accumulating body of research has documented increased risk of psychopathology among children of depressed fathers, most studies have used cross‐sectional design, and little is known about offspring outcomes beyond childhood. Using prospective data from a community sample (N = 395), we found that paternal depressive symptoms when children were in early adolescence (age 13) predicted offspring depressive and anxiety symptoms at age 21, controlling for baseline youth symptoms, maternal depressive symptoms, and other known correlates of internalizing problems in early adulthood. Associations were not moderated by maternal depressive symptoms or child gender. These results suggest that the unique and long‐term effects of paternal depression on children's risk of mood disorders may persist into adulthood.     

The Political Values and Choices of Husbands and Wives

This article applies theoretical ideas in the literature on the household division of labor to the analysis of partners’ political preferences. We regress men's and women's political party preferences on their own and their partners’ characteristics using data from the 1991 British Household Panel Survey (N =2,846). We find a symmetrical pattern of influence: Men and women both give greatest weight to their own political values but also accord some significant weight to their partners’ values. Economically dependent men, however, place virtually no emphasis on their partners’ political values. Apart from this, we suggest that there may be a process of mutual accommodation within couples regarding political preferences that leads to greater concordance in the partners’ preferences over time.     

On an alternative solution to the vector spline problem

Yee and Wild have presented additive extensions to multivariate regression models including generalized estimating equations. The back-bone of their methods was a vector spline, which was solved by direct solution. A back-fitting solution to the vector spline problem is presented here, with the implication that existing generalized additive model software can, with moderate effort, be modified to implement multivariate models.