Quality Management in Multi‐Level Supply Chains with Outsourced Manufacturing

Outsourcing stretches supply chains longer with added contract manufacturers responsible for the manufacturing of parts and final products. Should a firm change its quality management approach as its supply chain becomes longer with outsourced manufacturing? This paper studies a brand owner's optimal choice between two commonly used quality management approaches: an inspection‐based approach and an external failure‐based approach, in two supply chains – a dyadic supply chain and a multi‐level supply chain where the brand owner outsources manufacturing to an independent contract manufacturer. Our study finds that the brand owner's optimal choice between the two quality management approaches could be opposite in the two supply chains. Specifically, we show that if agency costs exist between the contract manufacturer and the brand owner, the brand owner may prefer an inspection‐based approach in the multi‐level supply chain in contrast to preferring an external failure‐based approach in the dyadic supply chain. In particular, inspections can be effective for the brand owner to limit the manufacturer's profit by excluding defective finished products and components, which in turn reduce agency costs in the multi‐level supply chain. Hence, the efficiency of an inspection‐based approach relative to an external failure‐based approach can be higher in the multi‐level supply chain as compared to the dyadic one. Our findings suggest that firms should adjust to changes in supply chain structures and re‐evaluate the efficiencies of different quality management approaches accordingly.     

How Well-Informed Are Pension Scheme Members on Their Future Pension Benefits? Evidence from Ireland

One part of the policy response in many countries to increasing pension coverage will be greater private provision on the part of individuals. This requires that individuals are well informed about pensions. In this article, we assess levels of knowledge of pensions using a representative sample of older Irish adults. We find that two-thirds of individuals enrolled in pension schemes do not know what amount will be paid out on retirement and/or whether the payments will be in the form of lump sums, monthly payments, or both. One policy implication is the need for increased information to be directed at certain groups, in particular, women and less educated people. More fundamentally, the results suggest that the mandatory elements in pension systems should be extended.     

县权、县政和县域治理的逻辑关联与进程

中国县级管理从学术讨论到县级管理改革讨论存在三个既相互关联又相互区别的分析视角：县权、县政和县域治理。县权的权力结构、县政的政权架构和县域治理的公共协商取向存在制度创新的路径依赖特征,体现为制度合作方式的不断演进。县级管理制度创新可以探索县级管理变革的制度合作复合形态,核心环节是权力结构和政权架构的整体设计,这是县级管理改革有序发展的基本保证。     

基于资源和能力观的农民工新创企业成长路径探析

资源和能力是企业成长的基础,新创企业总是在资源与能力“均衡、失衡、再均衡”的过程中实现螺旋式成长。对农民工创业而言,新创企业的资源累积和能力提升难以同步,嵌入社会网络和产业网络以获取资源或者累积能力,是农民工新创企业实现资源与能力均衡发展的重要渠道。由于农民工创业者各自拥有的网络渠道不同,农民工新创企业成长可以有两条不同的路径:一是以资源累积为基础,在企业规模扩张过程中实现能力提升,进而实现资源与能力均衡,即“由外延到内涵”的新创企业成长路径;二是以能力提升为基础,在企业核心能力累积过程中实现规模扩张,进而实现能力与资源均衡,即“由内涵到外延”的新创企业成长路径。重视农民工创业者的获取资源与能力的网络渠道差异,才能够提高政府扶持农民工创业的政策绩效。     

Disabled people,choices and collective organisation: examining the potential of cooperatives in future social support

Major shifts in funding, demography, personal expectations and the rise of a global disabled people’s movement require new and creative solutions to the choices and rights agenda into the twenty-first century. Direct payments and the individual employment of personal assistants is one clear and recognised path to independent living. However, there have been some reservations about the nature, process and impact of the broader personalisation agenda more generally within which direct payments and personal budgets are located. Some commentators point to the loss of the collective impulse in personalised approaches – ideas that were central to the development of the independent living movement and its founding principles. Some countries have seen the rise of collective responses to direct payment developments. This is explicable in terms of a suspicion of individualist underpinnings of personalisation coupled with a collective vision of social life. This article is based on an exploratory study of collective approaches in the field of direct payments where choice and social solidarity are being combined. Drawing on developments in Sweden, England and Wales, the article aims to inform possible future debates about direct payments and cooperative approaches and argues that greater user-control is not inimical to enhanced collective action.     

Stationary bootstrapping for panel cointegration tests under cross-sectional dependence

Stationary bootstrapping is applied to panel cointegration tests which are based on the ordinary least-squares estimator and the seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) estimator of the residual unit root. Large sample validity of stationary bootstrapping is established. A finite sample experiment reveals that size performances of the bootstrap tests are much less sensitive to cross-sectional correlation than those of existing tests and a test based on the SUR estimator has substantially better power than existing tests.     

The problem of social generations: a critique of the new emerging orthodoxy in youth studies

Over the previous seven years the application of a social generation paradigm or ‘theory’ has gained increasing currency as a method in analysing young people's relationship with the life course. Whilst not a new concept or approach its resurgence and reconfiguration to ‘new’ times has seen some writers positioning it as a ‘new orthodoxy’ or ‘consensus’ within youth studies. In this it is seen as providing a conceptual framework that better helps us understand the complexity of circumstances and conditions that shape youth identities in late modern society. In this paper we examine and explore the underlying assumptions and claims that are made by those advocating the social generational paradigm, raising questions and seeking further clarification on a number of key themes. We accept youth studies needs to move beyond ‘old models’ that define and understand social context as a simply a tension between ‘structure or/and agency’ or as a ‘flavour’ to social action. To conclude therefore we propose the need to have an approach that is ecological and both accepts ‘social change’ and ‘continuity’ as critical parts of the life course, one that recognises the nature and influence of power and social reproduction, especially for different social classes, in shaping the experience of being young.     

我国民俗学教育与研究的现状及思考--以高校为主要考察对象

近20多年,中国民俗学取得长足发展.但就当前民俗学学科而言,高校民俗学学科点的不足,学界对民俗学学科认识的偏差,严重制约了民俗学学科的发展和兴旺.民俗学课程和毕业生的自产自销,导致了令人悲哀的"自娱自乐"的困境.进行民俗文化教育,可以让大学生接受民族文化传统的熏陶,是思想政治教育和爱国主义教育的有机组成部分.在经济大潮汹涌的社会环境中,这种教育显得尤为重要.     

究竟哪一个是社会历史发展的动力——对马克思主义动力论的逻辑考察

关于社会历史发展动力问题,有多种说法,如“生产力(社会基本矛盾运动)”、“阶级斗争(革命)”、“人民群众”、“历史合力”、“现实的人的需要(利益)”、“现实的人”、“创新”、“改革”等。就社会历史发展动力的表述,在马克思、恩格斯的著作中包含有七个层面——现实的人的需要是社会存在和发展的前提条件;实践是社会生活的本质体现;物质生产是社会存在和发展的基础;社会基本矛盾运动是历史规律性发展的根据;在阶级社会中,阶级斗争是历史发展的直接动力;人民群众是历史发展的主体动力;历史的“合力”构成社会发展的系统动力机制。马克思、恩格斯是在不同语境中,从不同层面上的问题出发作出的不同表述,彼此相通相融,不存在矛盾现象。实际上,马克思、恩格斯强调“生产力是社会历史发展的动力”,其“动力”是指客观现实性的、本原意义上的动力。当前,又有几种新提法,如“现实的人”、“现实的人的需要(利益)”、“创新”、“改革”、“新‘合力’动力论”等都是从不同角度提出来的,并非对“生产力”动力论的超越。     

率先基本实现社会主义现代化与广东青年--探索共青团实践"三个代表"的新路子

本文认为新形势下,共青团必须以"三个代表"的重要思想为指导,做好广大青年的工作.在广东率先基本实现现代化的过程中,共青团应按照先进社会生产力的发展要求,充分发挥生力军和突击队作用;按照中国先进文化前进方向的要求,在传播先进文化、倡导文明新风中,发挥先锋队和排头兵作用;按照代表中国最广大人民的根本利益的要求,充分发挥作为党和政府联系青年的桥梁和纽带作用.