Product Positioning and Pricing Under Production Cost Considerations*

A framework in a competitive environment is proposed that incorporates production cost and economies of scale in the problem of positioning a product for a market segment. The model facilitates the existence of a Nash equilibrium in prices and product positions. As such, firms can simultaneously choose prices and product positions for the segment. This result improves the traditional theory on equilibria points in prices and product positions where firms choose their product positions first and then set their prices. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates the effects of changes in the unit savings derived from economies of scale or the cost of furnishing a product with its attributes by one firm on the product positions, prices, and profits of all competing firms. More important, the paper examines the effect on prices and profits of competing firms when one of the firms repositions its product closer to the segment's ideal point. It is shown that under certain conditions, the profit of a firm may actually decrease as it redesigns its product closer to the segment's ideal point. These conditions assist management to identify the product design beyond which enhancements of the product would lead to lower profits because of increasing production costs. It is also shown that the price of this firm increases. Past research supports the idea that positioning a brand closer to the ideal point, given fixed product positions of competing firms, would lead to greater buyer preferences and eventually higher profits. The price and profits of the competing firm may increase or decrease. Conditions are derived under which a movement towards the segment's ideal point by one firm would lead to higher profits by the competing firm.     

新疆高等医学教育与卫生人力资源供求现状及预测分析

新疆高等医学教育是当地卫生人力的主要供给者,应当满足当地医药卫生服务对卫生人力的需求。文章在分析当前高等医学教育招生培养、经费投入现状的基础上,对比卫生人力需求当量及预测增量,总结高等医学教育与卫生人力互动中的矛盾与问题,提出建立良好互动关系的对策建议。     

人民币均衡汇率决定机制及其影响因素的作用分析——基于行为均衡汇率估算模型分析技术改进的研究

 本文首先对经典行为均衡汇率模型简要解读。指出其在估算实践中,暗含技术上的严格假定。本文给出放松假定的改进。通过人民币均衡汇率估算的经验分析,对改进工作进行检验。为人民币均衡汇率估算研究搭建一个深入分析的技术平台。经验分析的主要结论是,人民币实际汇率短期存在低估,但与长期均衡汇率比较,其实际汇率一直存在高估的情况。鉴于均衡汇率水平的决定机制复杂,人民币汇率水平升值调整必须慎之又慎。     

The effects of scope condition-based participant exclusion on experimental outcomes in expectation states research: A meta-analysis

Expectation states theory employs several scope statements to specify the situational conditions that must be met for any test of the theory to be considered valid (Foschi, 1997). Collective orientation and task orientation are two scope conditions that researchers frequently implement as selection criteria for a participant’s inclusion in an analytic sample. Although excluding participants who fail to meet scope conditions is theoretically consistent, researchers have yet to establish how this practice affects experimental outcomes. I employ meta-analysis to compare studies within the expectation states tradition in which participants are excluded for failure to meet scope conditions to studies in which no similar exclusions are made. Results suggest that studies that exclude participants for scope violations demonstrate a decreased baseline tendency to reject influence. I contend that adopting a more universal approach to the measurement and application of scope conditions would be methodologically and theoretically beneficial to expectation states research.     

意识形态的经济功能--诺斯的意识形态理论探析

西方主流经济学以理性选择模型为核心演绎出的一整套市场理论,面临着理论进一步发展的困境,在实践上也被认为失去了对现实问题的呼应.诺斯的意识形态理论是对理性选择模型富有成效的拯救性的扩展和修补.诺斯关于意识形态理论的经济功能、意识形态与制度变迁及制度变迁的路径依赖关系的详细分析,为西方经济学注入非理性因素和演化的思维,对经济学的发展具有重要意义,对于我们当前的政治、经济建设具有借鉴意义.     

试论儒家“为己之学”的现实意义

儒家强调的"为己之学"其实质在于完善自我,成就理想人格,达到理想的人生境界.这对于当前我们改正学风,提升价值理性、弘扬人文精神,克服工具理性与功利主义的思潮;对于端正学风教风,克服学术与教育中过于功利化、工具化的偏颇和不良社会风气的影响;对于引导大众注重修德成善、安身立命的内在价值,提高国民道德素质,提升民族精神气质等方面都有积极作用.     

自然主义:现实主义到现代主义的中介

本文首先论述了自然主义文学理论产生的原由及自然主义理论比之以往文学的创新之处。其次,阐明自然主义文学以实证的手法、客观的态度,从生物学的角度写人的兽性,打破了以往的写作“禁区”,把不登大雅之堂的东西展现给读者,为现代主义作家描写“异化”现象作了铺垫。再次,自然主义客观真实的环境描写,表现了囿于各种环境中人的生物状态,及与浪漫主义、现实主义的环境描写实质上的不同,以及对现代主义的影响。     

建构整体理想与具体理性相结合的教育文化和制度模式

教育整体理想是指人们在教育活动过程中所意欲追求的体现社会整体要求的教育愿望或目标,教育具体理性是指教育在现实的活动中所应该具备的具有科学、文明、道德、理智、逻辑等特征的意识和观念。教育整体理想与教育具体理性之间具有相互依存、相互影响的逻辑关系,建构二者有机结合的文化和制度模式,是教育持续、稳定发展的思想和理论基础。     

农村合作医疗制度的风险识别与规避

在此将农村合作医疗体系纳入到风险研究范畴,从影响合作医疗制度失衡的不确定性为切入口,对系统内外面临的风险因素进行理性辨识。通过对农村合作医疗制度的风险识别,相应采取预警措施,从而有效规避风险,实现农村合作医疗制度长期均衡的发展。     

期望状态与地位等级秩序的维持

社会地位的等级系统具有超强稳定性。人们在日常交往中主动建构地位等级,并维持着这种不平等的秩序。期望状态论认为,互动参与者绩效期望的不同导致了他们之间的地位分化以及体现此分化的互动行为差异。地位特征、社会回报和行为互换模式是影响期望形成与改变的主要因素。期望状态研究方案指导下的诸分支观点对各类不平等现象进行的一般性解释,增进了我们对广义不平等产生和再生产的理解,为谋求减少不平等的策略提供重要思路。