Competition and The Operational Performance of Hospitals: The Role of Hospital Objectives

We examine the effect of a hospital's objective (i.e., non‐profit vs. for‐profit) in hospital markets for elective care. Using game‐theoretic analysis and queueing models to capture the operational performance of hospitals, we compare the equilibrium behavior of three market settings in terms of such criteria as waiting times and patient costs from waiting and hospital payments. In the first setting, a monopoly, patients are served exclusively by a single non‐profit hospital; in the second, a homogeneous duopoly, patients are served by two competing non‐profit hospitals. In our third setting, a heterogeneous duopoly, the market is served by one non‐profit hospital and one for‐profit hospital. A non‐profit hospital provides free care to patients, although they may have to wait; for‐profit hospitals charge a fee to provide care with minimal waiting. A comparison between the monopolistic and each of the duopolistic settings reveals that the introduction of competition can hamper a hospital's ability to attain economies of scale and can also increase waiting times. Moreover, the presence of a for‐profit sector may be desirable only when the hospital market is sufficiently competitive. A comparison across the duopolistic settings indicates that the choice between homogeneous and heterogeneous competition depends on the patients' willingness to wait before receiving care and the reimbursement level of the non‐profit sector. When the public funder is not financially constrained, the presence of a for‐profit sector may allow the funder to lower both the financial costs of providing coverage and the total costs to patients. Finally, our analysis suggests that the public funder should exercise caution when using policy tools that support the for‐profit sector—for example, patient subsidies—because such tools may increase patient costs in the long run; it might be preferable to raise the non‐profit sector's level of reimbursement.     

Dynamic Logit With Choice Aversion

We characterize a generalization of discounted logistic choice that incorporates a parameter to capture different views the agent might have about the costs and benefits of larger choice sets. The discounted logit model used in the empirical literature is the special case that displays a “preference for flexibility” in the sense that the agent always prefers to add additional items to a menu. Other cases display varying levels of “choice aversion,” where the agent prefers to remove items from a menu if their ex ante value is below a threshold. We show that higher choice aversion, as measured by dislike of bigger menus, also corresponds to an increased preference for putting off decisions as late as possible.     

民间组织参与我国贫困治理的角色及行动策略

民间组织是参与贫困治理的重要社会力量。在我国扶贫开发进程中,民间组织在贫困治理中扮演了扶贫资源有益补充、践行微观贫困治理理念/技术、专业扶贫服务供给等多种角色。民间组织的贫困治理行动是民间组织汲取各类资源并将其传递到扶贫对象的过程。在大扶贫格局中,民间组织扶贫资源汲取已由传统的社会领域延伸至政府部门和市场领域,形成了慈善捐助、政府购买扶贫服务、市场化运作（社会企业）等多种扶贫资源汲取策略。相应的,主要形成了项目机制、市场机制两种扶贫资源传递策略。项目机制的运用表明了民间组织在分化发展的过程中扶贫资源传递的整合,以及民间组织与政府部门协同推进贫困治理的制度化和规范化。市场机制（社会企业）是民间组织扶贫行动的策略创新,对民间组织独立实施贫困治理具有重要意义。     

真实性偏好如何影响全球品牌中国元素产品的购买可能性?

在中国市场上,全球品牌本土化的现象越来越频繁.但在理论上,还少有研究分析中国消费者如何评价融入中国元素的全球品牌.为此,文章以认知—情感人格系统理论为框架,构建了包含真实性偏好、品牌本土象征价值、尊重品牌遗产和购买可能性的概念模型,试图探索其中的因果关系.实证研究表明,品牌本土象征价值认知—情感单元和尊重品牌遗产认知—情感单元均能提高购买可能性.真实性偏好高的消费者更容易通达品牌本土象征价值认知—情感单元和尊重品牌遗产认知—情感单元.尊重品牌遗产认知—情感单元有助于增强品牌本土象征价值认知—情感单元.文章不仅在理论上丰富了全球品牌相关研究,同时对实践也有战略指引.     

李振钧题画诗考论

李振钧出身安徽太湖官宦世家,清代道光九年状元.他的诗集《味灯听叶庐诗草》中有59首题画诗.清代题画诗的繁荣,对书画的喜爱以及与画家的广泛交游促使他创作了大量的题画诗.他的题画诗反映了他看重性情、坦率放纵、追求个性自由、热爱艺术的特点,为我们提供了观照他的新角度.诗歌书画是他安顿自己痛苦心灵的处所,也是其解救自己的途径.他的人生经历反映了一个灵魂在现实的挤压和艺术的放纵里挣扎的心路历程.最终,他为了外在的功名放弃了自我,又不能适应官场的倾轧,45岁便抑郁而终.     

企业无力清偿欠薪的法律应对:基于香港的经验

1980-1982年经济危机爆发后,香港因大量企业倒闭引发欠薪浪潮,欠薪优先权机制出现失灵.以国外经验为模本,香港构设了欠薪保障基金制度.该制度依托完善的法律程序将欠薪纳入专门基金予以垫付,并逐渐提高垫付标准.这种法律设计特点鲜明,实际运行数据也证明比较成功.这为解决当前农民工极端讨薪事件频发、欠薪问题季节性爆发的顽疾,提供了极具参考价值的制度化思路.我国应当鼓励地方探索和构建企业欠薪保障制度.     

Inference in Semi‐Parametric Dynamic Models for Repeated Count Data

This paper deals with a longitudinal semi‐parametric regression model in a generalised linear model setup for repeated count data collected from a large number of independent individuals. To accommodate the longitudinal correlations, we consider a dynamic model for repeated counts which has decaying auto‐correlations as the time lag increases between the repeated responses. The semi‐parametric regression function involved in the model contains a specified regression function in some suitable time‐dependent covariates and a non‐parametric function in some other time‐dependent covariates. As far as the inference is concerned, because the non‐parametric function is of secondary interest, we estimate this function consistently using the independence assumption‐based well‐known quasi‐likelihood approach. Next, the proposed longitudinal correlation structure and the estimate of the non‐parametric function are used to develop a semi‐parametric generalised quasi‐likelihood approach for consistent and efficient estimation of the regression effects in the parametric regression function. The finite sample performance of the proposed estimation approach is examined through an intensive simulation study based on both large and small samples. Both balanced and unbalanced cluster sizes are incorporated in the simulation study. The asymptotic performances of the estimators are given. The estimation methodology is illustrated by reanalysing the well‐known health care utilisation data consisting of counts of yearly visits to a physician by 180 individuals for four years and several important primary and secondary covariates.     

关于“非遗”保护三个基本问题的话语分析

话语研究不仅关心人们如何言说,而且更为重视分析决定言说方式的深层动因。“非遗”保护既是一个社会各阶层权力角逐的场域,又是一个可通过不断协商达成共识的平台。人们对于“非遗”保护的认识人言言殊的根本原因在于参与“非遗”保护的社会各阶层各自的利益诉求并不完全一致。“非遗”保护工作正是在争论中逐渐确立了自身的工作目标、指导原则、实施方案,体现了极强的话语建构性。“非遗”作为一种传统生活方式的隐形载体,活态传承性是其精髓与灵魂;“非遗”保护必须以人为本,只有让“非遗”与现实的人民群众的日常生活发生联系和耦合,“非遗”保护才可能取得实效。     

抗日文学光环掩盖下的文革

何顿的抗日题材长篇小说《来生再见》,其写作的重心不在抗日,而在文革;作家关注的不是历史,而是普通人在极端政治条件下人性的挣扎。生存环境险恶严酷的抗战时期,主人公黄抗日能够应用自己的生存哲学虎口脱身,回到家中安静地生活;但在文革的政治环境下,他却被逼得装疯、吃屎,家破人亡,生活、人格肢解得体无完肤。作品通过这种对比竖起了一座文革无字碑,形成对文革无言的控诉。     

钢桶螺纹盖机器人旋紧控制系统

为了解决人工操作或机械半自动化旋紧钢桶螺纹盖所带来的弊端,提出采用工业机械臂对其进行自动旋紧。运 用EtherCAT总线技术,通过CoDeSys开发软件,设计开发了一种机器人旋紧控制系统,使得机器人可以对钢桶螺纹盖进 行自动抓取、定位和旋紧,完成相应的工序。该设计实现了钢桶螺纹盖旋紧的自动化生产,提高了生产效率和加工质量。