Increasing Choice and Control for Older and Disabled People: A Critical Review of New Developments in England

This paper critically examines new policies currently being implemented in England aimed at increasing the choice and control that disabled and older people can exercise over the social care support and services they receive. The development of these policies, and their elaboration in three policy documents published during 2005, are summarized. The paper then discusses two issues underpinning these proposals: the role of quasi‐markets within publicly funded social care services; and the political and policy discourses of consumerism and choice within the welfare state. Despite powerful critiques of welfare consumerism, the paper argues that there are nevertheless very important reasons for taking choice seriously when considering how best to organize and deliver support and other services for disabled and older people. A policy discourse on consumerism, however, combined with the use of market mechanisms for implementing this, may be highly problematic as the means of creating opportunities for increased choice and, on its own, risks introducing new forms of disadvantage and social exclusion.     

Trade-offs in Online Purchase Decisions:: Two Empirical Studies in Europe

The Internet offers firms a new way to market their products and services and to interact with their end-consumers. While many firms have developed websites, very little is known about the trade-offs consumers are willing to make when making online purchases. With millions of websites competing for attention, online firms need to know in what way consumers make purchase decisions online. Consumers mainly evaluate websites on the basis of choice and convenience. In this paper, we present the results of two European studies that examine what consumers actually value in an online environment. In study 1, we assess choice-related trade-offs in terms of number of product categories, variety of products within a given category and product-related information. Conjoint analysis revealed that product-related information represents an important decision-making variable. In study 2, we assess convenience-related trade-offs in terms of logistics, fulfilment and security. Conjoint analysis revealed that fulfilment is the most important variable related to online handling. Finally, our study clearly indicates that firms have to distinguish different consumer segments on the basis of their preferences. This knowledge enables online firms to use their resources more effectively.     

从公共选择理论视角透视非常态式的政策终结——兼论我国公共政策终结的科学化、民主化与法制化

政策终结是公共政策实施过程的重要环节。在现实公共政策实践中,存在着常态式的政策终结和非常态式的政策终结两种情况。从公共选择理论的视角对非常态式的政策终结进行分析,有助于探究非常态式政策终结的原因和克服非常态式政策终结的对策。在我国公共政策终结的实践中,应当注重与公共政策各个环节协同配合,进行科学的政策论证,推进公共政策终结的科学化、民主化与法制化。     

2005年海牙《选择法院协议公约》适用范围之评析

2005年6月海牙国际私法会议通过的《选择法院协议公约》,确立了承认与执行当事人双方约定诉讼法院的争议解决方式,并就法院的选择、承认及执行法院判决制订了明确的规则,为排他性选择法院协议的国际民商事案件当事人对案件审理结果提供了更大的可预测性和确定性。新海牙公约以列举的方式对公约适用范围进行了界定和限制,直接关系到各国民事管辖权和判决承认与执行的立法与实践。本文在研究公约新旧文本和报告的基础上,对公约的适用范围进行分析,并就我国加入该公约提出了建议。     

When Does Information about Probability Count in Choices Under Risk?

The question addressed in the present research is whether in naturalistic risky decision environments people are sensitive to information about the probability parameter. In Study 1, we showed that in naturalistic scenarios participants generally revealed little interest in obtaining information about the outcomes and probabilities. Moreover, participants asked fewer questions about probabilities for scenarios containing moral considerations. In Study 2, it was shown that, when supplied with information on probabilities, people could be sensitive to this information. This sensitivity depends on two factors. People were less sensitive to probabilities in scenarios perceived as containing ethical considerations. People were also less sensitive to probabilities when they were faced with a single-choice situation than when they were faced with a series of lotteries with different probabilities. This can be accounted for in terms of the evaluability principle.     

从体制改革到治道改革——美国大都市区管理模式研究重心的转变

美国大都市区内地方政府数目庞杂、权力分散,与大都市区一体化发展的客观需求相去甚远,这自然成为美国学术界普遍关注的研究课题。持续近一个世纪之久的理论探讨与改革实践,成效不显,重大问题远未达成共识。但在以“新”、“老”区域主义及“公共选择”学派为代表的重大学术交锋过程中,研究重点从推崇构建大都市区政府的体制改革转变为注重地方政府管理结构的治道改革,体现了向地方政府发展客观现实倾斜的理论选择。     

基于层次分析法的核电站工程建造方式选择研究

设计和选择适用的建造方式是核电站能够顺利建成的重要基础。文章在核电站工程建造方式的选择中引入层次分析法，提出了基于层次分析法的建造方式选择方法。该方法通过明确核电站工程建造方式的类型及特点、识别影响核电站工程建造方式选取的因素、层次分析结构的建模、判断矩阵的构造和排序，为核电站建造方式选取这一问题提供参考。     

论中国当代女性小说的困境与突围

中国当代女性小说不仅在定义上,而且在“写什么”、“怎么写”和“用什么语言”这些根本性问题上都陷入了困境;与此同时,它们又在挣扎着突围并且取得了不俗的成绩。这个“陷入”和“突破”过程还在反复进行,将来无疑还会继续下去。对之进行系统的学术梳理,对将来的女性小说创作与批评具有重要意义。     

知情选择对人工流产影响的验证

利用固定效应模型对1988—2001年全国计划生育／生殖健康调查数据进行了再次分析,以量化考察知情选择政策对中国已婚育龄妇女人工流产行为的影响。研究发现,知情选择与已婚育龄妇女人工流产可能性的降低之间呈现一定的因果关联。知情选择导致了育龄妇女人工流产的可能性降低,并在各个孩次上都有明显的体现。     

A Framework for Examining the Interface between Operations and Information Systems: Implications for Research in the New Millennium*

Even though much research has been published in operations and information systems, both functional areas find their roots in other disciplines. While operations management evolved from operations research in the 1960s, the field of information systems is of more recent vintage and traces its original roots to computer science. Both disciplines now naturally have come closer together as information and process-technology-based changes force manufacturing firms to become more efficient and customer focused. Market and technology-driven e-commerce initiatives that are likely to dominate business strategies in the future cannot be successfully achieved without a successful integration of operations and information systems. In this paper, we present a unifying framework that can be used to better understand the management of the functional interface between operations and information systems. We also categorize and highlight the contributions of the articles that appear in this special research focus issue. Finally, research directions that emerge from our understanding of this interface are outlined in an effort to stimulate further thinking and research that can advance our knowledge of this interface area.