“词类”是“初始概念”吗?——“词源”语源观批判与浑沌语言观的建立

“词类是初始概念”是汉语词类问题的最新、最重要的观点.这一初始词类观认为,词类随语言产生而产生,语言产生伊始初始词的表述功能即词性.初始词类观背后是整个语言学研究的基石——“词源”语源观.“词源”语源观是迄今为止唯一的语源观,但它却是一个从未被讨论、更遑论被证明的根本错误的预设.初始词类观既缺乏根基,又与相关理论和语言实际相违.按笔者提出的浑沌语言学的观点,词汇源自浑沌语的分化,词类是语言系统发展成熟后,人的语法意识和语法实践的结果.     

Optimal Ordering Policies for Stochastic Inventory Problems with Observed Information Delays

Information delays exist in an inventory system when it takes time to collect, process, validate, and transmit inventory/demand data. A general framework is developed in this paper to describe information flows in an inventory system with information delays. We characterize the sufficient statistics for making optimal decisions. When the ordering cost is linear, the optimality of a state‐dependent base‐stock policy is established even when information flows are allowed to cross over time. Additional insights into the problem are obtained via a comparison between our models and the models with stochastic order lead times. We also show that inventory can substitute for information and vice versa.     

Multiple In‐Cycle Transshipments with Positive Delivery Times

We study a centralized inventory sharing system of two retailers that are replenished periodically. Between two replenishments, a unit can be transshipped to a stocked‐out retailer from the other. It arrives a transshipment time later, during which the stocked‐out retailer incurs backorder cost. Without transshipment, backorder cost is incurred until the next replenishment. Since the transshipment time is shorter than the time between two replenishments, transshipments can reduce the backorder cost at the stocked‐out retailer and the holding costs at the other retailer. The system is directed by a centralized inventory manager, who minimizes the long‐run average cost consisting of replenishment, holding, backorder, and transshipment costs. The transshipment policy is characterized by hold‐back inventory levels, which are nonincreasing in the remaining time until the next replenishment. The transshipment policy differs from those in the literature because we allow for multiple transshipments between replenishments, positive transshipment times, and backorder costs. We also discuss the challenges associated with positive replenishment time and develop upper and lower bounds of average cost in this case. Bounds are numerically shown to have an average gap of 1.1%. A heuristic solution is based on the upper bound and differs from the optimal cost by at most this gap.     

高管集权、内部控制与会计信息质量

公司内部治理的核心之一是选择一个恰当的权力配置结构,以有利于增进公司各种制度和政策的执行效率.本文研究公司高管的权力配置结构对公司内部控制与会计信息质量之间关系的影响.采用盈余管理和财务重述衡量会计信息质量,本研究发现:(1)公司的内部控制质量与会计信息质量正相关;(2)公司内部控制对会计信息质量的提升作用受制于公司内部高管的权力配置结构.在高管权力集中的情况下,内部控制的改善对会计信息质量并没有明显的提升作用.本研究对公司内部控制制度的后续建设和实施乃至公司治理结构的改进均具有一定的启示意义.     

一种理性主义对另一种理性主义的批判——索绪尔关于语言的“价值系统”观的哲学基础

索绪尔以其关于语言“价值系统”的观念,对传统语言学“分类命名集”观念所进行的批判,本质上是一种理性主义对另一种理性主义的批判。有两种传统的“分类命名集”观念,认为语言产生之前,现成地存在着自身界限分明的客观事物(经验主义)、或者概念(理性主义)。索绪尔的批判尤其指向后者,认为语言产生之前,并不存在界限分明的概念,语言不是反映现成地存在着的概念,而是任意地创造着自己的所指和能指。     

Rhetoric in the economy: consumption and audience

Consumption is rhetorical. The argument is based on an analogy between discourse in economics and the actual economy. Any chosen bundle of consumption makes a statement. The understanding of the statement requires a rhetorical inquiry into the speaker, audience, and speech situation (e.g., history, language). To understand consumption behavior, I propose to shift attention away from the logic of choice and focus instead on the rhetoric of choice (which includes the logic of choice as a part).     

Optimal Ordering Policies for Inventory Problems With Dynamic Information Delays

Information delays exist when the most recent inventory information available to the Inventory Manager (IM) is dated. In other words, the IM observes only the inventory level that belongs to an earlier period. Such situations are not uncommon, and they arise when it takes a while to process the demand data and pass the results to the IM. We introduce dynamic information delays as a Markov process into the standard multiperiod stochastic inventory problem with backorders. We develop the concept of a reference inventory position. We show that this position along with the magnitude of the latest observed delay and the age of this observation are sufficient statistics for finding the optimal order quantities. Furthermore, we establish that the optimal ordering policy is of state‐dependent base‐stock type with respect to the reference inventory position (or state‐dependent (s, S) type if there is a fixed ordering cost). The optimal base stock and (s, S) levels depend on the magnitude of the latest observed delay and the age of this observation. Finally, we study the sensitivity of the optimal base stock and the optimal cost with respect to the sufficient statistics.     

Economic Evaluation of Systems that Expedite Inventory Information

Information delays exist when the most recent inventory information available to the Inventory Manager (IM) is dated. Such situations arise when it takes a while to process the demand data, count the inventory, and pass the results to the IM. We show that the optimal total inventory‐related cost decreases when the length of the information delay decreases. The amount of the decrease is an important datum for an IM interested in considering whether or not to invest in reducing the delay. The investment is required to finance design and acquisition of an information (collection and dissemination) system that can reduce the information delay. Such systems include phone calls, business meetings, and the use of information collection mechanisms such as radiofrequency identification tags.     

A WTP‐Choice Model: Empirical Validation,Competitive and Centralized Pricing

Willingness To Pay (WTP) of customers plays an anchoring role in pricing. This study proposes a new choice model based on WTP, incorporating sequential decision making, where the products with positive utility of purchase are considered in the order of customer preference. We compare WTP‐choice model with the commonly used (multinomial) Logit model with respect to the underlying choice process, information requirement, and independence of irrelevant alternatives. Using WTP‐choice model, we find and compare equilibrium and centrally optimal prices and profits without considering inventory availability. In addition, we compare equilibrium prices and profits in two contexts: without considering inventory availability and under lost sales. One of the interesting results with WTP‐choice model is the “loose coupling” of retailers in competition; prices are not coupled but profits are. That is, each retailer should charge the monopoly price as the collection of these prices constitute an equilibrium but each retailer's profit depends on other retailers' prices. Loose coupling fails with dependence of WTPs or dependence of preference on prices. Also, we show that competition among retailers facing dependent WTPs can cause price cycles under some conditions. We consider real‐life data on sales of yogurt, ketchup, candy melt, and tuna, and check if a version of WTP‐choice model (with uniform, triangle, or shifted exponential WTP distribution), standard or mixed Logit model fits better and predicts the sales better. These empirical tests establish that WTP‐choice model compares well and should be considered as a legitimate alternative to Logit models for studying pricing for products with low price and high frequency of purchase.     

Association Between Unemployment Duration and Depression in the SouthWest Region of Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT

Unemployment has risen as an effect of globalization in the country of Turkey. To date, no studies have examined the association between the duration of unemployment and perceived mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the association between the duration of unemployment and the incidenence of depression among citizens in the southwest region of Turkey. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 908 unemployed individuals. The questionnaire gathered sociodemographic characteristics and employment-related circumstances. To measure mental health, a depression inventory was administered and group-wise t-tests and logistic regressions were conducted. The findings show that long-term unemployed persons had more episodes of depressive moods in the past 12 months when compared with the group of the short-term unemployed. In addition, depression levels were higher among the long-term unemployed compared with the short-term unemployed. It was estimated that the duration of unemployment and the measurement of depression had a positive correlation. Risk factors that increased depression in the short-term unemployed were gender (female), older age, and greater periods of unemployment. However, higher education, income, and having social insurance significantly decreased the risk of developing depression for both the short-term and the long-term unemployed. Future recommendations include supportive counseling to increase motivation levels and developing strategies to handle periods of unemployment.