Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factor Reallocation Effect and Productivity in China's Economic Growth, 1985-2007

How to accurately calculate China's factor reallocation effect and objectively assess its impact on economic and productivity growth is an unsolved problem. This study has two objectives: to identify the trend of productivity growth and to quantify the contribution of sectoral factor reallocation to aggregate productivity growth rate since the 1980s. This is accomplished by estimating a Cobb-Douglas production function and decomposing aggregate productivity growth using official Chinese data. Based on the panel data of six main sectors making up the entire economy and fourteen individual industries constituting the entire manufacturing sector, the results show that productivity, especially total factor productivity, has been disappointing in recent years after rapid growth in the early post-reform period. The factor reallocation effect is trivial in the economic reform era, indicating growth potential in the mid-industrialization stage. In the long run, therefore, policymakers must adjust China's economic programs to foster sustained productivity growth and to improve factor flows among economic sectors.
Indirect costs of a nontarget pathogen mitigate the direct benefits of a virus-resistant transgene in wild Cucurbita

Virus-resistant transgenic squash are grown throughout the United States and much of Mexico and it is likely that the virus-resistant transgene (VRT) has been introduced to wild populations repeatedly. The evolutionary fate of any resistance gene in wild populations and its environmental impacts depend upon trade-offs between the costs and benefits of the resistance gene. In a 3-year field study using a wild gourd and transgenic and nontransgenic introgressives, we measured the effects of the transgene on fitness, on herbivory by cucumber beetles, on the incidence of mosaic viruses, and on the incidence of bacterial wilt disease (a fatal disease vectored by cucumber beetles). In each year, the first incidence of zucchini yellow mosaic virus occurred in mid-July and spread rapidly through the susceptible plants. We found that the transgenic plants had greater reproduction through both male and female function than the susceptible plants, indicating that the VRT has a direct fitness benefit for wild gourds under the conditions of our study. Moreover, the VRT had no effect on resistance to cucumber beetles or the incidence of wilt disease before the spread of the virus. However, as the virus spread through the fields, the cucumber beetles became increasingly concentrated upon the healthy (mostly transgenic) plants, which increased exposure to and the incidence of wilt disease on the transgenic plants. This indirect cost of the VRT (mediated by a nontarget herbivore and pathogen) mitigated the overall beneficial effect of the VRT on fitness.
An Economic Theory of Protectionism, Tariff Bargaining, and the Formation of Customs Unions

T HE traditional approach to the theory of tariffs, which is embodied in the recently elaborated analysis of the effects of customs unions pioneered by Viner, Meade, Lipsey, and others, is concerned with such matters as the possibility of increasing real income by using the tariff to exploit monopoly or monopsony power in world markets, the "welfare costs" of the tariff in terms of foregone real income, and the effects on real income of changes in particular tariffs or in tariff structures, such as are entailed by the formation of customs unions and free-trade areas. Implicit in this approach is the assumption that "real income" is identifiable, on social welfare function lines, with the utility derived by individuals from their personal consumption of goods and services; and, except in the optimum tariff analysis, the further assumption that tariffs are arbitrary interferences with the freedom of international exchange, which may be changed equally arbitrarily by governments. In two previous papers, written within the traditional approach, I have called attention to the special and restrictive nature of these assumptions and the implications of abandoning them. In my "The Cost of Protection and the Scientific Tariff"'" I assumed that the authorities of a country were attempting to
Evaluating de novo sequencing in proteomics: already an accurate alternative to database‐driven peptide identification?

&NA; While peptide identifications in mass spectrometry (MS)‐based shotgun proteomics are mostly obtained using database search methods, high‐resolution spectrum data from modern MS instruments nowadays offer the prospect of improving the performance of computational de novo peptide sequencing. The major benefit of de novo sequencing is that it does not require a reference database to deduce full‐length or partial tag‐based peptide sequences directly from experimental tandem mass spectrometry spectra. Although various algorithms have been developed for automated de novo sequencing, the prediction accuracy of proposed solutions has been rarely evaluated in independent benchmarking studies. The main objective of this work is to provide a detailed evaluation on the performance of de novo sequencing algorithms on high‐resolution data. For this purpose, we processed four experimental data sets acquired from different instrument types from collision‐induced dissociation and higher energy collisional dissociation (HCD) fragmentation mode using the software packages Novor, PEAKS and PepNovo. Moreover, the accuracy of these algorithms is also tested on ground truth data based on simulated spectra generated from peak intensity prediction software. We found that Novor shows the overall best performance compared with PEAKS and PepNovo with respect to the accuracy of correct full peptide, tag‐based and single‐residue predictions. In addition, the same tool outpaced the commercial competitor PEAKS in terms of running time speedup by factors of around 12–17. Despite around 35% prediction accuracy for complete peptide sequences on HCD data sets, taken as a whole, the evaluated algorithms perform moderately on experimental data but show a significantly better performance on simulated data (up to 84% accuracy). Further, we describe the most frequently occurring de novo sequencing errors and evaluate the influence of missing fragment ion peaks and spectral noise on the accuracy. Finally, we discuss the potential of de novo sequencing for now becoming more widely used in the field.
Evaluating National Capacity for Direct Participation in International Accounting Harmonization: France as a Test Case

This article evaluates national capacity for direct participation in international accounting harmonization through its principal current formal institutional forum, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), with France as a test case. The objective is to derive propositions by which individual nation states, their indigenous accounting professions and other significant elements of their institutional framework might: (a) evaluate their present national capacity to contribute to international accounting harmonization; and (b) address policy issues relevant to development and deployment of capacity for effective engagement. The objective of the framework of analysis employed is to infer essential or desirable attributes for direct participation in international accounting harmonization by reference to the observed attributes of the initial IASB appointments. The likelihood and sustainability of direct French participation in the process is then assessed in relation to those attributes.
Rethinking Environmental Federalism in a Warming World

Climate change policy analysis has focused almost exclusively on national policy and even on harmonizing climate policies across countries, implicitly assuming that harmonization of climate policies at the subnational level would be mandated or guaranteed. We argue that the design and implementation of climate policy in a federal union will diverge in important ways from policy design in a unitary government. National climate policies built on the assumption of a unitary model of governance are unlikely to achieve the expected outcome because of interactions with policy choices made at the subnational level. In a federal system, the information and incentives generated by a national policy must pass through various levels of subnational fiscal and regulatory policy. Effective policy design must recognize both the constraints and the opportunities presented by a federal structure of government. Furthermore, policies that take advantage of the federal structure of government can improve climate governance outcomes.
Does training managers pay off?

Does investment in training lead to improved results? Most research in this area defends this idea. However, the empirical evidence does not always support it. According to the literature, this is due, in part, to methodological problems of empirical research in this issue. This paper tries to solve one of them – the lack of homogeneity in the samples most of previous studies used – because it focuses on managers. Using data from a survey of 316 Spanish firms, the paper analyzes the effects of training managers in performance. Our findings show that firms that train their managers obtain better effectiveness results than those that do not, and that the intensity of the training also affects financial performance.
The Impact of Corporate Governance Press News on Stock Market Returns

Stock market prices reflect information regarding firms business environments, operations and, in general, their fundamentals. Recently, various studies have analysed the link between news coverage and stock prices but no evidence exists on how channels and ways of communication of information affect investors behaviour. We analyses these aspects focussing on a large sample of corporate governance news published between 2003 and 2007 in Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy's major financial newspaper. We show that before news is made public investors are only able to assess the type of corporate governance event underlying it. After publication, investors are influenced by the content (positive or negative) and the tone of communication (strong or weak) of the news.
Value capture in global production networks: evidence from the Taiwanese electronics industry

In today's global electronics industry, lead firms and suppliers of key components capture greater value than contract manufacturers. Using data from the Taiwanese Stock Exchange from 2002 to 2009, this research aims to examine if the pattern of value capture in the global electronics industry holds for Taiwan. We also test the impacts of research and development (R&D) spending on firm profitability and returns. Our results show that lead firms and component suppliers capture higher gross profits from their R&D spending, compared to contract manufacturers. However, contract manufacturers have higher return on equity. Component suppliers’ return to R&D as measured by return on equity is lower than contract manufacturers. These findings suggest that component suppliers capture higher profits as lead firms do, but the cost of R&D for component suppliers is so high that their returns on investment are not as great as contract manufacturers. This also suggests that Taiwanese component suppliers are unable to create entry barriers or gain pricing power from their R&D investments.
Management of Perceived Risk in the Context of Destination Choice

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study was to examine how perceived risk could be managed in the destination choice context. Relationships among risk perceptions, uncertainty (information quality), and price premium were explored by using ordinal logistic regression. Eight types of perceived risk were investigated: health/life risk, financial risk, personal satisfaction risk, social risk, time risk, technical risk, political risk, and terrorism risk. Findings showed that perceived risks were decreased by information quality but various patterns were identified for different types of perceived risk. Results additionally suggested that travelers were willing to pay extra for products and services if more safety and security are provided. Managerial implications for how the findings can be incorporated into risk management strategies are also presented in this paper.
The value relevance of accounting information around the 1997 Asian financial crisis—the case of South Korea

Abstract This paper examines the value relevance of accounting earnings, book value of equity, and cash flows from operations for Korean firms during the 1995–1998 period. The results indicate that the value relevance of accounting earnings for Korean firms significantly declines from the pre-crisis (1995–1996) to the in-crisis (1997–1998) period. The declining importance of earnings, however, is not replaced by the increasing value relevance of book value of equity during the same period. There is also evidence that cash flows from operations become more value-relevant in the 1997–1998 period. Finally, the results hold after controlling for the amount of foreign exchange translation gains and losses included in earnings and book value. © City University of Hong Kong.
Measurement of coherent x-ray scatter form factors for amorphous materials using diffractometers

The feasibility of measuring the coherent x-ray scatter form factors of amorphous materials using powder diffractometers has been assessed. A five-step procedure was developed: (i) Low-angle background, consisting of a portion of the incident x-ray beam that passes directly to the detector, is measured using a specially designed replacement for the sample holder which absorbs most of the photons that otherwise would scatter off the sample holder cavity. (ii) Angle-dependent effects including monochromator efficiency and projected beam area are characterized by extracting the incoherent signal from the diffraction pattern of powdered graphite. The incoherent signal divided by the calculated incoherent cross section gives a correction factor as a function of scattering angle θ. (iii) Diffraction patterns are measured for the samples for θ = 2°–150°. (iv) The scattering data are corrected for background and then for angle-dependent effects. (v) The data are normalized to calculated free atom form factors at high θ, and the coherent form factor extracted. The method was implemented on two diffractometers at different energies (Co Kα and Cu Kα), and the results compared for water and plastics. Over the range 0.117 < x < 5.39 nm−1, where x = λ−1 sin(θ/2), the average form factor ratio for water was 0.93. Systematic errors are difficult to eliminate. While this x-ray powder diffractometer technique suffices for a survey measurement of the form factor of a material, its accuracy is probably insufficient for detailed studies.
Transaction costs in finance and accounting offshore outsourcing: A case of Malaysia

Purpose – Finance and accounting (FA) offshore outsourcing is a growing trend involving a relocation of business processes to Asia but only few studies focus on understanding the issues that underlie the relocation of FA services. This paper aims to provide understanding of transaction costs economics (TCE) issues in FA offshore outsourcing using a case study of the Malaysia outsourcing industry which is growing and experiencing significant change.Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a qualitative case study approach. Interviews cover several foreign firms, which are based in Malaysia and involved in FA offshore outsourcing services worldwide. Interviews also include related regulatory bodies in Malaysia.Findings – Using TCE and management control theoretical framework, findings indicate issues and challenges faced by the firms and the need for contract management skills to mitigate the issues.Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to a broad discussion of FA offshore outsourci.
Guiding the guides: developing indicators of tour guides’ service quality

The tourism industry is considered a typical service industry, one in which the involvement of service components is relatively high. Serving and satisfying customers are fundamental goals of the tourism business, with service providers being part of the product itself. Given tour guides’ roles as intermediaries between tourists and an unfamiliar environment, special attention should be paid to their service quality, as it can potentially increase tourist satisfaction, profits, and market share. This study therefore aims to develop and prioritise service quality indicators for Taiwanese tour guides using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. After conducting a literature review, in-depth interviews, and 2 rounds of modified Delphi sessions, 6 dimensions (tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness, empathy, and culture) and 30 indicators were obtained. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was then applied to determine the weighting of various evaluation criteria on the indicators of Taiwanese tour guides’ service quality. According to the results of the AHP analysis, the most important criterion was ‘execution ability’, while ‘introduction of regional terms’ was the least important. The implications and suggestions for further study were then discussed.
Partisan Bias in Factual Beliefs About Politics

Partisanship seems to affect factual beliefs about politics. For example, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say that the deficit rose during the Clinton administration; Democrats are more likely to say that inflation rose under Reagan. We investigate whether such patterns reflect differing beliefs among partisans or instead reflect a desire to praise one party or criticize another. We develop a model of partisan survey response and report two experiments that are based on the model. The experiments show that small payments for correct and "don't know" responses sharply diminish the gap between Democrats and Republicans in responses to "partisan" factual questions. The results suggest that the apparent differences in factual beliefs between members of different parties may be more illusory than real.
European Economic Integration and Stock Market Co‐Movement with Germany

Using daily returns from 1980‐2006, we find a significant contemporaneous association between all European Union (EU) equity markets and Germany. There is, however, no significant indication that the German stock market leads or lags the movements in the other EU stock markets. A higher share of imports by Germany from other EU countries, as well as fluctuations and increased volatility in the exchange rate, have negative effects on stock market co‐movements. Conversely, the difference in equity market capitalization with Germany, the greater the foreign direct investment by Germany, and the fact of belonging to the eurozone all contribute to greater stock market co‐movement.
The Effects of Resolution Methods and Industry Stress on the Loss on Assets from Bank Failures

In this paper, we examine how the value of failed bank assets differs between two types of FDIC resolution methods: liquidation and private-sector reorganization. Our findings show that private-sector reorganizations do not deliver the expected cost-savings from 1986 to 1991, a period of industry distress. On a univariate basis, the net loss on assets is lower for a private-sector reorganization than for a liquidation in both a period of industry distress and of industry health. However, institutions with higher quality assets and higher franchise values are more likely to be resolved using a private-sector resolution. Once we control for this selection bias, we find that institutions that are resolved during periods of industry distress result in higher resolution costs than liquidation. During periods of industry health, private-sector resolutions are less costly than liquidations. We show that if a bank that failed during the post-crisis period instead failed during the crisis period, its net loss as a percent of assets would have been 3.232 percentage points higher. Given that the average net loss on assets ratio is 21.42 percent during our sample period from 1986 to 2007, the increase in costs is economically significant.
Efficient extraction of nucleolar proteins for interactome analyses

The efficient extraction of proteins from purified cellular organelles is critical for in vitro analyses, including identification of protein complex members by affinity purification‐based quantitative proteomic approaches. When applied to purified nucleoli, classic nuclear protein extraction methods inefficiently and selectively release only ∼50% of proteins. Here, we present a method that can extract up to 90% of nucleolar proteins, and apply it in a quantitative interactomic approach to identify nucleolar interaction partners for a mammalian protein phosphatase.
Are Disaggregate Data Useful for Factor Analysis in Forecasting French GDP?

This paper compares the GDP forecasting performance of alternative factor models based on monthly time series for the French economy. These models are based on static and dynamic principal components. The dynamic principal components are obtained using time and frequency domain methods. The forecasting accuracy is evaluated in two ways for GDP growth. First, we question whether it is more appropriate to use aggregate or disaggregate data (with three disaggregating levels) to extract the factors. Second, we focus on the determination of the number of factors obtained either from various criteria or from a fixed choice.
Humanistic entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial career commitment

Although the crucial role of entrepreneurs in the process of establishing firms is common knowledge in SME research, a major theoretical problem has been how to combine theories of ‘persons’ (entrepreneurs) with theories of ‘organizations’ (firms). In this study I suggest that what is missing is a dynamic or processual approach to the study of entrepreneurs. Just as organizations change during their development, so do persons. In order to understand how in particular new firms come about, we should look more closely into the dynamics of personal change that lead certain individuals to commit themselves to entrepreneurial careers. A study of humanistic entrepreneurs in Denmark indicates that the process of becoming an entrepreneur can be seen as a particular kind of career commitment. The emergence of such career commitments is analysed. Different patterns of entrepreneurial career commitments are presented and explained in terms of both structural conditions and biographical self–narratives.