Sequential development and exploitation of an exhaustible resource: do monopoly rights promote conservation?

This paper explores the problem of sequential exploitation of exhaustible resources by a monopolist, when a setup cost must be incurred to access the next pool. Under certain circumstances, the monopolist will always follow a more conservationist path of extraction and delay the introduction of new resource pools compared to a social planner. However, with other forms of consumer demand, the monopolist may exhaust the resource more quickly, especially if many new options will follow. These results may apply especially to depletable resources like antibiotics or biotech products, for which significant research and development costs are required, followed by monopoly rights conferred by patents.     

Safety and Cost-Effectiveness of Clearzones in Rockcuts

Clearzones are a feature of modern highways that have a dramatic impact on roadside safety. The purpose of these unobstructed spaces is to provide an area where an errant vehicle can safely stop or the driver can regain control of the vehicle without striking a hazardous object like a tree or utility pole. Many clearzone alternatives (e.g., removing trees, installing traversable culvert openings, and installing guardrails in front of untraversable hazards) are relatively inexpensive in comparison to other roadway construction costs. Roadways passing through rockcuts present an unusual case where the construction cost of providing the clearzone is very high. This article examines different clearzone alternatives in rockcuts and compares the likely effect on safety and construction costs. A method is described for determining the rockcut width that best balances the cost of construction with the improvements in safety that would result from a wider clearzone in the rockcut.     

天津市地热热泵联合供热方案的经济性分析

文章通过把地热热泵联合供热与燃气热水锅炉供热的经济指标对比,显示出地热热泵联合供热方式的投资是巨大的,但是运行成本比较低,可以在7年左右的时间收回全部成本,而燃气热水锅炉供热是不能回收成本的。     

新《环境保护法》对重污染企业盈余管理的影响研究——基于政治成本假说的实证检验

本文利用新《环境保护法》实施这一外生事件,采用双重差分模型,从应计盈余管理和真实盈余管理两个方面实证检验了政治成本对重污染企业盈余管理的影响。研究发现在新《环境保护法》实施后,相比于非污染企业,重污染企业面临更高的政治成本,其进行了显著的向上应计盈余管理和真实盈余管理,向外界传递了企业未来发展良好的信息。上述研究结论经过一系列稳健性检验依然成立。进一步的异质性检验表明:①基于产权性质的分析表明,本文的研究结论在非国有企业的子样本组中更为明显;②基于企业规模的分析表明,小规模重污染企业更倾向于进行向上应计盈余管理,但不同规模重污染企业的真实盈余管理没有显著差异;③基于市场竞争程度的分析表明,高市场竞争环境下的重污染企业更倾向于采取向上应计盈余管理,低市场竞争环境下的重污染企业更倾向于进行向上真实盈余管理;④基于经济发展水平的分析表明,东部地区的重污染企业倾向于向上应计盈余管理和真实盈余管理。本文研究结论与西方的“政治成本假说”并不相符,为中国情境下的“政治成本理论”发展提供了另一种证据,同时为进一步加强新《环境保护法》的环境规制效果提供了决策参考。     

工伤保险行业差别费率确定方法探讨

制定合理的行业差别费率对于工伤保险基金的稳定、促进企业改善安全生产状况具有积极作用.我国工伤保险制度处于起步阶段,有些地区对行业差别费率厘定进行了探索,但费率与风险的关联性不强,影响了低风险企业参加工伤保险统筹的积极性.本文针对工伤统计数据缺乏的现状,分析了现阶段工伤保险行业差别费率确定方法的研究现状,重点讨论了确定行业风险等级的3种方法,即聚类分析法、风险系数测评和模糊风险评估法的应用过程以及优缺点;另外,强调了在确定行业风险指数时,应注意根据不同事故类别的严重度来确定各风险因素指标的权重大小.最后,应用风险评估理论分析工伤保险行业差别费率的运作机理,提出应用工伤赔付支出费用计算行业差别费率的数学公式,此公式原理清晰、操作方便,且有利于各统筹地区根据实际情况划分行业差别费率.     

Costs and prices for renewable energy development in industrialized countries and applications to China

Developing renewable energy is now becoming a hot topic as it is important in dealing with climate change issue and energy supply issue. With the growing demand of energy, it has become urgent to develop the effective policies and measures that would enable people to maintain the living standards. Among all the measures, price is an essential one. In order to evaluate the costs and prices of the electricity from renewable energy sources (RES-E) and their effects to the market, this paper firstly focus on the extra costs of the RES-E by breaking it into four parts, including investment, construction, connection and operation. Then, the policy choices made in some typical industrialized countries are examined to find answers to the problems RES-E can raise. Finally, the choices made in China are examined in comparison to industrialized countries so as to determine how the current situation could be improved.     

The impact of implementation of the requirements of Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and financial costs in the Republic of Croatia

This article contains the results of research into the impact of implementation of the requirements mentioned in Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and the financial costs incurred in this way. The study was conducted on a determined sample by a written questionnaire survey method in the Republic of Croatia. The objective of the empirical research is to determine the impact of implementation of the requirements of Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and financial costs in Croatia in business organizations that implement these requirements. To provide a broader picture, the research included the collection and analysis of data on the impact of the Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 on accidents and fatalities at work. Research findings are based on the analysis of performed statistical data where correlation and regression analysis has been applied.     

基于综合交通运输成本的港口后勤区域区位评价——以上海外高桥保税物流园区为例

港口后勤区域是港口功能的重要拓展空间,已成为影响港口物流运营效率的重要因素。运用ARCVIEW网络分析模块,从交通运输成本的角度,通过分析港口后勤区域候选点到直接腹地、间接腹地的运输成本,以及各候选点的综合运输成本进而对外高桥港口后勤区域区位进行研究。研究表明:外高桥保税物流园区至港区的运输成本系数为0.381 4、0.275 9、0.319 5和0.211 8,整体处于较高水平;到直接腹地的运输成本系数分别为1.107 93、1.136 49、1.085 24和1.109 76,处于偏低水平;到间接腹地的运输成本系数分别为0.874 5、0.935、0.825 4和0.874,整体处于中等水平;到腹地的运输成本系数分别为0.944 5、0.995 4、0.903 4和0.944 7,整体处于中等偏弱地位。外高桥保税物流园区到港区和腹地的综合运输成本系数分别为0.663、0.635 7、0.611 4和0.578 2,综合区位条件较好。今后,随着外高桥港区货运量的增加,保税物流园区应该向东南方向拓展。     

Minimizing external indirect health costs due to aerosol population exposure: a case study from Northern Italy

Environmental Agencies require Decision Support Systems, in order to plan Air Quality Policies considering the cost of emission reduction measures and the human health effects (with related social costs). The use of Decision Support Systems is also useful to spread information to general public, explaining the effectiveness of proposed air quality plans. In this paper, a multi-objective approach to control PM10 concentration at a regional level is presented. The problem considers both the internal costs (due to the implementation of emission reduction measures) and the external costs (due to population exposure to high PM10 concentrations). To model PM10 concentrations, a single surrogate model is used for the entire domain, allowing the implementation of a very efficient optimization procedure. The surrogate model is derived through a set of 10 simulations, performed using a Chemistry Transport Model fed with different emission reduction scenarios. The methodology is applied to Northern Italy, a region affected by very high PM10 concentrations that exceed the limit values specified by the EU legislation.     

Development of an indirect-cost calculation model suitable for workplace use

Introduction: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) stakeholders rarely factor the cost of workplace accidents into prevention spending decisions. The lack of consideration of this key information is related to the fact that the scientific literature has failed to provide OHS stakeholders with a cost-calculation tool that is both sufficiently accurate and does not require a data-collection stage ill-suited to the time constraints of workplace decision-makers. Method: This study reviews the recent literature to identify key elements that should foster the use of indirect-cost calculation methods by decision makers. Results: A “local” approach currently appears to be the best method for calculating indirect costs of workplace incidents or accidents in comparison to “bottom-up” or “top-down” approach. This paper discusses four criteria that this type of approach must satisfy to be compatible with the time constraints and accuracy demands of OHS stakeholders in organizations. In addition, four bases for the development of a new indirect cost estimation model are presented and discussed. Impact on industry: this study provides bases and criteria to help the development of indirect-cost calculation models better suited to workplace use than those currently available.