Irrationality rings! - Experimental evidence on mobile tariff choices

This paper investigates why consumers choose calling plans that are not always cost-minimizing. Our approach is twofold: we account for general difficulties facing a tariff choice, as well as for biased preferences. We provide evidence from an experiment among German university students and staff, finding that participants are often not aware of their actual consumption. In line with the findings on at-rate biases, respondents systematically overestimate their consumption. On the other hand, they are generally able and willing to detect optimal tariffs. Furthermore, with increasing usage level, consumers' performance improves. However, some participants hold strong preferences for certain tariff forms, seducing them to choose cost-dominated offers. In our setup, we find that respondents prefer tariffs involving subsidies or hire-purchase options for handsets over contracts with buy now options. --Behavioral Economics,Mobile phone tariffs,Handset subsidy,Hire-purchase of device

Does the growth of mobile markets cause the demise of fixed networks? Evidence from the European Union

The increasing usage of mobile communication and the declining demand for fixed line telephony in Europe make the analysis of substitutional effects between fixed and mobile networks a key aspect for future telecommunication regulation. Using a unique dataset which contains information on all 27 European Union members from 2003 to 2009, we analyze substitutability between fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Europe by applying dynamic panel data techniques. We find strong empirical evidence for substitution from fixed to cellular networks throughout Europe. In addition, the article reveals resulting policy implications.Dynamic Panel Model,Fix-Mobile Substitution,Telecommunication Markets

Does the growth of mobile markets cause the demise of fixed networks? Evidence from the European Union

The increasing usage of mobile communication and the declining demand for fixed line telephony in Europe make the analysis of substitutional effects between fixed and mobile networks a key aspect for future telecommunication regulation. Using a unique dataset which contains information on all 27 European Union members from 2003 to 2009, we analyze substitutability between fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Europe by applying dynamic panel data techniques. We find strong empirical evidence for substitution from fixed to cellular networks throughout Europe. In addition, the article reveals resulting policy implications. --dynamic panel model,fixed-mobile substitution,telecommunication markets

Applications of stable water and carbon isotopes in watershed research: Weathering, carbon cycling, and water balances

Research on rivers has traditionally involved concentration and flux measurements to better understand weathering, transport and cycling of materials from land to ocean. As a relatively new tool, stable isotope measurements complement this type of research by providing an extra label to characterize origin of the transportedmaterial, its transfer mechanisms, and natural versus anthropogenic influences. These new stable isotope techniques are scalable across a wide range of geographic and temporal scales. This review focuses on three aspects of hydrological and geochemical river research that are of prime importance to the policy issues of climate change and include utilization of stable water and carbon isotopes: (i) silicate and carbonate weathering in river basins, (ii) the riverine carbon and oxygen cycles, and (iii) water balances at the catchment scale. Most studies at watershed scales currently focus on water and carbon balances but future applications hold promise to integrate sediment fluxes and turnover, ground and surface water interactions, as well as the understanding of contaminant sources and their effects in river systems

Rehabilitation in the Fragile Health Systems of Low-Resource and Conflict-Affected Settings

The World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 initiative and call for action to integrate rehabilitation within health systems has led to increased collaborations, research projects and awareness since its launch in 2017. However, a large number of people with disabilities do not benefit from these developments as they live in countries of protracted conflict with health systems too fragile to prioritise rehabilitation. Research on rehabilitation in such contexts is still extremely rare and has not yet been conducted on a cross-national scale. Therefore, the aim of this PhD is to understand rehabilitation in the fragile health systems of low-resource and conflict-affected contexts to identify priorities for the development of rehabilitation services there and for future research. A mixed methods approach was employed. Two retrospective observational studies analysed the demographic and clinical characteristics of 287,274 rehabilitation users in 14 countries and the demographic and amputation characteristics of 28,446 rehabilitation users with amputation in five countries, using descriptive statistics. Data originate from an ICRC-developed database of routinely collected data on persons accessing ICRC-supported rehabilitation structures. Two qualitative focus group studies identified the perspectives of 35 ICRC-employed or -partner physiotherapists from 18 countries about barriers and facilitators of rehabilitation service development and about measuring rehabilitation outcomes in such contexts, using reflexive thematic analysis in an inductive and deductive approach to data analysis, respectively. To discuss study findings, the Rehabilitation in Conflict (RiC) framework was developed. It consists of the four components Context, Systems, Population and Services. Key findings were the diversity and complexity of context, which affects rehabilitation needs and how they are addressed. Indicators of weak health systems were found in all studies, as well as fragmented education, economic, and other systems. Rehabilitation users were characterised by low female representation, young age and disabilities caused by conflict and system challenges. Rehabilitation services were marked by a lack of recognition and health systems integration and a strong but insufficient workforce of mainly physiotherapists who lack appropriate outcome measures to reliably demonstrate impact. It is recommended that rehabilitation strengthening in such contexts starts on services level to drive change on systems level. This requires simple, reliable data collections, training, and service provision that pilots feasible, contextualised rehabilitation outcome measurement and models of care. Future research should explore disability prevalence, rehabilitation needs and outcomes including the perspectives of users, access barriers for women and possibly other neglected populations, using participatory approaches. Finally, implementation research is advised to investigate the development of rehabilitation in the most fragile contexts worldwide.2023-09-08 JG: Author's hand signature removed from PD

The impact of impending / onset of vision loss on depression, anxiety, and vision-related quality of life in Birdshot-Retinochoroiditis and Serpiginous Choroiditis

To evaluate the impact of Birdshot-Retinochoroidopathy (BSRC) and Serpiginous Choroiditis (SC) on depression, anxiety, and vision-related quality of life. 72 individuals (BSRC: n = 28, SC: n = 8; healthy control group (HC): n = 36) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Multivariate linear regression models were used to analyze different subscales of the PHQ-9, the GAD-7 and the VFQ-25. The results showed that the mean of PHQ-9 was significantly higher while the mean of the VFQ-25 and its ' subscales were consistently lower in the disease group compared to HC. The mean of GAD-7 was not significantly lower in the disease group compared to HC. Stratification for different disease severity stages and duration of disease did not reveal any differences in sum scores of PHQ-9, GAD-7, and VFQ-25, whereas there were significant differences in some subscales of the VFQ-25. We conclude that BSRC and SC patients show higher levels of depression and a reduced visual quality of life due to imminent loss of vision. Because depression and quality of life are adversely affected by lack of social contacts and functioning, psychological treatment should enable patients to maintain their independence and ability to social interaction. Psychosomatic care should be taken in account for the treatment of BSRC and SC

Accounting Issues in International Joint Ventures in the People's Republic of China

Joint venture relationships have become an important strategy for multinational corporations for their global expansion into overseas markets. The purpose of this research is to investigate some new accounting problems relating to international joint ventures with special reference to China. The thesis covers such accounting issues as: the relationship between accounting differences and business decisions in the context of international joint ventures; the economic consequences of international harmonisation of accounting standards; foreign influences on accounting practices in joint ventures; and the interaction between culture and accounting practices. INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING DIVERSITY AND BUSINESS DECISIONS This aspect of the study explored whether the diversity among national accounting and disclosure practices and regulations affects the business decisions of major foreign users of financial statements. The study focused on Chinese joint venture financial statements and the use of them by UK multinational companies in relation to the business decisions about a joint venture. The research methodology used here was on a case study basis for the UK MNCs which have joint ventures in China. The findings are consistent with the notion that accounting differences may affect the business decisions of parent companies in relation to a joint venture. ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNATIONAL HARMONISATION OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS The issue of economic consequences of the international harmonisation of accounting standards is also investigated. In this regard, a theoretical model is proposed which attempts to explain and predict the harmonisation of accounting standards across countries. The theory proposed emphasises the economic consequences of the suggested harmonisation of accounting standards on local affected groups. This model is then used to try to explain the process of harmonisation of accounting standards in the case of Chinese joint ventures. Finally a case study of the financial statements of a joint venture presents an observed cash flow effect of changes of accounting methods used for measurement and valuation. FOREIGN INFLUENCE ON ACCOUNTING MEASUREMENT PRACTICES A study of accounting choice in joint ventures is also carried out, investigating whether accounting measurement practices appear differently as between joint ventures with different foreign backgrounds. The focus is on the major foreign partners in Chinese joint ventures: US, Japan, Hong Kong and UK investors. Rather than testing individual accounting method choice separately, an attempt is made to conduct an overall assessment of accounting practices of Chinese joint ventures. For this purpose, a point-system is designed to measure the extent to which a joint venture uses income-decreasing or conservative accounting measurement methods for each joint venture taken from a random sample of companies. Then comparisons of the conservative measurement scale are made between different joint venture groups using univariate and multivariate analyses. The findings support the hypothesis that there are significant differences in accounting choices between joint ventures with different foreign backgrounds. CULTURE AND ACCOUNTING STANDARDS The interaction of cultural factors and accounting standards is also investigated. In particular, the study is concerned with how the accounting environment affects judgments about the appropriateness of accounting standards in terms of the truthfulness and fair ness of financial statements. The hypothesis is that people from different accounting subcultures may have different judgment as to whether a particular accounting standard can provide a true and fair view of financial position and results. The research tests the attitudes of British and Chinese people towards the Chinese joint venture accounting regulations as to whether the regulations can give a true and fair view of financial position and results. Contrasting views were found between the two groups of subjects from Britain and China. CONCLUDING OVERVIEW The study focused on accounting issues in a relatively new research field, that of international joint ventures. The findings increased our understanding about accounting practices used in Chinese-foreign joint ventures. The study also provided new insights into a number of accounting debates and unsolved problems. The research, subject to certain limitations, either presented evidence supporting already known hypotheses, e.g. accounting diversity and decision-making, interaction between culture and accounting; or raised some new accounting issues for further research consideration, e.g. economic consequences of the harmonisation of accounting standards. It is hoped that the achievements in this area facilitate the progress of international harmonisation of accounting and financial reporting practices

Effects of dietary milk- and soy phospholipids on lipid-parameters and other risk indicators for cardiovascular diseases in overweight or obese men : two double-blind, randomised, controlled, clinical trials

The present study examined the effect of milk phospholipids (milk-PL) on lipid metabolism and on other risk factors for CVD, in comparison with milk fat (control) or soya phospholipids (soya-PL), respectively. Two double-blind parallel-group intervention trials were conducted in overweight or obese male subjects. In the first trial (trial 1), sixty-two men consumed milk enriched with either 2 g milk-PL or 2 g milk fat (control) for 8 weeks. In trial 2, fifty-seven men consumed milk enriched with either 3 g milk-PL or 2·8 g soya-PL for 7 weeks. In trial 1, milk-PL as compared with control reduced waist circumference but did not affect plasma lipids (total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio, TAG, phospholipids), apoB, apoA1, glucose, insulin, insulin sensitivity index, C-reactive protein, IL-6, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule and total homocysteine (tHcy). Serum activities of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were not changed. Activity of γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), a marker of fatty liver, increased in the control but not in the milk-PL group, with a significant intervention effect. In trial 2, milk-PL as compared with soya-PL did not affect the above-mentioned parameters, but decreased GGT. Subjects with the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase mutations CT and TT had 11 % (P < 0·05) higher baseline tHcy concentrations than those with the wild-type CC. However, genotype did not modulate the phospholipid intervention effect on tHcy. In conclusion, supplementation with milk-PL as compared with control fat reduced waist circumference and, as compared with both control fat and soya-PL, GGT activity