Inferring salesperson capability using stochastic frontier analysis

This paper proposes an easy-to-implement econometric method for inferring salesperson capability from archival panel data, namely stochastic frontier (SF) analysis. We demonstrate this method with a sample of salespersons provided by a life insurance company. Using the proposed SF model, we are able to estimate each salesperson’s capability. Furthermore, we examine the relationship between the estimated salesperson capability and three future outcomes (i.e. future sales performance, future customer attrition, and future salesperson turnover) under different time horizons. We find that, in general, the estimated salesperson capability has a stronger explanatory power for the near than for the more distant future. Since an individual salesperson’s capability cannot be directly observed by researchers (and thus is typically omitted), traditional analyses of sales performance suffer from an omitted-variable problem that can lead to biased estimates of focal variables. The SF model can significantly mitigate this omitted-variable problem. Statistical tests indicate that our sales performance model with estimated salesperson capability results in a statistically significant improvement in model fit. Of note, our model differs methodologically from SF models previously used in the marketing literature in that it is based on a three-component model that disentangles unobserved individual heterogeneity, efficiency, and random shocks.     

Parental Rearing Behaviors and Adolescent’s Social Trust: Roles of Adolescent Self-esteem and Class Justice Climate

Research on the antecedents and underlying mechanisms of the formation of adolescent social trust is scant. Family and school are two major environments in which adolescents become socialized. The current study examined the effect of parental rearing behaviors (rejection, emotional warmth and overprotection) on adolescent social trust, exploring the mediating role of adolescent self-esteem and the multilevel moderated role of the Level 2 variable class justice climate. The sample included 612 (12–16 years old) middle school students in China. Participants completed the s-EMBU, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, Rosenberg’s Faith in People Scale and the perceptions of class justice scale, along with other control variables. The results suggested that parental rearing behaviors significantly predicted adolescent social trust, regardless of adolescent gender or age. Additional mediation analysis suggested that parental rearing behaviors had both direct effects on adolescent social trust and indirect effects through adolescent self-esteem. Further multilevel structural equation modeling indicated that class justice climate moderated the effect of parental rejection on adolescent self-esteem. The findings suggest that family and school practice jointly shape adolescents’ social trust. How parents treat their children has a huge influence on the degree to which their children trust other people. In addition, perceived class justice could buffer the harmfulness of negative parental rearing behaviors.     

Open or close the door to the outgroup? Diversity beliefs moderate the impact of group boundary permeability on attitudes toward the outgroup

The present research investigated the moderating role of diversity beliefs with the aim of reconciling inconsistent findings regarding the impact of group boundary permeability on attitudes toward outgroup. In Study 1, all variables were measured with self‐report scales completed by Chinese participants. In Study 2, diversity beliefs were manipulated by randomly assigning Chinese participants to a high or low diversity belief condition. In Study 3, we replicated the moderating model with American participants. Results of all three studies indicated that diversity beliefs moderated the relationship between group boundary permeability and attitudes toward outgroup. Individuals with high diversity beliefs held more positive attitudes toward the outgroup when the group boundary was permeable (vs. impermeable). Conversely, individuals with low diversity beliefs held more negative attitudes toward the outgroup when the group boundary was permeable (vs. impermeable). These findings suggest that when the inflow of the outgroup members is inevitable, attitudes toward the outgroup may be effectively improved by increasing diversity beliefs.     

中国近代佛教入世途径及其现代启示

积极参与社会生活是中国近代佛教的重要特点.就具体途径而言,投身民族救亡、对治近代社会弊端、重建传统道德价值、关注人生问题、拯救百姓疾苦等是中国近代佛教的主要入世途径.分析中国近代佛教的入世途径,不仅有助于全面了解中国近代佛教的发展历程,而且对透视当代佛教的传播和发展也将大有裨益.     

张謇的农业现代化思想与实践

中国的现代化思想产生于19世纪60年代的洋务运动。而19世纪80年代中期张謇在家乡兴办通海垦牧公司,则标志着中国农业现代化的发韧。张謇的农业现代化思想是在全面兴办农业的过程中产生的,并形成了独特的体系。探讨张謇的农业现代化思想,对我们在新世纪建设社会主义新农村,实现我国的农业现代化不无裨益。     

《道藏》四卷本《唐玄宗御制道德真经疏》辨误

本文指出,<道藏>四卷本<唐玄宗御制道德真经疏>以杜光庭<道德真经广圣义>文为主,杂采成玄英<道德经义疏>及唐玄宗<御疏>等,非唐玄宗所撰;认为是五代后蜀乔讽所编<道德经疏义节解>原书.     

信任论纲

<正>在任何形式的社会合作中,信任都是不可或缺的。中国古代文明将 "诚"和 "信"作为重要的德目,乃至作为做人和进入社会以及为政和构建社会秩序的根本准则来看待。在欧洲,自罗马帝国始,"遵守承诺和信守契约"被看作是公正的基础 ( 西塞罗,第 13 页) ,成为普遍的商业乃至司法原则,并形成悠久的文化传统。现代性制度在本质上与信任相关。20 世纪下半叶,全球化的发展和现代化的深化特别是 "风险社会"的出现,使信任问题极大地凸显出来,成为全球性问题和社会矛盾     

办好新时代中国特色伊斯兰教育

党的十九届五中全会是中国特色社会主义进入新时代的关键时期召开的一次十分重要的大会,在党和国家发展史、中华民族复兴史上具有里程碑意义。我们要准确把握、全面贯彻全会精神,坚持走中国特色伊斯兰教育发展道路。一、强调宗教院校特色教育的自身定位宗教院校的特色是在一定的办学思想指导下,在长期的办学过程中逐步积累形成的独特性、稳定性和发展性的特征。