A property rights view of multi-unit franchising

This study develops a property rights explanation of the multi-unit (MU) ownership strategy of the franchise firm. According to the property rights theory, the allocation of residual rights of control (decision and ownership rights) in franchise firms depends on the contractibility of system-specific and local market assets (LMA). We develop and test the following hypotheses: Multi-unit franchising (MUF) is positively related to the franchisor’s intangible system-specific assets and negatively to the franchisee’s intangible LMA. In addition, we argue that impact of financial assets on the tendency toward MUF depends on the contractibility of LMA. Empirical results from the German franchise sector provide partial support of the hypotheses. Compared to the agency theory, which focuses on (complete) incentive contracts that specify residual income rights between the franchisor and franchisee, property rights theory focuses on incomplete contracts that allocate residual control rights between the franchisor and network partners. Furthermore, compared to the resource scarcity theory, property rights theory explains the impact of contractibility of resources/assets on the ownership strategy of the franchise firm.     

The Structure of Ownership Rights in Franchising: An Incomplete Contracting View

The paper offers an explanation for the structure of ownership rights in franchising networks which emphasize the role of intangible assets. By applying the incomplete contracting theory of the firm we argue that the structure of ownership rights depends on the distribution of intangible assets between the franchisor and the franchisee. The higher the franchisor's (franchisee's) intangible assets relative to the franchisee (franchisor), the more ownership rights should be transferred to him. This hypothesis was tested by using data from the Austrian franchise sector. The empirical results are supportive of the hypothesis.     

The Governance of Blockchain Financial Networks

Since the emergence of the virtual currency Bitcoin in 2009, a new, Internet‐based way of recording entitlements and enforcing rights has increasingly captured the interest of businesses and governments. The technology is commonly called ‘blockchain’ and is often associated with a closely related phenomenon, the ‘smart contract’. The market is now exploring ways of using these concepts for financial assets, such as securities, fiat money and derivative contracts. This article develops a conceptual framework for the governance of blockchain‐based networks in financial markets. It constructs a vision of how financial regulation and private law should set the boundaries of this new technology in order to protect market participants and societies at large, while at the same time allowing the necessary room for innovation.     

中国传统契约中的“契约自由”与“主体平等”——以清水江文书为视角

中国法律传统虽以"公法"为主要特征,强调以身份关系为纽带的"公权力",但在"私法"领域,却并非不重视以自由和平等为基础的"私权利"。在中国传统契约与清水江文书中,均普遍存有关于"契约自由"与"主体平等"这样一种"契约型社会"的私法观念。在契约自由方面,主要通过"二主和同"、"两和立契"等契约语言来体现契约是双方协商一致,达成合意的结果;在主体平等方面,则通过"两共平章"、"平中立约"等用语来表明立约双方具有平等的人格与主体地位。而这样一种注重合意、平等立约的私法观念,以及尊重契约、敬畏契约,通过契约保护自身合法权利的精神,是当今我国法治化建设过程中重要的本土资源与宝贵财富。在提倡尊重契约精神、保护私权利等法治观念的今天,亦能够为我国法治的现代化进程提供历史的和本土的基因。     

A contractual perspective on succession in family firms: a stakeholder view

This paper analyses succession in family firms from a contractual perspective. A firm is regarded as a nexus of contractual relations with owners, employees, suppliers of goods and services and customers. These contractual parties are in differing degrees tied to the firm through asset specificities. Succession can affect the value of such assets. In this sense they become stakeholders with vested interests in the succession process. The theoretical discussion of affected stakeholders is backed up by a survey study of 143 Swedish family-owned businesses that have been subject to succession. The results show that the opinions of close shareholders such as family members and incumbent mangers as well as those of other stakeholders such as suppliers and customers are important.     

网络服务合同中不平等条款的类型及其法律规制——以虚拟财产权的保护为视角

网络服务合同是确立网络运营商与用户双方权利义务的协议,是用户行使及保护其虚拟财产权的重要依托。实务中由于网络服务合同缺乏完善的法律规范,导致其中存在大量不公平的争议条款,当法律纠纷出现时,严重不利于用户对其虚拟财产权的保护与行使。如何在法律上对网络服务合同进行规制以及在司法实践中如何认定部分争议类型条款的有效性将是保护网络虚拟财产的重中之重。正基于此,在分析网络服务合同与虚拟财产权保护的主要矛盾,探讨网络服务合同中部分争议类型条款之后,对网络服务合同的法律规范提出相关建议。     

国家与婚姻:婚姻自由的宪法之维

作为宪法基本权利的婚姻自由,是指婚姻当事人享有自主地决定自己婚姻的权利,免受国家的非法干预与侵犯.婚姻当事人按照法律的规定,有权基于本人的意志,自主自愿地决定自己的婚姻问题,既不受国家的强迫、限制或其他方式的影响,也不受第三人的干涉和强制.我国法律规范中限制公民结婚和离婚的某些规定,与宪法婚姻自由基本权利是相冲突的,国家对婚姻自由限制只能是在宪法精神下基于合理的、正当的理由且只能由法律予以规定.婚姻自由是否可以包括同性婚姻近年来被少数群体呼吁,其法律理论需要从宪法平等的层面进行探讨.同性婚姻的法理学源于宪法平等而非婚姻法,即性的平等而非男女平等,同性婚姻如果需要国家的保护,首先需要对宪法平等权作扩张的解释,然后才有可能进入由法律规范调整的讨论视角.     

性权的法理学分析

性权的法律属性应是“性存在”的“人”的自然的、初始的权利和自由,人类进入文明社会以后,性规范经历了性宽松—性禁锢—性解放的历史演变,其价值取向是自由、平等、正义与秩序。性权的法律规制主要表现为公权力对性自由的约控,性权在我国法学界存在明显的理论准备的不足和司法实践的回避,性权作为一种人权应予以法律保护。     

论我国设置土地发展权的必要性和可行性

土地发展权是一项可以与土地所有权分割而单独处分的财产权。该权利直接关系到改变土地用途、提高土地利用集约度以及增加对土地的投入而产生的发展性利益的权利归属和利益分配。我国设置土地发展权有利于促进基本人权建设,是加强耕地保护,完善双层经营体制和防止国有资产流失的需要。科学发展观为土地发展权的设置提供理论指导,我国设置土地发展权符合所有权发展变化的一般规律,国外经验和学者的研究成果为土地发展权的设置提供了可资借鉴的经验和必要的理论铺垫。     

The Proprietary Foundations of Corporate Law

Recent work in both the theory of the firm and of corporatelaw has called into question the appropriateness of analysingcorporate law as ‘merely’ a set of standard formcontracts. This article develops these ideas by focusing onproperty law's role in underpinning corporate enterprise. Rightsto control assets are a significant mechanism of governancein the firm. However, their use in this way predicates somearrangement for stipulating which parties will have controlunder which circumstances. It is argued that ‘propertyrules’—a category whose scope is determined functionally—protectthe entitlements of parties to such sharing arrangements againsteach other's opportunistic attempts to grant conflicting entitlementsto third parties. At the same time, the legal system uses arange of strategies to minimize the costs such protection imposeson third parties. The choice of strategy significantly affectsco-owners’ freedom to customize their control-sharingarrangements. This theory is applied to give an account of the‘proprietary foundations’ of corporate law, whichhas significant implications for the way in which the subject'sfunctions are understood and evaluated.     

Negative governmentality through fundamental rights: The far side of the European Convention on Human Rights

This essay analyses those statements that mention legal norms in negative terms. Specifically, it analyses those statements that define a legal system by mentioning how legal protection does not work and where legal protection ends, and those statements that identify what rights‐holders do not have to with their legally protected free capacities. This essay argues that these statements address a systemic question. It calls such a dynamic as negative governmentality. The argument proceeds in four steps. It introduces the concept of negative governmentality by arguing that the idea of freedom requires both the positive affirmation of moral agency and the constraining of moral agency (Section 2 ). It then explores how rights constitute freedom by limiting rights or making exceptions to them (Section 3 ). Later, it analyses how rights‐based norms prevent abuse of rights by holders of rights (Section 4 ). Finally, it sees how rights‐based norms constrain the legal guarantor of rights, i.e., a state (Section 5 ). The essay concludes by mentioning the importance of negative governmentality (Section 6 ).     

Religion, State Power, and Domestic Violence in Muslim Societies: A Framework for Comparative Analysis

This article focuses on the issue of domestic violence in Muslim societies in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The analytical framework is comparative, emphasizing four factors and the interplay among them: shari'a (Islamic law), state power, intrafamily violence, and struggles over women's rights. The comparative approach historicizes the problem of domestic violence and impunity to consider the impact of transnational legal discourses (Islamism and human rights) on "local" struggles over rights and law. The use of shari'a creates some commonalities in gender and family relations in Muslim societies, notably the sanctioning and maintenance of male authority over female relatives. However, the most important issue for understanding domestic violence and impunity is the relationship between religion and state power. This relationship takes three forms: communalization, in which religious law is separate from the national legal regime; nationalization, in which the state incorporates religious law into the national legal regime; and theocratization, in which the national legal regime is based on religious law.     

Planning for the succession of digital assets

Estate planners’ current strategies for the disposition of digital assets are quickly becoming out-dated. This is largely the result of ambiguities concerning proprietary rights of digital assets after death. When advising clients on how to plan for the succession of digital assets, it is important for estate planners to understand the nature of digital assets today and to recognize how these assets may evolve. In failing to take into account the evolving nature of digital assets, estate planners are liable to craft short-sighted and thus ineffective succession plans. As the popularity of digital executor businesses increases, estate planners ought to caution clients on their shortcomings. Additionally, legislatures must create statutes which outline the rights of individuals vis-à-vis online service providers.     

Takeover Defenses’ Influence on Managerial Incentives

This article examines how takeover defenses influence managerial incentives with respect to long-term investments, excess liquidity and capital structure. The article presents a cross-sectional regression based on a sample of listed Danish firms and deals explicitly with the problem of causation between the variables. Takeover defenses adopted by Danish firms mainly consist of shares with dual class voting rights, which are often combined with foundation ownership. The article finds that protected firms have significantly less debt to equity. However, protected firms are not significantly more oriented towards the long-term and do not have significantly more excess liquidity.     

Theorising Children's Rights in Youth Justice: The Significance of Autonomy and Foundational Rights

This paper develops a theoretical approach to children's rights in youth justice, located within a wider rights‐based theory of criminal justice which emphasises the centrality of citizens' autonomy. Understanding what is special about children's rights in the youth justice system requires an understanding of how children's autonomy differs from that of adults. One difference is that within the legal system children are not considered to be fully autonomous rights‐holders, because childhood is a time for gathering and developing the assets necessary for full autonomy. These assets should be protected by a category of ‘foundational’ rights. It is argued that an essential component of a rights‐based penal system for children is that it should not irreparably or permanently harm the child's foundational rights. The concept of foundational rights can then underpin and strengthen international children's rights standards, including those relating to the minimum age of criminal responsibility, differential sentencing for children and adults and a rights‐based system of resettlement provision.     

论和解合同

和解合同是当事人约定相互让步,以终止争执或排除法律关系不明确之状态的合同。构成和解合同,第一须有争执或法律关系不明确的状态的存在;第二须有终止争执或排除法律关系不明确状态的意思;第三须有相互让步。和解合同不必定为债权合同,而是有可能为物权合同或准物权合同;和解合同不必定为双务合同;和解合同为不要式合同。和解合同的典型内容为确定效力。     

结社自由的基本权利属性定位

结社自由在基本权利体系中属于自由权范畴,并与其他基本自由权、政治权利、经济社会和文化权利在属性和内容上存在一定的交叉与竞合,因而结社自由具有复合属性之特点。从法律文本以及宪法理论考察,结社自由是一种独立的自由权类型,而非全然为表达自由或政治权利所吸收。厘清结社自由的权利属性定位,对于结社自由的实现、尤其是非政治性结社行为的保障,以及对于结社自由限制措施的合宪性审查和其他相关基本权利之法律救济均具有重要而积极的意义。     

关于我国物权法体系结构的思考

法律的体系结构问题是一个按一定逻辑联系将法律规范加以排列组合的问题。各国民法典 (包括其物权编 )体系结构上的差异 ,原于体系设计者选择的逻辑标准不同。法国法系国家在设计其民法典 (包括其物权编 )的体系结构时 ,更注重调整对象标准 ;而德国法系国家在设计其民法典 (包括其物权编 )的体系结构时 ,则更倾向于法权形式标准。本文作者主张以调整对象为标准来分配物权法与债法的内容 ,将作用于商品交换领域的抵押、质押、留置及让与担保等担保制度纳入债法规定 ,而不照搬德国法系国家的作法纳入物权法规定。对物权法内部的体系结构 ,本文作者主张除总则外 ,分所有权、用益物权、相邻权、占有与登记四个组成部分 ,以分别调整物的归属关系、物的用益关系、不动产相邻关系及无本权的动产占有人、不动产物权登记名义人与物之本权人之间的关系。本文作者认为 ,这一体系结构有利于明确物权法内各制度各自作用的社会经济生活领域 ,张扬它们各自不同的目的和功能 ,实现它们各自不同的价值。     

Grant v Commissioner of Patents and patenting knowledge inventions

This article reviews the Full Federal Court decision in Grant v Commissioner of Patents (2006) 154 FCR 62; 69 IPR 221; [2006] FCAFC 120 denying patentability to a method for structuring a financial transaction so as to protect an individual's assets from a loss of ownership as a result of a legal liability. The article challenges the distinctions drawn by the Full Federal Court and argues that the decision marks a new development in setting a boundary for the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) "manner of manufacture". The article concludese that important questions now arise in assessing the possible application of the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) to promoting some inventions (and innovations) and not others, and whether there are other classes of inventions that also do not require the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) incentives.     

数据治理法律路径的反思与转进

数据已成为数据经济的重要生产要素和企业之间竞相争夺的战略资源。当前数据法律规范体系正处在理论构建阶段,数据法律规范严重滞后于数据产业的发展,并引发诸多的数据纠纷。理论上,依靠传统财产权路径,尤其是创设绝对权性质的数据财产权成为数据治理的主要选择,但此路径面临着诸多问题,新型数据财产权的构建仍前途未卜。数据治理合同路径更契合当前数据经济的发展,在实现数据流通与商业模式创新上更具灵活性,其本质是数据许可合同的规范问题,应成为数据治理的重要法律路径。我国数据治理合同路径应当构建以数据许可合同为一类典型合同作为数据时代的基础合同,并参照国外相关立法实现此类合同的专门立法。