CSR: Transparency and the role of intermediate organisations

Transparency is a crucial condition to implement a CSR policy based on the reputation mechanism. The central question of this contribution is how a transparency policy ought to be organised in order to enhance the CSR behaviour of companies. Governments endorsing CSR as a new means of governance have different strategies to foster CSR transparency. In this paper we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of two conventional policy strategies: the facilitation policy and the command and control strategy. Using three criteria (efficiency, freedom and virtue) we conclude that both strategies are defective. Most attention is paid to the facilitation strategy since governments nowadays mainly use this. In evaluating this strategy we analyse the Dutch case. As an alternative we introduce a third government policy: the development of a self-regulating sub-system. By construing an analogy with the historical development of corporate financial disclosure, we point out that the vital step in the creation of a self-regulating subsys- tem is the creation of strong informational intermediate organisations.self-regulation; self-governance; system approach; social reporting; command and control; strategic and moral assessment of transparency; transparency policy; CSR; infomediaries

Travelling for Umrah:destination attributes, destination image, and post-travel intentions

This paper examines the links between cosmopolitanism, self-identity, and a desire for social interaction perceived destination image and behavioural intentions. A model tested using a sample of 538 Iranian visitors to Mecca for the purpose of Umrah. The result from the structural model suggests that destination attributes influence perceived destination image. Further, such tourists are likely to revisit or recommend Islamic destinations if their experience matches their perceived image of the destination. This implies that, while the religious characteristics of the destination remain important, destination managers cannot disregard the tangential, non-religious attributes of a destination which are crucial in order to satisfy more conventional tourist desires. As such, this study suggests that those managing religious travel destinations should endeavour to foster a welcoming image, where experience, interaction and tolerance are at the forefront of the destination’s offering

Generative Roles: Assessing Sustained Involvement in Generativity

Abstract Generative roles refer to observable, behavioral community positions that embody aspects of teaching and nurturing that are central to the concept of generativity. Two studies are presented that describe generative roles in a community sample and provide psychometric data for a short index of generative roles. The first study also provides reliability and validity data from a second informant. The second study examines generative roles at different stages of adolescence and adulthood. Participants were asked 8 yes/no questions about a variety of community roles. The validity of the GRI was supported by significant correlations with the Loyola Generativity Scale, a widely used measure of generative concern (r=.33), and measures of related constructs. The correlations were similar across age categories. The Generative Roles Index has good psychometric qualities and complements existing measures of generativity by providing behavioral, observable data on roles

A validation of mobile sensing actigraphy devices for generating a biomechanical model of posture

Mobile sensing actigraphy was tested and validated as a modality for computing dynamic posturography. Twelve healthy volunteer subjects (6 male) were administered risperidone and assessed for postural stability using a NeuroCom® Balance Master system and BioSensics® mobile sensors at baseline, 2 hours, 6 hours, and 24 hours post-dose. A strong positive correlation was shown between BioSensics and Balance Master systems in a modified Sensory Organization Task, with Pearson’s r = 0.76, p < 0.001 on composite equilibrium scores. Strong to moderate correlations during the same task showed r = 0.48, p < 0.001 to r = 0.74, p < 0.001. Mobile sensing actigraphy may be a viable alternative to force plate posturography in assessing drug-induced postural instability

A research review of quality assessment for software

Measures were recommended to assess the quality of software submitted to the AdaNet program. The quality factors that are important to software reuse are explored and methods of evaluating those factors are discussed. Quality factors important to software reuse are: correctness, reliability, verifiability, understandability, modifiability, and certifiability. Certifiability is included because the documentation of many factors about a software component such as its efficiency, portability, and development history, constitute a class for factors important to some users, not important at all to other, and impossible for AdaNet to distinguish between a priori. The quality factors may be assessed in different ways. There are a few quantitative measures which have been shown to indicate software quality. However, it is believed that there exists many factors that indicate quality and have not been empirically validated due to their subjective nature. These subjective factors are characterized by the way in which they support the software engineering principles of abstraction, information hiding, modularity, localization, confirmability, uniformity, and completeness

Development of an Instrument to Identify the Virtues of Expert Nursing Practice: ‘Byrd’s Nurses Ethical Sensitivity Test’ (Byrd’s Nest)

The purpose of this research was to develop and analyze the psychometric properties of Byrd’s Nurse’s Ethical Sensitivity Test (Byrd’s NEST). An instrument to evaluate nurses’ ethical sensitivity in practice by examining choices of action in ethical dilemmas based on nursing virtues: compassion, fidelity to trust, moral courage, justice, self-confidence, resilience, practical reasoning, and integrity (Benner, Tanner, & Chelsa, 1996; Volbrecht, 2002). Benner’s theory of skill acquisition-novice to expert was the theoretical framework for this research which surveyed for correlations between a nurse’s ethical sensitivity and educational level, years of experience, certification, and work setting. Until now, there have been no instruments available to measure nurses’ ethical sensitivity. Instrument development was the focus of this research which employed multiple phases in creation and psychometric testing. The Byrd’s NEST consists of 10 ethical dilemmas in nursing followed by three response choices to allow the participant to choose a course of action scored on a scale of low, medium, or high degree of ethical sensitivity. Concurrent validity was assessed utilizing the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ) (Lutzen, Everton, & Nordin, 1997) and the Multidimensional Ethics Scale (MES) (Reidenbach & Robin, 1990). Reliability and validity tests were conducted throughout the study in three stages: first two panels of experts evaluated the instrument and scored the items, next a small pilot study of 20 nurses were administered the instrument and test/retest stability was examined, and finally a larger pilot study of 500 nurses was conducted through a one-time mail-out. The scores in the large pilot study (N =115) indicated that all nurses who responded to this study demonstrated high ethical sensitivity regardless of educational degrees, years of experience, certification, or work setting. There was possibly a ceiling effect in which the different group’s characteristics could not be seen. But these findings demonstrate that the nursing profession, as a whole, is an ethical practice. At this stage of development, the Byrd’s NEST does not demonstrate internal consistency or concurrent validity with the MSQ or the MES items. The Byrd’s NEST is in its infancy and will require further revisions and additional testing to improve its reliability

Multiple goal orientations as predictors of moral behavior in youth soccer

The purpose of this study was to examine task-, ego-, and social-goal orientations as predictors of prosocial and antisocial behavior in youth soccer. Participants were 365 male (n = 227) and female (n = 138) youth soccer players (M-age = 13.4 years, SD = 1.8), who completed questionnaires measuring task and ego orientation; the goals of social affiliation, social recognition and social status; prosocial and antisocial behavior; and demographics. Regression analyses revealed that prosocial behavior was predicted positively by task orientation and social affiliation and negatively by social status. In contrast, antisocial behavior was predicted positively by ego orientation and social status and negatively by task orientation. Findings for task and ego orientation are consistent with previous work. Social-goal orientations explained further variance in prosocial and antisocial behavior, and their inclusion in future moral research is encouraged

Explaining support for vigilantism and punitiveness: assessing the role of perceived procedural fairness, ethnocentrism, authoritarianism and anomia

The purpose of this study is to investigate the interrelationships among ethnocentrism, authoritarianism, anomia, the lack of confidence in the criminal justice system, punitiveness and support for vigilantism in a cross-sectional sample of 1,078 Belgian university students enrolled at Ghent University during the academic year 2009-2010. The emphasis lies on confidence in procedural justice or perceived procedural fairness, a specific type of organisational justice perception that reflects how fairly organisational procedures of the criminal justice system are perceived. First, it is assessed to what extent ethnocentrism, authoritarianism and anomia can equally explain individual differences in perceived procedural fairness of the criminal justice system, punitiveness and support for vigilantism. Ethnocentrism, anomia and authoritarianism are from a theoretical point of view hypothesised as exogenous variables that especially (but not exclusively) have indirect effects on public support for vigilantism mainly because of their effects on perceived procedural fairness in the criminal justice system and punitiveness. Finally, it is investigated to what extent punitiveness can be seen as the key mediator of the effects of all exogenous mechanisms (ethnocentrism, authoritarianism, anomia) and perceptions of procedural fairness as an endogenous mechanism on public support for vigilantism. Direct and indirect effects between latent variables are assessed using a structural equation modelling approach (full LISREL models)

Evaluating system utility and conceptual fit using CASSM

There is a wealth of user-centred evaluation methods (UEMs) to support the analyst in assessing interactive systems. Many of these support detailed aspects of use – for example: Is the feedback helpful? Are labels appropriate? Is the task structure optimal? Few UEMs encourage the analyst to step back and consider how well a system supports users’ conceptual understandings and system utility. In this paper, we present CASSM, a method which focuses on the quality of ‘fit’ between users and an interactive system. We describe the methodology of conducting a CASSM analysis and illustrate the approach with three contrasting worked examples (a robotic arm, a digital library system and a drawing tool) that demonstrate different depths of analysis. We show how CASSM can help identify re-design possibilities to improve system utility. CASSM complements established evaluation methods by focusing on conceptual structures rather than procedures. Prototype tool support for completing a CASSM analysis is provided by Cassata, an open source development