Disability as a Driving Force of Sustainable Business Models in the Fourth Sector

[EN] We are living in unprecedented times in which sustainability is essential to economic growth, quality of life and national stability. In this context, Solidaridad y Trabajo Virgen del Camino (SOLTRA) emerges as an example of a firm in the fourth sector that has achieved the triple bottom line of sustainability: economic, social and environmental performance. Although SOLTRA’s current efforts are mainly focused on the social sphere through the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities into the company and, consequently, into the labour market and society, it also pursues environmental and economic objectives. In the present study, we analysed SOLTRA’s business model by applying the theory of planned behaviour and the resource-based view of the firm. The information derived from in-depth interviews with SOLTRA’s CEO and top managers from the operations and human resources departments, as well as public financial and social reports, allowed us to identify the cornerstones of its business model. The model is based on incremental technology, holistic behaviour and the integration of social activities that help identify better business opportunities. In this study, several implications for managers, policymakers and citizens are provided. These findings may contribute to the development of managerial practices that can help companies to achieve better outcomes by using new approaches to solving social and environmental problems and identifying new opportunities for vulnerable citizens

Bounding the integral of powered i-th mean curvatures

We get estimates for the integrals of powered i-th mean curvatures, 1 = i = n - 1, of compact and convex hypersurfaces, in terms of the quermaßintegrals of the corresponding C 2 + convex bodies. These bounds will be obtained as consequences of a most general result for functions defined on a general probability space. From this result, similar estimates for the integrals of any convex transformation of the elementary symmetric functions of the radii of curvature of C 2 + convex bodies will be also proved, both, in terms of the quermaßintegrals, and of the roots of their Steiner polynomials. Finally, the radial function is considered, and estimates of the corresponding integrals are obtained in terms of the dual quermaßintegrals

Inmunologia

En Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, la Inmunología juega un papel importante en la formación del futuro profesionista, debido a la importancia en la preservación de la salud y el desarrollo de la respuesta inmune requerida en los animales domésticos para asegurar la calidad alimentaria de los productos zoógenos. Históricamente la Inmunología se ha ligado a la Medicina Veterinaria y Biología debido a que los primeros descubrimientos relevantes en esta materia se realizaron en los animales, conservando este conocimiento como una de las herramientas principales de la práctica profesional del Médico Veterinario Zootecnista al permitir entender las bases biológicas que determinan una respuesta inmune Mediante el uso de inmunógenos y la creación de nuevas vacunas, en el desarrollo de la respuesta inmune para los sistemas de prevención y control de las enfermedades, así como los sistemas de diagnóstico en los individuos, para evaluar su estado inmune y de salud en la población animal

Programa de prácticas de inmunología

Identificar y reconocer los órganos linfoides primarios y secundarios en los mamíferos, las aves y los peces al efectuar la disección de los vertebrados en estudio

Factors influencing board of directors’ decision-making process as determinants of CSR engagement

[EN] This paper focuses on the determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the organisational level. Specifically, it aims to understand the influence of not previously analysed board of directors’ characteristics on a company’s CSR engagement. A random effect probit model was applied to a panel of Spanish non-financial and non-insurance listed firms over the period 2009–2013. The analyses revealed that the existence of a board sub-committee responsible for social and environmental matters and its size, the establishment of a statutory term limit for independent directors and the possibility for directors of receiving advice from external sources positively affect a firm’s CSR engagement. This paper contributes to the debate about corporate governance and CSR by relating factors determining the decision-making process at boards of directors to CSR. Thus, it extends research on the board as a driver for social and environmental issues and suggests new ways to deal with this issue empirically.SIThe authors acknowledge the funding received from the Project ECO2015-63880-Rfrom the Ministerio de Economı ́a y Competitividad of Spain and the Project ULE2014-1 from theUniversity of Leo ́n (Spain). They also acknowledge funding from Project ECO 2015-69058-R

Production and Composition of Cider Spirits Distilled in “Alquitara”

The capacity of alquitara (a traditional distillation system) to produce cider brandies is evaluated. To do so, the chemical composition of 12 fractions obtained during the distillation process and the cider brandies obtained from five ciders were analyzed (alcohol strength, methanol, volatile substances, furfural, and metals), taking into account European and Spanish legislation. During the course of distillation, an important increase in methanol, furfural, 2-phenylethanol, and metals in the last fractions was observed, while fusel oils were more abundant in the first fractions collected. Only acetaldehyde behaved differently, showing a minimum concentration in the middle fractions that might be explained by its formation on the surface of alquitara. On the other hand, the final distillates obtained by means of this method complied with the considered regulations. Worth highlighting in this regard are the low levels of a potential toxin such as methanol, as well as the detection of a constant ratio for methanol, ethanol, and fusel oil for the pairs of cider/spirits analyzed, which could be interpreted as an indication of good uniformity in the distillation system and method, thus guaranteeing product quality