The Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance Debate

Much controversy surrounds the theoretical link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance. Many different empirical studies have reached conclusions that this link is either positive, neutral, negative, or non-existent. In this paper, a thorough literature review is conducted seeking an explanation for the contradiction and disagreement present in current literature on the subject. Six key factors causing this contradiction were highlighted and examined in the review. A comprehensive understanding of the contradiction in this field will help researchers avoid historic pitfalls in future research, and may eventually lead to a definitive understanding of the financial implications of CSR. Much controversy surrounds the theoretical link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance. Many different empirical studies have reached conclusions that this link is either positive, neutral, negative, or non-existent. In this paper, a thorough literature review is conducted seeking an explanation for the contradiction and disagreement present in current literature on the subject. Six key factors causing this contradiction were highlighted and examined in the review. A comprehensive understanding of the contradiction in this field will help researchers avoid historic pitfalls in future research, and may eventually lead to a definitive understanding of the financial implications of CSR

The dynamics of larval and 0+ juvenile fish population in lowland rivers

Early development represents a critical period in the life cycle of fishes, with a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors influencing eventual recruitment to the adult populations. Despite their key importance in the sustainability of fish populations, however, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding the ecology of 0+ fish communities in lowland rivers. Thus, the factors affecting 0+ fish populations were studied in three lowland river catchments, namely the River Trent, the Warwickshire Avon and the Yorkshire Ouse, representing a range of topographical and biotopical characteristics. The 0+ fish populations were sampled monthly between May 1999 and October 2004 inclusive by micromesh seine netting and point abundance sampling by electric fishing. Captured fish were used to obtain information on 0+ fish community structure, growth, spawning periodicity, and the food and feeding relationships of larval and 0+ juvenile fish.In the Trent and, particularly, the Avon, rheophilic fish species were heavily outnumbered by eurytopic species due to a lack of suitable spawning and nursery habitat for rheophilic species. Strictly rheophilic species were most abundant in the Ouse catchment where the habitat was characterised by fast-flowing water and a sand or gravel substratum. Almost all fish species used floodplain waterbodies at some point in their life history. For some species this use was transitional (rheophilic species) or facultative (eurytopic species), whereas for others it may be obligate (lirnnophilic species). Floodplain waterbodies also served as refugia for both 0+ and >0+ fish in winter, especially during floods.Floodplain waterbodies provided enhanced feeding conditions for 0+ fish, with zooplankton diversity, size ranges and density being greater than in main river channels. For all fish species, ontogenetic shifts in resource use were identified. Young larvae had narrow diet spectra and the greatest interspecific diet overlap, with feeding diversity and the importance of species-specific traits increasing with development. There were significant, positive relationships between prey size and gape height for larvae, but not for juveniles. The majority of fish, however, consumed prey substantially smaller than the maximum theoretically possible inferred from their gape. Some taxa were consistently selected over others, irrespective of size, suggesting that taxa-specific, as well as size-specific prey characteristics, may be important in the selection process.Chub and bleak, and to a lesser extent bream, gudgeon and minnow, adopted fractional or protracted spawning strategies, while dace, roach and perch spawned only once per season. Multiple spawning events are important for recruitment success as they disperse the mortality risk of the early developmental stages. In some years, therefore, relatively strong year classes may result, despite high mortality in early summer and smaller than average mean lengths, providing overwinter conditions are not severe.Growth of 0+ fish was positively correlated with water temperature and negatively correlated with river discharge, while year-class strength (YCS) was positively correlated with 0+ fish growth and with the position of the Gulf Stream. River discharge (rather than water temperature) may be the key factor in determining YCS, however, either directly or indirectly. For example, a poor year class may be the result of elevated river flows causing high mortality during a critical period in the life history of a particular fish species, such as the larval period, or it may equally be the result of poor growth caused by a reduction in water temperature, discharge-associated increases in energy expenditure or a lack of suitable food. In most years it is likely that indirect effects will prevail over direct effects due to non-synchronicity of periods of elevated discharge and fish hatching, although this will differ between rivers. It could be that, in effect, water temperature determines potential YCS while discharge determines realised YCS

Impact assessment on Local Fair Trade Organisations in Central America, Africa and Asia

Despite the rising popularity of Fair Trade, a relatively small amount of academic research has been done on its impact on Local Fair Trade Organisations (LFTOs). This paper uses a unique set of data from Shared Interest Society Ltd, the UK based ethical investment co-operative, of 25 LFTOs across Central America, Africa and Asia to make a quantitative assessment of the impact of Fair Trade on them. They have a pivotal role as the buyers from the producer households and the suppliers to both Fair Trade and commercial buying organisations. The key issues are about the ability of LFTOs to achieve an “efficient technology” and diversify into other markets as otherwise they are fragile and may not be in a position to serve the interests of the producer households in the medium to long term. If they are accessing other markets, it suggests they are reaching an efficient technology thereby reducing risk and becoming stronger organisations. The findings suggest, while not confirmed statistically, the possibility that LFTOs in the Coffee Market and All Product Markets might be reaching efficient technology, able to compete with conventional firms, thereby reducing their dependence on Fair Trade markets. It also suggests, while not confirmed statistically, the possibility that the Fair Trade Market is helping the growth of the Local Market through reaching efficient technology. This study leaves open some questions however one option to answer these is rerunning this analysis in 5 years’ time when more data is available or looking for other avenues where data may be available such as Root Capital or FLO. A combined methodology based on the type of analysis conducted here with more data, and a case study-based method with a smaller number of LFTOs, might be a possible way forward

Alternative approaches to tuberculosis treatment evaluation: the role of pragmatic trials

Clinical trials are sometimes classified as being explanatory or pragmatic, although they are rarely reported in that way. Explanatory trials may seek to investigate the efficacy of new treatments by imposing strict limitations on many aspects of trial design, including, for example, recruiting only those patients who are most likely to respond. In contrast, the objective of pragmatic trials is to assess whether treatments work in conditions more appropriate to routine practice. This dichotomy is, however, over-simplistic; there is usually a continuum, which is a consequence of there being many areas of trial design that can vary between the extremities of the explanatory and pragmatic approaches. The PRECIS (pragmatic-explanatory continuum indicator summary) wheel based on 10 domains, which include inclusion criteria, flexibility of delivery of the intervention and intensity of follow-up, has been proposed as a way of enabling researchers to assess the extent to which the trials they are designing could be considered explanatory or pragmatic. In this article, we consider how the PRECIS tool can be applied to trials of tuberculosis treatment. In view of the well-recognised delay in getting results from well-conducted clinical trials into practice, we would suggest that if more pragmatic trials were to be conducted, physicians would better understand the implications of the results for their own practice and be more ready to adopt new treatments

An evaluation of culture results during treatment for tuberculosis as surrogate endpoints for treatment failure and relapse.

It is widely acknowledged that new regimens are urgently needed for the treatment of tuberculosis. The primary endpoint in the Phase III trials is a composite outcome of failure at the end of treatment or relapse after stopping treatment. Such trials are usually both long and expensive. Valid surrogate endpoints measured during or at the end of treatment could dramatically reduce both the time and cost of assessing the effectiveness of new regimens. The objective of this study was to evaluate sputum culture results on solid media during treatment as surrogate endpoints for poor outcome. Data were obtained from twelve randomised controlled trials conducted by the British Medical Research Council in the 1970s and 80s in East Africa and East Asia, consisting of 6974 participants and 49 different treatment regimens. The month two culture result was shown to be a poor surrogate in East Africa but a good surrogate in Hong Kong. In contrast, the month three culture was a good surrogate in trials conducted in East Africa but not in Hong Kong. As well as differences in location, ethnicity and probable strain of Mycobacteria tuberculosis, Hong Kong trials more often evaluated regimens with rifampicin throughout and intermittent regimens, and patients in East African trials more often presented with extensive cavitation and were slower to convert to culture negative during treatment. An endpoint that is a summary measure of the longitudinal profile of culture results over time or that is able to detect the presence of M. tuberculosis later in treatment is more likely to be a better endpoint for a phase II trial than a culture result at a single time point and may prove to be an acceptable surrogate. More data are needed before any endpoint can be used as a surrogate in a confirmatory phase III trial

College Readiness of African-American Student Athletes

Research project of The Larry English Foundation- Leading Education to Athletes for their Dreams, focusing on African-American student-athletes.https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-bpl-programdesign/1004/thumbnail.jp