Corporate Social Responsibility and Likelihood of Financial Distress

Does doing good to society make firms less likely to have financial trouble? This paper looks at the benefit of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and examines whether firms’ CSR engagement affects their chance of falling into financial distress. After analyzing a broad U.S. database spanning 25 years from 1991 to 2015, we find that CSR engagement indeed reduces the likelihood of firms falling into financial distress, and the results are statistically robust and economically significant. Further, we find the impact of CSR on the likelihood of financial distress is more pronounced in economic downturns and for firms with high levels of international involvement. Collectively, our result suggests that CSR lowers financial distress risks by improving firmstakeholder relationships, which enhances our understanding of the stakeholder view of CSR with longitudinal approach and contextual consideration of firms

Does the Great Streets Initiative in Los Angeles Serve the Goals of Urban Planning from the Implementation Side?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently announced a Great Streets Initiative designed to revitalize neighborhood streets and improve quality of life in the city of Los Angeles. The purpose of Great Streets is to recreate the street as a place where people want to go and spend time, rather than just a space to move through. Fifteen streets have been targeted by the mayor's office for revitalization in locations that have begun to show the early signs of complete street design, but the actual planning and street design process is intended to be bottom-up, with heavy community engagement. Although the goals outlined by the Great Streets Initiative promise positive effects, are local residents even interested in the concept of Great Streets? This study specifically focuses on two of the fifteen Los Angeles streets: Reseda Boulevard and Gaffey Street. Through an examination of case studies for similar projects in select cities throughout the United States, systematic observation of the local area as it currently exists and interviews with local area merchants, this study explores whether or not the Great Streets Initiative is serving the goals of urban planning from the implementation side, in terms of meeting the needs of the community

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke and Arrhythmogenic Cardiac Alternans in a Mouse Model.

BackgroundEpidemiological evidence suggests that a majority of deaths attributed to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure are cardiovascular related. However, to our knowledge, the impact of SHS on cardiac electrophysiology, [Formula: see text] handling, and arrhythmia risk has not been studied.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an environmentally relevant concentration of SHS on cardiac electrophysiology and indicators of arrhythmia.MethodsMale C57BL/6 mice were exposed to SHS [total suspended particles (THS): [Formula: see text], nicotine: [Formula: see text], carbon monoxide: [Formula: see text], or filtered air (FA) for 4, 8, or 12 wk ([Formula: see text]]. Hearts were excised and Langendorff perfused for dual optical mapping with voltage- and [Formula: see text]-sensitive dyes.ResultsAt slow pacing rates, SHS exposure did not alter baseline electrophysiological parameters. With increasing pacing frequency, action potential duration (APD), and intracellular [Formula: see text] alternans magnitude progressively increased in all groups. At 4 and 8 wk, there were no statistical differences in APD or [Formula: see text] alternans magnitude between SHS and FA groups. At 12 wk, both APD and [Formula: see text] alternans magnitude were significantly increased in the SHS compared to FA group ([Formula: see text]). SHS exposure did not impact the time constant of [Formula: see text] transient decay ([Formula: see text]) at any exposure time point. At 12 wk exposure, the recovery of [Formula: see text] transient amplitude with premature stimuli was slightly (but nonsignificantly) delayed in SHS compared to FA hearts, suggesting that [Formula: see text] release via ryanodine receptors may be impaired.ConclusionsIn male mice, chronic exposure to SHS at levels relevant to social situations in humans increased their susceptibility to cardiac alternans, a known precursor to ventricular arrhythmia. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3664

β-adrenergic inhibition prevents action potential and calcium handling changes during regional myocardial ischemia

β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) blockers may be administered during acute myocardial infarction (MI), as they reduce energy demand through negative chronotropic and inotropic effects and prevent ischemia-induced arrhythmogenesis. However, the direct effects of β-AR blockers on ventricular electrophysiology and intracellular Ca2+ handling during ischemia remain unknown. Using optical mapping of transmembrane potential (with RH237) and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ (with the low-affinity indicator Fluo-5N AM), the effects of 15 min of regional ischemia were assessed in isolated rabbit hearts (n = 19). The impact of β-AR inhibition on isolated hearts was assessed by pre-treatment with 100 nM propranolol (Prop) prior to ischemia (n = 7). To control for chronotropy and inotropy, hearts were continuously paced at 3.3 Hz and contraction was inhibited with 20 μM blebbistatin. Untreated ischemic hearts displayed prototypical shortening of action potential duration (APD80) in the ischemic zone (IZ) compared to the non-ischemic zone (NI) at 10 and 15 min ischemia, whereas APD shortening was prevented with Prop. Untreated ischemic hearts also displayed significant changes in SR Ca2+ handling in the IZ, including prolongation of SR Ca2+ reuptake and SR Ca2+ alternans, which were prevented with Prop pre-treatment. At 5 min ischemia, Prop pre-treated hearts also showed larger SR Ca2+ release amplitude in the IZ compared to untreated hearts. These results suggest that even when controlling for chronotropic and inotropic effects, β-AR inhibition has a favorable effect during acute regional ischemia via direct effects on APD and Ca2+ handling

Sustainable Innovation at REI; REI 2.0, Innovating Sustainably in Today\u27s Sharing Economy

Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) was founded in the 1930’s as a co-op for climbers to acquire quality gear. As a major (US) retailer of outdoor equipment and gear, REI has been a leader in sustainability with everything from their products and packaging design, retail building efficiency and contributions to environmental conservation and outdoor recreation. This mini-case offers students an opportunity to explore the “Catalyzing Experiences” section of REI’s new sustainability integration initiative. Looking at the new sharing economy and innovative business models will challenge students to develop creative solutions to the consumption-based economic model of traditional retailers

Data Representativeness in Accessibility Datasets: A Meta-Analysis

As data-driven systems are increasingly deployed at scale, ethical concerns have arisen around unfair and discriminatory outcomes for historically marginalized groups that are underrepresented in training data. In response, work around AI fairness and inclusion has called for datasets that are representative of various demographic groups. In this paper, we contribute an analysis of the representativeness of age, gender, and race & ethnicity in accessibility datasets - datasets sourced from people with disabilities and older adults - that can potentially play an important role in mitigating bias for inclusive AI-infused applications. We examine the current state of representation within datasets sourced by people with disabilities by reviewing publicly-available information of 190 datasets, we call these accessibility datasets. We find that accessibility datasets represent diverse ages, but have gender and race representation gaps. Additionally, we investigate how the sensitive and complex nature of demographic variables makes classification difficult and inconsistent (e.g., gender, race & ethnicity), with the source of labeling often unknown. By reflecting on the current challenges and opportunities for representation of disabled data contributors, we hope our effort expands the space of possibility for greater inclusion of marginalized communities in AI-infused systems.Comment: Preprint, The 24th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2022), 15 page

Encouraging IS developers to learn business skills: an examination of the MARS model

Though prior research has recognized business skills as one of the keys to successful information system development, few studies have investigated the determinants of an IS developer’s behavioral intention to learn such skills. Based on the Motivation–Ability–Role Perception–Situational factors (i.e., the MARS model), this study argues that the intention of IS developers to acquire business skills is influenced by learning motivation (M), learning self-efficacy (A), change agent role perception (R), and situational support (S). Data collected from 254 IS developers are analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. Results show that a developer’s intention to learn business skills is positively influenced by intrinsic learning motivation and both absolute and relative learning self-efficacy. Furthermore, in comparison to two other change agent roles, the advocate role leads to a significantly higher level of learning intention. Finally, work and non-work support positively influence both extrinsic and intrinsic learning motivation. Notably, non-work support has a greater impact on both absolute and relative learning self-efficacy. Our results suggest several theoretical and practical implications

Achieving translational symmetry in trapped cold ion rings

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a universal concept throughout science. For instance, the Landau-Ginzburg paradigm of translational symmetry breaking underlies the classification of nearly all quantum phases of matter and explains the emergence of crystals, insulators, and superconductors. Usually, the consequences of translational invariance are studied in large systems to suppress edge effects which cause undesired symmetry breaking. While this approach works for investigating global properties, studies of local observables and their correlations require access and control of the individual constituents. Periodic boundary conditions, on the other hand, could allow for translational symmetry in small systems where single particle control is achievable. Here, we crystallize up to fifteen 40Ca+ ions in a microscopic ring with inherent periodic boundary conditions. We show the ring's translational symmetry is preserved at millikelvin temperatures by delocalizing the Doppler laser cooled ions. This establishes an upper bound for undesired symmetry breaking at a level where quantum control becomes feasible. These findings pave the way towards studying quantum many-body physics with translational symmetry at the single particle level in a variety of disciplines from simulation of Hawking radiation to exploration of quantum phase transitions.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

An Economic Analysis of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA)

Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Progra