Reactivity to sustainability metrics: A configurational study of motivation and capacity

Previous research on reactivity – defined as changing organisational behaviour to better conform to the criteria of measurement in response to being measured – has found significant variation in company responses towards sustainability metrics. We propose that reactivity is driven by dialogue, motivation and capacity in a configurational way. Empirically, we use fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to analyse company responses to the sustainability index FTSE4Good. We find evidence of complimentary and substitute effects between motivation and capacity. Based on these effects we develop a typology of reactivity to sustainability metrics, which also theorises the use of metrics as tools for performance feedback and the building of calculative capacity. We show that when reactivity is studied configurationally, we can identify previously underacknowledged types of responses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications for studying and using sustainability metrics as governance tools for responsible behaviour

The Importance of Different On-Farm Feeding and Management Practices on Milk Protein Concentration and Yield

End of Project ReportThe objective of this project was to identify the most important factors which influence milk protein concentrations and yields on farms. Data collected on approximately 300 DairyMis farms were subjected to statistical evaluation by regression analysis, analysis of variance and factor analysis. The range in protein concentrations was 12% of the mean value compared to a variation in protein yield of 86% of the mean. The range in milk yield was 90% of the mean value. Initially data from 1995 were analysed. The regression model used only accounted for 4% of the variation between farms in milk protein concentration but for over 97% of the variation in milk protein yield. Milk protein yield was highly correlated with milk yield. Confining the analysis to Spring-calving herds only in 1995 (n=128) gave similar results but including genetic data in the regression model, for those spring-calving herds for which it was available (n = 36), explained approximately 25% of the variation in protein concentration. Analysis of variance on the spring-calving herd data (for 1994, 1995 and 1996) divided into quartiles on the basis of protein concentration indicated that higher protein concentration was associated with later calving, a higher proportion of milk produced on pasture and lower milk yield per cow. Factor analysis on all herds in 1994, 1995 and 1996 indicated that higher protein concentration was associated with Spring-calving herds, larger herds and with grass based milk production. These three factors accounted for 8% of the observed variation in milk protein concentration

Embracing Causal Complexity: The Emergence of a Neo-Configurational Perspective

Causal complexity has long been recognized as a ubiquitous feature underlying organizational phenomena, yet current theories and methodologies in management are for the most part not well suited to its direct study. The introduction of the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) configurational approach has led to a reinvigoration of configurational theory that embraces causal complexity explicitly. We argue that the burgeoning research using QCA represents more than a novel methodology; it constitutes the emergence of a neo-configurational perspective to the study of management and organizations that enables a fine-grained conceptualization and empirical investigation of causal complexity through the logic of set theory. In this article, we identify four foundational elements that characterize this emerging neoconfigurational perspective: 1) conceptualizing cases as set theoretic configurations; 2) calibrating cases’ memberships into sets; 3) viewing causality in terms of necessity and sufficiency relations between sets; and, 4) conducting counterfactual analysis of unobserved configurations. We then present a comprehensive review of the use of QCA in management studies that aims to capture the evolution of the neo-configurational perspective among management scholars. We close with a discussion of a research agenda that can further this neoconfigurational approach and thereby shift the attention of management research away from a focus on net effects and towards examining causal complexity

Proteinase-activated receptor 2 modulates OA-related pain, cartilage and bone pathology

Objective Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) deficiency protects against cartilage degradation in experimental osteoarthritis (OA). The wider impact of this pathway upon OA-associated pathologies such as osteophyte formation and pain is unknown. Herein, we investigated early temporal bone and cartilage changes in experimental OA in order to further elucidate the role of PAR2 in OA pathogenesis. Methods OA was induced in wild-type (WT) and PAR2-deficient (PAR2−/−) mice by destabilisation of the medial meniscus (DMM). Inflammation, cartilage degradation and bone changes were monitored using histology and microCT. In gene rescue experiments, PAR2−/− mice were intra-articularly injected with human PAR2 (hPAR2)-expressing adenovirus. Dynamic weight bearing was used as a surrogate of OA-related pain. Results Osteophytes formed within 7 days post-DMM in WT mice but osteosclerosis was only evident from 14 days post induction. Importantly, PAR2 was expressed in the proliferative/hypertrophic chondrocytes present within osteophytes. In PAR2−/− mice, osteophytes developed significantly less frequently but, when present, were smaller and of greater density; no osteosclerosis was observed in these mice up to day 28. The pattern of weight bearing was altered in PAR2−/− mice, suggesting reduced pain perception. The expression of hPAR2 in PAR2−/− mice recapitulated osteophyte formation and cartilage damage similar to that observed in WT mice. However, osteosclerosis was absent, consistent with lack of hPAR2 expression in subchondral bone. Conclusions This study clearly demonstrates PAR2 plays a critical role, via chondrocytes, in osteophyte development and subchondral bone changes, which occur prior to PAR2-mediated cartilage damage. The latter likely occurs independently of OA-related bone changes

Non-profit organizations as a nexus between government and business in an emerging market: Evidence from Chinese charities

Research summary Non-profit organizations in emerging markets frequently have to manage relations with governments and for-profit firms. We advance a multi-stakeholder perspective and develop propositions about how the political ties of charities influence their success in raising funds from corporate donors. Evidence from 2,054 Chinese charities during 2005-2012 shows that organizational political ties, established through formal affiliation with the government, aid fundraising from corporate donors, whereas personal political ties, formed through personal political services of senior leaders of charities, have no such effect. The positive effect of government affiliation is relevant for both foreign and domestic donors, but stronger for domestic ones. These results highlight the differential impact and contingent value of political embeddedness for charities’ ability to acquire resources from for-profit business, contributing to both stakeholder theory and the political embeddedness perspective. Managerial summary Non-profit organizations have to maintain productive relations with multiple stakeholders, including government and business. We focus on Chinese charities that seek to raise funds to fulfill their mission. We identify how their political relations influence the behavior of corporate donors. Evidence from 2,054 charities from 2005-2012 shows that political ties formed through organizational affiliation with a political body help charities attract corporate donors that seek legitimacy. In contrast, ties formed through personal connections with politicians have less influence on donors who perceive a high risk of connected insiders engaging in activities of dubious legality. The value of political ties is more pronounced for domestic corporate donors

Stakeholder engagement strategies, national institutions, and firm performance: A configurational perspective

**Research summary** Research documents the performance effects of attending to shareholders and treating employees well but underplays national differences in the relative power of labor and capital. We advance a configurational perspective that acknowledges the fit between stakeholder engagement, context, firm attributes and performance. As a cornerstone of this perspective, we develop a typology of stakeholder engagement strategies expressing how firms navigate the tension between conforming with local expectations—by prioritizing shareholders or employees, according to context—and being distinctive—by diverging from their peers. Analyzing a cross‐national sample of firms from 2004 to 2011, we identify combinations of engagement strategies, firm attributes, and contexts linked to high performance. Our findings highlight the multiple context‐dependent paths, which link stakeholder engagement to high firm performance. **Managerial summary** How do firms navigate pressures from shareholders and employees across different institutional environments? We develop a typology of stakeholder engagement strategies based on how firms in different countries strike a balance between conformity (i.e., prioritizing locally important stakeholders) and differentiation (i.e., prioritizing stakeholders that their local peers might neglect). Our findings show that the engagement strategies associated with high performance vary according to local institutional context and firm characteristics. In particular, by not merely prioritizing stakeholders who are already locally important, firms can use stakeholder engagement to differentiate themselves from their peers, and such engagement strategies are often linked to high performance. **Online appendix: Data Set** Available at [https://doi.org/10.35065/sten-2001](https://doi.org/10.35065/sten-2001

The falling chain of Hopkins, Tait, Steele and Cayley

A uniform, flexible and frictionless chain falling link by link from a heap by the edge of a table falls with an acceleration $g/3$ if the motion is nonconservative, but $g/2$ if the motion is conservative, $g$ being the acceleration due to gravity. Unable to construct such a falling chain, we use instead higher-dimensional versions of it. A home camcorder is used to measure the fall of a three-dimensional version called an $xyz$-slider. After frictional effects are corrected for, its vertical falling acceleration is found to be $a_x/g = 0.328 \pm 0.004$. This result agrees with the theoretical value of $a_x/g = 1/3$ for an ideal energy-conserving $xyz$-slider.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Can Volunteering Help Create Better Health and Care. An evidence review.

This report was commission by Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett founder of HelpForce in March 2017 to review the current evidence on the effectiveness, deployment and impact of volunteers in the NHS, to support the organisation’s work in maximizing the potential of volunteering in health and social care. This report’s remit was to pull together evidence to help answer the following questions: 1. What volunteer / lay roles are effective in health and care? 2. What do we know about the effective recruitment, management and deployment of volunteers (in any setting)? 3. What evidence is there about the impact of volunteers in health and social care, within England health and social care organisations, and from voluntary sector initiatives working into health and social care

Analyst reaction to war-related language: source domains and the role of market structure and market share

Corporate executives often use metaphors, particularly those derived from war imagery, when communicating their strategic intentions. This study examines the influence of metaphorical framing in corporate communication, particularly its effect on analyst reactions to firms’ acquisition announcements. We theorize and analyze the impact of metaphor families that either emphasize or downplay competition, whilst considering the diverse source domains from which these metaphors originate. We propose a theoretical framework that integrates conceptual metaphor theory with the risk-as-feelings perspective, suggesting that certain metaphors can evoke visceral perceptions of danger. Our findings reveal that using metaphors in acquisition announcements generally elicits negative reactions. Notably, metaphors from the competition family, especially war-related ones signifying competitive aggression, evoke stronger adverse reactions. The detrimental impact of war language substantially diminishes in contexts where aggressive competition is expected. We contribute to strategic communication research by highlighting the nuanced influence of metaphorical framing on audience reactions, emphasizing the importance of metaphor families, source domains, and contextual factors