Directing public companies - Company law and the stakeholder society

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.This thesis examines the legal duties of directors of UK public companies in the light of the 'stakeholder' approach to the firm. It considers the theory that directors are not simply agents of shareholders, but have a duty to take into consideration and, where appropriate, to balance the interests of several constituencies. Examples of suggested stakeholders include employees, customers, suppliers and creditors, as well as the local community and the natural environment. If this broad view of public company responsibility is warranted, the role of the law in securing a 'stakeholder' style of management needs to be examined, and this study attempts that task. To this end, empirical research was conducted via interviews with public company directors and secretaries from a range of public companies of different sizes operating in many business sectors to investigate: • the extent to which at present they view their role as requiring assessment and inclusion of the interests of stakeholders • the manner in which such assessment and inclusion is actually carried out • the impact which a statutory formulation of duties to incorporate stakeholder interests would or might have on decisionmaking in practice • the effect of board structure on corporate decisionmaking. The effect of 'stakeholder orientation' of company directors on the economic performance and social impact of UK public companies was considered. The DTI's Company Law Review Steering Group has referred to the distinction between 'Enlightened Shareholder Value' and the 'Pluralist' approach. This thesis further reviews those arguments and seeks to set them in their commercial context. It is highly probable that there will be a new UK Companies Act following the next General Election. This thesis suggests a new statutory statement of directors' duties and considers the impact which such statutory wording might have. If directors' legal duties were to be reformulated, that change would needs to buttressed by a mechanism to protect stakeholder expectations, in court as a last resort. This thesis argues that the most promising form for such stakeholder remedies is that of the current 'unfair prejudice' action. If the UK is to avoid being left behind internationally in its system of corporate regulation, it needs to take its European Union obligations and the laws of other Member States into account. It is argued that the UK can find much to learn from the continental European traditions. The conclusion of the thesis focuses on the Company Law Review and its potential economic impact. It is argued that UK company law should address the rights of all stakeholders if it is to be ‘modern’ and ‘competitive’.Brunel University; Kingston Universit

Eminence Apartments

CONCEPT STATEMENT To create compact and affordable housing that will minimize costs for the massive amount of people living or moving into urban residencies and pervent urban sprawl

Conflict and the achievement/affiliation relationship analysis of elite male and female long distance runners.

Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1988 .D434. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-07, page: . Thesis (M.H.K.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1988

Tumor site immune markers associated with risk for subsequent basal cell carcinomas.

BackgroundBasal cell carcinoma (BCC) tumors are the most common skin cancer and are highly immunogenic.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to assess how immune-cell related gene expression in an initial BCC tumor biopsy was related to the appearance of subsequent BCC tumors.Materials and methodsLevels of mRNA for CD3ε (a T-cell receptor marker), CD25 (the alpha chain of the interleukin (IL)-2 receptor expressed on activated T-cells and B-cells), CD68 (a marker for monocytes/macrophages), the cell surface glycoprotein intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), the cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were measured in BCC tumor biopsies from 138 patients using real-time PCR.ResultsThe median follow-up was 26.6 months, and 61% of subjects were free of new BCCs two years post-initial biopsy. Patients with low CD3ε CD25, CD68, and ICAM-1 mRNA levels had significantly shorter times before new tumors were detected (p = 0.03, p = 0.02, p = 0.003, and p = 0.08, respectively). Furthermore, older age diminished the association of mRNA levels with the appearance of subsequent tumors.ConclusionsOur results show that levels of CD3ε, CD25, CD68, and ICAM-1 mRNA in BCC biopsies may predict risk for new BCC tumors

Safety of medication use in primary care

© 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.BACKGROUND: Medication errors are one of the leading causes of harmin health care. Review and analysis of errors have often emphasized their preventable nature and potential for reoccurrence. Of the few error studies conducted in primary care to date, most have focused on evaluating individual parts of the medicines management system. Studying individual parts of the system does not provide a complete perspective and may further weaken the evidence and undermine interventions.AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review is to estimate the scale of medication errors as a problem across the medicines management system in primary care. Objectives were: To review studies addressing the rates of medication errors, and To identify studies on interventions to prevent medication errors in primary care.METHODS: A systematic search of the literature was performed in PubMed (MEDLINE), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA), Embase, PsycINFO, PASCAL, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and CINAHL PLUS from 1999 to November, 2012. Bibliographies of relevant publications were searched for additional studies.KEY FINDINGS: Thirty-three studies estimating the incidence of medication errors and thirty-six studies evaluating the impact of error-prevention interventions in primary care were reviewed. This review demonstrated that medication errors are common, with error rates between 90%, depending on the part of the system studied, and the definitions and methods used. The prescribing stage is the most susceptible, and that the elderly (over 65 years), and children (under 18 years) are more likely to experience significant errors. Individual interventions demonstrated marginal improvements in medication safety when implemented on their own.CONCLUSION: Targeting the more susceptible population groups and the most dangerous aspects of the system may be a more effective approach to error management and prevention. Co-implementation of existing interventions at points within the system may offer time- and cost-effective options to improving medication safety in primary care.Peer reviewe

Roundtable on teaching Work as an interdisciplinary first-year college seminar

This past year’s theme, “Work,” (2009-2010) asked students to interrogate the cultural construction of work from the early industrial revolution to our current economic moment, and to question how the new economy, as it develops, shapes the future conditions of work. Over the course of the year, we considered a number of overarching themes as we attempted to theorize “work” and its place in culture. For instance, we looked at terms we use to describe work (labor, career, job), personal and collective identities associated with work (unions; corporate culture; social and economic class positions; race, gender and ethnic identities), representations of work (photography, film, maps, music, literature), and theoretical interpretations of work (alienation from systems of production, gift economies)

Obsessive Compulsive Treatment Efficacy Trial (OCTET) comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of self-managed therapies: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: UK National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) specify recommendations for the treatment and management of OCD using a stepped care approach. Steps three to six of this model recommend treatment options for people with OCD that range from low-intensity guided self-help (GSH) to more intensive psychological and pharmacological interventions. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), including exposure and response prevention, is the recommended psychological treatment. However, whilst there is some preliminary evidence that self-managed therapy packages for OCD can be effective, a more robust evidence base of their clinical and cost effectiveness and acceptability is required. Methods/Design: Our proposed study will test two different self-help treatments for OCD: 1) computerised CBT (cCBT) using OCFighter, an internet-delivered OCD treatment package; and 2) GSH using a book. Both treatments will be accompanied by email or telephone support from a mental health professional. We will evaluate the effectiveness, cost and patient and health professional acceptability of the treatments. Discussion: This study will provide more robust evidence of efficacy, cost effectiveness and acceptability of self-help treatments for OCD. If cCBT and/or GSH prove effective, it will provide additional, more accessible treatment options for people with OCD

Psychological Resilience, Fragility and the Health Workforce: Lessons on Pandemic Preparedness from Liberia and Sierra Leone

COVID-19 presents a time to redefine vulnerability; however, in discussions of vulnerability, the health workforce, particularly in regard to their psychosocial well-being, is often forgotten. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in fragile settings are constantly exposed to health system shocks, including; conflict, disease outbreaks and natural disasters, which compound the everyday challenges of working in an under-resourced health system. Based on a commitment to serve their communities, they often cope with repeated shocks and protracted crises through innovation and creative thinking. However, they also experience repeated acute and chronic stressors that can lead to psychological distress. For some, prolonged exposure to risk of psychological distress can lead to personal growth, for others, continuous exposure to chronic stress and uncertainty can lead to psychological injury