Think Tanks, Business and Civil Society: The Ethics of Promoting Pro-corporate Ideologies

Think tanks became key political and economic actors during the twentieth century, creating and occupying an intellectual and political position between academic institutions, the state, civil society, and public debate on organization and management. Think tanks are especially active in setting frames for what constitutes politically and socially acceptable ways of thinking about economic activity and the rights or obligations of corporations. Their operation and influence has been acknowledged and analysed in political science and policy analysis, but in organization and management studies they are almost entirely ignored. In this paper, we review the existing literature on think tanks to develop an ethical–political framework based on a Gramsci’s account of state–civil society relations, referring to historical case materials relating to a significant Brazilian think tank, the Instituto de Pesquisas e Estudos Sociais (IPES). We show how the IPES was successful in bringing then-controversial neoliberal perspectives on management and organization into mainstream political debate, where they could be discussed and ultimately accepted as morally and intellectually legitimate. We note the importance of management education and business schools with respect to think tanks in the development of a hegemonic pro-capitalist interpretation of corporate responsibility, and suggest this is worth more investigation. We conclude by outlining how think tanks are central to civil society acceptance of pro-corporate ideologies, how they might be researched regarding the ethical implications of the work they do, and how our approach provides a foundation for this

On the birational geometry of the moduli of hyperelliptic curves

We study the birational geometry of the moduli spaces of hyperelliptic curves with marked points. We complete the Kodaira classification proving that these spaces are of Calabi-Yau type when the number of markings is $4g+6$. Further, we provide a full classification of the structure of the pseudo-effective cone of divisors, showing the cone is non-polyhedral when the number of markings is at least two and polyhedral in the remaining cases.Comment: 30 pages, 3 figures. Fixed an error in Corollary 1.

A multitude of modes: considering ‘blended learning’ in context

Discussions of mode in higher education tend to contrast face-to-face teaching with distance education, while acknowledging that somewhere in between these poles, some students are engaged in a somewhat mysterious practice of ‘blended learning’. Blended learning is generally taken to indicate that a combination of face-to-face time in the classroom with the use of digital/online platforms is in use. While the question of whether blended learning is well-understood or well-defined remains unanswered, it can nonetheless be described as the ‘new normal’. This session considers transformation in educational delivery mode in the context of the results of an institutional review of technology-enhanced learning, undertaken at Birkbeck, University of London in 2018. An overview of the method and results of the review will be discussed, alongside consideration of the extent to which these findings are more widely applicable. Birkbeck’s mission has been to create opportunities to study for groups who are usually excluded by conventional modes of provision. However, where ‘distance’ mode teaching acts to take location out of the equation, Birkbeck has historically opened access through its timetable. Birkbeckstudents give up the semblance of a normal life to dedicate many of their evenings to the classroom. But perhaps this has obscured the extent to which student life is increasingly the life of the computer, as well as of the mind. Evening, face-to-face mode teaching, while seen to a great extent as the college’s ‘USP’, is only one element of the ‘student experience’ and digital practices have quietly gone mainstream. These results have thrown into question whether ‘face-to-face’ mode truly exists at Birkbeck any more. Furthermore, if blended learning has become an umbrella term that covers a multitude of modes, it seems that much closer attention is now due to the nature and diversity of ‘blends’

Using mathematical programming to solve Factored Markov Decision Processes with Imprecise Probabilities

AbstractThis paper investigates Factored Markov Decision Processes with Imprecise Probabilities (MDPIPs); that is, Factored Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) where transition probabilities are imprecisely specified. We derive efficient approximate solutions for Factored MDPIPs based on mathematical programming. To do this, we extend previous linear programming approaches for linear approximations in Factored MDPs, resulting in a multilinear formulation for robust “maximin” linear approximations in Factored MDPIPs. By exploiting the factored structure in MDPIPs we are able to demonstrate orders of magnitude reduction in solution time over standard exact non-factored approaches, in exchange for relatively low approximation errors, on a difficult class of benchmark problems with millions of states

Gatekeeping in health care

We study the competitive effects of restricting direct access to secondary care by gatekeeping, focusing on the informational role of general practitioners (GPs). In the secondary care market there are two hospitals choosing quality and specialization. Patients, who are ex ante uninformed, can consult a GP to receive an (imperfect) diagnosis and obtain information about the secondary care market. We show that hospital competition is amplified by higher GP attendance but dampened by improved diagnosing accuracy. Therefore, compulsory gatekeeping may result in excessive quality competition and too much specialization, unless the mismatch costs and the diagnosing accuracy are sufficiently high. Second-best price regulation makes direct regulation of GP consultation redundant, but will generally not implement first-best

Predictors of and reasons for pacifier use in first-time mothers: an observational study

Background: The use of pacifiers is commonplace in Australia and has been shown to be negatively associated with breastfeeding duration. In order to influence behaviour related to the use of pacifiers it is important to understand the reasons for their use. The primary aim of this observational study was to investigate who (if anyone) advises first-time mothers to give a pacifier and the reasons for which they first give (or try to give) a pacifier to their infant. Additionally, this study investigated the predictors of pacifier use and the relationship between pacifier use and breastfeeding duration. Methods: In total, 670 Australian first-time mothers recruited as part of the NOURISH trial completed a questionnaire regarding infant feeding and pacifier use. Results: Pacifiers were introduced by 79% of mothers, of whom 28.7% were advised to use a pacifier by their mother/mother-in-law with a further 22.7% being advised by a midwife. The majority of mothers used a pacifier in order to soothe their infant (78.3%), to help put them to sleep (57.4%) and to keep them comforted and quiet (40.4%). Pacifiers given to infants before four weeks (adjHR 3.67; 95%CI 2.14–6.28) and used most days (adjHR 3.28; 95%CI 1.92–5.61) were significantly associated with shorter duration of breastfeeding. Conclusions: This study identifies an opportunity for educating new mothers and their support network, particularly their infant’s grandmothers, with regards to potential risks associated with the early and frequent use of a pacifier, and alternative methods for soothing their infant, in order to reduce the use of pacifiers and their potentially negative effect on breastfeeding duratio

Valorization Challenges to Almond Residues: Phytochemical Composition and Functional Application

[EN] Almond is characterized by its high nutritional value; although information reported so far mainly concerns edible kernel. Even though the nutritional and commercial relevance of the almond is restricted to almond meat; to date; increasing attention has been paid to other parts of this fruit (skin; shell; and hull); considered by-products that are scarcely characterized and exploited regarding their properties as valuable sources of bioactive compounds (mainly represented by phenolic acids and flavonoids). This lack of proper valorization procedures entails the continuation of the application of traditional procedures to almond residues that nowadays are mainly addressed to livestock feed and energy production. In this sense; data available on the physicochemical and phytochemical composition of almond meat and its related residues suggest promising applications; and allow one to envisage new uses as functional ingredients towards value-added foods and feeds; as well as a source of bioactive phytochemicals to be included in cosmetic formulations. This objective has prompted investigators working in the field to evaluate their functional properties and biological activity. This approach has provided interesting information concerning the capacity of polyphenolic extracts of almond by-products to prevent degenerative diseases linked to oxidative stress and inflammation in human tissues and cells; in the frame of diverse pathophysiological situations. Hence; this review deals with gathering data available in the scientific literature on the phytochemical composition and bioactivity of almond by-products as well as on their bioactivity so as to promote their functional application.This work is supported by European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI-Operacional Competitiveness and Internacionalization Programme, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958 and National Funds by FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UID/AGR/04033/2013. The author Iva Prgomet acknowledges the financial support provided by the FCT- Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/52539/2014), under the Doctoral Programme "Agricultural Production Chains-From Fork to Farm" (PD/00122/2012).Prgomet, I.; Goncalves, B.; Domínguez-Perles, R.; Pascual-Seva, N.; Barros, A. (2017). Valorization Challenges to Almond Residues: Phytochemical Composition and Functional Application. 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