‘What if technology worked in harmony with nature?’: imagining climate change through Prius advertisements

[Review of article with same title by Garland, J., Huising, R., and Struben, J. In: Organization, 2013, 20 (5), pp. 679–704

An evaluation of the world\u27s major airlines\u27 technical and environmental performance

This study is the first to use bootstrapped data envelopment analysis (DEA) models under variable returns to scale in order to examine both the environmental and technical efficiency of airlines. Using the regional classification of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), we chose 48 of the world\u27s major full-service and low-cost carriers from six different regions, and then estimated their performance over the period 2007- 2010. Our empirical results show that many of the most technically efficient airlines are from China and North Asia, while many of the most environmentally efficient airlines are from Europe. We also found that although the number of environmentally oriented full-service airlines is increasing, low-cost carriers are still more environmentally oriented. Our findings also show that almost all the low-cost carriers are technically operating under increasing returns to scale in all the studied years. However, this result was quite the opposite of what we found for the largest airlines

Good corporate governance is good for banks\u27 bottom line

Sound corporate governance not only boosts banks\u27 efficiency, it is also good for the profit of Australian banks and their shareholders. However, new research shows that factors such as the number of board meetings, the involvement of large shareholders in boardroom decisions and whether or not the board has independent members don\u27t play a significant role in achieving those goals

An Empirical Study of Business Student Engagement with Active Teaching Strategies: A Comparison of First Year and Senior Students

The quantitative evaluation of student engagement has been difficult to achieve. This study uses Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework to investigate the effectiveness of active teaching strategies and how they influence Business students’ engagement in a blended learning environment. First, we quantify the influence of various in-class active teaching activities and out-of-class support tools upon student engagement. The link between engagement and student outcomes in terms of academic results and personal and professional skills development is then captured in our empirical modelling. Results are compared between first year and senior students to understand significant differences in their engagement and experience. Our findings suggest that first year students display a higher propensity to utilize in-class learning activities and out-of-class support tools. This in turn, establishes a strong link with their engagement patterns. However, there is a weaker link between first year student engagement and outcomes compared to senior students. Overall, this study reinforces the usefulness of Kahu’s framework to guide curricula developments that cater for learners’ different needs

An Empirical Study of Business Student Engagement with Active Teaching Strategies: A Comparison of First Year and Senior Students

The quantitative evaluation of student engagement has been difficult to achieve. This study uses Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework to investigate the effectiveness of active teaching strategies and how they influence Business students’ engagement in a blended learning environment. First, we quantify the influence of various in-class active teaching activities and out-of-class support tools upon student engagement. The link between engagement and student outcomes in terms of academic results and personal and professional skills development is then captured in our empirical modelling. Results are compared between first year and senior students to understand significant differences in their engagement and experience. Our findings suggest that first year students display a higher propensity to utilize in-class learning activities and out-of-class support tools. This in turn, establishes a strong link with their engagement patterns. However, there is a weaker link between first year student engagement and outcomes compared to senior students. Overall, this study reinforces the usefulness of Kahu’s framework to guide curricula developments that cater for learners’ different needs

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Governance, media and the quality of environmental disclosure

Article review - Governance, Media and the Quality of Environmental Disclosure K. H. Rupley, D. Brown and R. S. Marshall Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 2012, 31 (6), pp. 610-64

Qantas and its marginal abatement cost curve in the context of late capitalism and climate change

The build-up of Greenhouse Gases in the atmosphere and consequential Global warming possesses a real threat to human society. Science alerted us to this problem and at the same time provides technologies capable of emission reductions, yet it is behavioural change that is urgently needed. This thesis investigates how we are to understand Qantas and its Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) in a latecapitalist, ecological crisis context. Firstly, it explores the political and economic interrelations between Qantas, the Australia Government and Australians also in regard to the introduction of the Australian Emissions Trading Scheme (AU ETS) and the role Qantas’ MACC can play in relation to behavioural change. Accounting literature identifies an urgent need for accounting researchers to engage in theories and world-views other than mainstream positivist accounting research to shed light on the relationship of accounting and the macroeconomic and political context which it shapes and through which it is shaped (Sikka, et al., 1995; Arnold, 1990; Arnold, 2009a). In the context of global warming the MACC will be introduced as ‘new accounting’ (Gray, 2002) to assist companies and governments to reduce CO2. The MACC supports questions of the State and companies about accountability for abatement options

An evaluation of the world\u27s major airlines\u27 technical and environmental performance

In this empirical study, we apply bootstrapped data envelopment analysis (DEA) models under variable returns to scale to examine both the environmental and technical efficiencies of airlines. Using the regional classification of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), we chose 48 of the world\u27s major full-service and low-cost carriers from six different regions, and then estimated their performance over the period 2007-2010. Our empirical results show that many of the most technically efficient airlines are from China and North Asia, whilst many of the best environmental performers are from Europe. We also found that although the number of environmentally oriented full-service carriers is increasing, low-cost carriers are still more environmentally oriented. Our findings show that almost all the low-cost carriers are technically operating under increasing returns to scale in all the studied years. However, this result was quite the opposite of what we found for the largest airlines

An evaluation of the world\u27s major airlines\u27 technical and environmental performance

This study is the first to use bootstrapped data envelopment analysis (DEA) models under variable returns to scale in order to examine both the environmental and technical efficiency of airlines. Using the regional classification of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), we chose 48 of the world\u27s major full-service and low-cost carriers from six different regions, and then estimated their performance over the period 2007- 2010. Our empirical results show that many of the most technically efficient airlines are from China and North Asia, while many of the most environmentally efficient airlines are from Europe. We also found that although the number of environmentally oriented full-service airlines is increasing, low-cost carriers are still more environmentally oriented. Our findings also show that almost all the low-cost carriers are technically operating under increasing returns to scale in all the studied years. However, this result was quite the opposite of what we found for the largest airlines