The corporate social performance of developing country multinationals

In this paper, we explore the Corporate Social Performance (CSP) of Developing Country Multinationals (DMNCs). We argue that in competing internationally, DMNCs often face both reputation and legitimacy deficits, which they address by improving their CSP. We develop a series of hypotheses to explain the variation in CSP between DMNCs and domestic-only firms from developing countries and also examine variations in CSP between DMNCs depending on the extent of their multinationality and portfolio of host countries. Our findings support all our hypotheses, which suggest that DMNCs display enhanced levels of CSP compared to their domestic-only counterparts. CSP is also found to be positively related to the DMNCs’ degree of multinationality, but with a declining incremental impact, whereas entry into developed markets leads to a greater improvement in DMNCs’ CSP than expansion into developing markets. We highlight the implications of our findings for managers and researchers

Modelling the phosphorous intake, digestion, utilisation and excretion in growing and finishing pigs

PhD ThesisThe overall aim was to develop a model of Phosphorous (P) intake, digestion, utilisation and excretion in growing/finishing pigs, and use it to investigate the consequences of different P management strategies. Initially, a dynamic, deterministic model was developed (Chapter 2). It was able to predict the digestible (digP) requirements of pigs of different genotypes and stages of growth, as well as the consequences of different dietary contents of P, Calcium (Ca) and exogenous phytase. The model was also able to predict the excreted amounts of soluble and insoluble P. Subsequently (Chapter 3) the model was evaluated against independent data and a sensitivity analysis of its predictions to model parameters was undertaken. Model outputs were most sensitive to the values of the efficiency of digP utilization and the non-phytate P absorption coefficient from small intestine. The model predicted satisfactorily the quantitative pig responses, in terms of P digested, retained and excreted, to dietary variations. The model performed well with ‘conventional’, European feed ingredients and poorly with ‘less conventional’ ones, such as DDGS and canola meal. In Chapter 4 the model was converted into stochastic, by introducing variation between pig digP requirements and the consequences of two strategies were investigated (phase feeding and sorting). The former was more effective in reducing P excretion than the latter. Finally the model was extended to include uncertainty in feed composition (arising from variability in ingredient nutrient content and mixing efficiency) to investigate how this would affect the outputs of the model. Due to the assumptions made, uncertainty about feed ingredient composition contributed more to performance variation than uncertainty regarding mixing efficiency. When uncertainty about both feed composition and pig characteristics was considered, it was uncertainty about feed composition rather than pig genetic characteristics that proved to have the dominant influence on variability in pig performance.British Pig Executive (BPEX

Public trust's duality in the CSP - reputation - financial performance relationship across countries

Within the literature investigating relationships among Corporate Social Performance (CSP), Corporate Reputation (CR), and Corporate Financial Performance (CFP) (Orlitzky, Schmidt, & Rynes, 2003; Waddock & Graves, 1997), we identify two lines of inquiry. First, scholars have investigated the effect that CSP has on CR, “the overall estimation in which a particular company is held by its various constituents” (Fombrun, 1996: 36). Most maintain that CSP enhances CR (Fombrun & Shanley, 1990; Wang & Berens, 2014), with some exceptions (Walker & Dyck, 2014). Second, scholars concur that CR enhances CFP (Newburry, 2010; Roberts & Dowling, 2002). We argue that public trust in business (Harris, Moriarty, & Wicks, 2014) plays an important moderating role in the CSP-CR-CFP relationship, as some have implicitly suggested (Barnett, 2007; Du, Bhattacharya, & Sen, 2010). Public trust in business, or more accurately public trust in the institution (North, 1990) of business, is “the level and type of vulnerability the public is willing to assume with regard to business relations” (Bolton et al., 2009: 6). Public trust in business has been declining since the 1960s (Nye, Zelikow, & King, 1997) remaining at low levels since the 1990s (Wicks et al., 2014). Although both managers (Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics, 2004) and academics (Wicks et al., 2014) agree that low levels of public trust can harm, inadequate research has investigated its effect on firms (Harris et al., 2014; Bolton et al., 2009). We aim to partially rectify this deficiency. Here, we draw on signaling theory to investigate the role that public trust in business (Bolton et al., 2009) has in moderating the relationship among CSP, CR and CFP. We argue that levels of public trust towards business influence the CSP-CR-CFP relationship and develop hypotheses regarding this influence. Given that national context may systematically influence the CSP-CFP relationship (Gardberg & Fombrun, 2006) and that public trust in business may vary cross-nationally (e.g. Chan, Lam, & Liu, 2011), we test our hypotheses on an unbalanced panel of 462 firms from 2006-12 from 9 countries (a total of 2534 observations)

Parenting Practices and the Development of Internalizing/ Externalizing Problems in Adolescence

This chapter examines the existing relationship between different types of parental practices and the development of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems in adolescence. Parental involvement and parenting styles are defined and analyzed as possible parameters of adolescent problems, including bullying and victimization. Special emphasis is given to the distinction between behavioral and psychological parental control. Furthermore, issues such as parent‐adolescent conflict, locus of control, and parental values are discussed as correlates of these problems, since prior research has identified them as either risk or protective factors for child and adolescent social and emotional adaptation

The health locus of control concept: Factorial structure, psychometric properties and form equivalence of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales

Contradictory evidence exists on the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale’s factor structure and the psychometric equivalence between Form A and Form B. University students (N = 359) completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control and General Self-Efficacy scales. The three-factor model had better fit and parsimony in both Forms. ‘Internal’ scale negatively correlated with ‘chance’ but positively with ‘others’. The two external scales positively correlated. The scales’ reliability was satisfactory, but the two Forms were not psychometrically equivalent. Convergent validity was confirmed. The evidence suggests a three-factor structure and psychometric non-equivalence of the two Forms. Researchers should make an informed choice on which Form to use

The radiolarian age and petrographic composition of a block of the Lower Jurassic volcaniclastic breccia and chert of the Mamonia Complex, SW Cyprus

An exceptional exposure of volcaniclastic breccia intercalated with radiolarian cherts and limestones was studied which constitutes a unique block within the Upper Cretaceous Mamonia Mélange in the Akamas Peninsula of southwestern Cyprus. This breccia, represents the lower part of the sedimentary cover of the Upper Triassic Phasoula Formation volcanics. The breccia mainly consists of clasts of metabasalts, diabases, metagabbros, hyaloclastites and quartz-albite-chlorite-epidote aggregates, which have been metamorphosed at greenschist facies, and subordinate siltstones. The thin-bedded cherts intercalated between breccia levels, yielded radiolarian assemblages, which indicate an Early Jurassic age (Sinemurian to Pliensbachian) for the sequence

The impact of corporate philanthropy on reputation for corporate social performance

This study seeks to examine the mechanisms by which a corporation’s use of philanthropy affects its reputation for corporate social performance (CSP), which the authors conceive of as consisting of two dimensions: CSP awareness and CSP perception. Using signal detection theory (SDT), the authors model signal amplitude (the amount contributed), dispersion (number of areas supported), and consistency (presence of a corporate foundation) on CSP awareness and perception. Overall, this study finds that characteristics of firms' portfolio of philanthropic activities are a greater predictor of CSP awareness than of CSP perception. Awareness increases with signal amplitude, dispersion, and consistency. CSP perception is driven by awareness and corporate reputation. The authors’ contention that corporate philanthropy is a complex variable is upheld, as we find that CSP signal characteristics influence CSP awareness and perception independently and asymmetrically. The authors conclude by proposing avenues for future research

Coping With Depressive Symptoms in Young Adults: Perceived Social Support Protects Against Depressive Symptoms Only Under Moderate Levels of Stress

Introduction: The interrelationship between social support, depressive symptoms, stress and self-esteem in young adults remains unclear. This study aims to test the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms and the moderating role of perceived stress in the relationship between the two. This is important to inform components of future intervention development targeting youth depression. Methods: Three hundred forty-four (N = 344) young adults in Cyprus aged 17–26 (78% female) completed measures of self-esteem, social support, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress. Structural equation models were used to examine the interactions between social support and depressive psychopathology, whereas mediational analyses were run to examine the mediating role of self-esteem. Latent moderated mediation models were applied to examine the potentially moderating role of perceived stress. Results: Perceived social support from family and friends were significantly related to lower depressive symptoms. Self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between perceived family support and depressive symptoms. Perceived stress moderated the model, and perceived social support was found to be more protective against depressive symptoms when moderate levels of stress were presented. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that social support is protective against depressive symptoms. Self-esteem and perceived stress are important mechanisms that interact with this effect. Implications include the efforts to increase perceived family support during college years and management of stress levels before working with depressive symptoms

International diversification, legitimacy, and corporate social performance of extractive industry multinationals

This article examines how different international diversification strategies impact the legitimacy challenges multinationals face and the way they manage their corporate and social responsibilities. Analyzing these questions in a sample of companies in extractive industries, we find that those who pursue resource-seeking investments that involve locating extraction operations overseas respond with the largest improvement in their corporate-level social performance (CSP). Those pursuing efficiency-seeking by establishing processing subsidiaries abroad increase their CSP less, with the smallest increase for those pursuing market-seeking through marketing and sales operations overseas. For each type of activity established overseas, the increase in CSP becomes greater the more developed the company's home country and the larger its international footprint, but is not dependent on the host country's level of development. These findings suggest that, in today's globalized world, the legitimacy challenges that result from subsidiaries' activities increasingly need to be managed at a global, corporate level