Corporate sustainability and balanced scorecard: integrated management of economic, environmental and social performances in the airline industry

Environment and society are increasingly affected by human activity. World society must constantly face many problems such as climate change, air, water and soil pollutions, resources overuse, human rights, child labor, social inequalities, health and safety. Since companies are the most responsible actors for these troubles, they are stimulated to develop and adopt policies of sustainable development. Practices of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility are increasing within many businesses for reasons which go beyond the mere compliance with legislations and regulations. Nowadays, sustainable and responsible companies behave ethically for competitive reasons as well. The connections between sustainability and business strategy occurs through the pursuit of eco-socio-efficiencies, resources cost cutting, product-service differentiation, access to ethical funds, image and reputation, and the avoidance of fines, penalties and environmental taxes. Sustainability management occurs through a process that starts with identification of key stakeholders and the relative types of environmental or social impacts generated. Then, strategy must be developed, and communicated to all level of the organization. Leadership and commitment of top management are fundamental in order to diffuse sustainability guidelines, support the organizational structure and spread the new culture. In addition, performance measurement and management systems should drive the attainment of sustainability objectives. Environmental and social accounting systems must provide meaningful data in order to monitor the accomplishment of strategy and, at the same time, disclose the sustainability reports addressed to stakeholders. One important aspect of the process above mentioned regards the connection between strategy and performance measurement system. In order to translate sustainability strategies into actions measurable through performance indicators, it must be emphasized the support of Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The multidimensional conception of the tool advises to integrate environmental and social aspects of business activity within the four traditional perspectives of management in the BSC (financial, customers, processes, learning and growth). Therefore, the emerging concept of Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) is referred to the additional feature of considering the environmental and social issues connected directly or indirectly with the execution of the business processes and thus with economic success. Cause and effect relationships in the strategy map show the relations between better social and environmental performances with increasing competitiveness and profitability. The airline sector is facing many challenges of sustainable development. Hence the case developed about a real carrier can help to better understand the matter. The implementation of a Sustainability Balanced Scorecard in Lufthansa Passenger Airline consists in a simulation of the process that starts with the identification of stakeholders and related environmental and social impacts. Based on these exposures, sustainability strategies are developed and formalized as several strategic objectives belonging to the different perspectives of SBSC. Afterwards, for each sustainability objective, numerous key performance indicators are developed in order to monitor single operative aspects related to the achievement of objectives. Finally, the construction of strategy map makes clear how sustainability performances are connected with financial ones. In conclusion, the analysis of environmental, social and economic performances achieved by the German carrier and the comparison with direct European competitor Air France KLM and other minor competitors helps to identify the successes and criticisms deriving from sustainability purposes

Study of the ψ(2S)π+π− final state at BABAR

We present new results on the study of the ψ(2S)π+π− final state from the BABAR experiment located at the PEP-II asymmetric energy e+e− storage ring at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

The Menstruating Men

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Does Intelligent Design Have a Prayer?

Article published in the Michigan State University School of Law Student Scholarship Collection

Trying to Make a Long Story Short

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Influence of Weight Loss on Metabolic and Mitochondrial Function in the Mature Horse

Obesity causes a multitude of metabolic issues in the horse, yet stepwise alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, mitochondrial capacity and oxidant status during weight loss have yet to be analyzed. Skeletal muscle contains subsarcolemmal (SSM) and interfibrillar (IFM) mitochondria, which respond differently to physiological stimuli, impacting tissue and whole body oxidant status. We hypothesized that 8 light-type horses would display improvements in skeletal muscle mitochondrial subpopulation function and decreases in circulating oxidant status markers during weight loss from an obese (7 to 8) to moderate (5) body condition score (BCS). Additionally, we hypothesized improvements in morphometric measurements, circulating metabolic markers, along with glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity would also be seen. Change in BCS and percent weight loss were related to decreases in all morphometric measurements (p\u3c0.05) except for abdominal circumference (p\u3c0.10). Measurements of body composition also decreased with regard to both weight loss parameters (p≤0.001). Circulating markers of lipid metabolism evaluated from non-fasting samples revealed no changes in non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) or triacylglyceride concentration, yet ex vivo lipolysis media was decreased in response to weight loss (p=0.07) and BCS change (p=0.01). Insulin sensitivity calculated from baseline and post-weight loss intravenous glucose tolerance tests was improved after weight loss and corresponding BCS decline (p≤0.05) while the disposition index, reflecting beta-cell responsiveness, also increased due to weight loss (p=0.09). Plasma nitrate decreased in response to BCS reduction (p=0.06) and percent weight loss (p=0.06), whereas erythrocyte total glutathione (p=0.06) concentration increased with decreasing BCS, signifying improvements in oxidant status. Mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I and IV displayed greater activity in SSM than IFM (p≤0.05), while I, III, and IV in SSM had decreased activity due to BCS change and percent weight loss (p≤0.01). Interactions between SSM and IFM complex IV activity and both weight loss markers (p\u3c0.05) were displayed. Citrate synthase activity, indicating mitochondrial number, was greater in SSM than IFM (p\u3c0.0001) but remained unchanged with weight loss parameters. Lipid peroxidation was decreased due to BCS change (p=0.01) and weight loss (p=0.02), with greater concentration in SSM, but a larger decrease in IFM (p≤0.05). Alterations in complex activities and lipid peroxidation suggest IFM are more affected by weight loss, with large contributions from complex IV byproducts. Mitochondrial component flexibility may contribute individually to development and disease propagation along with athletic performance of the equine athlete. Lack of changes in circulating markers along with minimal changes in minimal model parameters suggest that while horses were obese, metabolic function was conserved. Further evaluation of metabolically healthy but obese horses may provide insight as to management and treatment of obesity associated maladies

From the Cold War to the War on Terror: Affecting 1st Amendment Rights in America

Throughout my thesis project I have explored how time periods and world events have affected our First Amendment rights in America. The first chapter of my thesis specifically looked into the Cold War era and the various ways the political climate caused First Amendment rights to be abridged. The second chapter of my thesis took this idea one step further. In the next installment of my thesis I researched how the Cold War era created a bridge for the government to infringe on citizens First Amendment rights in the 2000\u27s amidst the crisis of September 11, 2001. Within this topic I specifically looked into the Patriot Act of2001 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and how both of these pieces of legislation affected First Amendment rights in America. I have found this to be a very interesting and important topic and I wanted to find a way to give my colleagues access to my findings. Due to this desire to share my findings with a larger community of educators I chose to create a virtual teaching valise for the third installment of my thesis project. In creating this valise I wanted to give people a chance to find many different resources revolving around my topic in one place. With this idea in mind, I created a website that can be accessed very easily. On this website educators can find links to both chapters of my original research as well as the bibliographies of sources that go along with the chapters. There are also links to video clips that discuss some of the main topics found in the research. Also on the webpage, there is a list of additional and related reading materials for people who have a further interest in the topic. (A hard copy of this list is also attached) Another resource that can be located on my website would be lesson plan ideas that can help educators teach and share these ideas with students. In each of these lesson plans described below, teachers can use various parts of my research and resources found on the webpage to teach about the topic at hand

Effects of Resveratrol Supplementation on Glycemic Response and Oxidant Status in Moderately Exercised Mature Quarter Horse Geldings

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring phytocompound is known to exert numerous health benefits including improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, along with decreased tissue damage due to reactive oxygen species (ROS). This compound is incorporated in a multitude of supplements targeted to performance horses, yet no research in an athletic equine model has been completed to date. Therefore, this study was performed to test the hypothesis that resveratrol supplementation would improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, while reducing oxidant damage in an exercising model. Six, healthy, fit aged (10.5+/-1.5yr, ~500kg) Quarter Horse geldings were assigned to three treatment groups in a Latin Square random crossover design with one week between crossovers. Horses either received no supplementation (control, C) or one of two treatments (T); low dose (L, 2.5g of trans-resveratrol) and high dose (H, 5g of trans-resveratrol) administered on a daily basis for 14 days. Body weights (BW), blood samples, and muscle biopsies were collected on day 0 and day 14 of each supplementation period. All horses were moderately exercised 3 times a week for 60 minutes with an average heart rate of 90 bpm. A frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) was conducted on day 10 of supplementation during each treatment period. Feed intake data was collected daily. Samples from day 0 and 14 were analyzed for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), while FSIGT samples were analyzed for plasma insulin and glucose. The null hypothesis was rejected when P\u3c0.05, and trends were identified when P \u3c 0.10. Minimal model analysis of FSIGT, along with evaluation of baseline inulin and glucose concentrations, and area under the glucose and insulin curve showed no effect of resveratrol supplementation (P \u3e 0.05). Plasma TBARS was unaffected by resveratrol supplementation (P \u3e 0.05) within this model. Body weight did not change due to T, yet contrast between C and T displayed trends toward increased feed intake as % BW of both hay and concentrate (P \u3c 0.10). In conclusion, resveratrol supplementation in the moderately exercised horse does not improve insulin sensitivity or glucose tolerance, or overall lipid peroxidation. Increased feed intake displayed by T over C may have a potential application for a high performance animal. These observations display a need to further evaluate the effects of resveratrol in other equine models, and a more in depth assessment of resveratrol within the athletic horse