Ambidexterity for corporate social performance

The literature on corporate social performance advocates that firms address social issues based on instrumental as well as moral rationales. While both rationales trigger initiatives to increase corporate social performance, these rest on fundamentally different and contradicting foundations. Building on the literature on organizational ambidexterity and paradox in management, we propose in this conceptual article that ambidexterity represents an important determinant of corporate social performance. We explain how firms achieve higher levels of corporate social performance through the ambidextrous ability to simultaneously pursue instrumentally and morally driven social initiatives. We distinguish between a balance dimension and a combined dimension of ambidexterity, which both enhance corporate social performance through distinct mechanisms. With the balance dimension, instrumental and moral initiatives compensate for each other – which increases the scope of corporate social performance. With the combined dimension, instrumental and moral initiatives supplement each other – which increases the scale of corporate social performance. The article identifies the most important determinants and moderators of the balance and the combined dimension to explain the conditions under which we expect firms to increase corporate social performance through ambidexterity. By focusing on the interplay and tensions between different types of social initiatives, an ambidextrous perspective contributes to a better understanding of corporate social performance. Regarding managerial practice, we highlight the role of structural and behavioral factors for achieving higher corporate social performance through the simultaneous pursuit of instrumental and moral initiatives

Neuroscience and education: prime time to build the bridge

As neuroscience gains social traction and entices media attention, the notion that education has much to benefit from brain research becomes increasingly popular. However, it has been argued that the fundamental bridge toward education is cognitive psychology, not neuroscience. We discuss four specific cases in which neuroscience synergizes with other disciplines to serve education, ranging from very general physiological aspects of human learning such as nutrition, exercise and sleep, to brain architectures that shape the way we acquire language and reading, and neuroscience tools that increasingly allow the early detection of cognitive deficits, especially in preverbal infants. Neuroscience methods, tools and theoretical frameworks have broadened our understanding of the mind in a way that is highly relevant to educational practice. Although the bridge’s cement is still fresh, we argue why it is prime time to march over it

Adsorption-desorption of trehalose analogues from a bioconversion mixture using activated carbon

Trehalose (α-d-glucopyranosyl α-d-glucopyranoside) is widely used in the food industry, because of its protective effect against freezing and dehydration. Analogues of trehalose have the additional benefit that they are not digested and thus do not contribute to our caloric intake. Such trehalose analogues can be produced with the enzyme trehalose phosphorylase, when it is applied in the reverse, synthetic mode. A cost-effective purification procedure is, however, still lacking. Therefore, the adsorption of trehalose on activated carbon has been studied and compared with that of galactitol, i.e. the major contaminant in the process. The adsorption capacity of trehalose was found to be significantly higher than that of galactitol, which suggested that trehalose analogs could be removed from the bioconversion mixture. Selective desorption with aqueous ethanol allowed to recover the product with a purity of more than 97%. Preceding the adsorption/desorption procedure by an ion-exchange step increased the yield from 24% to 31%, but also increased the price. Therefore, the direct use of activated carbon is proposed as new strategy for the purification of enzymatically produced trehalose analogues. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Survival limitation of African Wild Olive seedlings by browsing livestock in the highlands of Tigray, Ethiopia

An experimental grazing plot in Central-Tigray, Ethiopia, was enriched with simulated seedlings of African wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) under two early-successional shrubs (Euclea schimperi and Acacia etbaica) and in open areas. Then this plot was subjected to controlled grazing by goats. Seedling survival curves were calculated from grazing pressure (LSU h ha-1) and corrected/uncorrected seedling survival rations (LSU=livestock unit). Results indicate that both Euclea and Acacia shrubs offer adequate protection for Olea recruits against browsing animals. However, if a certain grazing pressure treshold is exceeded, both seedlings in open areas and under shrubs will be detected and predated by goats resulting in rapid decline of survival and finally in 100% mortality. Single browsing events in regenerating forest land or recently closed rangeland shuold not exceed a grazing pressure of 45 goat-hours per hectare. In forest rehabilitation areas, large herds of goats should be kept out at all times.status: publishe