Stability estimates for a twisted rod under terminal loads: a three-dimensional study

The stability of an inextensible unshearable elastic rod with quadratic strain energy density subject to end loads is considered. A self-contained proof in terms of local energy minimizers is presented and optimal bounds are obtained for the problem

Are socially responsible managers really ethical? : exploring the relationship between earnings management and corporate social responsibility.

Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: This paper investigates the connection between earnings management and corporate social responsibility (CSR). We argue that earnings management practices damage the collective interests of stakeholders; hence, managers who manipulate earnings can deal with stakeholder activism and vigilance by resorting to CSR practices. Research Findings/Insights: Using archival data from a multi-national panel sample of 593 firms from 26 countries between 2002 and 2004, we find a positive impact of earnings management practices on CSR; this relationship holds for different robustness checks. Also, we demonstrate that the combination of earnings management and CSR has a negative impact on financial performance. Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study draws on a generalized agency theory where managers are seen as the agents of all stakeholders and the earnings management literature to highlight that CSR can be used to garner support from stakeholders and, therefore, provides an opportunity for entrenchment to those managers that manipulate earnings. As such, it suggests new avenues of research for both the corporate governance literature, as well as for the stakeholder perspective. Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study offers insights for policy makers and managers interested in enhancing CSR. For managers, our findings suggest that projecting a socially-friendly image in order to disguise earnings management cannot be sustained over time due to the detrimental effect on financial performance. In addition, this study provides a warning signal to policy makers thatCorporate social responsibility; Earnings management;

FINITE H-DIMENSION DOES NOT IMPLY EXPRESSIVE COMPLETENESS

Accepted versio

Our future in space: The physical and virtual opening-up of parliaments to publics

Parliaments are physical symbols of nationhood and democracy. Public access to these spaces is often strictly regulated, yet it remains highly influential to public experiences of parliament (and their engagement with it). Drawing on data collected for the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 2022 Global Parliamentary Report, this article discusses ways in which parliamentary ‘space’ can be utilised to encourage public engagement. This encompasses the effective use of physical space, virtual reality and augmented reality for the purpose of public engagement. In doing so, we show the most important and effective strategy for (re)using, and opening up, parliamentary spaces: the complementary use of physical and virtual methods in not only bringing publics to parliament, but also bringing parliament to publics

EARNINGS MANAGEMENT AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Drawing on stakeholder-agency theory and the earnings management framework, we explore the relationship between discretionary accounting accruals and corporate social responsibility. We hypothesize a positive connection between corporate social responsibility and earnings management. We argue that managers may satisfy the interest of stakeholders as an entrenchment strategy once these managers have followed earnings management practices, thereby damaging the long-term interests of shareholders. Also, we expect that the positive connection between corporate social responsibility and financial performance is negatively moderated when combined with earnings management practices. We empirically demonstrate our theoretical contention making use of a database comprising of 599 firms from 32 different nations for the period 2002-2004.

Public Engagement in the Welsh Parliament

This article provides an analysis of public engagement as it is practised and conceptualised by the Welsh Parliament. It does so by applying an interpretive framework to elite interviews and parliamentary committee report forewords, in order to identify institutional narratives of public engagement. These narratives are identified and discussed at three different levels of decision-making (and in ascending levels of ‘abstraction’): practice, strategy, and concept. The chosen framework and methodology show the usefulness of narrative at a conceptual and analytical level. The conclusions drawn – regarding 1) the need for a shift from public-facing to public-engaging committee work, 2) a lack of clarity on desired outcomes, and 3) continued tensions around sources of evidence and knowledge – are relevant and applicable to parliaments across a range of contexts