The Role of Ethnic Directors in Corporate Social Responsibility: Does Culture matter? The Cultural Trait Theory Perspectives

This paper investigates the effect of cultural differences between ethnic directors on corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Public Liability Companies (PLCs) in Nigeria. Using the cultural trait theory, the study focuses on how the ethnic directors are influenced when making decisions concerning CSR. Adopting multiple regression analysis of data, the study investigates the three major ethnic groups (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa) and finds cultural differences between the ethnic directors affect the adoption of CSR. Empirical results indicate that ethnic directors (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa) were positively and significantly related to CSR. The paper contributes to the corporate governance and CSR debate concerning how ethnic directors’ decisions impact on CSR activities, particularly on the directors who are individualistic and collectivists towards CSR

Past and present: reflections on citizenship within New Zealand

The paper discusses historical and emerging dimensions of citizenship within Aotearoa/New Zealand. Drawing on Turner's work, it explores the utility of Marshallian distinctions of civil, political and social citizenship. These evolutionary notions are seen as problematic, given the historical treatment of the Chinese community, and the abrogation of the Treaty of Waitangi with respect to European–Maori relationships. Ideas of the "worker citizen", "military citizen" and "parent citizen" are discussed in relation to historical foundations of entitlement and their contemporary challenges. Considerations include a shift to non-standard employment, reconceptualization of New Zealand's role as a Pacific nation, and demographic and value shifts. The non-governmental sector as a "fourth" route to entitlement is examined, including notions of community capacity-building with particular respect to Maori. The paper concludes with a commentary on current debates around the nature and shape of New Zealand nationality, identity and citizenship. Ecological debates include the use and guardianship of natural resources and the opposition of public opinion to genetic modification. Indigenous developments include the assertion of Treaty rights by Maori in relation to land, language and economic and social development. Cultural dimensions include the changing population structure as reflected in the growth of Pacific Island nations, Asian populations and the refugee community. The interplay of these ecological, indigenous and cultural dimensions will help define emergent citizenships for Aotearoa/New Zealand in the twenty-first century

Classifying superconductivity in Moiré graphene superlattices

Several research groups have reported on the observation of superconductivity in bilayer graphene structures where single atomic layers of graphene are stacked and then twisted at angles θ forming Moiré superlattices. The characterization of the superconducting state in these 2D materials is an ongoing task. Here we investigate the pairing symmetry of bilayer graphene Moiré superlattices twisted at θ = 1.05°, 1.10° and 1.16° for carrier doping states varied in the range of n = (0.5 − 1.5) · 1012 cm−2 (where superconductivity can be realized) by analyzing the temperature dependence of the upper critical field Bc2(T) and the self-field critical current Jc(sf,T) within currently available models – all of which start from phonon-mediated BCS theory – for single- and two-band s−, d−, p− and d + id-wave gap symmetries. Extracted superconducting parameters show that only s-wave and a specific kind of p-wave symmetries are likely to be dominant in bilayer graphene Moiré superlattices. More experimental data is required to distinguish between the s- and remaining p-wave symmetries as well as the suspected two-band superconductivity in these 2D superlattices.Peer reviewe

Indigenous epistemology in a national curriculum framework?

In this article, a group of four indigenous Māori educators and one non-Māori educator comment on a proposed amendment to the New Zealand National Curriculum Framework to replace the current separate sets of skills, values and attitudes with five generic performance-based key competencies. The paper discusses important parallels between western/European sociocultural theorizing on human development and learning (on which the key competencies seemed to be based), and the values, beliefs and preferred practices that are embodied within an indigenous Māori cultural worldview (Te Ao Māori). A Māori worldview is characterized by an abiding concern for the quality of human relationships that need to be established and maintained if learning contexts are to be effective for Māori students, and for these relationships to balance individual learning and achievement against responsibilities for the well-being and achievement of the group. Within such a worldview, education is understood as holistic, collective, experiential and dependent upon a free exchanging of teaching and learning roles. The article describes five specific cultural constructs within this worldview that highlight Māori traditional understandings of human development and learning and teaching, and aligns and compares these constructs with the five key competencies proposed. The article argues that the worldviews of Māori people in New Zealand provide an extensive and coherent framework for theorizing about human development and education, and are able to contribute strongly and positively to the development of a national school curriculum for the benefit all students. Implications for other contexts can also be drawn