bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychopharmacological Treatments for Substance Use Disorders
Authors: O’Brien Charles P. , McKay James
Published: January 2015

The treatment of substance abuse with pharmacological agents is well established, although most experts agree that, to be successful, medication interventions must be combined with psychosocial therapies. A large number of Type 1 and Type 2 controlled trials have shown that the use of nicotine replacement therapy to induce and maintain smoking cessations significantly increases the abstinence rate. Bupropion, which is also an antidepressant, has been found in controlled trials to significantly increase the smoking abstinence rate measured at intervals up to 12 months after beginning of treatment. Trials with novel agents such as the cannabinoid receptor antagonist rimonabant and varenicline, a nicotine receptor partial agonist, have been reported at meetings but have not yet appeared in print. The treatment of alcoholism can now be enhanced by three totally different types of medications: disulfiram, which works when compliance is assured; naltrexone, which reduces alcohol reward via the endogenous opioid system and results in decreased alcohol craving and reduced drinking in most randomized clinical trials; and acamprosate, which reduces post-alcohol excitability and has been effective in European trials but less so in U.S. trials. A depot version of the opiate antagonist naltrexone was approved by the FDA in 2006. It gives therapeutic blood levels for at least 30 days and should greatly improve compliance, thus making naltrexone more useful for the treatment of both opiate addiction and alcoholism. Methadone maintenance treatment for heroin dependence has consistently shown efficacy, and the treatment options have been increased by the availability of the partial opiate agonist buprenorphine. Buprenorphine is unique in that it can be used for the treatment of opiate addiction by qualified physicians in their offices rather than requiring enrollment in a highly regulated methadone treatment program. There are as yet no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of stimulant addiction, which includes cocaine and methamphetamine. There are recent double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials of several medications that have been found effective against cocaine addiction and are currently in multisite trials to confirm efficacy.
Psychosocial Treatments for Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Craighead W. Edward , Sheets Erin S. , Brosse Alisha L. , Ilardi Stephen S.
Published: January 2015

Behavior therapy (BT), cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) have each been shown by at least two Type 1 or Type 2 randomized controlled trials, as well as by four meta-analytic reports of the literature, to be effective psychosocial interventions for patients meeting criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). All three psychosocial treatments have yielded substantial reductions in scores on the two major depression rating scales (the Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression), significant decreases in percentage of patients meeting the criteria for MDD at posttreatment, and substantial maintenance of effects well after treatment has ended. The data for outcomes of psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for major depressive episodes suggest that the two treatment modes are equally efficacious. At least one major study lends strong support for the superior effectiveness of combined psychosocial and pharmacological treatments with severe and chronic depression. Additional recently published data suggest that psychosocial interventions may be as effective as antidepressant medications in the treatment of severely depressed patients.
Session 5: Dealing with Obsessions/Family Responses to OCD
Authors: Piacentini John , Langley Audra , Roblek Tami
Published: January 2015

Session five reviews the child's symptom hierarchy and progress that has been made so far. ERP practice continues, and information is provided about obsessions. The family's response to the child's OCD is also explored.
Session 7: Troubleshooting Obstacles to ERP/Secondary Gain
Authors: Piacentini John , Langley Audra , Roblek Tami
Published: January 2015

The seventh session discusses obstacles that there may be to practicing ERP and ways around them, as well as the concept of secondary gain as a barrier to treatment success.
Session 9: Addressing More Difficult Symptoms/Family Self-Care
Authors: Piacentini John , Langley Audra , Roblek Tami
Published: January 2015

Session nine addresses more difficult symptoms that the child experiences with ERP, and begins to discuss issues related to the termination of the treatment. The family session explores the impact OCD has on family well-being.
Session 10: Addressing More Difficult Symptoms/Family Problem Solving
Authors: Piacentini John , Langley Audra , Roblek Tami
Published: January 2015

The tenth session continues ERP with items higher on the child's hierarchy, and plans for coping following the terminaion of treatment. The family session addresses problematic OCD-related areas, and reviews the family's abilities to solve potential difficulties that may arise.
Introductory Information for Therapists
Authors: Piacentini John , Langley Audra , Roblek Tami
Published: January 2015

This chapter presents background information on the treatment program, including diagnostic criteria for OCD, research into the treatment program, the role of medication, the cognitive-behavioural model of OCD, and the role of the family in the treatment program.
Conceptual and Scientific Foundations
Authors: Thomas Jay C.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 2 discusses how organizational theory has used force field analysis and systems theory as conceptual frameworks for understanding the development, evolution, and effects of changes in organizations. It also covers how theories originating in social psychology have influenced concepts of small work group and team dynamics, and how, at the individual level, several theories of personality, cognition, human abilities, and attribution are influential. It does address that there are no universally recognized conceptual framework for groups and individuals, and that the OBC psychologist must be an expert at job or work analysis and in comprehending organizational culture and climate. It also covers how some forms of work done by OBC psychologists are constrained by legal and professional standards.
Assessment for Employee Selection, Promotion, and Termination Programs
Authors: Thomas Jay C.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 6 discusses assessment for employee selection, promotion, and termination programs, and covers the methods employed in selection, promotion, and classification procedures (which may include statistical/empirical (criterion–related validation, validity generalization), judgmental (content validation), or empirical/theoretical (construct validation)). It also examines how, in addition to knowledge of validation and assessment techniques, today–s psychologist must be knowledgeable about social trends, demographics, culture, and, most important, the laws, regulations, and court decisions that constrain personnel actions.
Organizational Change and Development
Authors: Thomas Jay C.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 9 discusses organizational change and development, the procedures and methods intended to change the character of an organization and improve its performance, and how change efforts may be directed at selected groups, such as executive teams, certain units, locations, or the entire organization. It covers Organizational Development (OD), Process Consultation (PC), teams and team building, survey feedback and action research, externally imposed change, mergers and acquisitions, and planning and managing change.
Older Adult Assessment Issues and Strategies
Authors: Edelstein Barry , Koven Lesley
Published: January 2015

The purpose of the present chapter is to provide some of the basic assessment-related knowledge that would be expected of a psychologist who is preparing to work with older adults, and to provide suggestions for addressing some of the challenges of assessing older adults. The chapter was prepared with the assumption that clinicians at the novice and intermediate levels would particularly benefit from the information.
Integrative Care Models
Authors: Emery Erin E.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 7 discusses integrative care models within geropsychology, including how mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, frequently co-occur with physical illnesses, either as precipitating or exacerbating factors, and are associated with increased risk of multiple physical health problems and mortality in older adults. It also discusses the Integrated Health Care for an Aging Population (IHCAP) report of 2008, competencies related to integrated care, interprofessional healthcare teams, team development, and the role of the psychologist in integrated care.
Conceptual, Theoretical, and Scientific Foundations of School Psychology
Authors: Flanagan Rosemary , Miller Jeff A.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 2 discusses the purpose of school psychology as being significantly different from that of other professional psychology specialties, which provides the field with a range of opportunities while at the same time laying a clear parameter outlining the boundaries of the specialty. It also examines the conceptual basis of the specialty, showing it as the necessary glue that holds together the profession’s judgments about the application of theory and empirical data to the practice of school psychology. It covers how school psychology has a clear purpose distinct from other areas of professional psychology, a signature conceptual foundation, and a theoretically integrated basis that is informed by the empirical literature for the practice of school psychology, and how these features define the distinct specialty of school psychology within professional psychology.
Common Ethical and Legal Challenges in School Psychology
Authors: Flanagan Rosemary , Miller Jeff A.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 10 discusses the ethics codes that school psychologists are expected to follow irrespective of their level of educational attainment. It also explores practice competencies and reflective practice while following ethical principles as well as the requirements of law and regulation.
Making Decisions About Saving and Discarding
Authors: Steketee Gail , Frost Randy O.
Published: January 2015

Chapter 7 teaches clients about the role of avoidance and habituation of discomfort in discarding. A thought listing exercise helps clarify thoughts that occur during decision-making about whether to keep or discard items. Clients develop questions to use and personal rules for when to keep or discard items. Imagined discarding helps with gradual saving and discarding exercises. Behavioural experiments help test beliefs, and clients learn to practice thought listing during in-home practice. Potential assistance in cleaning out clutter is discussed.
Learning to Record Your Experiences
Authors: Barlow David H. , Ellard Kristen K. , Fairholme Christopher P. , Farchione Todd J. , Boisseau Christina L. , Allen Laura B. , Ehrenreich-May Jill
Published: January 2015

Chapter 3 outlines how you can learn to record your experiences, introducing the rationale behind taking the time to record, what should be recorded, and how to use the overall anxiety severity and impairment scale (OASIS) and overall depression severity and impairment scale (ODSIS).
Understanding Your Emotions
Authors: Barlow David H. , Ellard Kristen K. , Fairholme Christopher P. , Farchione Todd J. , Boisseau Christina L. , Allen Laura B. , Ehrenreich-May Jill
Published: January 2015

Chapter 5 provides details on understanding your emotions, a rationale for placing a focus on emotions, the purposes of emotions such as fear, sadness/depression, anxiety, and anger. The different components of emotional experiences (cognitive, behavioral, and physiological) are also explored.
Medications for Anxiety, Depression, and Related Emotional Disorders
Authors: Barlow David H. , Ellard Kristen K. , Fairholme Christopher P. , Farchione Todd J. , Boisseau Christina L. , Allen Laura B. , Ehrenreich-May Jill
Published: January 2015

Chapter 13 explores medications for anxiety, depression, and related emotional disorders. Reasons for taking drugs for emotional disorders are given, along with types of medications such as antidepressant drugs and benzodiazepines and the process of stopping medication is also discussed.
Experimental control of Triatoma infestans in poor rural villages of Bolivia through community participation
Authors: Lardeux Frédéric , Depickère Stéphanie , Aliaga Claudia , Chavez Tamara , Zambrana Lilian
Published: January 2015

Background

Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in the southern cone countries. Present control strategies based on indoor and outdoor residual insecticide spraying are not sufficient to control disease transmission, particularly in Bolivia. Techniques based on the management of the human environment may be good alternatives or supplements.

Methods

Social and entomological surveys were carried out in four villages of Bolivia situated in the dry inter-Andean Valleys and the Chaco region. Risk factors for house infestation by T. infestans were identified, and an eco-health intervention based on education and community participation was carried out to reduce the risks of house infestation. It consisted of implementing simple and low cost vector control techniques such as coating of mud walls, cleaning activities and removal of poultry that enter rooms to lay eggs.

Results

The eco-health intervention significantly reduced the number of infested bedrooms, the mean abundance of T. infestans in bedrooms and beds, especially in the Chaco region. Mud wall coating was well accepted and could be proposed as a supplementary tool to the National Program of Chagas Disease Control to enhance the effects of insecticide sprayings.

Conclusions

Even if cleaning activities were still neglected, community participation proved to be effective in reducing house infestation.
Between Scylla and Charybdis: renegotiating resolution of the ‘obstetric dilemma’ in response to ecological change
Authors: Wells Jonathan C. K.
Published: January 2015

Hominin evolution saw the emergence of two traits—bipedality and encephalization—that are fundamentally linked because the fetal head must pass through the maternal pelvis at birth, a scenario termed the ‘obstetric dilemma’. While adaptive explanations for bipedality and large brains address adult phenotype, it is brain and pelvic growth that are subject to the obstetric dilemma. Many contemporary populations experience substantial maternal and perinatal morbidity/mortality from obstructed labour, yet there is increasing recognition that the obstetric dilemma is not fixed and is affected by ecological change. Ecological trends may affect growth of the pelvis and offspring brain to different extents, while the two traits also differ by a generation in the timing of their exposure. Two key questions arise: how can the fit between the maternal pelvis and the offspring brain be ‘renegotiated’ as the environment changes, and what nutritional signals regulate this process? I argue that the potential for maternal size to change across generations precludes birthweight being under strong genetic influence. Instead, fetal growth tracks maternal phenotype, which buffers short-term ecological perturbations. Nevertheless, rapid changes in nutritional supply between generations can generate antagonistic influences on maternal and offspring traits, increasing the risk of obstructed labour.
Culinary taste and the legitimate cuisines
Authors: Lindblom Taru , Mustonen Pekka
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study a wide range of culinary tastes and their legitimacy in a contemporary urban context. The authors aim at finding out which cuisines are the most popular and to what extent this popularity translates into eating out.

Design/methodology/approach

– Survey data (n=1715) gathered among young adults residing in Helsinki (aged 25-44) measuring preferences and restaurant visits for 19 cuisine types. Measures for expressed legitimacy and actualised legitimacy for all the 19 cuisine types.

Findings

– The most preferred cuisine types are pizza, other Italian fare and traditional Nordic fare, including home cooking. The most visited restaurants by cuisine type are pizza, fast food and Italian. However, the most legitimate (both expressed and actualised) cuisines are Korean, African, fine dining and French. Several dissonances were found between stated likes and actual consumer behaviour. The results suggest that although fast food bears a stigma as socially unacceptable cuisine, it is, nonetheless, very frequently eaten in the restaurants.

Research limitations/implications

– As the data account only for a fraction of the population, limited by both age and region, it would be relevant for future research to investigate this on a larger scale in order to make (inter)nationally representative conclusions.

Originality/value

– A research design taking into account such a wide range of cuisine types has not been presented before.
Engel and Simmel: sharing meals at home in Cyprus
Authors: Jacobson David S. , McMullan Caroline , Minas Christos
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to show the relationship between food as a shared good (or public within the household) in the economic sense, and food as a shared meal in the sociological sense.

Design/methodology/approach

– Quantitative data derived from a household budget survey (HBS) in Cyprus are used to set up questions to which answers are suggested using the qualitative approach of in-depth interviews.

Findings

– The main finding is that the relatively high expenditure by elderly couples on food for home consumption may be explained by frequent inter-household, intra-extended family meals in Cyprus.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper provides evidence that household expenditure on food may not be directly indicative of household consumption of food. Researchers interested in household consumption of food should therefore be aware of the differences between household and extended family and, where extended family continues to be significant, they should be wary of using data from HBSs to analyse food consumption. One limitation is that the results are derived from in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of nine households. It may be appropriate to replicate the study, either in Cyprus or in similar societies where extended family remains significant, at a larger scale.

Practical implications

– The evidence that household expenditure may not be indicative of household consumption suggests that questions on social context of consumption should be included in HBSs.

Originality/value

– This paper draws together, for the first time, economic ideas on expenditure on food derived from the quantitative research of Ernst Engel on one hand and implications of the theories of Georg Simmel on the sociology of the meal on the other. The paper shows that some issues arising from quantitative analysis of HBSs cannot be explained using data from that source; this is particularly so where consumption of food is inter-household.
Risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes in poultry and beef
Authors: Foerster Claudia , Figueroa Guillermo , Evers Eric
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– A quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) was developed to estimate the probability of getting listeriosis as a consequence of chicken and beef consumption in Chile. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– As a first step a deterministic retail-to-home model was constructed for the Chilean susceptible population, including storage, cross-contamination and cooking. Next, two probabilistic models were developed, including variability and/or the uncertainty of some of the parameters. The probabilistic models were analyzed by Monte Carlo simulations with 100,000 iterations.

Findings

– Of the total susceptible population used in the model (2.81 million people), the deterministic model estimated 11 and two listeriosis cases because of beef and poultry consumption, respectively and the variability model estimated a mean of 322 and 7,546 cases for beef and poultry consumption, respectively. The uncertainty analysis showed large ranges, with realistic estimates made with an initial concentration of Listeria monocytogenes of 0.04-1 CFU/g and a dose-response parameter r ranging from 10-14 to 10-10.

Research limitations/implications

– The lack of information was the major limitation of the model, so the generation of it has to be a priority in Chile for developing less uncertain risk assessments in the future.

Practical implications

– Raw animal products can be the cause of listeriosis cases if they are not stored, cooked and/or handled properly. Consumer education seems to be an essential factor for disease prevention.

Originality/value

– This is the first QMRA made in Chile, and also the first study of listeriosis in non-processed meat.
Schoolinary art: practical cooking skills issues for the future
Authors: Mc Dowell Dawn , McMahon-Beattie Una , Burns Amy
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to consider the importance of structured and consistent practical cookery skills intervention in the 11-14-year age group. This paper reviews the impact and development of statutory and non-statutory cooking skills interventions in the UK and considers limitations in relation to life skills training. Currently practical cooking skills are mainly derived from two sources namely the non-statutory sector (community cooking interventions) and the statutory sector (Home Economics teaching).

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper compares the two interventions in terms of effective long-term outcomes. Non-statutory cooking interventions are generally lottery funded and therefore tend to be single teaching blocks of, on average, six to eight weeks targeting mostly low-income adults and the literature emphasises a deficit of empirical measurement of the long-term impact. In contrast Home Economics classes offer a structured learning environment across genders and socio-economic groups. In addition it is taught over a substantial time frame to facilitate a process of practical skills development (with relevant theoretical teaching), reflection, group communication and consolidation, where according to current educational theory (Kolb, 1984) learning is more thoroughly embedded with the increased potential for longer term impact.

Findings

– The review identifies the limitations of too many community initiatives or “project-itis” (Caraher, 2012, p. 10) and instead supports the use of the school curriculum to best maximise the learning of practical cooking skills.

Originality/value

– This review will be of particular value to educationalists and health policy decision makers.
Private labels
Authors: Calvo Porral Cristina , Lang Mark F
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– In today’s highly competitive consumer marketplace, developing and managing successful private label offerings has become a priority for many retailing companies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze product, retailer, and individual factors from the private label brand that influence consumers’ loyalty and purchase intention; along with the influence of the manufacturer identification on the product package on purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

– A structural equation model is run on a sample of 362 consumers, and a multi-group comparison is developed to study the role of manufacturer identification.

Findings

– Findings indicate that the influence of private label image and perceived quality on purchase intention are partially mediated by loyalty and moderated by manufacturer identification. Results also reveal that store image and corporate reputation enhance private label image and perceived quality.

Originality/value

– This study provides useful insights to advance the understanding of private label branding and guidance to retailers who should consider store image and company reputation when designing branding strategies.
Integrating price promotions into the switch of brands model for approximating variety-seeking behaviour
Authors: Meixner Oliver , Knoll Viktoria
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the further development of the previously introduced switch of brand (SB) model (presented in 2012) which helps to approximate variety-seeking behaviour (VSB) out of household panel data.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on existing theoretical variety-seeking models analysing household panel data, the further expansion of the variety-seeking model “Switch of Brands” (SB) is presented. In the last contribution in the British Food Journal the authors presented this simple but powerful tool to approximate VSB. The further developed model “Switch of Brands – Promotions” (SB

PR
) integrates relevant variables into one theoretical variety-seeking model (number of purchased brands, number of purchases, price promotions, etc.). In particular, price promotions were integrated into the SB model in order to deliver even more realistic approximations of households’ VSB.

Findings

– The explanatory power of the model in view of brand loyalty is tested. The empirical analysis is conducted with scanner household panel data from Austria in three different product categories.

Research limitations/implications

– The data analysis shows that the model has an excellent explanatory power concerning brand loyalty, however, not better than the original SB model.

Practical implications

– The SB

PR
model allows interpretations for marketing purposes and brand management including marketing variables (here: price promotions). The model may be applied in any business field where panel data are available.

Originality/value

– The model delivers a consistent theoretical framework for approximating VSB by means of purchase histories.
Income inequality and rural poverty in China
Authors: Wu Haitao , Ding Shijun , Wan Guanghua
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to apply a poverty level decomposition approach to decompose the poverty by income sources and investigate the impact of government transfers on income inequality and rural poverty.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper uses the decomposition method of inequality and the decomposition method of poverty level by resource endowments to decompose the overall inequality and the overall poverty by income sources.

Findings

– It is found that unequal income distribution rather than income endowments is mainly responsible for the existence of poverty. Government transfers and relief income, aiming at the poor, help alleviate inequality and poverty, but are not targeting the poorest. Unequal distribution of production subsidies actually lead to higher poverty incidence.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper has revealed that the poverty issue cannot be resolved with economic development alone if the issues including the inequality in income distribution are not solved. It is important to make government transfers/subsidies pro-poor.

Originality/value

– A poverty level decomposition approach is first used to decompose the poverty by income sources in China.
Public investment in agricultural R&D and extension
Authors: Zhang Dandan , Chen Chunlai , Sheng Yu
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of public investment in agricultural R&D and extension on broadacre farming productivity in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

– An autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) regression model is applied to estimate the effects of public investment in agricultural R&D and extension on Australian braodacre productivity.

Findings

– The study reveals that public investment in agricultural R&D and extension has contributed almost two-thirds of average annual broadacre productivity growth between 1952-1953 and 2006-2007, the average internal rate of return to public investment in agricultural R&D and extension was 28.4 and 47.5 per cent a year, respectively, and overseas spill-ins is an important source of domestic agricultural productivity growth.

Practical implications

– Policy implications: the findings suggest that increasing public investment in agricultural R&D and extension and maintaining agricultural R&D policy stability are equally important to have a sustained long-term agricultural productivity growth, and maintaining an open trade and investment regime is important to benefit from foreign knowledge spillovers which is especially important for developing countries.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the existing literature by employing more sophisticated econometric techniques with an extended data set for the period from 1952-1953 to 2006-2007. The study separates the contribution of public R&D investment and the extension investment, and also takes into account the contribution of overseas public investment on the TFP growth in the Australian broadacre sector.
Efficiency of weather derivatives for Chinese agriculture industry
Authors: Ender Manuela , Zhang Ruyuan
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the efficiency of temperature-based weather derivatives (WD) in reducing risk exposure for Chinese agriculture industry. Therefore, a put option with cumulated growing degree days as its underlying index is assumed to be bought by farmers as a risk management instrument to prevent income fluctuations from adverse temperature conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

– The objective of this paper is to analyze the efficiency of temperature-based WD in reducing risk exposure for Chinese agriculture industry. Therefore, a put option with cumulated growing degree days as its underlying index is assumed to be bought by farmers as a risk management instrument to prevent income fluctuations from adverse temperature conditions.

Findings

– The results of the efficiency tests show that temperature-based put options are efficient in offsetting yield shortfalls for rice and wheat in China. The weather-yield models have a high prediction power in explaining yield variation by temperature.

Research limitations/implications

– The de-trending procedure for the weather-yield model should be improved to distinguish better between technology progress, human activities and influence of weather. Further, more advanced models could be used for the pricing.

Practical implications

– The findings of the paper support the launch of WD as an efficient risk management tool for agriculture in China. Compared with traditional damage-based insurance, WD are more flexible, have lower transactions costs and avoid moral hazard or adverse selection.

Originality/value

– The efficiency problem of WD has not been analyzed sufficiently worldwide and especially not for developing countries like China where a large proportion of the population works as farmers. This paper supports to fill this gap.
Corporate reputation and CSR reporting to stakeholders
Authors: Pérez Andrea
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review of the underdeveloped stream of research that analyses corporate reputation as an outcome of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting.

Design/methodology/approach

– The author systematically reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on the CSR reporting-reputation relationship, identify several gaps in the body of knowledge and provide new lines of study to develop this relevant stream of research.

Findings

– The literature review demonstrates that CSR reporting is especially useful to generate corporate reputation. The justification for this idea is provided by as many as five theoretical approaches, while the management of corporate transparency, information quantity and information quality is shown to be crucial to the success of CSR reporting.

Originality/value

– The value of the paper resides in making the rather underdeveloped, heterogeneous and inconclusive literature on the CSR reporting-reputation link more accessible to CSR reporting scholars and practitioners. At the same time, suggestions are provided for future research that would contribute to improving the knowledge on the relationship between CSR reporting and corporate reputation.
Compliance with corporate governance codes in emerging economies. How do Romanian listed companies “comply-or-explain”?
Authors: Albu Cătălin Nicolae , Girbina Maria Madalina
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The aim of this study is to examine the attitude of Romanian companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange towards the “comply-or-explain” principle, under which they fulfill their corporate governance obligations.

Design/methodology/approach

– We design and use five indexes to investigate the compliance of Romanian listed companies with their corporate governance obligations, and the quality of their explanations in case of non-compliance under the “comply-or-explain” principle. Further, we perform additional analyses by firm characteristics to identify the more compliant companies.

Findings

– Our results point to the difficulties in the application of the “comply-or-explain” principle approach to corporate governance in emerging economies. First, applicable laws and regulations in these countries deter themselves the application of this principle, by the confusions and unclear provisions that they contain. Second, these countries are characterized by low enforcement mechanisms and less demanding users of information. These create an environment where local companies get away with unsanctioned non-compliance instances, and general type of explanations. However, our results suggest that larger, first-tier companies with larger boards have better corporate governance practices.

Research limitations/implications

– The small number of companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange prevented advanced statistical treatment of data.

Originality/value

– We fill a gap in literature by providing, to our knowledge, the first study that addresses the case of corporate governance practices based on the “comply-or-explain” principle in Romania (one of the recent members of the European Union), and one of the few studies addressing the case of Central and Eastern European countries.
A social norm perspective on corporate governance soft law
Authors: Galander Anne , Walgenbach Peter , Rost Katja
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The aim of this study is to apply the concept of social norm dynamics to explain how corporate governance soft law is enforced.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using data of German listed stock companies and of economic media coverage between 2001 and 2010, the authors observe the complex relationship between sanctions and behavior in the social context of corporate governance soft law.

Findings

– The authors find the public discussion of normative demands related to corporate governance issues increases if firms do not comply with the German Corporate Governance Code. The authors show that groups of actors, such as DAX companies, represent the addressees of normative demands, i.e. targets of expectations about what is appropriate and what is not. The authors also find that normative demands tend to be personalized, as public discussion is greater when initiated by a specific individual or firm. Finally, the authors demonstrate that social control in terms of public sanctioning positively influences a firm’s compliance with the soft law whereby negative statements (disapproval) outweigh the effects of positive statements (approval).

Originality/value

– We corroborate the social character of normative demands in the context of corporate governance soft law, and contribute to a better understanding of why soft law can work, despite it having no legally binding force. The results of our study suggest that sanction mechanisms in the context of social norms underpin the strength of soft law as an alternative to, or extension of, hard law.
Top executive compensation in less developed capital markets
Authors: Pereira Ivo Nuno , Esperança José Paulo
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to study the determinants of variable compensation for top Portuguese executives (chief executive officers, chief financial officers and commercial directors).

Design/methodology/approach

– Data from 101 firms were collected through an email questionnaire sent to the human resource directors of 500 largest and best Portuguese firms of Exame, a business newspaper. A Tobit regression analysis was used to estimate the basic equation of the study.

Findings

– The conclusions are generally consistent with findings obtained in more developed capital markets. It was found that public and older corporations are more intensive users of variable pay, consistent with the agency theory prediction. A location in the centre of economic activity and a higher executive education increase the propensity to receive higher levels of salary in the form of variable compensation. The relation between compensation and performance was more elusive.

Research limitations/implications

– There are limitations as to the extrapolation of the obtained results, as the level of potential idiosyncrasy cannot be measured. Ideally, the study should be replicated in different contexts to control for country-specific influences. Nevertheless, the main finding that performance-related pay mechanisms are less used in countries where public corporations and potential agency problems are less pervasive should hold.

Originality/value

– As the focus is on a small economy with a developing capital market, this paper contributes to executive compensation literature that has mostly analysed firms based in well-developed capital markets, with a higher separation of ownership and control (Anglo-Saxon countries).
A conceptual framework to identify spatial implications of new ways of learning in higher education
Authors: Beckers Ronald , van der Voordt Theo , Dewulf Geert
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the spatial implications of new learning theories and the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a review of the literature, a theoretical framework has been developed that visualises the spatial implications of developments in higher education. To further explore spatial configurations that support changes in education, a comparative floor plan analysis was carried out at four Dutch institutes of higher education.

Findings

– The findings show that the traditional classroom space is progressively being replaced by a variety of learning settings to support contemporary learning activities.

Practical implications

– The research findings contribute to a better understanding of the alignment of learning space to the evolving needs that come from new ways of learning, supported by advanced ICT, and can be used to support space planning in higher education.

Originality/value

– This paper builds upon findings from different disciplines: Facilities Management and Corporate Real Estate Management (suitability of floor plans) and Theory of Education (the pedagogical approaches and pedagogical assumptions those floor plans convey).
Short-distance corporate relocation: the employee experience
Authors: Rothe Peggie , Sarasoja Anna-Liisa , Heywood Christopher
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine short-distance firm relocations, the most frequent form of relocation, to better understand how employees as individuals experience those relocations.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study was a multiple-case study with five organisations that had relocated within the same metropolitan area during the previous 18 months. To understand why and how the relocation was carried out, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with company representatives who were actively involved in making decisions and executing the relocation of their organisation. Subsequently, to study the employees’ experience and perception of the process, 17 employees who did not have an assigned role in the process were also interviewed.

Findings

– The findings show that even within the same organization, people experience relocation differently; therefore, the employees should not be treated as one object of change but as several individuals who experience change. Further, it was identified that relocation included both location and workplace change aspects.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is of qualitative nature and, therefore, the findings should not be generalized to individuals outside of the context of study. Instead, the value lies in the description and the themes developed in the specific context. The findings show that emphasis needs to be put on how the relocation process is managed, and that relocation change management efforts should include both location and workplace changes.

Originality/value

– This study provides new insight on how individual employees experience the relocation process and augments the previous body of knowledge on employee experiences and satisfaction with various elements in the work environment and/or with new ways of working, and the previous studies on relocation that focus on comparing employees’ experiences of the old office with the new one.
A mobile farmers’ market brings nutrition education to low-income students
Authors: Ellsworth Devin , Ernst Jenny , Snelling Anastasia
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a nutrition-education intervention delivered at low-income middle schools in Washington, DC in the USA, using a mobile farmers’ market to bring hands-on lessons to schools. The program was a partnership between a local farm and university and was funded by the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition grant.

Design/methodology/approach

– Seven low-income middle schools received the intervention, which included 45-minute lessons focussed on nutrition education and sustainable farming concepts. The farmers’ market was delivered via a converted school bus, allowing for full market setup at each school to provide local fruits and vegetables as teaching tools. The nutrition-education lesson focussed on the USDA MyPlate and healthy meal planning. The farm education component focussed on organic farming principles, sustainability of local food systems, and seasonality. A six question pre- and post-survey was administered to 408 participating middle school students to assess changes in knowledge.

Findings

– Overall, average scores increased from 51 to 58 percent. Nutrition knowledge questions increased from 58 to 74 percent, while agriculture questions remained constant at 43 percent. Both increases significant using a two-sample t-test (p<0.001). This suggests that students gained more nutrition education concepts in this format as compared to the agricultural concepts.

Originality/value

– Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic that affects low-income communities disproportionally. Innovative strategies must be implemented to increase healthy food consumption. This case study presents such an approach and its value in increasing student knowledge of healthy behavior.
Impact of an intuitive eating education program on high school students’ eating attitudes
Authors: Healy Nicole , Joram Elana , Matvienko Oksana , Woolf Suzanne , Knesting Kimberly
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– There is a growing need for school-based nutritional educational programs that promote healthy eating attitudes without increasing an unhealthy focus on restrictive eating or promoting a poor body image. Research suggests that intuitive eating (IE) approaches, which encourage individuals to focus on internal body signals as a guide for eating, have had a positive impact on eating-related psychological outcomes in adults. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects an IE education program on the eating attitudes of high school students.

Design/methodology/approach

– In a quasi-experimental study, 48 high school students (30 females) in a Midwest town in the USA received instruction on IE or a comparison program over seven days during health classes. Repeated measures analyses of covariance were conducted to examine changes in eating attitudes in sexes across conditions.

Findings

– Students who received the IE program made significantly greater gains in overall positive eating attitudes on the Intuitive Eating Scale than students in the comparison program (p=0.045), as well as on the Unconditional Permission to Eat subscale (p=0.02). There were no significant effects of sex on any of the analyses.

Research limitations/implications

– Because of the relatively small sample size and short duration of the program, the results should be generalized with caution.

Practical implications

– The results suggest that IE instruction may encourage the development of healthy eating attitudes in high school students, and health teachers may wish to consider including IE instruction in the health curriculum.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to examine the effectiveness of an IE program in a K-12 population, with instruction provided in the context of the school. The results are promising and suggest that this may be a fruitful area for future research in nutrition education.
Food for thought: analysing the internal and external school food environment
Authors: Callaghan Mary , Molcho Michal , Nic Gabhainn Saoirse , Kelly Colette
Published: January 2015

Purpose

– Availability and access to food is a determinant of obesity. The purpose of this paper is to examine food availability within and outside of post-primary schools in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data on the internal school food environment were collected from 63 post-primary schools using questionnaires. The external school food environment for these 63 schools was assessed by mapping food businesses within 1 km of schools, using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Food businesses were categorised based on type of food sold.

Findings

– A total of 68.3 per cent of schools had a canteen, 52.5 per cent had a small food shop and 37.1 per cent had a vending machine. A total of 32.7 per cent of schools reported selling chips (French fries) in their canteen while 44.2 per cent of schools reported selling energy-dense nutrient-poor foods in their school shop. Of the schools surveyed, there was an average of 3.89 coffee shops and sandwich bars, 3.65 full service restaurants, 2.60 Asian and other “ethnic” restaurants, 4.03 fast food restaurants, 1.95 supermarkets, 6.71 local shops and 0.73 fruit and vegetable retailers within a 1 km radius of the post-primary schools. Findings are presented by geography (urban/rural), disadvantage (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School (DEIS)/non DEIS), gender (girls/boys/mixed) and food policy in place at the school (yes/no).

Practical implications

– These data will facilitate schools working on the framework for Health Promoting Schools in Ireland.

Social implications

– This work can contribute to current discussions on restricting accessibility to certain foods and food premises for school children.

Originality/value

– The study explores the internal and external school food environment. GIS have been used to link the external food environment to specific schools thus allowing a comprehensive analysis of the schools’ food environment. To the authors knowledge, this is the first time that both environments are explored simultaneously.