bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Business and development: making sense of business as a development agent
Authors: Blowfield Michael 
Published: April 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for understanding and analysing business's role as a development actor, and the distinction between development tool and development agent.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a theoretical analysis based on secondary data and empirical research.FindingsBusiness has various roles to play in the social and economic development of poorer countries, but are all of them equally important and laudable? Mainstream economics has long held that the private sector is essential to economic prosperity, and this has led policy‐makers and neoliberal thinkers to treat it as a tool for development. But under what circumstances does business go beyond acting out its assigned role as a tool of development to become what this article calls a “development agent” – something that consciously strives to deliver, and moreover be held to account for, developmental outcomes?Research limitations/implicationsThe article presents a framework for a more structured approach to further empirical research, but does not claim to apply that framework in empirical situations.Social implicationsDespite the considerable literature advocating why business should be a development agent, much less attention has been paid to two more fundamental questions: whether and under what circumstances business will take on such a role; and what being a development agent means. These are the central questions of this article. Answering them enables business practitioners, policy‐makers and academics to predict more accurately when business engagement is likely to deliver genuine development value and be sustainable, and hence when it is a worthwhile business, advocacy or policy objective. It also enables improved decision‐making by non‐private sector partners such as development agencies and NGOs.Originality/valueThe article addresses the above questions in turn with reference to empirical research by the author over nearly two decades, and both the corporate responsibility and the international development literature. It discusses what being a genuine development agent means, and provides a framework for understanding the business‐poverty relationship based on business as a cause, a victim, and a solution in international development terms. It concludes with a discussion of how well business is performing as a development agent, and the future potential and limitations of this role.
CSR and inequality in the Niger Delta (Nigeria)
Authors: Renouard Cécile , Lado Hervé 
Published: April 2013

PurposeThe international awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues and the socio‐political context of emerging countries are increasing the pressure on businesses, including multinational corporations, to take another look at their societal role. In a context of state failure (immature institutions), paying taxes can guarantee neither the peaceful management of company operations nor the sustainable development of local communities. Moreover, multinationals have experienced that making resources and opportunities available to local communities is not enough. The Niger Delta in Nigeria is, in this regard, a textbook case that demonstrates the challenge of achieving sustainable development in the context of acute inequalities. This paper seeks to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on fieldwork – quantitative and qualitative surveys – carried out in Nigeria for the past seven years, the paper builds on initiatives and approaches undertaken by Total, Agip and NPDC/Shell, consistent with their understanding of their role in society.FindingsInequalities and imbalances (income, gender, inter‐regional, sector‐based) ferment frustrations and nurture insecurity and violence in the Niger Delta, therefore hindering sustainable development. As far as the relationship between oil companies and communities is concerned, the authors argue that oil multinationals have to foster an approach that targets the reduction of those exceptional inequalities for which they are partly responsible, as revealed with the “double effect” principle.Originality/valueWhereas CSR has been so far mainly studied as a management issue, this paper brings broader views and analyzes ethical, cultural and economic dynamics that underlie the acceptability of companies in their environment, in the specific context of the Niger Delta.
Sustainable globalization and implications for strategic corporate and national sustainability
Authors: Fernando Ravi 
Published: April 2013

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to present a conceptual framework and a set of conditions within which nations and business can strive to embed sustainability in corporate/national strategy. The objective is to motivate business and national leaders to do so with sustainability mindsets and strategic leadership. The pre‐conditions that will accelerate the “motivation” to do so are identified, as are interventions identified. The sphere of influence business and national leaders have to impact sustainable globalization is identified.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is to focus on information in the public domain that outlines the “real” challenges faced by nations and business as they consider the need for sustainability and key issues such as “poverty and climate change”, which if not addressed could have detrimental strategic implications for the planet, business and nations. The changes that have taken place since 1982 when global leaders signed up to Agenda 21 and the relatively insignificant movement that has occurred to date is outlined to strengthen the case for quantum leaps in the short to medium term. The strategic framework recommended is one that combines the need for organizations to set a new gold standard for “corporate responsibility”, which is a “commitment to sustainable business” followed by a commitment to differentiating the business or nation on a sustainability paradigm. This is presented as means to embedding sustainability in strategy in the form of the concept of “strategic corporate sustainability”. The concept of strategic corporate sustainability is presented as a two‐step approach that initially requires both national and corporate leaders to commit to the need for sustainability by developing triple bottom line strategies. This is followed by the need to embed sustainability strategy as the corporate strategy that differentiates the nation and the business, strategically setting it apart from those that have not done so. This is presented as one of the ways to move forward to achieve the goal of sustainable globalization.FindingsThe key findings from information in the public domain of nations and business that have embedded a sustainability policy and are demonstrating that enlightened leaders who have sustainability mindsets as a primary requirement for the future are presented with the examples of General Electric and Unilever. The process of nations embedding sustainability policy, which in turn motivates business to strive for sustainable business, which finally leads to sustainable consumption, is presented in a sequential manner.Originality/valueThe originality of the paper is in the form of the concept of strategic corporate sustainability, which was first mooted in 2008 at Cambridge University and has since been accepted as a key subject and elective for MBA and AMP programs between 2008 and 2012 at many business schools, confirming both its validity and its originality.
Board characteristics and the financial performance of Nigerian quoted firms
Authors: Ujunwa Augustine 
Published: April 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate board characteristics on the financial performance of Nigerian quoted firms. Board characteristics studied comprise board size, board skill, board nationality, board gender, board ethnicity and CEO duality.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed the random‐effects and fixed‐effects generalised least squares (GLS) regression to test the six hypotheses formulated for the study, while controlling for firm size and firm age.FindingsUsing panel data from 122 quoted firms in Nigeria between 1991 and 2008, it was found that board size, CEO duality and gender diversity were negatively linked with firm performance, whereas board nationality, board ethnicity and the number of board members with a PhD qualification were found to impact positively on firm performance. The result of the robustness test using the same board characteristics for 160 small firms showed that board duality was positively linked to firm performance, while a PhD qualification was negatively linked to firm performance.Practical implicationsThe study contributes to the understanding of the board‐performance link by examining both the traditional variables such as board size, CEO duality and other organisational attributes such as ethnic diversity, foreign nationality and competence variables represented by women and PhD holders, respectively. The results provide an insight for practitioners and policy makers on the importance of relying on institutional specifics in the prescription of corporate governance codes.Originality/valueThe study adds value to the global corporate governance discourse in two ways: first, the use of Nigeria, which is claimed to have one of the weakest business cultures in the world, and secondly, using a good number of proxies that are country‐specific for corporate boards.
Board demographic diversity, independence, and corporate social performance
Authors: Zhang Lu 
Published: April 2013

PurposeDrawing on agency theory and resource dependence theory, the study aims to link board demographic diversity and independence to corporate social performance.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from various sources for a sample of 475 publicly traded Fortune 500 companies between the years 2007 and 2008.FindingsIt is found that board gender diversity is positively related to institutional and technical strength ratings, while board racial diversity is positively related to institutional strength rating only. Both the proportion of outside directors and CEO non‐duality were negatively associated with institutional and technical weakness ratings.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was predominantly large, publicly traded national and international corporations, which might limit the generalizability of the findings.Practical implicationsManagement personnel should be cognizant of how board configurations and leadership structure may influence their corporate reputation for social responsibility. Efforts should be made to foster a group dynamic that is conducive to effective board functioning.Originality/valueFew empirical studies have examined the relationship between board characteristics and corporate social performance. This study contributes to the literature by examining such associations.
Effect of board size and promoter ownership on firm value: some empirical findings from India
Authors: Kumar Naveen , Singh J.P. 
Published: April 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of corporate board size and promoter ownership on firm value for selected Indian companies.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyses the corporate governance structure of 176 Indian firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange using linear regression analysis.FindingsThe empirical findings show a negative relationship of board size with firm value and significant positive association of promoter ownership with corporate performance. The study suggests that only above a critical ownership level of 40 percent does promoter's interest become aligned with that of the company, resulting in positive effect on firm value.Research limitations/ implicationsThe research has been limited to some selected Indian companies, with focus only on board size and promoter ownership as predictor variables. The study suggests that corporate governance reforms in India and introduction of non‐executive independent directors to the board have resulted in diminishing effect of board size on the firm value.Practical implicationsThe study implies that for emerging economies like India, it is practical to have greater ownership control by promoters to enhance company value. Also, it is not advisable to have a board size above certain limit.Originality/valueThe paper adds to existing literature on corporate governance by establishing a relationship between firm performance and board size and promoter ownership.
A high‐fat diet and multiple administration of carbon tetrachloride induces liver injury and pathological features associated with non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice
Authors: Kubota Norihiro , Kado Shoichi , Kano Mitsuyoshi , Masuoka Norie , Nagata Yuriko , Kobayashi Toshihide , Miyazaki Kouji , Ishikawa Fumiyasu 
Published: April 2013

Summary

The aim of the present study was to establish a progressive steatohepatitis mouse model because few reported animal models of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) show the progression from fatty liver to steatohepatitis.

C57BL/6N mice were fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) to develop obesity and were either administered carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) eight times (0.05 mL/kg, s.c., once, followed by 0.1 mL/kg, s.c., seven times) or not. Serum parameters and hepatic histopathology were examined. In a separate experiment, CCl4 was administered subcutaneously from 0 to eight times to HFD‐fed obese mice to investigate progressive changes. Markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, as well as histopathological changes in the liver, were analysed.

The HFD‐fed obese mice showed fatty liver but not steatohepatitis. In contrast, HFD‐fed mice administered CCl4 eight times showed histopathological features of steatohepatitis (fatty liver, inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning and fibrosis) and increased serum alanine aminotransferase levels. However, the multiple administration of CCl4 to obese mice reduced the ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione, superoxide dismutase activity and mitochondrial DNA copy number, leading to the development of chronic oxidative stress, increased numbers of apoptotic cells and increased levels of both tumour necrosis factor‐α and transforming growth factor‐β mRNA. The resulting inflammation led to increased hydroxyproline content in the liver and fibrosis.

The present study demonstrates that multiple administration of CCl4 to HFD‐fed obese mice induces chronic oxidative stress that triggers inflammation and apoptosis and leads to the development of fibrosis in the liver, resulting in progression from fatty liver to steatohepatitis. This murine model will be useful in the research of hepatic disorders.
The fall and rise of Ethiopian wolves: lessons for conservation of long‐lived, social predators
Authors: Marino J. , Sillero‐Zubiri C. , Gottelli D. , Johnson P. J. , Macdonald D. W. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractInformed management of Ethiopian wolf Canis simensis populations necessitates an understanding of their dynamics and of the social groups that constitute them. Benefitting from a natural experiment occasioned by a disease outbreak, we studied the demography and spatial behaviour of 14 Ethiopian wolf packs across 16 population years in the Bale Mountains, testing for density‐dependent regulation and comparing high‐density versus recovery phases. The rate of population growth was density‐dependent across the study period. As for many other long‐lived species with delayed reproduction, adult survival (to 2 years or more, when wolves become adults) contributed most to population change, followed by pup survival (to 1 year), the latter with a steeper response to density change. The number of pups per pack (= all pups divided by the number of packs) also affected population growth. As typically only the dominant female in the pack breeds, the number of pups born each year depended on the number of packs in the population and not on population density. Packs produced larger litters during the recovery from the disease outbreak, but delays in the formation of new social groups created a reproductive deficit, and the rate of population growth at low density was lower than expected by density dependence. Wolf packs that survived the epizootics remained cohesive and expanded their territory. Only once they had attained large membership, one pack split up and others provided dispersers that coalesced into new packs. With this strategy, the surviving wolves deterred colonization by outsiders and eventually inherited part of their natal range. We discuss the implications of our findings for the future management of Ethiopian wolf populations and in the context of the population dynamics of other species with similar life‐history traits.
Assessing the accuracy of interviewed recall for rare, highly seasonal events: the case of wildlife consumption in Madagascar
Authors: Golden C. D. , Wrangham R. W. , Brashares J. S. 
Published: April 2013

Read the Commentaries on this Feature Paper: Unusual data in conservation science: searching for validation; Wildlife consumption and recall accuracy – but is it recall of hunting, of cooking or of eating?Response from the authors: Practical directions for the use of recall data in conservation science
Ovarian fibroma/fibrothecoma: Retrospective cohort study shows limited value of risk of malignancy index score
Authors: Numanoglu Ceyhun , Kuru Oguzhan , Sakinci Mehmet , Akbayır Ozgur , Ulker Volkan 
Published: April 2013

BackgroundOvarian fibromas/fibrothecomas are uncommon benign tumours of ovary. Due to their solid structure, these benign tumours are sometimes confused with malignant tumours during clinical evaluation.AimsTo determine the clinico‐pathological characteristics of ovarian fibroma/fibrothecoma and analyse the efficiency of risk of malignancy index (RMI) scoring system to distinguish malignancy among these tumours.MethodsBetween November 2001 and February 2012, women with a pathological diagnosis of ovarian fibroma/fibrothecoma were identified. Depending on the menopausal status, serum CA‐125 level and ultrasonographic findings, RMI scores were calculated for each of the patients.ResultsDuring the study period, 43 ovarian fibroma/fibrothecoma (4.7%) were detected among 912 adnexal masses operated. The mean age of the women was 52.2 (range, 21–80 years). Upon calculating RMI scores, 33 women (76.7%) were classified as low risk and 10 women (23.3%) as high risk for malignancy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the RMI scoring for identification of malignant lesions preoperatively were found as 0%, 76%, 0% and 97%, respectively. Final pathological diagnosis was ovarian fibroma in 13 (30%) women, fibrothecoma in 29 (67%) and fibrosarcoma in one woman (2%).ConclusionThere are no specific markers for accurate preoperative diagnosis of ovarian fibroma/fibrothecoma. Moreover, according to our results, RMI scoring system does not aid clinicians in this issue either, with a high false‐positive rate and very low sensitivity. Further studies with higher number of cases are needed to state clearly the role of RMI scores in preoperative discrimination of malignancy.
Intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanics in Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy and after posterior lamellar keratoplasty
Authors: Clemmensen Kåre , Hjortdal Jesper 
Published: April 2013

Abstract.Purpose:  To evaluate the precision of techniques for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in corneas with presumably altered biomechanical properties.Methods:  Intraocular pressure was measured with a Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), ocular response analyzer (ORA) and dynamic contour tonometer (DCT) in 70 eyes. Thirty‐five eyes were normal corneas, 18 eyes had Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, and 17 eyes had undergone Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) surgery. Corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF) as well as central corneal thickness (CCT) were recorded with the ORA.Results:  The measured cornea‐corrected IOP using ORA was significantly higher than GAT in all three groups (p < 0.001). The DCT differed significantly from the Goldmann only in the Fuchs’ group (p = 0.04). The Goldmann and DCT showed no significant between‐group differences, whereas IOP measured with the ORA was different between groups (p < 0.001). CH in the DSEAK group differed significantly from the controls (p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference between the DSEAK and Fuchs’ groups (p = 0.21). CCT did not differ significantly between the DSAEK and Fuchs’ group (p = 0.47). However, both these groups differed significantly from the controls (p < 0.001).Conclusion:  Corneal hysteresis and CRF are reduced in Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy as well as after posterior lamellar keratoplasty. GAT and DCT seem to measure IOP correctly in patients with Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy as well as after posterior lamellar keratoplasty. Corneal‐corrected IOP as measured with the ORA appears to overestimate IOP in patients with Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy as well as after posterior lamellar keratoplasty.
Post‐cervical conization outcomes in patients with high‐grade intraepithelial lesions
Authors: Simões Renata B. , Campaner Adriana B. 
Published: April 2013

To investigate the rates of residual, recurrent and invasive disease after cervical conization in patients diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grades 2/3.A retrospective study was conducted with 274 patients undergoing cervical conization due to diagnosis ofCIN2/3. Cervical conization was done through the Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) and Cold Knife Conization. Data related to personal, familial, gynecological, and obstetric antecedents, as well as surgical specimens margins were collected from medical records. The outcome after conization was evaluated, including the time of follow‐up and disease recurrence.The outcome after conization was not associated with age of menarche (p = 0.920), age of the first sexual intercourse (p = 0.533), number of parturition (p = 0.063), number of sexual partners (p = 0.328), immunosuppression (p = 0.225), smoking habit (p = 0.193), and conization type (p = 0.198). However, the outcome presented a significant association with age (p < 0.001), pregnancy numbers (p = 0.009), use of hormonal contraception methods (p = 0.016), menopause (p = 0.007), type of margins (p = 0.011), and cone histological results (p = 0.030).The routine control of all patients who had undergone cervical conization is obligate, independently of surgical margins, due to the risk of disease recurrence; the older patients and those withCIN3 should have a more rigorous follow‐up.