title: Corporate social reporting in Thailand: The news is all good and increasing

authors: Ratanajongkol, Sunee

subjects: corporate social responsibility

abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent and nature of the corporate social reporting (CSR) practices of the 40 largest Thai companies over the years 1997, 1999 and 2001. 
Design/methodology/approach – The extent and nature of CSR in annual reports was measured according to the number of words disclosed and trends were analyzed over this five-year period. CSR disclosure was classified according to five key themes, the nature of the evidence, and the type of news disclosed. 
Findings – The research showed, in aggregate, a trend of increasing amounts of corporate social disclosure, although the five-year trends varied within different industries. CSR among Thai companies was found to be primarily focused on human resources, providing “declarative” good news disclosures. Legitimacy theory, political economy theory and economic conditions were used to present explanations for the trends. The study concluded that while no single perspective can explain the disclosure of CSR, the empirical findings demonstrate that the key areas of company social exposure are reflected by CSR. 
Originality/value – This paper makes an important contribution to the knowledge of CSR in Asia and demonstrates similar issues in CSR reporting to those found in other countries.

text: Corporate social reporting in Thailand: The news is all good and increasing Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent and nature of the corporate social reporting (CSR) practices of the 40 largest Thai companies over the years 1997, 1999 and 2001. 
Design/methodology/approach – The extent and nature of CSR in annual reports was measured according to the number of words disclosed and trends were analyzed over this five-year period. CSR disclosure was classified according to five key themes, the nature of the evidence, and the type of news disclosed. 
Findings – The research showed, in aggregate, a trend of increasing amounts of corporate social disclosure, although the five-year trends varied within different industries. CSR among Thai companies was found to be primarily focused on human resources, providing “declarative” good news disclosures. Legitimacy theory, political economy theory and economic conditions were used to present explanations for the trends. The study concluded that while no single perspective can explain the disclosure of CSR, the empirical findings demonstrate that the key areas of company social exposure are reflected by CSR. 
Originality/value – This paper makes an important contribution to the knowledge of CSR in Asia and demonstrates similar issues in CSR reporting to those found in other countries.

year: 2006

title: Cycling Safety in New Zealand: An Analysis of Law and Policy

authors: Purusram, Vashini T.S.

subjects: cycling

abstract: After a number of cyclist deaths over recent years in New Zealand, cycle advocates and policy makers have been pondering the issues relating to safety of cyclists on New Zealand roads. Press reports have highlighted a number of recent cyclist deaths and the subsequent public dismay as to how guilty motorists often walk off with a lenient sentence. There is strong public feeling that, in the absence of an appropriate penalty system, the roads are not safe to cyclists.

The present New Zealand law provides for specific offences and related penalties when the driver, who drives carelessly or dangerously, kills or injures another road user. This thesis investigates whether the law as understood through both the legislative regime and the interpretation of the law by the courts, is sending the right deterrent message against careless or dangerous driving, hence making the roads safer to the cyclist. This is explored through an analysis of the legislative provisions on road safety and their interpretation by the courts in cases of collisions by the careless or dangerous driver and an assessment of the severity of the penalties and consistency of the penalties imposed in similar cases. The study draws on existing literature which indicates that safety, real and perceived, or rather a lack of safety, remains a significant barrier to cycling. It then explores the extent to which road safety is made a top priority on the agenda of different stakeholders, particularly, policy makers, legislators and judges. The study also draws a comparison with the policy and legislative regime in more cycle friendly countries like the Netherlands. The severity of the penalties imposed on the careless or dangerous driver in England is also addressed.

This study concludes that the promotion of road safety is key to a modal shift in New Zealand. To allow this, it is not merely the right policies that are called for, but also for all stakeholders to have a shared contribution.  The study comes up with a number of recommendations that would help pave the way towards law reform with a view to promoting cyclist safety on New Zealand roads.

text: Cycling Safety in New Zealand: An Analysis of Law and Policy After a number of cyclist deaths over recent years in New Zealand, cycle advocates and policy makers have been pondering the issues relating to safety of cyclists on New Zealand roads. Press reports have highlighted a number of recent cyclist deaths and the subsequent public dismay as to how guilty motorists often walk off with a lenient sentence. There is strong public feeling that, in the absence of an appropriate penalty system, the roads are not safe to cyclists.

The present New Zealand law provides for specific offences and related penalties when the driver, who drives carelessly or dangerously, kills or injures another road user. This thesis investigates whether the law as understood through both the legislative regime and the interpretation of the law by the courts, is sending the right deterrent message against careless or dangerous driving, hence making the roads safer to the cyclist. This is explored through an analysis of the legislative provisions on road safety and their interpretation by the courts in cases of collisions by the careless or dangerous driver and an assessment of the severity of the penalties and consistency of the penalties imposed in similar cases. The study draws on existing literature which indicates that safety, real and perceived, or rather a lack of safety, remains a significant barrier to cycling. It then explores the extent to which road safety is made a top priority on the agenda of different stakeholders, particularly, policy makers, legislators and judges. The study also draws a comparison with the policy and legislative regime in more cycle friendly countries like the Netherlands. The severity of the penalties imposed on the careless or dangerous driver in England is also addressed.

This study concludes that the promotion of road safety is key to a modal shift in New Zealand. To allow this, it is not merely the right policies that are called for, but also for all stakeholders to have a shared contribution.  The study comes up with a number of recommendations that would help pave the way towards law reform with a view to promoting cyclist safety on New Zealand roads.

year: 2015

title: Are we really colour-blind? The normalisation of mass female incarceration

authors: Norris, Adele N.

abstract: The sharp rise in female incarceration rates in both the United States and New Zealand has received increased attention. Even more pressing are the racial disparities among imprisoned females. This exploratory case study examines 13 peer-reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2016 to understand the nature of colour-blind ideology in discussions of female imprisonment in New Zealand. Several themes emerged including the homogenisation of female prisoners. Apart from moderately linking vast racial disparities between incarcerated White women and Indigenous women to ill-defined colonial practices, contemporary explanations for the substantial racial disparities receive little attention. This article concludes that the absence of a critical lens toward contemporary forms and experiences of racism undergirding the mass criminalisation of Indigenous people perpetuates a colour blindness that in turn works to normalise mass female incarceration. Even in attempts to be unbiased, the way race/ethnicity, gender, age, and class are discussed in academic research exploring female incarceration seems to reflect the influential nature of controlling images rather than critique them.

text: Are we really colour-blind? The normalisation of mass female incarceration The sharp rise in female incarceration rates in both the United States and New Zealand has received increased attention. Even more pressing are the racial disparities among imprisoned females. This exploratory case study examines 13 peer-reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2016 to understand the nature of colour-blind ideology in discussions of female imprisonment in New Zealand. Several themes emerged including the homogenisation of female prisoners. Apart from moderately linking vast racial disparities between incarcerated White women and Indigenous women to ill-defined colonial practices, contemporary explanations for the substantial racial disparities receive little attention. This article concludes that the absence of a critical lens toward contemporary forms and experiences of racism undergirding the mass criminalisation of Indigenous people perpetuates a colour blindness that in turn works to normalise mass female incarceration. Even in attempts to be unbiased, the way race/ethnicity, gender, age, and class are discussed in academic research exploring female incarceration seems to reflect the influential nature of controlling images rather than critique them.

year: 2017