title: Business and human rights in South Africa: An analysis of antecedents of human rights due diligence

authors: Hamann, Ralph

subjects: human rights

abstract: The purpose of the present article is to analyse South African listed companies’ public reporting in order to contribute to our understanding of how and why companies consider human rights. The empirical analysis is placed in the context of the increasing prominence of human rights as a business issue, premised in part on the activities of the United Nations (UN) Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on human rights and business. On the basis of a content analysis of the public reports of the top 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), we test hypotheses focused on the antecedents of companies’ demonstrated human rights due diligence, with particular reference to assumptions or findings of the SRSG and institutional theory. Some of our results are unexpected: there is little influence exerted by the sector and size of companies in our sample, and there is also an unexpectedly insignificant impact of company participation in the UN Global Compact and the JSE Socially Responsible Investment Index. On the other hand, a key predictor of human rights due diligence is an explicit leadership commitment, and important roles are also played by government regulations and stock exchange listing rules.

text: Business and human rights in South Africa: An analysis of antecedents of human rights due diligence The purpose of the present article is to analyse South African listed companies’ public reporting in order to contribute to our understanding of how and why companies consider human rights. The empirical analysis is placed in the context of the increasing prominence of human rights as a business issue, premised in part on the activities of the United Nations (UN) Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on human rights and business. On the basis of a content analysis of the public reports of the top 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), we test hypotheses focused on the antecedents of companies’ demonstrated human rights due diligence, with particular reference to assumptions or findings of the SRSG and institutional theory. Some of our results are unexpected: there is little influence exerted by the sector and size of companies in our sample, and there is also an unexpectedly insignificant impact of company participation in the UN Global Compact and the JSE Socially Responsible Investment Index. On the other hand, a key predictor of human rights due diligence is an explicit leadership commitment, and important roles are also played by government regulations and stock exchange listing rules.

year: 2009

title: Milk whey protein concentration and mRNA associated with β-lactoglobulin phenotype

authors: Prosser, Colin G.

abstract: Two common genetic variants of β-lactoglobulin (β-lg), A and B, exist as co- dominant alleles in dairy cattle (Aschaffenburg, 1968). Numerous studies have shown that cows homozygous for β-lg A have more β-lg and less α-lactalbumin (α-la) and casein in their milk than cows expressing only the B variant of β-lg (Ng-Kwai-Hang et al. 1987; Graml et al. 1989; Hill, 1993; Hill et al. 1995, 1997). These differences have a significant impact on the processing characteristics of the milk. For instance, the moisture-adjusted yield of Cheddar cheese is up to 10% higher using milk from cows of the β-lg BB phenotype compared with milk from cows expressing only the A variant (Hill et al. 1997). All these studies, however, describe compositional differences associated with β-lg phenotype in established lactation only. No information is available on the first few weeks of lactation, when there are marked changes in the concentrations of β-lg and α-la (Pérez et al. 1990).

text: Milk whey protein concentration and mRNA associated with β-lactoglobulin phenotype Two common genetic variants of β-lactoglobulin (β-lg), A and B, exist as co- dominant alleles in dairy cattle (Aschaffenburg, 1968). Numerous studies have shown that cows homozygous for β-lg A have more β-lg and less α-lactalbumin (α-la) and casein in their milk than cows expressing only the B variant of β-lg (Ng-Kwai-Hang et al. 1987; Graml et al. 1989; Hill, 1993; Hill et al. 1995, 1997). These differences have a significant impact on the processing characteristics of the milk. For instance, the moisture-adjusted yield of Cheddar cheese is up to 10% higher using milk from cows of the β-lg BB phenotype compared with milk from cows expressing only the A variant (Hill et al. 1997). All these studies, however, describe compositional differences associated with β-lg phenotype in established lactation only. No information is available on the first few weeks of lactation, when there are marked changes in the concentrations of β-lg and α-la (Pérez et al. 1990).

year: 2000

title: An exploration of different outlooks on science: towards an understanding of the under-representation of girls, and of Maori and Pacific Island students, in science

authors: Stead, Keith Eric

abstract: The research reported here was undertaken as a supplementary study to the Learning in Science Project conducted at Waikato University (1979-1981) and sought to understand why girls, Maori and Pacific Island students, are under-represented in the sciences. Two distinctive, but complementary, perspectives were developed; one qualitative, the other quantitative, to provide data from which an understanding of the problem was sought.
The qualitative perspective was provided by using a Kelly Repertory Grid methodology and intensive individual interviews with 26 students (and many of their parents) carefully chosen to provide a reasonably heterogeneous sample of students from a variety of different schools, of both sexes, of the three major ethnic groups (European, Maori, and Pacific Island), and from each of the four middle-school form levels (Fl to F4, inclusively).
The quantitative perspective was provided by a series of empirical measures chosen, not only to identify the students for the qualitative sample but also, to investigate particular variables suggested by the literature search to have possible implications for the teaching and learning of science. 
The resultant analyses suggested the sex differences in the students’ outlooks on science could be accounted for by the existence of a broad based ‘gender-related inequality’ in the way science is presented to them by the communication media, home, and school.
Similarly, the ethnic differences in students’ outlooks on science could be accounted for by the ‘cultural inequality’ present in New Zealand society which was identified in the way many of the Polynesian students and their parents, perceived the products, processes, and practitioners of science. 
The simplification presented here masks the complexity of the issues involved but, series of educational within these two broad postulates, a series of educational recommendations was suggested for affecting current educational practices identified as maintaining (or even creating) the existing under-representation of girls, Maori and Pacific Island students in the sciences. 
These included:
(i) Student beliefs about science need to be explored, challenged, modified, and/or extended
(ii) Students’ perceptions of other people’s views need to be identified, explored, challenged and/or extended 
(iii) Teachers’ styles of teaching science need to be examined
(iv) Parents’ own outlooks on science need to be developed.
This research has emphasised the need to have all students, but particularly girls, Maori, and Pacific Island students, develop positive outlooks on science in order that the current imbalance of girls and Polynesians in the sciences be redressed.

text: An exploration of different outlooks on science: towards an understanding of the under-representation of girls, and of Maori and Pacific Island students, in science The research reported here was undertaken as a supplementary study to the Learning in Science Project conducted at Waikato University (1979-1981) and sought to understand why girls, Maori and Pacific Island students, are under-represented in the sciences. Two distinctive, but complementary, perspectives were developed; one qualitative, the other quantitative, to provide data from which an understanding of the problem was sought.
The qualitative perspective was provided by using a Kelly Repertory Grid methodology and intensive individual interviews with 26 students (and many of their parents) carefully chosen to provide a reasonably heterogeneous sample of students from a variety of different schools, of both sexes, of the three major ethnic groups (European, Maori, and Pacific Island), and from each of the four middle-school form levels (Fl to F4, inclusively).
The quantitative perspective was provided by a series of empirical measures chosen, not only to identify the students for the qualitative sample but also, to investigate particular variables suggested by the literature search to have possible implications for the teaching and learning of science. 
The resultant analyses suggested the sex differences in the students’ outlooks on science could be accounted for by the existence of a broad based ‘gender-related inequality’ in the way science is presented to them by the communication media, home, and school.
Similarly, the ethnic differences in students’ outlooks on science could be accounted for by the ‘cultural inequality’ present in New Zealand society which was identified in the way many of the Polynesian students and their parents, perceived the products, processes, and practitioners of science. 
The simplification presented here masks the complexity of the issues involved but, series of educational within these two broad postulates, a series of educational recommendations was suggested for affecting current educational practices identified as maintaining (or even creating) the existing under-representation of girls, Maori and Pacific Island students in the sciences. 
These included:
(i) Student beliefs about science need to be explored, challenged, modified, and/or extended
(ii) Students’ perceptions of other people’s views need to be identified, explored, challenged and/or extended 
(iii) Teachers’ styles of teaching science need to be examined
(iv) Parents’ own outlooks on science need to be developed.
This research has emphasised the need to have all students, but particularly girls, Maori, and Pacific Island students, develop positive outlooks on science in order that the current imbalance of girls and Polynesians in the sciences be redressed.

year: 1984