Analysis of Shared and Sustainable Value Creation of Companies Providing Energy Solutions at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP)

This study was conducted to analyze the shared and sustainable value creation (SSVC) of 33 energy companies selling energy solutions at the base of the pyramid (BoP) markets. SSVC by selling energy technology solutions directed to address the cooking and lighting needs of BoP consumers were the main focus of analysis. Result showed that achieving profitability and affordability is affected by the kind of energy solution that is offered as well as the investment and level of commitment required. However, companies that fulfilled the profitable and affordable solutions were also able to deliver social and environmental sustainability benefits. Social sustainability benefits point to the ability of alleviating poverty by improving productivity or offering cost‐savings. Environmental sustainability benefits point to the energy savings. The findings show that inclusive business strategy is not necessarily required to reach the poor people profitably but a suitable business strategy depends on the type of energy solution. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Patterns of care and burden of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in Brazil

Aims: Although several therapeutic options are available for chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (cITP), little is known about the treatment of cITP in Brazil.

Materials and methods: A multi-center, retrospective chart review, observational study was designed to describe the treatment patterns, clinical burden, resources use, and associated costs for adult patients diagnosed with cITP and treated in public and private institutions in Brazil. Patient charts were screened in reverse chronological order based on their last visit post January 1, 2012. (All costs were calculated using 1.00 USD?=?3.9571 BRL, from February 2016.)

Results: Of 340 patient charts screened, 50 patients were eligible for inclusion in the study. Single-drug therapy (prednisone, dexamethasone, or dapsone) was the most commonly used treatment, followed by combination therapies (azathioprine?+?prednisone, azathioprine?+?prednisone?+?danazol, and prednisone?+?dapsone). Splenectomy was performed in 22% of patients after at least first-line treatment. Platelet count and number of bleeding episodes at diagnosis were 31,561.1/mm³ (SD?=?±26,396.1) and 40 episodes, respectively; in first-line, 92,631.1/mm³ (SD?=?±79,955.3) and 19 episodes, respectively; in second-line, 96,950.0/mm³ (SD?=?±76,476.4) and 17 episodes, respectively. Private system patients had a higher median cost compared to public system patients (USD 17.49/month, range?=?0–2,020.77 vs USD 9.51/month, range?=?0–192.64, respectively).

Limitations: This study does not allow conclusions for causal explanations due to the cohort study design, and treatment patterns represent only the practices of physicians who have agreed to participate in the study.

Conclusions: The data indicate that available therapeutic strategies for second- and third-line therapies appear to be limited.     

High-frequency trading: a literature review

The relatively recent phenomenon of high-frequency trading has had a profound impact on the micro-structure of financial markets. Several authors hailed it as a provider of liquidity and a mechanism for controlling volatility, two highly welcome features, especially beneficial to retail traders, whereas other authors view the situation generated by algorithmic trading as damaging for both small and institutional traders, and the orderly functioning of the markets. This paper analyzes the impact of high-frequency trading in respect of the main parameters affecting market quality: volatility, transaction costs, liquidity, price discovery, penalization of slower traders, and impact on sudden financial crises, the notorious flash crashes. As often happens within the financial community, different views stand to each other and no conclusive agreement on the value of most parameters has been reached as yet. A section on the apparently falling profits of high-frequency traders, as denounced in recent times, completes the review.

     

A Phase-wise Development Approach to Business Excellence: Towards an Innovative,Stakeholder-oriented Assessment Tool for Organizational Excellence and CSR

The European Corporate Sustainability Framework (ECSF) is, among other concepts, based on a phase-wise development approach as described by Clare Graves' Levels of Existence Theory. As much as corporate sustainability has a sequence of adequate interpretations, aligned with each development level, also the notion of business excellence can be defined at multiple levels, as this paper demonstrates. Furthermore, the authors analyze the current EFQM Excellence Model for particular biases towards various development levels and suggest a new and innovative two-step approach to assessing organizational performance with respect to organizational excellence (OE) and corporate sustainability. According to the organization's ambition, the assessment is either limited to a shareholder approach, mainly focusing at optimal usage of resources, or it also includes an additional assessment format based on the stakeholder approach, with specific reference to the organization's performance on the financial, social and ecological bottom line. This paper demonstrates the need and feasibility of an EFQM-Based assessment tool with a combined focus on corporate sustainability and OE.     

Roadmapping Corporate Social Responsibility in Finnish Companies

This paper presents a roadmap of Finnish companies adopting and managing corporate social responsibility (CSR). It discusses the companies' views on CSR and highlights the practices that Finnish companies have adopted or are currently adopting. It also presents a framework that outlines the CSR processes and management prospects.Results showed that Finnish companies are progressively managing CSR. This newly revived thinking about social responsibility is viewed as an issue traced back from Finland's history of industrial development. There is no general definition of CSR; however, various concepts are connoted into it. Driven by several factors, CSR is developing gradually as indicated by the positive responses and initiatives of the companies.CSR management and practices towards employees, suppliers, community and customers are well defined locally based generally on established socially responsible behavior which could be articulated by laws and regulations, corporate values and business ethics. However, managing CSR with a global scope, problems such as; lack of information and structured management system, different views and interpretations, supply chain complexities, overlap with environmental issues, etc. often lead some companies to manage CSR haphazardly. Views and management of CSR are also influenced by some distinct Finnish cultural attributes.An initial conceptual framework for CSR is drawn reflecting the current practices and prospects for management strategies. Such framework can be used in organizing and streamlining CSR elements for effective management approaches and measuring of performance. It could be expected that in due time, the efforts of the companies will become more evident, organized and systematically managed.