The heterogeneous relationship between board social ties and corporate environmental responsibility in an emerging economy

Firms in emerging economies are faced with multiple, incompatible institutional forces in their environmental activities. Which of these forces will be dominant and instantiated within an organization is partly determined by the social relationships that a firm maintains with external actors. This paper investigates the relationship between board social ties and the level of environmental responsibility undertaken by firms in China, an emerging economy, by categorizing board social ties into three types in terms of the three isomorphic forces in the institutional field (coercive, normative and mimetic). Drawing on institutional and agency theories, using a sample of listed firms in environmentally sensitive industries, and a generalized least squares regression method, the results provide empirical evidence that ties that are linked to coercive and normative forces (i.e., political organizations and universities) are related to a higher level of environmental responsibility; however, those that are linked to mimetic forces (i.e., industrial peers) have a negative association with environmental responsibility, which is mitigated by CEO power. These findings suggest that the heterogeneous effects of board social ties on environmental responsibilities experienced by firms in a context of environmentalism are at an early stage.     

Relative-to-rival corporate philanthropy,product market competitiveness,and stakeholders

Unlike most of the literature that examines the relationship between corporate philanthropy and financial performance, this study investigates the mechanisms through which corporate socially responsible behaviors produce financial outcomes. We propose that corporate philanthropy improves corporate competitiveness by eliciting positive responses from stakeholders, who assess a firm’s philanthropic contribution in relation to its rivals to determine what level of support they wish to provide to the firm. We predict that a firm’s philanthropy relative to its rivals has a positive effect on its product market competitiveness, and that this positive effect is moderated by three conditions that influence stakeholder response: stakeholder attention to philanthropy, its perceived legitimacy, and expectations of corporate giving. Our predictions are generally supported by our analyses. Overall, this paper shows that strategic philanthropy has a quantitative dimension, and firms obtain the market competitiveness associated with corporate philanthropy by integrating their rivals’ positions into their decision making.     

Costs and potential funding of expanded public pension coverage in Asia

Public pension burdens in most emerging Asian economies are still relatively small. However, there are a number of reasons to believe that they will increase markedly in the coming years. First, many Asian economies will face rapidly ageing populations, which will raise pension and other old‐age‐related spending dramatically. Second, as economies develop, political pressures to expand the coverage of public pensions and raise pension benefits will likely increase. The first objective of this paper is to identify the potential fiscal burden of public pensions in 23 emerging Asian economies, based on econometric models and forecasts of GDP and demographic trends. Using two different methodologies yields estimated increases in the average share of public pension expenditures in GDP of 1.0 percentage point and 3.6 percentage points by 2030 compared with current levels. We believe the latter estimate is more realistic. The second objective is to recommend policies to provide adequate funding for public pension needs, including enhancing the efficiency of social insurance programs, improving the balance of revenues and expenditures, implementing more explicit fiscal rules and frameworks, and establishing stronger fiscal surveillance at the national and regional levels.     

关于旅游管理专业双语教学的实践与思考

以桂林旅游高等专科学校旅游管理专业专业课程《旅游企业人力资源管理》实施双语教学的实践为个案，分析了该专业实施双语教学所面临的困难，提出了加强双语教学实践的对策和建议。     

灌区配套与节水改造的设计体会

伊犁河流域现有灌溉面积678万亩。其中列入国家级大型灌区的有5个,现有灌溉面积为424万亩,在工程建设中的主要设计体会有：制定经济合理的规划设计方案,设计遵循因地制宜、统筹兼顾的原则,建筑物设计新颖别致、运行方便,尽量利用原有结构改建、降低工程造价,因地制宜规划设计渠道,为高寒地区湿陷性黄土地带渠道建设总结经验。     

新时期高校教师职业道德滑坡成因分析——以物流专业为例

近年来,高校教师职业道德滑坡现象明显,是什么导致了这种局面-文章指出:高校职业道德研究不深入,职业道德教育抓得不严,社会不良风气不断侵蚀,高校学生素质整体下滑,教师引进把关不严,考评机制不合理等是主要原因。     

公路建设中路线方案多属性决策方法的研究

路线方案的比选是公路建设项目前期的一项重要工作,直接影响着项目建设能否达到预期的目标以及项目投入运营中的使用效果,如行车的安全性、舒适性、快捷性等。进行路线方案比选时,要考虑路线的线形合理性、对周边地区环境影响,项目经济效益、施工难易等多种因素对影响。本文在分析路线方案比选复杂性的基础上,对多种决策方法进行对比,选择TOPSIS法作为路线方案的决策方法。算例的结果表明该方法应用的可行性和有效性。     

事件营销在邮政经营中的应用探讨

在日趋激烈的市场竞争中,巧妙地借助甚至制造一些能吸引媒体和社会公众注意的“新闻事件”,以提高企业知名度,促进产品或服务销售,往往能收到意想不到的效果。这种营销方式被称为“事件营销”。邮政作为社会公用性企业,其服务对象遍布社会各阶层,与公众生活联系密切,而且邮政服     

精馏过程的节能和优化设计的探讨

精馏过程的节能,对于减少能源消耗,降低生产成本和保护环境具有十分重要的意义.在精馏过程中可以采用最适宜回流比操作和最佳进料状态,使用中间冷凝器和中间再沸器,高效精馏、热泵精馏.合理安排多组分物料分离流程,直接利用过程热量及开发应用高效换热器等措施.本文从最佳回流比R的选择、进料温度及进料状态的确定等方面,详细的分析了在精馏塔的设计过程中,如何实现设计的优化问题,以实现节能降耗.     

生态环境的恶化与乡村社会控制--以清代徽州的棚民活动为中心

从明后期开始进入徽州地区的外地棚民，利用当地丰富的自然资源，进行各种经济活动。在当时的社会条件制约下，此类经济活动耗费了大量的资源，破坏了徽州农村的生态环境，损害了地方和国家的利益。针对这一问题，清代徽州乡村社会各种民间力量和官方联合展开了一场声势浩大的驱禁棚民运动，取得了预期效果。