Peer conformity and competition shape how business managers evaluate withdrawals from Russia amid the Ukraine War.

States have long used economic sanctions in response to violations of international law as a strategy to restore order. Increasingly, firms also reject doing business with violators. In response to the war in Ukraine, hundreds of multinational corporations voluntarily withdrew from Russia, even when policymakers were still debating the extent of sanctions. How did firm managers evaluate whether to withdraw from the Russian market? Using a survey experiment with Japanese firm managers conducted three months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, we explore how peer effects-information on what other firms are doing in response to the crisis-influence support for withdrawal of business activity with Russia. Our findings show that information about withdrawal by other firms from a diverse set of countries promotes peer conformity that increases support. In contrast, information about ongoing business with Russia by Chinese firms fosters competition that reduces support. Market exposure moderates these reactions, although the concern about peer behavior does not appear to be driven by a reputation mechanism. Our research provides insight into how business actors perceive the strategic interplay of peer influence and market dynamics in the context of geopolitical conflicts.

Ion Transporting Proteins and Cancer: Progress and Perspectives.

Ion transporting proteins (ITPs) comprise a wide range of ion channels, exchangers, pumps and ionotropic receptors many of which are expressed in tumours and contribute dynamically to the different components and stages of the complex cancer process, from initiation to metastasis. In this promising major field of biomedical research, several candidate ITPs have emerged as clinically viable. Here, we consider a series of general issues concerning the oncological potential of ITPs focusing on voltage-gated sodium channels as a 'case study'. First, we outline some key properties of 'cancer' as a whole. These include epigenetics, stemness, metastasis, heterogeneity, neuronal characteristics and bioelectricity. Cancer specificity of ITP expression is evaluated in relation to tissue restriction, splice variance, functional specificity and macro-molecular complexing. As regards clinical potential, diagnostics is covered with emphasis on enabling early detection. For therapeutics, we deal with molecular approaches, drug repurposing and combinations. Importantly, we emphasise the need for carefully designed clinical trials. We highlight also the area of 'social responsibility' and the need to involve the public (cancer patients and healthy individuals) in the work of cancer research professionals as well as clinicians. In advising patients how best to manage cancer, and live with it, we offer the following four principles: Awareness and prevention, early detection, specialist, integrated care, and psychological support. Finally, we highlight four key prerequisites for commercialisation of ITP-based technologies against cancer. We conclude that ITPs offer significant potential as regards both understanding the intricacies of the complex process of cancer and for developing much needed novel therapies.

Mechanisms of the influence of proactive personality on nurses' sense of social responsibility: A structural equation modelling study.

AIM: To explore the mechanism of proactive personality influence on nurses' sense of social responsibility through a serial multiple mediation model of volunteering motivation and self-efficacy. DESIGN: Further analysis of a cross-sectional and survey-based study. METHODS: In June 2023, a study was conducted with 722 Chinese nurses from four hospitals. Data were collected using the Proactive Personality Scale, the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Motivation to Volunteer Scale and the Nurses' Sense of Social Responsibility Scale. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationship between nurses' sense of social responsibility and its correlative factors. RESULTS: Structural equation modelling showed a good model fit. Proactive personality, self-efficacy and motivation to volunteer can directly influence nurses' sense of social responsibility (ß = .12, ß = .04, ß = .50, p < .05). According to the test of chained mediation effects, proactive personality was significant through a single mediation path of self-efficacy (Z = 2.33, p < .05) and motivation to volunteer (Z = 7.32, p < .05) and through successive mediation paths of both variables (Z = 3.33, p < .05). CONCLUSION: A proactive personality can motivate nurses' social responsibility. Therefore, prompting nurses to be more proactive can effectively enhance nurses' sense of social responsibility. REPORTING METHOD: This study was reported following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist for cross-sectional studies. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study explored the mechanisms influencing nurses' sense of social responsibility at the end of the epidemic. The results may inform the maintenance of high levels of long-term effects of nurses' social responsibility and shed light on building a standing workforce for public health emergencies.

Motivations, activities, timing, and employee engagement: three approaches to business involvement in disasters.

The alarming rise in occurrences of disasters, along with the positive development of corporate social responsibility (CSR), has led to the growing need for and involvement of businesses in disaster relief. However, this involvement differs greatly across organisations, and the fragmented research that exists has not offered an understanding of these differences and how they affect disaster relief. This study provides a comprehensive model of companies' involvement in disaster relief by integrating two disaster relief frameworks (activities and timing) into two CSR frameworks (motivation and employee engagement). The result is the MATE Model of four inextricably linked dimensions (motivation, activities, timing, and employee engagement), examined in a qualitative study with 57 interviewees across 34 organisations in Australia. The resulting Corporate Involvement in Disasters Model details the four MATE dimensions and categorises three approaches to corporate involvement in disaster relief: reactive, relational, and comprehensive. This model details a roadmap for effective business involvement in disaster relief.

Conceptualization and teaching health advocacy in undergraduate medical education: a document analysis.

BACKGROUND: Health advocacy is considered to be a core competence for physicians, but it remains unclear how the health advocacy role, despite being described in overarching competency frameworks, is operationalized in undergraduate medical education (UME). This study aimed to identify how health advocacy is conceptualized and taught in undergraduate medical curricula. METHODS: We performed a qualitative analysis of curriculum documents from all eight medical schools in the Netherlands, all of which offered competency-based UME. Thematic analysis was used to code all the documents and generate themes on health advocacy conceptualization and teaching. To categorize the emerging themes, we used the framework of Van Melle et al. for evaluating the implementation of competency-based medical educational programs. RESULTS: Health advocacy was mostly conceptualized in mission statements about social responsibility of future physicians, related to prevention and promoting health. We found key concepts of health advocacy to be taught mainly in public health and social medicine courses in the bachelor stage and in community-based clerkships in the master stage. Specific knowledge, skills and attitudes related to health advocacy were taught mostly in distinct longitudinal learning pathways in three curricula. CONCLUSION: Health advocacy is conceptualized mostly as related to social responsibility for future physicians. Its teaching is mostly embedded in public health and social medicine courses and community-based settings. A wider implementation is warranted, extending its teaching to the full width of medical teaching, with longitudinal learning pathways providing a promising route for more integrative health advocacy teaching.

Disability Inclusion in Corporate Supplier Diversity Initiatives.

PURPOSE: Since the 1960s, federal and state governments and private-sector companies have used supplier diversity initiatives to ensure their supply chains include businesses owned by traditionally economically disadvantaged or underrepresented groups. Originally concentrated on racial and ethnic minority groups, programs have expanded to include businesses owned by women, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and, in some cases, people with disabilities. This study investigates the extent to which disability is included in supplier diversity initiatives of Fortune 500 companies. METHODS: This paper uses a novel data set created by the authors with information on supplier diversity initiatives and Disability, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statements in Fortune 500 companies extracted from public sources. This information is combined with data from Compustat, a corporate financial database published by Standard and Poor's and additional variables from other sources. RESULTS: 75% of the Fortune 500 companies have supplier diversity programs that express a commitment to diversity yet only 49% of those with such programs include disability-owned businesses (38% of all Fortune 500 companies). Among the largest 100 companies, 89% had supplier diversity programs that included disability, almost 6 times the rate Ball et al. reported in 2005. This study finds disability inclusion varies significantly by company size, industry, and whether the company is a government contractor. CONCLUSION: Despite the growth in disability inclusion, the absence of disability as a diversity category in regulations mandating supplier diversity initiatives for government contractors impacts disability inclusion. If we want to align our supplier diversity programs with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the first step is to address the issue in the Small Business Administration and federal contracting requirements.

The Relationship Between Individual Social Responsibility and the Public's Intention to Act Violently Toward Nurses-A Cross-Sectional Study.

AIMS: To explore (a) the associations between individual social responsibility and the public intention to use violence against nurses; and (b) the relationship between individual social responsibility, personal variables and the public's intention to employ violence against nurses. BACKGROUND: Workplace violence against nurses is a significant widespread occupational health issue. To date, no reference has been found to the association between personality traits such as individual social responsibility and the public's intention to use violence against nurses. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design with a convenience sample of 667 Israeli participants from among the public. A structured self-report questionnaire was distributed, including socioeconomic variables, individual social responsibility and responses to four vignettes describing incidents of violence directed at nurses. Multiple linear regressions were calculated for intention to employ violence, with demographic variables and individual social responsibility as independent variables. The STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies was used for reporting. RESULTS: Negative correlations were found between individual social responsibility and the intention to employ violence against nurses. Gender, having witnessed physical violence and individual social responsibility explained 19% of the variance in the intention to employ violence against nurses. Demographic variables and having witnessed verbal or physical violence were found to moderate the association between individual social responsibility and the intention to employ violence against nurses. CONCLUSIONS: Witnessing a violent incident in a healthcare setting is a risk factor for the intention to employ violence against nurses. Our findings point to the role of individual social responsibility as one of the strategies to help reduce violent events. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Educating and promoting values of social responsibility among the public can reduce incidents of violence in healthcare settings, thus contributing to the safety and quality of care provided. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The public contributed via study participation.

Dynamics of corporate social responsibility (CSR) during mineral exploration: Evidence from Eastern Region, Ghana.

How are decisions around Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arrived at in the mining sector, particularly in Ghana? To date, the literature on mining and development in the region has mostly analysed individual interventions made in the name of CSR and critiqued the case for embracing it. These assessments, however, very crucially overlook exploration, an essential phase of the mine lifecycle, during which inaugural dialogues are initiated with local communities that ultimately have a bearing on CSR strategy over the long term. This paper examines the dynamics of CSR at the exploration phase of mining projects, surveys local communities' perspectives on the subject, and assesses the actions of international mineral exploration companies. It does so using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with policymakers, exploration company officials, and inhabitants of and leaders in mining communities in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The findings suggest that while mineral exploration companies use CSR as platform to showcase their commitments to social and environmental standards, they have made little efforts to understand the socio-cultural, economic and political dynamics of their host communities. It was also revealed that host communities are not afforded the opportunity to provide inputs into decisions on how CSR should be operationalised. The paper calls for a revision of policies and regulations governing mining in Ghana by making CSR a key requirement for mineral exploration companies seeking to undertake exploration or prospecting activities in the country.

The impact of climate policy uncertainty on corporate pollution Emissions--Evidence from China.

Climate change is considered one of the major systemic risks facing the world in the 21st century. To address climate change, China has adopted a series of climate policies, but the uncertainty brought about by frequent climate policy issuance has increased pressure on enterprises, which may not be conducive to enterprises reducing emissions. This paper uses data on 1211 listed companies on the A-share market in China from 2012 to 2022 to study the impact of climate policy uncertainty on enterprise pollutant emissions. The research findings show that climate policy uncertainty increases corporate pollution emissions; climate policy uncertainty mainly generates negative impacts on enterprise environmental regulation, social responsibility, and R&D investment, thereby negatively affecting enterprise emissions reduction. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that climate policy uncertainty in China has a more significant impact on non-state-owned enterprises, technology-intensive enterprises, lightly polluting enterprises, and enterprises in western regions. These findings emphasize the importance of enterprise social responsibility, environmental regulation, and R&D investment in enterprise emissions reduction and provide policy implications for Chinese enterprises to optimize their energy-saving and emission reduction strategies in the face of climate policy uncertainty.

Balanced Scorecards and sustainability Balanced Scorecards for corporate social responsibility strategic alignment: A systematic literature review.

The integration of social and environmental issues into their business model is today a major issue for companies facing the challenge of sustainability. This is leading them to redefine their models of performance measurement. In this perspective, integrated and multi-dimensional frameworks such as Balanced Scorecards (BSCs) and Sustainability Balanced Scorecards (SBSCs) offer attractive opportunities. Drawing on a systematic literature review (SRL), this article provides an analysis of the literature to identify the main trends in research on (S)BSCs and their contribution to CSR and sustainability issues. While the SLR reveals a major stream of instrumentalist and functionalist research aimed at demonstrating the relevance of SBSC in the strategic alignment of CSR, more critical approaches question the foundations, purposes and architecture of these instruments regarding the macroscopic challenges of sustainability. More precisely, focused on an organizational performance measurement, these tools would struggle to embrace the full complexity of sustainability issues. The article contributes novel insights to expand current models of SBSC from the perspective of a real contribution to strong sustainability challenges.

Mining from the pipeline: Artisanal oil refining as a consequence of failed CSR policies in the Niger Delta.

Oil production in the Niger Delta first attained global prominence after the 1995 hangings of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogonis. In the face of horrible publicity and credible allegations that international oil companies were complicit in systematic human rights violations against local host communities, corporate social responsibility (CSR) was embraced. CSR in the Nigerian oil industry has evolved from non-existent to limited community development programs to today's Global Memorandum of Understanding model. Yet, concomitant with CSR's growth has been a devastating increase in artisanal oil refining or "bunkering." In this article, we do not focus on industrial scale bunkering, which clearly requires high-level political support. Instead, we focus on the growth of small-scale artisanal refining in the rural Niger Delta. We situate this sector's growth in failed government and CSR policies, highlight its devastating environmental impacts, and advocate a shift away from flawed and limited CSR to legal and regulated modular refineries that, with fewer negative developmental and environmental externalities, could serve as a vital source of job creation and wealth generation.

The walking dead: Are Zombie firms environmentally and socially responsible? A global perspective.

This study examines the association between zombie firms and their environmental and social performance. Using a global dataset of listed firms from 49 countries between 2002 and 2019, we find that zombie firms perform poorly on environmental and social responsibility fronts. This finding supports the argument that zombie firms are characterized by consistent losses and that their existence is risky without external support. Zombie firms, while struggling for survival, may not be able to undertake environmental and social activities that require huge investments, thus falling behind other firms. Further analysis highlights that eco-innovation, the presence of a sustainability committee, and industry nature (i.e., heavily polluting industries) mitigate the negative impact of firms' zombie status on their environmental and social performance. Moreover, a zombie firm's engagement in environmental and social activities improves its financial performance. Our main findings are robust to a battery of estimation techniques, alternative proxies, selection bias, and endogeneity issues.

The social and environmental responsibility of informal artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana: An Akan philosophical perspective.

Informal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) continues to grow globally, raising both challenges and opportunities in terms of economic, social, and environmental impacts. The ASM literature explores the formalization and transfer of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices from larger firms as the pathway to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits. But we know very little about environmental and social responsibilities of informal mining operations (and informal economy actors in general, who are often portrayed as devoid of these responsibilities). This paper aims to theorize and empirically explore principles and practices of social and environmental responsibility in informal mining. We combine elements of relational stakeholder theory with Ghana's Akan philosophy to develop our theoretical framework. Through a qualitative research process involving thematic analysis - of field notes from field observations and 81 interviews with ASM miners, community leaders/residents and executive members of Small-Scale Mining Association-Prestea Branch in Ghana - and pattern-matching technique, we find that: a) informal ASM is culturally and relationally motivated to be socially and environmentally responsible, b) there is a model of informal social and environmental responsibility (ISER) that is characterized by commonality, solidarity, tradition, and human-nature interdependencies, and c) social and environmental responsibilities are interpreted in a distinctive, non-Western way and comply with two main informal norms: gifting for social responsibilities and taboos for environmental responsibility. We conclude by suggesting that governments should collaborate with traditional authorities to promote ISER practices as cultural norms.

Measures of Ethics and Social Responsibility Among Undergraduate Engineering Students: Findings from a Longitudinal Study.

Prior research on engineering students' understandings of ethics and social responsibility has produced mixed and sometimes conflicting results. Seeking greater clarity in this area of investigation, we conducted an exploratory, longitudinal study at four universities in the United States to better understand how engineering undergraduate students perceive ethics and social responsibility and how those perceptions change over time. Undergraduate engineering students at four U.S. universities were surveyed three times: during their 1st (Fall 2015), 5th (Fall 2017), and 8th semesters (Spring 2019). The students who completed all three surveys (n = 226) comprise the sample that was analyzed in this paper for changes in their scores on five instruments: Fundamentals of Engineering/Situational Judgment, Moral Disengagement, ABET Engineering Work and Practice Considerations, Macroethics, and Political and Social Involvement Scale. We found that students modestly increased their knowledge of ethics and ability to apply that knowledge in situations calling for them to exercise judgment. In addition, they consistently indicated that health and safety considerations in engineering were of highest importance. They also showed steady levels of social consciousness over time, in contrast to other studies which detected a culture of increasing disengagement in engineering students throughout the four years of their undergraduate studies.

Factors affecting intent to perpetrate violence against nurses: Theory of Planned Behavior approach.

BACKGROUND: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been found to predict target behaviors. The literature examining this model lacks attention to violence toward nurses. PURPOSE: To explore the association between the public's exposure to violence and intention to employ violence toward nurses, under the TPB framework. METHODS: A cross-sectional study (705 participants) employed a self-report questionnaire. Path analysis assessed TPB variables' mediation between prior exposure to violence and violent intent toward nurses. DISCUSSION: The TPB variables, that is attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control, mediated only the association between exposure to physical violence and intention to act violently. Subjective norms were the strongest mediator. The explained variance was 31%. CONCLUSION: When addressing violence against nurses, policymakers must consider attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control among patients and their attendants. Violence directed at nurses and health care workers reflects societal violence and the "upstream approaches" needed to mitigate violence in health care settings.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Directors' and Officers' Liability Risk: The Moderating Effect of Risk Environment and Growth Potential.

Theoretical arguments regarding the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firm liability risk are abundant; however, empirical evidence about this relationship is scarce. We investigate the relationship between CSR and the personal liability risk of a firm's directors and officers. We argue that companies with better CSR performance represent a better underwriting risk for directors' and officers' (D&O) insurance providers and, therefore, have a lower cost of insurance. Our results show that firms with better CSR performance are more likely to purchase D&O insurance and have a lower premium-to-coverage ratio, known as the insurance rate-on-line. We also show that this risk-reduction effect is stronger for firms that operate in a high-risk environment and have higher sales growth. These results provide evidence that CSR can be used as a risk management tool to mitigate liability risk and suggest which firms benefit most from this effect.

Environmental competencies for healthcare management at a 2nd education level as a component of strategic management.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To present the results of the analysis of educational standards and curricula of the second educational level of training of specialists, who may be managers of healthcare, on the content of the environmental component as an element of strategic management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Content analysis 24 educational standards of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine of Ukraine for 6 fields of knowledge and 200 master's curricula from 87 institutions of higher education of Ukraine. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: There is a distribution of basic leadership and management competencies both by types of these competencies and between specialties. The requirements for the inclusion of the environmental component in the framework documents are poorly expressed. The content of environmental issues in the curricula is insufficient.

Antitrust as a Guardrail for Socially Responsible Neurotechnology Design.

The neurotechnology sector is likely to develop under pressure towards commercialized, nonmedical products and may also undergo market consolidation. This possibility raises ethical, social, and policy concerns about the future responsibility of neurotechnology innovators and companies for high-consequence design decisions. Present-day internet technology firms furnish an instructive example of the problems that arise when providers of communicative technologies become too big for accountability. As a guardrail against the emergence of similar problems, concerned neurotechnologists may wish to draw inspiration from antitrust law and direct efforts, where appropriate, against undue consolidation in the commercial neurotechnology market.

Sustainable development in general practice.

BACKGROUND: As health care accounts for 4-5% of global carbon emissions, many health organisations have called for implementing sustainable development actions in health care. However, sustainable development measures in general practice are rarely implemented by physicians. The aim of this study was to explore the practices of general practitioners (GPs) in terms of sustainable development to identify which actions are appropriate and achievable. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in 12 French GPs using face-to-face or telephone interviews, transcribed verbatim and analysed through a global inductive analysis with constant comparison. Semi-structured interviews were focussed on waste management, relationships between health professionals, sustainable development, and GPs' activity. RESULTS: The mean age of the GPs was 42.8 years and they mainly worked in an urban environment. The interviews highlighted 4 themes. It appeared that a balance needs to be found between the environmental impact and the constraints related to medical care. To be able to think about integrating sustainable development into health care, GPs should make a personal commitment to change their routine. In practice, consumption should be reassessed, prescriptions and prevention reconsidered. These actions could be applied to the GPs' environment as role models for their patients, business leaders, and members of the healthcare system. CONCLUSION: GPs felt concerned by sustainable development and were already involved in its implementation in their practice. Tools are available to help GPs to continue to implement their actions described in this article, but their impact remains to be investigated.

In an era where global health is an increasing concern for the population, it appeared necessary to study the extent to which health professionals were willing to change their behaviours in their professional lives. This study was based on the interview of 12 French general practitioners and investigated their perspective on sustainable development and how they implemented it in their practice. Four main themes were highlighted. Some physicians did not spontaneously see the link between their practice and sustainable development. Our study showed that they were willing to adapt their practice despite organisational constraints and the difficulty in changing their behaviour.

How can corporate taxes contribute to sub-Saharan Africa's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? A case study of Vodafone.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency threaten progress in reaching many of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets by 2030. The under-5 mortality and maternal mortality rates are well below the targets, and if we progress at the current pace, there is a high risk of not meeting the 2030 goals. Furthermore, the initial progress in the decline in child and maternal mortality since 1990 is likely to be eroded. Much of this progress has resulted from increased sanitation, drinking water, education, and health service coverage. The adequate provision of public services is possible if there is sufficient government funding. When governments have more income, they spend more on public services, which increases access to fundamental economic and social rights and, thus, contributes to the SDGs. One of the key drivers of government financing, taxation, constitutes 70% of government revenue in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Corporate income tax constitutes 18.8% of tax revenue in African countries compared to 10% of tax revenue in OECD countries. Therefore, it plays a critical role in SDG progress. This paper aims to quantify the contribution of one large taxpayer, that publishes their tax payments, (Vodafone Group Plc) on progress towards SDGs in six African countries. We use econometric modelling to estimate the impact of an increase in government revenue equivalent to Vodafone's average tax paid between 2007-2017. RESULTS: We find that government revenue equivalent to Vodafone's taxes made a significant contribution to progress in attaining selected SDGs. We found that the revenue equivalent to Vodafone's taxes allowed 966,188 people to access clean water and 1,371,972 people to access basic sanitation each year. Over the time period studied, 858,054 children spent an extra year in school and 54,275 children under five years and 3,655 mothers survived. In just one of these countries, Tanzania, the revenue equivalent to Vodafone's tax contribution allowed 174,121 people to access clean water and 223,586 to access sanitation each year. Over the time studied 187,023 children spent an additional year at school, 6,569 additional children under five and 625 additional mothers survived. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that the reported contributions from a single multinational corporation drive SDG progress. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of transparent taxes and explores the responsibilities of global institutions, governments, investors, and multinational corporations.