Suchergebnisse

This paper offers a rationale for expanding current efforts to support industrial innovation to encompass the important and unique contributions that the social sciences can make in this area. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of these contributions, the paper examines the role that social factors play in the process of technological innovations, the importance of social innovations, and the potential contributions of social science research to the diffusion of innovation as well as its importance in considering the broad social impacts of social innovations.

Technology- and product-oriented movements (TPMs) are mobilizations of civil society organizations that generally include alliances with private-sector firms, for which the target of social change is support for an alternative technology and/or product, as well as the policies with which they are associated. TPMs generally involve "private-sector symbiosis," that is, a mixture of advocacy organizations/networks and private-sector firms. Case studies of nutritional therapeutics, wind energy, and open-source software are used to explore the tendency for large corporations in established industries to incorporate the products and technologies advocated by the TPM. As the incorporation process proceeds, the alternative technologies undergo design transformations that make them more compatible with existing products and technological systems. As the technological/product field undergoes diversification, "object conflicts" erupt over a range of design possibilities, from those advocated by the more social movement–oriented organizations to those advocated by the established industries.

There has been a long - standing argument on whether or not companies should be socially responsible. This is so because the primary objective of every company is to maximize profit for its shareholders, corporate social responsibility is therefore seen as a distraction. According to the leading proponent of this view Milton Friedman, 'the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits'i, but does society today stand to maximally benefit if the only concern of companies is to make a profit? Supporters of this view posit that companies involvement in projects not directly aimed at maximizing profit for its shareholders like corporate philanthropy and community development are unnecessary. They insist that issues like these should be left to the government and charities. On the contrary, society's present expectation of business covers a lot more than profit maximization; companies' involvement in corporate social responsibility is therefore the only way these expectations could be harnessed. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not only about philanthropy as some think, it involves the myriad ways firms integrate social, environmental and economic concerns into the day to day running of their companies. This essay stresses the need for companies' involvement in corporate social responsibility; it seeks to show that a socially responsible company does not only bring environmental and social benefits to the society at large, but also attracts financial benefits for the company involved. It goes further to suggest strategies that could be used to make companies more responsive to social needs than they presently are. The first chapter answers the question, what is corporate social responsibility? Many people and organizations have attempted defining this concept, but more often than not their views do not entirely reflect what corporate social responsibility is about because of the wide spectrum of issues it covers. To some people, corporate social responsibility is all about corporate philanthropy, to others it is more encompassing than that and is closely linked with principles of sustainable development. Although people look at CSR from different perspectives, what is generally agreed by all advocates of corporate social responsibility is that the management of companies should not only consider the interests of shareholders when running the company, but should take into account the welfare of other company stakeholders. Sustainable Development is defined by the United Nations Brundland Commission as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.ii The fact that CSR is voluntary leaves companies with discretion to be socially responsible or not. It is the voluntary nature of CSR that makes some people view CSR as basically corporate philanthropy. Those who see CSR as broader than philanthropy and linked with the principles of sustainable development argue that while philanthropy is absolutely discretionary,CSR is sustainable. While philanthropy involves how companies' profits are spent on deserving causes, CSR is concerned with how these profits are made in the first place. Proponents of CSR as an intrinsic part of sustainable development further argue that it is only when social accountability becomes an integral part of corporate conduct rather than a philanthropic add on, that the economic development of the private sector will move forward within an acceptable framework of public purposeiii This is my preferred notion of corporate social responsibility. Chapter one outlines the various definitions of corporate social responsibility. It looks at the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate governance and also gives an overview of the background influences of CSR. Chapter two examines the criticisms of corporate social responsibility and counters them. Chapter three presents the business case for corporate social responsibility; it seeks to show that socially responsible companies are not disadvantaged but enjoy numerous financial benefits. Chapter four suggests strategies that could be used to make companies more responsive to societal needs. Flowing from the fact that CSR is voluntary and some companies remain unresponsive to societal needs, regulation of aspects of CSR that cannot be left at the mercy of companies remains a way socially irresponsible companies would be compelled to comply. This chapter presents the arguments for and against legislation of CSR and suggests a balanced regulatory approach to corporate social responsibility.

This paper studies the Twitter communication strategies of @lopezobrador_, @RicardoAnayaC, and @JoseAMeadeK, Mexican presidential candidates in 2018. The content of the candidates' messages —the tweets, the copies and arts, hashtags, mentions and links— and their reach among users —measured in number of comments, retweets, likes and reproductions—is studied. Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) personalized his campaign, and its content generated the most positive sentiment. Ricardo Anaya Cortés (RAC) and José Antonio Meade Kuribreña (JAMK) attacked him and their content produced less engagement. ; El objetivo de esta investigación es estudiar la estrategia comunicativa en Twitter de @lopezobrador_, @RicardoAnayaC y @JoseAMeadeK, candidatos a la presidencia de México en el 2018. Se analiza el contenido de los mensajes en los tuits —copies y artes, hashtags, menciones y vínculos— de los candidatos. Además, se estudia el alcance —medido en número de comentarios, retuits, me gusta y reproducciones— entre los usuarios. Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) hizo una personalización de su campaña, su contenido generó el mayor sentimiento positivo. Ricardo Anaya Cortés (RAC) y José Antonio Meade Kuribreña (JAMK) atacaron al puntero; sus contenidos tuvieron menor engagement. ; O objetivo da pesquisa é estudar a estratégia comunicativa no Twitter de @lopezobrador_, @RicardoAnayaC e @JoseAMeadeK, candidatos à presidência do México em 2018. O conteúdo das mensagens é analisado nos tweets —cópias e artes, hashtags, menções e links— dos candidatos. Além disso, é estudado o alcance —medido pelo número de comentários, retweets, curtidas e reproduções— entre os usuários. Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) realizou uma personalização da sua campanha, o seu conteúdo gerou as maiores reações positivas. Ricardo Anaya Cortés (RAC) e José Antonio Meade Kuribreña (JAMK) atacaram o líder, os conteúdos deles obtiveram um menor engajamento por parte do público.

This article describes the application of full-cost accounting to transport decision making. Twenty transportation costs are identified, and cost estimates developed, for 11 modes under three travel conditions. Costs are categorized according to how they are distributed (internally or externally), whether they are fixed or variable, and whether they are market or nonmarket. The results indicate that transportation in general, and private motor vehicle use in particular, are significantly underpriced. The implications of this underpricing on economic efficiency, equity, and environmental impacts are discussed. Underpricing reduces economic efficiency and productivity by skewing market decisions away from an optimal allocation of resources. The existence of externalities indicates horizontal inequity and tends to be vertically inequitable to the extent that economically and physically disadvantaged people use private automobiles less than people who are more advantaged. Transportation underpricing increases pollution, land-use impacts, and other environmental impacts. Underpricing makes traffic congestion virtually unavoidable. Recommendations are provided for more efficient pricing and incorporating full-cost accounting into transport decision making.

With the ups and downs of the economy, unemployment comes and goes as a public policy issue. As of November 1990, the official US unemployment rate stood at 5.9 percent, above the 16 year low of 5.0 percent that had been reached earlier in the year. Around the 5 percent level of unemployment, a majority of economists say that the labour market is near the "natural rate of unemployment", the rate at which labour shortages lead to wage increases, pushing inflation higher. At this level, few people talk about unemployment as an economic or a political problem. Unemployment has not been a major issue in recent US election campaigns. Indeed, there has been far more public discussion about the possibility of labour shortages in the United States during the coming years. Although a US recession has probably arrived, the Federal Reserve Board and most economists are more worried about inflation than about unemployment. Assuredly, however, as the recession deepens, unemployment will rise and will again be in the spotlight. Politicans will give speeches. Makeshift legislation will be enacted. And then, just as assuredly, with the next economic recovery, unemployment will fade once again from the political agenda.