Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2012 Edition
Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Organization
Ms Yogita Sharma
Abstract
Corporate social responsibility is emerging as a new field in the management research. It encompasses not only what companies do with their profits, but also how they make them. It is not just for large scale companies but also used by small scale and non-profit organizations. In India many firms have taken the initiatives of CSR practices which have met with different needs of the society as a whole. Data has been collected from number of articles, books, periodicals and websites.The present study has been an attempt to generate awareness and to understand meaning, significance, dimensional aspect of CSR and how to manage it. An extensive literature review is done on CSR. At the end some forces at work, some issues related to CSR in India and some recommendations are given.
Key words: Meaning of CSR, Significance, Social aspect, Economic aspect, Environmental aspect, Managing CSR, Forces at work
Regionalizing Immigration, Health and Inequality: Iraqi Refugees in Australia
Katie Vasey * and Lenore Manderson
Abstract
Humanitarian immigrants and refugees face multiple adjustment tasks and post-settlement support services concentrated in metropolitan areas play an important role. As part of an ongoing commitment, the Australian Government has increasingly supported resettlement in rural and regional areas of the country. Drawing on the experience of Iraqi migrants in Victoria, Australia, we examine some of the conditions that characterize regional resettlement and raise key questions for public health policy. Structural vulnerabilities and discriminations impact upon physical, mental and social wellbeing, leading to further exclusion, with negative long-term implications. The discussion throws light on the issues that migrants and refugees may encounter in other parts within Australia, but are also germane in many countries and highlight the resulting complexity for policy-making.
Key words: Australia; refugees; regional resettlement; support services; vulnerability
Job Stressors towards Organizational Change: A Study of Textile Industries of Northern India
Anis Ahmad
Abstract
Changes are inevitable even in the organization and as a result of this most of the industrial organization not only in India but throughout the glob have brought up some changes especially technological changes to compete in the consumer market. Textile industries in Northern India are one of them. Hence, the present study was aimed at studying the job stress towards organizational change with special reference to textile industries where thousands of blue-collars are engaged in performing their job activity. For the present study the information on such problem collected through Indian based standardized questionnaire schedules were randomly administered on all individual employees working in textile industries in different districts of Northern India namely, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Mau, and Meerut etc., these districts are in U.P. – a state of Northern India. Having colleted the information on the items of schedules from blue-collar employees (N= 450) of textile industries, obtained data were tabulated according to procedures and analyzed by standard multiple regression analysis using SSP. The results revealed that “responsibility for persons”, “intrinsic impoverishment” , “low status”, “unprofitability” - the dimensions of job stress and some biographical variables, namely, “age” and “experience in the present position” have been found as real predictors of organizational change, although, all blue- collar employees have shown greater acceptance to change. Findings of the present study have been discussed in detail by highlighting the probable reasons in the exigency of situations prevailing now in India.
Key words: Job Stress, Organizational Change.
Outcome Based Education (OBE) - Trend Review
RashaEldeeb and NishaShatakumari
Abstract
The reform in the health services that stresses on professionalism had brought the necessity to adopt outcome based education (OBE) in medical education. It is an approach of education that clearly identifies its intended final product – students’ competencies by determining the final curriculum outcome - a head of planning the framework of the curriculum. The unambiguous outcome is used to plan the curriculum, monitor its implementation, evaluate it and assess student’s achievement. The present paper is review of the origin, advantages, disadvantages, pitfalls and guidelines in implementation of outcome-based education. It is an attempt to provide a comprehensive coverage of a very popular current trend in medical education.
Key words: outcome-based education, medical education trends, curriculum planning
Depression Symptoms in Canadian Psychology Graduate Students: Do Research Productivity, Funding, and the Academic Advisory Relationship Play a Role?
Daniel L. Peluso, R. Nicholas Carleton, and Gordon J. G. Asmundson
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders affecting university students (Rimmer, Halikas, & Schuckit, 1982; Vazquez & Blanco, 2008); however, undergraduate students have received the majority of the research focus. The limited research available on graduate students suggests they may also be vulnerable to developing depression (Eisenberg, Gollust, Golberstein, & Hefner, 2007). The current investigation provides initial data on depression symptoms in Canadian psychology graduate students. Participants included psychology graduate students from across Canada (N 292; 87% women) who were currently enrolled in clinical, experimental, counselling, and educational programmes. Each of the participants completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; Radloff, 1977) and measures of: funding, research productivity, hours worked, and their advisory relationship. A substantial proportion of students (33%) reported clinically significant symptoms of depression (CES-D 16), with a significant minority reporting severe symptoms of depression and impairment. There were no differences in symptom reporting across programme type; however, results of regression analyses indicated that advisory relationship satisfaction and greater current weekly hours worked were significant predictors of depressive symptoms for students enrolled in experimental programmes. In contrast, depression symptoms were unrelated to funding, research productivity, hours worked, and advisory relationship satisfaction for students in all other programmes. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Key words: graduate psychology students, depression, research productivity, graduate student funding, advisory relationship
Situated Cognition & Culture of Learning to Re-Conceptualize the Teaching-Learning Paradigm in the Field of Engineering and Technology in Bangladesh
Jahidul Arafat, Mohammad Ahsan Habib and Che Kum Clement
Abstract
Learning to teach is a complex process. On it, this paper discussed and examined on how a “learn-reflect-judge” component of a teaching participation and reflection might achieve this. It presents a new unified teaching learning model named “Teaching learning Model to Reveal the Innovation and Sustainability”. It integrates a prospective module named Self Generation Module and a new assessment approach named Spider wire Approach to aid the better management of T-L scenario in the field of engineering and technology in Bangladesh. Implication of this model at real time class room situation results with better management of learning and learning satisfaction.
Key words: learn-reflect-judge loop, Self-Generation Module, Hypo Module, 3600 coverage, total effectiveness
Triple Bottom Line Accounting: A Conceptual Expose
Atu, Omimi-Ejoor Osaretin Kingsley
Abstract
This paper is centered on Triple Bottom line Accounting (TBL) which has now become an important issue in the business accounting. The objective of this study is to review the concept TBL, explain how it can be useful to business, policy makers and economic development practitioners and highlights some current examples on how TBL reporting can be practicalized. To achieve the above stated objectives, the researcher explains the concept of TBL, measures of TBL, its advantages and disadvantages and the Operationalization of TBL. The study was concluded in favour of TBL because by adopting TBL reporting, businesses understand that they are held to specific principles that are developed by internal and external forces. For this reason, they will need to focus on the impact that their operations have on the community. This change of mindset will, typically, be followed by changes in ordinary, everyday operations to increase transparency.
Key words: Triple bottom line, Sustainability, Planet, People and Profit
The Impact of Seating Location and Seating Type on Student Performance
Michael D. Meeks, Tami L. Knotts *, Karen D. James, Felice Williams, John A. Vassar and Amy Oakes Wren
Abstract
While an extensive body of research exists regarding the delivery of course knowledge and material, much less attention has been paid to the performance effect of seating position within a classroom. Research findings are mixed as to whether students in the front row of a classroom outperform students in the back row. Another issue that has not been fully examined in higher education is the effect of environmental factors, specifically seating type, on student performance. This study examines the impact of both factors—seating location and seating type—on overall performance. Data were collected over a 10-year period from 1,138 undergraduate senior business students during their capstone course. The findings suggest that student performance is not significantly altered by seating location or seating type.
Key words: seating location; seating type; student performance
Determinants of Economic Growth in Laos
Hatthachan Phimphanthavong
Abstract
This paper identifies the key determinants of economic growth in Laos, using annual timeseries data from 1980 to 2010. To avoid the problems of non-stationary associated with time series analysis, the Dickey-Fuller unit roots statistic is checked in order to ascertain whether the variables are stationary. This prevents problems of spurious results in the regressions by transforming the dependent and independent variables in the first different operator form. This paper contributes on the on-going research issue whether foreign aid and trade liberalization help developing countries to foster their growth. The findings show that trade openness and foreign aid contribute to economic growth in Laos. Furthermore, foreign direct investment, domestic investment, government expenditure, labour force and being a member of ASEAN also found to have positive effects on the performance of the economy, whereas the population growth has a negative impact. This is in line with the argument that a large population is related to the capacity of government expenditure to provide the people with social services efficiently, thereby negatively impact development. To sustain a high rate of growth, this paper suggests improving the trade policy orientation, based on value-added products for exporting, together with investment policy adoption and tourism promotion based on the potential resources of the country. The foreign aid allocation should be focused on specific areas, such as (1) promoting economic growth and (2) direct intervention for the poor, and ensured the positive effectiveness with accountability and transparency methods for aid allocation.
Key words: Economic growth; trade openness; foreign aid; investment; government expenditure
Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Organization
Ms Yogita Sharma
Abstract
Corporate social responsibility is emerging as a new field in the management research. It encompasses not only what companies do with their profits, but also how they make them. It is not just for large scale companies but also used by small scale and non-profit organizations. In India many firms have taken the initiatives of CSR practices which have met with different needs of the society as a whole. Data has been collected from number of articles, books, periodicals and websites.The present study has been an attempt to generate awareness and to understand meaning, significance, dimensional aspect of CSR and how to manage it. An extensive literature review is done on CSR. At the end some forces at work, some issues related to CSR in India and some recommendations are given.
Key words: Meaning of CSR, Significance, Social aspect, Economic aspect, Environmental aspect, Managing CSR, Forces at work
 [Abstract-PDF]
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[References]
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5.2.4.2012.1
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Regionalizing Immigration, Health and Inequality: Iraqi Refugees in Australia
Katie Vasey * and Lenore Manderson
Abstract
Humanitarian immigrants and refugees face multiple adjustment tasks and post-settlement support services concentrated in metropolitan areas play an important role. As part of an ongoing commitment, the Australian Government has increasingly supported resettlement in rural and regional areas of the country. Drawing on the experience of Iraqi migrants in Victoria, Australia, we examine some of the conditions that characterize regional resettlement and raise key questions for public health policy. Structural vulnerabilities and discriminations impact upon physical, mental and social wellbeing, leading to further exclusion, with negative long-term implications. The discussion throws light on the issues that migrants and refugees may encounter in other parts within Australia, but are also germane in many countries and highlight the resulting complexity for policy-making.
Key words: Australia; refugees; regional resettlement; support services; vulnerability
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.2
|
Job Stressors towards Organizational Change: A Study of Textile Industries of Northern India
Anis Ahmad
Abstract
Changes are inevitable even in the organization and as a result of this most of the industrial organization not only in India but throughout the glob have brought up some changes especially technological changes to compete in the consumer market. Textile industries in Northern India are one of them. Hence, the present study was aimed at studying the job stress towards organizational change with special reference to textile industries where thousands of blue-collars are engaged in performing their job activity. For the present study the information on such problem collected through Indian based standardized questionnaire schedules were randomly administered on all individual employees working in textile industries in different districts of Northern India namely, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Mau, and Meerut etc., these districts are in U.P. – a state of Northern India. Having colleted the information on the items of schedules from blue-collar employees (N= 450) of textile industries, obtained data were tabulated according to procedures and analyzed by standard multiple regression analysis using SSP. The results revealed that “responsibility for persons”, “intrinsic impoverishment” , “low status”, “unprofitability” - the dimensions of job stress and some biographical variables, namely, “age” and “experience in the present position” have been found as real predictors of organizational change, although, all blue- collar employees have shown greater acceptance to change. Findings of the present study have been discussed in detail by highlighting the probable reasons in the exigency of situations prevailing now in India.
Key words: Job Stress, Organizational Change.
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.3
|
Outcome Based Education (OBE) - Trend Review
RashaEldeeb and NishaShatakumari
Abstract
The reform in the health services that stresses on professionalism had brought the necessity to adopt outcome based education (OBE) in medical education. It is an approach of education that clearly identifies its intended final product – students’ competencies by determining the final curriculum outcome - a head of planning the framework of the curriculum. The unambiguous outcome is used to plan the curriculum, monitor its implementation, evaluate it and assess student’s achievement. The present paper is review of the origin, advantages, disadvantages, pitfalls and guidelines in implementation of outcome-based education. It is an attempt to provide a comprehensive coverage of a very popular current trend in medical education.
Key words: outcome-based education, medical education trends, curriculum planning
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.4
|
Depression Symptoms in Canadian Psychology Graduate Students: Do Research Productivity, Funding, and the Academic Advisory Relationship Play a Role?
Daniel L. Peluso, R. Nicholas Carleton, and Gordon J. G. Asmundson
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders affecting university students (Rimmer, Halikas, & Schuckit, 1982; Vazquez & Blanco, 2008); however, undergraduate students have received the majority of the research focus. The limited research available on graduate students suggests they may also be vulnerable to developing depression (Eisenberg, Gollust, Golberstein, & Hefner, 2007). The current investigation provides initial data on depression symptoms in Canadian psychology graduate students. Participants included psychology graduate students from across Canada (N 292; 87% women) who were currently enrolled in clinical, experimental, counselling, and educational programmes. Each of the participants completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; Radloff, 1977) and measures of: funding, research productivity, hours worked, and their advisory relationship. A substantial proportion of students (33%) reported clinically significant symptoms of depression (CES-D 16), with a significant minority reporting severe symptoms of depression and impairment. There were no differences in symptom reporting across programme type; however, results of regression analyses indicated that advisory relationship satisfaction and greater current weekly hours worked were significant predictors of depressive symptoms for students enrolled in experimental programmes. In contrast, depression symptoms were unrelated to funding, research productivity, hours worked, and advisory relationship satisfaction for students in all other programmes. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Key words: graduate psychology students, depression, research productivity, graduate student funding, advisory relationship
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.5
|
Situated Cognition & Culture of Learning to Re-Conceptualize the Teaching-Learning Paradigm in the Field of Engineering and Technology in Bangladesh
Jahidul Arafat, Mohammad Ahsan Habib and Che Kum Clement
Abstract
Learning to teach is a complex process. On it, this paper discussed and examined on how a “learn-reflect-judge” component of a teaching participation and reflection might achieve this. It presents a new unified teaching learning model named “Teaching learning Model to Reveal the Innovation and Sustainability”. It integrates a prospective module named Self Generation Module and a new assessment approach named Spider wire Approach to aid the better management of T-L scenario in the field of engineering and technology in Bangladesh. Implication of this model at real time class room situation results with better management of learning and learning satisfaction.
Key words: learn-reflect-judge loop, Self-Generation Module, Hypo Module, 3600 coverage, total effectiveness
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.6
|
Triple Bottom Line Accounting: A Conceptual Expose
Atu, Omimi-Ejoor Osaretin Kingsley
Abstract
This paper is centered on Triple Bottom line Accounting (TBL) which has now become an important issue in the business accounting. The objective of this study is to review the concept TBL, explain how it can be useful to business, policy makers and economic development practitioners and highlights some current examples on how TBL reporting can be practicalized. To achieve the above stated objectives, the researcher explains the concept of TBL, measures of TBL, its advantages and disadvantages and the Operationalization of TBL. The study was concluded in favour of TBL because by adopting TBL reporting, businesses understand that they are held to specific principles that are developed by internal and external forces. For this reason, they will need to focus on the impact that their operations have on the community. This change of mindset will, typically, be followed by changes in ordinary, everyday operations to increase transparency.
Key words: Triple bottom line, Sustainability, Planet, People and Profit
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.7
|
The Impact of Seating Location and Seating Type on Student Performance
Michael D. Meeks, Tami L. Knotts *, Karen D. James, Felice Williams, John A. Vassar and Amy Oakes Wren
Abstract
While an extensive body of research exists regarding the delivery of course knowledge and material, much less attention has been paid to the performance effect of seating position within a classroom. Research findings are mixed as to whether students in the front row of a classroom outperform students in the back row. Another issue that has not been fully examined in higher education is the effect of environmental factors, specifically seating type, on student performance. This study examines the impact of both factors—seating location and seating type—on overall performance. Data were collected over a 10-year period from 1,138 undergraduate senior business students during their capstone course. The findings suggest that student performance is not significantly altered by seating location or seating type.
Key words: seating location; seating type; student performance
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.8
|
Determinants of Economic Growth in Laos
Hatthachan Phimphanthavong
Abstract
This paper identifies the key determinants of economic growth in Laos, using annual timeseries data from 1980 to 2010. To avoid the problems of non-stationary associated with time series analysis, the Dickey-Fuller unit roots statistic is checked in order to ascertain whether the variables are stationary. This prevents problems of spurious results in the regressions by transforming the dependent and independent variables in the first different operator form. This paper contributes on the on-going research issue whether foreign aid and trade liberalization help developing countries to foster their growth. The findings show that trade openness and foreign aid contribute to economic growth in Laos. Furthermore, foreign direct investment, domestic investment, government expenditure, labour force and being a member of ASEAN also found to have positive effects on the performance of the economy, whereas the population growth has a negative impact. This is in line with the argument that a large population is related to the capacity of government expenditure to provide the people with social services efficiently, thereby negatively impact development. To sustain a high rate of growth, this paper suggests improving the trade policy orientation, based on value-added products for exporting, together with investment policy adoption and tourism promotion based on the potential resources of the country. The foreign aid allocation should be focused on specific areas, such as (1) promoting economic growth and (2) direct intervention for the poor, and ensured the positive effectiveness with accountability and transparency methods for aid allocation.
Key words: Economic growth; trade openness; foreign aid; investment; government expenditure
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
5.2.4.2012.9
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