An empirical investigation of determinants of corporate social performance using multi-dimensional panel data analysis

An assessment of the determinants of corporate social performance (CSP) in emerging economies is still too fractured. This article contributes to general management literature by developing an empirical model based on the existing theoretical models rooted in neo-institutional theory (legitimacy approach), stakeholders management theory, agency theory, the resource-based view of the firm, slack resources argument, and managerial control theory. A robust, multidimensional, unweighted disclosure index was used to measure CSP. This article provides a methodologically and empirically more rigorous assessment of determinants of CSP compared to previous studies by performing panel data regression analysis on 307 firms for 10 years. The results reveal that the presence of a legal framework, board attributes (board size, board diversity, board interlocking), women on board, ownership pattern, financial performance, firm attributes (size, age, leverage), and industry characteristics affect CSP significantly. These findings provide very important clues to design pragmatic strategies to improve CSP.     

Can Facebook really be a tool for supporting citizen engagement during emergencies?

The present study explores how Italian regions and their presidents employed Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic to encourage citizen engagement. To do so, it adopts quantitative methodologies. Our results show that most public actors increased their levels of social activity during the pandemic but mainly for promoting public communication and that citizens much prefer interacting with presidents. Moreover, citizen engagement was higher when posts were published during nonbusiness hours or weekends, while it decreased when posts contained photos or videos.     

Still a poster child for social investment? Changing regulatory dynamics of early childhood education and care in Denmark and Sweden

This paper investigates the regulation of publicly organized early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Denmark and Sweden, through the regulatory welfare state (RWS) framework. The analysis focuses on how alterations in funding and quality of care are shaped by governmental and nongovernmental actors at national and local levels of government. Through focused structured analysis, we examine how various actors have shaped the funding and quality of childcare in Denmark and Sweden, from the early 2000s to 2020, with special attention to the period during and after the 2008 financial crisis. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, concerns about quality in care were raised on the political agenda by various actors in both countries, leading to decisions to improve the quality of care. Yet, the regulatory dynamics differ: In Denmark, the debate led to a decision in 2019, to implement a minimum statutory requirement of regulatory quality standards. From an RWS perspective, this outcome can be qualified as “double expansion,” because regulatory quality standards, and public funding for childcare increased. In Sweden, the debates about quality of ECEC led, in 2016, to political guidelines about quality standard, but with no additional national funds, and no mandatory regulatory quality requirements. Analytically, this can be qualified as “regulatory-led expansion,” that is requirements for quality standards, although the lack of additional national funds suggests that it will be difficult to improve ECEC quality substantially. The RWS perspective, which focuses on national and municipal levels of governance, also gives insights into hidden inequalities between municipalities regarding funding and quality of ECEC, which are more pronounced in Sweden than in Denmark.     

What drives compliance with COVID-19 measures over time? Explaining changing impacts with Goal Framing Theory

The COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to study which factors drive compliance and how the evolving context in society –virus fluctuations and changing government measures – changes the impact of these factors. Extant literature lists many factors that drive compliance – notably enforcement, trust, legitimacy. Most of these studies, however, do not look across time: whether a changing context for citizens changes the impact of factors driving compliance. In this study, we use Lindenberg's Goal Framing Theory to explain the dynamics of these drivers of compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic. We formulate hypotheses for pro-socialness, trust in government, observed respect for rules, rule effectiveness, rule appropriateness, fear of COVID-19 (severity and proximity), opportunities for pleasure and happiness, as well as worsened income position. We test our hypotheses with data collected at three different moments during the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in Flanders, Belgium. Findings show that over time the constellations of factors that drive compliance change and, later in the pandemic, more distinct groups of citizens with different motivations to comply are identified. The overall conclusion is that the voluntary basis for compliance becomes more fragile over time, with a more differentiated pattern of drivers of compliance emerging. Public policy and communication need to adapt to these changes over time and address different groups of citizens.     

治理理论适用于中国的对策研究

治理理论是上世纪80年代在西方国家兴起的一种全新的理论,它的兴起主要是为了解决政府失灵和市场失灵所带来的社会问题。在我国进行市场经济体制改革的过程中,也存在着在政府和市场失灵的地方,治理理论是解决我们发展过程中的问题可资借鉴的一种比较先进的理论。但是,我们在运用它时却面临着一系列问题。所以,我们要努力解决这些问题,从而为应用治理理论创造条件。     

诉讼与仲裁的功能比较--兼论仲裁的功能优势

作为一种社会解决纠纷机制来说,诉讼的主要功能仍在于解决纠纷、消除冲突.这对于维护社会秩序是非常必要的.但是,作为一种特殊的纠纷解决方式和社会控制机制,诉讼也不可避免地存在着结构性功能缺陷.与诉讼相比,仲裁的特点在于其程序简便、结案较快、费用开支较少、不具备行政特色、能独立公正和迅速地解决争议,给予当事人充分地自治权;同时具有客观性、灵活性、保密性、终局性和裁决书易于得到执行等优点.这种优势正是各国定位仲裁与诉讼关系的基础.     

我国社会保障基金监管体制的反思与重塑

社会保障基金是社会保障制度的经济基础,是维持社会保障体系的核心要素。我国社会保障制度尤其是社会保障基金监管体制还有很多有待完善的地方,这就需要我们认真查找问题的症结之所在,并借鉴国外先进的立法经验,提出完善的解决对策,确保社会保障制度不断完善。     

社会管理创新与公共服务体系建设研究

目前,我国正处于＂黄金发展期＂与＂矛盾凸显期＂,如果不能很好地解决发展过程中积累的各类社会矛盾和问题,势必会严重阻碍经济社会的协调发展,因此,我们要加强和创新社会管理,加快政府对社会的管理由统治型行政向服务型行政转变。本文阐明并厘清了社会管理和公共服务的内涵及其二者的关系,分析了我国社会管理和公共服务的现状及存在的问题,并在此基础上提出了社会管理与创新公共服务体系建设的对策。     

论社会中介组织的新一类经济法主体地位

非法学学科对社会中介组织的研究成果交集指向其社会性和中介性,它构成了经济法上社会中介组织的理论基础。法学视野中的社会中介组织处于社会公共经济管理关系中时,民法和行政法无法调整该社会关系。社会中介组织的本质与经济法的宗旨、性质、价值本位等高度契合,其因此具有了新一类经济法主体的唯一身份。经济法主体视角下的社会中介组织理论有利于解决专利权滥用、消费者隐私权保护、公益诉讼、市场经济信用体系的构建等难题。     

浅析利益分化与政党的社会整合

党对社会的有效整合是党执政的重要政治基础和社会基础。当代中国社会转型时期,利益群体多元化、复杂化会对执政党的社会整合功能形成一定的挑战,需要优化我国政党制度社会整合功能。探讨当代利益群体多元化与优化我国政党制度整合功能的逻辑关系具有重大的理论意义和现实意义。