Search

Manuscript Type: Conceptual Research Question/Issue: In this paper we address two research questions. First, to what extent has Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) developed unevenly across countries with different corporate governance systems and how might we explain this? Second, what consequences does its uneven development have for human resource management (HRM)? Research Findings/Insights: We map the nature and extent of SRI equities across five industrialized countries – Germany, Japan, the UK, the US and Australia. We find that differences between the institutional, corporate governance and cultural characteristics of national business systems explain variations in the size and significance of SRI across countries. We also find that SRI has an impact on HRM in institutional contexts such as where its influence is complemented by strong employee voice institutions. Theoretical/Academic Implications: The notion of “institutional complementarities,” within and across spheres of a corporate governance system is a useful theoretical lens for understanding the varied impact of SRI across different corporate governance systems. Further, future studies of HRM will need to consider the heterodox pressures produced by SRI that may influence its conduct. Practitioner/Policy Implications: Implications for SRI fund managers are considered, especially how they might use the notion of institutional complementarities to help in their investment decisions and in the impact they can exert. Specifically SRI funds are likely to be more effective where they can form alliances with other existing bodies or where they spur the development of such bodies. The implications for other actors in HRM and corporate governance are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Social engagement is an important active aging strategy to promote older adults' mental health. The purposes of this study were to compare social engagement in older populations around the world and explore associations with mental health outcomes. Materials and methods: An international cross‐sectional survey was conducted from 2017 to 2019. Data were retrieved from The International Social Survey Programme for a secondary data analysis across 30 countries. This study applied the Taxonomy of Social Activities and its six levels as operational definitions for a consistent concept of social engagement for international comparisons. Results: In total, 9403 older adults with a mean age of 72.85 ± 6.40 years responded. The highest levels of older adults' social engagement were found in Switzerland, Thailand, and New Zealand. Older adults of a higher age, with a lower educational level, who were permanently sick or disabled, who had no partner, who were widowed or whose civil partner had died, who lived alone, and who had lower self‐placement in society had significantly lower social engagement than did their counterparts. In the regression model, older adults' social engagement positively predicted general health, self‐accomplishment, and life satisfaction, but negatively predicted loneliness and depression. Conclusions: In aging societies worldwide, encouraging older adults' social engagement would be beneficial to promote mental health. Implications for nursing practice and health policies: Community professional nurses can develop strategies of social engagement based on the needs and sociodemographic factors of older adults to improve their mental health. Developing efficient strategies and local policies by learning from successful experiences in other countries is important to promote social engagement in aging societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a series of studies written during the 1980s, Bob Gregory and his co-authors compared the gender wage gap in Australia with that found in other countries. They found it was not the difference in human capital endowments that explained different gender wage gaps but rather the rewards for these endowments. They concluded that country-specific factors, especially the institutional environment, were important in explaining the gender wage gap. This study updates Gregory's work by comparing the gender wage gap across four countries, Australia, France, Japan and Britain. Our results concord with those of Gregory: institutions are still important in explaining the relative size of the gender wage gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research collaboration is promoted by governments and research funders, but if the relative prevalence and merits of collaboration vary internationally then different national and disciplinary strategies may be needed to promote it. This study compares the team size and field normalized citation impact of research across all 27 Scopus broad fields in the 10 countries with the most journal articles indexed in Scopus 2008–2012. The results show that team size varies substantially by discipline and country, with Japan (4.2) having two‐thirds more authors per article than the United Kingdom (2.5). Solo authorship is rare in China (4%) but common in the United Kingdom (27%). While increasing team size associates with higher citation impact in almost all countries and fields, this association is much weaker in China than elsewhere. There are also field differences in the association between citation impact and collaboration. For example, larger team sizes in the Business, Management & Accounting category do not seem to associate with greater research impact, and for China and India, solo authorship associates with higher citation impact in this field. Overall, there are substantial international and field differences in the extent to which researchers collaborate and the extent to which collaboration associates with higher citation impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High‐quality research is the foundation of occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy. A bibliometric study on the research productivity of occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy scholars in different Western and Asian countries/regions could provide a snapshot of current research achievement in rehabilitation science. Method: On the basis of an understanding of the leading role of rehabilitation research in Western countries and a recognition of achievements made by Asian occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy scholars, the current bibliometric study examined the research productivity of occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy professors and associate professors from four Western countries (Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom) and five Asian countries/regions (Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea). The h‐indices of these scholars were retrieved online and aggregated to quantify the research productivity of institutions and countries/regions. Results: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States were identified as countries/regions with higher research productivity in occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy. The institutions were ranked on the basis of the median h‐indices of their professors and associate professors; the top 20 productive institutions with occupational therapy programmes had a median h‐index of 17.5 or higher, whereas the benchmark of the top 20 institutions with physical therapy/physiotherapy programmes was 25. Conclusion: Professors and associate professors in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States are productive in occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy research. The number of faculty members and university connections are regarded as important for research achievement. Recommendations for various levels of collaboration are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To undertake a systematic literature review to examine the effect of food cost on diet quality and risk factors for chronic disease, specifically focusing on diet-related lifestyle diseases affecting the Australian population. Methods: A search of six databases resulted in the inclusion of one systematic review, three cohort studies, 41 cross-sectional studies and four modelling studies in this review. Results: Between 2000 and 2006, the price of healthy foods has increased more than the price of less healthy foods. Healthy Food Access Basket surveys show that a healthy diet may often be unaffordable for low- and average-income households. Diets of higher energy density were associated with lower diet cost, whereas diets of higher nutrient density and nutritional quality were associated with higher diet cost. Recent studies report an inverse association between food price and food consumption. Consequently, an increase in food cost was associated with a significant reduction in weight, waist circumference, body mass index, obesity and insulin resistance. Conclusions: Manipulation of food cost may alter food consumption and therefore risk factors for chronic disease. Further longitudinal studies investigating the impact of pricing strategies on diet quality and disease risk are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overweight and obese people appear to be at greater risk of suboptimal vitamin and mineral status compared with people of a healthy weight. Nutrients most affected include vitamin D, vitamin B, carotenoids, folate, vitamin C and iron. The reasons are unknown but may be caused by poor diets, increased requirements or obesity-related changes to nutrient absorption, excretion or metabolism, or a combination of these. Sequestration of fat-soluble vitamins by adipose tissues is also a major factor. Although dietary assessment in obese populations is hampered by under-reporting, there is evidence that dietary patterns characterised by energy-dense, processed foods are more common in groups with a higher body mass index. Dieting practices, bariatric surgery and the use of anti-obesity drugs may compound the risk of nutrient inadequacy, although sustained weight loss helps to improve vitamin D status. A poor nutrient status could accentuate the risk of chronic diseases already experienced by overweight people on account of their excessive fat mass. There is evidence that the use of dietary supplements can improve nutrient status and have a favourable impact on disease risk markers such as lipid profiles and insulin resistance. Whether currently dieting or not, overweight people may benefit from safeguarding vitamin and mineral adequacy by taking a multi-nutrient supplement alongside an increased intake of nutrient-rich foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a theory proposed for the possible link between financial market integration and nonlinear cointegration, this study reinvestigates international stock market linkages by performing both conventional linear cointegration tests and newly developed rank tests for nonlinear cointegration. The stock price indexes of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States are used, with daily data spanning from 29 May 1992 to 10 April 2001. Much more evidence of market integration emerges from nonlinear than linear cointegration analysis, suggesting that comovements among various national stock markets may well take nonlinear forms. Our findings challenge the conclusion of market segmentation reached in some previous studies that only conducted linear cointegration analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe disturbances in the financial markets in many countries during the 1980s and 1990s caused many stakeholders to examine whether commercial banks had adequate reserves for future loan losses. In the United States, bank regulators considered an adequate Allowance for Loan Losses a‘safety and soundness’ issue while the SEC became increasingly concerned over the possibility of banks using the Allowance as a method to‘manage earnings’. Both regulators demanded more rigorous calculations from banks to support their accounting entries. Also the FASB and the IASB have expressed concerns about a lack of harmonization and convergence in standards. An analysis of measurement standards in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the IASB, reveals the partially conflicting goals for the Allowance: (a) promote harmonization (IASB), (b) increase transparency (SEC), (c) promote safety and soundness (bank regulators) and (d) maintain reasonable flexibility in recognition of the subjective aspects in determining an appropriate Allowance (bankers). The article offers a methodology which an individual bank may utilize to reconcile the conflicting goals of all interested parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines reporting practices of a sample of foreign listed and domestic-only listed companies from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Australia to determine the extent to which companies voluntarily use “international” standards. Two types of use of non-national standards in the consolidated accounts presented to the public are considered: adoption of “international” standards instead of national standards, and supplementary use where “international” standards are used in conjunction with national standards. “International” standards are defined as US GAAP or IAS (now IFRS). The study tests for a preference for either set of standards and considers the relationship of choice of regime with firm attributes. The results show significant voluntary use of “international” standards in all five countries and among foreign listed and domestic-only listed companies. Companies using “international” standards are likely to be larger, have more foreign revenue and to be listed on one or more foreign stock exchanges. US GAAP is the predominant choice, but IAS are used by many firms in Germany and some in Japan. Firms listed in the United States' regulated markets (NYSE and NASDAQ) are more likely to choose US GAAP, but companies traded in the OTC market often select IAS. The study demonstrates for managers and regulators that there is considerable support for “international” standards, and that choice of IAS or US GAAP relates to specific firm characteristics which differ according to a firm's country of origin. Most use of “international” standards reflects individual countries' institutional frameworks, confirming the key role of national regulators and standard setters in assisting companies to achieve more comparable international reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]