Assessing Perception and Practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by Energy Sector Firms in Ghana

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in Ghana are spearheaded by large-scale multi-national companies and have gained momentum in recent years possibly due to the discovery of oil. The goal of this study is to learn more about how energy companies in Ghana view and practise CSR. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods was adopted for this study. Structured questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data from selected energy companies and inhabitants. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and content analysis were the analytical tools adopted. The findings suggest that CSR was seen as a voluntary activity in the Ghanaian energy supply industry, with enterprises being obliged to work within societal norms rather than regulatory standards in the country. In the lens of the level of CSR practiced by the energy supply company, the findings indicate that the companies do practice CSR but based on their own planned policy objectives with most of the interventions geared towards social interventions like education, provision of potable water for communities, scholarship schemes, and road development. Policymakers will make use of the findings of the research to inform their knowledge in designing policies related to CSR. The outcome will also guide corporate firms in the energy sector to make decisions to either consider stakeholders as vital movers of development in the communities they operate, or they are being a hindrance to their CSR mandate. This study is unique as it extends knowledge on CSR in the energy sector of Ghana.

Should Corporate Social Responsibility Around The World be Mandatory or Voluntary?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an idea that has grown during the last three decades from the voluntary activity of business firms into a debate about whether CSR should be mandated by law because of the increased demand from society. Further, it has been argued that business corporations are owned by their shareholders, and the managers must concentrate on maximizing the wealth of their shareholders and not of the community. To determine how better to apply CSR, this paper begins with looking at the evolution of CSR as a system around the world and then discusses the definition of CSR. In addition, this paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of implementing voluntary CSR and then explores mandatory CSR. Moreover, in this paper, it is found that determining the proper CSR system depends on many factors in each country, such as the social, economic and legal factors that should be examined before applying mandatory or voluntary CSR.

The role of social capital for self-employed information professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>Research problem: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how self-employed information professionals perceive the role of social capital in the development of their businesses in New Zealand. This required gaining an understanding of their professional relationship-building, networking, help-seeking and related activities. Methodology: A purposive sample of eight self-employed information professionals was interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and occurred via Skype, phone, and face-to-face meetings. Anderson, Park, and Jack’s (2007) conceptual framework of social capital served as a theoretical lens in the interview design and data analysis. Results: Social capital was described in terms of giving (voluntary activity) and sharing (exchanging information and resources). Ethics, generosity, human touch, and mutuality emerged as important behavioural principles in the development of strong and effective relationships and networks. Apart from market opportunities, personal and professional well-being appeared to be equally important outcomes of social capital. Implications: In focusing on a lesser-known, but potentially growing, occupational group of sole traders, the study contributes to the library and information studies and social capital research in New Zealand. The results are indicative only and more data is needed, but they provide a useful resource for future and present self-employed information professionals.</p>

The role of social capital for self-employed information professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>Research problem: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how self-employed information professionals perceive the role of social capital in the development of their businesses in New Zealand. This required gaining an understanding of their professional relationship-building, networking, help-seeking and related activities. Methodology: A purposive sample of eight self-employed information professionals was interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and occurred via Skype, phone, and face-to-face meetings. Anderson, Park, and Jack’s (2007) conceptual framework of social capital served as a theoretical lens in the interview design and data analysis. Results: Social capital was described in terms of giving (voluntary activity) and sharing (exchanging information and resources). Ethics, generosity, human touch, and mutuality emerged as important behavioural principles in the development of strong and effective relationships and networks. Apart from market opportunities, personal and professional well-being appeared to be equally important outcomes of social capital. Implications: In focusing on a lesser-known, but potentially growing, occupational group of sole traders, the study contributes to the library and information studies and social capital research in New Zealand. The results are indicative only and more data is needed, but they provide a useful resource for future and present self-employed information professionals.</p>

Research on the Cultivation Path of College Students’ Public Welfare Spirit from the Perspective of Voluntary Activities

College students’ voluntary activity is the most common project in colleges and universities of China to cultivate college students’ cultural competence and play the role of social support. At present, a relatively mature college voluntary service mechanism has been formed in colleges and universities. Public welfare spirit, as the core connotation of voluntary service, is a good way to cultivate college students to improve their ideological and moral attainment. College students’ voluntary activities play such a role as undertaking the cultivation of public welfare spirit, enriching the path of practical education in colleges and universities, and implementing the cultivation of public welfare spirit. Therefore, it is of great benefit to carry out the research on the cultivation path of college students’ public welfare spirit which is characterized by majors in colleges, implemented by professional training and voluntary service, and guaranteed by the incentive mechanism of voluntary service.

Powder Fever and Its Impact on Decision-Making in Avalanche Terrain

We examined the effect of emotions, associated with “powder fever”, on decision-making in avalanche terrain. Background: Skiing in avalanche terrain is a voluntary activity that exposes the participant to potentially fatal risk. Impaired decision-making in this context can therefore have devastating results, often with limited prior corrective feedback and learning opportunities. Previous research has suggested that arousal caused by emotions affects risk assessment and intentions to engage in risky behavior. We propose that powder fever may induce similar responses. Methods: We used the following two experimental methods: laboratory studies with visual visceral stimuli (ski movies) and a field study with real stimuli (skiing exciting terrain). We evaluated the effect of emotions on attention, risk assessment, and willingness to expose oneself and others to risk. Results: Both the laboratory studies and the field study showed that skiing-related stimuli had a relatively strong effect on reported emotions. However, we found very few significant effects on decision-making or assessment of risk. Conclusions: Skiing activities make people happier. However, despite the clear parallels to sexual arousal, powder fever does not appear to significantly impair decision-making in our study. More research on the effects of powder fewer on milder forms of risk-taking behavior is needed.

Volunteers of generations X and Y in the Peace Patrol of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity foundation

Volunteering is a social phenomenon originating from philanthropy and charity, defined as voluntary unpaid work for the benefit of individuals or organisations. Voluntary activity covers many spheres and occurs in various forms. This diversity also applies to the functions performed by volunteering and the motivation driving people who work, which is described in more detailed form by Mirosław Górecki. Statistical data show that only 35% of Poles volunteer. These are mainly young people, looking for interesting perspectives and experiences. Differences in activity are also visible in terms of generation. The Youth 2011 report shows that generation Y is more socially involved than previous generation X. Differences between representatives of generations X and Y also appeared in case of the volunteers of the Peace Patrol of the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy (Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity). In the conducted research, respondents were asked about the motivation behind their choice to volunteer for the Peace Patrol; their experiences, and the benefits of the experience. To complete the overview, materials from the website of the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy (Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity) foundation were analysed. On the basis of the analyses carried out, the functions of volunteering in the Peace Patrol and the differences in the motivation of the volunteers of generation X and Y were shown.

Generation Y volunteering – in the perspective of functioning in the changing labour market

The study is a characteristic of generation Y, which is a heterogeneous group, as it includes teenagers, youth, students, young people entering the labour market and starting families. This diversity causes difficulties in determining their clear determinants in terms of functioning on the labour market. The approach to work of a selected group of representatives of generation Y in the context of voluntary activity, which is the basis and a determinant of professional preparation, was presented. An attempt at this characterization was made based on an analysis of the literature on the subject and available reports.

Extrinsically Integrated Instructional Quizzes in Learning Games: An Educational Disaster or Not?

Instructional quizzes are frequently used in educational games. When they present correct answers after learners have responded, these quizzes can be used on their own for teaching new factual and conceptual knowledge (no additional learning materials are needed). In games, these quizzes are often unrelated to gameplay: gameplay can be viewed as a reward for answering quiz questions. This has been criticized in game-based learning literature as a “chocolate-covered-broccoli” approach. However, is it really a bad approach? Theories offer conflicting predictions concerning the instructional efficiency of in-game quizzes relative to bare quizzes (i.e., not embedded in games) and empirical literature is lacking. Here, we present a within-subject design study (N = 69), in which 10–12-year-olds learn from both an in-game quiz and a bare quiz and undergo immediate and 2–3 weeks delayed post-test on the quiz questions. A modest difference in learning outcomes favoring the bare quiz was found in the immediate post-tests (d = 0.46), but not in the 2–3 weeks delayed post-tests (d = 0.09). Children enjoyed the game more than the bare quiz (dz = 0.65) and 59 preferred the game in the free-choice period. The findings suggest that both a bare quiz and a quiz within a game have their place at the table for useful educational interventions: the bare quiz should be preferred in schooling contexts; whereas, the game in leisure time situations as a voluntary activity. In the latter case, it should be considered how the game and the quiz are integrated.