Towards understanding stakeholder salience transition and relational approach to ‘better’ corporate social responsibility: a case for a proposed model in practice

Management and business literature affirm the role played by stakeholders in corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices as crucial, but what constitutes a true business–society partnership remains relatively unexplored. This paper aims to improve scholarly and management understanding beyond the usual managers’ perceptions on salience attributes, to include how stakeholders can acquire missing attributes to inform a meaningful partnership. In doing this, a model is proposed which conceptualises CSR practices and outcomes within the frameworks of stakeholder salience via empowerment, sustainable corporate social performances and partnership quality. A holistic discussion leads to generation of propositions on stakeholder salience management, corporate social performance, corporate–community partnership systems and CSR practices, which have both academic and management implications.

A relational approach to direct mail consumption

- Purpose This paper aims to investigate how direct mail consumption contributes to brand relationship quality. Store flyers and other direct mailings continue to play a significant role in many companies’ communication strategies. Research on this topic predominantly investigates driving store traffic and sales. Less is known regarding the consumer side, such as the value that consumers may derive from the consumption of direct mailings and the effects of such a value on brand relationship quality. To address this limitation, this paper tests a causal model of the contribution of direct mail value to brand commitment, drawing on a value framework that integrates social theory of engagement regimes and literature on experiential customer value. - Design/methodology/approach The empirical work of this paper is based on a rigorous four-study mixed methods design, involving qualitative study, confirmatory factor analysis and partial least squares structural modeling. - Findings The authors develop two second-order formatively designed scales – familiar value and planned value scales – that illustrate the role of engagement regimes in consumer behavior. Although both types of value contribute equally to direct mail attachment, they exert contrasting effects on other mediational consumer responses, such as reading and gratitude. Finally, the proposed theoretical model appears to be robust in predicting customers’ brand commitment. - Research limitations/implications This study provides new insights into the research on consumer value and brand relational communication. - Originality/value This study is the first to consider consumer benefits from the social perspective of engagement regimes.

Epigenetics Underpinning DNA Damage Repair

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that are not the result of genetic alterations. These changes include DNA methylation, histone modifications, or indeed microRNA expression. Chromatin is a tightly compacted DNA–protein complex that allows approximately two meters of DNA to be packaged inside a cell, only a few micrometers across. Although the resulting DNA structure is very stable, it is not very amiable to DNA-dependent processes, so mechanisms have to exist to allow processes such as transcription, replication, and DNA repair to occur. This chapter will look at how a cell responds to and deals with genomic instability at the epigenetic level and highlight how critical chromatin remodeling is for correct DNA repair and cell survival following DNA damage. This chapter will initially look at the DNA repair pathways that function in human cells and then at how the repair of DNA damage is controlled by epigenetics.

Safety of Repair, Maintenance, Minor Alteration, and Addition (RMAA) Works: A New Focus of Construction Safety

"Safety of RMAA works is an almost uncharted topic of rising importance internationally. Small construction contractors are particularly dependant on RMAA work, especially during times of recession, and they undertake more risks on these jobs than large companies do. This book is based on unique international research and consultancy projects which detail, investigate, and suggest solutions to the specific challenges of safety in RMAA works, based on case studies. Starting with an overview of safety in the wider construction industries of developed countries, the first half of this book also provides a comprehensive summary of relevant rules, regulations, and the resulting safety performances. The systems in the UK, US and Hong Kong are described and contrasted, giving the reader an understanding of how different regulatory approaches have yielded a variety of results. From this solid introduction, specific problems observed in RMAA work are examined through case studies, with reference to the underlying cultural and demographic factors, and a variety of practical engineering and management solutions are explored. This important and practical international work is essential reading for postgraduate students of health and safety in construction, construction project management, or construction in developing countries, as well as policy-makers and construction project managers."--Publisher website