The differentiated effects of CSR actions in the service industry

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to attempt to explain why the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives may be different and/or more important in service firms compared to manufacturing firms. CSR is becoming a common strategy, hence its extensive research. Central to it is the analysis of the effect of CSR on a firm’s performance, whose outcome depends on firm-specific and industry-related factors. Design/methodology/approach – The event study methodology is applied to all the 248 companies that have ever traded on the Spanish Stock Market between 1990 and 2007. A regression analysis examines potential different effects of CSR on service and goods firms. Findings – The results show that CSR activities have a positive impact on firm performance that is higher for service firms than for manufacturing firms. Actions related to the environment, responsible labor relationships and good corporate governance are especially important in the service context. Research limitations/implications – This research is focused on shareholders’ performance, but it does not consider other stakeholders, such as real consumer behavior or employees’ commitment and productivity. Practical implications – Service firms are likely to gain from focusing on some CSR activities (environment, employees and good corporate governance) and should use their responsible behavior as a valuable tool for public relations and differentiation in the market. Originality/value – This article is the first attempt to empirically test and explain why the relationship between CSR and firm performance may be different (more positive) for service vs manufacturing firms.

Anisotropic magnetoresistance in single electron transport

We study the effect of magnetic anisotropy in a single electron transistor with ferromagnetic electrodes and a non-magnetic island. We identify the variation δμ of the chemical potential of the electrodes as a function of the magnetization orientation as a key quantity that permits to tune the electrical properties of the device. Different effects occur depending on the relative size of δμ and the charging energy. We provide preliminary quantitative estimates of δμ using a very simple toy model for the electrodes.

Els vídeos d’Olga Diego: una memòria filmada

Olga Diego Freises (Alacant 1969) estudià Belles Arts a les facultats de València (Universitat Politècnica) i d’Altea (Universitat Miguel Hernández), on es titulà el 2006. La seua activitat artística ―crítica, compromesa i innovadora― s’ha orientat bàsicament a la performança, encara que amb un important suport gràfic i escultòric de dibuixos i de maquetes. Com es habitual, Olga Diego fa servir el vídeo com a medi de registre i/o de suport de les accions. En ocasions el vídeo arriba a ser la base o el format de presentació d’una acció. És, doncs, un registre fotogràfic ―foto mòbil que pot esdevenir foto fixa― allò que conserva la memòria del que es féu o del que passà. En ocasions la gravació és manual i en ocasions la càmera va lligada a un artefacte. S’ofereixen, així, visions diferents de l’acció. En ocasions es treballa amb llum de dia i en ocasions amb llum de foc o de focus, oferint també així visions diferents de l’acció. Per tant, el vídeo es treballa en funció del suggeriment, de la claredat expositiva o de l’ambigüitat que s’intenta. Proposem aquí una introducció als vídeos vinculats a algunes de les accions d’Olga Diego desenvolupades a llocs tan diferents com ara Espanya, Sàhara Occidental Libre i Egipte.