Environmental ethics for business sustainability

The paper derives operational principles from environmental ethics for business organizations in order to achieve sustainability. Business affects the natural environment at different levels. Individual biological creatures are affected by business via hunting, fishing, agriculture, animal testing, etc. Natural ecosystems are affected by business via mining, regulating rivers, building, polluting the air, water and land, etc. The Earth as a whole is affected by business via exterminating species, contributing to climate change, etc. Business has a natural, non-reciprocal responsibility toward natural beings affected by its functioning. At the level of individual biological creatures, awareness-based ethics is adequate for business. It implies that business should assure natural life conditions and painless existence for animals and other sentient beings. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on animal welfare is non-negative. At the level of natural ecosystems, ecosystem ethics is relevant for business. It implies that business should use natural ecosystems in a proper way, that is, not damaging the health of the ecosystem during use. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on ecosystem health is non-negative. At the level of the Earth as a whole, Gaian ethics applies to business. Its implication is that business should not contribute to the violation of the systemic patterns and global mechanisms of the Earth. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on the living planet is non-negative. Satisfying the above principles can assure business sustainability in an ethically meaningful way. In this case business performs its duty: not to harm nature or allow others to come to harm.

Structured decision making as a tool for facilitating stakeholder engagement in non-renewable resource management: using the case study of hydraulic fracturing in the Green Point Shale formation in western Newfoundland

This thesis examines the importance of effective stakeholder engagement that complies with the doctrines of social justice in non-renewable resources management decision-making. It uses hydraulic fracturing in the Green Point Shale Formation in Western Newfoundland as a case study. The thesis uses as theoretical background John Rawls’ and David Miller’ theory of social justice, and identifies the social justice principles, which are relevant to stakeholder engagement. The thesis compares the method of stakeholder engagement employed by the Newfoundland and Labrador Hydraulic Fracturing Review Panel (NLHFRP), with the stakeholder engagement techniques recommended by the Structured Decision Making (SDM) model, as applied to a simulated case study involving hydraulic fracturing in the Green Point Shale Formation. Using the already identified social justice principles, the thesis then developed a framework to measure the level of compliance of both stakeholder engagement techniques with social justice principles. The main finding of the thesis is that the engagement techniques prescribed by the SDM model comply more closely with the doctrines of social justice than the engagement techniques applied by the NLHFRP. The thesis concludes by recommending that the SDM model be more widely used in non- renewable resource management decision making in order to ensure that all stakeholders’ concerns are effectively heard, understood and transparently incorporated in the nonrenewable resource policies to make them consistent with local priorities and goals, and with the social justice norms and institutions.

Formação inicial de pedagogos: a construção dos saberes no âmbito do estágio supervisionado

O espaço da formação docente apresenta-se como um campo de investigação rico de informações frente ao contexto da sociedade contemporânea. Assim, diferentes dimensões do processo formativo vem se destacando no cenário educacional, como é o caso da Formação Inicial de Pedagogo: construção dos saberes no âmbito do Estágio Supervionado, tema desta investigação. Este estudo faz uma abordagem sobre os dois modelos de formação de professores: o racionalismo técnico e o emergente pautado nos princípios do agente social, passando por um breve histórico da pedagogia no Brasil, e avança enfocando as concepções dicotômica e de unidade dos saberes teóricos e práticos, além de analisar a construção e mobilização dos saberes docentes. Destaca-se a relevância do Estágio Supervisionado no processo de formação, o seu papel articulador entre os vários tipos de saberes. Após, contextualiza-se o Curso de Pedagogia da UVA/AP, seus dispositivos legais, enfocando as ementas das disciplinas Estágio Supervisionado I e II contempladas na matriz curricular deste curso. Em seguida faz-se um apanhado da metodologia utilizada nesta investigação, que tem uma natureza descritiva, pautando-se na pesquisa bibliográfica e na pesquisa de campo. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados utilizados foram à entrevista semiestruturada e questionário, com os supervisores de estágios e alunos-estagiários sujeitos desta investigação. Finalizando com o tratamento e análise dos dados, apresentados graficamente das informações dos supervisores de estágios e alunos-estagiários e da análise das compreensões dos alunos-estagiários na entrevista semiestruturada, a qual são interpretadas a luz do referencial teórico utilizado na revisão literária. Os resultados mostraram que a metodologia proposta foi adequada para apreciar sobre a formação inicial do pedagogo e a construção dos saberes no momento do Estágio Supervisionado. ABSTRACT: The sphere of educator training is presented as a rich of information research field in face of the contemporary society context. Thus, different scopes of the training process have been standing out in the educational scenario, as the case of initial educator training: The construction of the knowledge in the scope of the supervised traineeship, topic of this research. This study provides a comprehensive approach about the two models of teacher training: the technical rationalism and the emerging based on the social agent principles, followed by a short historical of the pedagogy in Brazil, right through focusing on dichotomous conceptions and units of the practical and theoretical knowledge, furthermore, analyze the construction and mobilization of the educational knowledge. The relevance of the supervised traineeship stands out in the training process; its role integrates different types of knowledge. After, Put the Pedagogy course: from UVAIAP into context, their legal arrangements, focusing on the subjects "Supervised Traineeship I and II", included in the study programme. Then is made an overview of the methodology used in this research, that is descriptive in nature, also be guided by a bibliographical research and a field research. The data collection resources were semi-structured interview and a questionnaire, with the traineeships supervisor and the trainee-student’s agents of this research. Concluding with the data processing and analysis, graphically presented according to the traineeships supervisor and trainee-students information and also analysis of the trainee-students comprehension in the semi-structured interview, which are interpreted in accordance of the theoretical framework used in the literary review. The results prove that the methodology proposed was appropriated to appreciate about the initial educator training and the construction of knowledge at the moment of the supervised traineeship.

Counterfactuals and causal inference: Methods and principles for social research

"Most quantitative empirical analyses are motivated by the desire to estimate the causal effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable. Although the randomized experiment is the most powerful design for this task, in most social science research done outside of psychology, experimental designs are infeasible. (Winship & Morgan, 1999, p. 659)." This quote from earlier work by Winship and Morgan, which was instrumental in setting the groundwork for their book, captures the essence of our review of Morgan and Winship's book: It is about causality in nonexperimental settings.

An application of capital allocation principles to operational risk

The cost of operational risk refers to the capital needed to a fford the loss generated by ordinary activities of a firm. In this work we demonstrate how allocation principles can be used to the subdivision of the aggregate capital so that the firm can distribute this cost across its various constituents that generate operational risk. Several capital allocation principles are revised. Proportional allocation allows to calculate a relative risk premium to be charged to each unit. An example of fraud risk in the banking sector is presented and some correlation scenarios between business lines are compared. Keywords: solvency, quantile, value at risk, copulas

The accumulation of financial and social capital as a means to achieve a sustained competitive advantage for consumer co-operatives

By so far, scholars have discussed how the characteristics of consumer co-operatives (cooperative principles, values and the dual role of members as the users and owners) can potentially give them a competitive advantage over investor-owned firms (IOFs). In addition, concern for the community (as partly derived from locality and regionality) has been seen as a potential source of success for consumer co-operatives. On the other hand, the geographicbound purpose of consumer co-operation causes that consumer co-operative can be regarded as a challenging company form to manage. This is because, according to the purpose of consumer co-operation, co-operatives are obligated to 1) provide the owners with services and goods that are needed and do so at more affordable prices than their competitors do and/or 2) to operate in areas in which competitors do not want to operate (for example, because of the low profitability in certain area of business or region). Thus, consumer co-operatives have to operate very efficiently in order to execute this geographic-bound corporate purpose (e.g. they cannot withdraw from the competition during the declining stages of business). However, this efficiency cannot be achieved by any means; as the acceptance from the important regional stakeholders is the basic operational precondition and lifeline in the long run. Thereby, the central question for the survival and success of consumer co-operatives is; how should the consumer co-operatives execute its corporate purpose so it can be the best alternative to its members in the long run? This question has remained unanswered and lack empirical evidence in the previous studies on the strategic management of consumer cooperation. In more detail, scholars have not yet empirically investigated the question: How can consumer co-operatives use financial and social capital to achieve a sustained competitive advantage? It is this research gap that this doctoral dissertation aims to fulfil. This doctoral dissertation aims to answer the above questions by combining and utilizing interview data from S Group co-operatives and the central organizations in S Group´s network (overall, 33 interviews were gathered), archival material and 56 published media articles/reports. The study is based on a qualitative case study approach that is aimed at theory development, not theory verification (as the theory is considered as nascent in this field of study). Firstly, the findings of this study indicate that consumer co-operatives accumulate financial capital; 1) by making profit (to invest and grow) and 2) by utilizing a network-based organizational structure (local supply chain economies). As a result of financial capital accumulation, consumer co-operatives are able to achieve efficiency gains but also remain local. In addition, a strong financial capital base increases consumer co-operatives´ independence, competitiveness and their ability to participate in regional development (which is in accordance with their geographically bound corporate purpose). Secondly, consumer cooperatives accumulate social capital through informal networking (with important regional stakeholders), corporate social responsibility (CSR) behaviour and CSR reporting, pursuing common good, and interacting and identity sharing. As a result of social capital accumulation, consumer co-operatives are able to obtain the resources for managing; 1) institutional dependencies and 2) customer relations. By accumulating both social and financial capital through the above presented actions, consumer co-operatives are able to achieve sustained competitive advantage. Finally, this thesis provides useful ideas and new knowledge for cooperative managers concerning why and how consumer co-operatives should accumulate financial and social capital (to achieve sustained competitive advantage), while aligning with their corporate purpose.

Allergies and asthma: employing principles of social justice as a guide in public health policy development

This article is an excellent example of applied ethics in public health policy development.

Allergies And Asthma : Employing Principles Of Social Justice As A Guide In Public Health Policy Development

The growing epidemic of allergy and allergy-induced asthma poses a significant challenge to population health. This article, written for a target audience of policy-makers in public health, aims to contribute to the development of policies to counter allergy morbidities by demonstrating how principles of social justice can guide public health initiatives in reducing allergy and asthma triggers. Following a discussion of why theories of social justice have utility in analyzing allergy, a step-wise policy assessment protocol formulated on Rawlsian principles of social justice is presented. This protocol can serve as a tool to aid in prioritizing public health initiatives and identifying ethically problematic policies that necessitate reform. Criteria for policy assessment include: 1) whether a tentative public health intervention would provide equal health benefit to a range of allergy and asthma sufferers, 2) whether targeting initiatives towards particu- lar societal groups is merited based on the notion of ‘worst-off status’ of certain population segments, and 3) whether targeted policies have the potential for stigmatization. The article concludes by analyzing three examples of policies used in reducing allergy and asthma triggers in order to convey the general thought process underlying the use of the assessment protocol, which public health officials could replicate as a guide in actual, region-specific policy development.

Responsabilidade civil como função social na distribuição e revenda de combustível face ao direito do consumidor e ao meio ambiente

The civil liability of the distribution and retail fuel stems from the fact business activity developed to be high risk and can be said as risk inherent or latent danger that has predictability and normality characterized by placing the consumer in a position of vulnerability, such as the environment, both public policies defined and constitutional protection. Consumer protection as a fundamental right and the environment as the primacy of social order aims the welfare and social justice, as inserted right to the third dimension, are guarded by the State when it creates operational standards through public policies and indirectly intervenes in the economic order. This intervention is due to consumer protection and the environment are economic order principles, founded on free initiative and free competition, ensuring everyone a dignified existence which underlies the irradiation of fundamental rights in private initiative, before the commercial evaluation, mass consumption, the emergence of new technologies that link consumers to the environment before the protection of life, health and safety and ensuring a better quality of life for present and future generations. To repair this damage and the right to information are provided as fundamental rights that put the person at the epicenter of the relations and collective interest stands out against individual interests that to be done need public-private partnership. In such a way that the used methodology was an analysis of documents correlating them with bibliographic sources whose goals are to recognize the civil responsibility as limit to subjective right, having to develop a social function where guilt and risk grow distant and the damage is configured as a consequence of inherent risk, requiring the State interventional postures in fulfilling its public policy; prevailing in these risky activities the solidarity of those involved in the chain of production and socialization of damage forward those are provided directly of products of hazardous nature that put in a position of vulnerability the environment and the consumer

La participación popular y los principios de desarrollo de la comunidad en el desarrollo económico y social = Popular participation and principles of community development in relation to the acceleration of economic and social development

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