21436 research outputs found
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Breaking Free from Managerial Myopia: Government and Corporate Governance as Catalysts for Firm Innovation
No full textEmploying textual analysis of the “short-term vision” vocabulary in annual reports, we investigate the impact of managerial myopia on firm innovation and performance. Our results indicate that managerial myopia hampers innovation, and this result remains robust across a battery of robustness checks. Managerial myopia also weakens the positive impact of innovation on firm growth, and value in the long run. We find that state ownership and good corporate governance mitigate the negative impact of managerial myopia. The evidence supports the upper echelon theory and time orientation theoretical framework. This paper enriches the research on the influencing factors of corporate innovation, by providing evidence that people’s perception of time affects decision making and provides support for government ownership and strong corporate governance practices in alleviating the negative consequences of managerial myopia.fals
Energy market deregulation: A new perspective on dividend smoothing
No full textThis paper investigates how U.S. electricity and gas utility firms adapted their dividend policies in response to deregulation of the energy sector, with a focus on understanding the internal financial mechanisms that support or constrain dividend smoothing. Using Lintner’s (1956) speed of adjustment model and a variance decomposition framework, we provide new evidence that deregulation significantly reduced dividend smoothing among utility firms, unlike their counterparts in the broader energy sector or non-energy industries. Specifically, we find that after deregulation, utility firms relied more heavily on debt financing and curtailed investment when faced with an income shock but also reflected that shock in the dividends more than before deregulation. Our empirical analysis draws on firm-level data from 1969 to 2021 and compares behaviour before and after deregulation across multiple firm categories, including a matched sample of non-utility firms. We show that deregulation made it harder for firms to maintaining the same level of dividend smoothing. These findings give insights on the importance of regulatory context in corporate finance research, and how market liberalization can impact not only competition and pricing for the affected sectors, but also the strategies firms use to balance investor expectations and operational needs.fals
Declining Abundance and Variable Condition of Fur Seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) Pups on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island
No full textNew Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) were severely exploited by historical hunting. However, recently assessed colonies in New Zealand are mostly thought to be growing or stable. The exceptions are three colonies (Wekakura Point, Cape Foulwind and Taumaka Island) on the West Coast of the South Island (‘WCSI’), previously documented as in decline. We used mark-recapture and morphometric data to update understandings of pup abundance and condition at these colonies. Pup abundance has continued to decline. In 2025, 186 (95% CI = 178–194) pups were estimated at Wekakura Point, 131 (95% CI = 122–140) at Cape Foulwind and 566 (95% CI = 555–577) at Taumaka Island, representing declines of 83%, 71% and 61% from the respective maxima in the 1990s. Rates of decline have slowed at Wekakura Point and Cape Foulwind since 2016 but have increased at Taumaka Island. Pup condition demonstrated substantial interannual variation. Cape Foulwind pups had the greatest average mass and body condition index score, followed by Wekakura Point and then Taumaka Island. There have been consistencies between years of particularly low pup abundance and condition across the colonies, suggesting common stressors; however, there are likely also some localised factors. Emerging diseases and marine environmental change are evaluated as potential drivers.fals
Authenticity without Essence: A Buddhist-Cognitive Critique of the ‘True Self’ in Spiritual Identity
No full textABSTRACT
The concept of a ‘true self’ remains central to many contemporary spiritual narratives, often serving as a benchmark for authenticity and personal growth. However, this notion typically rests on essentialist assumptions that are increasingly challenged by both Buddhist philosophy and cognitive science. Drawing on the Buddhist doctrine of anattā (non-self) and empirical research on the constructed nature of identity, this article critiques the metaphysical idea of a stable, discoverable self. It argues that authenticity is better understood as a dynamic, relational, and ethically responsive process rather than a return to an inner essence. Through comparative analysis of Western philosophical models, postmodern critiques, and cognitive psychology, the paper demonstrates how identity is shaped by impermanence, interdependence, and contextual factors, and how essentialist assumptions persist despite substantial philosophic and scientific challenges. The article proposes a Buddhist-Cognitive (realist) model of authenticity grounded in impermanence, interdependence, and ethical engagement, extending the original critique by showing how descriptive findings from cognitive science can inform normative claims about spiritual practice and psychological well-being. This model reframes authenticity as a practice of ethical engagement and psychological coherence within a fluid and evolving self-system. By rejecting metaphysical permanence and embracing relational emergence, the article contributes to a pluralistic understanding of authenticity that is both philosophically rigorous and practically applicable in contemporary spiritual and psychological discourse.fals
Indigenous Peoples and local communities as agents of transformative change for sustainability
No full textAchieving just, equitable, and effective sustainability transformations requires diverse social engagement. This paper identifies five key roles played by Indigenous Peoples and local communities as agents of transformative change: embodying sustainable lifeways, resisting harm and defending rights, extending their practices to influence broader systems, and offering foundational models for care-oriented economies and governance. Through illustrative examples, we show how Indigenous Peoples and local communities actively contribute to global transformation. We emphasize the importance of engaging with a wide range of actors in supporting, expanding, and deepening these contributions to realize meaningful, systemic change toward a sustainable and just future.fals
Air-liquid interface biofilm formation of pseudomonads and the impact of traditional clean-in-place on biofilm removal
No full textPseudomonads are common psychrotrophic spoilage bacteria associated with dairy, poultry, and meat processing environments. They can multiply at low temperatures, 4–7 °C, producing thermostable spoilage enzymes. Pseudomonads form strong biofilms by producing higher EPS (Extracellular polymeric substances) at low temperatures. This study focused on the biofilm formation of pseudomonads at the air-liquid interface and their EPS removal. Two strong biofilm-forming isolates, (Pseudomonas lundensis) 3SM and (Pseudomonas cedrina) 20SM were allowed to form biofilms on stainless steel coupons in a CDC reactor under a continuous flow of nutrients at 4 °C over a week. The cell counts reached approximately 7.5 log CFU/cm2. The biofilms formed at the air-liquid interface showed more visible biofilms, polysaccharides, and higher cell counts than those submerged in liquid. Cleaning the biofilms using 1 % NaOH at 70 °C resulted in viable bacterial cells below the detection limit. However, residual material termed biofilm “footprints” was present after cleaning and were analysed with SEM and FTIR. The SEM observations showed tightly packed robust biofilm cells before cleaning. Coupons treated with 55 °C water showed an upper layer of degraded cells. After treatment with 70 °C NaOH, organic material was still visible under SEM. Based on the FTIR observations, the EPS extracted from the control and treated coupons showed that the amount of biomolecules reduced after cleaning with NaOH, but the footprints still existed. The biofilm footprints led to the early appearance of biofilms at the air-liquid interface compared to new coupons exposed to strong biofilm-forming isolates. Cleaning with caustic can eliminate the cells, but the EPS from biofilms of pseudomonads is not completely removed, resulting in a possibility of regrowth when the new inoculum is introduced.fals
Designing out waste implementation in the wall system of residential projects in New Zealand
No full textThe construction industry accounts for approximately half of all landfill waste in New Zealand (NZ). Designing out waste (DoW) approach has been introduced to minimise waste generation at the design stage, including five key principles: design for off-site construction, reuse and recovery, materials optimisation, waste-efficient procurement, and design for the future. However, the differential applicability of these principles across various building elements poses significant challenges to their practical implementation, while existing guidelines offer only broad and nonspecific recommendations. This study addresses this gap by investigating the application of DoW principles to wall elements, including framing, insulation, lining, and cladding, in residential construction, a sector that accounts for the largest share of NZ construction activity and where wall systems are the major source of material waste. Through a desktop study and fourteen semi-structured interviews, this research investigates the feasibility of applying each DoW principle to materials used in wall systems. Furthermore, five key project factors influencing DoW implementation were identified: project budget, regulatory compliance, accessibility of waste processing infrastructure, material availability and supply chain collaboration, and technical requirements. These factors highlight the importance of project context in determining which DoW strategies can be effectively adopted. The study offers practical and specific guidance to support more effective integration of DoW strategies from the design stage, ultimately contributing to waste minimisation in residential construction.fals
Locally relevant, ethically urgent: Defending SASOP’s stance on transgender and non-binary youth
No full textfals
An Investigation of the Impacts of Controlled Traffic Farming on Soil Properties
No full textSoil compaction caused by uncontrolled machinery traffic is a major constraint to sus
tainable crop production. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF), which restricts machinery
movement to permanent lanes, has been practiced in New Zealand for more than a decade
but has not been evaluated against Random Traffic Farming (RTF). This knowledge gap
limits farmer awareness and adoption. This study hypothesized that CTF reduces soil
compaction and improves soil physical properties compared with RTF. A one-year field
experiment was conducted at Pukekohe, New Zealand, using annual ryegrass grown
under CTF and RTF. Soil penetration resistance (PR), bulk density, total porosity, moisture
content, and air-filled porosity were measured to a 40 cm depth. RTF increased soil PR
relative to CTF across 10–40 cm. Bulk density was lower under CTF (0.96–1.03 g·cm−3) than
RTF (1.11–1.30 g·cm−3), with improved total porosity (0.60–0.62 cm·cm−3) and aeration
(12–23 cm·cm−3). CTF achieved a 5.7% higher bed-level yield. When scaled to the whole
field context, the productivity of tramlines contributed to 8% greater dry matter yield under
CTF than RTF, indicating that the area allocated to tramlines did not negate the system-level
productivity. This study provides the first New Zealand-specific empirical comparison of
CTF and RTF to support adoption of CTF.fals
Physical properties and microstructure of hybrid processed cheeses formulated with plant protein and milk protein ingredients
No full textHybrid processed cheese analogues (HPCAs) containing either mung bean (MPI) or hemp protein (HPI) with rennet casein (RC) at various ratios were prepared and analysed to understand their spatial and microstructural distribution and related physical properties, such as rheological properties, texture profile, meltability, and stretchability. In addition, protein composition and secondary protein structure were studied using SDS–PAGE and FTIR spectroscopy, while CLSM and TEM were employed to visualise the microstructure of the cheese matrix. Results indicated that plant protein types and concentration significantly affected the physical properties and microstructure of HPCAs. The addition of 30 % or more plant protein altered the physical and textural properties as well as the microstructure of the cheese analogues, with a decrease in β-sheet content and an increase in random coil structures. Mung bean protein–based HPCAs exhibit greater stretchability (e.g. 93.8 mm in 30 % MPI vs 41.53 mm in 30 % HPI), rheological, and textural properties, but not meltability (e.g. 1 % in 70 % MPI vs 48 % in 70 % HPI), compared with the hemp protein system at the same mixing ratios. This difference can be attributed to the size of the plant protein aggregation. All data were analysed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test (p < 0.05). These findings deepen our understanding of plant protein-based and hybrid cheeses, paving the way for optimised plant-based dairy alternatives.fals