1545 research outputs found
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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Digital Age: How Technology-Enabled Social Responsibility Initiatives Influence Competitive Advantage and Financial Performance in U.S. Insurance
No full textThis study examines the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and financial performance among publicly-traded insurance companies in the United States. As CSR evolves from voluntary ethical practice to strategic business imperative, understanding its financial implications becomes crucial for corporate decision-making and stakeholder value creation. This research employed a comprehensive literature-based analysis, synthesizing data from academic meta-analyses, industry sustainability reports, SEC filings, and investor sentiment surveys spanning 2022-2024. The study analyzed financial performance metrics, stock market reactions to CSR announcements, and institutional investor perceptions across major U.S. insurance firms including AIG, Prudential, MetLife, Swiss Re, Allianz, Munich Re, State Farm, and AXA. Data sources included Bloomberg Terminal reports, NYSE and NASDAQ performance data, and surveys from Morningstar, CFA Institute, and PwC covering institutional investors managing over $16.5 trillion in assets. The analysis reveals four key findings: First, insurance firms allocating at least 5% of net income to structured CSR programs demonstrated an average ROA increase of 3.1%, with companies like Munich Re and AXA showing superior performance through strategic sustainability initiatives. Second, event study analysis of CSR announcements yielded positive abnormal stock returns averaging 2.8% within five-day windows, with sustainability-focused initiatives generating returns exceeding 4.2%. Third, 70% of institutional investors consider CSR performance critical in investment decisions, with 79% viewing ESG compliance as risk mitigation. Fourth, companies engaging in greenwashing or unstructured CSR investments experienced negative market reactions, reinforcing the importance of authentic, measurable sustainability efforts. These findings demonstrate that CSR effectiveness depends on strategic implementation, transparency, and authentic commitment rather than expenditure magnitude alone. The study contributes to stakeholder theory and strategic management literature by providing empirical evidence that CSR has evolved from peripheral corporate activity to core strategic capability essential for competitive advantage, financial stability, and investor trust in the contemporary insurance industry
Sustento del Espíritu (Triptych - Center)
No full textTitle translated to, Sustenance of the Spirit.
Created 2025.
This work of art is part of a triptych, acrylic on canvas.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/digital-exhibits/1061/thumbnail.jp
Effect of Ethanol on γ-Hydroxy Butyrate UdpGlucuronosyltransferase Activity
No full textGamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), is a schedule I controlled substance, not uncommonly encountered in forensic casework as a euphorigenic, and also as an incapacitating agent in drug facilitated sexual assault cases. GHB is also an endogenous compound, structurally related to the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Mechanistically, the drug appears to act to some extent as an agonist of GABAA and GABAB receptors, resulting in chloride influx or potassium efflux in post synaptic neurons, respectively. Toxic effects in elevated doses include significant central nervous system depression, with the potential for loss of consciousness, and the potential for fatal respiratory depression. GHB toxicity can apparently be exacerbated by co-ingestion with ethanol. GHB metabolism has been presumed to primarily occur via oxidation to succinyl semialdehyde, and subsequently succinate, with resulting entry to the TCA cycle and elimination as CO2. However, conjugation of GHB in a manner similar to that of ethanol (e.g. the glucuronide, and sulfate form) has been demonstrated. Based on the structural similarities between the C1 and C2 of ethanol and C3 and C4 of GHB, we have hypothesized that ethanol and GHB would simultaneously function as competitive inhibitors, and substrates of the glucuronosyl transferase active on both compounds. A consequence of such effects would be an overall increase in the concentration of the drug, resulting in prolonged half-life and increased AUC. We have evaluated our hypothesis using a modified microsomal enzyme assay containing both ethanol and GHB, (1.0, 1.7 and 3.0 g/dL and 0.5, 2 and 5 uM, respectively) with detection of ethyl-glucuronide via HPLC-MS. Our resulting data indicates that GHB is able to function as a competitive inhibitor of ethanol, with an increased Km in proportion to the concentration of GHB. In this experiment, the concentration of GHB was relatively low, and that of ethanol were high, compared to levels encountered in many drug abuse scenarios
Developing a Method for the Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Heavy Metals In Topical CBD Pain Relief Products
No full textIn 2018, the United States passed the Farm Bill, which removed cannabidiol (CBD) from the list of controlled substances, where it was previously considered a schedule 1 drug, and legalized any cannabis-derived products containing less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). As a result of this bill, there has been an increase in sales and an influx of matrices for cannabis-based products. One subsection of cannabis products that has gained interest in recent years is the topical use of CBD. Research has shown that topical CBD products may be useful to stimulate wound healing, treat non-melanoma skin cancer, and reduce inflammation, itching, and pain. However, since CBD has no accepted medical or recreational use, with the expectation of Epidiolex to treat epilepsy, any cannabis-based products on the market are largely unregulated by The Food and Drng Administration (FDA). Due to the lack of regulations and limited analysis of CBD products before they enter the market, there are concerns about label accuracy and potential product contamination. Heavy metal contamination in CBD products is an area of concern, partially due to processing cross-contamination and post-processing adulteration, but also due to the natural bioaccumulative capacity of the cannabis plant, which removes heavy metals from substrate soils and deposits them in the plant tissues. Heavy metals are classified as carcinogens and have been shown to aid cancer progression or reduce sensitivity to treatment. Topical exposure to heavy metals was previously thought to only have local effects on the body, however recent studies have shown that they are capable of penetrating deep into the skin, reaching the blood circulatory system, and causing exposure to internal organs. An extraction method and a digestion method using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) were evaluated for their use in analyzing lotions for the presence of heavy metals, specifically lead and cadmium. Eight (8) topical CBD products sold online were analyzed for the potential presence of lead and cadmium. The extraction method analyzed was not successful in extracting heavy metals from lotion samples. The digestion method was found to be successful for use in analyzing lotions with relatively high levels of lead or cadmium. Lead and cadmium were unable to be detected in any of the eight CBD lotions analyzed
InnoXtract vs PrepFiler BTA: Extracting DNA from Burned Skeletal Remains
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate the different levels of DNA extraction in thermally altered samples by comparing the InnoXtract and PrepFiler BTA extraction kits. PrepFiler BTA is a DNA extraction kit designed to use for bone samples which uses silica coated magnetic beads to extract DNA from powdered bone. InnoXtract is a specialized kit for bone samples which uses the same silica coated magnetic bead method for DNA extraction. Burned skeletal remains pose a challenge since high temperature exposure denatures the DNA and degrades DNA that can be extracted. For this experiment, porcine femurs were used as a human model. The porcine femurs were given one of three treatments, unburned, burned at 200 o C for 15 minutes, or burned at 200 o C for 30 minutes. Cuttings of each bone’s cross section were taken and powdered. The powder was used for extractions. Three extractions were done from each cross section per extraction kit. The extractions were analyzed by running real-time PCR quantitation on the samples. The data showed that the length of time the bones were burned was not statistically significant and that the extraction kit used was not statistically significant in relation to the quantity of DNA recovered
Enhancing Non-Planar 3d Printing of Thermosetting Prepolymers: Predictive Design and Modification
No full textAdditive Manufacturing (AM) is evolving rapidly, becoming a highly versatile fabrication technology. While AM excels in manufacturing intricate models, existing methods can be proven inadequate for the fabrication of curved structures. Conventional AM processes rely solely on generating extrusion paths on a horizontal plane, leading to potential inaccuracies and disconnections in the final parts. This study addresses this limitation by introducing a novel AM method for printing on non-planar structures. An algorithm is established to develop the program structure for non-planar printing. A visual programming language is employed to develop a program that can generate print paths for curved structures. A unique extrusion mechanism system is designed and printed to facilitate the printing process. The developed system is put to the test by printing free-form structures using thermoset pre-polymers. The impacts of several print parameters on print quality are analyzed. A case-dependent dynamic extrusion multiplier is implemented to have better control while printing the thermosetting pre-polymeric materials. The results demonstrate the efficacy of non-planar 3D printing in overcoming the previous limitations associated with conventional planar fabrication processes. Notably, this method facilitates the manufacturing of complex structures while preserving the printed components\u27 functional integrity
Fuerza de Vida
No full textTitle translated to Life Force.
This work of art is acrylic on canvas, 14.5” by 20.5”.
For as long as I can remember, my family’s strong and resilient women have profoundly influenced my perspective and journey through life. For many years, I found it difficult to comprehend my mother’s heart-wrenching decision to leave me behind with my grandfather as a child in the vibrant yet challenging landscape of Puerto Rico. However, her actions became apparent as I delved deeper into her story. I envisioned a young woman fiercely reclaiming her agency, bravely standing against a cycle of abuse, and making the agonizing choice to sacrifice her child in pursuit of her freedom and dignity.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/digital-exhibits/1053/thumbnail.jp
Nursing Leadership Preparation: Exploring Value and Effects
No full textHealth sector literature advocates for leadership preparation to foster teamwork, thereby facilitating team wellbeing and improving team outcomes. The nursing profession occupies 59% of the global healthcare workforce, making it essential that nurse leaders are both proficient and effective. Statistics, however, demonstrate that 60% of frontline managers do not receive leadership training. Furthermore, the existing evaluations for competency-based healthcare leadership preparation have been limited to participant self-reports of improvement. What is not clearly understood are the performance outcome measures of leadership preparation, determined by the staff in their span of control, as indicated by the markers of wellbeing. These wellbeing markers include leadership trust, levels of stress, levels of anxiety, and burnout. In addition to negatively affecting team effectiveness and outcomes, negative indicators for these markers result in higher nursing vacancies and turnover rates. Also poorly understood is whether a nursing specific preparation or an interprofessional preparation methodology offers more positive results. For this study, participants were members of the Connecticut Nurses’ Association, solicited through the organization’s social media platforms using an anonymous survey. As a two-pronged quantitative study, inquiry was directed to entry-level nurse managers and to frontline nurses not in managerial positions. Results indicated a significant correlation between nursing leadership preparation and team wellbeing. Lower vacancy rates and turnover rates were also attributed to leadership preparation, although the type of leadership preparation did not factor into the effect. Given these findings, institutions across all sectors of healthcare should harness this information, using it as a driver to invest in developing and sustaining competency-based leadership preparation curricula to optimize their nursing workforce
Leave Them to Their Own Devices: When Employee Informal Power in Strategically Core Roles Enhances Organizational Performance
No full textIn this empirical study, I develop theorizing on the conditions under which employees’ informal, competence-based power in strategically core roles enhances organizational performance. I propose that in contexts characterized by high task specialization and interdependence, employees with high informal power positively influence performance through higher motivation and improved coordination. However, this effect is weaker when managers also hold high informal power or emphasize hierarchical structures, as these factors create power conflicts that undermine employees’ informal influence. Conversely, the positive effect is stronger when employees receive negative performance feedback, which they perceive as a challenge to their competence, leading to stronger association between employee informal power and performance. Empirical analyses provide strong support for these propositions, showing that employees’ informal power in strategically core roles can be a key driver of performance improvements, but only under specific organizational conditions
Performance of Arbitrage Mutual Funds: Risk, Fund Size and Market Sentiments – Evidence from India
No full textWe examine the theory of decreasing returns to scale by assessing the impact of fund size on the performance of arbitrage mutual funds in India. Fund manager of arbitrage funds with large fund size tend to hold cash equivalents due to inadequate arbitrage opportunities, resulting in underperformance. The study formulates four equally weighted portfolios of selected arbitrage mutual funds on the basis of fund size and applies market model and Jensen’s differential return model (1968) to examine the differential performance of portfolios. We apply Bhardwaj & Brooks dual beta model (1993) to assess performance of arbitrage fund portfolios across different market sentiments specifically during bull and bear markets. We further apply Fama-French three factor (1993) and five factor (2015) models and Carhart four factor (1997) models for robustness checks. We find no significant difference between arbitrage fund returns and risk-free returns as well as the portfolio returns with different fund sizes. The small sized arbitrage mutual funds are more exposed to systematic risk than large sized funds in bearish market