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When do stakeholders mobilize in response to corporate social irresponsibility? : A systematic literature review
No full textIrresponsible behavior of corporations is rampant, causing tremendous harm on a regional, national, and global scale. Sometimes stakeholders challenge such behavior, sometimes it remains unchallenged. A substantial body of research has emerged on the conditions that affect if and when stakeholders—such as investors, consumers, or local communities—mobilize against corporate social irresponsibility, yet this literature is fragmented, which hampers our understanding of the phenomenon. This paper systematically reviews 151 articles on stakeholder mobilization against corporate social irresponsibility to condense our understanding of the drivers and hindrances for stakeholder mobilization to occur. We develop a model that depicts when stakeholders are likely to mobilize against corporate social irresponsibility. Based on this model, we derive suggestions for future research, depicting what we still need to learn about the conditions that lead to stakeholders’ mobilization against corporate social irresponsibility
Jättebalsaminens status i Ljusdals kommun
No full textThe Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is an invasive plant native to the Himalayas that is now widespread across Europe. This species is very competitive in certain habitats and outcompetes many of the native plants in Europe. The Ljusdal municipality is one of many municipalities in Sweden that are now working with combating the Himalayan balsam and stopping the spread. In this study the size of Himalayan balsam populations, potential sources of spread, the impact of light on population size, and the species presence near composts was investigated in the Ljusdal Municipality. The results indicate that the Himalayan balsam is common within the municipality and a large number of the locations contain more than 100 individuals. Human activity seems to play a greater role in the spread of Himalayan balsam compared to natural forces like water. The light conditions in each location also seem to affect the species success where the large populations more often was found in more favorable light conditions. A large amount of the locations was also located near composts which are a major problem when it comes to combating the Himalayan balsam. The results from this study was compared with the results of a similar study done on the Himalayan balsam in the Umeå Municipality
Preparing for the unpredictable : A qualitative study of how service SMEs navigates through moments of unprecedented uncertainty
No full textExternal challenges and uncertainties are unavoidable for the majority of businesses during their life cycle, some even affecting an entire business environment and demanding operational and strategic change. These situations are especially associated with moments of unprecedented uncertainties because of their unexperienced characteristics, and thereby, little to no existing preset navigation guidelines. Recent unprecedented uncertainties, like COVID-19, presents the fragile foundation of many businesses, particularly in the service sector. Additionally, small and medium-sized enterprises are also vulnerable during unprecedented uncertainties because of their limited resources and operational stability. Even though turbulent times presents threats, it can also pose unique opportunities for growth, if the companies are strategically prepared to adapt. This can be done by the utilization of Strategic Entrepreneurship, balancing opportunity- and advantage-seeking activities, taking advantage of the current strengths of the business and at the same time exploring new innovations. The study’s purpose is to offer insights on how such a balance not only supports adaptability in the face of unprecedented uncertainty, but how it also can serve as a proactive approach for building resilience and preparedness. To address the study's purpose, the research question is stated as follows: • How do small and medium-sized enterprises in the service sector utilize Strategic Entrepreneurship during moments of unprecedented uncertainty? The research is conducted through an abductive approach in which the empirical data were gathered by semi-structured interviews. In total, five interviews were conducted with strategic employees from service SMEs in Sweden. The goal was to collect the respondents' experiences of the company's strategic activities relating to Strategic Entrepreneurship during unprecedented uncertainty. Furthermore, a thematic analysis was made to find similarities and differences between the respondents' actions, as well as connections with the conceptual model. These connections resulted in subthemes complementing the main themes, which are presented together in the empirical analysis chapter. Findings of the study confirm that service SMEs do engage in both opportunity-seeking and advantage-seeking activities. However, they are not simultaneously used by all respondents, instead the balance depends on organizational context and other external conditions, meaning that they do not utilize SE consistently. Incorporating a consistent balance between the activities is essential for service SMEs resilience during unprecedented uncertainty and long-term success. The study’s findings show that some companies are rather reactive than proactive in their utilization of SE during moments of unprecedented uncertainty, resulting in lack of preparedness and thereby minimizing their coping ability. Furthermore, the findings of the study challenge the foundational literature of SE and suggest that a temporal dimension needs to be integrated within the field of SE
The important gut feeling : a qualitative content analysis of ambulance nurses’ experiences of encountering victims of domestic violence
No full textDomestic violence is a global public health issue which violates women's human rights. Ambulance nurses may encounter women exposed to domestic violence, often under complex and time-constrained circumstances, and often in patients’ homes. The present study aimed to explore how ambulance nurses experience such situations in a prehospital setting. The study's qualitative design was based on eight semi-structured interviews with ambulance nurses in one Swedish region. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The study follows the COREQ (i.e. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) reporting guidelines. The findings show that the nurses relied on subtle signs, intuition and experience to interpret the situation and assess potential exposure to violence. Creating trust was described as central, yet difficult. Participants described strategies to enable disclosure, such as separating the individual from their partner and using the ambulance as a neutral space. At the same time, a lack of guidelines and uncertainty about further steps contributed to hesitation and emotional strain. The results point to a need for increased support in the form of education, structured documentation and clear referral pathways. Strengthening these areas may help ambulance nurses feel more confident in responding to domestic violence and contribute to safer care for the victims of domestic violence
Behind the illusion : unmasking the coercion in pornography production
No full textDespite extensive research and public discourse on the effects of pornography on consumers, little attention has been given to the experiences of those filmed for its production. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 28 individuals filmed for pornography, we explored what pornography represents for them and its implications for their lives. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three main themes: Coercion behind the illusion of desire, A public record, and Enduring impacts. Our findings challenge the notion that pornography predominantly features sexual acts devoid of coercion. We conclude by discussing the legal and practical implications of our findings
Socioeconomic status, antidepressant use, and return to work after disability due to common mental disorders
No full textBackground: Common mental disorders (CMDs) are significant causes of work disability. Low socioeconomic status (SES) is a known risk factor for CMDs and work disability, one possible reason being poorer treatment adherence. We aimed to study the realization of pharmacological treatment and antidepressant adherence in patients with CMDs 3 years before and 3 years after being granted a disability pension (DP) and the role of SES in this. We also studied whether antidepressant adherence is associated with return to work (RTW) after a temporary DP. Methods: Information on all persons granted a DP due to CMD between 2010 and 2012 in Finland (n = 12,388) was retrieved from national registers, which included medical, socioeconomic, and sociodemographic information of the subjects. We used the PRE2DUP method to estimate drug use periods and regression analyses to study associations between SES, taking medications, and RTW. Results: Prevalence of taking antidepressants increased towards the DP grant and decreased thereafter, but 14.6% of subjects did not take antidepressants or antipsychotics at all during the study period. Of SES factors, only income was positively associated with antidepressant adherence, lasting over a year. Antidepressant adherence was not associated with RTW. Conclusions: An alarming result was the absence of recommended medication in fewer than every seventh patient estimated to be disabled due to pharmacologically treatable psychiatric disorders. Contrary to expectations, SES had only a minor predictive role in antidepressant adherence in this patient group. Contrary to taking antidepressants, rehabilitation was associated with RTW. The results adduced the importance of CMD treatment optimization regardless of SES
Estimating diagnostic delay in patients with pituitary adenomas in Sweden : a cross-sectional study
No full textObjective: A delayed diagnosis of pituitary adenomas (PAs) can lead to increased morbidity and reduced quality of life. The aim was to estimate diagnostic delay and investigate the concordance between patient-reported symptoms and the medical record documentation in patients with PA. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Seven university hospitals. Participants: 654 patients: non-functioning PA (NFPA, 314), prolactinoma (118), acromegaly (164) and Cushing's Disease (CD, 58). Data collection: Questionnaires and medical record extraction. Primary and secondary outcomes: Type of first healthcare contact, delay of PA diagnosis and patient-reported symptoms and symptoms documented in medical records. Results: First healthcare contact was usually a general practitioner. Estimated time from symptoms to diagnosis varied from <1 year (66%), 1-5 years (12%), 5-9 years (13%) and >10 years (9%). The longest diagnostic delays were observed in acromegaly and CD. A longer delay was observed in women compared with men (p<0.001). The most frequent patient-reported symptoms among NFPA were headache and visual disturbances; for prolactinomas, menstrual irregularities and headache; for acromegaly, change in appearance and snoring; and for CD, weight gain and tiredness. Concordance between patient-reported symptoms at diagnosis and medical records was found for visual disturbances in NFPA and prolactinomas (Cohen's kappa >0.6) and for menstrual irregularities in prolactinomas (Cohen's kappa >0.7). Conclusion: We report a large variation in symptom duration before diagnosis with a substantial diagnostic delay in patients with CD and acromegaly. An increased awareness about endocrine diseases in the general population and health professionals may contribute to earlier diagnosis of pituitary adenomas
Dementia risk prediction in early Parkinson's disease : Validation and genetic integration of the Montreal Parkinson risk of dementia scale (MoPaRDS)
No full textBackground: Prediction models for dementia in Parkinson disease (PD) are needed to better identify high-risk patients, but existing risk models often lack validation in early-stage PD, when prognosis is most challenging. Objective: This study aims to validate the Montreal Parkinson Risk of Dementia Scale (MoPaRDS) in six population-based cohorts of newly diagnosed PD and to evaluate if incorporating genetic factors (GBA1 and APOE-ε4) enhances its performance. Methods: We calculated MoPaRDS scores for 1108 newly diagnosed PD patients, and MoPaRDS + GBA1 + APOE for the 941 patients with complete genetic data. We assessed the scores' performance in predicting dementia diagnosed over 10 years using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Of the 1108 patients (mean age 69.5 ± 10.0 years; 61.0% men), 350 (31.6%) developed dementia. The area under the time-dependent ROC curve (AUC) was 0.79 for MoPaRDS and 0.80 for MoPaRDS + GBA1 + APOE. Subdividing patients based on their MoPaRDS scores revealed annual observed risks of PDD of 39.4% (n = 8; high risk-), 11.4% (n = 176; intermediate risk-), and 5.0% (n = 942; low risk-group). With the suggested cutoff of ≥4, MoPaRDS had a sensitivity of 21.7% and specificity of 94.9%. Including the genetic items improved the sensitivity to 36.4% while maintaining comparable performance for specificity (91.5%). Conclusions: MoPaRDS demonstrates high specificity but limited sensitivity in early PD, highlighting that a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate for predicting dementia risk in PD across different disease stages. Integrating genetic items increases sensitivity and identifies more newly diagnosed patients at higher risk of dementia, and may be a useful approach to assist dementia risk assessment in early-stage PD
Inhibition of infection-associated oral bacteria adhesion by probiotics : in vitro and in vivo models
No full textOral health in immature permanent teeth with traumatic injuries is particularly vulnerable, and regenerative endodontic treatment (RET) using stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP) holds potential for root development and tissue regeneration. However, bacterial persistence, especially Enterococcus faecalis, poses a challenge to successful treatment outcomes. To address this, we evaluated the probiotic Lactobacillus gasseri for its co-aggregative and anti-adhesive properties against E. faecalis. An in vitro aggregation test demonstrated effective co-aggregation between the probiotic and opportunistic strains. Additionally, flow cytometry analysis revealed that E. faecalis binding to SCAP was significantly reduced when the L. gasseri concentration was nine times higher. To substantiate these findings, an in vivo Drosophila melanogaster gut model was used, where immunofluorescence imaging and culture-based methods confirmed decreased E. faecalis adhesion at both 1:1 and 9:1 probiotic-to-opportunistic ratios. These results highlight L. gasseri B16 as a promising probiotic strain to improve RET outcomes
Enhancing online retail engagement : the role of augmented reality in product presentations
No full textThis study investigates the impact of augmented reality (AR) technology on consumer engagement, product attitudes, and purchase intention in online stores. By examining how AR enhances traditional 2D and 3D product representations, the research aims to determine its effectiveness in improving online product presentations and delivering value to both consumers and retailers. An empirical study was conducted using a between-subjects experiment involving 120 participants, who were randomly assigned to view one of the four digital product representations of an IKEA table lamp, including various combinations of 2D images, 3D models, and AR. Engagement, product attitudes, and purchase intentions were assessed through a structured questionnaire following exposure to the stimuli. Findings revealed that AR significantly increased consumer engagement compared to 2D or 3D images alone, but did not lead to notable improvements in product attitudes or purchase intentions. This indicates that while AR can enhance engagement, it may not directly affect consumers´ evaluations or purchasing decisions. These results contribute to the growing literature on AR in retail by positioning it as an enhancement to existing digital representations rather than a standalone solution. The study also contributes to an increased managerial understanding of the possible benefits of implementing different types of product presentations in online retail