Nature and social work pedagogy: How U.S. social work educators are integrating issues of the natural environment into their teaching

ABSTRACT

The article presents a study of how U.S. social work educators are including discussion, exercises, readings, and other pedagogical approaches to the natural environment into their classrooms. The findings are part of a larger, naturalistic study that gathered data using a semi-structured interview format. The three major themes that emerged were human behavior theory, ecological and environmental justice, and environmental sustainability. The participants are introducing issues of the natural environment using varied pedagogical techniques including readings, in-class discussions and exercises, service learning, assignments, including written and practical work, research, self-awareness exercises, and class facilitation. Questions for further investigation of social work and the natural environment are included.     

面向新时代的国民经济核算研究议题及相关问题

本文结合国际国内研究动态分层次归纳、阐释当前国民经济核算的研究议题。具体包括:以国民账户体系2008版(SNA-2008)为起点的前沿研究,SNA中心框架的灵活运用研究,接驳中国国民经济核算体系(CSNA)及其实务的优化和创新研究,国民经济核算数据的综合应用研究。最后针对中国当前国民经济核算研究方法中存在的一些倾向性问题做讨论,比如是否过分关注与GDP的关联, 如何充分发挥卫星账户的作用等。     

Dynamic capabilities and high-tech entrepreneurial ventures’ performance in the aftermath of an environmental jolt

This paper contributes to studies on dynamic capabilities (DCs) by showing that a neglected environmental contingency – i.e. the occurrence of a jolt – shapes the DCs–performance relationship. We focus on high-tech entrepreneurial ventures because these are the firms that jolts affect most; in so doing, we also advance the understanding of DCs in the entrepreneurship field. We argue that, in the aftermath of an environmental jolt, the high-tech entrepreneurial ventures that use internationalization and new product development capabilities to modify their resource configuration and regain environmental fit enjoy better performance. Econometric estimates on a sample of 340 Italian high-tech entrepreneurial ventures confronting the consequences of the global economic crisis that began in 2008 confirm that separately using these two DCs has a positive performance effect. This effect is stronger for relatively smaller ventures. Interestingly, despite synergies should arise from the combined use of the two DCs, we do not detect any superadditive effects.     

Averting the rise of the dark side of social media: The role of sensitization and regulation

Social media have fundamentally influenced the way we live. Thus far, research has mainly focused on the ‘bright side’ of social media and the many advantages these platforms bring. More and more, however, research is also beginning to address the ‘dark side’ of social media. Dark side phenomena include cyberbullying, manipulation of elections, fear of missing out, social media addiction and the distribution of fake news. In this editorial for the management focus section of the European Management Journal, we propose two strategies (sensitizing and regulating) to manage this dark side of social media. Additionally, this editorial introduces the four articles included in this management focus section. We hope that the featured articles will help to encourage further research in this area.     

环境分权对经济高质量发展的影响研究

本文通过构建经济高质量发展评价指标体系并对其进行测算,运用静态、动态以及空间面板数据模型实证检验了环境分权对经济高质量发展的影响效应。研究发现,环境分权对经济高质量发展的影响呈现出先抑后扬的“U”型特征,并且当前我国环境分权对经济高质量发展的影响依然体现为负向作用。使用工具变量处理内生性问题以及一系列稳健性检验后结论依然成立。传导渠道分析表明,环境分权通过资源错配渠道影响经济高质量发展,并且环境分权对经济高质量发展的影响还具有地区异质性、结构异质性等。本文的研究结论有助于厘清环境分权对经济高质量发展的影响效应,为调整及优化环境分权制度安排提供了重要的政策指引和借鉴。     

Does biomass energy consumption reduce total energy CO2 emissions in the US?

This study investigates the causal relationship between total biomass energy consumption, total energy CO₂ emissions, and GDP in the United States for the period January 1973–December 2016 by employing a directed acyclic graph (DAG) techniques and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. Additionally, this paper examines the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. The result of the DAG reveals that total biomass energy consumption and GDP have a unidirectional contemporaneous causal relationship with total energy CO₂ emissions. Based on the results of the ARDL, we find that a 1% increase in per capita total biomass energy consumption causes a 0.65% reduction in per capita total energy CO₂ emissions in the long-run. This finding implies that expanding the usage of biomass is one way to reduce and control greenhouse gases in the US. Moreover, we find that the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis is satisfied for the US case. Findings from this study suggest that energy policies should stimulate an increase of biomass production for reducing total energy CO₂.     

Compliance Strategies and Regulatory Effectiveness of Performance-Based Regulation of Chemical Accident Risks

This paper investigates the role that performance-based regulations can play in linking a firm's environmental, health, and safety concerns with their corporate strategy. The specific focus is on the performance standards required by the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) which require firms that store or use certain chemicals to develop a Risk Management Plan (RMP) for reducing the likelihood and impact of accidents at their plants. Data from a series of case studies and interviews of executives in chemical firms reveal that proactive companies integrated many of the requirements of the CAAA into their management systems prior to the regulatory requirements. Most of these firms tend to be large ones. Small firms often lack the resources to implement these regulations and hence have tended to have a more difficult time with compliance.     

日本环境法中非规制调整方法及对我国的启示

日本环境法的调整方法除规制方法之外,还有综合性方法、经济方法、信息型方法、行政指导、环境协定、事后措施等非规制调整方法。规制方法与和非规制方法各有其优劣,要兼顾公平与效率,应当注意将该两种方法运用在不同的情形;同时,应当注意综合运用这两种方法。引导合意方法的运用方向应为不确定的环境风险、生活型公害及环境舒适问题,我国环境法的调整方法存在合意方法即行政指导、环境协定应用得很少等缺陷,应借鉴日本的经验,加以改进。     

生态美学、环境美学与自然美学辨析

生态美学、环境美学和自然美学的勃兴,是美学对全球性自然环境危机的积极回应。生态美学以生态伦理学为哲学基础,试图从生态审美的角度解决自然、社会的生态问题和人类精神世界的荒芜。环境美学把人放在环境中,从审美的角度重估了环境的价值。自然美学以现代自然观为基础,力图解决自然美的难题,还自然美现实存在的本真性。     

公用事业特许经营的政府监管研究

特许经营制度是公用事业市场化的主要实现形式,政府监管是公用事业特许经营法治化的重要内容。公用事业特许经营监管的基础是实现监管权的统一与独立。应从实体和程序两个方面完善特许权授予的监管。建立科学合理的价格模型及周期性审查和调整是公用事业特许经营价格监管的核心。公用事业特许经营质量监管的主要内容是督促建立内部质量管理制度、制定可量化的标准及建立质量检验体系。政府监管应推动公用事业的网络化普及、排除歧视性及完善补偿机制,以确保特许经营项目履行普遍服务。此外,必须加强对公用事业特许经营政府监管的监管制度建设。