Auditors in a changing regulatory environment
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how corporate responsibility, at the best of times, is taken for granted, and at the worst of times, becomes a much maligned concept.Design/methodology/approach – Describes how the regulatory landscape is rapidly changing and outlines several conditions that must exist or be achieved to ensure the stability of financial institutions through a better system of regulation and monitoring and rapid intervention, where intervention is called for.Findings – There is a need for greater clarity as to the role of auditors and as to the expectations of regulators.Originality/value – Highlights how, for regulators, auditors and stakeholders, the issue of the role of auditors in a changing regulatory climate is an important subject that deserves special consideration.
Stages of growth model for corporate social responsibility
The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of stages of growth in organisational research by applying this concept to the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The article starts by reviewing theory building from a stage model perspective. Next, key CSR models are reviewed, before the stage model perspective is applied to the CSR phenomenon. We suggest a stage model for corporate social responsibility consisting of three combined stages. For each of these stages we highlight the distinction between first movers and followers. By including these perspectives we put forward the 'hidden fact' that corporations that might look equally CSR engaged from the outside, can be at very different levels of CSR on the inside. The model suggested should be tested in the future through benchmarking corporations. By applying the suggested model, corporations can get a deeper understanding of their CSR status. The model suggested takes into consideration an issue which has received little attention in CSR research so far. Rather than studying annual reports and statements about corporate social responsibility, the practise of local and global companies should be studied, as there seems to be a substantial discrepancy between talk and walk in CSR. To this end, the stage model is proposed to help guide future CSR development in companies.
Application of resource allocation optimisation to provide profitable options for dairy production systems
A linear program (LP) model analysed resource use on a 100 ha dairy farm. A single optimum-profit combination was established for resources which were either optimised or constrained. It was found that, with a fixed herd of 320 milking cows, when production increased from 305 kg milksolids per cow (kg MS/cow) to 415 kg MS/cow, cash profit increased by 65%. This required additional supplements. If, however, feed demand and supply were optimised at 415 kg MS/cow, the LP reduced milking cow number rather than buy in feed to meet the increased feed demand from higher production per cow. At all production levels chosen between 305 and 415 kgMS/cow, it was most economic to dry off and cull cows early in dry summers to optimise feed demand vs. feed grown; use nitrogen (N) fertiliser to avoid a feed deficit only when response rates of better than 10 kgDM to 1 kg N could be expected; not use N for growing supplements to harvest. Pasture cover, within defined constraint levels, provided a buffer for feed demand and supply fluctuations. The study highlights the importance of assessing production, income and cost in an integrated framework to identify the point at which individual resources become limiting.