Social Investment Research Articles

Social Needs Screening in Academic Health Systems: A Landscape Assessment.

Screening for social needs has gained traction as an approach to addressing social determinants of health, but it faces challenges regarding standardization, resource allocation, and follow-up care. The year-long study, conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges, integrated data from conferences, surveys, and key informant interviews to examine the integration of social needs screening into health care services within Academic Health Systems (AHS). The authors' analysis unveiled eight key themes, showcasing AHS's active involvement in targeted social needs screening alongside persistent resource allocation obstacles. AHS are dedicated to efficiently identifying high-risk populations, fostering partnerships with community-based organizations, and embracing technology for closed-loop referrals. However, concerns endure about the utilization of reimbursement codes for social needs and regulatory compliance. AHS confront staffing issues, resource allocation intricacies, and the imperative for seamless integration across clinical and nonclinical departments. Notably, opportunities arise in standardized training, alignment of AHS priorities, exploration of social investment models, and engagement with state-level health information exchanges. Aligning clinical care, research pursuits, and community engagement endeavors holds promise for AHS in effectively addressing social needs.

The Continental Social Investment Turn: Sequencing Corrective and Transformative Welfare State Change in the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy

The Continental Social Investment Turn: Sequencing Corrective and Transformative Welfare State Change in the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy

Impediments of social responsibility investment adoption system: a post-pandemic qualitative analysis

Impediments of social responsibility investment adoption system: a post-pandemic qualitative analysis

Socioeconomic Factors Driving the Transition to a Low-Carbon Energy System

Citizen participation via different investment schemes may be a promising solution to the financing barriers inhibiting energy transition. In this regard, citizens may be approached as potential investors in renewables, but, to mobilize their capital, strategies need to be developed. Much like other services or products seeking to improve their market position, renewable energy investments by citizens also require dedicated efforts to acquire a strong market position. Using a large sample of Greek citizens, this study investigated whether it is possible to identify distinct and addressable citizen clusters which can enable energy developers and marketers to effectively address the preferences and needs of potential investor segments. The performance of k-means cluster analysis identified four clusters: Indifferent Investors were neither driven by economic or social factors, Enthusiastic Investors were motivated both by economic and social factors, Pro-environmental Investors were driven by the environmental benefits, and Social Investors were motivated by the social aspects of the investment. Moreover, each cluster demonstrated different levels of willingness-to-invest in renewable energy and were knowledge about renewable energy investments. It was concluded that citizens should not be approached as a homogeneous target group by marketing experts and policymakers, while novel strategies should be followed.

An electricity-driven mobility circular economy with lifecycle carbon footprints for climate-adaptive carbon neutrality transformation

Under the carbon neutrality targets and sustainable development goals, emergingly increasing needs for batteries are in buildings and electric vehicles. However, embodied carbon emissions impose dialectical viewpoints on whether the electrochemical battery is environmentally friendly or not. In this research, a community with energy paradigm shifting towards decentralization, renewable and sustainability is studied, with multi-directional Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) and lifecycle battery circular economy. Approaches are proposed to quantify the lifecycle carbon intensity of batteries. Afterwards, pathways for zero-carbon transformation are proposed to guide the economic feasibility of energy, social and governance investment behaviors. Results show that lifecycle zero-carbon battery can be achieved under energy paradigm shifting to positive, V2X interaction, battery cascade utilization and battery circular economy in various climate regions. This study proposes an approach for lifecycle battery carbon intensity quantification for sustainable pathways transition on zero-carbon batteries and carbon-neutral communities.

Human capital and corporate social investment: The effect of public policy

Taking advantage of a large sample of China's A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2022, this research examines the impact of human capital on corporate social investment. We provide robust evidence that employees with a higher sense of responsibility enhance corporate social investment. Moreover, we demonstrate that the positive impact is amplified by supportive public policy. Our findings are robust to a battery of sensitivity tests. In sum, this research contributes to the literature on corporate social responsibility as well as provides valuable practical implications policymakers.

Forecasting corporate social investment in Asian based organizational features of corporate social responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, which target social and environmental challenges, are prompted by pressures from stakeholders. As a result, businesses use Corporate Social Investment (CSI) channels to finance CSR initiatives in the areas in which they conduct business. There is still a dearth of empirical studies in developing regions, especially in Asian countries, despite the large number of CSR studies carried out in wealthy nations. In order to determine the degree to which Firm Size and Organizational Sector predict Corporate Social Investment (CSI) in Asia, this quantitative study used frameworks for CSR and stakeholder engagement. To find out if these two organizational traits, used separately or together, have a substantial impact on CSI, three study questions were presented. Data from 54 Asian-based companies that submitted reports to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) between 2018 and 2022 were examined in this study. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) using archival data from GRI reports showed that Organizational Sector emerged as a significant predictor (b = 0.275, p = 0.005), indicating that manufacturing and fertilizing companies contributed more to CSI than other companies, while Firm Size did not significantly predict CSI spending (b = −0.089, p = 0.259). This emphasizes how critical it is to take the Organizational Sector into consideration as an important predictor of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how important it is to take this into account when figuring out how firms might support social development in Asian communities.

Environmental and social disclosure, managerial entrenchment, and investment efficiency

This study investigates the effect of environmental and social (E&S) disclosure and managerial entrenchment on investment efficiency. E&S disclosure increases not only capital accessibility but also external monitoring of entrenched managers’ actions. We develop a theoretical model that demonstrates how these benefits and costs of firms’ voluntary E&S disclosure affect investment efficiency. Using a large sample of U.S.-listed firms over the period 2016–2022, we test the model’s predictions and provide empirical evidence suggesting that E&S disclosure is positively associated with investment efficiency and that this effect is stronger for firms with lower managerial entrenchment or those disclosing more financially material E&S information. Our study contributes to the investment efficiency literature by demonstrating the relevance of an incentive-compatible mechanism reflecting managers’ choice of E&S voluntary disclosure to the efficient capital allocation.

Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance and Investment Efficiency: The Energy Sector Indonesia

Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance and Investment Efficiency: The Energy Sector Indonesia

Ageless Assets: Social Investment and Active Aging Profiles in Lithuania

This article argues that the aging population significantly affects the welfare state. Social investment strategies could respond to a changed economic and social order by enhancing active aging. While the social investment perspective has been a topic of discussion for decades, certain aspects remain underexplored. This study, therefore, aims to assess the impact of social investments on active aging. The study, based on the social investment approach and active aging model, analyzes quantitative data from Wave 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The Lithuania sample included 1437 participants. In the analytical phase, Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis were utilized (SPSS ver. 26). The findings unveil four active aging profiles (low activity, moderate activity, balanced activity, and high activity). The two groups are distinguished by aging conditions, such as poor health, lack of social investment, and high reliance on social benefits. The positive impact of social investment is underscored by the improved aging conditions outlined in the last two profiles. This study enriches the social investment research domain by providing valuable insights into the influence of social investment policies on the lives of older individuals and their potential to age actively.

Reflections on government‐led social assistance programmes under Zimbabwe's National Social Protection Policy Framework: A social contract lens

AbstractSocial protection has gained global recognition for its role in addressing poverty, yet delivering social protection remains an intractable challenge for governments in the Global South. In this article, we assess the performance of government‐run social assistance in Zimbabwe. Our assessment begins in 2016 when the National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF) was promulgated to maximize returns on social investments. Utilizing a systematic review approach, we collated literature published between 2016–2023. We find that despite adopting the NSPPF, social protection programming remains a challenge in Zimbabwe. We find that the disbursement of transfers to beneficiaries are delayed, benefits are misaligned with market forces due to inflation, most programmes are run without monitoring and evaluation structures, funding in the sector remains inadequate to reduce poverty and vulnerability, and no grievance and redress mechanisms exist. Our synthesis underscores the need for the refreshment of the social contract in Zimbabwe, a renewal of political will to finance social assistance programmes, engagement to transform policy into action, the expansion of the civic space to ensure citizens effectively participate in calling for social assistance, as well as concerted efforts towards harmonizing existing social assistance programmes. We highlight the need to embed social protection within a human rights‐based framework, and the need for robust monitoring frameworks along with predictable and dedicated financing.

Income differentiation in Kazakhstan: an in-depth examination of its economic and social drivers

This study comprehensively identifies and quantitatively assesses the factors influencing income differentiation in Kazakhstan, demonstrating the multifaceted relationships between income inequality and various economic indicators. Utilizing quantitative research methodology, the investigation employs an Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to analyze the impact of GDP, real income, social aid, migration, and inflation on the Gini index of Kazakhstan from 2001 to 2022. Data was sourced from the Bureau of National Statistics, ensuring a robust and reliable foundation for the analysis. The investigation highlights the relevance of addressing income inequality in pursuing economic growth balanced with social justice, emphasizing global commitment to sustainable development goals. The results show that GDP growth and migration contribute to reducing income inequality, whereas increases in real income and, unexpectedly, social assistance are associated with higher inequality levels. Inflation's impact on income inequality was statistically insignificant, suggesting its effects may be ambiguous depending on other conditions. Overall, the findings advocate for developing multilevel strategies and policies aimed at reducing income inequality, encompassing economic measures, social investments, and improved labor market regulation to achieve more equitable and sustainable economic development in Kazakhstan.

Organic Waste Processing as Organic Fertilizer and Social Investment Impact of Community Development Program on Prabumulih Waste Bank

The Mobile Waste Bank Program is one of the PT PLN (Persero) UID S2JB TJSL Program’sas an effort to empower and develop community potential, so that there is an increasedincome through productive activities, along utilizing existing resources to makeeconomically valuable and beneficial to the community. The objectives of this article are to:describes the processing of organic waste into compost and ecoenzymes; and analyze theimpact of social investment resulting from the Prabumulih City Mobile Waste Bank programfunded by the PT PLN (Persero) UID S2JB TJSL Program. The research used wasqualitative and quantitative research method. The sampling method in this study was apurposive sampling technique which was carried out on 15 resource persons. All the stagesthat must be passed in this research refer to the six phases of the SRoI analysis study methodin the guidelines issued by the Social Value UK organization, namely: establishing scopeand identifying key stakeholders; mapping outcomes; evidencing outcomes and giving thema value; establishing impact; calculating the SRoI; reporting, using and embedding. Theresults of organic waste processing at BSP are compost and ecoenzymes as an organicfertilizer. Ecoenzyme is also used as ingredients for making environmentally friendlycleaning products such as dishwashing liquid, hand washing, and bodywash. Based on theresults of the SRoI analysis of the Mobile Waste Bank Program in the Prabu Ijo CommunityGroup in Prabumulih City, it shows that the program is worthy to implement. The results ofSRoI analysis provide value of 1.12. The investment input value is IDR 506,000,000, for oneyear calculation has produced a social benefit achievement value that is equivalent of IDR568,538,142 financial value. It is necessary to increase the portion of impact that is greaterrelated to economic activities and business development impact.

A Mixed-Methods Strategy for Small Samples in Ill-Structured Literature

This paper contributes to general research by providing a tested protocol to extract structured information with analytical and statistical significance from an exploratory context, despite small samples. Exploring new trends in business and management can be challenging. Sometimes the singularity of the phenomenon observed, or its novelty, offers small samples. The research protocol was developed to study social business models, providing understanding of differences between profiles of a taxonomy. Results were consistent when applied to other samples. The research protocol relies on a mixed method based on pattern identification through qualitative and quantitative analysis. Detailed methodological decisions and procedures offer a guide for dealing with ill-structured literature lacking consensus and empirical studies, addressing emergent phenomena. The theoretical background is developed in two parts: first, by contextualizing the literature where the mixed-method protocol was developed, and second, by referencing various business and management studies that informed the protocol. The research evaluated significant differences in social business models dimensions and profiles, aiming to classify them and understand how these differences influence social value creation. In the absence of theoretical definitions, social investment and award criteria were researched. The research context, including its strengths and constraints, is explained to assist researchers facing similar challenges. Online data and interviews underwent content and pattern-matching analysis to fill a model selected from the literature. This exploratory research helped overcome theoretical limitations and incorporated diverse perspectives needed to understand social entrepreneurship. The mixed-method strategy identified profiles and classified business models, proposing a taxonomy. The resulting taxonomy is supported by the literature and consistent with the contexts where it has emerged. All procedures are described with examples from the research project to enhance understanding and usage. This comprehensive approach allows researchers to navigate the complexities of social entrepreneurial literature, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the field.

An incentive regulation approach for balancing stakeholder interests in transmission merchant investment

The merchant-regulatory mechanism represents a promising tool that combines the benefits of merchant investment and regulated investment, thereby providing efficient incentives for merchant Transmission Companies (Transcos) subject to regulatory compliance. Taking the H-R-G-V mechanism as a foundational example of this approach, it permits Transcos to receive the total surplus increase from investments, and the profit-maximizing Transco will perform social welfare maximum investment under this mechanism. However, one drawback of this mechanism is that it allows the Transco to receive the whole benefit created by the Transco, while excluding consumers and generators from the resultant economic benefits. To address this issue, we propose an incentive tuning parameter, which is incorporated into the calculation of the incentive fee for the Transco. Accordingly, the regulatory framework can effectively manage the Transco’s profit and allow market participants to access economic benefits, thus ensuring a fair distribution of economic advantages among the stakeholders, while the impact on overall social welfare remains relatively modest. The results on the case study demonstrate that this careful balancing act maintains the essence of the H-R-G-V mechanism while addressing its critical gap—the equitable sharing of economic gains.

Strategy Corporate Social Responsibility and Investment Efficiency: The Role of Substitute and Complement

This article investigates the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and investment efficiency from a strategic perspective. Taking into account the competitive strategy between firms, we proposed an adjusted competitive strategy measure and fitted CSR with a competitive strategy such as strategic CSR and examined the impact of competitive strategy on CSR and the sensitivity of investment to free cash flow. The results show that firms engage in CSR strategically. The stronger the strategic substitutes in which a firm competes, the more likely it is to engage in CSR activities. The weaker the strategic substitutes and complements in which a firm competes, the better its CSR performance. However, strategic CSR and corporate strategy do not have a synergistic effect in mitigating overinvestment. The results suggest that strategic CSR performance eliminates the sensitivity of investment to free cash flow. CSR can be a powerful tool to link corporate strategy and social sustainability, which has the potential to create a win-win situation for both the firm and society.

The politics of subnational social policy: Social consumption versus social investment in Austria

Country comparisons, often suffering from unobserved heterogeneity and obscuring subnational variation, dominate the social policy literature. However, the subnational level is better suited to reduce the omitted variable bias. This article distinguishes between social consumption and social investment policies and investigates their determinants at the subnational level. Following the literature across countries, we test the role of incumbent parties’ ideology, but for within-country variation in social policy. Austria is a case in point because states have discretion in social policy (e.g., regarding public childcare and social assistance). Panel regressions covering all nine states in Austria for the years 1991 to 2019 reveal that the cabinet share of Social-Democrats increases social investment spending, while the Christian-Democratic party decreases it, and the populist radical right party reduces expenses for social consumption.

A story of social entrepreneurship through the creation of the Hopeboots project

Research methodology This case was developed by using primary data collected from two separate one on one interviews, a panel interview in which Josee was featured and secondary data collected from news articles and publications featuring Josee. Information specific to Atikuss’ offerings was found through the Atikuss website. A translation software was used to understand many of the articles about Josee, as many were in French. Case overview/synopsis Atikuss (meaning young caribou in Innu) is the sustainable business founded by Josee LeBlanc, an Indigenous woman from Northern Quebec. As a workshop-boutique, Attikuss offers a diverse selection of hand-made traditional Indigenous items from her own Indigenous culture. Hopeboots is a project run through Atikuss which allows customers to create their own Mukluks while learning about Indigenous culture and the story behind every design. When starting her business, Josee learned that the women making mukluk boots were not earning a livable wage for their work. Her dilemma when creating a sustainable business was whether to increase the beaders wages to a fair wage, costing her and the consumer more, or maintaining the status quo by continuing to pay the beaders less then five dollars an hour. Josee’s decision to increase wages generated opportunities and increased well being through social investments in her community. This decision considers the cost to many stakeholders and offers an Indigenized perspective to entrepreneurship. This case is relevant to Indigenous entrepreneurship, sustainability, social innovation, business ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Complexity academic level This case is targeted toward university-level students and can be relevant to graduate-level students as well.

Influence of level of assurance, assurance provider type, and investors’ personality in greenhouse gases reporting for social responsible investment

Influence of level of assurance, assurance provider type, and investors’ personality in greenhouse gases reporting for social responsible investment

Social Investment as a New Approach for Financing Developmental Non-Governmental Organizations

Social Investment as a New Approach for Financing Developmental Non-Governmental Organizations