Substantive Implementation Research Articles

Diffusion without Implementation: The social function of property in Latin America

The norm that private property ownership should be conditional on fulfilment of a ‘social function’ diffused widely across Latin America during roughly the first half of the twentieth century, becoming a standard aspect of the region’s legal systems. However, substantive implementation has been rare. This paper seeks to explain the diffusion-implementation gap. It argues that the standard explanation of such gaps, which emphasises the superficial imitation by developing countries of policies and norms devised in advanced societies, does not fit this case. Rather, the gap emerged due to the difficulty of implementing property reform without an institutional breakdown that deposits exceptional power in the hands of pro-reform forces. In the absence of such an event, conservative forces have usually succeeded in blocking implementation. Yet, ironically, even when a breakdown has occurred, this norm has gone largely unimplemented because the resulting concentration of power has made more efficient policy tools viable.

Sustainable development goals: Sustainability reporting challenges in the United Arab Emirates context

AbstractDrawing on legitimacy theory, this study examines the extent of corporate engagement with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) through assessing the corporate disclosure quality of SDG‐related information in a mandated setting environment, focusing on the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Based on corporate sustainability reports for 132 UAE publicly listed companies in years 2020 and 20,221, we use a scoring methodology incorporating the GRI standards related to the economic, environmental and social impacts of corporate operations. Results of the study reveal that UAE companies use mandatory sustainability reports as a legitimacy tool through a symbolic action superficially integrating SDGs targets into their corporate operations and activities. However, in year 2021 the results show that some companies act substantively by adopting substantive organizational structural changes to integrate SDGs in their business operations and reporting behavior. Unlike previous studies, the paper contributes to the literature and practice by examining the corporate disclosure quality of SDGs in a mandated setting environment. This mandatory context offers an opportunity for a comprehensive analysis of company endeavors regarding their symbolic execution aimed at projecting a surface display of commitment to SDGs, versus their substantive implementation, which leads to significant enhancements in corporate sustainability reports. The findings of this study offer valuable practical implications for regulators and policymakers regarding the implementation of mandatory sustainability reporting. While such reporting may not necessarily result in significant changes in terms of integrating SDGs targets into business strategies and operations, it could potentially lead to the adoption of “SDG‐washing” practices by companies.

Symbol or substance? Scrutinizing the ‘risk transparency premise’ in marketized sustainable finance: The case of TCFD reporting

AbstractContemporary forms of “marketized” sustainable finance rely on the production, dissemination, and consumption of financialized ESG risk information. In this paper, we scrutinize this “risk transparency premise” in context of the TCFD's climate risk reporting framework. Adopting the lens of institutional theory and a mixed methods approach, we pursue two interrelated aims. First, we examine to which extent the climate risk disclosures of TCFD “supporters” from the European financial sector adhere to the information requirements spelled out in the TCFD framework. Second, we seek to uncover the organization level impediments that underlie substantive implementation of the TCFD framework and, in turn, the production and dissemination of the required climate risk information. Based on our findings, we argue that TCFD/climate risk reporting is prone to become a ‘ceremonial’ practice and that, at least as of now, the ‘institutional myth’ of risk transparency might rather serve to safeguard the ideals of the market as opposed to facilitate transformative change towards a more environmentally sustainable economy. Our findings complement research that has problematized contemporary forms of marketized sustainable finance as well as literature on climate risk reporting and TCFD more specifically.

«Urban-regional construction» as a potential vector for achieving the strategic goal of spatial development of the Russian Federation

The article suggests that the introduction of innovative forms of European urbanization urbanized regions - into the domestic practice of urban formation will contribute to the accelerated formation of new and effective development of existing urban agglomerations, as well as the actualization of geostrategic and territorial settlement trends in the spatial development of the country. The typology of urbanized regions developed by the author earlier has been corrected. The basic qualitative characteristics and quantitative parameters of these objects are clarified, examples of their successful spatial strategizing, as well as the substantive implementation of planning, forecasting and urban planning decisions that took place in the Baltic region countries are given. The specifics of the process of "urban-regional construction" are revealed. The predominant forms of spatial co-organization of typologically differentiated urbanized regions are revealed. A model of designing an innovative structure of urbanized settlement based on the St. Petersburg agglomeration is proposed.

Agrarian Reform in Indonesia: Analyze Concepts and Their Implementation from a Governance Perspective

Analysis of the relationship between inequality, agrarian reform and corruption as well as public administration reform has not been discussed, both in terms of the formation and implementation of agrarian reform in Indonesia. This article aims to explore the concept and implementation of agrarian reform, as well as the influence of governance conditions in the management of natural resources in the implementation of agrarian reform. With the characteristics of agrarian issues in Indonesia, land administration and those related to the implementation of redistribution of benefits from the use of natural resources need to be strengthened with appropriate concepts or theories, including public information disclosure as a fulfillment of substantive and deliberative implementation of democracy. In addition, by referring to experiences in other countries, agrarian reform needs to be carried out by reducing the level of clientelism and implemented through a number of corruption prevention and prosecution programs, especially in the fields of land and other natural resources.

ДЕРЖАВНО-ЦЕРКОВНІ ВІДНОСИНИ У СФЕРІ ГОСПОДАРЮВАННЯ: ПОНЯТІЙНІСТЬ ТА ПРОБЛЕМАТИКА

The article highlights the meaning and legal status of state-church relations, reveals their content and draws attention to the problems that accompany them. Identifies certain aspects of economic relations in the activities of religious organizations and establishes the features of their relationship with the legal policy of the state. Attention is paid to the types of problematic issues of economic activity of representatives of religious organizations and the directions of their elimination are determined. The author's position on the expediency of expanding the clear apparatus of this process by introducing the category of "economic and legal regulator of state-church relations" is presented. The essential characteristics of the proposed conceptual category are presented in a broad and narrow sense, which provides a more substantive implementation in the legislative regulators of this area. The advantages of its adaptation in modern state-church relations, which affect economic activity, are determined in detail, with the substantiation of the chosen approach. The characteristics of typical models of state-church relations are given, the factors influencing their choice in the country are determined and the position of scientists on expediency of adaptation in Ukraine of the concept of formation of contractual-cooperative multilevel model of state-church relations is revealed. Of course, one should be aware of the legislator, who reveals the legal position on the formation of state-church relations in our society, but some issues of economic activity of religious organizations and communities need more substantive regulation, which emphasizes the relevance of the chosen area of research. A number of conclusions can be drawn from the results of the research. The legislative platform governing state-church relations needs to be improved, as there are a number of unresolved issues related to economic relations. Part of the solution to the problematic issues lies in the plane of improving the conceptual apparatus, which is able to more objectively reveal their target nature. Thus, the introduction of the conceptual category "economic and legal regulator of state-church relations" will provide more substantive. In general, a number of issues of modern state-church relations in the context of economic activity require closer attention both from the legislator and from representatives of the church, scientific elites, specialists in economic activities of religious organizations (communities), which together will improve the situation inherent in today.

CNTs/MOF-808 painted plates for extended treatment of pharmaceutical and agrochemical wastewaters in a novel photocatalytic reactor

The photocatalysis technology suffers a yawning gap between the extravagant academic studies and substantive implementation. The viability of photocatalysis may thrive by steering the research towards the reactor design, fixed photocatalysts, real wastes, and cost estimation. Herein, we prepared novel nanocomposites of metal-organic framework-808 (MOF-808) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different ratios to employ them in the photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) and diazinon. A photocatalytic reactor with CNTs/MOF-808 painted plates was employed to use the catalyst in a reusable form. Various analyses were conducted to study the morphology and composition of CNTs/MOF-808 composites. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used for the optimizing the operational parameters. The reuse of the coated plates in continuous cycles indicated the proper stability of CNTs/MOF-808. For instance, the degradation of diazinon was 99.7%, 96.3%, 94.8%, 93.5% and 92.1% for five cycles. The degradation mechanism and the oxidation pathways have been intensively investigated. Furthermore, the reactor was employed for the treatment of real agrochemical and pharmaceutical liquid wastes showing a reduction in the total organic carbon (TOC) by 93% and 76%, respectively. A cost-estimation study implies that a large-scale photocatalytic system costs 2.523 $/m3 including the amortization and operating costs.

Substantiewe beleidsimplementering en die erosie van kiesersvertroue as faktore in die konsolidering van die Suid-Afrikaanse demokrasie

As vertrekpunt vir hierdie artikel word Suid-Afrika beskryf as 'n ontwikkelingstaat, tans onderworpe aan 'n proses van demokratiese konsolidasie. Hierdie onafgehandelde proses word direk verbind aan die oorgang vanaf 'n ou (apartheids-) na 'n nuwe (demokratiese) bedeling. In hierdie opsig word Suid-Afrika dan ook ingesluit onder die definisie van 'n transformasionele staat. Die term "transformasionele demokrasie" verwys vervolgens na 'n demokrasie wat tot stand gekom het as gevolg van 'n bevrydingstryd, en getransformeer het vanaf 'n outokratiese of koloniale regime na 'n konstitusionele staatsorde. Daar word geargumenteer dat daar in vele opsigte voldoen is aan die vereistes van prosedurele transformasie ná 1994, met die aanvaarding van die grondwet in 1996 en die instelling van konstitusioneel-demokratiese strukture en instansies, en veral die hervorming van die regstelsel en die instelling van vrye en regverdige verkiesings. In terme van substantiewe transformasie bly die proses egter nog onafgehandel. Dit is juis hierdie gebrek aan substantiewe transformasie wat gelei het tot 'n afname in kiesersdeelname en kiesersvertroue. Teen hierdie agtergrond is die oogmerk van die artikel om die effek van die erosie van kiesersvertroue op die politieke landskap en die uiteindelike proses van sowel historiese as huidige demokratiese konsolidasie in Suid-Afrika te bepaal. Ten einde hierdie doel te bereik word daar eerstens, op 'n holistiese wyse, gefokus op die rol van die staat in moderne ontwikkelende demokrasieë. Tweedens word die artikel vernou tot die aard van kiesersvertroue in gevestigde en trans-formasionele demokrasieë. Teen hierdie kontekstuele agtergrond word derdens gefokus op die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie. Hier word spesifiek verwys na die stygende trajek van onder-steuning vir die ANC in nasionale en plaaslike verkiesings tussen 1994 en 2004, met daarteenoor die moontlike oorsake vir die afname in ondersteuning vir die ANC-regering ná 2004. Terselfdertyd word die afname in stemopkoms reeds sedert die verkiesing in 1999 in teenstelling tot die groeiende stemouderdompopulasie (SOP) tot en met die nasionale verkiesing in 2019 onder die soeklig geplaas. Met die oog op die projeksie van 'n toekoms-scenario rakende politieke konsolidasie word die daling in stemopkoms en die onderliggende erosie van kiesersvertroue in die Suid-Afrikaanse politieke landskap, ter afsluiting, in verband gebring met mislukkings in die bereiking van veral substantiewe ontwikkelingsdoelwitte en -uitkomste.

Institutional work and implementation of a performance measurement and management system in a developing country

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the actions and activities undertaken by public managers of a local government to institutionalise an externally mandated performance measurement and management (PMM) system in a developing country.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study of one of the best-ranked early adopters of PMM in a local government in Indonesia was undertaken, with interviews with public officers at various organisational levels, along with an extensive documentary review. An institutional work perspective was used to explain the types of work undertaken to institutionalise PMM at the organisation.FindingsThe PMM change was shown to be centralised and directed from the top and facilitated by other public officers. The Mayors’ instrumental and political view of PMM as a tool for efficiency and societal legitimacy enabled the adoption of PMM. The political and cultural work of the Mayor and the key officers involved constructing new rules pertaining to PMM, specifically in dealing with resource allocation and its associated sanctions and rewards, which encouraged more substantive implementation. The substantive implementation of PMM had a significant influence on the norms and values of the local government.Research limitations/implicationsThe case organisation is the local government of a relatively medium-sized city. Therefore, it may be easier to achieve tighter control and coordination as compared to the local government of other larger cities.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the interrelated nature of institutional work in the creation and disruption of institutions. In addition, the three main types of institutional work, i.e. political, cultural and technical work, are not mutually exclusive. The paper also indicates the processes involved in the implementation of PMM, which unfolds from the establishment of a policy, its impact, and the role of the actors in the process.

Transfer of development rights for the effectiveness of the conservation plans: A case from Historic Kemeraltı, Izmir

The “Cultural and Natural Asset Protection” law implemented the transfer of development rights as a new tool for land use planning and management incorporated in the heritage conservation of Turkey in 2004, but no substantive implementation has yet been developed. There is no question that the inclusion of the transfer right is a significant advantage by statute, but the design and execution of TDR needs a guideline, a model proposal. The objective of the study is therefore twofold: 1) to explore the potential and pitfalls of incorporating TDR to conserve heritage sites with a set of factors derived from existing literature and 2) to propose a model for creating and calculating TDR to achieve density limitation in built-up heritage sites.Based on empirical evidence and actual implementation of TDRs, some generic factors in the literature affect the success of TDR programs, particularly in the United States. We, therefore, decided to use a set of fundamental factors to fully evaluate the efficacy of TDR in the Turkish planning system. On the other hand, there is also a lack of research for a successful framework that uses TDR for heritage conservation in general in literature. This study aims to overcome all these shortcomings by making a general evaluation of the integration of TDR into to the planning systems, to show the intrinsic quality of heritage conservation and TDR potentials, and finally to provide a straightforward guide to a TDR model. Evidence indicates that while TDR provides the potential to preserve Kemeraltı’s cultural heritage as a new market-based instrument, its use should be carefully designed and regulated by public authorities, Izmir's municipality, and the community at all.

Adoption of Environmental Targets in Executive Compensation Contracts

Over the last years, an increasing number of firms has started to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) criteria in executive compensation contracts, thereby tying CEO compensation directly to social and environmental performance. However, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of CSR incentives in improving social and environmental performance is mixed, finding both evidence in favor of and against its effectiveness. Using an eight-year sample consisting of 2,579 firm-year observations with manually collected compensation contract data, I zoom in on determinants of the adoption of CSR targets in CEO compensation and its effects on subsequent environmental performance. First, I show that both internal normative pressure and external mimetic pressure serve as a conduit for the adoption of environmental control mechanisms in executive compensation contracts. Further, I also show that not all types of pressure lead to substantive implementation of targets. That is, I document that internal normative pressure mainly results in substantive implementation, as internal pressure is associated with a subsequent increase in environmental performance. Mimetic pressure, on the other hand, does not automatically lead to improved environmental performance, suggesting that mimetic pressure might drive a symbolic commitment, potentially aimed at enhancing social legitimacy and acceptance.

ОЦІНКА ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ МАЙБУТНІХ ФАХІВЦІВ ФІЗИЧНОЇ КУЛЬТУРИ І СПОРТУ В СИСТЕМІ “КОЛЕДЖ-УНІВЕРСИТЕТ”: РОЗУМОВИЙ КРИТЕРІЙ

The article deals with some aspects of theoretical training of future specialists of physical culture and sports in the “college-university system”. The basic requirements to the level and quality of the specialists’ preparedness for future professional activity are analyzed and the criteria for their evaluation are determined. An overview of the structure of vocational training is conducted and its main components are determined. They are: personal, motivational, cognitive and praxiological components. The article examines the cognitive component, the formation of which is estimated by the mental criterion, because it reflects the level of theoretical willingness of future specialists of physical culture and sports and their readiness for professional activity. These components are interrelated and play an exceptional role in the whole training system. The research is based on determining the level of theoretical knowledge (mental criterion) of the students of the third course of the faculty of physical education in the disciplines of the cycle of vocational training, which are studied on the first and second courses of the university and the first – third courses of the college of the respective specialty. Thus, it is found that college graduates who continue their studies in the university demonstrate a higher level of theoretical knowledge. This result can be explained by the fact that they are already graduates, ready for practical activity and continuing their studies at the university’s senior courses is a improving of their theoretical knowledge and practical skills at a higher professional level. This testifies to the effectiveness of the “college-university system” itself, but provided that the educational process has to be organized exclusively on a continuity basis. This circumstance should be one of the reasons while determining the directions of optimization of the substantive implementation of professional disciplines in the “college-university system” and the expediency of further researches in this direction.

10.31673/2412-9070.2020.050311

The article considers an artificial neural network — a multilayer perceptron, as well as the Kohonen network, as tools for visual image recognition. The work is devoted to the analysis of the main functional tasks that can be solved by our chosen neural networks, with maximum efficiency and expediency. We will also consider these neural networks as tools for primary analysis of visual images for further use both for scientific purposes and for their substantive implementation in business areas where neural networks are most applicable and will bring maximum effect to ordinary users. One of the most common algorithms for learning multilayer neural networks is the error backpropagation algorithm. This algorithm calculates the gradient surface gradient vector. Then we move by some value in the direction of the vector (it will show us the direction of the fastest descent), where the error value will be less. This consistent progress will gradually minimize the error. Here there are difficulties with definition of size on which it is necessary to advance. If the size of the step is relatively large, it will lead to the fastest descent, but there is a chance to "jump" the desired point or go in the wrong direction, if the surface has a fairly complex shape. For example, if the surface is a narrow ravine with steep slopes, the algorithm will move very slowly, jumping from one slope to another. If the step size is small, it will lead to finding the most optimal direction, but can significantly increase the number of iterations. To achieve the most optimal result, the step size is taken in proportion to the steepness of the slope with some constant - the speed of learning. The choice of this constant is made experimentally and depends on the conditions of a particular problem. Having conducted the work, it should be noted that the multilayer perceptron is successfully used to solve various problems, in particular as effectively as possible for the problem of pattern recognition.

Measuring Human Rights and Islamicity of Indonesian Anti-Terrorism Law

This study focuses on the problem of the extent to which human rights and islamicity (Islamic law norms) are accommodated within Indonesian anti-terrorism law (Law No. 5 of 2018). The study uses a qualitative approach with a documentary study in data collection. The result shows that Law No. 5 of 2018 has threatened human rights in some issues. This is indicated by certain matters including arrest, detention, capital punishment, interception, and revocation of citizenship. Meanwhile, the islamicity of Law No. 5 of 2018 is open to interpretation and reinterpretation. The study of measuring human rights and islamicity of Law No. 5 of 2018 has a significant contribution to the substantive implementation of Islamic criminal law in the context of Indonesianness, as well as modernity, which also means the implementation of Islamic law and human rights at once.

Fighting European ‘Copyright Tourism’: Lessons from Defamation Laws

In the recent cases of Pinckney and Hejduk, the ECJ revised European rules on jurisdiction over online copyright infringement disputes – making it possible for claimants to bring their lawsuits in virtually any European country. Due to the application of lex loci protectionis, this choice of venue also affects the law applicable to disputes. This article shows that this results in a substantial forum shopping risk, despite safety mechanisms built into the ECJ judgments. It explains that forum shopping is not inherently bad, but that it creates major problems for copyright laws, given its potential to shift the balance between the authors and exploiters of the work. In an attempt to identify a possible solution, this article turns to the substantive implementation of de minimis principle in Principles on Conflict of Laws in Intellectual Property (CLIP) Principles. The success of this approach is illustrated through the field of media law, and specifically, the way in which United Kingdom solved the problem of libel tourism. Examining the substantive requirement of ‘serious harm’ found in the UK Defamation Act of 2013, the article proposes amending national copyright laws as to state that absent showing of the intention to target a certain Member State by the online infringing activity or, alternatively, a ‘serious harm’ suffered on its territory, no copyright infringement is to be found. This way, forum shopping in online copyright infringement cases may be stopped in its tracks, before it becomes a rampant practice in Europe.

It worked there, so it should work here: Sustaining change while improving product development processes

AbstractOrganizations operate under ongoing pressure to conduct product development (PD) in ways that reduce errors, improve product designs, and increase speed and efficiency. Often, managers are expected to respond to this pressure by implementingprocess improvement programs(PIPs) based on best practices elsewhere (e.g., in another part of their organization or in another industrial context). Successful PIP implementation depends on two criteria: (a) demonstrating (symbolic) success by meeting externally imposed deadlines and producing mandated artifacts and (b) sustaining the expected (substantive) changes in their employees' underlying beliefs and practices. Given the mixed success of PIPs in nonmanufacturing contexts, identifying factors that contribute to both symbolic and substantive implementation is important to both researchers and practitioners. We explore this challenge through an in‐depth field study at a PD company (DevCo) that implemented a PIP across its 11 PD projects. We examine DevCo's change message to implement the PIP, how DevCo's engineers experienced it, factors that impeded implementation, and factors that could improve substantive success. Along with this empirical evidence, we leverage organizational change concepts to facilitate effective PIP implementation in new contexts such as PD. We distill our findings into eight propositions that expand theory about effectively transferring PIPs across contexts.

Drivers and barriers for adoption of a leading social management standard (SA8000) in developing economies

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify drivers and barriers for adopting Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000), a leading global social management standard.Design/methodology/approachThe approach involves combining insights from Institutional Theory with a focus on economic performance to study SA8000 adoption by suppliers operating in a developing economy (i.e. India). Data collection involves interviews with adopters and non-adopters, social standard experts and auditors, and archival data on local working conditions.FindingsThis study confirms that customer requests are the major reason for adopting SA8000 in order to avoid loss of business. It is noteworthy, however, that those customer requests to adopt SA8000 are often symbolic in nature, which, in combination with the lack of a positive business case, hinders effective implementation.Practical implicationsThe findings imply that symbolic customer requests for SA8000 adoption induce symbolic implementation by suppliers, a “supply chain effect” in the symbolic approach. Substantive requests in contrast lead to more substantive implementation and require customer investment in the form of active support and an interest in the standard’s implementation, context and effects.Originality/valueThis study is original in that it addresses social sustainability from a supplier’s perspective, using the lens of Institutional Theory. The value lies in demonstrating the “supply chain effects” that arise from the “quality” of customer requests: a purely symbolic approach by customers leading to symbolic implementation vs the merits of substantive customer requests which stimulate substantive implementation.

Game of Privilege: An African American History of Golf by Lane Demas

Reviewed by: Game of Privilege: An African American History of Golf by Lane Demas Donald Spivey (bio) Game of Privilege: An African American History of Golf. By Lane Demas. (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017. Pp. 363. $30.00 cloth; $19.99 ebook) [End Page 128] Lane Demas, an associate professor of history at Central Michigan University, has penned the most important study of African American golfers yet published. The author masterfully weaves the story of black golfers into the African American journey for equality and personhood. The work is laced with historical nuggets as Demas traces black golf from ancient Egypt to slave caddies, to George Grant and the invention of the golf tee, to the pioneer black amateur and professional golfers, to Tiger Woods. Blacks were pitted against the color-line in golf as they were in every other sport from boxing to baseball. Struggling for admission and acceptance in the world of professional white golfers since the founding of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) in 1916, blacks established their own association, the United Golfers Association (UGA), in 1925. Their continuing fight for the integration of the PGA was made even more difficult by the organization's official adoption of the "Caucasian-only clause" in 1934 lasting for twenty-seven years thereafter. Even the Harlem Renaissance did not earn blacks acceptance into the privileged world of white golf and its country clubs. African Americans built their own country clubs and golf courses, such as the famous Shady Rest County Club in South Plains, New Jersey, which served Harlem's elites, both non-golfers and golfers, including James Weldon Johnson, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Chuck Webb, and Count Basie. Female players Nettie Speedy, Maggie Mae Hathaway, and Sarah Spencer Washington, were mainstays in the development and promotion of African American social clubs, golf courses, and important as players. They helped to bring other black women into the sport. None excelled more on the greens than the great Althea Gibson. The author does not avoid the critics of black golfing such as W. E. B. Du Bois, H. L. Mencken, Marcus Garvey, Father Divine, Thur-good Marshall, and Ella Baker. For many it was a game of privilege, conspicuous consumption, and a waste of intellect and resources. The NAACP was hesitant to devote any of its resources to the fight [End Page 129] to desegregate golf courses and clubs. However, the struggle on the greens gained recognition as a part of the overall battle against the color line and racial discrimination with the Supreme Court victory of Holmes v. Atlanta (1955). The win against segregated public golf courses in Georgia was a substantive implementation of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954), and a blow against the counter-revolution occurring in the defiant Jim Crow South. Golf echoed the protest spirt of the times from the debates about integration to direct-action and Black Power. Joe Louis's favorite sport outside the boxing ring was golf. The Champ sponsored tournaments and individual players, along with taking to the links himself. Sammy Davis, Jr. and other celebrities lent name and fame to the movement on the greens. The author places the pioneer black golfers within the movement for civil rights: Walter Speedy, John Shippen, Bill Spiller, Ted Rose, Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, and others. Some were, of course, more radical than others—just like the movement and its leading voices-such as Bill Spiller, one of the most militant of the black golfers who engaged in direct-action protest against the PGA and segregated golf tournaments. The final chapter is devoted to Tiger Woods and is a valuable exploration of race, class, and ethnic identity that Woods personifies. The chapter makes perfect sense, but ends the book without a conclusion or even a final paragraph in which the author ties the pieces together and gives the reader a concluding salvo to golf and its importance to the civil rights movement. That missing hole-in-one aside, Demas is to be commended for putting the game of privilege into its proper historical context as a significant player in the struggle for civil rights. His is a vital contribution to sport...

The accidental implementation of an institutional ritual

The coupling of organizational policy with practice is customarily attributed to the presence of institutional pressures. This paper reports a study of an international non-governmental organization (INGO) in which day-to-day practice was coupled with symbolic rituals in spite of the absence of institutional pressures. This disconfirmatory finding indicates the need to move away from structural-deterministic models of coupling that presume a functional compliance between external pressures and organizational practices – toward fresh perspectives that shed light to latent phenomenological processes underlying the substantive implementation of organizational rituals. To this end, we propose that coupling can be an unintended organizational state made possible due to failure to appreciate the cynical and mythological underpinnings of institutional rituals.

Comparing symbolic and substantive implementation of international standards – the case of ISO 14001 certification

ABSTRACTThis study compares the effects of substantive implementation and symbolic implementation of the ISO 14001 standard on benefits realised for firms and their satisfaction with the certification. Specifically, we examine whether top management commitment is a precursor to both modes of implementation styles. Also, we compare firms’ benefits – environmental, economic and marketing – emanating from these two modes of implementation and whether they affect the satisfaction levels of firms with ISO 14001 certification. We test the research framework of this study using a dataset that was drawn from 328 firms in Australia and New Zealand. Our findings showed that top management commitment plays an important role as a driver for both symbolic and substantive forms of ISO 14001 implementation. Substantive implementation has wider and stronger effects on the benefits of ISO 14001 adoption than symbolic implementation. Finally, both economic and marketing benefits have a positive effect on the level of satisfaction while environmental benefit, surprisingly, does not.