Third-party Stakeholders Research Articles

Euthanasie et suicide assisté, deux voies distinctes malgré les apparences

Legislation in France about the end of life has been accruing since 1995, with five laws covering the development of palliative care (1995 and 1999), patients’ rights (2002 and 2005), the ban of unreasonable obstinacy (2005), the development of collegiate decision-making (2005 and 2016), and finally the conditions under which a SPCMJD “deep and continuous sedation until death” may be administered when a patient's pain cannot be alleviated (2016). But despite all this progress and the ongoing development of palliative care over the past 30 years, we must acknowledge that, even today, two out of three patients who would like palliative care but are nearing the end of their lives do not have access to it. In parallel, a social movement that has been active for more than 40 years, the ADMD (Association for the right to die with dignity) is demanding that French citizens have access to an enforceable right to an elective death, as part of their freedom to dispose of their lives. Over the past year, debates on end-of-life issues in French society have been the subject of diverse and often passionate and polemical positions, between supporters and opponents of a right to “active assistance in dying”. This diversity was reflected in the conclusions of a “citizens’ convention”, which brought together 150 French citizens chosen at random between December 2022 and April 2023 to establish a list of viewpoints supposedly representative of French citizens at large. Paradoxically, most of the voices that have been heard over the past two years have lumped together the two main options for administered death, euthanasia and assisted suicide, either condemning them uncompromisingly, or calling for both. On the other hand, few speakers in the various debates sought to distinguish analytically the differences between these two options, by addressing the details and complexities of each. This is all the more surprising given that several foreign examples now enable us to carry out a full-scale “impact study” of the two models. The following analysis, assuming that the law will move beyond the status quo and establish a new right, aims to get to the heart of this alternative by analyzing the consequences of each option from a number of perspectives. Our goal is to shed light on the underlying key facts of the debate and to avoid relying on simplistic preconceptions, moral principles and concepts. Beginning with a review of the legislation approved by the parliament and observing how it has been implemented since coming into force, we will report on what these laws of administered death have meant for all stakeholders. For both options, we will review the issues of representation of the role of the state, of personal freedom, of the impact on healthcare professionals, of repercussions on patients, of patient consent, and how these interventions are monitored. Ultimately, we will assess the quantitative impact of both paths in terms of death ratios. On the basis of some spectacular differences, which make it difficult to remain neutral in this debate, the authors finally propose a compromise that could be reached, one that will satisfy the proponents of a change of legislation, without causing a destabilizing change for all third-party stakeholders.

Patient, primary care provider, and stakeholder perspectives on mammography screening frequency: lessons learned from a qualitative study

BackgroundU.S. professional organizations have provided conflicting recommendations on annual vs. biennial mammography screening. Potential harms of more frequent screening include increased anxiety and costs of false positive results, including unnecessary breast biopsies and overdiagnosis.ObjectiveTo characterize current practices and beliefs surrounding mammography screening frequency and perspectives on using risk-based screening to inform screening intervals.DesignSemi-structured interviews informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).ParticipantsPatients, primary care providers (PCPs), third-party stakeholders (breast radiologists, radiology administrators, patient advocates).Main measuresQualitative data, with a codebook developed based upon prespecified implementation science constructs.Key resultsWe interviewed 25 patients, 11 PCPs, and eight key stakeholders, including three radiologists, two radiology administrators, and three patient advocates. Most patients reported having annual mammograms, however, half believed having mammograms every two years was acceptable. Some women were worried early breast cancer would be missed if undergoing biennial screening. PCPs were equally split between recommending annual and biennial mammograms. Although PCPs were interested in using breast cancer risk models to inform screening decisions, concerns raised include time burden and lack of familiarity with breast cancer risk assessment tools. All breast radiologists believed patients should receive annual mammograms, while patient advocates and radiology administrators were split between annual vs. biennial. Radiologists were worried about missing breast cancer diagnoses when mammograms are not performed yearly. Patient advocates and radiology administrators were more open to biennial mammograms and utilizing risk-based screening.ConclusionsUncertainty remains across stakeholder groups regarding appropriate mammogram screening intervals. Radiologists recommend annual mammography, whereas patients and PCPs were evenly split between annual vs. biennial screening, although both favored annual screening among higher-risk women. Breast cancer risk assessment tools may help facilitate decisions about screening intervals, but face barriers to widespread implementation in the primary care setting. These results will inform future implementation strategies to adopt risk-stratified breast cancer screening.

Investor–State Dispute Settlement and Sustainable Development: Negative Externalities and a Need for Reform

Investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) is designed to encourage foreign investment by mitigating risks to investors. However, the use of ISDS provisions by MNEs also creates negative externalities for states’ efforts at sustainable development by provoking regulatory chill on enforcement of current and enactment of future regulation. We illustrate these externalities of the current arbitration system with four cases and other examples. We conclude with recommendations to policymakers for ISDS reform that will mitigate these negative externalities and promote sustainable foreign investment by redefining investments to include sustainable development criteria, including representation of third-party stakeholders, and creating accountability for investor obligation.

Techno-Economic Analysis of 5G Non-Public Network Architectures

The adoption of private 5G networks or Non-Public Networks (NPN) by industry verticals is igniting a digital transformation across various sectors and also leading to industry 4.0. This impetus comes from the integration of private wireless networks with 5G capabilities. Currently, a range of innovative applications and use cases are emerging and resulting in improved enterprise performance and solutions. The potential to boost revenue, stimulate cost reduction, and accelerate Return Of Investment (ROI) makes 5G NPN adoption attractive to industry verticals, network operators and other third-party stakeholders. However, a significant infrastructure upgrade is required, which demands understanding of the complexities of 5G NPN deployment scenarios and their economic implications. This paper addresses these needs by conducting a detailed techno-economic analysis on 5G NPN deployment. The study formulates a techno-economic model that focuses on; (i) Cost savings in support of ROI achieved by enabling Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technology and Neutral Host (NH) concept; (ii) The trade-off study between enterprise goals (cost vs deployment technologies) with a multi-objective sensitive analysis; And (iii) the trends of 5G NPN adoption worldwide. Analytical results confirm savings of up to 53% in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) reflecting a significant reduction in Capital and Operation Expenditures (Capex and Opex). Simulation analysis identifies a ranking order of deployment parameters, which prioritise the use of Cost saving strategies and Deployment type. And finally, it offers a prediction of a starting annual average worldwide adoption rate of 82.2% with an expected height by 2026.

Data Protection in Collaboration: Safeguarding Sensitive Information with Third-Party Stakeholders

Data Protection in Collaboration: Safeguarding Sensitive Information with Third-Party Stakeholders

The Impact of Early Digital Movie Releases on Box Office Revenue: Evidence from the Korean Market

Our research considers how the introduction of a new digital channel impacts physical sales for movies. While many studies in the Information Systems literature have explored the consequences of digital channel introduction, they have typically done so in contexts where channel choice is relatively independent from the consumers’ ultimate consumption experience. However, in several important industries, including motion pictures, health care, and higher education, important distinctions exist that raise unique questions for the choice of whether and when to introduce a digital channel. First, in these industries purchase via physical versus digital channels may have stark implications for the quality of the consumption experience. Second, physical distribution, often depends upon third-party stakeholders (e.g., movie-theater chains, health care networks, or faculty), who may be resistant to a new digital channel. Bearing these distinctions in mind, in this work, we seek to extend the literature on digital channel introduction by considering the following questions: First, to what extent do digital in-home releases during the theatrical window impact box-office revenue? Second, to what extent do any such effects vary with the extent to which a particular movie is crafted with a theatrical experience in mind? Third, to what extent do theater owners seek to shift supply in the physical channel, in response to a digital release? We address these questions using data from South Korea, where, for a number of years, studios have pursued an early digital release of many movies via an offering known as Super Premium (SP) Video-on-Demand (VOD). SPVOD was introduced in South Korea in 2012 and was adopted by every major movie studio in Korea by the end of 2018. Whereas traditional (non-SP) digital releases typically occur 90 days after the initial theatrical release, SP releases occur as early as four weeks after a theatrical premiere—while the movie is still being shown in theaters. We employ a difference-in-differences design, contrasting SP versus non-SP Korean movies across the box-office window, before versus after SP release. We find a statistically and economically insignificant decline in average theatrical revenue following SP release. That said, the average effects mask heterogeneity, as we observe significantly differing effects depending on the nature of film production, with significantly small theatrical losses among films that include features that enhance the theatrical experience (i.e., advanced sound technologies). We also provide evidence that, given sufficient lead time, theater owners respond to a looming digital channel introduction by cutting supply in the physical channel in anticipation of lost demand. Finally, we provide evidence that the early digital release leads to a statistically significant rise in the volume of high quality piracy sources, implying a negative externality for movie demand in other geographies. This last aspect highlights another novel consideration of digital channel introduction that arises with information goods. We discuss the implications of our various findings for the literature on digital channels, as well as the literature on digital movie sales.

Urban community regeneration and community vitality revitalization through participatory planning in China

Urban regeneration has been a major concern in urban studies globally. China's urbanization is transitioning from a growing space to regenerating existing communities, which calls for reevaluating the newly emerging trend of urbanization in China. This study aims to investigate China's increasing focus on urban regeneration through the practice of community redevelopment, with an emphasis on public participation in community planning and how communities re-archive vitality and public favor. Considering the Shapowei community in the city of Xiamen, Fujian province as a case, we introduced a method to progressively rebuild local residents' confidence and obtain local government support and public engagement where participation planning has been considered an effective method of regeneration, rather than demolishing old buildings and constructing new, large-scale buildings as in the previous state of urbanization. The findings suggest that local resident participation plays a crucial role in urban planning and regeneration. Micro-construction and fishing-port culture can be catalysts in reproducing local community vitality; public consensus and participation are deeply-rooted in community regeneration with multi-stakeholders' involvement; and third-party stakeholders like scholars, local resident volunteers, and social groups contribute to the overall success of local community regeneration. The implications of this study are of great value to community planning, and planners must perform necessary actions to regenerate China's deteriorated communities.

Public participation in the context of deep sea mining: Luxury or legal obligation?

Beyond the boundaries of national jurisdiction, the ocean floor and its minerals are governed by a comprehensive international regime, which determines by whom and under what conditions these natural resources can be prospected, explored and exploited. The main principles are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Implementation Agreement, while more detailed rules are included in specific regulations of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The ISA has issued rules for the first phases of deep sea mining activities (prospecting and exploration), but has yet to adopt exploitation regulations. A draft version is however being developed and provides a good indication of the current state of play. With regard to transparency and public participation, significant improvements can be identified, but considering the influence of NGOs and their crucial role as watchdogs, the power of third-party stakeholders can still be deemed fairly limited. This article analyzes the existing principles and available options regarding transparency, public participation and access to justice in all phases of deep sea mining activities, identifies the main weaknesses and suggests possible corrections, all the while assessing whether such provisions should be considered a luxury or rather the implementation of an enforceable legal obligation.

The effect stakeholders have on voluntary carbon disclosure within Chinese business organizations

Based on the manually collected carbon information disclosure data for the Chinese listed companies from 2009 to 2015, this paper examines the influencing factors of carbon information disclosure from the stakeholders’ perspective. The results show that among external stakeholders, pressures from government and customers can improve the level of firm carbon information disclosure, but the effects of creditor, supplier and competitor on firm carbon information disclosure level are not significant. Among internal stakeholders, the major shareholders, institutional investors, and employees can improve the level of firm carbon information disclosure, but the effects of foreign investors (QFII) on carbon information disclosure are not significant. Among third-party stakeholders, environmental protection organizations and audit institutions can improve the level of firm carbon information disclosure. We hope that findings of this paper will provide guidance to the Chinese firms to develop carbon disclosure policies and encourage researchers to conduct future research on this subject.

Who Benefits From Development? Analyzing the Stakeholder Contestations in a Traditional Settlement of Malaysia

ABSTRACT Urban–rural renewal is an instrument not only to manage urbanization but also for sustainable development. In this process, major stakeholders are affected differentially. The case studied here shows how the most vulnerable stakeholders are deprived of benefits in the urban–rural renewal process. Through an analysis of Mantin, a small Malaysian town, the study depicts conflicts among stakeholders. Beyond the traditional stakeholder analysis framework stressing the role of government, developers, and the community affected by development, this research delves into an extended nexus of related stakeholders (the nongovernmental organization sector and media) that complicates the confrontation between the developer with legal right to the land and residents who claim hereditary occupation rights. It also reveals the stance of the government, often neglected in discussions of private–public partnerships. Here, politicians from both opposition and government saw opportunities to gain political advantage from the contest. The result of these stakeholder interfaces was a conflict that dragged on for a protracted period. The events show that the involvement of third-party stakeholders can increase the likelihood of and prolong conflict. Generally, the case also illustrates the failure of top-down policies that can be subverted at local levels.

Cost Analysis of the Mongolian ATLS© Program: A Framework for Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Trauma is the leading cause of death among Mongolians aged 24-44. To improve initial management of injured patients, the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS) implemented the American College of Surgeons' (ACS) Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training program in 2015. Cost analysis demonstrates that such programs can have clear pathways to self-sufficiency. Costs associated with an ACS Mongolian ATLS program were quantified based on discussions with the Mongolian government, MNUMS, ATLS Australasia headquarters, and existing pricing data. Costs were then classified as either essential or contingencies. These classifications determined budgetary items for each program. Savings projections for contingencies included training Mongolian instructors and educators. Scenarios for funding the budget were then assessed. The minimum annual cost of ATLS in Mongolia, which includes 3 ATLS student courses/1 instructor course, is $10,709. A budget of $19,900 includes additional contingencies. The scenario that involves foreign instructors is the most expensive one. An initial investment of $85,000 to train Mongolian instructors reduces annual costs by $48,305 (71% reduction). An investment of $4050 to train a Mongolian educator will reduce costs by $1750 annually. ATLS can be sustained with 0.04% of Mongolia's current spending on public health and preventative services. Initial investment to train Mongolian ATLS instructors leads to substantial savings. Training a Mongolian educator lowers long-term costs. When minimum costs for ATLS courses are understood, these can be scaled up and supported with different contingencies and minimal funding by government or third-party stakeholders.

Ensuring Antibiotic Development, Equitable Availability, and Responsible Use of Effective Antibiotics: Recommendations for Multisectoral Action.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to global public health. The World Health Organization's Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance recommends engaging multisectoral stakeholders to tackle the issue. However, so far, few studies have addressed barriers to antibiotic development, equitable availability, and responsible antibiotic use from the perspective of stakeholders outside healthcare facilities or patient communities: the so-called third-party stakeholders. Third-party stakeholders include, inter alia, governments, regulatory agencies, and professionals working in antibiotic research and development and medical ethics. This viewpoint provides an overview of barriers to antibiotic development, equitable availability of effective antibiotics, and the responsible use of antibiotics. The barriers were identified in an exploratory, qualitative interview study with an illustrative sample of 12 third-party stakeholders. Recommendations to lift these barriers are presented, together with examples of recently-made progress. The recommendations should guide future antibiotic policies and multisectoral policy action.

The role of interaction for corporate sustainability

PurposeMost scholars acknowledge the role of firm-stakeholder relationship for enabling corporate sustainability (CS), but existing literature tends to apply a superficial understanding of interaction. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge by challenging classical stakeholder theory with fundamental insights from the IMP perspective, which in turn leads to a deeper conceptualization of interactive CS.Design/methodology/approachA typology framework is developed through an abductive research design grounded in the concepts of actors, resources, and activities. The authors illustrate the potential of the framework through a longitudinal case study. The empirical case revolves around an initiative for recycling of plastic material in a partly beforehand established supply chain, and the study reveals three main findings.FindingsFirst, recycling solutions can result in major technological challenges. For example, using recycled material can jeopardize industrial quality standards. Second, third-party stakeholders represent critical knowledge and competence that can remedy technological challenges. Finally, R&D projects are important means for developing firm-stakeholder relationships.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper introduces IMP concepts to the CS debate, which can illuminate the emerging literature on tensions and paradoxes related to CS phenomena. Further research is needed on the role of non-business actors as capacity generators for social and environmental change in traditional business networks.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework can be used to analyze why some stakeholders (individuals and groups) turn into contributing actors in inter-organizational relationships, while others remain latent.Originality/valueThis paper illustrates the usefulness of actor bonds, resource ties and activity links as explanatory concepts. Moreover, developed relationships in terms of collaboration and networks represent a capacity to change, which is overlooked in current CS debates.

Conflict and Confluence: The Multidimensionality of Opportunism in Principal–Agent Relationships

Conventional agency theory typically focuses on a unidirectional problem, in which an agent behaves opportunistically against the interests of a principal. Yet, this conceptualization is too limited to fully describe all aspects of principal–agent relationships. This article presents a more comprehensive framework explaining a potential three-directional problem—that is, (i) agents behave opportunistically against the interests of principals, (ii) principals behave opportunistically against the interests of agents, and (iii) relationships between agents and principals representing confluence of interests affect the interests of third-party stakeholders. The article provides evidence of these problems, describes their unique characteristics, and outlines implications for society. It concludes with a discussion focusing on the implications of the proposed framework for purported governance solutions, the ongoing debate between shareholder and stakeholder views of the firm, and business practices.

Conflict and Confluence: The Multidimensionality of Opportunism in Principal-Agent Relationships

Conventional agency theory typically focuses on a unidirectional problem, in which an agent behaves opportunistically against the interests of a principal. We argue that this conceptualization is too limited to fully describe all aspects of principal-agent relationships, and develop a more comprehensive framework explaining a potential three-directional problem--that is, (i) agents behave opportunistically against the interests of principals, (ii) principals behave opportunistically against the interests of agents, and (iii) the dynamic relationships between agents and principals (whether representing conflict or confluence) affect the interests of third-party stakeholders. We provide evidence of these problems and describe unique characteristics, implications for society, and purported governance solutions for each. We conclude by discussing the implications of our framework for the ongoing debate between shareholder and stakeholder views of the firm and their respective implications for society.

Back Into The Fold: The Influence of Offender Amends and Victim Forgiveness on Reintegration

After a transgression has occurred within an organization, the process of reconciliation often involves both offender amends and victim forgiveness (two key aspects of restorative justice). However, beyond reconciliation, reintegration depends on the views of organizational peers and other third-party stakeholders. Across two studies, we demonstrate that the success of reintegration follows from both the offender making appropriate amends and the victim forgiving those amends, which is primarily based on participants viewing victims as having experienced closure. In addition, we show the perils of a victim’s refusing to accept appropriate amends; unforgiving victims are not welcomed back into the organizational fold and are disliked overall because their refusal violates expectations and signals that they are a difficult person. Thus, reintegration requires both offenders and victims to do their part, and both may suffer the consequences of failing to meet peer expectations. Implications for restorative j...

A Guide to Guidelines for Pulmonary, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine Clinicians

Both the Institute of Medicine and the Guidelines International Network have recently published standards for trustworthy guidelines. The standards address multiple aspects of guideline development, including being transparent about funding and methodology, minimizing bias related to conflicts of interest, assembling writing committees with broad stakeholder representation, using rigorous and systematic methods to synthesize evidence and formulate recommendations, and periodically assessing guidelines for currency and updating them as required. In this article, we present the perspective of the Documents Development and Implementation Committee of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) on these and other guideline-related topics of relevance to ATS members. In addition, we summarize the many important take-home messages from a workshop that was jointly sponsored by the ATS and the European Respiratory Society, and attempt to place these messages in the context of a methodology that is rapidly evolving and a landscape in which clinical practice guidelines are subjected to ever-increasing scrutiny by clinicians, patients, and other third-party stakeholders.

Maintaining Organizational Fields: Immigration law firms as buffers between firms and regulators

This paper examines how third-party stakeholders maintain contested organizational fields. It draws on 106 interviews with employers, government officials, and specialized immigration law firms. Fo...