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The development of CRAG's robot technology data base, ADR‐l Expert System, is described and findings from the data base discussed. Relevant characteristics of available robots including accuracy, load carrying capacity, and application capability are reviewed and the role of data base systems for this purpose discussed.

This paper aims to empirically examine the impact of mandatory CSR disclosure on the CEO pay performance sensitivity.

Using the mandatory requirement of CSR disclosure as an exogenous shock, the authors compare the changes in CEO pay performance sensitivity for treatment firms with control firms through a difference-in-difference (DiD) approach.

The authors find that mandatory CSR disclosure enhances CEO pay performance sensitivity. The results also show that monitoring CEO power is a conduit through which mandatory CSR disclosure affects CEO pay performance sensitivity. The positive impact is more profound in firms with a powerful CEO, i.e. one who is politically well-connected, holds dual roles as both CEO and Chairman, and/or has had a long tenure. Furthermore, the increased CEO pay performance sensitivity after the mandate is prominent among state-owned enterprises (SOEs) only.

The findings of this paper have implications for other economies with similar institutional backgrounds as China. Although the mandatory CSR disclosure does not require firms to spend on CSR investment, the mandatory CSR disclosure alters firm behaviour, and mitigates agency problems.

This paper contributes to the studies on the impact of CSR disclosure on firms' behaviour. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of mandatory CSR disclosure on CEO pay performance sensitivity using the quasi-natural experiment settings.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the use of cognitive behavioural approaches to treat a gentleman with a learning disability who had been reported to the police for allegedly making contact with children using social media in an attempt to initiate a romantic relationship using a single case design.

An 11 session cognitive behavioural intervention was employed, comprising of index offence analysis, challenging distorted cognitions related to the offence, developing an internal focus for responsibility and psychoeducation with regards to “staying safe” online.

Follow up data demonstrated no improvements in victim empathy, nor in agreement ratings in terms of key cognitions associated with responsibility for offending behaviour.

Whilst treatment efficacy was not established, this case study raises important questions that go beyond the single case design. Whilst the gentleman reported becoming “safer” in terms of initiating contact with unknown people via social media, this could not be substantiated, and is indicative of the cardinal difficulty of monitoring online recidivism. Generalisability of findings to the wider learning disability population is limited by a single case design.

This is the first published case study to the authors knowledge to evaluate cognitive behavioural approaches to reduce antisocial internet related behaviour in a forensic learning disability setting. Findings of considered within the context of the concept of minimisation of offending behaviour, the concept of “counterfeit deviance”, and also how best to measure therapeutic change within this population.

Reports from 2016 to 2017 suggest that approximately 870 cases of non-familial child abduction (NFA) are recorded in England and Wales per year. Yet, empirical knowledge of the victims, offenders and offence characteristics is limited in comparison to other forms of child victimisation. Furthermore, much of the available knowledge is constrained by a lack of clarity around the differences between acquaintance and stranger abductors. This systematic literature review aims to develop a comprehensive overview of acquaintance and stranger child abductions, focussing on the similarities and differences in offending behaviours.

Research databases (PsycArticles, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PsycINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, MEDLINE and ERIC) and the Grey Literature (ETHOS and EBSCO) were screened for peer-reviewed research published between 1995 and 2021. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised using a modified version of the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Case Reports.

Six key areas within NFA offences and their characteristics were identified as offering potential for differentiating acquaintance and stranger abductors: victim–offender relationship, number of victims and offenders, motives, modus operandi, victim injury, sexual assault and mechanism of death (in fatal cases). The results of this review are discussed with consideration given to investigative implications, limitations and directions for future study.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to systematically review the current NFA literature, from which pragmatic recommendations for practice and future academic enquiry are drawn.

How should we make sense of Europe's current malaise? Focused on the great recession, the European Union (EU)'s architecture, or diverging national interests, the literature offers useful economic, institutional, and political explanations. It is our contention that, however diverse, these works share one important limitation: a tendency to focus on rather immediate causes and consequences and not to step back with historical or comparative perspectives to gain a “longer” view of the dynamics at work. In this article, we begin by examining parallels between the EU's current conditions and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Then, introducing the articles contained in this special issue, we raise research questions pertaining to long-term historical, social, cultural, economic, and political factors. Are the current challenges unprecedented or do they have roots or connections to past events and developments? Is there a European trajectory into which we can contextualize current events? Are there bright spots, and what do they suggest about Europe's present and future? To engage in such questions, the papers leverage the insights of historical and comparative sociology, as well as comparative politics. In so doing, they offer analyses that see the EU as an instance of state formation. They propose that a key dimension of tension and possible resolution is the classic problem of sovereignty. They grapple with the question of identity and institutions, exploring in that context the extent and limit of citizens' support for more Europe. And they delve into the nature of the nationalist and populist sentiments within and across European countries.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of corporate sustainability (CS) practice by Malaysian Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and property listed companies, following the three dimensional (economic, environmental, and social) framework of CS.

A quantitative content analysis procedure was undertaken using 113 reports, including 23 REITs and 90 property companies. For the data collection company websites, annual reports, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and sustainability reports were employed. The global reporting initiative (GRI), reporting framework was used for data collection and recording. The content analysis examined the level of disclosures for three dimensions of sustainability, namely economic, social and environmental.

The content analysis indicates that the majority of companies among the sample have their social responsibility and sustainability strategies for the satisfaction of stakeholders and legitimizing firm practices. However, there are variations in their approaches and reporting processes. Among the three dimensions, environmental disclosures are on its least and social dimension has priority in the level of disclosures. Though the overall reporting is low, but having upward trends over time.

This study has a limitation that it investigates the level of CS practices in REITs and property companies among Malaysian listed companies. The findings of the study are helpful for the government of Malaysia, practitioners, academia, researchers, banks, Bursa Malaysia, security commission and CEO’s of the listed companies to improve their organizational practices and reporting quality of CS.

There has been limited literature on CS practices among Malaysian REITs and property industry. The previous studies have only focused top companies or a single dimension of CS, while this study addressing all the three dimensions of sustainability. This is the first study addressing all the three dimensions (economic, environmental, and social) of CS after the 10th Malaysian Plan (2010-2015). The study using a large sample of REITs and property companies during 2011-2013. The study will significantly add value to CS practices in emerging economies like Malaysia.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of resource use and environmental innovation on firms’ financial costs.

The sample consists of 2,588 firm-year observations from 647 companies collected from Thomson Reuters over a five-year period (year 2014 to year 2018). The authors analyze the data using panel-corrected standard errors, which corrects heteroskedasticity issues and contemporaneous error in the data. Further, the authors adopt cluster analysis based on the year and industry. The authors also adopt the generalized method of moments and two-stage least squares regression to check for endogeneity issues and validate the findings.

The findings generally indicate that resource use is negatively associated with firms’ cost of capital. Firms’ engagement with operational activities improves savings in the usage of resources, but environmental innovation is found to be positively associated with the cost of capital. This may be attributable to higher capital investment, stringent risk assessment and third-party assurance associated with firms’ environmental innovation.

The findings urge regulators, practitioners and stakeholders to engage in more dialogues to reduce the costs associated with environmental sustainability innovation. This may be in the form of new technologies, energy-saving products, waste recycling and green innovations. Government intervention via greater infrastructure, tax incentives and regulatory reform may support the growth of innovation in emerging market economies.

Efforts are needed to encourage a dynamic, innovative and entrepreneurial mindset among the people living in emerging countries. Also, government regulatory reform is imperative in encouraging innovations in the environmental, social and governance ecosystem.

The effect on society would be in the form of a new product innovation that creates better living standards and environments for the communities.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the few studies that focuses on the impact of firms’ resource use and environmental innovativeness and its implications on business financial costs in both emerging and developed markets.