Η διπλωματική εργασία διερευνά τη σημασία του θεσμού της Εταιρικής Κοινωνικής Ευθύνης και της Χρηματοοικονομικής Απόδοσης μέσα στη σύγχρονη επιχειρηματική δραστηριότητα. Για το σκοπό αυτό, αρχικά παρουσιάζονται οι δυο αυτές έννοιες και στην συνέχεια γίνεται αναφορά στο πώς διάφορες έρευνες καταλήγουν στην σχέση τους. Η εργασία χωρίζεται σε δυο μέρη. Το ποιοτικό που περιλαμβάνει το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της εργασίας και στηρίζεται κυρίως σε ένα μεγάλο εύρος παγκόσμιων και ευρωπαϊκών βιβλιογραφικών πηγών που αφορούν την Εταιρική Κοινωνική Ευθύνη και την Χρηματοοικονομική απόδοση και το ποσοτικό που χρησιμοποιείται κυρίως για την χρήση των αριθμοδεικτών στο 5 κεφάλαιο. / This thesis explores the importance of the institution of Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance in contemporary business. For this purpose, initially presented these two concepts, and then referring to how various investigations resulting in the relationship. The task is divided into two parts. The quality that includes the majority of the task and is mainly based on a wide range of global and European literature sources relating to Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance and quantitative used mainly for using the indicators in Chapter 5.

Οι επιχειρήσεις ιδρύονται και λειτουργούν με σκοπό τη μεγιστοποίηση του κέρδους από την εκμετάλλευση των διαφόρων πόρων μέσω των επιχειρησιακών διαδικασιών. Αυτή η αυστηρά τεχνοκρατική τοποθέτηση εγκυμονεί τον κίνδυνο, ιδιαίτερα όταν στόχος είναι η βραχυπρόθεσμη μεγιστοποίηση του κέρδους, να οδηγηθεί η επιχείρηση σε καταχρήσεις των πόρων και στην παράβλεψη του αντίκτυπου των επιχειρησιακών δραστηριοτήτων της πάνω στους άλλους κοινωνικούς εταίρους και στο περιβάλλον. Επιπρόσθετα, διάφορα σκάνδαλα αδιαφάνειας και κακοδιαχειρίσεων από διεθνείς επιχειρήσεις-κολοσσούς, είχαν ως αποτέλεσμα την επέκταση της Εταιρικής Διακυβέρνησης και των αρχών της Εταιρικής Κοινωνικής Ευθύνης σε όλες τις οικονομίες, ξεκινώντας από τις αναπτυγμένες. Τα θέματα της διαφάνειας στη διαχείριση και της ευθύνης έναντι της κοινωνίας μιας επιχείρησης είναι δύο από τα δυναμικότερα και προκλητικότερα ζητήματα που αντιμετωπίζουν σήμερα οι ηγετικές επιχειρήσεις. Η Εταιρική Διακυβέρνηση – ΕΔ - (Corporate Governance) και η Εταιρική Κοινωνική Ευθύνη – ΕΚΕ - (Corporate Social Responsibility), αποτελούν στοιχεία για την εξισορρόπηση της οικονομικής, κοινωνικής, και περιβαλλοντικής επίδρασης της επιχειρησιακής δραστηριότητας με ταυτόχρονη ανάπτυξη της αξίας για λογαριασμό των μετόχων, αλλά και γενικότερα όλων των συμμετεχόντων σε αυτή (stakeholders). Στην παρούσα μελέτη γίνεται εκτενής παρουσίαση των εννοιών της ΕΔ και της ΕΚΕ. Αρχικά, παρουσιάζονται διάφορες βασικές έννοιες και θεωρίες, οι οποίες είναι στενά συνυφασμένες με τα εν λόγω αντικείμενα, όπως οι Αρχές Εταιρικής Διακυβέρνησης που διατύπωσε ο ΟΟΣΑ, τα κλασικά εργαλεία αντιμετώπισης του προβλήματος της Εταιρικής Διακυβέρνησης καθώς και τα Συστήματα Εταιρικής Διακυβέρνησης και Εταιρικής Κοινωνικής Ευθύνης, ενώ εξετάζεται η διάσταση της ΕΔ στη διαχείριση των συνταξιοδοτικών ταμείων. Στη συνέχεια της μελέτης παρουσιάζονται διάφορες μελέτες από τη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία, οι οποίες διερευνούν την ύπαρξη συσχέτισης μεταξύ Εταιρικής Διακυβέρνησης, Εταιρικής Κοινωνικής Ευθύνης και Χρηματοοικονομικής Επίδοσης των επιχειρήσεων (benchmarking). Επιπροσθέτως, γίνεται αναφορά στην εξέλιξη της ΕΔ και της ΕΚΕ στην Ελλάδα, καθώς και στο ισχύον θεσμικό πλαίσιο στην Ελλάδα. Στο τέλος, παρουσιάζουμε συνοπτικά τα συμπεράσματα που αφορούν την ΕΔ, την ΕΚΕ και την συσχέτισή τους με τη χρηματοοικονομική επίδοση των επιχειρήσεων. / The enterprises are founded and function aiming at the maximisation of profit from the exploitation of various resources via the operational processes. This strictly technocratic placement gestates the danger, particularly when objective is the short-term maximisation of profit, is led the enterprise to abuses of resources and to the ignoring of impact of her operational activities on to other social partners and to the environment. Additionally, various scandals of opacity and mismanagement by multinational enterprises had as result the extension of Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility in all economies, beginning from the rich countries. The issues of transparency in the management and responsibility to the society of enterprise are two from the most dynamic and provocative questions that face today the leading enterprises. Corporate Governance - CG - and the Corporate Social Responsibility – CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), constitute elements for balancing economic, social, and environmental effect of operational activity with simultaneous growth of value on behalf of all the shareholders, but also more generally participating in this (stakeholders). In the present study it takes place extensive presentation of the meaning of CG and CSR. Initially, they are presented various basic significances and theories, that are closely interwoven with the objects in question, as the theories of Corporate Governing that the OECD formulated, the classic tools of confrontation of problem of Corporate Governing as well as the Systems of Corporate Governing and Corporate Social Responsibility, while it is examined the dimension of ED in the management of retirement funds. Afterwards the study presents various studies by the international bibliography, that investigate the existence of cross-correlation between Corporate Governing, Corporate Social Responsibility and Financing Performance of enterprises (benchmarking). In addition, a report takes place in the development of CG and CSR in Greece, as well as in the being in effect institutional frame in Greece. In the end, we present concise the conclusions that concern the CG, the CSR and their cross-correlation with the financing performance of enterprises.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe išanalizuota ir įvertinta dabartinė Lietuvos įmonių sistema, iškeltos šalies verslo plėtros problemos ir apibendrinus tyrimo rezultatus pateikti siūlymai. Magistro darbas sudarytas iš trijų pagrindinių dalių. Pirmoje šio darbo dalyje, remiantis įvairiais moksliniais šaltiniais, yra analizuojama ir apibrėžiama įmonės samprata ir jos svarba šiuolaikinės organizacijos kontekste. Antroje šio darbo dalyje analizuojama įmonių steigimo tvarka, apibrėžiami įmonių verslo aplinkos ypatumai bei analizuojami mokestiniai įmonių veiklos aspektai. Trečia magistro tiriamojo darbo dalis skirta šalies įmonių veiklos dinamikos analizei penkerių metų laikotarpiu, apžvelgiant įmones pagal įvairius kriterijus: įmonių veiklos bei darbuotojų skaičių, veiklos trukmę, ekonominės veiklos rūšis, juridinę įmonės formą. Taip pat analizuojama ir vertinama bendra šalies ūkio būklė analizuojant įmonių finansinius rodiklius, pateikiamos esminės tiriamojo darbo išvados, teikiami siūlymai tolimesnei temos analizei bei apibrėžiamos šalies ūkio sistemos perspektyvos. / Master's thesis examined and evaluated the current system of Lithuanian companies, defined the country’s business development issues, and summarized the results of the investigation and submits suggestions. Master's thesis consists of three main parts. The first part of this work based on a variety of research sources. The concept of the company analyzed and defined and its importance in the context of modern organizations. In the second part of this work is the analysis of start-up procedure, defining characteristics of business environment analysis and tax aspects of corporate activity. Third Master's research work is devoted to domestic companies operating dynamics analysis of a five-year period, the review of companies according to various criteria: corporate and business employees, the duration of economic activity, legal form of company. As well as analyzing and evaluating, the overall condition of the country's economy by financial indicators, outlines the main findings of a study, submitted proposals for the further analysis of the subject and defines the country's economic system perspective.

This study examines the relationship between investments in human capital and financial performance among U.S. profit-seeking firms. Specifically, it examines whether companies with greater emphasis in human capital are associated with higher profitability later on. The literature covers material ranging from accumulated information on the economy, organizational psychology, academic papers, national surveys, management literature, and workforce studies. The methodology tests a sample of companies from the Fortune 100’s Best Companies to Work For rank. Using correlations, regression analyses, and an analysis of further tests on Fortune 100 firms, the study provides evidence of a positive relationship between higher rankings and higher accounting ratios of NPM, ROE, and ROA. The paper has implications for managers to use human capital as a profit lever. Proper investments can be made using accounting and finance tools to better assess and invest in their employees.

This study examines farm financial performance of Kentucky farms using Kentucky Farm Business Management data from 1998-2010. Logit models are used to estimate the likelihood of farm characteristics affecting whether financial ratios fall into critical zones or not. The results show that large farms in terms of total gross returns and total assets are less likely to experience repayment capacity problems. Total gross returns significantly affect all five financial measures. These findings will help farmers and lenders understand what factors influence farm financial performance. Profitability migration is tested to see if the migration probabilities differ across business cycles. Migration drift is also tested to determine if the Markov property of independence is violated. Results show substantial retention in return on equity (ROE) performance over time, and a tendency for trend-reversal if ROE changes occur. Results are compared to previous literature using ARMS data and Illinois FBFM.

The corporate scandals in the beginning of the 21st century caused distrust in the market and a pressure for more disclosure to increase transparency. To broaden the traditional reporting, companies started to voluntarily disclose information regarding soft measures like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Due to the fast development and popularity of CSR, more companies started to disclose a separate sustainability report to communicate information about these activities. The aim of the report is to provide stakeholders with accurate and transparent information regarding the companies CSR activities, but also to legitimize the business. The main purpose of this research is to investigate if the quantity of information disclosed in the sustainability report affects the financial performance of companies listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. We also aim to investigate whether the existence of a report affects the financial performance. With companies spending an increasing amount of resources on disclosing voluntary information it is important to extend the research regarding CSR and the benefits to financial performance. This research ontological and epistemological positions are objectivism and positivism with a deductive approach. A quantitative method was used to gather sufficient data from existing databases and reports. For the first research question our population is all companies listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm on April 12th 2013, and for the second research question our population is the companies with a separate sustainability report in English from the accounting year of 2011. The financial performance data was gathered from the period 2012-04-01-2013-03.31. To answer our research questions and sub- questions, six hypotheses were formulated based on relevant theories and previous studies. Several multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between the existence of the reports, and the quantity of information in them, to the company’s financial performance. Other regressions were performed to establish if the quantity disclosed was affected by industry classification or market capitalization size. Our results show that the neither the existence of a separate sustainability report nor the quantity of information disclosed in it has an effect on stock return. However, both having a separate sustainability and the quantity of information disclosed have a positive effect on stock volatility. Conclusively, companies do not benefit financially from disclosing their CSR activities through a separate sustainability report.

<p>Islamic banking and finance in Pakistan started in 1977-78 with the elimination of <em>interest</em> in compliance with the Principles of Islamic Shari’ah in Islamic banking practices. Since then, amendments in financial system to allow the issuance of new interest-free instrument of corporate financing, promulgation of ordinance to permit the establishment of Mudaraba companies and floatation of Mudaraba Certificates, constitution of Commission for Transformation of Financial System (CTFS), and the establishments of Islamic Banking Department by the State Bank of Pakistan are some of the key steps taken place by the governments.</p><p> </p><p>The aim of this study is to examine and to evaluate the performance of the first Islamic bank in Pakistan, i.e. Meezan Bank Limited (MBL) in comparison with that of a group of 5 Pakistani conventional banks. The study evaluates performance of the Islamic bank (MBL) in profitability, liquidity, risk, and efficiency for the period of 2003-2007. Financial ratios (12 in total) such as Return on Asset (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), Loan to Deposit ratio (LDR), Loan to Assets ratio (LAR), Debt to Equity ratio (DER), Asset Utilization (AU), and Income to Expense ratio (IER) are used to assess banking performances. T-test and F-test are used in determining the significance of the differential performance of the two groups of banks. The study found that MBL is less profitable, more solvent (less risky), and also less efficient comparing to the average of the 5 conventional banks. However, there was no significant difference in liquidity between the two sets of banks. The reasons are due to the facts that conventional banks in Pakistan have longer history and experience in doing banking business and hold dominating position in the financial sector with its large share in the overall financial assets of Pakistan, as compared to Islamic banks, which in true sense, started only a few years back with all letter and spirit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Albeit, the study found that MBL is less profitable, more solvent (less risky), and less efficient during 2003-2007, however, it is improving considerably over time indicating convergence with the performance of the conventional banks.</p>

Τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες, ο παράγοντας περιβάλλον αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό κομμάτι της καθημερινής μας ζωής με αποτέλεσμα τα σημαντικά περιβαλλοντικά προβλήματα, όπως η αλλαγή του κλίματος, η τάση για ολοένα αυστηρότερη περιβαλλοντική νομοθεσία και η αυξανόμενη ζήτηση φιλικών προς το περιβάλλον προϊόντων και υπηρεσιών, φέρνουν αντιμέτωπες τις επιχειρήσεις με μία επιπρόσθετη πρόκληση: την σύνδεση της επιχειρηματικής δραστηριότητας με την προστασία και την αναβάθμιση του περιβάλλοντος. Η μέχρι σήμερα προσέγγιση των περιβαλλοντικών ζητημάτων από τις επιχειρήσεις βασιζόταν στον απλό συσχετισμό των παραμέτρων περιβάλλον, κόστος και νομική κατοχύρωση. Οι προτροπές όμως για την προστασία του περιβάλλοντος και για μια ορθολογικότερη περιβαλλοντική διαχείριση, είναι πλέον πιο πιεστικές παρά ποτέ. Έτσι, σε μια ανταγωνιστική αγορά, η ύπαρξη και η λειτουργία μιας επιχείρησης σήμερα είναι περισσότερο άμεσα συνδεδεμένη με την ικανότητα ανταπόκρισης της στις απαιτήσεις του κοινωνικού συνόλου και των ενδιαφερόμενων μερών της (καταναλωτές, προμηθευτές, εργαζόμενοι, συνεργάτες, πελάτες κ.α.). Η ανάγκη για μακροπρόθεσμη προστασία και διαχείριση του περιβάλλοντος, ώστε η ανάπτυξη του σήμερα να μην γίνεται σε βάρος των μελλοντικών γενεών, έχει αλλάξει το σκηνικό της αρνητικής σύνδεσης ανάμεσα στο κόστος προστασίας του περιβάλλοντος και την οικονομική ανάπτυξη. Το επιχειρηματικό περιβάλλον αλλάζει και το ενδιαφέρον της αγοράς στρέφεται στην ανάπτυξη της συνεχώς ανερχόμενης «πράσινης οικονομίας», προσφέροντας ώθηση στην προαγωγή της «πράσινης» καινοτομίας. Η μετάβαση της απλής περιβαλλοντικής συνείδησης σε αλλαγή συμπεριφοράς για τις επιχειρήσεις αποτελεί μία πρόκληση στην οποία πρέπει να ανταποκριθούν. Όμως, η διαδικασία της μετάβασης δεν είναι μία απλή μέθοδος αλλά εντάσσεται στις οργανωμένες δράσεις διεθνών φορέων όπως η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, αποσκοπώντας στην εκούσια προσχώρηση των επιχειρήσεων για την βελτίωση των περιβαλλοντικών τους επιδόσεων και την ανάδειξη του περιβάλλοντος μεσο-μακροπρόθεσμα ως μοχλό ανάπτυξης. Ο σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η διερεύνηση της σχέσης μεταξύ της περιβαλλοντικής επίδοσης και της χρηματοοικονομικής επίδοσης μιας επιχείρησης. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, γίνεται μία προσπάθεια μελέτης κατά πόσο οι επενδύσεις στην παραγωγική διαδικασία μιας επιχείρησης για την προστασία του περιβάλλοντος αποδίδουν, δηλαδή συμφέρει μια επιχείρηση να έχει «πράσινο» προσανατολισμό;. Έτσι, δημιουργείται το ερώτημα εάν μία επιχείρηση που έχει καλή περιβαλλοντική επίδοση κερδίζει πλεονέκτημα έναντι των ανταγωνιστών της ή η επένδυση στην περιβαλλοντική προστασία λειτουργεί ως ένα επιπλέον κόστος για αυτήν; / --

Due to widespread bank scandals and failures around the world, there has been renewed interest in the effect of corporate governance on bank performance. The majority of research concerning corporate governance and its effect on bank performance has been undertaken in developed countries and markets, particularly the USA and European Union but relatively little evidence is provided in Sub Saharan Africa, specifically, Ghana. This study investigates the effects of corporate governance on financial performance of Ghanaian universal banking companies during the period 2006- 2014. This study primarily employs relevant governance theories to investigate the relationship between corporate governance and bank performance. Multiple regression panel data analysis and other appropriate methods are the main tools of analysis in this study. The empirical investigation revealed a mixed set of results. The findings showed that board size, board composition, bank size and foreign ownership are positively but insignificantly related to profitability in terms of return on asset and return on equity, while board committees have a positive and statistically significant impact on financial performance which is consistent with the monitoring hypothesis of agency theory which argues that board committees are an important mechanism of corporate governance in Ghana which impact on bank performance. This study contributes to the increasing number of research studies on the link between bank performance and corporate governance. The lacked of clarity, mixed and permanent relationships provided, show that the association the association between bank performance and different corporate governance mechanisms is complex and dynamic optimal governance arrangements may differ from bank to bank in relation to governance characteristics.

O objetivo deste trabalho é verificar a existência de uma ligação empírica entre a dimensão ambiental e a dimensão econômica da firma. A revisão da literatura apontou para lacunas nos modelos de relação existentes, com seus resultados não sendo considerados consistentes. Assim, este trabalho busca identificar a relação entre o Desempenho Ambiental – medido pelo Desempenho Ambiental Operacional, pelo Sistema de Gestão Ambiental e pela Regulamentação Ambiental – com a Inovatividade e do Desempenho Financeiro da firma. Uma pesquisa com o setor de terceira geração petroquímica, a industria de transformação de plásticos, foi realizada em Agosto de 2008. Testes estatísticos foram realizados para identificar padrões de resposta, testar as hipóteses do modelo proposto. Ao final, este modelo comprova empiricamente que por meio da dimensão ambientais e da inovatividade se pode explicar aproximadamente 34% da variância do desempenho financeiro das empresas em uma análise de regressão linear. Pontos relevantes foram encontrados na descrição ambiental do setor pesquisado, fornecendo informações aos gerentes para a tomada de decisões ambientais. / The main purpose of this study is to verify a connection between environment dimension and economic dimension in firms. The review of literature show gaps in existing models and their results did not be consistent. Therefore, this study look for a relationship among the Environment Performance – measured by Operational Environment Performance, by Environment Management Systems and by Environmental Regulations – and the Innovativeness and Financial Performance. A research in third generation petrochemical chain sector, the industry of plastics transformation, was done in August 2008. Statistical analysis was performed to identify patters and to verify hypothesis in proposed model. In the final, this model prove empirically 34% of financial performance variation by environment performance and innovativeness in a linear regression. Relevant knowledge was found in sector environment description, being important to managers taking decisions.