Pierre Kletz, Granit Almog‐Bareket, André Habisch, Gilbert Lenssen and Cristian Loza Adaui
The purpose of this issue is to provide an overview of the special issue on practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this issue is to provide an overview of the special issue on practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The guest editorial introduces the papers in this special issue, focusing in practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.
Findings
The question on the relationship between the Jewish tradition and practical wisdom for management is answered in two different ways: first, providing a particular Jewish answer to managerial problems and second, presenting how Judaism can be a field of reflection learning for managerial praxis at both organizational and individual level.
Originality/value
The paper shows that the special issue offers insights into the value of practical wisdom of the Jewish traditions, from two particular points of view, as a guide for action and as an ethical approach to management.
Details
Keywords
Kulpatra Sirodom, Cristian Loza Adaui, André Habisch, Theodore Malloch and Gilbert Lenssen
Wafa El Garah, Rafik I. Beekun, André Habisch, Gilbert Lenssen and Cristian Loza Adaui
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the special issue on practical wisdom for management from the Islamic traditions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the special issue on practical wisdom for management from the Islamic traditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The guest editorial introduces the papers in this special issue, focusing on practical wisdom for management from the Islamic tradition.
Findings
Using multiple levels of analysis as well as both academic and practitioner‐oriented perspectives, this special issue demonstrates that the Islamic tradition offers valuable practical wisdom insights in multiple areas including leadership, human resource management, action learning, knowledge transfer and business ethics.
Originality/value
This issue represents the first exploratory contribution to the research on practical wisdom from the Islamic tradition, opening a new focus of research and contributing to management development.
Details
Keywords
Giorgio Mion and Cristian R. Loza Adaui
Public-interest entities – among which are listed companies – are obliged to publish nonfinancial disclosure in some countries and regions. The European Commission established…
Abstract
Public-interest entities – among which are listed companies – are obliged to publish nonfinancial disclosure in some countries and regions. The European Commission established mandatory nonfinancial disclosure by Directive 2014/95/EU. While a large body of literature was developed on sustainability reporting quality (SRQ) in voluntary context, evidence about the effect of mandatory nonfinancial disclosure on SRQ is controversial and previous experiences worldwide did not make clear if obligatoriness improves SRQ. This chapter aims to bridge the gap of empirical evidence about this phenomenon in European countries, focusing on first implementation of new legislation by Italian and German companies. The research has an explorative character and it adopts content analysis methods performed on sustainability reporting practices of companies listed in FTSE-MIB and DAX 30. The analysis aims to understand if obligatoriness affects SRQ, causes some changes in reporting practices such as harmonizing Italian and German ones by performing a cross-country comparison. The findings suggest that obligatoriness improves reporting quality and, above all, it fills the gap between different countries by fostering the adoption of international guidelines and the consequent introduction of some content, such as materiality analysis and quantitative measures of social and environmental performance.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how management education in India can benefit from applying a Vedic Learning style. It argues that transformational learning, a key to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how management education in India can benefit from applying a Vedic Learning style. It argues that transformational learning, a key to transforming mindset, also increases the importance of ethical behavior in management education.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a literature review of Vedic education principles and transformational learning. It focusses on how to apply it in the management education.
Findings
It presents an analysis of Vedic Learning, the Indian mindset and the role of transformational learning in Indian management education. While there is a decline in practicing Vedic Learning in India, in fact, it carries a huge potential for all-round development which would transform management education. The paper proposes ingredients for management education following Vedic Learning in terms of philosophy, designing programs, teacher's role, teaching environment and by integrating different types of skills for management.
Practical implications
It implies that management education can be designed in a Vedic Learning style for revitalizing practical wisdom for facing the challenges of modern society, both in India and other parts of the world.
Originality/value
It strengthens the relevance of the concept of Vedic Learning and shows its similarities with transformational learning.
Details
Keywords
André Habisch and Cristian Loza Adaui
This paper aims to indicate how practical wisdom in the western Christian tradition may be introduced into management development. Following recent documents of Catholic social…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to indicate how practical wisdom in the western Christian tradition may be introduced into management development. Following recent documents of Catholic social thought, three roads to go are indicated especially concerning: management practice, management education, and the managerial reason.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an interdisciplinary paper summarizing economic, philosophical, and business literature.
Findings
In his recent social encyclical Caritas in veritate Pope Benedict XVI criticizes a dominating approach of economic thinking that neglects practical wisdom in management. The authors indicate three roads of seasoning management practice with practical wisdom: integrating charity in management theory and practice (by spelling out the economic relevance of reciprocity and gratuitousness for economic theory and for managerial decision making), enriching business school experience (by deepening elements of voluntary engagement and interdisciplinary education) and to enlarge the perspective of management decision making (by enlarging the way to conceive knowledge in management).
Originality/value
The interdisciplinary approach interprets certain elements of business education as expressions of the ethical concept of “gratuitousness”.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate consumer society through various perspectives. In addition, it applies Buddhist economics as an exemplary model which helps…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate consumer society through various perspectives. In addition, it applies Buddhist economics as an exemplary model which helps managing consumer society.
Design/methodology/approach
The study started by comparing and contrasting the management of consumption between Mainstream and Buddhist economic. In addition, various perspectives such as Marxian economics, Frankfurt School, sociology as well as social critics are added to comprehend consumer society. Finally, it proposed the practices of Buddhist economics as an exemplary model for managing consumer society.
Findings
The study found that while Mainstream economics focusses on increasing the amount of goods and services, Buddhist economics focusses on converting the insatiable to satiable desires. There are two viewpoints of the interconnected spheres of consumption and production through the evolution of consumerism; a producer-led approach and a consumer-led approach. This polarization presents the debate in a very well-established tension between structure and agency.
Originality/value
This paper proposed an exemplary model for managing consumer society by applying the dialectical relationship of both structure and agency.
Details
Keywords
Corporate compliance practices are often “coercively” structured, coined by a legal discourse and derived from individualist normative concepts. Drawing on the “logic of the…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate compliance practices are often “coercively” structured, coined by a legal discourse and derived from individualist normative concepts. Drawing on the “logic of the Decalogue”, the purpose of this paper is to design an “enabling” approach based on a covenantal logic present within the Decalogue.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is interdisciplinary analysis summarizing exegetical, social science and business literature.
Findings
Within a covenantal and transcendental perspective, a morally literate community of employees, which have learned to reflect upon their responsibility, form the basis for compliance arrangements. They form a necessary complementary element of functional compliance systems.
Practical implications
The covenantal logic of the Decalogue can orientate the formulation of corporate compliance programs, which intend to follow an “enabling” approach. Normative claims should be rooted in an analysis of responsibilities towards relevant stakeholder groups. The potential of “spiritual capital” should be taken into consideration.
Originality/value
Reflecting one of the oldest ethical documents of human civilisation in the context of the contemporary management discussion on “coercive versus enabling control”, the orientating role of practical wisdom from the Jewish tradition becomes tangible.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to highlight how the new transdiscipline of ecological economics (EE) provides a very useful supporting scientific base for Buddhist traditions and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight how the new transdiscipline of ecological economics (EE) provides a very useful supporting scientific base for Buddhist traditions and their provision of practical wisdom for economics and management.
Design/methodology/approach
The key relevant theoretical and methodological features of EE are explained and related to the Buddhist world view. The strong consistencies between the two perspectives are highlighted. The complementary nature of the practical philosophy of Buddhism and the guiding paradigm of EE can contribute to change in contemporary management approaches aligned with sustainable and welfare-enhancing economic systems.
Findings
EE provides a very appropriate scientific base to complement and broaden the positive contribution of Buddhist traditions to sustainable economic systems and consistent management practices.
Originality/value
Despite some very clear parallels and complementarities, the mutual benefits of integrating and strengthening the cross-over between Buddhism and the influential new “sustainability science” of EE are yet to be realised. This paper is focused on this goal. The potential interplay promises significant benefits for both perspectives – EE needs more development of its sustainability ethical basis, and Buddhist perspectives would be enhanced by support from a highly consistent and influential scientific paradigm in a world where secular market economics continues to prevail.
Details
Keywords
Muhammad Burdbar Khan and Naeem Nisar Sheikh
An increasing number of human resource development (HRD) theorists and researchers are calling for a broader philosophical framework for HRD within management practice. The…
Abstract
Purpose
An increasing number of human resource development (HRD) theorists and researchers are calling for a broader philosophical framework for HRD within management practice. The concept of workplace spirituality has received significant attention in this context. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of religion of Islam in filling this need for a spiritual philosophical framework and to highlight the lessons that can be learned from Islamic traditions. Finally, the authors call for revisiting some of the major motivation theories of HRD.
Design/methodology/approach
After discussing relevant philosophical, spiritual and HRD literature, this paper proposes modification in expectancy theory of motivation.
Findings
This paper emphasizes holistic education and human development in HRD. It proposes an enhanced role for objectives’ valence and value in organizational motivation. It also shows how earlier Islamic traditions had already practised the modern HRD principles.
Research limitations/implications
Being conceptual and theoretical in nature, the suggested motivation model needs rigor, further testing and empirical analysis.
Practical implications
The paper suggests that HRD ought to incorporate holistic education and human development as its main drivers. Furthermore, organizations need to put more emphasis on the value of ethical and normative objectives that may involve delayed or reduced gratification.
Social implications
The paper implies that by giving more emphasis to the value of ethical and moral goals, organizations and human resources would be more responsible to social responsibilities.
Originality/value
The paper proposes a new dimension in the expectancy theory of motivation and also provides justification for the role of spirituality as a philosophical framework in HRD.