Fernanda de Paiva Duarte and Benedict Young Imbun
The purpose of this paper is to canvass the views of villagers from a remote region of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on food security issues in their community and their level of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to canvass the views of villagers from a remote region of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on food security issues in their community and their level of satisfaction with food security initiatives provided by the extractive company that operated on their land.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative design: data gathered through 14 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews and a discussion forum with 20 villagers from Pawa. Purposive sampling. Snow-balling method of recruitment.
Findings
Food security was identified as a growing concern among the villagers, who also expressed dissatisfaction with the food security projects offered through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) program offered by the company operating on their land. Communication problems between company and community and lack of trust were evident.
Research limitations/implications
Possibility of self-selection bias among participants. The perspective of the company was under-represented.
Practical implications
The study highlights the need for CSR practitioners to be mindful of the importance of effective communication with local communities.
Social Implications
The study reveals the importance of meaningful dialogue between company and host communities, which can lead to a more efficient allocation of resources and empowerment of host communities.
Originality/value
The study bridges a research gap in the field of CSR in developing countries because food security, as a CSR issue in PNG communities, is under-researched. The study contributes to a better understanding of company –community relations in PNG and how these relations can be improved through a more normative approach to CSR. It also highlights the importance of empowering host communities through meaningful dialogue.
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This paper aims to explore the views of employees from a local government organization in Brazil regarding the status of “sustainability learning” in their workplace…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the views of employees from a local government organization in Brazil regarding the status of “sustainability learning” in their workplace. Sustainability learning refers to knowledge produced to address environmental risks.
Design/methodology/approach
Case study design highlighting the personal experience of participants in relation to sustainability learning. Data collected through seven face-to-face, semi-structured interviews during a six-week fieldwork. Purposive sampling was used, and recruitment was carried out through the snow balling method. Deductive and inductive logic were used in data analysis.
Findings
Sustainability-focused learning only took place informally in the organization studied. The organization did not have formal systems to embed sustainability learning in its rules, processes and practices. It was also found that organizational politics acted as an impediment to sustainability learning, as people in power often blocked support for sustainability related initiatives.
Research limitations/implications
Data would have been richer if more than one case study was developed, as this would have enabled inter-organizational comparisons and richer analysis.
Practical implications
This research is useful for practitioners, as it contributes to a better understanding of desirable sustainability learning practices and processes, and challenges that prevent it from occurring effectively in organizations.
Social implications
This research contributes to a better understanding of sustainability learning in an “emerging economy” such as Brazil. The implementation of sustainability learning practices in emerging economies poses particular challenges given their emphasis on economic growth. Understanding these challenges can enable managers working with sustainability to formulate better strategies to ensure a smoother transition to a sustainable future.
Originality/value
The originality of this research is twofold: first, it examines sustainability learning in the specific context of a government institution in an emerging economy; second, it draws attention to organizational politics as a major impediment to the systematic implementation of sustainability learning practices.
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This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.
Findings
Businesses are under growing pressure to act more responsibly toward society and the environment. Together with appropriate leadership, a strong emphasis on communication and open-mindedness can help overcome challenges and increase the effectiveness of sustainability learning.
Practical implications
The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.
Originality/value
The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
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Barbara de Lima Voss, David Bernard Carter and Bruno Meirelles Salotti
We present a critical literature review debating Brazilian research on social and environmental accounting (SEA). The aim of this study is to understand the role of politics in…
Abstract
We present a critical literature review debating Brazilian research on social and environmental accounting (SEA). The aim of this study is to understand the role of politics in the construction of hegemonies in SEA research in Brazil. In particular, we examine the role of hegemony in relation to the co-option of SEA literature and sustainability in the Brazilian context by the logic of development for economic growth in emerging economies. The methodological approach adopts a post-structural perspective that reflects Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. The study employs a hermeneutical, rhetorical approach to understand and classify 352 Brazilian research articles on SEA. We employ Brown and Fraser’s (2006) categorizations of SEA literature to help in our analysis: the business case, the stakeholder–accountability approach, and the critical case. We argue that the business case is prominent in Brazilian studies. Second-stage analysis suggests that the major themes under discussion include measurement, consulting, and descriptive approach. We argue that these themes illustrate the degree of influence of the hegemonic politics relevant to emerging economics, as these themes predominantly concern economic growth and a capitalist context. This paper discusses trends and practices in the Brazilian literature on SEA and argues that the focus means that SEA avoids critical debates of the role of capitalist logics in an emerging economy concerning sustainability. We urge the Brazilian academy to understand the implications of its reifying agenda and engage, counter-hegemonically, in a social and political agenda beyond the hegemonic support of a particular set of capitalist interests.