The starting point of this paper is the traditional view of stakeholders (encompassing the binomial affecting – affected by the company), and identifies the analytical, managerial…
Abstract
The starting point of this paper is the traditional view of stakeholders (encompassing the binomial affecting – affected by the company), and identifies the analytical, managerial and normative dimensions implicit in this view. It goes on to suggest that all stakeholder approaches should make explicit their models, what we call a company model, a management model, a description model, a values clarification model and a legitimacy model. The next issue raised is how far most stakeholder approaches are constructed from a view of the corporation focused inwards, at the center of a universe with stakeholders revolving round it. The complexity of contemporary society (the network society) may require us to learn how to interpret the company’s economic and social relationships system, so that thinking about the company means thinking about it both within and without the network. This is why we propose the term relational corporation, to refer to a corporation that changes its approach to links with its stakeholders, moving from managing relationships to building relationships.
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What emerges when a market emerges? Does giving emphasis to the term emerging markets not represent a form of economic reductionism, neglecting the social context in which a…
Abstract
Purpose
What emerges when a market emerges? Does giving emphasis to the term emerging markets not represent a form of economic reductionism, neglecting the social context in which a market emerges? In this respect, CSR can be seen as a contribution from the business community, one that does not separate the economic and social dimensions in this process. However, more global approaches are needed to face today's challenges and to reflect on the criteria to be borne in mind. This paper seeks to address this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
For this reason, the paper feels it might be useful to respond to the question posed in the title, in dialogue with Pope Benedict XVI's latest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (CV). The latter represents one of the few current attempts to provide a global and integrated view, incorporating specific guiding values and criteria for action. This paper is thus divided into three parts entitled: in times of globalization and crisis: integral human development as a criterion; the CSR challenge: the company, sustainability and the common good; and the continuing challenge of business in society.
Findings
The main finding is that CV's contribution may be to provide criteria to analyze what one has to bear in mind when talking about emerging markets without reducing this vision merely to economic terms. It is necessary to consider criteria such as: integral human development; the common good; inter‐generational justice; the cultural context; ethics integrated within the economy and moral responsibility. All of these are fundamental.
Originality/value
This paper questions the message, which is sometimes oversimplified in the case of emerging markets, to the extent that it forgets the social context. Dealing with this omission allows one to present new challenges both as part of these countries' CSR agendas and in the call for both local and global governance.
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Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has often been presented as a challenge for management. This is due to the fact that the CSR debate has been associated with the business…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has often been presented as a challenge for management. This is due to the fact that the CSR debate has been associated with the business practices that are linked to it. But CSR is also an approximation to the business practices that require us to question the underlying corporate business model. Therefore, as it deals with a company's business model, the term CSR at once reveals its potential and its limitations. The ambiguity of the term “social” and the risk of not combining this with the term “economic” is by no means less significant: neither is the diversity of interpretations and approaches allowed by the term “social”. Using the words of the Lewis Carrol character, Humpty Dumpty, as a metaphor–according to which a word's meaning depends on the power of the person who uses it – the purpose of this paper is to propose a shift away from talking in terms of CSR (corporate social responsibility) to talking in terms of responsible and sustainable corporation (RSC).
Design/methodology/approach
The intention is not to become bogged down with questions of semantics of terminology but, rather, to bring about a change in emphasis. The author intends this to be a means of considering a more relational vision of the company (in other words, a relational corporation), taking as the point of departure the company's relationships with stakeholders. The paper proposes an analysis of the stakeholder relationship which is not reduced to mere relationship management.
Findings
Once these relationships have been established, it can be highlighted how, in each of them, the existence of economic, social and environmental dimensions can be investigated and, as a result, how these dimensions can be integrated into management. This means that the integration process should be translated into a vision of CSR (or, as is suggested, of RSC: responsible and sustainable corporation) at the same time as being a transversal management approach and an axis of corporate identity and of understanding the company as a project.
Originality/value
The paper proposes a change of emphasis regarding the approach to CSR. The aim of the paper is to contribute towards preventing the CSR debate from becoming blocked by debate on the scope of the term “social”. It should be put forward directly in terms of business strategy, in order for CSR not to be reduced to a set of business practices but for it to become part of the vision of the company, leading to the proposal of: responsible and sustainable corporation.
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Laura Albareda, Antonio Tencati, Josep M. Lozano and Francesco Perrini
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the changing role of governments promoting corporate responsibility (CR) as a result of the challenges raised by globalisation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the changing role of governments promoting corporate responsibility (CR) as a result of the challenges raised by globalisation.
Design/methodology/approach
CR is linked to the restructuring of governments' agendas in the framework of government/private sector/civil society relationships. It is a result of the research project that applies the Relational State Model Approach to the analysis of CR public policies. The relational state situates the relations between the public and private sectors, between the state and society, in the sphere of co‐responsibility.
Findings
The paper concludes that in the UK a more systemic, national government‐centred and business‐oriented approach prevails, while Italy has a more extensive, multi‐stakeholder and multi‐level approach.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should complete the comparative analysis expanding it to other European countries: northern and central European countries to analyse the difference between all European governments in order to promote CR.
Practical implications
The analytical framework of this paper could be used for academic, business leaders and policy makers to develop future actions in relation to CR public development.
Originality/value
The objective to be achieved is to understand the new political and public framework incorporating CR as a new form of governance. We compare two countries that represent two very different models of government action. The theoretical approach of the paper is based on the comparative analysis of CR governmental vision, objectives, strategies and internal government CR structure.
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Sophia Maria Kusyk and Josep M. Lozano
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are often neglected in the context of business and society theory building. The purpose of this article is to build a model of why SMEs address…
Abstract
Purpose
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are often neglected in the context of business and society theory building. The purpose of this article is to build a model of why SMEs address social issues by integrating internal and external drivers and barriers to social performance (SP).
Design/methodology/approach
Using thematic analysis, barriers and drivers to SME social performance are clustered along key stakeholders and presented in a theoretical model. The analysis dates from 1973 until 2006 and is grounded in an extensive literature review that represents a total of 83 countries. It includes academic and practitioner accounts stemming from theoretical and empirical work, as well as conference proceedings. A total of 80 drivers and 96 barriers to SME high social performance are identified.
Findings
This paper develops an SME four‐cell ideal type of social issues management (SIM) response typology based on drivers and barriers of social performance.
Practical implications
The importance of understanding barriers and drivers to social responsibility (SR) of SIM for stakeholder theory, policy makers, and practitioners is discussed, concluding with implications for further SME‐SR research.
Originality/value
The four‐cell typology considers the theoretical claims of stakeholder theory within the context of SMEs and proposes a heteronomy of stakeholder salience.
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Marian Buil Fabregá, Núria Masferrer, Josep Patau and Albert-P. Miró Pérez
The purpose of this research is to analyse the relationship between entrepreneurial skills and innovation commitment and entrepreneurial skills and environmental commitment as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to analyse the relationship between entrepreneurial skills and innovation commitment and entrepreneurial skills and environmental commitment as drivers of awareness on sustainable development of higher education students.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 1,318 business and management students out of the 3,535 students of Tecnocampus Pompeu Fabra University in Spain during the 2017-2018 academic year was selected to conduct a survey regarding their entrepreneurial skills and sustainability commitment, resulting in a total number of responses of 515. A structural equation model is proposed to contrast the hypothesis.
Findings
The statistical analysis showed the existence of a positive relation between the entrepreneurial skill of self-consciousness, innovation and environmental commitment to foster sustainability and sustainable development. It is one of the few studies related to the self-conciousness competence of the entrepreneurial skills which found, as a novelty, that the entrepreneurial skill of self-consciousness is the skill with the greater impact on innovation and environmental commitment.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of the study are that it is based on a sample of students taking entrepreneurship courses at a specific Spanish University that is not representative of all entrepreneurs in all universities.
Practical implications
The research proposes including entrepreneurial skills programmes in higher education and research programmes as a way to assure commitment to innovation and environmental sustainability.
Originality/value
Promoting entrepreneurial skills among higher education students could act as drivers for sustainable development.
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Itziar Castelló and Josep Lozano
The purpose of this paper is to understand whether firms evolve towards more comprehensive postures of CSR and what strategic factors drive the change.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand whether firms evolve towards more comprehensive postures of CSR and what strategic factors drive the change.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is deductive‐inductive research based on six critical case studies and supported by extensive review of related literature. The paper provides historical analysis of six firms leaders in their industry (Nike, Shell, General Electric, 3M, CEMEX and IBM) combining primary and secondary data.
Findings
Firms evolve over time towards more complex CSR postures. This evolution is driven by some key strategic factors. The article sets out a three‐stage framework connecting CSR evolution and the strategic change factors.
Practical implications
The paper provides managers with a framework to promote strategic CSR change in their organizations.
Originality/value
The paper is a joint research study on the evolution of CSR and strategic drivers of change.