bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contributing to sustainable development through multi‐stakeholder processes: practical steps to avoid the “resource curse”
Authors: McPhail Kathryn
Published: January 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the factors that have allowed some counties to avoid the so‐called “resource curse”; to determine practical steps that can be taken by companies, governments, local communities and aid agencies in collaboration to enhance mining's contribution to poverty reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

Research was conducted collaboratively with the UNCTAD and the World Bank Group, overseen by an independent advisory group, and tested through two multi‐stakeholder workshops. Industry involvement in the initiative took place through an ICMM working group comprising around 20 companies and chambers of mines.

Findings

Success depended on three factors: reformed mineral legislation, improved macroeconomic management and some improvements in governance.

Research limitations/implications

Although the robust nature of the processes employed can be demonstrated, the explicit aim of identifying factors that allow certain “successful” countries to avoid the resource curse has inherent limitations.

Practical implications

Companies, governments, donors and other actors need to work together to help strengthen capacity in mining countries and regions, particularly at the sub‐national level.

Originality/value

Mining and metals companies have been at the forefront of some of the most innovative multi‐stakeholder processes of any industry sector. The paper outlines the causes, such as its poor reputation among stakeholder groups, and explores how the industry has sought to become more accountable to its stakeholders by demonstrably improving its sustainable development performance.
Business engagement in public programs: the pharmaceutical industry's contribution to public health and the millennium development goals
Authors: Sturchio Jeffrey L.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

There is growing awareness that global public health problems are so complex, and require such major resources, that neither states nor other stakeholders can tackle them and achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) on their own. This paper aims to examine the relevance of the MDGs to the pharmaceutical sector and summarizes the industry's contributions to helping achieve the MDGs in the context of its business goals.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the MDGs for which industry has made significant contributions, particularly goal 4: reduce child mortality; goal 5: improve maternal health; goal 6: combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; and goal 8: develop a global partnership for development. The paper focuses on two public‐private partnerships (PPPs) in particular – the Merck MECTIZAN® Donation Program, for the elimination of river blindness as a public health problem, and the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana – and outlines some lessons learned. The paper also offers some considerations for PPPs to contribute further to public health and the MDGS in the future.

Findings

The pharmaceutical industry has made some major contributions to addressing public health challenges. Along the way, companies such as Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey; Merck operates in most countries outside the USA as Merck Sharp & Dohme) have learned useful lessons that can be shared to inform the approach and practices of other PPPs in global health.

Originality/value

Relatively few overviews document the industry's contributions to public health, especially in relation to the MDGs. This paper provides a first step to fill that gap at a time when interest in PPPs is increasing.
Strategic planning and millennium development goals in Brazilian companies
Authors: Mokrejs Paro Roberta , Bruzzi Boechat Cláudio
Published: January 2010

Purpose

This paper seeks to verify both the incorporation level of the Brazilian social and environmental challenges associated with the millenium development goals (MDGs) in the strategic planning of companies and the discrepancies found in the perceived interface between the business and those challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses the incorporation into strategic planning, business impact and importance to business of each MDG‐related issue. The universe comprises companies formally engaged with sustainability from various sectors. Data are based on web‐based quantitative investigation.

Findings

The results point out that the MDGs perceived as important to business – environmental issues and education – are also those most incorporated in strategic planning. Poor housing supply and conditions and public health are at the bottom of both the importance and the incorporation lists. Negative impacts of business are hardly perceived.

Research limitations/implications

The results found a call for a better elaboration on governance structures and on the roles of the state and of the business in tackling certain social issues, besides a reflection on the necessary conditions to build the capacity of the state.

Practical implications

Unclearly perceived interface between companies and social issues signal that further work is needed by business schools on that matter.

Originality/value

The paper indicates how much the MDG‐related issues permeate strategic planning. While these issues are associated with weak governmental performance, the paper identifies their limitations along the private sector by revealing which issues are more easily absorbed, and which might need other approaches to be tackled by society.
Quasi‐privatisation and corporate governance: a process perspective
Authors: Mador Martha , Springdal Kent , Dixon Sarah
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness and relevance of a four stage model of privatisation, based in institutional theory, to quasi‐privatised organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper studies a UK organisation with changing ownership, governance, and boundaries. Historic Royal Palaces is intrinsically interesting, and resembles many quasi‐privatised organisations placed within charitable frameworks. Application of the process model reveals the governance challenges HRP faces.

Findings

The study suggests that the model is holistic and dynamic, and useful as an analytic template. It is inclusive of competitor, behavioural, and resource‐based views of the firm, and recognises that firms and their governance change over time.

Research limitations/implications

The report adds validity to the model developed by case studies from a different national context. The small number of cases is a limitation. Future research could include other types of quasi‐privatised organisation, and organisations in different national settings.

Practical implications

The model provides a helpful template for interpreting and explaining the changes enacted by organisations and their members through privatisation. Further, although largely descriptive, the model also has some predictive power. It can help policy makers and managers predict some of the key limitations of the privatisation process of a particular organisation based on the specific nature of its context and settings.

Originality/value

The detailed discussion of a quasi‐privatised organisation – an increasingly common, but little researched organisational type is significant. The development of a holistic approach for understanding organisational changes is also significant.
The inability of compliance strategies to prevent collusive conduct
Authors: Berzins Michelle , Sofo Francesco
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show that cartel conduct is a common example of non‐compliance with competition laws and, in order to generate insight and lessons regarding aspects of corporate governance, two areas of cartel behaviour are to be analysed. The first is the extent to which employees of organisations were aware of the seriousness and illegality of their cartel conduct, and the second is the extent to which determining bodies acknowledged the presence or absence of compliance strategies within corporations being prosecuted for cartel conduct.

Design/methodology/approach

A measurement matrix devised from the literature was used as a methodological framework through which content analysis was conducted to explore whether cartel offenders were aware of the illegality of their behaviour and whether the presence or absence of compliance strategies was acknowledged by the court. In total, 69 publicly available investigatory outcomes sourced from 11 different jurisdictions were analysed.

Findings

The findings suggest a need for competition regulators to educate and raise the awareness of business people to improve understanding of the deleterious effects of cartels and of the provisions of relevant legislation in order to achieve better corporate governance and observance of enacted laws.

Originality/value

In 71 per cent of matters examined, cartel participants were found to be aware of the illegality of their behaviour and, whilst 45 per cent of Australian companies had no compliance programme in place to begin with, some other companies had established compliance programmes which were blatantly ignored by employees.
Introduction: Leadership and corporate social responsibility
Authors: Van Velsor Ellen
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this Guest editorial is to introduce a much needed special issue on leadership and sustainability/CSR, and to provide a road‐map for readers as to focus and content. And, last but not least, it seeks to present an opportunity for the Guest editor to thank the many kind people who gave of their time to review the many papers submitted for this special issue. If it were not for their help and wisdom, the project would not have been possible.

Design/methodology/approach

The Guest editorial begins by reviewing some of the key issues facing leaders in organizations operating in a context of both serious global social problems and looming environmental crises.

Findings

It was found that, while books and articles focusing on CSR abound, there is very little that addresses the leadership aspect, and even less that is based on sound empirical research.

Originality/value

The introduction provides a brief overview of the articles contained in the special issue and a summary of what each contributes to the field.
Developing leaders for sustainable business
Authors: Hind Patricia , Wilson Andrew , Lenssen Gilbert
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how organisations can develop leaders who have the competences necessary to ensure the sustainability of the company. It considers how the understanding and practice of responsible leadership can be enhanced by defining the competencies for integrating social and environmental considerations into business decision‐making processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The research comprised two phases. An initial questionnaire surveyed a sample of managers operating in the public and private sectors in Europe (n=108). A second stage of the research used in‐depth interviews with 11 leading European‐based multinational companies.

Findings

Results indicate that, whilst the qualities and skills of responsible leadership can be identified, a further mediating concept deemed to be “reflexive abilitites” is posited as required to explain their translation into individual managerial behaviours. The paper describes the nature of these reflexive abilities.

Research limitations/implications

A key limitation of the research is the small sample size, both for the survey and for the interviews. Further research is needed to develop a clearer understanding of the nature and functioning of the “reflexive abilities” and to establish the robustness of these concepts.

Practical implications

The results of the research support the current awareness amongst management educators that the development of successful business leadership requires more than training in “hard” business functions. Although the importance of experientially learned “soft skills” has been acknowledged, the paper suggests that the development of responsible leadership needs a third dimension to be incorporated into management education.

Originality/value

The paper suggests that “reflexive abilities” should be developed as core competencies in management development. For the development of responsible leadership it is necessary to foster the intellectual capacities to reflect upon, synthesise and integrate local and global business information in a way that leads to a new interpretation of both factual and emotional data. These abilities may enable leaders to develop new ways of thinking and new business models which will ensure the sustainability of their businesses. The paper explores the implications for those responsible for designing and delivering management development programmes.
Leading for sustainability: implementing the tasks of leadership
Authors: Quinn Laura , Dalton Maxine
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to expand the field of sustainability/corporate social responsibility research to include a focus on leadership. It aims to present an exploratory study of senior leaders in organizations formally adopting principles of sustainability and how these leaders enact the tasks of leadership: setting direction, creating alignment, and maintaining commitment within the context of sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a qualitative approach, sampling senior executives from organizations formally adopting sustainability practices and using a structured interview to uncover their leadership practices related to sustainability.

Findings

Leaders adopting sustainability practices are similar to other “effective” leaders and yet they also have additional capacity and mindset to include a wider expanse of stakeholders and a different mindset as to the purpose of organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Limited sample of senior executives/CEOs, as well as a difficulty in attesting an organization's level of commitment to sustainability; this research links the field of leadership to the field of sustainability and calls for a more in‐depth investigation into the roles leaders and leadership play in the successful implementation of sustainability practices.

Originality/value

Leaders interested in pursuing a sustainability agenda should pay attention to how the concept is framed and introduced into the organization; they should build capacity in their systems (educational, communication, rewards, performance, etc.) and culture to support sustainability, and broad and deep stakeholders engagement is essential for success.
CSR leaders road‐map
Authors: Kakabadse Nada K. , Kakabadse Andrew P. , Lee‐Davies Linda
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to outline how CSR can be effectively implemented and driven through the organisation. The emphasis of the paper is not on CSR definition but on the skills and capabilities needed by individuals and organizations to fully implement CSR application.

Design/methodology/approach

As a qualitative study, interview, data feedback, and participant observation were the particular methodologies adopted.

Findings

Three stages of CSR implementation and, within those stages, ten leadership skills and capabilities are identified. The nature of their inter‐relationship and how that impacts on application, is discussed and explored. The ten skills and capabilities form a portfolio for individual leaders to consider and indeed develop in their management of CSR. These capabilities are called forth in three logical stages from those required for early decision making to those required for full enactment of CSR, forming a clear model. This model provides a road‐map for leaders to increase their consciousness and their effectiveness in the implementation of true rather than token CSR.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation is the qualitative case‐based method. The learning arising from the study can be pursued and further tested through quantitative survey methods in order to provide for balanced, comparative analysis.

Practical implications

A road‐map to effective CSR application for leaders of organisations is offered. This road‐map can be used to guide current leaders and as a guide to developing future leaders.

Originality/value

Originality is high as no such model of CSR application exists. The value of the paper is to offer a research‐based practical guide to CSR implementation.
Improving sustainability in the financing of large infrastructure projects: what role for leaders?
Authors: Caspary Georg
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the stringency of different types of public financing institutions' safeguard mechanisms in the financing of large dams in developing countries. It seeks to do so by examining: the institutional strategies and policies currently in place in a set of key public financing institutions; and project‐level case studies of dams financed by these institutions and the stringency with which existing policies are applied by the key financing institutions. It aims then to cite the key factors determining why the “safeguard‐performance” between these types of financing institutions differs and what the implications are for leaders working to effect improvements in these areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The study compares the safeguard mechanisms of two types of financing institutions by applying a set of benchmark criteria to both existing strategy and policy documents and to the actual application of those policies at the project level, through correspondence, interviews, and site visits.

Findings

The study argues that leaders may make a difference on improving the sustainability performance gap in the financing of large dams – with more difficulty in those cases where the current gap is mainly to be explained by “systemic” factors; and arguably with more ease in cases where the current gap is caused mostly by other factors.

Research limitations/implications

The study leads to the above findings for the case of public financing institutions and large infrastructure projects (with a focus on dams). To make for greater generalisability of the findings, future research should complement this work by focusing on private financing institutions and on the financing of other types of projects.

Practical implications

Large infrastructure projects have massive social and environmental impacts, and public financial institutions have a large stake in determining the sustainability (or otherwise) of these projects. The paper seeks to help make large infrastructure investments more sustainable by providing guidance to leaders as to where and how sustainability aspects could best be integrated in financing decisions for these projects.

Originality/value

The value added lies in helping leaders define where sustainability efforts in large infrastructure finance are warranted – and where, conversely, they represent largely wasted efforts.
Sustainable leadership: management control systems and organizational culture in Novo Nordisk A/S
Authors: Morsing Mette , Oswald Dennis
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how top managers seek to provide the necessary leadership inside an organisation when sustainability is a primary strategic objective, and the paper seeks to ask to what extent it is possible to influence sustainability at the operational level by contemporary management control systems as it proposes to integrate the perspective of organizational culture.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a single case study of Novo Nordisk A/S.

Findings

The paper concludes by asking questions to managerial practice as well as to theory, concerning to what extent sustainability practices are measured by concurrent management control systems, and to what extent organizational culture perspective is a necessary prerequisite to manage and control sustainable leadership practice.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should engage in exploring informal and organizational cultural aspects of how managers control the integration of sustainability into business practice.

Practical implications

The paper is based on a single case study of a company internationally known for its high standards of sustainable leadership practice, and the conclusions therefore provide guidelines for other managers considering ways of integrating sustainability.

Originality/value

The paper brings new attention to the appropriateness of existing management control systems when managers attempt to control sustainability practices and it suggests the importance of organizational culture in an original case study of Novo Nordisk A/S.
Factors influencing the attitude towards corporate social responsibility: some empirical evidence from Italy
Authors: Maccarrone Paolo
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the results of research work aimed at investigating the approaches to corporate social responsibility (CSR) by Italian companies, and at analysing the emerging analogies and differences in the light of some explanatory contingent variables.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study methodology was used for the empirical analysis, due to the objectives and the exploratory nature of the research. The results of the empirical analysis were then used to build an explanatory model of the correlationships between contingent (exogenous) variables and endogenous parameters (i.e. CSR approaches descriptive variables).

Findings

The results of the empirical analysis show that there are some industry‐specific aspects, which seem to influence the choices of top management of the interviewed companies. Other relevant context factors seems to be the size and the degree of internationalisation of a company, as well as factors linked to a predominant value system (named “corporate DNA”) and the level of integration between CSR strategy with the overall competitive strategy.

Research limitations/implications

Owing to the research methodology used for the empirical analysis, and the relatively low number of case studies, results cannot be generalised. This was the first stage of a larger research project. Next steps will include both more extensive empirical analysis to test the relevance of the most important correlationships that have been identified, as well as more thorough analysis on industry‐specific issues (through case studies).

Practical implications

The paper is useful both for scholars/academics dealing with CSR, and for managers of companies that operate in the analysed industries.

Originality/value

The paper makes a contribution to the understanding of the different behaviour of companies with regard to CSR issues. In particular, it focuses on Italian companies, and tries to make a first systematisation of the empirical findings according to a contingent approach. It provides also an interesting basis for a cross‐country analysis.
The Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002: a five‐year retrospective
Authors: Petra Steven T. , Loukatos Gerasimos
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The Sarbanes‐Oxley Act has celebrated its fifth anniversary. This paper aims to discuss the effectiveness and usefulness to the accounting profession and the investing community of the reforms set forth in the Act.

Design/methodology/approach

Various components of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 are explored in detail, predominantly those dealing with corporate governance and internal controls. Discussions with practicing certified public accountants along with opinions from other professionals in the investing community are used to gain insight into the Act's effects on those who work its provisions on a daily basis.

Findings

Differing opinions exist as to the effects of the reforms on the accounting profession, financial reporting, capital markets, and ultimately, investor confidence. Some experts feel the reforms are helping to restore investor confidence in issuer's financial statements while others feel the cost of compliance with the Act's reforms exceed the benefits.

Practical Implications

Implementation of the Act's reforms are not without controversy. This paper highlights the need for investors to understand the nature and issues surrounding the reforms to help increase investor confidence in the financial markets.

Originality/value

This paper reviews the origins of the Act's reforms and their intended purpose. A better understanding of the reforms and discussions with experts in the business community allows investors to determine the effectiveness and usefulness of the Act.
Governance implications of the effects of stakeholder management on financial reporting
Authors: Mattingly James E. , Harrast Steven A. , Olsen Lori
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test whether effective stakeholder management results in transparent financial reporting.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a linear model informed by stakeholder theorizing and established measures of stakeholder management, earnings quality, and earnings management.

Findings

Organizations exhibiting effective stakeholder management have higher earnings quality and are less likely to engage in discretionary earnings management.

Research implications

Future research should carefully sort out the meaning of different measures of earnings quality, should clarify cross‐national institutional differences to reconcile contradictions in extant research, and should discover the underlying governance orientations that shape decision‐making processes and outcomes.

Practical implications

Governing bodies must take into account how underlying organization cultures shape governance regimes, which may determine the transparency with which organization actors interact with various stakeholder groups.

Originality/value

This study establishes a positive link between effective stakeholder management and transparent financial reporting, suggesting that both may be artifacts of deeper underlying orientations toward accountability, transparency, and managerial discretion.
On the management success of regulative failure: standardised CSR instruments and the oil industry's climate performance
Authors: Lerum Boasson Elin
Published: January 2010

Purpose

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) may serve as a regulatory framework for corporate practices or as a management trend that helps to improve the legitimacy of corporations. This article explores whether and how petroleum corporations' adherence to standardised CSR instruments has influenced how they deal with climate change.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative case study of Hydro and Shell based on assessments of central documents, publications on CSR and interviews with corporate representatives.

Findings

The management trend mode of CSR has prevailed within both companies. Company conduct is deeply influenced by the global petroleum field, but it mainly promotes CSR as legitimacy enhancer and hinders the instruments in working as regulative frameworks. Hydro executives have no aim of applying the CSR instruments to guide their actions. Executives at Shell have tried, but without being fully able to get the vast Shell group to adapt. Thus far, the failure of CSR as a regulative framework seems to contribute to its success as legitimacy enhancing concept. Nonetheless, it is not clear whether the two trends will continue to contrast or if they may start to work in conjunction.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the global organisational span of such corporations, CSR research may gain from focussing specifically on institutionalisation processes at the level of their global organisational field.

Practical implications

The negative trade‐off between CSR as legitimacy enhancer and as a regulative framework may represent a core concern for CSR practitioners. Further, the findings indicate that it may prove more fruitful to develop CSR instruments within specific organisational fields than to focus on holistic instruments.

Originality/value

The framework applied tracks micro‐effects of the instruments and provides insights into the relative importance of company‐internal and ‐external factors. This may prove fruitful for CSR research directed at other business and social concerns.
View from the top: what directors say about board process
Authors: Maharaj Rookmin
Published: January 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to use the argument that formal regulations alone may not be the defining factor in improving corporate governance and the decision making process of the BOD.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on 20 semi‐structured interviews with board chairs, members of corporate boards, CEOs, and upper/executive management at 12 Canadian companies, a bird's eye view is taken from the top. A content analysis of the interviews was performed. a clear picture about the interaction and behaviour of directors emerged. Subsequently, three objectives that are required for effective decision‐making were developed: knowledge; motivation; and transmission channels/internal control. The analysis offers three critical objectives, which all boards should endeavour to accomplish.

Findings

These interviews demystify board process and provide the bases for three critical objectives for effective corporate governance: ascertain and embellish the knowledge base of directors; motivate directors to share and gather information; and ensure clear and fluent transmission channels exist.

Practical implications

The usual board measures such as CEO duality, insider and outsider ratio, number of board members and directors' share ownership may not be the only critical determinants of board effectiveness.

Originality/value

Conventional notions of decision making have neglected key human faculties and individual characteristics that combine to determine organizational outcomes. This paper fulfils a need for research in the area of board processes and board decision making and provides a roadmap to improve corporate governance within organizations.
From risk management to citizenship corporate social responsibility: analysis of strategic drivers of change
Authors: Castelló Itziar , Lozano Josep
Published: January 2010

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.
Building a sustainability strategy into the business
Authors: White Peter
Published: January 2010

Purpose

This paper aims to present a case study of how a global consumer company, with over 300 brands sold in 180 countries, and 138,000 employees, is building sustainability into the rhythm of its business. This goes beyond social investment programs, addressing sustainability in product design, manufacturing operations, employee engagement and stakeholder partnerships.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes the process Procter & Gamble has gone through to define its sustainability strategy and goals, gain global alignment, build sustainability strategies and accountability into its business units, and regional and functional organizations, and then raise the bar by increasing its goals for 2012.

Findings

Experience in implementing sustainability shows the importance of the following factors: being explicit about sustainability and its importance: keeping a broad definition of sustainability; ensuring that sustainability is not added work; eliminating trade‐offs between performance, value and sustainability; having a clear strategy and knowing “where to play”, and getting sustainability incorporated into the DNA of a company.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new and broad overview of how sustainability has been implemented in a global consumer goods company. It introduces the unifying concept of “no trade offs” for both consumer acceptance of sustainable products and sustainability investments for companies. The paper also highlights the challenges of engaging employees around the world to deliver a single coherent sustainability strategy.
Environmental engagement, organizational capability and firm performance
Authors: López‐Rodríguez Sofía
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to understand the connection between the motivations that drive firms to adopt green commitments and the impact of these engagements on firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Theoretical underpinnings for the hypotheses are drawn from the existent literature on corporate environmental responsibility and the constructivist framework. These hypotheses are then tested through a SEM with data from a mail survey with 195 Spanish manufacturing firms that have adopted the international environmental management system ISO 14001.

Findings

The results suggest that in the process of implementing green commitments, not only instrumental and ecological motivations play a key role, but also the internal organizational activities, in addition to the outcomes of the implementation itself.

Research limitations/implications

This research study uses perceptual measures of a single informant from each Spanish firm. Research studies that add objective data and extrapolate the analysis to firms in other countries would be worthwhile to support this model.

Practical implications

According to this paper, firms can enhance the outcomes of their green engagements through involving diverse functional units, and by continuously assessing these results and scanning the drivers of change.

Originality/value

This paper suggests the greening of the manufacturing process as a multidimensional procedure and helps shed light on how to successfully manage it.
A corporate's responsibility to employees during a merger: organizational virtue and employee loyalty
Authors: Chun Rosa
Published: January 2010

Purpose

A company may ignore its non‐obligatory responsibilities to employees during a major change such as a merger, leading to their disaffection and feeling of insecurity. The purpose of this paper is to explore how employee views of the merged organization differ by their pre‐merger background, and to explain the impact of the poorly perceived organizational virtue on employees' emotional response to the merged organization including satisfaction, emotional attachment, job security and loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology involved a questionnaire survey of employees from an organization in crisis following a merger due to poor employee morale and high labor turnover.

Findings

The two major findings were: first perceptions of organizational empathy, warmth and conscientiousness were strongly correlated with employee loyalty, perceived job security, satisfaction and emotional attachment. Second, company background prior to the merger had a contrary effect to that expected from existing literature; employees from the acquiring companies had more negative feeling towards the merged organization.

Practical implications

The research findings highlight the importance of promoting the virtues of empathy and warmth as keys to ensuring the emotional attachment and loyalty of key employees to ensure the long‐term success of the merger.

Originality/value

Despite growing interest in applying virtue ethics into business, empirical studies assessing organizational level virtue are rare. This empirical study of the organizational virtue advances, complements, and distinguishes itself from existing studies on merger, by demonstrating the importance of non‐obligatory virtues (those beyond legal and economic responsibilities) perceived by employees.
Embedding corporate responsibility through effective organizational structures
Authors: Perera Aldama Luis R. , Awad Amar Patricia , Winicki Trostianki Daniela
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which companies are embedding the corporate responsibility function in different organizational structures, and to identify, when possible, best practices related to organizational structures which have proved effective in managing corporate responsibility that can be applied by any organization, regardless of size or industry sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed and applied a methodology, in the form of a questionnaire, covering more than 40 aspects to describe what companies are doing to integrate the corporate responsibility function in their organizational structures. The design of the survey was based on available literature as well as their own professional experience answering questions commonly received from clients in Latin America. The questionnaire was then applied to a small sample using companies' public information from reports and company web sites.

Findings

The application of the questionnaire on a sample of Chilean companies using their public information tested the tool as valid and fit for the designed purpose. The main conclusions were that CSR structuring and CSR strategies are both strongly associated with the size of the company in terms of number of employees and revenues.

Originality/value

Many questions arise when the task of implementing CSR is proposed and Latin American companies are trying to apply best practices by learning from the experience of companies with longer histories in CSR matters. However, trends are not uniform and different organizations are taking a variety of pathways in the process of CSR implementation. This paper offers a general vision of how companies are making the effort to implement CSR best practices, in terms of structure, strategy and scorecard; and presents a simple tool to assess the gaps, if any, in the effective embedding of corporate responsibility on organizational structures.
A knowledge management perspective of corporate social responsibility
Authors: Preuss Lutz , Córdoba‐Pachon Jose‐Rodrigo
Published: January 2010

Purpose

Companies increasingly find themselves under pressure to adopt socially responsible forms of operation. Since organizational change is crucially influenced by knowledge creation and sense‐making, this paper aims to determine how knowledge management (KM) processes can foster (or impede) progress towards corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the KM literature to identify areas of knowledge management that are particularly relevant to managing a company's social and environmental externalities.

Findings

Distinguishing between two related but analytically distinct approaches to knowledge management, namely an element and a process view, the paper develops a conceptual model of how knowledge management can impact on CSR.

Originality/value

Distinguishing between elements of knowledge and processes of managing these allows a more systematic and comprehensive approach to managing knowledge around CSR.
Motivations and potential monitoring effects of large shareholders
Authors: Pergola Teresa M. , Verreault Daniel A.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to synthesize and evaluate the stream of research that links large shareholders to the production of shared corporate benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is to review the literature with an emphasis on the development of findings.

Findings

The presence of large shareholders is positive only if their incentives are aligned with other owners and they have the power to exert influence. The presence of large shareholders, even those whose interests are aligned with owners, does not always result in stronger governance structures.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited by the existing stream of literature and the completeness of our search process.

Practical implications

A synthesis and evaluative summary of the research is presented that may be used by researchers, executives, and board members.

Originality/value

From a research viewpoint, effective research designs should incorporate both incentive and power when assessing the monitoring role of large shareholders to aid in the validity and comparability of research results. From a practice viewpoint, managers and board members may use our summary figure to evaluate power relationships and likely reactions to strategic and tactical decisions in their firm's governance structure.
Private equity and the UK market: some “real” concerns
Authors: Kirkbride James
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The paper aims to look at the growth of private equity and to consider the concerns that the public and media have raised, as well as the response to these concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is an opinion piece based on current and recent trends.

Findings

It is difficult to ascertain whether the publics’ concerns are real or are media lead. The tax changes have also caused concern in the private equity business with a belief that they will drive investors out of the UK market and reduce the competitiveness and attractiveness of the UK for the private equity investor.

Originality/value

The key may involve more transparency in the private equity industry as this may help resolve some of the growing public and political distrust. The paper also suggests that to attain a better understanding in this area, the competitive position of the UK market needs to be recognised.
Fighting economic espionage with state trade secret laws
Authors: Pacini Carl J. , Placid Raymond , Wright‐Isak Christine
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of trade secrets, reasonable steps to preserve secrecy, trade secret value, misappropriation methods used to acquire trade secrets, various legal remedies, and internal controls to protect trade secrets.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of types of civil trade secret cases is highlighted. The paper includes a statutory and legal case study analysis of the elements in a civil trade secrets lawsuit. Analysis of actual trade secret court cases illustrates the importance of private civil lawsuits in combating intellectual property fraud.

Findings

This paper shows the serious impact of trade secret espionage on the success and survival of businesses and the necessity of proving each element of a civil claim under state trade secret law. Also, practical steps necessary to protect an entity's trade secrets are discussed.

Practical implications

This paper raises the awareness of executives, managers, internal and external auditors, forensic accountants and other interested parties about the severity of trade secret espionage. Also, this paper highlights numerous steps to protect trade secrets.

Originality/value

This paper fills an identified need to inform those involved in the fight against economic crime about the importance of state trade secret laws and internal controls in the fight against intellectual property fraud.
Company formation and regulation compliance for SMEs (Estonia)
Authors: Gordon Dickinson Paul
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine academic literature and business regulation for company formation in Estonia in relation to small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). It is an example of a country which is a new member of the expanded European Union (EU) and its regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory paper makes use of World Bank Surveys, primary business law sources together with an interview from a business within the country assessed giving a grass‐roots perspective.

Findings

The investigation reaffirms the importance of SMEs within transitional economies from a Soviet background such as Estonia because of the Socialist black hole. It also emphasizes the correlation between SME development and business law and the significance and key aspects of company formation for an SME. Furthermore, transition economies like Estonia have complied with EU directives for company formation and advanced within the regulation process quickly. However, it is still more difficult for a person or entity from another EU Member State to form a company in Estonia.

Practical implications

This research demonstrates that compliance on EU regulation for company formation by a new EU member has been provided for within the regulation of the wording. It also indicates that for an entity from another EU state (other than Estonia) it is slightly more difficult to form a company. Unofficial costs, a legacy from the Soviet period are almost non‐existent within the Estonian company registration system. Some of the gaps within the World Bank Surveys are filled by the interview, although further evaluation is needed from other academics.

Originality/value

The research highlights the importance of company formation for SMEs, the compliance of a new EU Member State with EU directives, and the reality of company formation regulation for an SME in Estonia.
Non‐renewal of fixed‐term contracts
Authors: van der Bank C.M.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide tests to apply and establish what factors are relevant in determining whether or not an employee had a reasonable expectation of renewal of a fixed‐term contract as envisaged in section 186(1)(b) of the 1995 LRA.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws from case studies to examine whether these actionable conducts can be defined in a precise way.

Findings

The common law scenario, has been materially altered by the provisions of section 186(1)(b) of the 1995 LRA that the employers' non‐renewal of the contract or offer to renew the contract whilst the employee reasonably expected the employer to renew the contract therefore it constitutes a dismissal.

Practical implications

The common law interpreted that where a fixed‐term contract expires, where an express term in the contract stipulates that there is no expectation to renew the contract in the mind of the employee concerned that the contract will be renewed again; the employer will have no contractual remedy available to him. This paper calls upon common law to use and pro‐actively manage labour law responsibilities and further refine the existing dismissal tools.

Originality/value

This paper contributes the rethinking of labour rights is necessary because the social, economic and political environments in which they were first conceived have been fundamentally affected by modern globalization and the expansion of the network society.
Market freedom or shareholders' protection? A comparative analysis of the duties of nominee directors
Authors: Rizal Salim Mohammad , Tai Yong Teh
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the recent codification of the duties of nominee directors in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative law and legal theory.

Findings

The paper finds that the Malaysian approach to the duties of nominee directors is overly prescriptive and inconsistent with commercial reality.

Practical implications

A review of the law on the duties of nominee directors in Malaysia is called for.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the need for clear law reform objectives and made comparisons of the law across jurisdictions.