This article offers a conceptual framework that comprehensively describes essential aspects of corporate water responsibility. What heretofore has been essentially regarded as an issue to be tackled by governmental institutions, and therefore not perceived as an important component of the value that is created for the institutional and private owners of profit-driven companies, is explicitly treated here as a corporate responsibility. Bridging knowledge domains, I review major research works conducted by management, corporate sustainability, and (welfare) economics scholars and focusing on water management issues to unveil the conditions under which corporations are likely to manage, or to be challenged in managing, water in responsible/ sustainable ways. Three types of "tensions" that confront academics and managers alike are discussed: voluntary actions versus coercion, free riding versus cooperation, and economic versus corporate water responsibility motives. I propose a three-dimensional framework of corporate water responsibility for thinking through the managerial response patterns contemplated to address these tensions.
This article examines the conceptual construct of social innovation in business as distinct from social innovation implemented by civil society and the state. The general absence of sustained research and analysis of this phenomenon, and the dominance of grey and policy-oriented literature, mean that a broadly accepted definition of how social innovation theorises the changing role of business in society is missing. Design/methodology/approach We conducted an integrative review of the representative literature on social innovation. The analysis focused on the key arguments made about the involvement of business actors in processes of social innovation and interweaved in this study to build a logically coherent definition of what social innovation in business means for the bulk of those who write and speak about it today. The scope of the literature review was expanded by integrating insights from the extant 'business in society' and social innovation literatures, thereby adding clarity to our conceptualisation. Findings The findings indicate that social innovation is best understood as a process driven by human relations, morality and creative capacity breaking routines and path dependencies. It fundamentally relies on the socially constructed dynamics between business and social actors who carry ideas, focus their energies, mobilise competences and create new complementarities to tackle social problems. Economic gain, in this approach, is at best an outcome of social innovation, not its engine.
Purpose This paper develops a critical analysis of the innovation discourse, arguing that a more contextualised understanding of the challenges of innovation for development and poverty reduction in low income economies will help us to unravel new development opportunities and provide alternatives to conventional capitalist paths to innovation. Design/methodology/approachWe offer an integrative review of the literatures addressing the topic of innovation emerging from within developing countries. We argue that a literature review that offers an initial conceptualisation and synthesis of the literature to date on the theme of innovation from within developing countries provides for a more valuable contribution than a reconceptualization of existing models. FindingsThe article highlights different narratives of innovation, their emergence their implications. Originality/valueThis article shows that the recent evolution of the discourse of development is increasingly intertwined with elements that originated in other discursive worlds. The last three decades of innovation research have been characterised by a 'cross-pollination' between different disciplines: development studies, science and technology studies (STS), business management and organization studies.
This article explores the concept of syncretism to articulate the construct of a novel theoretical approach that may help to accelerate progress in developing substantively more sustainable business activities. One reason why the integration of environmental and social responsibility in business has been so difficult to achieve
We challenge existing corporate sustainability theory by exploring how the concept of syncretism contributes new insights that may help us to reconsider the role of business agents in driving society towards a more sustainable future. The theoretical model distinguishes between 'syncretic missionaries' who preach a faith and 'syncretic believers' who are preached to. We draw upon the (hitherto disconnected) literatures on syncretism and corporate sustainability to define the critical role of missionaries and believers in business. Using analogical reasoning, we argue that business missionaries and believers are characterised by varying levels of (1) sensibility to sustainability issues and (2) capacity to open themselves to 'external' idea systems and viewpoints. The type of relationships that are developed amongst and between themselves is alleged to critically shape a firm's sustainability performance. The article ends with an outline of implications for the future of corporate sustainability theory, referring to theories and concepts recently developed in the field (i.e., organisational and institutional logics multiplicity, paradox perspective).
The objective of this article is to develop a faith development perspective on corporate sustainability. A firm's management of sustainability is arguably determined by the way decision-makers relate to the other and the natural environment, and this relationship is fundamentally shaped by faith. This study advances theoretical understanding of the approach managers take on sustainability issues by explaining how four distinct phases of faith development-improvidence, obedience, irreverence and providence-determine a manager's disposition towards sustainability. Combining insights from intentional and relational faith development theories, the analysis reveals that a manager's faith disposition can be measured according to four interrelated process criteria: (1) connectivity as a measure of a manager's actual engagement and activities aimed at relating to sustainability; (2) inclusivity as a measure of who and what is included or excluded in a manager's moral consideration; (3) emotional affinity as a measure of a manager's sensitivity and affection towards the well-being of others and ecological welfare; and (4) reciprocity as a measure of the degree to which a manager is rewarded for responding to the needs and concerns of 'Others', mainly in the form of a positive emotional (and relational) stimulus. The conceptual model consolidates earlier scholarly works on the psychological drivers of sustainability management by illuminating our search for a process of faith development that connects with an increasingly complex understanding of the role of business in society.
This chapter examines the strategic integration of Environmental and Social Responsibility (ESR) into business operations. We contend that the enhancement of corporate productivity can be achieved via the symbiotic pursuit of green values and lean production practices. A framework is presenteddrawing on the contingency theory (Burns & Stalker, 1961; Donaldson, 2008)-to suggest basic requirements for successful symbiotic 'green and lean' relationships. The model proposes that a sustainable corporate action plan, enabling a strategic orientation of lean and green decision-making, draws upon five interrelated dynamic contingencies: corporate values, consumption, business benefits, legislation, and technology. The theoretical propositions are illustrated and extended using the case study of Adnams Brewery (Southwold, UK)-a company that has come to symbolise the benefits of adopting strong ecofriendly values to 'green' the business and its products. Drawing on in-site visits, interviews with Andy Wood (Managing Director) and analysis of corporate reports, the case corroborates the idea of a symbiotic relationship of lean and green. Adnams case ratifies the importance of integrating responses to the five dynamic contingencies as companies seek to combine business performance with good corporate citizenship. Strongly driven by technological excellence and 'eco-friendly' organisational values instilled by top managers and inciting employees' commitment, Adnams is an instructive epitome of syncretism of ESR with economic performance; in particular, the company is effectively exploiting marketing opportunities-"strong brand and growing reputation"-and enhancing productivity.
Purpose: This article draws on the contingency theory to develop a conceptual model of compatibility between corporate environmental responsibility and business strategy that reflects heterogeneity in this relationship. Four dimensions of compatibility are explored: trade-off, ambidexterity, synergy and symbiosis. Design/Methodology/Approach: The intended contribution is essentially conceptual. A company case study is included to contribute to the development of the four dimensions of compatibility and support the practical relevance of the model. Twelve in-depth interviews with six managers in different functions of the company were conducted. A grounded theory approach was used to identify and express the patterns of compatibility that emerge from the qualitative data and how these patterns are grounded in managers' meaning-in-use. Findings: The contribution of the compatibility framework is essentially made to the literature on environmental strategy management, evolved from an implicit and at most twodimensional (win-win and win-lose) conceptualisation of the relationship between green and business strategy into an explicit and multi-dimensionally grounded identification of processes and strategic challenges of corporate environmental and social responsibility. The resulting model contributes to a better understanding of corporate greening as a strategic and moral concern to individuals acting on behalf of business organisations and a greater understanding of the linkages between green and business strategies and operations. Originality/Value: By clarifying the construct of corporate environmental sustainability and providing useful directions for theory and practice, this research claims to inform green management decision-making. While the compatibility model is not intended to explain all pathways by which firms may elicit contingencies of relevance to environmental and social responsibility, I suggest the model paints a more complete and contextualized picture of environmental management mechanisms in business.
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