Organizations as Open Systems That Need Purpose and Integrated Thinking

Hurth, Victoria

doi:10.1002/bl.30069

Cited by 9 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In detail, some authors described the purpose as the motive of being of an organization or the reason for its creation (e.g., Hollensbe, Wookey, Hickey, George, & Nichols, 2014;Pascarella & Frohman, 1989;Reyes & Kleiner, 1990;Warriner, 1965). Other scholars choose a definition of organizational purpose that emphasizes the role of the purpose beyond other business goals, first all the profit (Basu, 1999;Henderson & Van den Steen, 2015;Hurth, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the purpose of benefit corporations: an empirical study on the Italian case

Mion

Adaui

2020

Int J Corporate Soc Responsibility

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Rethinking the traditional understanding of organizational purpose appears to be necessary. A teleological paradigm shift seems to be on its way, changing the focus of attention from considering business organizations as instruments used to generate profits toward a more comprehensive understanding of their purpose and of the benefit they can create for society. Recently, new organizational entities have emerged, accompanied by the renewal of institutional frameworks, among them are benefit corporations. Italy was the first European country to introduce a legal framework to define the benefit corporation as a particular legal entity. The Italian law on the benefit corporations proposes the promotion of firms that pursue the generation of benefit in a responsible, sustainable, and transparent way and considering diverse stakeholders. This paper explores and describes the multidimensional understanding of benefit and purpose of Italian benefit corporations, utilizing qualitative and quantitative content analysis of 94 Italian benefit corporations' purpose declarations, and providing a deep insight into the purpose declared by benefit corporations. The research highlights a certain vagueness in public declarations of the purpose of benefit corporations, even though it is clear that they attempt to differentiate themselves from traditional businesses by focusing on social objectives more than on economic ones. Furthermore, normative compliance emerged, but further normative requirements seem to be needed to make more effective the transformative potentiality of benefit corporations and to avoid risks of opportunistic behaviors.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the purpose of benefit corporations: an empirical study on the Italian case

Mion

Adaui

2020

Int J Corporate Soc Responsibility

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“…The relations and interactions among organizations, publics, and stakeholders are so complex and nonlinear that it no longer makes sense to distinguish between publics and stakeholders. In part, this broadening is the result of the increasing complexity of today's environment (Hurth 2017). It is evident that public relations must be able to navigate and adapt to this environment in order to build, support and maintain relations and interactions with a variety of different stakeholders and publics, whose interests often collide and may be irreconcilable.…”

Section: The Object Of Public Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

1 Public relations and social influence: Understanding the roots of a contested profession

Valentini¹

2021

Public Relations

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“…As society has entered what Schwab (2017) terms the "fourth industrial revolution"an era of artificial intelligence, automation and global connectivityorganisations are beginning to see that they operate within dynamic and integrated systems (Senge, 1990;Hutchins, 2014). Economic, ecological and sociological factors, such as the rapid advancement of technology; the speed of information creation and transfer; globalisation; fragmentation of identities; systems and preferences; destruction of natural ecosystems; and human and social relationship deterioration, are creating complex and uncertain environments (Hurth, 2017). Organisations both affect and are affected by such environments and are therefore becoming increasingly more aware of the need to understand themselves within such uncertain environments (Dolan et al, 2003).…”

Section: Thinking Through Integration 21 Thinking In Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An enlightened understanding that tries to place the organisation within its external ecosystem requires individuals within organisations to take a systems view, appreciating they are part of more complex bounded systems. Hurth (2017) describes an organisation consisting of:…”

Section: Thinking Through Integration 21 Thinking In Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, by locating social sites where both integrative and integrated thinking flourish, this conceptual paper aims to encourage dialogue on the implications of integrative thinking for accounting and professional institutions, organisations and the ongoing professional development of accountants. Economic, technological, ecological and sociological factors are converging today, creating complex, volatile and uncertain environments (Hutchins, 2014;Hurth, 2017). Organisations both affect and are affected by these environments and are increasingly becoming aware of the need to understand themselves within such environments (Dolan et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thinking through the integration of corporate reporting: exploring the interplay between integrative and integrated thinking

McGuigan¹,

Haustein

Kern³

et al. 2020

MEDAR

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Purpose This paper aims to introduce an analytical focus on an individual’s integrative thinking capacity to further understand integrated thinking within the organisation. Integrated thinking is an elusive concept, gaining in prominence through its use by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), without specific guidance or a commonly understood framework. To date, the academic debate on integrated thinking addresses the organisational level only. However, thinking is a process occurring within the mind of an individual and therefore the prerequisites for integrated thinking at the individual level needs to be considered. Critical reflection is, therefore, provided on the interplay between integrative and integrated thinking. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on conceptual systems theory and case site analysis to reflect how integrative thinking can be encouraged and supported within the individual and how integrated thinking can hence be fostered within organisations. Findings The paper analyses and discusses four sites of integrative thinking: the Athenian democracy; the Minangkabau community; the Quakers and consensus decision-making; and the Apis Mellifera and the hive mind. The findings from these different sites illustrate that integrative thinking can be supported by specific structural, organisational and individual contexts and stimuli. Originality/value Extending the context of integrated thinking analysis outside of the organisation and analysing these sites through components of integrative thought, this article provides further insights into how integrated thinking can be fostered within different organisations. The implications of these findings for accounting and professional institutions, organisations and the ongoing professional development of accountants are discussed.

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Organizations as Open Systems That Need Purpose and Integrated Thinking

Abstract: The world is changing more rapidly than ever. Here, Victoria Hurth, Associate Professor in Marketing and Business Sustainability at Plymouth University UK, discusses the extent to which the role of the organization has to change within it.

Cited by 9 publications

References 12 publications

Understanding the purpose of benefit corporations: an empirical study on the Italian case

Understanding the purpose of benefit corporations: an empirical study on the Italian case

1 Public relations and social influence: Understanding the roots of a contested profession

Thinking through the integration of corporate reporting: exploring the interplay between integrative and integrated thinking

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