Pub Date : 2009-02-06DOI: 10.1108/01409171011055816
Nicola Misani
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explain why many socially responsible firms appear to converge on a standard set of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices instead of striving to differentiate themselves from rivals and achieve competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach - Three explanations of this convergence are presented as follows: herd behaviour, institutional isomorphism and strategic cooperation. The different empirical predictions of these theories are laid down. The resulting framework is used to analyse a recent self-regulatory scheme launched by the steel industry, in which knowledge sharing was used to stimulate poor performers to curb carbon dioxide emissions. Findings - Social practices of firms are very often driven by pressures to conform, instead of pressures to perform. Even firms that want to be innovative may be forced by stakeholder requests to adopt passive and imitative behaviour. Practical implications - The paper suggests that there are two types of CSR – convergent and divergent – and that firms need to establish which type of CSR best fits their needs before they address the issues raised by stakeholders. Originality/value - The literature on CSR focuses on the relationship between stakeholders and single firms. The paper tries to add to this literature by analysing the relationship between stakeholders and industries. The paper also contributes to the debate on the financial benefits of CSR by arguing that in industries where the convergent type of CSR is dominant researchers should not expect above-average returns for socially responsible firms.
{"title":"The Convergence of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices","authors":"Nicola Misani","doi":"10.1108/01409171011055816","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/01409171011055816","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explain why many socially responsible firms appear to converge on a standard set of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices instead of striving to differentiate themselves from rivals and achieve competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach - Three explanations of this convergence are presented as follows: herd behaviour, institutional isomorphism and strategic cooperation. The different empirical predictions of these theories are laid down. The resulting framework is used to analyse a recent self-regulatory scheme launched by the steel industry, in which knowledge sharing was used to stimulate poor performers to curb carbon dioxide emissions. Findings - Social practices of firms are very often driven by pressures to conform, instead of pressures to perform. Even firms that want to be innovative may be forced by stakeholder requests to adopt passive and imitative behaviour. Practical implications - The paper suggests that there are two types of CSR – convergent and divergent – and that firms need to establish which type of CSR best fits their needs before they address the issues raised by stakeholders. Originality/value - The literature on CSR focuses on the relationship between stakeholders and single firms. The paper tries to add to this literature by analysing the relationship between stakeholders and industries. The paper also contributes to the debate on the financial benefits of CSR by arguing that in industries where the convergent type of CSR is dominant researchers should not expect above-average returns for socially responsible firms.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117281023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
For a large European data set, we find that in about 21% of all cases, cross-hierarchy pay schedules are inconsistent with tournament theory for managers from the highest echelons. For middle echelons, this number increases to 55%. We study whether social preferences of potential contestants give rise to low implementation rates of powerful organizational incentive schemes. Our results are affirmative. We show that the more individuals are inequity and competition averse, (i) the lower is the spread of managerial pay between echelons, and (ii) the smaller are the incentive effects generated by tournaments. Our evidence, however, is inconsistent with the hypothesis that pay dispersion is lower if individuals are more hawkish, or less trustworthy.
{"title":"Do Europeans Shy Away from Competition? Types of Contestants and the Structure of Tournaments","authors":"Steffen Brenner","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.1019444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1019444","url":null,"abstract":"For a large European data set, we find that in about 21% of all cases, cross-hierarchy pay schedules are inconsistent with tournament theory for managers from the highest echelons. For middle echelons, this number increases to 55%. We study whether social preferences of potential contestants give rise to low implementation rates of powerful organizational incentive schemes. Our results are affirmative. We show that the more individuals are inequity and competition averse, (i) the lower is the spread of managerial pay between echelons, and (ii) the smaller are the incentive effects generated by tournaments. Our evidence, however, is inconsistent with the hypothesis that pay dispersion is lower if individuals are more hawkish, or less trustworthy.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130200962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper analyzes how national institutional factors affect the adoption of the international environmental management standard ISO 14001, using a panel of 139 countries from 1996 to 2006. The analysis emphasizes that during the emerging phase of the standard, the potential lack of consensus within the constituents of the national institutional environment concerning the value of a new standard could send mixed signals to firms about the standard. The results show that in the early phase of adoption, regulative and normative forces within the institutional environment can work against each other. Results also show that regulative or coercive forces play a relatively more important role in the early phase of adoption of the standard than in the subsequent phases of diffusion. In the later phases of diffusion of ISO 14001, normative forces, such as the diffusion of other management standards, as well as factors related to trade, play a more important role. Because of the similarities between environmental management standards and corporate social responsibility standards, this study can help identify some of the challenges for diffusion of ISO management standards in the area of social responsibility.
{"title":"An Institutional Perspective on the Diffusion of International Management System Standards: The Case of the Environmental Management Standard ISO 14001","authors":"M. Delmas, María J. Montes-Sancho","doi":"10.5840/BEQ20112115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5840/BEQ20112115","url":null,"abstract":"This paper analyzes how national institutional factors affect the adoption of the international environmental management standard ISO 14001, using a panel of 139 countries from 1996 to 2006. The analysis emphasizes that during the emerging phase of the standard, the potential lack of consensus within the constituents of the national institutional environment concerning the value of a new standard could send mixed signals to firms about the standard. The results show that in the early phase of adoption, regulative and normative forces within the institutional environment can work against each other. Results also show that regulative or coercive forces play a relatively more important role in the early phase of adoption of the standard than in the subsequent phases of diffusion. In the later phases of diffusion of ISO 14001, normative forces, such as the diffusion of other management standards, as well as factors related to trade, play a more important role. Because of the similarities between environmental management standards and corporate social responsibility standards, this study can help identify some of the challenges for diffusion of ISO management standards in the area of social responsibility.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117121024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeffrey R. Cohen, Lori L. Holder-Webb, D. J. Sharp, Laurie W. Pant
The classic agency model provides the basis for a large number of organizational contracts in the contemporary business environment. However, contracting provisions based on this model may induce undesirable behavior and shifts in employee value systems. Therefore, we expand upon the agency model by exploring fairness as a motivator of positive behavior in the contracting environment. Managers were asked to make a cost allocation decision in which we manipulated information asymmetry (absent or pre-sent) and incentives (absent, low, or high). Results indicate that subjects' perception of the fairness of the action dominates the agency effect in determining the intent to act opportunistically. Further analysis suggests that, among subjects who perceive that the action is unfair, the inclination to behave opportunistically is insensitive to the size of the incentive to do so. We conclude that researchers and managers should consider fairness as an important element of the opportunity-incentive-action dynamic when the need for contracting around potential agency problems arises.
{"title":"The Effects of Perceived Fairness on Opportunistic Behavior","authors":"Jeffrey R. Cohen, Lori L. Holder-Webb, D. J. Sharp, Laurie W. Pant","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.922188","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.922188","url":null,"abstract":"The classic agency model provides the basis for a large number of organizational contracts in the contemporary business environment. However, contracting provisions based on this model may induce undesirable behavior and shifts in employee value systems. Therefore, we expand upon the agency model by exploring fairness as a motivator of positive behavior in the contracting environment. Managers were asked to make a cost allocation decision in which we manipulated information asymmetry (absent or pre-sent) and incentives (absent, low, or high). Results indicate that subjects' perception of the fairness of the action dominates the agency effect in determining the intent to act opportunistically. Further analysis suggests that, among subjects who perceive that the action is unfair, the inclination to behave opportunistically is insensitive to the size of the incentive to do so. We conclude that researchers and managers should consider fairness as an important element of the opportunity-incentive-action dynamic when the need for contracting around potential agency problems arises.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129122546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ethical awareness is growing and the word itself seems to be spreading to all walks of life. In medicine and economics a myriad of ethical committees have sprouted in an attempt to control the potential excesses of science or business transactions. How can one explain this craze for a word that was hardly ever used ten years ago? It is from an economic perspective that we shall try to explain this new, many-sided phenomenon : sound corporate governance, ethical investment funds, sustainable development, equitable commerce, etc. Our goal is not to prove the efficiency or inefficiency of these types of activities. We do not see things strictly from an American utilitarian perspective that considers ethics as an economic instrument for improving the world we live in. Our research leads to a more ontological view of ethics considering it as an essential element of mankind and of human dignity. The logic behind this desire for ethics could be summarized as follows: The harsh reality of the world requires urgent measures to be taken. The 'theory of justice' makes us believe that each individual is responsible for the life of other people whereas for the supporters of a liberal economy, the productive selfishness of each individual produces riches for the community as a whole. But this could reveal itself to be destructive of wealth in the long term. To survive and expand capitalism will have to be supported by moral education and the preservation of the natural resources. The decision to follow this path is both individual and collective. However, collectively speaking, the nation states no longer act as the locomotive for the social adjustment of capitalism and our deserted churches no longer exert any influence on the consciences of people. The emancipated but solitary individual recognizes that the victims of the collective system are scapegoats. Therefore, recent developments in the changing capitalistic system which is trying nowadays to take into account the altruistic aspirations of the individual offer a pragmatic solution.
{"title":"The Philosophical, Ethical and Economic Foundations of Ethical Investment","authors":"Denise Dupré, Isabelle Girerd-Potin","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.497223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.497223","url":null,"abstract":"Ethical awareness is growing and the word itself seems to be spreading to all walks of life. In medicine and economics a myriad of ethical committees have sprouted in an attempt to control the potential excesses of science or business transactions. How can one explain this craze for a word that was hardly ever used ten years ago? It is from an economic perspective that we shall try to explain this new, many-sided phenomenon : sound corporate governance, ethical investment funds, sustainable development, equitable commerce, etc. Our goal is not to prove the efficiency or inefficiency of these types of activities. We do not see things strictly from an American utilitarian perspective that considers ethics as an economic instrument for improving the world we live in. Our research leads to a more ontological view of ethics considering it as an essential element of mankind and of human dignity. The logic behind this desire for ethics could be summarized as follows: The harsh reality of the world requires urgent measures to be taken. The 'theory of justice' makes us believe that each individual is responsible for the life of other people whereas for the supporters of a liberal economy, the productive selfishness of each individual produces riches for the community as a whole. But this could reveal itself to be destructive of wealth in the long term. To survive and expand capitalism will have to be supported by moral education and the preservation of the natural resources. The decision to follow this path is both individual and collective. However, collectively speaking, the nation states no longer act as the locomotive for the social adjustment of capitalism and our deserted churches no longer exert any influence on the consciences of people. The emancipated but solitary individual recognizes that the victims of the collective system are scapegoats. Therefore, recent developments in the changing capitalistic system which is trying nowadays to take into account the altruistic aspirations of the individual offer a pragmatic solution.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115506850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy security, economic development and averting global warming are conflicting objectives in a fossil fuel economy. In the long run, sustainable development requires a shift to renewable energy sources. In the short run it requires swift action (IPCC) and different strategies. The article analyses a negative carbon process to co-produce electricity while reducing carbon concentration in the atmosphere (Jones, 2008, 2009; Chichilnisky, 2008b; Chichilnisky and Eisenberger, 2009; Eisenberger et al., 2009). While providing additional energy the process makes fossil power plants net carbon sinks. The article addresses short and long run challenges with this capability in the context of the economic incentives provided by the carbon market of the UN Kyoto Protocol, created by one of the authors in 1997 (Chichilnisky, 1993, 1996; Chichilnisky and Heal, 1994, 1995; Chichilnisky and Sheeran, 2009; Pagnamenta, 2009). We propose extending Kyoto's clean development mechanism (CDM) in a way that benefits Latin America and Africa (Chichilnisky and Heal, 1999; Chichilnisky, 1996), and analyse the global transition from a fossil to a renewable economy.
在化石燃料经济中，能源安全、经济发展和避免全球变暖是相互冲突的目标。从长远来看，可持续发展需要转向可再生能源。在短期内，这需要迅速采取行动(IPCC)和不同的战略。文章分析了一个负碳过程，以共同生产电力，同时降低大气中的碳浓度(Jones, 2008, 2009;Chichilnisky, 2008 b;Chichilnisky and Eisenberger, 2009;Eisenberger et al.， 2009)。在提供额外能源的同时，这一过程使化石发电厂成为净碳汇。本文在1997年由作者之一创建的《联合国京都议定书》(Chichilnisky, 1993,1996;Chichilnisky and Heal, 1994,1995;Chichilnisky and Sheeran, 2009;Pagnamenta, 2009)。我们建议以有利于拉丁美洲和非洲的方式扩展《京都议定书》的清洁发展机制(Chichilnisky and Heal, 1999;Chichilnisky, 1996)，并分析了从化石经济到可再生经济的全球转型。
{"title":"Energy Security, Economic Development and Global Warming: Addressing Short and Long Term Challenges","authors":"G. Chichilnisky, P. Eisenberger","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.1522323","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1522323","url":null,"abstract":"Energy security, economic development and averting global warming are conflicting objectives in a fossil fuel economy. In the long run, sustainable development requires a shift to renewable energy sources. In the short run it requires swift action (IPCC) and different strategies. The article analyses a negative carbon process to co-produce electricity while reducing carbon concentration in the atmosphere (Jones, 2008, 2009; Chichilnisky, 2008b; Chichilnisky and Eisenberger, 2009; Eisenberger et al., 2009). While providing additional energy the process makes fossil power plants net carbon sinks. The article addresses short and long run challenges with this capability in the context of the economic incentives provided by the carbon market of the UN Kyoto Protocol, created by one of the authors in 1997 (Chichilnisky, 1993, 1996; Chichilnisky and Heal, 1994, 1995; Chichilnisky and Sheeran, 2009; Pagnamenta, 2009). We propose extending Kyoto's clean development mechanism (CDM) in a way that benefits Latin America and Africa (Chichilnisky and Heal, 1999; Chichilnisky, 1996), and analyse the global transition from a fossil to a renewable economy.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127018340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper explores brownfield renewal as a measure of sustainable land use. The aim was to highlight the brownfield redevelopment as a strategy for mitigation of negative effects of climate changes. Emphasis was put on innovative concepts in brownfield redevelopment, which involve land recycling, application of ecological and sustainable solutions. Main case studies are from Austria. Their analysis and evaluation show which concepts and strategies are used in successful Redevelopment projects, and which strategies give the best results. This shows that Brownfield renewal can have positive effects on regulation and mitigation of climate changes. Finally, guidelines for climate changes accountable and redevelopment will be derived. Research methodology is qualitative and combined, comprising of data analysis, case studies (field work, interviews with relevant actors), analysis of case studies and evaluation according to previously defined criteria, synthesis of results and generalisation and interpretation of results.
{"title":"Brownfield Redevelopment as a Measure for Climate Changes Mitigation","authors":"Jasna Cizler","doi":"10.2298/IJGI1304057C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI1304057C","url":null,"abstract":"This paper explores brownfield renewal as a measure of sustainable land use. The aim was to highlight the brownfield redevelopment as a strategy for mitigation of negative effects of climate changes. Emphasis was put on innovative concepts in brownfield redevelopment, which involve land recycling, application of ecological and sustainable solutions. Main case studies are from Austria. Their analysis and evaluation show which concepts and strategies are used in successful Redevelopment projects, and which strategies give the best results. This shows that Brownfield renewal can have positive effects on regulation and mitigation of climate changes. Finally, guidelines for climate changes accountable and redevelopment will be derived. Research methodology is qualitative and combined, comprising of data analysis, case studies (field work, interviews with relevant actors), analysis of case studies and evaluation according to previously defined criteria, synthesis of results and generalisation and interpretation of results.","PeriodicalId":210566,"journal":{"name":"Strategy & Social Policies eJournal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116474089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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