Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-154
Ute Schmiel
This paper asks if we can support by argument the norm “we should hold firms responsible”. From a critical rationalist perspective, answering this question has an ethical and an empirical dimension. The ethical dimension discusses whether we should hold firms socially responsible for ethical reasons. However, since demanding that we should hold firms responsible requires that we can hold them responsible, this paper focuses on this empirical dimension. Thus, this paper asks whether we can hold firms responsible for theoretical reasons. Theoretical reasons means that this paper refers to theories of the firm and in particular to their hypotheses about the behaviour of firms and firm members. The paper finds that the nexus of contracts approach (which is the economic mainstream theory of the firm) ascribes behaviour to the firm that corresponds to the firm members’ behaviour. In consequence, we would not have reasons to ascribe responsibility to the firm from a social science perspective. Since the nexus of contracts approach is not adequate from a critical rationalist perspective, however, this paper develops an extended corporate actors approach. In contrast to the nexus of contacts approach, the extended corporate actors approach ascribes behaviour to the firm that differs from firm members’ actions. Thus, we do have reasons to ascribe responsibility to the firm from a social science perspective.
{"title":"Corporate Social Responsibility: A Fake Already According to the Theory of the Firm?Date submitted: October 4, 2017Revised version accepted after double blind review: August 31, 2018","authors":"Ute Schmiel","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-154","url":null,"abstract":"This paper asks if we can support by argument the norm “we should hold firms responsible”. From a critical rationalist perspective, answering this question has an ethical and an empirical dimension. The ethical dimension discusses whether we should hold firms socially responsible for ethical reasons. However, since demanding that we should hold firms responsible requires that we can hold them responsible, this paper focuses on this empirical dimension. Thus, this paper asks whether we can hold firms responsible for theoretical reasons. Theoretical reasons means that this paper refers to theories of the firm and in particular to their hypotheses about the behaviour of firms and firm members. The paper finds that the nexus of contracts approach (which is the economic mainstream theory of the firm) ascribes behaviour to the firm that corresponds to the firm members’ behaviour. In consequence, we would not have reasons to ascribe responsibility to the firm from a social science perspective. Since the nexus of contracts approach is not adequate from a critical rationalist perspective, however, this paper develops an extended corporate actors approach. In contrast to the nexus of contacts approach, the extended corporate actors approach ascribes behaviour to the firm that differs from firm members’ actions. Thus, we do have reasons to ascribe responsibility to the firm from a social science perspective.","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85079690","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}
Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-143
Simon Fietze, W. Matiaske, R. Menges
The accusation of whitewashing accompanied the discussion about corporate social responsibility (CSR) since its inception the 1950s. That's not surprising. Ever since its beginnings in Scottish moral philosophy, economics did not expect the general good to be enhanced by the individual's social orientation, but rather by its self-interest, a concept less liable to disappointment, and the work of the invisible hand (Hirschman, 1977). The latter aims to promote a common goal that individuals have not intended. Following his famous text, Adam Smith (2007 [1786], p. 350) continues: ‘I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.’ The ‘mistrust’ of the ‘goodwill’ of the capitalist lives on in various streams such as Marxism, (neo-)liberalism or sociological system theory, to name but a few schools of thought. Marxists do not expect societal progress any more than (neo-)liberals from benevolent capitalists who, demand more taxable profits, instead of social responsibility, in the framework of the market organization of companies. System theorists find that ethical demands are hardly transferable directly into the economy code of payment/non-payment. Although Adam Smith (2007 [1786], p. 350) shared the view that the claim of public good orientation is ‘indeed, not very common among merchants’, but that ‘very few words need to be employed in dissuading them from it.’
{"title":"Corporate Responsibility: In the Dilemma between Fake and Trust?","authors":"Simon Fietze, W. Matiaske, R. Menges","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-143","url":null,"abstract":"The accusation of whitewashing accompanied the discussion about corporate social responsibility (CSR) since its inception the 1950s. That's not surprising. Ever since its beginnings in Scottish moral philosophy, economics did not expect the general good to be enhanced by the individual's social orientation, but rather by its self-interest, a concept less liable to disappointment, and the work of the invisible hand (Hirschman, 1977). The latter aims to promote a common goal that individuals have not intended. Following his famous text, Adam Smith (2007 [1786], p. 350) continues: ‘I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.’ The ‘mistrust’ of the ‘goodwill’ of the capitalist lives on in various streams such as Marxism, (neo-)liberalism or sociological system theory, to name but a few schools of thought. Marxists do not expect societal progress any more than (neo-)liberals from benevolent capitalists who, demand more taxable profits, instead of social responsibility, in the framework of the market organization of companies. System theorists find that ethical demands are hardly transferable directly into the economy code of payment/non-payment. Although Adam Smith (2007 [1786], p. 350) shared the view that the claim of public good orientation is ‘indeed, not very common among merchants’, but that ‘very few words need to be employed in dissuading them from it.’","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89760213","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}
Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-232
Maria Uzhegova, Lasse Torkkeli, S. Saarenketo
This study explores the relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The role of CSR in SMEs has so far been scarcely researched, and the relationship between internationalisation and CSR development in SMEs, in particular, could do with the further study. Since it has been found that organisational capabilities and CSR both impact SME performance, we illustrate these relationships and differentiate between the domestic and internationalised SMEs. The empirical part of the study is based on the survey data from a sample of 141 Finnish SMEs. Results obtained via linear regression modelling show that network competence plays a part in contributing to CSR, which in turn positively affects the SME’s competitive performance, but only in internationalised SMEs. CSR is found to mediate the relationship between network competence and competitive performance. The study thus contributes both to the literature on CSR as well as that on SME internationalisation and argues for the importance of the former as a true predictor of enhanced SME competitiveness.
{"title":"Corporate Social Responsibility in SMEs: Implications on Competitive PerformanceDate submitted: October 12, 2017Revised version accepted after double blind review: December 15, 2018","authors":"Maria Uzhegova, Lasse Torkkeli, S. Saarenketo","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-232","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-232","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores the relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The role of CSR in SMEs has so far been scarcely researched, and the relationship between internationalisation and CSR development in SMEs, in particular, could do with the further study. Since it has been found that organisational capabilities and CSR both impact SME performance, we illustrate these relationships and differentiate between the domestic and internationalised SMEs. The empirical part of the study is based on the survey data from a sample of 141 Finnish SMEs. Results obtained via linear regression modelling show that network competence plays a part in contributing to CSR, which in turn positively affects the SME’s competitive performance, but only in internationalised SMEs. CSR is found to mediate the relationship between network competence and competitive performance. The study thus contributes both to the literature on CSR as well as that on SME internationalisation and argues for the importance of the former as a true predictor of enhanced SME competitiveness.","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76505504","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}
Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-4-412
Calle Rosengren, Mikael Ottosson
The article focuses on a current trend in office design: Activity Based Work (ABW). This is an office solution that instead of providing employees with designated places, it provides them with a variety of spaces in the office that offer different functionalities. A case study is presented of the ongoing effort of a multinational technology company in the software industry to implement ABW at a local site in Sweden. Based on an analysis of the individual and focus group interviews of company employees, the article argues that the non-territorial foundation of ABW is seen as a threat to the work-related identity among certain groups within the company. The findings presented comprise specific insights into how the material aspects of organizational life interact with social identity construction.
{"title":"Conflict, Resistance and the Symbolic Meaning of Space – Activity Based Work and Possibilities to Express Work-related Identities in Everyday Working Life","authors":"Calle Rosengren, Mikael Ottosson","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-4-412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-4-412","url":null,"abstract":"The article focuses on a current trend in office design: Activity Based Work (ABW). This is an office solution that instead of providing employees with designated places, it provides them with a variety of spaces in the office that offer different functionalities. A case study is presented of the ongoing effort of a multinational technology company in the software industry to implement ABW at a local site in Sweden. Based on an analysis of the individual and focus group interviews of company employees, the article argues that the non-territorial foundation of ABW is seen as a threat to the work-related identity among certain groups within the company. The findings presented comprise specific insights into how the material aspects of organizational life interact with social identity construction.","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79284061","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}
Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-4-389
S. Royer, S. Gretzinger, K. Brown
A sound understanding of the key resources and capabilities that span firm boundaries in regional clusters is important for firms embedded in networked structures to exploit strategic opportunities and manage associated challenges. A resource-based perspective of value creation in clusters to develop a better conceptualisation of strategic competitive advantage on different levels is also a relevant topic from a strategic management perspective. Therefore, the aim of this research is to strengthen and extend a resource-oriented perspective on clusters, according to the value adding web (VAW) approach developed by Brown et al. (e.g., 2008, 2010). This contribution complements the state of the art of contemporary concepts with a coherent fundament for the resource-based value adding web concept and thereby develops the basis for further empirical studies. In this conceptual paper, we focus on the interaction between actors and relationships as sources for value creation within clusters as well as gaining a better understanding of value creation based on shared relational resources. We illustrate this approach through a discussion of a maritime cluster. Specifically the role of social capital and the relevance of knowledge-related resources on different cluster levels is elaborated. Building on a descriptive and theoretical fundament, we present a set of propositions reflecting our chain of arguments.
{"title":"The Value Adding Web Concept of Clusters – Strengthening and Extending the Fundament: Resources, Capabilities and Rents","authors":"S. Royer, S. Gretzinger, K. Brown","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-4-389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-4-389","url":null,"abstract":"A sound understanding of the key resources and capabilities that span firm boundaries in regional clusters is important for firms embedded in networked structures to exploit strategic opportunities and manage associated challenges. A resource-based perspective of value creation in clusters to develop a better conceptualisation of strategic competitive advantage on different levels is also a relevant topic from a strategic management perspective. Therefore, the aim of this research is to strengthen and extend a resource-oriented perspective on clusters, according to the value adding web (VAW) approach developed by Brown et al. (e.g., 2008, 2010). This contribution complements the state of the art of contemporary concepts with a coherent fundament for the resource-based value adding web concept and thereby develops the basis for further empirical studies. In this conceptual paper, we focus on the interaction between actors and relationships as sources for value creation within clusters as well as gaining a better understanding of value creation based on shared relational resources. We illustrate this approach through a discussion of a maritime cluster. Specifically the role of social capital and the relevance of knowledge-related resources on different cluster levels is elaborated. Building on a descriptive and theoretical fundament, we present a set of propositions reflecting our chain of arguments.","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81547844","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}
Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-1-5
C. Grund, Axel Minten, N. Toporova
We investigate the relationship between individual and job-related characteristics and motivation assessments of temporary agency workers. To do so, we make use of a unique dataset from one of Germany’s largest temporary work agencies. For 3,000 temporary agency workers, a subjective motivation appraisal is provided by the respective direct manager within the hiring company. We observe a positive relationship between the decision on transition to regular employment and the motivation assessment of temporary agency workers. Women in temporary agency work receive higher appraisals than men. However, the relation between project duration and motivation assessment is more pronounced for males. A change of the hiring company with follow-up projects is negatively related to motivation assessments of temporary agency workers. Hypothesis 4: There is a positive relationship between remaining with a hiring company on a follow-up project and the motivation assessment of the temporary agency worker.
{"title":"Motivation Assessments of Temporary Agency Workers – an Empirical Analysis Based on Appraisals Compiled by Hiring Companies","authors":"C. Grund, Axel Minten, N. Toporova","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-1-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-1-5","url":null,"abstract":"We investigate the relationship between individual and job-related characteristics and motivation assessments of temporary agency workers. To do so, we make use of a unique dataset from one of Germany’s largest temporary work agencies. For 3,000 temporary agency workers, a subjective motivation appraisal is provided by the respective direct manager within the hiring company. We observe a positive relationship between the decision on transition to regular employment and the motivation assessment of temporary agency workers. Women in temporary agency work receive higher appraisals than men. However, the relation between project duration and motivation assessment is more pronounced for males. A change of the hiring company with follow-up projects is negatively related to motivation assessments of temporary agency workers. Hypothesis 4: There is a positive relationship between remaining with a hiring company on a follow-up project and the motivation assessment of the temporary agency worker.","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88225015","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}
Pub Date : 2019-01-01DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-312
Fabian Grabicki, R. Menges
Since the 1990s, consumer research has looked for causes that could explain the absence of switching behavior of electricity consumers in liberalized electricity markets. Recent decision theory findings suggest that this absence of switching behavior is due to the so-called status quo bias. The status quo bias reflects the tendency of individuals to prefer the actual situation disproportionately (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988). Using the insights of this particular bias, an economic experiment was designed to empirically test the influence of the status quo bias. In a choice-based conjoint analysis, subjects were repeatedly offered different variations of electricity contracts. 300 subjects were randomly assigned to either the control or the experimental group in four different treatments. In each of a total 15 decision-making situations, one electricity contract had to be chosen from the five different electricity contracts available. The only variation between the control and the experimental groups was that, in each decision situation of the three different status quo treatments, always one of the five electricity contracts was preselected by default. In accordance with a specific decision-making rule, this was always either the most renewable, the most local or the most expensive electricity contract. The results show significant differences between the control and the experimental group with respect to the part-worth utilities and the relative importance of the attributes. In contrast to the expectations of the model of rational choice, the type of framing of the choice task, whether an electricity contract was preselected by default as a status quo or not, seemed to influence the decision behavior of the subjects. The results are criticized as to whether competition in the liberalized electricity market is a suitable instrument to promote climate and infrastructure projects in the long term by the individual choice of electricity consumers, or whether political measures that are brought about by a collective decision should be preferred.
{"title":"Consumer Responsibility and the Transformation Process of the Electricity Market: Insights From Behavioral Decision ResearchDate submitted: October 27, 2017Revised version accepted after double blind review: November 11, 2018","authors":"Fabian Grabicki, R. Menges","doi":"10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2019-2-3-312","url":null,"abstract":"Since the 1990s, consumer research has looked for causes that could explain the absence of switching behavior of electricity consumers in liberalized electricity markets. Recent decision theory findings suggest that this absence of switching behavior is due to the so-called status quo bias. The status quo bias reflects the tendency of individuals to prefer the actual situation disproportionately (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988). Using the insights of this particular bias, an economic experiment was designed to empirically test the influence of the status quo bias. In a choice-based conjoint analysis, subjects were repeatedly offered different variations of electricity contracts. 300 subjects were randomly assigned to either the control or the experimental group in four different treatments. In each of a total 15 decision-making situations, one electricity contract had to be chosen from the five different electricity contracts available. The only variation between the control and the experimental groups was that, in each decision situation of the three different status quo treatments, always one of the five electricity contracts was preselected by default. In accordance with a specific decision-making rule, this was always either the most renewable, the most local or the most expensive electricity contract. The results show significant differences between the control and the experimental group with respect to the part-worth utilities and the relative importance of the attributes. In contrast to the expectations of the model of rational choice, the type of framing of the choice task, whether an electricity contract was preselected by default as a status quo or not, seemed to influence the decision behavior of the subjects. The results are criticized as to whether competition in the liberalized electricity market is a suitable instrument to promote climate and infrastructure projects in the long term by the individual choice of electricity consumers, or whether political measures that are brought about by a collective decision should be preferred.","PeriodicalId":47269,"journal":{"name":"Management Revue","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76775492","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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