Cover of Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society
>> Go to Current Issue

Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society

Tampere, Finland

Volume 19
Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting

Table of Contents

Already a subscriber? - Login here
Not yet a subscriber? - Subscribe here

Browse by:



Displaying: 41-60 of 60 documents


environmental management and regulation (including environmental quality, pollution control, sustainability, and sustainable development)

41. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Frederik Dahlmann, Stephen Brammer

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that firms are responding differently to the mounting concerns over environmental degradation and climate change. While a few studies at individual firm level do exist, relatively little is known about the longitudinal development of corporate environmental strategy at the population level of firms. Employing KLD data we explore the evolution of environmental strategy among a sample of S&P500 corporations over the period 1997 to 2006. We theoretically ground our study in Burgelman’s (1991) autonomous and induced perspectives of strategy-making. Our findings suggest widespread inertia among firms to adjust to the changing socio-institutional environment.
42. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Tiina Onkila

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
In this study I describe and interpret the arguments that are used in the interviews with environmental managers in the production of acceptable environmental action in business. The interest especially focuses on stakeholder relations and environmental values produced in the argumentation. In the results of the study I indicate that different types of arguments are used to produce acceptability that, while they may be conflicting, all of them are arguable.
43. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Elena Cavagnaro, Sjoerd Gehrels

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
This paper presents the design and first result of a longitudinal case study on the change process from mainstream to sustainability of a Hotel Restaurant in The Netherlands. In this paper, after a brief introduction on the Hotel Restaurant and the chosen theoretical frame, the first steps in the research process will be presented including a sketch of the situation before the new executive chef officially took the insigne of the Hotel Restaurant executive chef; the management hypothesis; the plans of the executive chef and the changes in the first months at HR.

governance issues (including international governance regimes, legal standards, and comparative governance)

44. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Jill A. Brown, Ann C. Buchholtz, Andrew Ward

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
This paper develops and tests a model of fingerpointing behaviors that board members experience because of regulatory reforms. We present the partial results of a large study of 138 board members on 54 publicly traded boards in the United States. We found that recent governance reforms that mandate increased accountability of board members are associated with less board cohesion and thatlower board cohesion is associated with fingerpointing behaviors. These findings suggest that the stages of institutionalization following regulatory shock falter when negative group behaviors develop under scrutiny.
45. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Johanne Grosvold, Stephen Brammer

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
In this study, we set out to examine the role played by country institutional environments in explaining cross-country variation in the prevalence of women on corporate boards of directors. In order to address this question, we compare the predictive power and substantive implications of four existing typologies of national institutional environments due to Hall and Soskice (2001), La Porta et al., (1999), Weimar and Pape’s (1999), and Whitley (1991, 1996, 1999). These frameworks encapsulate a variety of national institutionalcharacteristics and provide a means to a) evaluate the significance of national institutional environments for the presence of women on boards, and b) distinguish between the importance of various specific aspects of country institutional environments for board diversity. Our findings show that as much as half of the variation across countries in the presence of women on corporate boards is attributable to institutional factors and that legally-oriented institutions appear to play the most significant role in shaping board diversity.

public affairs, public policy, and regulation (including business political activity and political contributions)

46. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Richard Windischhofer, Mika Skippari

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
In this paper we integrate the concept of institutional entrepreneurship to the literature on corporate political activity by examining how the attempts of private actors to influence a public policy domain is fundamentally constrained by the prevailing institutional logics in the field. By examining the role of financial actor, i.e, investment bankers in the commercialization process of Finnish water sector, we show how the political strategies of these actors evolved during the process. Moreover, we identify several factors explaining why the financial actors were able to adapt to the institutional logics of local government actors.
47. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Mirja Mikkilä, Jussi Heinimö, Virgilio Panapanaan, Lassi Linnanen

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
This study was conducted with the aim of outlining a comprehensive picture of the coverage of various sustainability schemes or criteria sets related to the entire value-added chain of biomass and bioenergy and comparing them accordingly. Eight sustainability schemes and one draft directive were chosen for the qualitative comparison: two existing sets of criteria for agricultural biomass (RSPO, RTRS); two existing forest certification schemes (FSC, Finnish FFCS); two newly developed initiatives for biomass for energy raw material (WWF Meta standard, CSB); and three recent proposals for bio energy and biofuels (SSB, Finnish SLF, EU draft directive).The analysis demonstrated that five schemes (RSPO, RTRS, FSC, CSB and SSB) are created for global application and commonly cover all sustainability issues plus the legal framework around it. The WWF Meta standard does also cover all issues, although the economic items are underemphasised. The two Finnish sets (FFCS and SLF) are mainly locally or regionally applied and focus more on environmental issues, as other issues are covered by existing legislation. The EU draft directive focuses mainly on the governance of energy from renewable sources at the European level, emphasising environmental issues. This paper resulted in the proposal of a tri-dimensional approach (sustainability issues; technical biomass conversion routes; physical trade flows) when comparing various biomass and bioenergy schemes and for further development and empirical testing of overall European biomass and bioenergy sustainability.
48. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Jan Siedentopp

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
This paper addresses the relationship between corporate political activities (CPA) and a firm’s customer orientation (CO) from a strategy perspective. Focussing on the potential negative implications of CPA, the paper argues that CPA over time may result in path-dependency for the focal strategic system and lead to a low level of customer orientation and strategic rigidity to readdress an appropriate level of CO.

stakeholder issues and theory (including perceptions of reputation, instrumental stakeholder theory, and normative stakeholder theory)

49. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Sybille Sachs, Ruth Schmitt, Hans Groth

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
The paper develops a framework to evaluate a network's stakeholders' perceptions concerning an issue which is highly relevant for all stakeholders. The framework helps us to understand how stakeholder networks impact perceptions and vice versa, which will result in a better understanding of the interrelatedness of a network. On the other hand, it helps corporations to become more effective increating wealth with and for their stakeholders.
50. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Johanna Kujala, Hanna Lehtimäki, Tiina Toikka

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
In this paper, we are interested in how a company can enhance stakeholder involvement in its information-sharing practices. We start by looking at the current information-sharing practices in a case where Europe’s second largest pulp producer Metsä-Botnia was caught in the middle of a heated debate between two countries when building a pulp mill in South America. We examine the content of the company’s press releases in terms of the degree of stakeholder involvement. On the basis of our analysis, we discuss the problems and possibilities of enhancing stakeholder involvement through information sharing by introducing a discursive understanding to stakeholder dialogue.
51. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Carola Hillenbrand, Kevin Money

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
It is the aim of this piece of research to provide a conceptualisation of Corporate Responsibility from a stakeholder perspective and to investigate if and how Corporate Responsibility can be expressed in terms of beliefs of stakeholders. The paper reports on a qualitative research study into customer and employee understanding of Corporate Responsibility in the context of a financial service organisation.
52. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Sybille Sachs, Ruth Schmitt, Irene Perrin

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
Corporate success is understood as stakeholder value, which is based on three licenses: the licenses to innovate, to compete, and to operate. Stakeholders contribute to these three licenses through their benefit and risk potentials. Based on four cases, a stakeholder value management system is developed which provides managers with a tool to systematically use the benefit potentials that lie in stakeholder relations. The links between corporate value creation and stakeholders are identified.
53. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Murat Akpinar, Zsuzsanna Vincze

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
The review of literature on stakeholders reveals that there is need to understand more about firm-stakeholder relationships especially from stakeholders’ point of view. Market integration in the European Union (EU) provides an excellent context for increasing such understanding since it is creating opportunities and threats for firms and their stakeholders. This research aims to make a contribution in this direction by analyzing strategic responses of primary stakeholders to selected threat events in the history of Volkswagen (VW) since 1960.
54. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Mika Skippari, Kalle Pajunen

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
Due to increasing stakeholder activism, several firms have recently been driven into a conflict with stakeholders resulting in unexpected consequences. Based on an in-depth case study of a conflict between a forest industry company and environmental activist groups, we develop a framework for analysing the emergence and consequences of a stakeholder conflict. We argue that a conflict ina stakeholder relationship effects not only to this particular stakeholder relationship, but it also evokes dynamic changes in the stakeholder network of the firm including the emergence of new pressuring stakeholders, the complication of the original conflicting issue, and the emergence of new conflicts in the stakeholder network. We contend that the network effects of stakeholder conflictescalation are particularly critical issue in the relationships with activist groups and other “secondary” stakeholders.

teaching issues, research issues, and other topics

55. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Duane Windsor, Harry Van Buren III Orcid-ID

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
This brief document introduces two papers (which follow in sequence) based on presentations at the conference in teaching workshop (June 27, 2008) jointly organized and conducted by Duane Windsor (Rice University) and Harry Van Buren III (University of New Mexico). The purpose of the teaching workshop was to report on recent developments concerning responsible management education. Windsor made some introductory comments. Van Buren followed with an exposition of his experiences with and critical reflections on business ethics education particularly with undergraduates at the University of New Mexico (a state institution). Windsor followed with a report of recent developments and some reflections on responsible management education with three different types of MBA students at Rice University (a private institution). There followed an extended, wide-ranging open forum with very active discussion by attendees.
56. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Duane Windsor

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
This paper reports on recent developments concerning responsible management education for the 21st century. AACSB International’s posture is evidently to permit local flexibility concerning delivery of any business ethics education while highlighting the general importance of ethics for business and business schools. Campaign AACSB organized to argue the case for a strong requirement emphasizing foundational course work followed by infusion/diffusion as opposed to local option. The Business Roundtable and theUN Global Compact in 2007 issued strong, useful recommendations concerning business ethics education. AACSB is a listed supporter of the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). The ISO 26000 guidance for voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) is scheduled for 2010 publication. Global mobilization brings greater influence to bear on AACSB. The paperincludes a large, select bibliography of relevant publications.
57. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Harry Van Buren III Orcid-ID

view |  rights & permissions | cited by
58. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008
Stephen Hicks

abstract | view |  rights & permissions | cited by
BB&T’s initiative to fund programs on the moral foundations of capitalism is evaluated by reference to the criteria of academic freedom, integrity, and philosopher-novelist Ayn Rand’s status as an intellectual.

59. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008

view |  rights & permissions | cited by

60. Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society: 2008

view |  rights & permissions | cited by