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Book part
Publication date: 26 October 2016

Michael Schwartz and Debra R. Comer

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s creation of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in 1999 inspired great hopes. As we explain, however, the noble initiatives of…

Abstract

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s creation of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in 1999 inspired great hopes. As we explain, however, the noble initiatives of the UNGC are undermined by the arms industry. Arms are expensive. The expenditure on arms diverts a nation’s “resources from ‘productive’ to ‘unproductive’ ends.” The arms industry is a major employer in most arms manufacturing nations. It generates much needed revenue for those countries. Therefore, attempts at thwarting the supply of arms are doomed to failure. Instead of halting the supply of arms, we argue as to the advantages of restraining the demand for arms. Michael Walzer is the only moral philosopher who has considered the ethics of appeasement. We explore Walzer’s arguments for appeasement and consider how a United Nations Secretary-General could appease those nations demanding arms. In doing so, the UN Secretary-General would make it possible for the UNGC to achieve what was initially envisaged for the UNGC.

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The Contribution of Love, and Hate, to Organizational Ethics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-503-4

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Book part
Publication date: 22 April 2013

Michael Schwartz

The chapter argues that you can appease both the present and the past; and that whilst appeasement is viewed with distaste that might not necessarily be so. Many traditions within…

Abstract

The chapter argues that you can appease both the present and the past; and that whilst appeasement is viewed with distaste that might not necessarily be so. Many traditions within moral philosophy itself seemingly advocate some degree of appeasement. Admittedly this could not be said of ethical egoists but it has long been disputed whether ethical egoism constitutes a moral philosophy solely because they refuse to appease anyone else insisting that their happiness cannot be compromised. Beyond that moral philosophy always involves appeasing someone or something. However in this chapter I am predominantly interested in those attempts to appease the past. I am especially interested in that given current developments in several states. With regard to those developments I am interested in the arguments made by Avishai Margalit that there is an ethics of memory. Margalit’s insistence that there is an ethics of memory is not unrelated to the conservative project in that it is concerned with conserving the past and conveying it to subsequent generations. I contrast that with John Lukacs' explanation of populism and its propensity to create myths; and in doing so contemplate Bernard Lewis' arguments as to the tensions which will be created by denying history.

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Ethics, Values and Civil Society
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-768-9

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Article
Publication date: 12 September 2019

Arosha Adikaram

The purpose of this paper is to examine how and with what reasons, divorced women respond to harassment they face at work, within a patriarchal culture of stigma and prejudice…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how and with what reasons, divorced women respond to harassment they face at work, within a patriarchal culture of stigma and prejudice about divorced women. This inquiry will be performed by integrating stigma-management and identity-management research with research on responding to and coping with harassment.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative research methodology, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were carried out with 12 divorced working women.

Findings

Findings of the study illuminate the manner in which stigma management interacts with harassment coping/respond mechanisms in dynamic ways, leading to complex response strategies for divorced women, which can be broadly identified as stigma-focused response strategies and harassment-focused response strategies. A strategy typology – consisting of seven major quadrants and nine major strategies therein – is thus provided, explaining how divorced women struggle to maintain their identity and manage stigma while coping with harassment.

Practical implications

The paper point towards the need for organisations to be mindful of the struggles of stigmatised individuals in coping and responding to harassment, and their distinct situations and experiences in developing and implementing interventions such as training, awareness creation and policies on harassment.

Originality/value

While research on reaction to harassment is abundant, how divorced women – as a stigmatised and marginalised group of individuals in society – cope with harassment at work is almost non-existent. The present study fills this gap by exploring harassment responses at the nexus of stigma and identity management.

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Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. 34 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

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Expert briefing
Publication date: 25 May 2022

Workers’ protests in Iran have been growing due to the impact of sanctions, economic mismanagement, low and unpaid wages, inflation, increasing poverty levels and corruption. The…

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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB270452

ISSN: 2633-304X

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Geographic
Topical
Article
Publication date: 19 April 2022

Shalaghya Sharma and Amit Kumar

The purpose of this research paper is to understand the effect of negative emotions created from social interactions on the aspiring entrepreneurs. The government of India has…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to understand the effect of negative emotions created from social interactions on the aspiring entrepreneurs. The government of India has recently started several entrepreneurship development schemes to promote entrepreneurship among Indian youth, but still, the turnout rate tends to be low in some eastern states. A lot of research has been done about the various motivating factors, but less attention has been paid on the social interactions that create negative emotions. Unless researchers and government focus on the value of these negative emotions as corroders of motivation, it would be hard to accomplish the goals of an entrepreneurship-oriented country.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted with participants of an entrepreneurship development program at the commencement of program and after one year.

Findings

It was found via the study that social interaction plays a crucial role in determining their motivation toward becoming an entrepreneur. Apart from this feeling of shame, fear, vulnerability, resentment, loneliness and self-doubt are crucial negative emotions that are corroding the chances of entrepreneurship among the Indian youth.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size was small to conduct a quantitative analysis. If a study could be conducted on a larger scale, it would contribute immensely to the entrepreneurship literature.

Social implications

It is a strong reminder of how the society can help in promoting entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

The impact of social interactions on the motivation of budding entrepreneurs has not been studied as per the literature review.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. 15 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

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Abstract

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The Contribution of Love, and Hate, to Organizational Ethics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-503-4

Article
Publication date: 1 July 1954

WILLIAM LOWNDES

The hoary old problem of fiction standards is still with us, it seems, and the question of whether or not to provide what is alternatively called “the ephemeral” and “the…

Abstract

The hoary old problem of fiction standards is still with us, it seems, and the question of whether or not to provide what is alternatively called “the ephemeral” and “the meretricious” continues to be mooted extensively at professional meetings. Meanwhile, most of us willingly supply at least a quota of romances, thrillers and westerns for those hordes of voracious readers who are so fiercely addicted to them. We adopt a policy of appeasement, and, within certain limitations, all is well. Romances, we may tell ourselves, are not all elongated versions of stories in pulp magazines. Thrillers have a high‐brow pedigree: even people with the intellectual attainments of Bertrand Russell revel in them. And westerns—

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Library Review, vol. 14 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2009

Niamh O'Sullivan and Brendan O'Dwyer

The purpose of this paper is to present an in‐depth, context rich, and stakeholder‐focused perspective on the legitimation dynamics surrounding the initiation and evolution of one…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an in‐depth, context rich, and stakeholder‐focused perspective on the legitimation dynamics surrounding the initiation and evolution of one of the key financial sector environmental and social responsibility initiatives in recent years, the Equator Principles.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on a combination of in‐depth interviews with non‐governmental organization (NGO) leaders, extensive documentary analysis and participant observation in order to understand and explain, from an NGO perspective, the use of the Equator Principles as a central element in an attempt to legitimise financial institutions' project finance activities. Key aspects of legitimacy theory are used to theoretically frame the analysis.

Findings

The paper reveals and analyses the process through which campaigning NGOs conferred a nominal level of legitimacy on financial institutions' project finance activities. It proceeds to unveil how and why this attained legitimacy unravelled. A perceived lack of accountability at an institutional, organisational and individual project level is identified as a central reason for this reduction in legitimacy.

Research limitations/implications

The paper primarily focuses on one side of the story of the dynamics of the legitimation process underpinning the evolution of the Equator Principles until 2006. Future research could focus on obtaining and theorising financial institution perspectives on the Equator Principles' development, implementation, and progression as well as analysing developments beyond 2006.

Originality/value

The paper advances our understanding of the dynamics of legitimation processes. These dynamics are studied from the perspective of a key “relevant public” thereby prioritising perceptions that are largely absent from corporate social accountability research seeking to empirically inform legitimacy theory.

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Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 22 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

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Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Nixon Muganda Ochara, John Kandiri and Roy Johnson

This research reports on how influence processes (IP) impact on the implementation effectiveness of information technology (IT) projects. Drawing on an innovation perspective that…

1038

Abstract

Purpose

This research reports on how influence processes (IP) impact on the implementation effectiveness of information technology (IT) projects. Drawing on an innovation perspective that elevate the interplay of factors related to innovations framing, innovations environment and innovation attributes, the study focused on IT projects based in Africa that are generally classified as “challenged” due to the conditions in the environment. The purpose of this paper is to assess how IP related to innovation framing, innovation environment and innovation attributes can be used to determine implementation effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a interpretive approach, a case study of institutions under a partnership that has been implementing various educational technologies in five African countries formed the sample. In all, 25 interviews of top-management representatives, project leaders and user representatives were conducted between 2012 and 2013 to assess the implementation effectiveness of these projects. Theoretical thematic analysis, based on a deductive approach, was employed to analyse the data.

Findings

The results show that a majority of these development-oriented projects are “mandated failures” characterized by high framing, a bad internal environment and typically negative innovation attributes. That typically, the institutions engage symbolically in such innovations initiatives which are regarded as “show” projects. Such behaviour can be construed to be a pattern of cynical technology adoption linked to the appeasement of external stakeholders. In addition, participation in initiatives was largely symbolic and is considered as a mere demonstration of a modern organization that is technologically aware, yet the requisite innovation environment is lacking for effective appropriation of the technology. Third, mandated failures result in low morale of employees, who regard themselves as pawns in the process which make them grudgingly participate in the implementation process.

Practical implications

These findings have implications for managing innovations in such challenged environments: the first proposition is that projects in challenged environment for innovation adopting organizations need to be considered as technology transfer projects. Second, the innovation environment and attributes can only be improved during implementation of the conditions related to absorptive capacity of the organization and the individual are addressed.

Originality/value

The research reported in this paper, provides an empirical determination of the concept of implementation effectiveness by using three constructs of innovations framing, environment and attributes. On the basis of the empirical findings, an original contribution is claimed, especially in “challenged” IT project environments where the concept of success if fluid and outcomes uncertain.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 27 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 15 July 2019

While there is moderate optimism among European, Latin American and Caribbean countries about a negotiated solution to Venezuela’s crisis, the United States remains sceptical. The…

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