Search results

Transformations in the context of higher education urge educational institutions to (re)position and (re)organize themselves to counter the challenges these transformations bring. Especially regarding universities and business schools, organizations that encompass a broad range of communities, operations, and activities, these transformations result in the radicalization of what Kerr has called the multiversity. The rationale of this radicalization is to be found in the trends and developments in the contemporary context of higher education. This article presents the networked business school as a response to this radicalization within the field of management education and management learning, since network organization seems to offer a lot of possibilities and benefits to the organization of business schools.

Sustainability intelligence is critical for the prosperity of societies worldwide, for conservation of the natural world, for achieving future business success and for the credibility of the concept of sustainability itself. This study aims to present the concept of sustainability intelligence by expounding on three proposed enablers shaping this concept – self-awareness, global perspective and societal consciousness. The main point of this paper is to conduct inquiry into the topic, gather information on enablers for sustainability intelligence and share that information with readers.

This study collected information from a pool of respondents to answer this research question: Which enablers are imperative to pursue sustainability intelligence? By using a sustainability intelligence questionnaire (SIQ), the authors argue why these enablers could bring about large-scale sustainable transformation and new insights about sustainable practices. The SIQ consists of 15 statements from strongly disagree to strongly agree, with five scale points, exploring the three enablers.

The findings show that the respondents gave the greatest importance to societal consciousness, followed by global perspective and then self-awareness as important enablers for sustainability intelligence. In line with previous studies, it is worth noting these enablers have reciprocal reinforcing relationships. While the proposed enablers for sustainability intelligence could prove a helpful catalyst, the authors believe it is necessary to secure an ongoing incisive critical approach towards enablers and competencies needed to positively impact the sustainable development goals.

We acknowledge there are some limitations using the current methodology. There is for example no control group. Also, this survey was only a-posteriori. It would be useful to execute a survey before the start of the academic year. Although we received some qualitative feedback linked to our research questions, it would be useful to add more in-depth qualitative research, by executing interviews with students. With these limitations, we recognize some room for improvement in our methodology.

This paper explores the wider practical implications of the sustainability intelligence enablers. The further development of the SIQ which might serve as an instrument that provides individual reports that highlight their unique skills and opportunities to shape a better world.

In anticipation of the demands of its constituents, management schools have to deal with the dual challenge facing management education: the challenge of relevance, in particular to integrate the subject of corporate social responsibility (CSR) into the management curriculum, and the challenge to develop and implement innovative learning methods for educating students. This article seeks to expound on these challenges.

The authors first reflect on the imminent and essential need to pay attention to CSR, as driven by general trends and developments in the corporate context as well as by recent business scandals. The uses, roles and functions of simulations are then reviewed, followed by a report of a project at Rotterdam University/HES, a Dutch university of professional education, that aimed to counter both identified challenges. This project involved two simulations in the field of CSR.

Recognizing the changes in this environment, opines that the school has to reconsider its approach to management education consequently if it wants to offer relevance to the communities the school serves. At the same time, the school has to explore new methods of learning that contribute to creating effective management learning environments. Simulations, particularly since they enable comprehensive learning, may offer a viable and fertile direction to achieving this objective. The conclusions drawn from this project and the project evaluations clearly support this.

Based on the experiences, the article identifies a number of conditions for the effective implementation of innovative educational projects, which include the school having a vision on CSR and displacing learning responsibilities.

The purpose of this article is to explore what ISO 26000, the global guidance standard for organizations wanting to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR), has to offer to improve the principles for responsible management education (PRME) and its implementation by business schools.

Through an in‐depth analysis of ISO 26000 and beyond the general value of ISO 26000 in providing suggestions for CSR implementation, several insights for management education are derived. These insights are consequently applied to both the principles within the PRME framework and to results from research into the application of the PRME.

The article argues that ISO 26000 offers insights related to the revival of corporate morality, the importance of idiosyncratic CSR (particularly relating to internal organizational processes), the credibility enhancement of PRME‐based CSR commitments and the importance of engaging in community involvement by business schools. Next to these findings, the value of ISO 26000 may even extend to opening up new avenues for engaged and humanistic forms of scholarship and formulate more comprehensive strategies to secure and strengthen business schools societal license to operate.

The findings lead to conclude that ISO 26000 may complement the PRME in supporting business schools in integrating CSR in their programs and their organization and suggest several adjustments to the PRME framework.

As the first article on this intersection, it provides new insights in how the PRME can be improved and business schools can be supported by ISO 26000 in their endeavours of developing and delivering responsible management education.

This article aims to report on original empirical research on the comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 26000 and the CSR Performance Ladder and identifies determinants for the adoption of CSR standards. In addition, it reviews and adds to literature on CSR standards adoption.

The empirical data were derived from interviews with CSR experts in The Netherlands.

The findings of our research show that the demands and wishes of customers, the attitude of a company’s management, the market position of the standard-developing organization and several tangible and intangible characteristics of the standard itself are particularly relevant for the adoption of CSR standards.

The article aimed at reaching analytical generalization instead of statistical generalization and was focused on The Netherlands. Differences across industries and sectors were not taken into account in this exploratory study. Having said this, we still think the article provides valuable insights.

Our research identifies “buttons” for policymakers trying to stimulate business to engage with CSR. It may help predict which CSR standards may surface as dominant and can also be used to inform the design and development of new CSR standards. Finally, it may also serve as input for (marketing) strategies by standardization organizations worldwide and other organizations that have taken CSR standardization initiatives as well as non-governmental organizations and even consultancies to spur the adoption of CSR standards as a means of CSR implementation.

The article presents original empirical material on CSR standards adoption and contributes to the literature on this topic with insights on determinants’ CSR standards adoption.

This paper aims to examine the definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as propagated by ISO 26000, the global comprehensive guidance standard for CSR, compare it to and position it vis-à-vis other contemporary interpretations of CSR and formulate a critique on the standard’s definition of CSR.

This paper aims to examine the definition of CSR as propagated by ISO 26000, the global comprehensive guidance standard for CSR, compare it to and position it vis-à-vis other contemporary interpretations of CSR and formulate a critique on the standard’s definition of CSR.

ISO 26000’s definition of CSR is ‘out of the ordinary ' when compared to instrumental CSR definitions that are currently dominant, as it propagates an explicit moral perspective on corporate responsibilities towards society. While it resembles aspects of earlier definitions of CSR, this paper argues that the standard, being the end result of a global stakeholder dialogue, tries to make a strong plea for the return of morality in the CSR debate. Also, it is concluded that the ISO 26000 definition of CSR has several shortcomings, especially on the subject of corporate governance, which are addressed.

While the main gist of this paper is of a theoretical nature, it may have implications for practice as well. For instance, it may inform critical examinations of corporate commitments to CSR through adopting ISO 26000, and may inform future revisions of the standard.

This paper is the first to examine the ISO 26000 definition of CSR in a structured and detailed way.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a reaction to the paper of Nijhof and Jeurissen in IJSSP on limitations of business case approaches to CSR by nuancing some of their critique as well as extending it by addressing a more fundamental flaw in such approaches. In addition, the paper aims to also provide a case of a company that integrates various approaches to CSR into its business model that goes beyond the CSR business case.

The paper both has a conceptual approach through drawing on critical studies and theoretical arguments on CSR as well as an empirical approach through examining the integrative sustainability business model developed by the company Patagonia, a recognized and innovative CSR leader.

The paper argues that the “cherry-picking argument” by Nijhof and Jeurissen on the limitations of the business case approach to CSR does not reflect the idiosyncrasy of the CSR concept. Also, their glass ceiling metaphor may not be well-chosen. Second, stage models of CSR maturity that detach ethics from CSR development should be revised to include these, also from a credibility perspective. Third, the theory of the firm perspective on CSR may be adjusted to capture the reality of new market relations that companies pioneering with sustainability business models are developing.

The paper formulates a new critique on business case approaches to CSR, adding to the stream of critical studies on CSR and provides an example of a company that pioneers an integrative approach to CSR.

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on some important limitations of the ISO 26000 standard for corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the credible communication of corporate CSR claims. The paper aims to identify and explore firm-level strategies to signal adherence to the standard effectively and their legitimacy consequences for the standard.

The identification of firm-level signaling strategies is mainly derived from an institutional description of the ISO 26000 standard and based on anecdotal evidence from current business practice, initiatives that have been taken worldwide by organizations such as national standards institutes, the ISO 26000 text and adjacent ISO documents, including ISO post-publication surveys. The paper is grounded in signaling theory.

Five signaling strategies for firms are derived and explored which may reduce information asymmetries and engage in efficacious signaling of their underlying CSR quality and thus guide the communication of firms’ adherence to the ISO 26000 standard.

The findings urge to empirically investigate the use of ISO 26000 signaling strategies including their legitimacy consequences for firms.

The findings of this paper have implications for decisions firms make when considering working with ISO 26000 and communicating their adherence, notably regarding the enhancement of the credibility of their CSR claims. Also, it offers suggestions for certification organizations, national standards bodies and policy makers that want to encourage the adoption of CSR standards, ISO 26000 in particular.

This paper may have implications for evaluating the CSR claims of firms by stakeholders and broader society.

This paper is the first one to address inherent signaling problems of ISO 26000 and to identify signaling strategies to counter these problems in a structured way.