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This chapter considers viable and nonviable methods for corruption and ethics reform. Among the different types of methods considered are: vision and values based methods; win-win incentive and ethics networking methods; power-based top-down compliance and bottom-up whistle-blowing methods; alternative institution building methods; and, social movement methods. The chapter analyzes how the different types of methods can be more and less viable depending upon the specific multilevel situational factors related to micro individual, meso organizational, and macro institutional level, political-economic, and cultural obstacles to corruption and ethics reform.

Purpose – To provide strategic management scholars, particularly graduate students and new faculty members, a novel approach, the lens model, to investigate emerging economies phenomena.

Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the strategic management literature and a search of the strategy databases and journals, I propose the lens model approach and discuss its origins, development, and designs since its introduction. It has been used extensively in such fields as cognitive psychology, social psychology, medicine, agriculture, human resources management, and organizational behavior. Besides the wide application, it has relevance for strategic management research.

Findings – An illustrative study and a summary of the approach from a previous study in one prominent journal are also provided as guides. I conclude by providing recommendations on what to consider in using the approach for the study of emerging economies.

Research limitations/implications – In addition to the strengths of the approach, its weaknesses are also discussed. Suggestions on maximizing the potential of the approach are also discussed.

Practical implications – The approach is an invaluable source particularly for graduate students of strategy who often are unfamiliar with microlevel approaches. They can use it to supplement approaches for strategic management.

Originality/value – To my knowledge, this chapter is the first to discuss the lens model approach in the strategic management literature. In that regard, it fills a gap in the research methodology literature. It can therefore help graduate students improve their careers.

Purpose – This paper examines the effects that voluntary environmental reporting has on specific environmental practices in micro businesses. In particular, praxis discontinuities between disclosure and behaviour are contrasted between disclosing and non-disclosing micro businesses, ceteris paribus, in a rural region of North West England.

Approach – Six businesses were interviewed and findings were interpreted using a lens derived from the concept of moral proximity (the belief that small businesses are embedded in local communities and therefore are more morally accountable for their actions).

Findings – Findings suggest that environmental reporting is primarily driven by coercive/regulatory forces, whereas environmental practice is driven more by economic/strategic forces. The degree of discontinuity between disclosure and behaviour can be correlated to moral proximity, and this is found to vary significantly by industry sector.

Implications – The study concludes that an increased level of environmental reporting is no guarantee of improved environmental practice due to the dislocation between the drivers of the two elements of praxis.

Value – The study provides empirical evidence of the impact of different external interventions that can help inform future policy development on small business environmental responsibility.